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DOVER , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the ferries dock at the Port of Dover after crossing the English Channel , the trucks pull in at a steady rate . Afghanistan 's opium harvest can be traced right back to some of those trucks . Afghanistan is the world 's biggest supplier of illegal opium , which is made from the seed pods of poppies . `` The routes are many and varied , the concealments are many and varied , we see body -LSB- concealment -RSB- , we see what you call stuffers and swallowers , internal concealments , '' says Steve Coates , deputy director of Britain 's Serious Organized Crime Agency . `` They 're one step ahead of us and we 're desperately trying to get one step ahead of them and I think it 's a long game , '' he said . Coates has spent almost 25 years tracking the heroin pipeline . But he says the approach over the last few years is more intelligence-led . `` If we seize the powder , the commodity , they very quickly replace it . The financial flow is much more important . If you can hit the gangs , the proceeds of crime , you really are affecting them , you 're reaching right into them and actually impacting them , '' says Coates . Watch how the Afghan drug pipeline is difficult to stop '' A new United Nations report confirms the status of the lawless and fertile lands of southern Afghanistan as the world 's biggest supplier of illegal opium , the addictive narcotic that is made from the seed pods of poppies . The drug is ravaging the young , poor and vulnerable in Afghanistan , and its proceeds are the lifeblood of the Taliban . It also is spreading on a drug trail that spans the world . While Western governments have for years debated how to stop the lucrative drug trade in Afghanistan , the business has only grown . The U.N. report notes that for years , the counternarcotics strategies around the world have failed to have any real effect on addiction or drug trafficking . In some countries , heroin is 10 times cheaper now than it was 30 years ago . `` We 've been very good in the past at playing cops and robbers , but did -LSB- that -RSB- make a difference ? No it did n't , '' concedes Coates . The key now , say law enforcement officials , is n't wiping out the poppies , scanning every truck or locking up the small-time dealers , but rather gathering intelligence that follows and then destroys the lucrative money trail . Britain 's Serious Organized Crime Agency says it is now committed to taking a collaborative approach not just with its own national partners , but by working intelligence links through the world . | Port of Dover serves as entry point for much of Afghanistan 's opium harvest . Traffickers hide drugs in trucks , bodies , British drug official says . `` They 're one step ahead of us , '' Steve Coates says . U.N. report says counter-drug strategies have been ineffective . | [[525, 545], [1154, 1170], [1770, 1928], [1797, 1806], [1809, 1928]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Airbus airplane was forced to turn back to New York 90 minutes into a flight to Paris , Air France said Monday . The Air France A380 turned back due to a `` minor incident , '' the airline said , refusing to say what the technical hitch was . Airbus also declined to specify what caused the plane to turn back , saying the incident was an issue for the Air France maintenance team not the aircraft 's manufacturer . The pilots made the decision to turn back `` in strict accordance with procedures and as a precautionary measure ... following a minor technical problem in order to carry out ground checks , '' Air France said . The plane landed at New York 's John F. Kennedy International airport `` without incident '' at 10:17 p.m. ET on Friday , November 27 , Air France said . The plane was serviced and later completed its transatlantic journey , the airline said . Air France had begun flying the brand-new A380 across the Atlantic only days before , Airbus said . Its inaugural commercial flight from Paris ' Charles de Gaulle airport to JFK was on November 21 . Air France became the fourth airline to operate the superjumbo when it received its first A380 at the end of last month . -- CNN 's Ayesha Durgahee in London , England , contributed to this report . | Airbus airplane forced to turn back to New York 90 minutes into flight to Paris . Air France A380 turned back due to a `` minor incident , '' airline says . Airbus declines to specify what caused the plane to turn back . | [[19, 107], [650, 719], [135, 193], [438, 599], [565, 590], [600, 626], [629, 649], [265, 271], [277, 331]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama will announce the U.S. troop strategy for Afghanistan in a speech at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point , New York , White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Wednesday . In the speech , Obama will explain why the United States is in Afghanistan , its interests there and his decision-making process , Gibbs said , but `` the president does not see this as an open-ended engagement . `` Our time there will be limited , and I think that 's important for people to understand , '' he said . `` We are in year nine '' in Afghanistan , Gibbs told reporters . `` We 're not going to be there another eight or nine years . '' Obama will meet with members of Congress at the White House on Tuesday afternoon before the speech . Cost issues are among the topics the president will address , Gibbs said . `` It 's a million dollars a troop for a year , '' he said . `` Ten thousand troops is $ 10 billion . That 's in addition to what we already spend in Afghanistan and Pakistan . That also does not include training , and it does n't include the maintaining of a security force . It 's very , very , very expensive . '' But , Gibbs added , `` I think the president , throughout this process , has talked about the cost in terms of American lives and in terms of the cost to our treasury , and I think he 'll continue to talk about it . '' The president ordered more than 20,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in March . Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the U.S. commander in Afghanistan , reportedly has called for up to 40,000 more to wage a counterinsurgency campaign against the Taliban , the Islamic militia originally ousted by U.S. military action in 2001 . Obama has weighed several options for bolstering the American contingent , ranging from sending a few thousand troops to the 40,000 McChrystal requested . A defense official told CNN earlier this week the Pentagon is making detailed plans to send about 34,000 more troops to Afghanistan in anticipation of Obama 's decision on the 8-year-old war . There had been no final word on Obama 's decision as of Tuesday , said the Defense Department official , who has direct knowledge of the process . But the official said planners have been tasked with preparing to send 34,000 additional American troops to Afghanistan with the expectation that Obama was leaning toward approving that many . iReporters sound off ; share your views on sending more troops in Afghanistan . Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to receive the paperwork Thursday to approve orders to deploy 1,000 Marines from Camp Lejeune , North Carolina , to Afghanistan in late December -- the first of the new troops to be sent , a U.S. military official told CNN on Wednesday . The official is not authorized to talk about the plans because they have not been officially announced . The 1,000 Marines are part of a battalion task force that has been preparing and training for the deployment , the official said . The president held a lengthy meeting with top advisers Monday night , and he told reporters Tuesday that he would announce new plans for Afghanistan after Thanksgiving . McChrystal took part in the meeting Monday , along with Vice President Joe Biden , Gates , Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen and Karl Eikenberry , the U.S. ambassador in Kabul , Afghanistan . Obama said Tuesday that the deliberations had been `` comprehensive and extremely useful . '' `` It 's going to be important to recognize that in order for us to succeed there -LSB- in Afghanistan -RSB- , you 've got to have a comprehensive strategy that includes civilian and diplomatic efforts , '' he said at a news conference Tuesday with visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . The defense official said Tuesday that the military is planning to send three U.S. Army brigades , totaling about 15,000 troops ; a Marine brigade with about 8,000 troops ; a headquarters element of about 7,000 ; and between 4,000 and 5,000 support troops -- a total of about 34,000 troops . CNN reported last month that this was the Pentagon 's preferred option . However , the official said Wednesday that the Marines are expected to deploy 8,000 combat , aviation and support troops , plus 1,000 to 1,500 Marines as part of a headquarters unit -- a total of between 9,000 and 9,500 . They will be in addition to the 11,000 Marines already in Afghanistan . After the first deployment , the remaining Marines will deploy over the next three to four months , the military official said . The troops would be dispatched throughout Afghanistan but would be focused mainly on the southern and southeastern provinces , where much of the recent fighting has taken place . Currently , brigades from Fort Drum in upstate New York and Fort Campbell in Kentucky are among those next in line to deploy . About 68,000 U.S. troops are in Afghanistan , along with about 45,000 from the NATO alliance . Two U.S. military officials have told CNN that NATO countries would be asked to contribute more troops to fill the gap between the 34,000 the Pentagon expects Obama to send and the 40,000 McChrystal wants . The request is expected to come during a December 7 meeting at the alliance 's headquarters in Brussels , Belgium . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will travel to Brussels next week to meet with allies , State Department sources told CNN . Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell would not discuss specific numbers , but he said NATO would be asked for additional help . Obama 's Afghanistan plan will include `` very broad terms '' that show how and where the United States is succeeding in the nation , a senior U.S. military official told CNN . Those points will be used to determine how and when troops can be brought home . Another senior military official said McChrystal will take his orders from Obama and will do the best he can with what he has . The question , he said , is not the number of troops , but is whether the United States has `` the right resources to do what we need to do . '' `` We ca n't just go and blow people up and win this war , '' the official said . `` We have to gain the trust of the people , and that is a major part of the plan here . '' U.S.-led troops invaded Afghanistan in response to the al Qaeda terrorist network 's September 11 , 2001 , attacks on New York and Washington . The invasion overthrew the ruling Taliban , which had allowed al Qaeda to operate from its territory -- but most of the top al Qaeda and Taliban leadership escaped the onslaught . Taliban fighters have since regrouped to the mountainous region along Afghanistan 's border with Pakistan , battling U.S. and Afghan government forces on one side and Pakistani troops on the other . Al Qaeda 's top leaders , Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri , remain at large and are suspected to be hiding in the same region . The conflict has so far claimed the lives of more than 900 Americans and nearly 600 allied troops . CNN 's Jill Dougherty , Deirdre Walsh , Elaine Quijano and Mike Mount contributed to this report . | Obama to explain why U.S. is in Afghanistan , its interests there and how he made decision . Official : Papers seeking orders to deploy 1,000 Marines next month are expected Thursday . NATO allies will also be asked to send more troops , officials say . Obama met with national security team Monday night to discuss Afghanistan . | [[241, 254], [257, 371], [2491, 2567], [2491, 2521], [2534, 2646], [4967, 5069], [5009, 5104], [5491, 5540], [3008, 3075]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A ferry crammed with people capsized late Friday night in Bangladesh , killing at least 28 passengers , police said . The boat had a capacity of 1,500 , but was overcrowded with about 2,000 people , said Nazrul Islam , the police chief of Bangladesh 's southern Bhola district . They were traveling from the capital , Dhaka , to their homes in Bhola for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha . The boat toppled as passengers weighted down one side to disembark , Islam said . The dead included eight women and 15 children . About 50 more people were injured . Police and firefighters rushed to aid passengers , many of whom were trapped in the lower deck . The number of people missing remained unclear and rescue teams feared the death toll would rise . CNN 's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report . | Overcrowded ferry capsizes in Bangladesh , killing at least 28 people . Boat had capacity of 1,500 , but was overcrowded with about 2,000 people . They were traveling from capital Dhaka to their homes in Bhola for Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha . | [[19, 46], [0, 15], [90, 120], [137, 145], [176, 215], [137, 169], [137, 145], [176, 215], [298, 342], [345, 409]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Supreme Court voiced deep free speech concerns Tuesday about a law designed to stop the sale and marketing of videos showing dog fights and other acts of animal cruelty . Selling depictions of animal cruelty like this amateur dogfighting video may be illegal under a 1999 statute . The justices heard an hour of lively debate about the scope and intent of the decade-old statute that supporters say has done much to stop the spread of profiting from the torture and abuse of animals . But media groups and the National Rifle Association were among those who say the law is overly broad . `` It 's not up to the government to decide what are people 's worst instincts , '' said Justice Antonin Scalia . `` One can contemplate a lot of other areas , where government could say : You are appealing to people 's worst instincts , and , therefore , movies can not be made '' showing dramatized depictions of animals being abused , for example . `` What about people who like to see human sacrifices ? '' asked Justice Samuel Alito , somewhat sarcastically . `` Suppose that is legally taking place someplace in the world . I mean , people here would probably love to see it . Live , pay-per-view , you know , on the Human Sacrifice Channel . They have a point of view they want to express . That 's okay ? '' He seemed to indicate strongly it was not , and that lawmakers would have discretion to block it . The specific case before the court dealt with tapes showing pit bull dogs attacking other animals and one another in staged confrontations . Watch an excerpt of the tapes '' A federal appeals court had thrown out the conviction of Robert Stevens , a Pittsville , Virginia , man who sold videos through his `` Dogs of Velvet and Steel '' business . According to court records , undercover federal agents found he was advertising his tapes in `` Sporting Dog Journal , '' an underground magazine on illegal dogfighting . Among the products Stevens advertised was `` Catch Dogs , '' featuring pit bulls chasing wild boars on organized hunts and a `` gruesome depiction of a pit bull attacking the lower jaw of a domestic farm pig , '' according to the Philadelphia , Pennsylvania-based appeals court . Stevens was charged in 2004 with violating interstate commerce laws by selling depictions of animal cruelty . He was later sentenced to 37 months in prison , and promptly appealed . He argued his sentence was longer than the 14 months given professional football player Michael Vick , who ran an illegal dogfighting ring . It was the first prosecution in the United States to proceed to trial under the 1999 law . The divided appeals court concluded that when it came to the federal law in question , `` research and empirical evidence in the record before us simply does not support the notion that banning depictions of animal cruelty is a necessary or even particularly effective means of prosecuting underlying acts of animal cruelty . '' Nearly every state and local jurisdiction have their own laws banning mistreatment of wild and domesticated animals . Several media organizations have come out in support of Stevens , worrying the federal law was too broad and could implicate reports about deer hunting , and depictions of bull-fighting in Ernest Hemingway novels . A number of justices too had concerns , raising a number of hypotheticals , a possible sign a majority of the court remains uncomfortable with allowing the law to be reinstated . `` Why not do a simpler thing ? '' suggested Justice Stephen Breyer . `` Rather than let the public guess as to what these words mean , ask Congress to write a statute that actually aims at those frightful things that it was trying to prohibit . Now , that can be done . '' `` You have to look at the content to determine whether or not the speech is prohibited , '' said Chief Justice John Roberts . `` How can you tell these are n't political videos ? With organizations like PETA -LSB- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -RSB- and others , depictions of the same sort of animal cruelty that is used to generate support for efforts to prohibit it . Why are n't these videos the exact opposite of efforts to legalize it ? '' Justice Sonia Sotomayor questioned the distinction between Stevens ' videos and news items . `` Tell me what the difference is between these videos and -LSB- filmmaker -RSB- David Roma 's documentary on pit bulls ? I mean , David Roma 's documentary had much , much more footage on the actual animal cruelty than the films at issue here , greater sections of the film , and more explicit , '' she said . Roma 's 2006 independent film `` Off the Chain '' consisted of a great deal of hidden camera footage . Among the wide-ranging hypotheticals raised by the justices over what the law could forbid included : fox hunts , pate de foie gras from geese , cock fighting , bullfighting , shooting deer out of season , even Roman gladiator battles . Neal Katyal , an attorney for the Justice Department , said the law was `` narrowly targeted '' and had exceptions specifically for `` religious , political , scientific , educational , journalistic , historical , or artistic value . '' `` This statute has nothing to do with the offense of the message . It has to do with trying to dry up an underlying market for animal cruelty , '' said Katyal . Justice Samuel Alito appeared most supportive of the government 's views . He asked about selling of so-called `` crush '' videos , in which women -- with their faces unseen -- are shown stomping helpless animals such as rabbits to death with spiked-heel shoes or with their bare feet . `` The people who produce ` crush ' videos think they have a message , and the message is that this is sexually exciting , '' he said , clearly uncomfortable with the subject matter . When Stevens ' lawyer Patricia Millett launched into a caveat-laden answer , Alito broke in . `` You are not even willing to say that this could be prohibited ? '' he asked . `` Because we are trying to determine whether this is overly broad . And this is the category of activity that Congress particularly targeted . '' Congressional supporters said a principal motivation for passing the law was to stop the growing popularity of `` crush '' videos . The Humane Society said the market for such videos stopped almost completely after the law was passed . Millett said `` Congress has a job to write with a scalpel and not a buzz saw in the First Amendment area . '' She noted that if the law is upheld , it would only be the second time the Supreme Court has identified a form of speech undeserving of protection by the First Amendment . The justices in 1982 banned the distribution of child pornography . `` The problem in this case , was that Congress chose to attack speech and to control what the people of this country could see and hear before it was even seriously punishing the conduct at issue and that gets our Constitution upside down , '' Millett told reporters later . The government had argued a `` compelling interest '' in stopping people who would profit from dog attack tapes and similar depictions . The case is U.S. vs. Stevens -LRB- 08-769 -RRB- and a ruling is expected in several months . | The justices heard an hour of debate about scope and intent of decade-old statute . Statute supporters say it helps stop profiting from the torture and abuse of animals . Media groups , National Rifle Association say the law is overly broad . Case is first prosecution in the United States to go to trial under the 1999 law . | [[316, 412], [418, 518], [7076, 7161], [523, 587], [582, 587], [592, 621], [3097, 3160], [3097, 3124], [3163, 3187], [3163, 3201], [2559, 2649], [2566, 2649]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundred 's of fans and former teammates of Robert Enke gathered to lay flowers and light candles outside of Hannover 96 's Niedersachsen Stadion after the club 's German goalkeeper was struck and killed by a train on Tuesday , in what police called an apparent suicide . Enke , 32 , died around 6:25 p.m. -LRB- 12:25 p.m. ET -RRB- , Hannover police press officer Stefan Wittke said in a statement . `` Preliminary police investigations indicate a suicide , '' Wittke said . Police did not elaborate on what evidence they had that pointed to suicide , but Enke 's close friend and advisor Jorg Neblung told the official Web site of football 's world governing body FIFA : `` I can confirm that it was suicide . Robert took his own life shortly before six o'clock . '' The team 's official Web site has been converted into a single-page memorial . Enke captained Hannover 96 , a team who currently lie tenth in Germany 's Bundesliga top division , and had been capped by his national side eight times after making his debut aged 29 . The shot-stopper had also appeared for teams including Carl Zeiss Jena , Borussia Monchengladbach , Benfica , Barcelona , Fenerbahce and Tenerife in Spain . His teammates were stunned by news of his death . `` We are in a state of shock , '' said team manager Oliver Bierhoff in a statement from the German Football Federation . `` It is beyond words . '' The German Football Federation -LRB- DFB -RRB- said Enke always said he wanted to play for the national team at the 2010 World Cup . Soccer commentator and journalist Rafael Honigstein told CNN International that Enke was on course to be picked as the number-one choice for the team . Enke had missed Germany 's last four matches because of a bacterial infection , but had recently returned to action with Hannover . `` The leadership of the German national team never had any doubt that he was important for the team both as a goalkeeper and as a human being , '' the DFB statement said . Enke is survived by his wife and eight-month-old daughter , who the couple adopted . The couple 's two-year-old daughter died in 2006 from a heart condition , and Honigstein said the loss of his child had taken a toll on Enke . `` It 's been well documented that he had a tough time , '' Honigstein said . `` People knew it was a terrible , terrible tragedy for him . '' `` I do n't know why and how this happened , '' said Martin Kind , the chairman of Hannover 96 . `` It is a total catastrophe . I am finding it hard to understand . All I can say for sure is that it had nothing to do with football . '' Fellow players said they believed that Enke had been suffering depression . `` He was unstable , '' said Mr Kind . `` But he kept it under wraps . '' The coach of Germany 's national team , Joachim Lowe , had been preparing his squad for their friendly game against Chile this weekend . The DFB have not yet confirmed whether the game would still be played . A press conference is due to be held by the DFB at 1130 GMT , while Hannover 96 will speak to the media at 1200 GMT on Wednesday . CNN 's Frederik Pleitgen contributed to this report . | Germany international footballer Robert Enke has died at the age of 32 at a rail crossing . Police say that the Hannover goalkeeper 's death was apparent suicide . He won eight caps for Germany and was expected to be in squad for the 2010 World Cup finals . | [[254, 289], [418, 473], [691, 728], [865, 869], [963, 1050]] |
Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The death toll from an explosion at a northeastern China coal mine rose to 104 Monday morning , according to state-run media . Another four workers were still trapped underground in the mine shaft as of 7:20 a.m. -LRB- 6:20 p.m. ET Sunday -RRB- , the Xinhua news agency said . A buildup of toxic gases was hampering rescue efforts , according to CCTV . Sixty miners remained hospitalized Monday for injuries ranging from carbon monoxide poisoning to burns , CCTV reported . Of those , six had sustained severe burns that left them in critical condition . About 530 miners were working in the mine when the blast occurred at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday -LRB- 1:30 p.m. ET Friday -RRB- . The Heilongjiang Longmei 's Xinxing mine is operated by the Hegang company . A preliminary investigation indicates the blast was a gas explosion , Xinhua reported . | NEW : Death toll rises . NEW : Sixty miners hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning , burns , CCTV reports . NEW : Four workers still trapped . NEW : A buildup of toxic gases was hampering rescue efforts , CCTV reports . | [[312, 336], [368, 387], [388, 442], [434, 490], [493, 508], [162, 193], [202, 231], [162, 182], [188, 242], [312, 365], [312, 336], [368, 387], [493, 508]] |
Dubai , United Arab Emirates -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mourners buried a senior Hamas militant Friday after his recent death in Dubai -- a death Hamas calls an `` assassination . '' Mahmoud al-Mabhouh died in Dubai on January 20 , said Izzat al Rishq , a Hamas member based in Syria . Al-Mabhouh was a founding member of the military wing of Hamas , which blamed Israel for his death . `` We hold the enemy responsible for the assassination of Mahmoud Mabhouh , '' the militant wing said in an online statement . `` The enemy will not escape punishment . '' It said Al-Mabhouh was responsible for capturing two Israeli soldiers during the first intifada and named the pair : Sgt. Avi Sasportas and Cpl. Ilan Saadon . The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Sasportas was kidnapped on Feb. 16 , 1989 and shot to death . His body was found in May 1989 . The ministry said the same Hamas terror cell that kidnapped Sasportas abducted Saadon on May 3 , 1989 . Saadon 's body was discovered in 1996 . Government officials in Israel declined to comment on the militant wing 's statement . One official in Dubai told CNN that al-Mabhouh died of natural causes . But the Emirates News Agency said authorities determined that the man was killed and were working with Interpol to hunt down alleged perpetrators thought to be part of a `` criminal gang , '' some of whom have European passports . Hamas said it is investigating the death and that it would publish details `` in a timely manner . '' Al-Mabhouh 's brother , Fayek al-Mabhouh , said that preliminary results of Hamas ' investigation show he was killed by electrocution and strangulation with a piece of cloth . Fayek said his brother had survived other assassination attempts . The Emirates News Agency report quoted a security source saying the gang had been tracking the victim . Al-Mabhouh had lived in Syria for about 20 years . He traveled from Syria to Dubai on January 19 and died the next day , Hamas officials in Gaza said . It 's not clear why he traveled to Dubai , but Fayek al-Mabhouh said his brother arrived at a Dubai hotel in charge of the Hamas mission . His body was returned to Damascus on Thursday night and was buried after Friday prayers , Hamas officials in Gaza said . CNN 's Kevin Flower , Saad Abedine , Caroline Faraj , and Talal Abu Rahma contributed to this report . | Mahmoud al-Mabhouh buried Friday after his death in Dubai on January 20 . Hamas says al-Mabhouh was assassinated , blames Israel for death . Official in Dubai told CNN that al-Mabhouh died of natural causes . | [[48, 126], [175, 221], [130, 171], [335, 340], [349, 378], [382, 452], [1070, 1141], [1106, 1141]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. Sen. David Vitter returned from a week-long absence from Congress Tuesday , a day after he made a public apology for `` a serious sin '' as investigators probe an alleged prostitution ring that operated in the nation 's capital . Vitter vanished from public view last week after his phone number turned up among those kept by a reputed `` D.C. Madam '' in records that have become part of her upcoming criminal trial . The Louisiana conservative apologized privately to his fellow Republican senators at their weekly policy lunch Tuesday , senators who attended the lunch said . One described Vitter 's his apology as `` humble '' and `` short and to the point . '' The senator said Vitter was met with a great deal of `` empathy '' by the senators in the room . Watch Vitter apologize for his `` past failings '' '' Tuesday morning , Vitter did not visit his Senate office , where the media had camped out in anticipation of his return . He also was not seen at a residential address near the Supreme Court building . He eventually emerged at a scheduled Senate hearing taking place near his office building . He arrived nearly 30 minutes late for the start of the panel , which heard testimony regarding commercial airline service to outlying parts of the United States . At first , only CNN and a local camera crew had learned of his whereabouts . But as word spread among media outlets , Senate officials had to urge order among the gaggle of newspaper writers , photographers and other television crews that began making noisy entrances to record Vitter 's return . The senator left the hearing early and tried to ignore shouted questions and camera lights in the hallway . He then turned and stopped . Vitter referred to comments he made Monday evening near New Orleans , Louisiana , then said , `` I look forward today to be back at work , really focused on a lot of important issues for the people of Louisiana . I 'll leave it at that . '' Last week , Vitter acknowledged in a statement that his number had turned up in the telephone records of accused `` D.C. Madam '' Deborah Jeane Palfrey . Vitter , 46 , said those calls were made prior to his election to the Senate in 2004 , and he and his wife had already dealt with what he termed a `` serious sin '' privately , through marriage counseling and confession to a Roman Catholic priest . On Monday , Vitter and his wife Wendy spoke to reporters in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie , where he lives . `` I know this has hurt the relationship of trust I 've enjoyed with so many of you and that I have a lot of work to do to rebuild that trust , '' the senator said . Palfrey is facing money laundering and racketeering charges stemming from her alleged prostitution operation . She had denied the charges , saying her business was a legitimate , legal escort service . At first she tried to sell the phone records to raise money for her defense . After a judge imposed restrictions on the records , Palfrey distributed the records without charge , hoping media outlets would help track down clients who her lawyer believes may help in her defense . Vitter is the first lawmaker entangled in the case , although State Department official Randall Tobias resigned in May after confirming he patronized Palfrey 's business . Larry Flynt 's Hustler magazine claimed credit for exposing Vitter 's connection to Palfrey , saying he came clean only after a journalist working as a paid consultant for the magazine discovered the senator 's number in her phone records . E-mail to a friend . | NEW : Sen. David Vitter resumes work on Capitol Hill . NEW : Linked to `` D.C. Madam , '' he tries to keep low profile . NEW : Conservative apologizes to fellow Republicans at lunch . NEW : Journalists seeking Vitter cause disruption in Senate committee meeting . | [[454, 572]] |
Fort Lauderdale , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Just taking a sip of water or walking to the bathroom is excruciatingly painful for 15-year-old Michael Brewer , who was burned over 65 percent of his body after being set on fire , allegedly by a group of teenagers . `` It hurts my heart to see him in pain , but it enlightens at the same time to know my son is strong enough to make it through on a daily basis , '' his mother , Valerie Brewer , told CNN on Wednesday . Brewer and her husband , Michael Brewer , Sr. , spoke to CNN 's Tony Harris , a day after a 13-year-old boy who witnessed last month 's attack publicly read a written statement : . `` I want to express my deepest sympathy to Mikey and his family , '' Jeremy Jarvis said . `` I will pray for Mikey to grow stronger every day and for Mikey 's speedy recovery . '' Jarvis ' older brother has been charged in the October 12 attack in Deerfield Beach , Florida . When asked about the teen 's statement , Valerie Brewer -- who knows the Jarvis family -- said she `` ca n't focus on that . '' `` I would really like to stay away from that because that brings negative energy to me and I do n't need that right now , '' she said . Her son remains in guarded condition at the University of Miami 's Jackson Memorial Hospital Burn Center . He suffered second - and third-degree burns over about two-thirds of his body , according to the hospital 's associate director , Dr. Carl Schulman . The teen faces a lifelong recovery from his injuries , Schulman told CNN 's Harris . `` Michael 's still got a lot of major surgery ahead of him , a lot of rehabilitation and therapy , '' Schulman said . `` He 's doing about as well as could be expected at this point in his recovery , but he 's got a period of probably several weeks to a couple of months still left in the hospital if everything goes well , but the recovery is lifelong . This is truly a life-changing event . '' Valerie Brewer said her son 's treatment is excruciating at times . Physical therapy , she said , is `` incredibly painful . He almost cries because it 's so painful . He 's burned badly on the backs of his knees and every time he moves his knee , it pulls , and if it 's healing , it pulls the scab and it cracks , and it starts to bleed . '' The boy must undergo hour-and-a-half showers , she said , where `` they take a piece of gauze , and they wipe off all the dead skin . They give him painkillers for that , but it 's incredibly painful and it breaks my heart every time they have to do it . ... That 's what we call the torture hour . '' Heavy metal musician Ozzy Osbourne sent Brewer a CD , and he plays it on a boom box during the showers , she said . `` He focuses on Ozzy , and he gets through his torture hour . '' Police were able to interview Brewer on Monday for the first time since the incident . Hospital officials have said Brewer can communicate only in one - or two-word answers . Valerie Brewer would not go into details about what her son told investigators , but said that `` he answered the questions they asked . '' The interview was emotional for both the teen and the investigators , according to Maria Schneider , a prosecutor with the state attorney 's office in Broward County . `` It was difficult for him to talk about . Difficult for us to listen to , '' she said of the interview . `` Just difficult all around , heart-wrenching . He 's doing so much better , but it 's such a terrible situation . '' Denver Jarvis and Matthew Bent , both 15 , are accused along with a third teen , Jesus Mendez , 16 , of being in a group that poured alcohol over Brewer and set him ablaze in a dispute over $ 40 , a video game and a bicycle . All three pleaded not guilty in an appearance last week in Broward County Circuit Court . If convicted , they would face a sentence of up to 30 years in prison . Detectives say eyewitnesses told them that Mendez used a lighter to set fire to Brewer after Jarvis allegedly poured alcohol over him . Bent allegedly encouraged the attack , police said . Brewer jumped into a pool at his apartment complex to put out the flames . Authorities have said Mendez admitted setting Brewer on fire . According to an arrest transcript , the boy said he made a `` bad decision . '' Jeremy Jarvis was arrested as a juvenile after Brewer was burned and spent about 30 days in juvenile detention . However , prosecutors have not filed charges against him and are still determining how to proceed . He still could be charged , as prosecutors have 90 days from his arrest to decide whether to move forward with the case . He has not been interviewed by police or prosecutors , Schneider said . `` He has invoked his rights to counsel and has invoked his rights to silence , '' she said . The boy 's attorney , Stephen Melnick , said it appears the younger Jarvis was only a witness to the attack . Broward County schools expelled the seventh-grader after his arrest and he is currently being home-schooled , Melnick said . He described his client was a good friend of Brewer , and said the boy is troubled by Brewer 's injuries as well as by his brother facing criminal charges that could land him in an adult prison if convicted . Valerie Brewer said it was `` heartbreaking '' when she and her husband learned that her son 's attackers may have included kids that they knew . `` But we do n't focus on that , '' she added . `` We focus strictly on Michael and his recovery . We do n't need any negative energy coming into the recovery so we just stay away from it , period . We do n't watch the news because we 're living this nightmare and we do n't need to see it on the TV . So we just stay away from it and stay positive for Michael . '' Her son 's recovery has been filled with ups and downs , she said . `` It 's been a roller coaster ride , the fear of the unknown , '' she said . `` The first time he spoke to us was joyous but watching him struggle every single day ... `` I 'm proud of him , I 'm very , very proud of him , 'cause I do n't think I could do what he 's doing . '' CNN 's Rich Phillips contributed to this report . | NEW : Teen uses Ozzy Osbourne CD to get through painful therapy , mom says . Mother of burned teen says she 's inspired by his strength as he struggles to heal . 15-year-old Michael Brewer was set on fire last month , allegedly by other teens . Three youths are charged with the attack and have pleaded not guilty . | [[125, 157], [162, 224], [3692, 3781]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A California movement protesting $ 1 billion in budget cuts to the state 's university system appeared to have burgeoned into a nationwide demonstration on Thursday . Students and professors in dozens of states were challenging administrators and state lawmakers over budget cuts and tuition increases that they say are reducing students ' class options and increasing their expenses . Some of the demonstrations turned chaotic . In Oakland , California , police arrested 160 protesters who shut down a major freeway , according to city police spokeswoman April McFarland . The Oakland protesters had left a march from the University of California , Berkeley to Oakland City Hall and wound up on the Interstate 980/880 interchange , CNN San Francisco affiliate KGO reported . KCRA : Protesters threaten to block interstate . McFarland said the protesters brought Thursday evening rush hour traffic to a halt for an hour and 45 minutes . One man is in critical condition after he tried to elude arrest by jumping off the freeway onto a tree , KGO reported . He fell from the tree onto the street below , a roughly 22 foot drop from the interchange , according to KGO . At the University of California Davis , police held back student protesters who had threatened to shut down nearby Interstate 80 , CNN affiliate KCRA in Sacramento reported . Police fired rubber bullets into the ground in an effort to deter students , who made it as far as an I-80 exit ramp just south of campus . At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee , at least 15 people were arrested in demonstrations Thursday , according to CNN affiliate WTMJ . A University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee vice chancellor allowed a protester to drop off pamphlets in the chancellor 's office , then called campus police when dozens of protesters tried to enter the building , according to WTMJ . University police called the Milwaukee Police Department for backup , and officers spent an hour rounding up protesters . Students yelled `` Let her go ! '' and `` What did he do ? '' as Milwaukee police led students into their black and white vans . Across the country , students told of having to work second jobs and make lifestyle adjustments in the face of dramatic tuition hikes . `` I work at two jobs , go to school full time to make ends meet , '' said Tyler , a fifth-year senior at San Francisco State University , where students and faculty protested Thursday . She did not give her last name . `` I have been here a really long time . I struggle to keep -LSB- taking -RSB- classes to be able to keep my financial aid every semester , and I really do n't know when I 'm going to be able to get out of here . Every semester , something is cut , and I ca n't get the class I need . Who knows when I will be out of here , '' she said . Many of Thursday 's demonstrations focused on cuts to state-funded colleges and universities , which supporters say drive up tuition , limit classes and make higher education unobtainable to many . A blog called Student Activism , which was compiling a list of the protests , said that 122 events were scheduled in 33 states -- most on campuses , and some at state capitols . Are you taking part in protests ? Send photos , videos . Professors and students say dissatisfaction , anger and an uncertain future had led to call for a `` Day of Action '' to defend education . At the University of Massachusetts-Amherst , dozens of protesters gathered Thursday and chanted , `` Hey hey , ho ho , these student fees have got to go . '' Video submitted from the demonstration by a CNN iReporter calling himself Bowtieguy showed students carrying handmade signs with messages like `` Where 's Holub 's pay cut ? '' -- a reference to university chancellor Robert C. Holub . Another homemade sign read `` Chop from the top . '' At California State University-Fullerton , dozens of students marched outdoors , chanting , `` Students united will never be divided . '' A video submitted by a CNN iReporter who calls herself MelissaF showed handmade signs saying `` Protect humanities '' and `` What happened to our future ? '' State funding for the California State University system was reduced by nearly $ 1 billion for the academic years between 2008 and 2010 . Schools have responded by increasing fees , canceling classes , cutting student support programs and furloughing professors . Fees have increased 182 percent since 2002 . Class waiting lists have doubled or tripled . `` The less affordable education becomes , the less likely low-income students will be able to get a college education , '' said Lillian Taiz , president of the California Faculty Association and professor of history at California State University Los Angeles . In addition to protests at numerous public colleges and universities in California , demonstrations also were planned for K-12 schools Thursday , according to the Student Activism blog . See where the protests are happening . On the other side of the country , in Georgia , a legislative committee proposed $ 300 million in cuts to the state 's college system , on top of the $ 100 million cut in the past two years , University of Georgia President Michael F. Adams wrote in an open letter to students , faculty and staff . `` This is not our plan ; these are not cuts we offered to make ; and we will vigorously oppose any effort to implement them , '' Adams wrote . In response , student organizers in Georgia are urging fellow students at every college in the state system to wear black this week to `` symbolize the ` death ' of our education , '' according to a post on Facebook . In Colorado , hundreds rallied at the Capitol in Denver , holding signs and cheering . Watch students march on Colorado Capitol . In New York , students at New York University , which is private , planned to meet up to protest tuition increases and education cuts with students from Hunter College and the New School , two other private institutions in Manhattan , said NYU student Claire Lewis . `` It is a private university , but like a lot of public universities , our tuition is also getting increased , '' Lewis said . `` This is n't anything new with the economic crisis with us ; our tuition gets increased an average of 6 percent every year , '' she said . `` But lots of our students depend on federally funded grants and loans , and so the broader-nation education cuts definitely affect us . '' She added , `` Kids literally work two or three jobs to pay for their tuition here . '' In Maryland , students at the University of Maryland in College Park planned to walk out of class at noon , meet at the student union and then march to a plaza for a rally , according to a Facebook invitation . CNN 's Monica Trevino and Dan Simon contributed to this report . | NEW : In Oakland , California , police reportedly arrest 160 protesters who shut down freeway . At least 15 reportedly arrested in University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee demonstrations . Critics say cutbacks will raise tuition , make higher education unobtainable to many . Budget cuts have resulted in canceled classes , longer class waiting lists in California . | [[449, 459], [475, 535], [449, 459], [462, 472], [538, 592], [1502, 1542], [1545, 1604], [1502, 1542], [1545, 1563], [1607, 1640], [266, 404], [2139, 2253], [2866, 2904], [2924, 2960], [6100, 6137], [4436, 4481], [4436, 4455], [4472, 4481]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A terrorist group might be planning attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Malacca , one of the world 's busiest shipping lanes , Singapore 's navy warned Thursday . `` The terrorists ' intent is probably to achieve widespread publicity and showcase that it remains a viable group , '' said an advisory issued by the Singapore Navy Information Fusion Centre -LRB- IFC -RRB- . `` However , this information does not preclude possible attacks on other large vessels with dangerous cargo , '' the advisory said . The IFC recommended that ships strengthen security measures . It did not name any groups or indicate how the tip was obtained . Located between Indonesia , Malaysia and Singapore , the Strait of Malacca links the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean and is the shortest sea route between Persian Gulf oil suppliers and Asian markets , according to the U.S. government 's Energy Information Administration . The agency estimates that more than 15 million barrels of oil are transported through the strait every day . At its narrowest point , the strait is only 1.7 miles wide , which creates a natural bottleneck and makes it vulnerable to terrorist attack . The IFC warned tanker crews to be on the lookout for smaller vehicles -- including dinghies , sampans and speedboats -- which have been used to launch successful attacks on tankers in the past . | Strait of Malacca links the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean . Estimated 15 million barrels of oil are transported through the strait every day . At its narrowest point the strait is only 1.7 miles wide , making it vulnerable to attack . | [[954, 1062], [980, 1062], [1063, 1085], [1088, 1158], [1088, 1098], [1163, 1204]] |
Berlin , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four men were convicted in Germany on Thursday in connection with a foiled terrorist plot against Western targets , court officials said . The men had begun mixing a huge amount of explosive material that could have resulted in a strong blast , bigger than attacks in 2005 on London 's public transport network and the 2004 Madrid railway bombings , authorities said . Three of the men -- two Germans and a Turk -- were arrested in September 2007 . The other was arrested later . The Germans -- Fritz Gelowicz and Daniel Schneider -- were sentenced to 12 years in prison . Turkish citizen Adem Yilmaz received 11 years . Attila Selek , a German citizen of Turkish descent , received five years . Gelowicz , Schneider and Yilmaz were convicted of , among other things , being members of a terrorist organization , court officials said . The men had joined the Islamic Jihad Union in 2006 . Selek received a shorter sentence because he was convicted only of supporting the organization . Three of the men had trained at camps in northern Pakistan with the group that had ties to al Qaeda , German authorities said . The group said it wanted to target the Ramstein Air Base and other U.S. and Uzbek military and diplomatic installations in Germany , German authorities said . The group also wanted to force Germany to stop using an air base in Uzbekistan as a stopover point for moving equipment and personnel in and out of northern Afghanistan . -- CNN 's Frederik Pleitgen contributed to this report . | Authorities say planned blast would have eclipsed London and Madrid bombings . Three men convicted of being members of terrorist organization . Three had trained in Pakistan camps with group linked to al Qaeda , authorities say . | [[214, 383], [732, 740], [743, 763], [805, 846], [386, 404], [1022, 1080], [1086, 1095], [1101, 1121]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 6.4-magnitude earthquake jolted southern Taiwan on Thursday morning , according to the U.S. Geological Survey . There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths but some damage has occurred to buildings and major bridges , and power was cut off near the epicenter . The quake struck at about 8:20 a.m. -LRB- 7:20 p.m. Wednesday ET -RRB- in a mountainous region about 25 miles northwest of Taitung , on the southeast coast , and 40 miles east of Tainan and Kaohsiung on the southwest coast . The region , which includes Maolin National Scenic Area , is recovering from a direct hit by Typhoon Morakot that killed hundreds in August . The typhoon dumped more than two feet of rain , causing serious mudslides in the south , including one that buried the village of Shiao Lin under 50 feet of mud . Thursday 's quake was followed by several aftershocks , the largest reaching 4.8 . The initial 6.4 quake rumbled to the surface from 14 miles deep . Were you there ? Did you feel it ? The Taiwan Ministry of Interior and the National Fire Agency said electricity was cut off near the epicenter but had no further information . Residents in southern Taiwan reported cracks in some buildings and major bridges . Train service was also disrupted in some areas , Taiwanese media reported . Albert Yu , communications manager of the humanitarian organization World Vision , told CNN he was about halfway through a 90-minute trip via high-speed train from Taipei to Tainan when the quake struck . Passengers did not feel the quake , he said , but operators stopped the train and announced what had happened . More than an hour later , the train had not resumed its journey . `` The operator is examining the train and the tracks , '' he said , adding that there was a concern about the stability of the area , particularly after the typhoon . `` Inside the train , people are calm and are waiting it out -- opening laptops , starting to work and chatting with people around them . '' Yu said World Vision `` has already been on high alert responding to the quakes in Haiti and Chile , so we 're closely monitoring reports in the earthquake in southern Taiwan . '' Residents in the capital Taipei , 155 miles to the north , also felt the shaking . Earthquakes are not uncommon in the 13,892-square-mile island -- about the size of the U.S. states of Maryland and Delaware combined -- which sits across the juncture of the Eurasian and Philippine tectonic plates . A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the same general region in December . The island took a double hit on December 26 , 2006 , when earthquakes of 7.1 and 6.9 magnitude hit eight minutes apart . The largest recorded quake to strike Taiwan was an 8.0-magnitude quake in 1920 , but the worst earthquake disaster stemmed from a 7.1-magnitude quake in 1935 that killed more than 3,200 people -- followed by a 6.5-magnitude quake that killed more than 2,700 people three months later . More recently , a 7.6-magnitude earthquake killed more than 2,400 people in 1999 . CNN 's Christine Theodorou and Journalist Andrew Lee contributed to this report . | 6.4 quake rocks southern Taiwan at about 0120 GMT . Aftershocks follow ; no immediate reports of deaths . Quake hits northwest of Taitung , on the southeast coast . Residents in southern Taiwan report blackouts ; train services disrupted . | [[35, 88], [2103, 2175], [133, 186], [822, 875], [35, 88], [253, 291], [1231, 1277]] |
Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Violent attacks on election day did n't stop large numbers of Iraqis from successfully casting their votes in key parliamentary elections Sunday . `` Yes , we were scared after we heard these bombings , but we just had to come , '' said a woman who identified herself only as Ghisoun . Her two children were at her side . `` It 's an opportunity we ca n't miss -- not for us , but for our children , '' she said . Polls in Iraq to elect a 325-member parliament closed Sunday evening , capping an electoral process in which militants intent on disrupting the vote carried out dozens of attacks that killed 38 people . Despite the risks , voter turnout could reach 55 percent , a senior U.S. official told CNN . Another voter , Ali Abdul Hassan , also risked the uncertainty of voting Sunday with his 2-month-old infant . `` I want my baby to start voting early , '' he said . The general feeling expressed by voters on election day was a longing for change and for a government that will be able to provide basic things such as water , electricity , jobs and security . A woman in line to vote in Baghdad said her vote was a way of fighting back against acts of terrorism in Iraq . Preliminary results are expected by Wednesday , the United Nations said . Results will start emerging for each province as soon as votes are tallied from 30 percent of polling centers in that province . About 60 security incidents were reported throughout the country Sunday , the senior U.S. official said . These included fatal mortar and rocket attacks in various Baghdad neighborhoods . Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said those reports of mortar attacks in Baghdad had not yet been confirmed . According to Gates , Gen. Ray Odierno , the top U.S. commander in Iraq , `` had expected a significant number of high-profile attacks , both suicide vests and truck and car bombs , but the security situation , the efforts of the Iraqi Security Forces are such that al Qaeda in Iraq was forced to change their tactics . '' Speaking at the White House , President Obama also downplayed Sunday 's violence . Some violence was expected , Obama said , but `` overall , the level of security , and the prevention of destabilizing attacks , speaks to the growing capability and professionalism of Iraqi security forces , which took the lead in providing protection at the polls . '' The success of the vote showed that `` the future of Iraq belongs to the people of Iraq , '' Obama said . The United States does not support particular candidates in Iraq , but does support Iraqis ' right to elect their representatives , he said . `` We know there will be very difficult days ahead in Iraq , '' Obama said . `` There will probably be more violence . But , like any sovereign , independent nation , Iraq must be free to chart its own course . '' Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Iraq 's High Electoral Commission and security forces for running and securing the vote . `` I congratulate all the people of Iraq who participated in national elections today and over the past three days , '' she said in a statement . `` There is no better rebuke to the violent extremists who seek to derail Iraq 's progress . '' Counting was taking place at the polling stations at the end of voting , under the gaze of observers . Ballots will be counted twice to ensure accuracy , according to the U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq . The number of ballots cast will be reconciled with the number of ballots issued to each polling station , and in case of a significant discrepancy , the station will be audited , the U.N. said . Authorities in Baghdad announced a curfew on the capital from 10 p.m. Sunday until 5 a.m. Monday . In a statement Sunday , Obama said : `` I have great respect for the millions of Iraqis who refused to be deterred by acts of violence , and who exercised their right to vote today . '' Referring to the day 's violence , he added : `` We mourn the tragic loss of life today , and honor the courage and resilience of the Iraqi people who once again defied threats to advance their democracy . '' It was Iraq 's fifth nationwide vote since 2003 , but only the second for a full four-year-term parliament . More than 30 mortar rounds hit the capital , with three landing inside the heavily fortified International Zone . The zone , informally known as the Green Zone , houses the U.S. Embassy and many Iraqi government buildings . One of the rockets landed in the Ur neighborhood in northeastern Baghdad , killing 12 people . The capital also experienced a number of deadly roadside bomb attacks . The last time the country had a national vote was in 2005 , when the Sunni Arab population boycotted the elections and the political process . A Shiite-led government emerged and the Sunnis , feeling disenfranchised , went on to form the main part of the insurgency . The U.N. mission in Iraq calls the elections an `` important milestone in Iraq 's democratic progress , '' serving to strengthen the country 's sovereignty and independence as the United States draws down its military presence there . Sunday 's elections were originally supposed to happen in January but were delayed because of political disagreements and a delay in passing the election law that paved the way for this vote . There are 18.9 million eligible voters , casting ballots for 325 seats in the Council of Representatives , Iraq 's parliament . The seats represent Iraq 's 18 provinces . The number of seats is increasing from the previous 275 . Seat allocation was based on 2005 population data from the Ministry of Trade and adjusted for a 2.8 percent annual growth across all governates . On Friday , voting began for Iraqis abroad in 16 countries -- including the United States , United Kingdom , Turkey , Iran , Canada and others in the Middle East and Europe . There are no exact figures on those eligible to cast ballots abroad . Estimates on turnout have ranged anywhere from 300,000 to 3 million . About 6,200 candidates from more than 80 political entities are vying for seats . At least a quarter of the positions -- 82 -- are guaranteed to go to women , and eight more have been allocated for minorities . They include five set aside for Christians and one each for the Shabak , Sabaeans -LRB- Mandaeans -RRB- , and Yazidis . A number of special measures were put in place for security reasons . Since Monday , there has been a ban on motorcycles and bicycles in Baghdad until further notice , and on Sunday a two-day ban on any vehicles in cities went into effect . Provincial borders were ordered sealed , preventing movements between provinces , from Saturday to Monday . CNN 's Arwa Damon , Jomana Karadsheh , Mohammed Tawfeeq and Zain Verjee contributed to this report . | NEW : Obama congratulates Iraqis , mourns loss of life , praises overall security level . Polls close in Iraq ; results expected by Wednesday , U.N. says . `` It 's an opportunity we ca n't miss , '' one Iraqi voter says . Militants carry out attacks as Iraqis head to polls ; dozens killed . | [[2991, 3028], [3951, 3959], [3962, 4062], [448, 516], [1215, 1260], [1263, 1288], [357, 408], [448, 464], [519, 626], [619, 626], [632, 650], [4553, 4564], [4570, 4624]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The parents of a California girl who was allegedly raped and killed by a registered sex offender are calling for tougher standards against repeat offenders . `` How many times do our daughters need to be raped before we put these monsters behind bars forever ? '' said Kelly King , mother of 17-year-old Chelsea King , in an interview Thursday with CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' `` I just do n't -- I do n't get it . Change has to be made , '' she continued , `` and I know that there are people out there that are trying to , you know , get this change in place . '' She said she and her husband , Brent King , `` are committed for the rest of our lives to be a part of that . '' On Wednesday , John Albert Gardner III , 30 , a registered sex offender , was charged in the rape and murder of Chelsea , who lived in the San Diego area . Gardner , who is being represented by a public defender , was also charged Wednesday with assault with intent to commit rape in an attack on a jogger in December 2009 . He pleaded not guilty to all charges . Gardner , of Lake Elsinore , California , will not be allowed to post bail . If convicted , the charges against Gardner make him eligible for the death penalty , the San Diego County district attorney 's office said Wednesday . The prosecutor 's office said it has not determined whether it will seek capital punishment . For the Kings , there 's no question . `` I think the death penalty is a very appropriate punishment for this case , '' Kelly King . Brent King said he had `` 100 percent agreement '' with his wife . Searchers found a body on Tuesday they believe to be that of Chelsea King . Police arrested Gardner on Sunday . King had been missing since February 25 . Investigators said she was last seen at her school in Poway , about 15 miles north of San Diego . Her car , with her cell phone inside , was found at Rancho Bernardo Community Park . Searchers found remains in a shallow grave at that park ; they were found along the shoreline of a tributary south of a lake , authorities said . The body was found in a heavily wooded area not visible from nearby homes . A shoe had been found earlier in the same area , the sheriff said . King 's parents , noting she was a great student and avid runner , said she had gone for a run at the park before she disappeared . `` It 's a lovely area , very peaceful , very picturesque -- exactly what Chelsea ... loved to be in , '' Kelly King said . She said the couple 's son , 13-year-old Tyler , was extremely close to his sister . `` He 's struggling through it just like us , '' Brent King added . Gardner 's next court appearance , a status hearing , is scheduled for Tuesday . His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 18 . | Parents of Chelsea King make appearance on CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' They call for tougher standards against repeat sex offenders . Registered sex offender John Gardner has pleaded not guilt to raping and murdering Chelsea . Mother says death penalty is `` a very appropriate punishment for this case '' | [[14, 40], [141, 201], [59, 76], [105, 140], [726, 738], [741, 769], [789, 845], [1051, 1089], [1454, 1526]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sharks attacked and killed a 38-year-old man near Stuart Beach in southern Florida on Wednesday . The man was kite-surfing before the attack , said Capt. Mike McKinley , a spokesman for Martin County Sheriff 's Department . A lifeguard spotted him struggling in the water and large number of sharks in the area , a rescue official said . The man had been bitten several times and was bleeding profusely . CNN affiliate WPBF identified him as Stephen Howard Schafer of Stuart . Local coverage from CNN affiliate WPBF . The man was in cardiac arrest by the time the lifeguard helped him ashore . He was pronounced dead at an area hospital . Shark attacks have been on the decline , according to the International Shark Attack File , which is part of the Florida Museum of Natural History . In 2008 , there were 59 attacks worldwide , fewer than the 71 attacks 2007 . That continues an annual decline since the all-time high of 79 in 2000 . Forty-one of the 59 attacks worldwide occurred in the United States , with Florida leading with 32 . Surfers accounted for 57 percent of shark attack victims ; swimmers and waders , 36 percent , and divers the rest , according to the Shark Attack File . CNN 's Eve Bower contributed to this report . | Sharks attack , kill a 38-year-old man near Stuart Beach in southern Florida . Lifeguard spotted him struggling in the water and large number of sharks . Man was in cardiac arrest by the time the lifeguard helped him ashore . Florida leads U.S. in number of shark attacks ; worldwide , attacks on decline . | [[0, 15], [19, 25], [39, 116], [243, 329], [537, 578], [570, 612], [658, 696]] |
Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Chinese officials blamed poor management and inadequate precautions for an explosion at a mine that killed 104 people , state-run media said Monday . In addition to those killed , 60 miners remained hospitalized from Saturday 's morning blast at the Xinxing coal mine in northeastern Heilongjiang province . Most were being treated for injuries such as carbon monoxide poisoning and burns , CCTV reported . Six were in critical condition with severe burns . Four other workers were still trapped underground in the mine shaft , the Xinhua news agency said . The accident started with a gas leak in one of the shafts , officials said . But because of poor ventilation , gas poured into the main tunnel and triggered an explosion that shook 28 of the 30 mining platforms in operation . About 530 miners were working in the mine at the time . Luo Lin , head of the State Administration of Work Safety , told Xinhua that the mine 's management was to blame for not evacuating workers when they detected a high gas density in the pit . State regulations stipulate that miners have to evacuate if gas density exceeds 2 percent . The density in the pit was more than 10 percent , authorities said . `` The mine has too many mining platforms in operation and has sent to many workers down the pit to increase output , '' said Zhao Tiechui , deputy head of the work safety agency . The mine is owned and operated by the Heilongjiang Longmei Mining Holding Group . Unlike most small - and mid-size collieries , Xinxing produces 12 million tons of coal a year . The blast took place during a five-day inspection of work safety conditions in Hegang , local media said . Immediately after the blast , the mine 's director , deputy director and chief engineer were fired . Mine accidents are common in China . Last year , 3,200 people were killed in such accidents , state media said . The latest blast is the deadliest since December 2007 , when 105 miners were killed in Shanxi province . The deadliest mine blast took place in August 2007 when two collieries flooded in Shandong province , killing 181 miners , Xinhua said . Chinese officials said they will pay at least 250,000 yuan -LRB- $ 36,600 -RRB- to each of the families of the miners who died . | Chinese officials blamed poor management and inadequate precautions for an explosion . Explosion killed 104 and hospitalized 60 others . Last year , 3,200 people were killed in mine accidents , state media said . Four miners still trapped underground , state media reported . | [[35, 119], [875, 882], [935, 1014], [215, 342], [1968, 2011], [155, 184], [1831, 1840], [1843, 1885], [1831, 1840], [1888, 1906], [155, 184], [493, 522], [531, 560], [493, 511], [517, 560]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Caring for a car has you a befuddled . The honeymoon 's over , and bureaucratic tasks are beating out bliss . You 're meeting with a prospective babysitter or housekeeper , a stranger you 'll entrust with much of your life . Rory Tahari , with son Jeremey , hopes to make life 's to-do 's more manageable with a new book and iPhone app . How do you know what to do ? Where should you go and when ? What should you ask these people ? You need a list ! If figuring out the answers to these kinds of questions leaves you loopy , Rory Tahari has a new book that may have your name on it . `` Lists for Life : The Essential Guide to Getting Organized and Tackling Tough To-Dos '' is just what it says it is : a compilation of lists to help readers navigate everything they might need for weddings and funerals , household maintenance and vacations , divorces and diaper bags . Watch Tahari discuss the book '' Along the same lines , she 's behind a new iPhone application -- a travel packing list , available through the iTunes store -- that she said has been downloaded in about a dozen countries . `` It 's just how my brain is wired . It 's part of my DNA , '' said Tahari , vice chairwoman and creative director of Elie Tahari , the fashion design house bearing her husband 's name . `` I do n't know how to operate other than to make a list . '' CNN sat down with Tahari to discuss when her list-making started , what she 's passed on to her children -LRB- son Jeremey , 8 , weighs in -RRB- and how being stuck in a snowstorm inspired her . Here are excerpts from that interview . CNN : You 've earned the nickname `` The List Mistress , '' but when did this , dare I say , obsession start ? Tahari : From a very young age , I was a compulsive list-maker . I was always organizing something or doing some kind of list . The first list I really remember making was taking an inventory of every piece of clothing in my closet and seeing how many different outfits I could make . I think I came up with 112 combinations . CNN : The book covers such a wide range of topics : weddings , the home , pregnancy , travel , medical , emergencies , divorce and more . How many of these lists are or were based on your own organizational needs ? Tahari : Ninety percent of the book came from actual experiences I 've lived through myself . The other 10 percent , I basically did the research . -LSB- She has a degree in journalism and is a former TV producer . -RSB- . I fell off a horse two years ago , and I broke my back . I 'd never been hospitalized before , so I never knew what it was like to be hospitalized . If you have a friend or family member who 's in the hospital , bring them a blanket . They 're always going to be cold , and the blankets they give you in the hospital do n't cut it . And the nurses ? You need them ; they do n't need you . A little batch of cookies or brownies goes a long way with the nurses . And you know what ? You 'll have a lot better hospital stay . CNN : Some of these to-do lists seem more fitting and standard than others . How did you decide what would go in the book ? Tahari : People say , `` Why the emergency chapter ? If you 're in the middle of an emergency , you 're not going to grab the book . '' Obviously , you 're not going to have the book with you in the middle of the emergency . ... But I lived through at least three tornados in Atlanta -LSB- Georgia -RSB- , one terrorist attack in New York and one blackout in New York . And after the blackout , I realized my family does n't have a plan . I wanted to at least stimulate the idea of having a plan . CNN : Can you give me an example of a topic you had to research ? Tahari : Cars . I had to have help with cars . Although , in fourth or fifth grade , there was some crazy snowstorm in Atlanta -LSB- where she grew up -RSB- . I was stuck in carpool on the way home from school with eight people for eight hours . I had one Tootsie Roll in my backpack , and let me tell you , a Tootsie Roll between eight people did not go far . So I decided in the car section that I wanted to have an emergency road list , a check list of things to have in the car . I was stuck in the car for eight hours , starving to death . CNN : You 've used list making to help friends figure out practical things they need to do , but do the lists you 've made over the years ever venture into the emotional or psychological -- say , for example , pro-con lists for staying in a relationship ? Tahari : This book is not an advice guide . It 's a to-do list . There 's not a lot of prose in the book . I just want to be told what to do . I do n't really want to hear advice . I do n't need to hear the story . Just tell me what to do . CNN : So , Jeremey , how organized are you ? Jeremey : In school , I do n't have such an organized desk because I 'm always busy and do n't have time to clean up . But I do make some kinds of lists . I sort of have a list in my head . I memorize it . CNN : How about when you go on a trip , Jeremey ? Are you a good packer or unpacker ? Jeremey : I would write down stuff on paper and then stick it on the drawers in the hotel -LSB- so he knows where everything is -RSB- . My dad , when he 's packing , he just takes all the clothes and goes like this -LSB- imitating his dad 's voice -RSB- , `` Jeremey , help me throw in the clothes . '' I try to fold them up and put them in . I 'm like , `` Dad , you 're not supposed to do that . '' Tahari : I definitely think he is taking after me . | Figuring out to-do lists of life made easier with new book and iPhone app . Rory Tahari , wife of fashion designer Elie Tahari , has kept lists since childhood . `` It 's just how my brain is wired . It 's part of my DNA , '' she says . | [[262, 284], [295, 374], [1133, 1169], [1170, 1190]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Pentagon is making detailed plans to send about 34,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in anticipation of President Obama 's decision on the future of the eight-year-old war , a defense official said Tuesday . Obama held a lengthy meeting with top advisers Monday night and said Tuesday that he would announce plans for Afghanistan after the Thanksgiving holiday . A Defense Department official with direct knowledge of the process said there has been no final word on the president 's decision . But planners have been tasked with preparing to send 34,000 additional American troops into battle with the expectation that is the number Obama is leaning toward approving , the official said . Obama ordered more than 20,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in March . Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the U.S. commander in Afghanistan , reportedly has called for up to 40,000 more to wage a counterinsurgency campaign against the Taliban , the Islamic militia originally ousted by the U.S. invasion in 2001 . The president has weighed several options for bolstering the American contingent , ranging from sending a few thousand troops to sending the 40,000 McChrystal requested . McChrystal was among those who took part in Monday 's conference with Obama and other top advisers , which broke up at 10 p.m. Vice President Joe Biden , Defense Secretary Robert Gates , Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen and Karl Eikenberry , the U.S. ambassador in Kabul , were among the other senior officials in the meeting . Obama said Tuesday that the deliberations have been `` comprehensive and extremely useful . '' `` It 's going to be important to recognize that in order for us to succeed there , you 've got to have a comprehensive strategy that includes civilian and diplomatic efforts , '' he said at a news conference Tuesday with visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . The military has planning under way to send these units : three U.S. Army brigades , totaling about 15,000 troops ; a Marine brigade with about 8,000 troops ; a headquarters element of about 7,000 ; and between 4,000 and 5,000 support troops -- a total of approximately 34,000 troops , according to a defense official with direct knowledge of Pentagon operations . CNN reported last month that this was the preferred option within the Pentagon . The troops would be dispatched throughout Afghanistan but would be focused mainly on the southern and southeastern provinces , where much of the recent fighting has taken place . Currently , brigades from Fort Drum in upstate New York and Fort Campbell in Kentucky are among those that are next in line to deploy . About 68,000 U.S. troops are in Afghanistan , along with about 45,000 from the NATO alliance . Two U.S. military officials said NATO countries would be asked to contribute more troops to fill the gap between the 34,000 the Pentagon expects Obama to send and the 40,000 McChrystal wanted . The request is expected to come during a December 7 meeting at the alliance 's headquarters in Brussels , Belgium . Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell would not discuss specific numbers , but he said NATO would be asked for additional help . `` Clearly , if the president decides to commit additional forces to Afghanistan , there would be an expectation that our allies would also commit additional forces , '' Morrell said . U.S.-led troops invaded Afghanistan in response to the al Qaeda terrorist network 's September 11 attacks on New York and Washington . The invasion overthrew the Taliban , which had allowed al Qaeda to operate from its territory , but most of the top al Qaeda and Taliban leadership escaped the onslaught . Taliban fighters have since regrouped in the mountainous region along Afghanistan 's border with Pakistan , battling U.S. and Afghan government forces on one side and Pakistani troops on the other . Al Qaeda 's top leaders , Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri , remain at large and are suspected to be hiding in the same region . The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 900 Americans and nearly 600 allied troops . A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Tuesday suggests that the U.S public is split over whether more troops should be sent to Afghanistan . Fifty percent of those polled said they would support such a decision , with 49 percent opposed . The poll found that 66 percent of Americans believe the war is going badly , up 11 percentage points from a similar survey in March . Overall support for the war has fallen to 45 percent , with 52 percent opposed . iReporters sound off ; share your views on sending more troops in Afghanistan . Afghanistan was among the topics Obama and Singh discussed in their meetings Tuesday . Singh said the international community needs `` to sustain its engagement in Afghanistan , to help it emerge as a modern state . '' `` The forces of terrorism in our region pose a grave threat to the entire civilized world and have to be defeated , '' he said . `` President Obama and I have decided to strengthen our cooperation in the area of counterterrorism . '' India is one Afghanistan 's biggest international donors , contributing $ 1.2 billion in aid . That involvement has been met with suspicion in Pakistan , India 's nuclear rival in South Asia . But it has helped the United States by sharing some of the burden of stabilizing the country and providing civilian support . In addition , several leading analysts have argued that settling the decades-old tensions between India and Pakistan would allow both sides to pull troops off their borders , giving Pakistan more resources to battle the Taliban along its northwest frontier . `` I think that will certainly be at the center of the agenda this week , '' Nicholas Burns , a former State Department official , said on CNN 's `` American Morning . '' U.S. prospects in Afghanistan depend partly `` on convincing Pakistan to be more cooperative in the fight against those terrorist groups . '' `` The United States is not going to be an outright mediator between Pakistan and India , but we can quietly , behind the scenes , push them to reduce their problems , '' Burns said . CNN 's Elaine Quijano and Mike Mount contributed to this report . | NEW : NATO allies will also be asked to send more troops , officials say . Announcement on troop increase to come after Thanksgiving . Obama met with national security team Monday night to discuss Afghanistan . Obama wanted clarification on how , when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility . | [[2773, 2896], [3157, 3206], [3290, 3371], [244, 249], [308, 398], [244, 303], [1227, 1232], [1237, 1304], [4664, 4712]] |
-LRB- Wired -RRB- -- Joe Wilkins knew there was only one way to give his supercharged , alcohol-injected Hemi-engined hot rod more power : Put a jet engine in the trunk . `` It started as a hobby and turned into a monster , '' said Joe Wilkins , the motor madman behind what might be the wildest 1939 Ford ever built . He 's an inventor and defense department contractor , and the idea of goosing the Ford 's ability to turn heads and shred tires came when he bought a used gas turbine engine . `` I got hooked on the simplicity and power that this thing produced , and I decided one day I want to put it in a car . '' Luckily for us , he did . The Hemi Jet -- Wilkins has copyrighted the name -- fires up this weekend at the Houston AutoRama , and Wilkins plans to attempt a land speed record in the near future . In the meantime , he 's tooling around Navasota , Texas , in what he says is the ultimate sleeper when the jet engine 's tucked away in the trunk . Most people say `` Nice car '' and assume he 's got the obligatory small-block Chevrolet engine under the hood . Little do they know . `` I can drive it up to the store and get a gallon of milk if I want to , '' he told Autopia . The car is an amalgamation of the Big Three , with a Chrysler engine , Chevrolet drivetrain and Ford body . Wilkins says the jet engine was probably used as an APU and weighs 110 pounds . He claims the car is street legal so long as the jet stays stowed . He fires it up from time to time to show off , and he plans to run it flat-out at the Bonneville Salt Flats . `` We want to be the fastest street legal car in the world , '' he said . He 's got some intense competition . The Bugatti Veyron tops out at 253 mph and the Shelby Supercars Ultimate Aero TT does 255 . And then there 's Red Vector One , that crazy Vauxhall that does zero to 60 in under a second . Record , schmecord -- we just want to see the video . `` I 'm more than certain the car will go over 300 , '' Wilkins said . `` We 've still got a ways to go -LSB- before Bonneville -RSB- , but not a long way . We 'll have to experiment in some wind tunnels and end up with a spoiler on the back to keep the front end on the ground . '' Sadly , Wilkins wo n't be behind the wheel during the car 's test run . `` I turned 61 last Sunday . I just do n't think I 'm going to be able to handle it -LSB- without -RSB- the reflexes I had 20 or 30 years ago , '' he said . `` I know several people who would be more than interested . '' So do we , and we even suggested Wilkins give the job to fellow jet-junkie Bob Maddox . After jumping from a plane with a pulse jet strapped to his chest , we suspect Maddox would welcome the opportunity to stay on the ground . Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2009 Wired.com . | A Texas man has outfitted a 1939 Ford with a jet engine he hopes will make it go more than 300 mph . Nicknamed the `` Hemi Jet , '' it fires up this weekend at the Houston AutoRama . The car has a Chrysler engine , a Chevrolet drivetrain and a Ford body . Owner Joe Wilkins plans to run it flat-out someday at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah . | [[1193, 1300], [749, 814], [1500, 1558]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A ferry crammed with people capsized late Friday night in Bangladesh , killing at least 28 passengers , police said . The boat had a capacity of 1,500 , but was overcrowded with about 2,000 people , said Nazrul Islam , the police chief of Bangladesh 's southern Bhola district . They were traveling from the capital , Dhaka , to their homes in Bhola for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha . The boat toppled as passengers weighted down one side to disembark , Islam said . The dead included eight women and 15 children . About 50 more people were injured . Police and firefighters rushed to aid passengers , many of whom were trapped in the lower deck . The number of people missing remained unclear and rescue teams feared the death toll would rise . CNN 's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report . | Overcrowded ferry capsizes in Bangladesh , killing at least 28 people . Boat had capacity of 1,500 , but was overcrowded with about 2,000 people . They were traveling from capital Dhaka to their homes in Bhola for Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha . | [[19, 46], [0, 15], [90, 120], [137, 145], [176, 215], [137, 169], [137, 145], [176, 215], [298, 342], [345, 409]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A three-vehicle crash north of New York killed eight people , including four children , state police said on Sunday . One of the vehicles in the three-vehicle wreck was heading the wrong direction , police said . A fifth child is being treated for injuries suffered in the crash near Pleasantville , about 30 miles north of New York . Police initially reported no survivors . The crash happened when a minivan carrying the five children and one adult was heading the wrong way on a northbound lane of the Taconic State Parkway , police said . It crashed head-on into an SUV carrying three adults . The minivan then careened into a third vehicle before rolling over and bursting into flames , state police said . Watch investigators examine wreckage '' The two adults in the third vehicle were being treated for minor injuries , police said . | Police : Four children , four adults killed in crash 30 miles north of New York . Three other people , including one child , being treated for injuries . Police : Wreck involved three vehicles , including one going the wrong direction . | [[0, 24], [68, 113], [90, 113], [116, 121], [241, 284], [146, 224], [404, 554], [626, 717]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. Senate on Monday opened what is expected to be a lengthy and rancorous debate on a sweeping bill to overhaul the nation 's health care system . In statements laced with heated and conflicting rhetoric , Senate Democrats and Republicans outlined opposing positions on the 2,074-page Democratic measure that would provide health insurance to an additional 31 million people at a cost of almost $ 850 billion . Democrats led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada framed the debate as historic and said the bill would provide vital health insurance for almost all Americans , hold down spiraling costs that threaten the U.S. economy and instill needed reforms to ensure the long-term solvency of the government-run Medicare health program for senior citizens . `` In the greatest country on Earth , no American should die simply because they do n't have health insurance , '' said Sen. Max Baucus of Montana , one of the bill 's architects , while Reid said the bill `` saves money , saves lives and saves Medicare . '' Republicans countered that the bill was too big , too expensive and would cause more harm than good . Sen. John McCain of Arizona called it a `` sham '' and a `` 2,074-page monstrosity full of measures that would impair the abilities , particularly of our senior citizens , to keep the benefits they 've been promised . '' McCain immediately proposed sending the bill back to committee to remove all provisions intended to bring down the costs of Medicare . He cited proposed cuts to Medicare , including $ 118 billion in subsidies provided to private insurers for Medicare Advantage -- an enhanced benefits program for senior citizens . `` There is no math , old or new , that gets you to no change in the benefits they have under Medicare Advantage and yet cuts $ 120 billion , '' McCain said . A vote on McCain 's proposal was likely on Tuesday . The House has passed its version of a health care bill , and if the Senate passes its bill , the two measures would be merged by a congressional conference committee . Both chambers then would have to approve the revised bill before it could go to President Obama 's desk . On Monday , debate quickly bogged down in Republican procedural objections , causing Reid to lament : `` This is not a good way to start this debate . '' Republican Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming challenged a motion by Reid that he said would unfairly cut off the proposal of amendments , including McCain 's planned Republican amendment to prevent cuts to Medicare . While Reid 's motion failed , Enzi labeled it a stunt . So far , Republicans unanimously oppose the health care bill . The Senate voted 60-39 to launch debate on the measure , overcoming a Republican filibuster through support from every member of the Democratic caucus . Reid also will need 60 votes to eventually close the debate , and his ability to secure that support remains uncertain . The debate will feature amendments intended to delete or change controversial provisions , including creation of a government-run public health insurance option to compete against private insurers , tax increases and provisions intended to prevent federal tax dollars from paying for abortion except in cases of rape , incest or danger to the mother 's life . For the most part , battle lines are clearly drawn . Liberal-minded senators such as Bernie Sanders of Vermont , an independent who sits with the Democratic caucus , favor a public option as the best way to force competition on private insurers to bring down costs , while fiscally conservative Democrats such as Nebraska 's Ben Nelson are concerned about the cost and scope of a government-run alternative . Nelson has said he would join a Republican filibuster against closing debate on the bill if it retains the current public option provision , which allows states to opt out of a national plan . Another Democratic caucus member , independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut , says he also will prevent a final vote if the bill contains any form of public option . On the Republican side , none of the 40 senators supports a public option , but one -- moderate Olympia Snowe of Maine -- has discussed a trigger mechanism that would automatically bring a public option if thresholds for expanded coverage and lower costs go unmet . The trigger idea is considered the lone chance of a compromise that could gain the support of any Republicans . For Democrats , each vote is crucial . Overcoming a filibuster requires support every member of the Democratic caucus , so if Lieberman or others oppose a public option , Reid would need a GOP senator to switch sides on the bill . Senate Democrats concede that some changes are necessary to get the health care bill passed . They contend their comprehensive approach is necessary to reform a system in which higher costs are draining the national economy and harming businesses and individuals . Republicans call for an incremental approach that they say would reduce the costs of health care without needing to create bureaucracies and raise taxes in a huge overhaul . Other risky issues for Senate Democrats include abortion and tax increases to pay for health care reform . The bill includes tax increases aimed at those earning more than $ 200,000 a year and insurers providing so-called `` Cadillac '' health plans worth more than $ 8,500 a year for individuals or $ 23,000 for families . It also would set a 5 percent tax on elective cosmetic surgery . In contrast , a separate health care bill narrowly passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month includes an income tax surcharge on individuals earning more than $ 500,000 a year and couples making more than $ 1 million . Republicans say any tax increase is bad in a struggling economy because it hinders growth and gets passed on to consumers , while Democrats argue the bill 's tax provisions would n't hit the lower or middle class and would create incentive for private insurers to lower the cost of policies . However , a key Democratic constituency -- organized labor -- opposes taxing the `` Cadillac '' health plans negotiated for workers in lieu of wage increases . On abortion , the House bill has more restrictive language regarding the use of federal funding , and some Senate Democrats say they oppose adding it to their chamber 's proposal . According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office , the Senate health care bill would reduce the federal deficit by about $ 130 billion over the next 10 years , through 2019 . Any effect on the deficit in the following decade would be `` subject to substantial uncertainty , '' but probably would result in `` small reductions in federal budget deficits , '' the budget office report said . It also reported that health insurance premiums would remain roughly the same for most people , with costs for lower-income Americans reduced due to subsidies under the plan . According to the budget office , more than 80 percent of Americans would remain in employer-based health plans . Both the Senate and House bills would require individuals to buy health insurance , with penalties for noncompliance . Unlike the House version , the Senate bill does not mandate that all employers offer health care . The two bills are virtually identical on a broad range of changes , including creating health insurance exchanges , expanding Medicaid , subsidizing insurance for low - and some middle-income families , and capping out-of-pocket medical expenses , while preventing insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions . CNN 's Ted Barrett , Alan Silverleib and Tom Cohen contributed to this report . | Process quickly gets caught up in procedural objections from GOP . Wyoming senator protests proposal over amendments to bill . Republicans , Democrats continue to square off over Medicare . House has already passed health care bill that differs with Senate bill . | [[2188, 2197], [2200, 2262], [2342, 2406], [2342, 2406], [183, 239], [242, 339], [1914, 1968], [5523, 5712]] |
Moscow , Russia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators have found `` elements of an explosive device '' at the site of the derailment of an express train in Russia and believe an act of terror caused the deadly incident . The derailment killed at least 26 people and injured about 100 , but there was no immediate word on who or what group might have been behind the action . `` One can say with certainty that that was indeed an act of terror , '' Vladimir Markin , spokesman for the investigative committee of the Russian prosecutor 's office , told CNN . He would not elaborate on exactly what kind of `` elements of an explosive device '' the investigators discovered earlier , but said the crater found beneath the railroad bed was `` 1.5 meter by 1 meter in size . '' Later Saturday morning , a second device went off on nearby tracks going the opposite direction , Vladimir Yakunin , head of Russian Railways , told Russian TV . He said no one was injured in the smaller explosion . Markin said investigators are `` studying the site of the accident , questioning the witnesses and conducting all kinds of forensic and technical examinations . '' Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov said , `` Criminology experts have come to a preliminary conclusion that there was an explosion of an improvised explosive device equivalent to seven kilos of TNT . `` Several leads are being pursued now . A criminal case has been opened under Article 205 -LRB- `` terrorism '' -RRB- and Article 22 -LRB- `` illegal possession or storage of weapons or explosives '' -RRB- of the Russian Criminal Code . '' Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev said on TV that there are possible suspects in this crime . `` There are several people who could be involved in this crime , '' he said . One of them , he said , is a `` stocky-built man of about 40 years old , with red hair . '' `` There are some traces left at the crime scene which could help in the investigation , '' he said . `` We are getting a lot of information now , and I am very thankful for people who have responded to our requests to render their assistance in investigating this crime . '' A total of 681 people -- 20 of them employees -- were on the Nevsky Express as it traveled from Moscow to St. Petersburg on Friday night . The Nevsky Express is Russia 's fastest train , equivalent to a bullet train . The crash happened at 9:25 p.m. -LRB- 1825 GMT -RRB- when the train was 280 kilometers -LRB- 174 miles -RRB- from St. Petersburg , Russian state radio said . At least three carriages carrying more than 130 people derailed and turned on their sides , and emergency workers were working to free anyone who may still be trapped inside . Yakunin told Russian TV that the company will pay a compensation of 500,000 rubles -LRB- $ 17,240 -RRB- to the victims ' families and 200,000 rubles -LRB- $ 6,897 -RRB- to those injured . The crash happened 44 minutes after another high-speed train , the Sapsan , had successfully traveled from Moscow to St. Petersburg on the same rails , a representative of the Russian Transport Police said during a video conference call Saturday . In August 2007 , an explosion on the tracks derailed the Nevsky Express , injuring 60 people in what authorities called a terrorist act . About 27,000 passengers on 60 trains were facing delays Saturday as a result of the accident , Russian State TV reported . CNN 's Maxim Tkachenko contributed to this report . | Investigators probing derailment of train in Russia say they have found `` elements of an explosive device '' At least 26 people killed and 100 hurt in derailment between Moscow and St. Petersburg . No immediate word on who or what group might have been behind the action . | [[35, 157], [1148, 1206], [1209, 1366], [216, 256], [216, 230], [261, 278], [285, 369]] |
Mecca , Saudi Arabia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Hajj , an obligatory pilgrimage for Muslims , began this year on Wednesday with two twists : thinner crowds and heavy rain . A rare rainstorm inundated pilgrims in the city of Mina , flooding tents and making conditions miserable for the 2.5 million pilgrims performing the ancient rituals , according to Isha Sesay , CNN 's correspondent there . The tents , where pilgrims plan to spend the night in prayer and contemplation , were leaking and flooding , giving rise to fears of disease , Sesay reported . She said , however , that the several hours of rain was not likely to stop any of the pilgrims from performing the rituals . `` They 've saved for years to get here , '' Sesay reported . `` This is a blessing . They 're not going to let rain get in the way . '' iReporter witnesses heavy rain near his home . She said no incidents had been reported among the dimished number of pilgrims . Officials said the swine flu could be keeping pilgrims from the fifth pillar of Islam , which requires devotees to journey to the holy city of Mecca at least once in their lifetime . Saudi 's Hajj Ministry said Wednesday that 40 percent fewer Saudi pilgrims are participating in the ancient rituals this year , largely due to fears of disease , though a greater number of international visitors had come . `` Concerns about the spread of H1N1 may have affected the turnout but we are confident of all measures in place to increase monitoring of cases and awareness about how one can protect himself or herself , '' said Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabbeeah , the Saudi health minister . A teenager and three elderly people have died of the H1N1 flu virus at the Hajj . The victims were a 17-year-old Nigerian female and a Sudanese man , an Indian man and a Moroccan woman who each were 75 years old . Many of the 2 million pilgrims have been arriving days and weeks ahead of the Hajj , which coincides with flu season . The rituals of the five-day event began Wednesday . But with fewer visitors , businesses are feeling the pinch this year . Shopkeeper Fahmi al-Rashidi said he has slashed prices of the gold he sells in Mecca 's Al-Ghaza market . `` Business is lower than last year , '' he said . `` I think swine flu fears combined with high gold prices are turning people away from spending . '' Another merchant , Fahd al-Qraishi , said a normal 20 percent profit has dropped to 5 percent . Hajj observed in Second Life . The Hajj Ministry reported , however , a 17 percent increase in the number of international pilgrims , some of whom are enjoying discounted rates at hotels including the Hilton Makkah . Then there was the real damper . Mecca resident Khaled Nemary said he had not seen so much rain in a quarter-century . And the forecast ? Showers through Friday . CNN 's Amir Ahmed and Daniela Deane contributed to this report . | Huge downpours flood tents in Mina . Ministry says there are 40 percent fewer Saudi pilgrims this year . With fewer visitors , merchants report less business . No incidents reported among pilgrims . | [[169, 302], [336, 359], [1123, 1282], [2177, 2212], [860, 939], [869, 939]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For the past decade , Dubai has been home to the greatest concentration of cranes anywhere in the world as billions of tonnes of concrete , steel and glass have refashioned the city skyline . But the rapid growth of the past six years has slowed recently due to the global slump in property prices . Hopes of a recovery have now been further imperiled by the news that the state-owned Dubai World has requested to delay paying its massive debts by six months . Dubai has become a playground for architects as well as millionaires commissioning a string of audacious building projects aimed at helping reposition the city as the financial and cultural hub of the Middle East . Billions of dollars have been spent transforming the landscape , erecting buildings which continue to break records of all dimensions . The Burj Dubai -- at 818 meter the world 's tallest skyscraper , the vast Palm Jumeirah -- built on land reclaimed from the sea , the Dubai Mall -- the largest shopping center in the world and the Mall of the Emirates ; home to the world 's biggest indoor ski slope form part of a very long list of completed construction projects . `` The whole place is kind of like a time-lapse film . You wake up in the morning and it 's just a little bit different , '' Jim Krane , author of `` City of Gold : Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism '' told CNN . But , according to Krane , some of these projects , like the Burj Dubai , suffer from a severe lack of practicality . `` Dubai does n't really need to have to build tall asides from prestige purposes . If you look at it , it 's a really bad idea . It uses as much electricity as an entire city . And every time the toilet is flushed they 've got to pump water half a mile into the sky , '' he said . The telescopic shape is also presents problems of a more practical nature Krane thinks . `` The upper 30 or 40 floors are so tiny that they 're useless , so they ca n't use them for anything else apart from storage . They 've built a small , not so useful storage warehouse half a mile in the sky , '' he said . This prestige over practicality issue something of a recurring theme in Dubai 's banner building projects . Krane , who lived and worked in Dubai from 2005 to 2007 , also called into questions the attraction of the Palm Islands . The $ 12 billion Palm Jumeirah -- populated with valuable villas and hotels -- could have been a lot better he says . `` It 's not been very well done . You ca n't even see the sea and all the fronds which house the communities are gated . '' Its sister islands the Palm Deira -- which developers say will be the size of Manhattan Island housing 1.5 million residents -- has yet to be completed . Krane hopes it never is . `` It 's on the Sharjah border -LSB- one of the six other emirates -RSB- and is the most densely populated part of the city . There 's no infrastructure at all over there for and extra 1.5 million residents '' And despite the best efforts of the property companies the Palm Islands have still harmed the area 's marine environment . The environmental damage is n't limited to the coastline according to Krane . The huge boulders helping lay the foundations for coastal reclamation projects like Waterfront project -- which developers boast will be twice the size of Hong Kong Island -- are , he says , slowly laying waste to some of the UAE 's more picturesque mountain regions . But with the renewed financial uncertainty Dubai 's ambitions are likely to be reigned in . In 2008 , it was announced that the new Palazzo Versace hotel in Dubai would have a beach which featured refrigerated sand . At the moment the only people getting cold feet are the people looking to invest in Dubai . And while that situation continues , many of Dubai 's construction projects will remain on ice . | Dubai 's construction boom has slowed in recent months due to economic slowdown . New financial concerns over Dubai World debt repayments add to uncertainty . Former Dubai resident Jim Krane questions the wisdom of some construction projects . | [[232, 335], [336, 355], [361, 399], [3448, 3530]] |
Editor 's note : Madeleine K. Albright is former U.S. secretary of state . William S. Cohen is former U.S. secretary of defense . They are co-chairs of the Genocide Prevention Task Force . Madeleine K. Albright served as secretary of state under President Bill Clinton . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In this age of electronic media communications , Americans are increasingly confronted in their living rooms -- and even on their cell phones -- with information about and images of genocide and mass atrocities virtually anywhere they occur . This instantaneous media communication has sensitized many Americans to the suffering of people in all corners of the globe . The Internet has proved to be a powerful tool for organizing broad-based responses to genocide and mass atrocities , as we have seen in response to the crisis in Darfur . With all of this information written and broadcast about the horrors of genocide and mass atrocities around the world , why do they continue ? And as public citizens , public officials and policymakers , how can we prevent this horrendous crime that assaults our humanitarian values and threatens our national security ? Last year , we agreed to co-chair the Genocide Prevention Task Force , which was jointly convened by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum , The American Academy of Diplomacy and the United States Institute of Peace . -LRB- The final report is to be released next week . -RRB- . The idea for the task force arose out of a desire by each of these institutions to reach beyond their individual capabilities and build a practical framework that could help the U.S. government better respond to threats of genocide and mass atrocities . Our challenge was to match words to deeds and stop allowing the unacceptable . That task is in fact one of the most persistent puzzles of our times . Many people ask : Why do genocides and mass atrocities happen ? There is no consensus as to the causes of genocide and mass atrocities , nor is there one commonly agreed-upon theory that explains the key catalysts , motivations or mechanisms that lead to them . History has shown that genocide and mass atrocities manifest themselves in highly variable ways , and we should not assume that future perpetrators will follow old patterns . However , there are warning signs . Genocide is not the inevitable result of `` ancient hatreds '' or irrational leaders . It requires planning and is carried out systematically . But that fact also means that there are ways to recognize its signs and symptoms , and viable options to prevent it at every turn , if we are committed and prepared . Our report recommends a number of distinct but interrelated areas where the United States government can develop and deploy more effective strategies to identify and pursue opportunities for prevention of genocide and mass atrocities : . First , we believe that leadership is an indispensable ingredient . Nothing is more central to preventing genocide than leadership -- from the president , Congress and the American people . Making progress requires leaders to summon political will not only after a crisis strikes , but also before one emerges . Second is the importance of early warning . It is critical for policymakers to have good analysis of areas where there is a high risk of genocide or organized violence in order to design effective strategies and spur action . By improving the accuracy of warnings , we will find greater opportunities for preventive action . Early prevention can avert a crisis . Many countries are vulnerable to extreme violence . By engaging leaders , institutions and civil society at an early stage , the United States can help countries steer clear of these dangers . Preventive diplomacy is critical to halt and reverse escalation . Even when signs of preparation for genocide are apparent , there are opportunities to alter leaders ' decisions and interrupt their plans . By improving our crisis response system , we will be better prepared to mount coherent , carefully calibrated and timely preventive diplomatic strategies . A willingness to utilize military options to stop ongoing atrocities when prevention efforts have failed is crucial . U.S. military assets can also play an important role in supporting and providing credibility to options short of the use of force , including by deterring violence through military presence or threat . Lastly , we cite the power of international action . The United States has an interest in promoting a system of international norms and institutions that averts potential genocide and mass atrocities before they occur , stops them quickly and effectively when they occur , helps societies rebuild in their wake and holds perpetrators accountable . By working in partnership with others in the global community , the United States will multiply its positive impact . We do not underestimate the challenge . We understand that the next president will face many pressing international priorities , as well as real limitations of time and resources . But we believe that preventing genocide is possible , and that striving to do so is imperative , both for our national interests and for our leadership position in the world . Our report seeks to honor the memory of past victims of genocide and mass atrocities by encouraging future action . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Madeleine K. Albright and William S. Cohen . Other members of the Genocide Prevention Task Force include John Danforth , Thomas Daschle , Stuart Eizenstat , Michael Gerson , Dan Glickman , Jack Kemp , Gabrielle Kirk McDonald , Thomas R. Pickering , Vin Weber , Anthony Zinni and Julia Taft -LRB- 1942-2008 -RRB- . For more information about the Genocide Prevention Task Force , visit the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum , The American Academy of Diplomacy or the United States Institute of Peace . | Madeleine Albright , William Cohen co-chair Genocide Prevention Task Force . The panel 's final report will be released next week after a year of work . Leadership indispensable in preventing genocide , Albright and Cohen say . Also key : early warning , preventive diplomacy , military , international action , they say . | [[130, 188], [1151, 1160], [1163, 1219], [1375, 1427], [2870, 2929], [2930, 3051], [3174, 3217], [3499, 3536], [3730, 3795], [4421, 4464]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- What 's it like to be a 30-something woman in America today ? From religious choices to parental pressures , a successful single woman in Washington , D.C. and a devoted mother of four open up . American-born Muslim Mubaraka tries to be open with people so she can help them understand her religion . One issue that plagues an average of 6.3 million women in America is being single . Julie , a Chicago pediatrician , struggles with the stigma of being alone in her 30s . `` I 've tried JDate , a Jewish Internet dating service , Match.com , setups by my friends , '' Julie says . `` I recently adopted a dog , hoping to meet someone out in the dog park . '' Like many single women in America , Julie is no stranger to the dating scene -- but finding dates is n't always the problem . `` It 's not that there are no men to date . It 's that I 'm not meeting anyone that I 'm attracted to . Nobody that I think is quality and worthy of me and what I have to offer and what I want to do . '' Now Julie thinks marriage may not even be what she wants . Instead of waiting around for a husband , she 's considering having a child on her own . `` I 'm probably going to investigate an anonymous donor and do it artificially ... I want it to be my own biological child , '' she says . DeChane , a successful attorney in Washington , D.C. , also struggles with the 30-something singles scene . Her fear is that men are intimidated by her . `` None of my female friends have ever said I 'm intimidating , '' she says . `` Having an education , a house , a job does not make me intimidating . It just makes me an adult living an adult life . '' She finds it ironic that her achievements may turn men off . `` I would think they would find it more unusual if I walked into the picture not having anything . But I think after 35 years of living , working and being driven , I should have something to show for it . '' DeChane also thinks men make assumptions about single women in their 30s . `` I think they assume that if you are n't married , you want to get married , '' she says . `` Instead of meeting you and approaching you in a manner that 's very basic -- ' I want to get to know you , who you are , what your likes and dislikes are ' -- I think they walk in the door expecting you to try to strong-arm them into getting married , and it scares them away . '' For Amy , a divorced mom , dating in her 30s has been stressful . `` I wish there was a manual for dating , because I have been out of the game for so long , '' she says . `` Growing up , I always wanted to be a wife and a mom and did n't expect that I would find myself single again . '' With four children at home , Amy faces a unique set of dating issues . `` I run a criminal background check on every guy I go out with , '' she says . `` I have to be very careful about who I invite into our lives . '' Amy also realizes that a woman with kids is n't what every guy is looking for . `` I do n't consider children baggage . I think they 're the bonus piece to the set , but there are a lot of men who do n't see it that way , '' she says . For many women in their 30s , the pressure to get married can be intense . Julie says she is n't feeling that pressure as much anymore . `` My original goal was to meet a man , have a family just like I grew up in , '' she says . `` But it just does n't seem to be going that way . '' As a single mom , Amy says the pressure comes from people who feel like something must be missing in her life . `` People see me as a single mom -LSB- as if -RSB- that 's something wrong . ` Oh , you poor thing . You 'll find somebody . ' People will do that kind of thing because they do n't feel like it 's acceptable , or that you ca n't do it on your own , '' she says . DeChane takes a more relaxed approach . `` I am prepared to go with the flow as far as children and marriage are concerned , '' she says . `` I was raised in a family where a number of people , even married relatives , have chosen not to have children . So it 's never been the expectation that you have to get married , that you have to have children . It 's really more being who you are and having a happy life . That 's the focus for me . '' Oprah : com : Top places to meet men over 35 ! For devout Muslim Mubarakah , a 30-year-old mother of four , life in her 30s is about family and career . Married for 14 years , Mubarakah never had to worry about the dating scene . `` Dating in Islam is forbidden , '' she says . `` When you meet someone and you 're talking to them , the purpose is for marriage . So you 're getting to know someone to know whether or not that 's somebody you want to be married to . '' In her career as a certified personal trainer , Mubarakah 's biggest challenge is finding workout clothes in keeping with her faith . `` As Muslim women , we can only show our face and hands , '' she explains . `` Most workout outfits are either short sleeved or too tight . '' She modifies her clothes by adding length to sleeves and hems , taking care to look cute at the same time . `` I try to at least look like I 'm matching and I have some kind of style , '' she says . `` So generally my headscarf will match my outfit . '' Mubarakah says she encounters many myths about her religion , including her heritage . `` People automatically think I 'm from another country , but my mother 's family is Cherokee , and my father 's African-American , so I 'm as American as it gets , '' she says . An open attitude helps Mubarakah deal with misconceptions . `` If people do n't understand , I just try to be very personable with it , '' she says . `` I 'm very open as far as questions . '' Commitment to her religion requires Mubarakah to pray five times daily , whether she 's working with a client , at the movies or in her living room . Still , she says that American Muslims are just like any other Americans . `` We 're no longer immigrants or converts to Islam , but rather American-born Muslims that lead regular American lives . -LSB- We -RSB- incorporate our Islam beliefs and practices into our every day , '' Mubarakah says . `` In the end , all our goals are the same . All of us want to raise our kids to be contributing members of society , to be healthy , to be happy . And no matter where you choose to worship , every woman wants to know , ` How do you get rid of cellulite ? ' '' Oprah.com : Meet moms around the world . From `` The Oprah Winfrey Show '' Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved . | Dating can be daunting for 30-something women in America . The dating pool is small and some successful women fear they intimidate men . One divorced mom does criminal background checks on her dates . Married Muslim woman was forbidden to date . | [[2383, 2390], [2393, 2448], [1411, 1456], [1423, 1456], [1680, 1714], [2746, 2792], [4463, 4494], [4497, 4499]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday it has approved a new vaccine to prevent seasonal influenza . Agriflu , made by Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics , is not intended to protect against the H1N1 virus , commonly known as swine flu . The vaccine was approved using an accelerated approval process , the FDA said . Novartis demonstrated that the vaccine induces levels of antibodies in the blood that are effective in preventing seasonal influenza , but it still needs to conduct further studies . Agriflu , for ages 18 and older , is administered as a single injection in the upper arm and is available in single-dose , prefilled syringes , according to the FDA . Novartis produces another licensed vaccine for seasonal influenza , Fluvirin , approved for ages 4 and older . Although no vaccine is 100 percent effective in preventing disease , vaccination is the key to flu prevention , according to the FDA . Novartis spokesman Eric Althoff said Agriflu is made in Siena , Italy , with eggs , and it has been available in Europe under the brand name Aggripal . This approval , he said , will add to future seasonal vaccine supplies . | Agriflu , made by Novartis , is not intended to protect against the H1N1 virus . The vaccine was approved using an accelerated approval process , the FDA said . Vaccine induces antibodies in the blood that are effective in preventing seasonal influenza . | [[131, 138], [141, 182], [131, 138], [185, 234], [0, 98], [62, 130], [267, 329], [332, 346], [674, 696], [347, 427], [418, 427], [433, 479]] |
-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- January 28 , 2010 . Download PDF maps related to today 's show : . • Wilmington , Ohio • Machu Picchu , Peru • Israel . Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT . THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED . CARL AZUZ , CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR : I 'm Carl Azuz , and you 're tuned in to CNN Student News . Let 's go ! First Up : State of the Union . AZUZ : `` He shall from time to time give to Congress information on the state of the union . '' The words of the U.S. Constitution and the reason why President Obama delivered his State of the Union address to Congress last night . A little background for you here : This speech has n't always been called the `` State of the Union . '' It used to be called the `` annual message . '' But the purpose has always been the same : for the president to talk about some of the biggest issues facing the country . That is why President Obama spent a good part of last night 's speech talking about the economy and the challenges facing the country . U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA : One year ago , I took office amid two wars , an economy rocked by a severe recession , a financial system on the verge of collapse , and a government deeply in debt . Experts from across the political spectrum warned that if we did not act , we might face a second depression . So we acted , immediately and aggressively . And one year later , the worst of the storm has passed . But the devastation remains . One in ten Americans still can not find work . Republican Response . AZUZ : After the State of the Union , it 's traditional for the other party to offer its response to the president . Last night , the Republican response was given by newly-elected Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell . He won that election last year . McDonnell made his speech from the Virginia state House . He talked about some of the political issues that both parties agree on . But he also focused on some of the areas , especially when it comes to the economy , where Republicans and Democrats do n't see eye to eye . GOV. BOB MCDONNELL , -LRB- R -RRB- VIRGINIA : In the past year , more three million people have lost their jobs , yet the Democratic Congress continues deficit spending , adding to the bureaucracy , and increasing the national debt on our children and grandchildren . The amount of this debt is on pace to double in five years and triple in ten . The federal debt is already over $ 100,000 per household . This is simply unsustainable . The President 's partial freeze announced tonight on discretionary spending is a laudable step , but a small one . Web Promo . AZUZ : For more details on the State of the Union and the reaction to it , plus a quiz about the history of this annual address , head to the Spotlight section on our home page , CNNStudentNews.com . Running on Hope . AZUZ : All right , so the economy -- you know it -- a big theme of last night 's speech . It 's also a big concern for residents of Wilmington , Ohio . 15,000 people live there . And when the largest employer left town , about 10,000 of those people lost their jobs . Wilmington is hoping that money from the government 's stimulus bill will turn things around . Mary Snow examines how much it could help . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . MARY SNOW , CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT : DHL stopped operations here last year , bringing shipping to a halt . Nearby businesses started to topple and continue to fall . In all , 10,000 people in this area lost their jobs . The head of the county 's homeless shelter tells us she 's seen the effects , and she 's having a hard time meeting the demand for shelter and food . Denise Stryker-Grant is getting stimulus money through a grant , but it 's not much ; $ 200,000 spread out over 3 years that will help keep people in their homes . But she says jobs , the only thing that would really help , remain elusive . DENISE STRYKER-GRANT , CLINTON COUNTY HOMELESS SHELTER : The frustration of continuing to refer them to places only to be told , you know , `` We 've got 500 resumes before you 've even walked in the door , '' and the frustration of them not having any opportunities . SNOW : To create opportunities , Wilmington 's mayor David Raizk applied for more than $ 61 million worth of stimulus projects . Of that , roughly $ 5 million has been awarded so far to a project to create jobs . It 's focused on Wilmington 's downtown and is set to start this spring . So , how do you see this benefiting from stimulus money ? DAVID RAIZK , WILMINGTON MAYOR : With the stimulus project , we 'll be able to improve our curbs and gutters and sidewalks . SNOW : The hope , he says , is that improvements will attract businesses . In the immediate future , the project is estimated to create about 100 jobs . RAIZK : They 're going to be construction jobs , but it 's something , it 's something . We want jobs here of any type right now . SNOW : To get thousands of others back to work , the mayor has set his sights on Wilmington 's airpark and is hoping to redevelop it . Eight million dollars in stimulus money , he says , is being used to retrain workers , and he 's optimistic Washington will come through with more aid if the airpark comes back to life . RAIZK : I have tried to maintain a close relationship with our state partners and with our federal partners to say , `` Look , we need help and what can you do ? '' And they have responded , but that does n't mean they 've responded as much as I would like or anybody would like . SNOW : Mary Snow , CNN , Wilmington , Ohio . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Blog Promo . AZUZ : That report , part of `` The Stimulus Project , '' CNN 's week-long look at the government program . A link to full coverage is in the Spotlight section at CNNStudentNews.com . Our Web site is also where you 'll find our blog , and one of our latest entries : How would you fix the economy ? Logan says we should lower taxes . Nicollette thinks we should increase taxes on the wealthy . Tom suggested cutting government budgets . What do you say ? Head to our page , share your thoughts . Toyota Recall . AZUZ : When you 're driving and you take your foot off the gas , you expect your car to slow down . That is n't happening in some Toyotas , which is why the company is recalling over two million vehicles . This includes some of Toyota 's best selling models . The problem is that , over time , the gas pedals can get stuck . The company has n't figured out a solution yet . In the meantime , it says it will not make or sell any of the affected vehicles until the problem can be fixed . Shoutout . TOMEKA JONES , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Today 's Shoutout goes out to Mr. Kerns ' U.S. history classes at Blach Intermediate School in Los Altos , California ! Machu Picchu was part of what ancient civilization ? If you think you know it , shout it out ! Was it : A -RRB- Inca , B -RRB- Aztec , C -RRB- Maya or D -RRB- Olmec ? You 've got three seconds -- GO ! Machu Picchu was part of the Inca Empire . It 's located in what is now Peru . That 's your answer and that 's your Shoutout ! Machu Picchu . AZUZ : The Incas built Machu Picchu in the 1400s . Tens of thousands of people visit the site every year . Right now , hundreds of them are trapped . The reason ? This ! Floods and mudslides triggered by days of heavy rain . You can see some of it in this video sent in by iReporters . For now , the only way out of the region is by air , but bad weather has slowed down those types of evacuations . Holocaust Blueprints . AZUZ : In Israel , there 's an exhibit about the Holocaust ; that name refers to the time during World War II when Nazis killed millions of people , including six million Jews . Many of them lost their lives in concentration camps like the one at Auschwitz . It was liberated 65 years ago this week , and now , the design plans for that infamous location are on display in Israel . As Paula Hancocks explains , they 're being used as a reminder and a warning . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . PAULA HANCOCKS , CNN CORRESPONDENT , JERUSALEM : Blueprints of death that shocked and shamed the world . These architectural plans for the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau are now on display in Israel , chilling proof of the planning behind the Holocaust . AVNER SHALEV , CHAIRMAN , YAD VASHEM HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL : They had to think that they are serving evil , total evil . They are creating an industry of death . HANCOCKS : Moshe Haelion knows this better than most . He was the only one of his family to survive Auschwitz . He has since been back to visit the camp . He wants the world to learn from its mistakes . MOSHE HAELION , AUSCHWITZ SURVIVOR : We do believe if one says we will kill the Jews ; we have to believe this . HANCOCKS : Israel 's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed these plans in his address to the United Nations last year , calling on the world to stop Iran in its nuclear ambitions and President Ahmedinejad in his Holocaust denial . Visiting the prints now on display in Jerusalem , the Prime Minister is repeating the warning . BENJAMIN NETANYAHU , ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER : There is evil in the world . If it is unstopped , it expands . It is expanding , and it is threatening the same people , the Jewish people . HANCOCKS : These blueprints were found in an abandoned Berlin flat just two years ago . They were bought by the German newspaper Der Bild and then handed over to Israel so they could be put on display here , at Jerusalem 's Holocaust museum . Israel 's prime minister says it is vital to put `` pure unadulterated evil '' on show for all to see , so it can never be allowed to happen again . Paula Hancocks , CNN , at Jerusalem 's Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Before We Go . AZUZ : And finally , for one young man , keeping his cool really paid off . This is Jaden , and doctors say the three-year-old 's quick thinking helped save his grandmother 's life . While she was watching him recently , she had a stroke . And luckily , Jaden 's mom taught him how to call 911 just four days earlier . When his grandmother passed out , Jaden knew what to do . He even put the dog in a bedroom before the paramedics showed up so the dog would n't get in the way . Goodbye . AZUZ : Jaden 's grandmother is recovering , and the three-year-old says he 's just happy she 's going to be all right . CNN Student News returns tomorrow . I 'm Carl Azuz . We 'll see you then . | Hear about the president 's State of the Union speech and the GOP response . Find out how one Ohio town is hoping to turn around the local economy . Learn why an Israeli museum is displaying plans from a concentration camp . Use the Daily Discussion to help students understand today 's featured news stories . | [[546, 594], [7843, 7846], [7849, 7919], [8130, 8235]] |
Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama intends to meet the Dalai Lama even though China has warned that such a meeting would harm bilateral ties , a White House spokesman said Tuesday . `` The president told China 's leaders during his trip last year that he would meet with the Dalai Lama , and he intends to do so , '' Bill Burton told reporters covering Obama 's planned town hall meeting in New Hampshire later Tuesday . No date for Obama 's meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader has been announced . The Dalai Lama has speaking engagements scheduled in the United States in late February and in May . Earlier Tuesday , China warned that ties between two of the world 's superpowers would be strained if Obama met with the Dalai Lama . `` It will seriously undermine the foundation of Sino-U.S. political relations , '' said Zhu Weiqun , a Communist Party official who is in charge of talks with representatives of the Dalai Lama . `` We will take corresponding action to make relevant countries see their mistakes . '' Zhu issued his warning during a news conference to discuss the lack of progress made during five days of talks between China and the Dalai Lama 's representatives . Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama of advocating for Tibetan independence from China . `` The two sides had sharply divided views , '' Zhu said . `` We have been accustomed to such clash of viewpoints . It 's been the norm rather than the exception . '' In explaining Obama 's intention to hold the meeting , Burton said the Dalai Lama `` is an internationally respected religious and cultural leader , and the president will meet with him in that capacity . `` As the president has expressed , we expect that our relationship with China is mature enough where we can work out issues of mutual concerns -- such as climate , the global economy and nonproliferation -- and discuss frankly and candidly those issues where we disagree , '' Burton said . `` The president is committed to building a positive , comprehensive and cooperative relationship with China . '' Tibet is technically autonomous from the central Chinese government , but the Dalai Lama and others have said they favor genuine autonomy and resent the slow erosion of their culture amid an influx of Han Chinese , the most numerous ethnic group in China . Zhu said there would be no compromise on China 's control of Tibet . Representatives from the two sides have met eight other times , but have reached no consensus on the issue of autonomy . The Dalai Lama fled China in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule . He lives in exile in the north Indian hill town of Dharamsala . Burton said the United States `` considers Tibet to be a part of China , and we have human rights concerns about the treatment of Tibetans . '' `` We urge the government of China to protect the unique cultural and religious traditions of Tibet , '' he said . CNN 's Jaime Florcruz and Helena Hong contributed to this report . | NEW : Obama to meet Dalai Lama in his capacity as a `` respected religious and cultural leader '' China warns a meeting between the two would `` seriously undermine Sino-U.S. ties '' Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama of advocating for Tibetan independence . The Tibetan spiritual leader fled China in 1959 , now lives in India . | [[263, 301], [1455, 1487], [1510, 1601], [1604, 1659], [87, 156], [640, 755], [759, 834], [1205, 1287], [1221, 1287], [2512, 2592], [2593, 2656]] |
Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistan 's military said Tuesday that its forces have taken over a Taliban stronghold during the ongoing ground offensive in the tribal region of South Waziristan . Pakistani security forces have secured Sararogha and have started to clear the town of weapons and ammunition , the military said . It comes a day after its forces gained control of Kaniguram , another key Taliban stronghold , which the military says its forces have now completely secured . According to the military , 21 militants and one Pakistani soldier died in the past 24 hours of fighting -- most of them in the raid on Sararogha . The military is trying to rout Taliban insurgents operating along the Pakistan-Afghan border . The restive and largely ungoverned region of South Waziristan is the headquarters of the Pakistani Taliban . Pakistan 's military suspects its leader , Hakimullah Mehsud , is still in the region backed by up to 8,000 militant fighters . Pakistan 's army has launched three similar offensives in Kaniguram and Sararogha since 2004 without success , sometimes agreeing to peace deals that eventually fall apart . Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas recently told CNN that this time a peace deal is not an option . `` Certainly there is no scope of a peace deal , '' Abbas told CNN . `` It is a fight to the finish . '' The military began its ground offensive in South Waziristan three weeks ago , however the region has been affected by a broader anti-Taliban offensive that has uprooted more than 180,000 people this year , according to the United Nations . Many of those people -- more than 94,000 -- have fled South Waziristan since June , the U.N. said last week . In recent weeks , Pakistan has been relentlessly rocked by a wave of attacks as Islamic militants retaliate against the military campaign . On Monday , the Pakistani cities of Lahore and Rawalpindi were hit by separate suicide bombings . A suicide attacker believed to be on a motorcycle targeted people outside a bank in Rawalpindi who were lined up to pick up their monthly checks , police said . That attack killed 30 people , police said on Tuesday . The attack happened in the Cannt area of Rawalpindi , close to Pakistan 's military headquarters where the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan , Gen. Stanley McChrystal , was meeting with Pakistan 's army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Monday . It was unclear if he was there at the time of the attack . Hours later , two suicide bombers detonated their explosives at a police checkpoint in Lahore , injuring 17 police and civilians . CNN 's Samson Desta and Reza Sayah contributed to this report . | Pakistani forces secure Sararogha , clearing the town of weapons and ammunition . Pakistan : 21 militants and one Pakistani soldier die in the past 24 hours of fighting . Restive and largely ungoverned region of South Waziristan is headquarters of Pakistani Taliban . Pakistan 's army has launched three similar offensives in Kaniguram and Sararogha since 2004 without success . | [[0, 9], [12, 36], [40, 205], [206, 254], [206, 231], [245, 315], [526, 602], [741, 849], [978, 1070]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Matthew Hoh , a young man previously unknown to the general public , has become the first U.S. official known to resign in protest over the Afghan war . He was the senior U.S. civilian adviser in Zabul province , Afghanistan . There certainly have been more famous resignations over a president 's war policy . President Lyndon Johnson 's first secretary of health , education and welfare and the architect of much of the civil rights and Great Society programs , John Gardner , resigned because he could not support the war in Vietnam and privately told the president he could not support him for re-election . LBJ 's Deputy Secretary of Defense Cyrus Vance resigned after becoming convinced the war in Vietnam , which he had strongly supported initially , was unwinnable . After his resignation he unsuccessfully urged Johnson not to bomb North Vietnam . Vance later resigned as President Carter 's secretary of state after arguing again unsuccessfully against `` Operation Eagle Claw , '' the disastrous desert rescue attempt of our 52 hostages in Iran that cost the lives of eight American soldiers . Our history is filled with brave men and women who have resigned because they could not support a policy or an administration , but it 's never easy to quit and far more people carry on quietly and do what they perceive as their duty . Many thought former Secretary of State Colin Powell should have resigned rather than testify before the U.N. on Iraq 's supposed weapons of mass destruction , information he may have thought was suspect . There might not have been an Iraq war if he had done that . But the resignation of Hoh , a former Marine captain and Iraq veteran from the Foreign Service , as reported Tuesday on the front page of the Washington Post may have more impact than the others . His comments reflect the feelings of many of his countrymen who have far less knowledge of the Afghan situation then he does . The White House and State Department made every effort to keep Hoh from leaving and valued his service . He was exactly the kind of person we needed there if our Afghan efforts are to be successful . Even though I support the continued efforts in Afghanistan and believe the president should give Gen. Stanley McChrystal what he needs , Hoh 's words reflect thoughts that I , too , have pondered . Hoh said in his resignation letter : `` I have lost understanding of and confidence in the strategic purposes of the United States ' presence in Afghanistan . I have doubts and reservations about our current strategy and planned future strategy , but my resignation is based not upon how we are pursuing this war , but why and to what end . '' But before the president acts -LRB- and he will make his decision quickly , I hope -RRB- he needs to answer Hoh 's : `` Why and to what end ? '' If he ca n't , he will have great difficulty convincing his party and the nation of the need for further action . The why part is easier to answer . The United States and our NATO allies went into Afghanistan after the ruling Taliban government refused to turn over Osama bin Laden and to stop al Qaeda from operating with its protection . The United States has been in full pursuit of bin Laden since the August 7 , 1998 , truck bombings of the U.S. embassies in Tanzania and in Kenya in which hundreds were killed . These attacks were preceded by the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center and the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 U.S. servicemen . After that came the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen , which preceded the September 11 , 2001 , attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon . Thousands of our fellow citizens were murdered and our way of life was altered forever . In spite of being on the FBI 's Most Wanted list , bin Laden has been an elusive target . In the late '90s on several occasions he was in our sights , but the inability or hesitancy to pull the trigger allowed him to escape . He is still out there with tens of thousands of supporters who want to destroy Americans and Westerners . The threat is still real . The bad guys are still out there and may be here . I feel this is the most important decision this president will make -- and other world leaders will judge him on his decision . Is he a viable partner ? Can he make the tough decisions U.S. presidents need to make ? Many Americans have doubts as they almost always do with any activity of our troops beyond our borders . We as a nation are still badly scarred from the divisions in the country caused four decades ago by the Vietnam War . Our president never served in the military , and it might be important to review the thinking of some who have and some who went before him . Caspar Weinberger was a young infantry captain in World War II who went on to be one of the most important secretaries of defense and who rebuilt our broken military after Vietnam . Facing a demoralized military officer corps and troops who were n't in much better shape , Weinberger asked all the major leaders in the Pentagon who had been young officers in Vietnam what lessons they learned . Included was a former young major in Vietnam who was now a brigadier general and served as Weinberger 's military assistant , Colin Powell . Weinberger came up with the Weinberger doctrine : . 1 . The United States should not commit forces to combat unless the vital national interests of the United States or its allies are involved . 2 . U.S. troops should only be committed wholeheartedly and with the clear intention of winning . Otherwise , troops should not be committed . 3 . U.S. combat troops should be committed only with clearly defined political and military objectives and with the capacity to accomplish those objectives . 4 . The relationship between the objectives and the size and composition of the forces committed should be continually reassessed and adjusted if necessary . 5 . U.S. troops should not be committed to battle without a `` reasonable assurance '' of the support of U.S. public opinion and Congress . 6 . The commitment of U.S. troops should be considered only as a last resort . A version of this became the Powell doctrine . Every president should have a copy of Weinberger 's doctrine on his desk . Number 2 and 5 are still the unanswered questions . They are the biggest obstacles to whatever decision President Obama makes . That , along with Hoh 's question : `` To what end ? '' The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ed Rollins . | Ed Rollins : Matthew Hoh quit the Foreign Service due to doubt about war . He says Hoh is latest in tradition of Americans who resigned over wars . Presidents must ask tough questions before sending troops , Rollins says . Rollins : Troops should only be committed to serve vital U.S. interests . | [[5341, 5464], [5401, 5479]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Family Ties '' actress Meredith Baxter made the media rounds Wednesday confirming the rumors that she is a lesbian . `` It was a later in life recognition , '' the actress explained to Matt Lauer on the `` Today '' show Wednesday . The National Enquirer recently ran a story about Baxter being spotted on a lesbian cruise through the Caribbean with a `` female friend , '' which was then picked up by celebrity blogs . As a result , the 62-year-old decided to tell her fans herself . `` I did n't want some tabloid to take the story and make it up , '' Baxter said in the interview . `` I wanted it to be in my own words . '' Baxter was also interviewed on Sirius XM Radio 's `` The Frank DeCaro Show . '' Coming out was a difficult thing for the quiet actress to do . She told Lauer on `` Today '' that she 's always `` lived a very private life . To come out and disclose stuff is very antithetical '' to who she is . Baxter told DeCaro that she knew she could be outed when she went on the cruise with her partner , Nancy Locke , but she went anyway . `` We live a very open life at home , '' she said . `` Anyone who 's a friend of mine , anyone who knows and cares about me knows . It 's no secret that I 'm gay , but it has been to the greater world . `` The reason I 'm here -LSB- on the show -RSB- is because I 'm saying , yes , I 'm a lesbian . '' Baxter also told People magazine that she has been in a four-year relationship with Locke , who works as a building contractor . Baxter has been dating women for the past seven years , and `` the thought of being gay never crossed my mind , '' she said . The actress was married three times before , during which she `` was never comfortable with herself , '' she told People . Now , she feels like she 's `` being honest for the first time . '' Baxter has also come clean to her five kids , according to People . Her 25-year-old son Peter was all smiles . He told the magazine that he `` just could n't stop smiling , because she finally figured it out . '' | The National Enquirer first revealed that Meredith Baxter had been on a lesbian cruise . As a result of the story , Baxter has come out on radio , TV and to People magazine . She has been in a relationship with partner Nancy Locke for four years . She feels like she 's being honest for the first time . | [[303, 343], [1736, 1738], [1743, 1756], [1825, 1831], [1871, 1892], [975, 1052], [1379, 1385], [1391, 1468], [1757, 1760], [1763, 1814], [1778, 1821]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama on Tuesday proposed making `` pay-as-you-go '' rules for federal spending into law . President Obama proposed Tuesday that the government adopt `` pay-as-you-go '' rules for federal spending . The so-called PAYGO proposal requires Congress to balance any increased spending by equal savings elsewhere , Obama said in announcing the measure that now goes to Congress . A previous PAYGO mandate helped erase federal budget deficits in the 1990s , and subsequent ineffective rules contributed to the current budget deficits , Obama said . Now the PAYGO rules should be the law , he said . `` Paying for what you spend is basic common sense , '' Obama said . `` Perhaps that 's why , here in Washington , it 's been so elusive . '' Republican leaders said the proposal comes after record spending initiatives by the Obama administration , such as the $ 787 billion economic stimulus program . `` It seems a tad disingenuous for the president and Speaker -LSB- Nancy -RSB- Pelosi to talk about PAYGO rules after ramming trillions in spending through Congress proposing policies that create more debt in the first six months of this year than in the previous 220 years combined , '' said Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia , the House Minority Whip . However , a group of fiscally conservative Democratic representatives known as the Blue Dogs called Obama 's proposal responsible and necessary . `` President Obama inherited an economy in free-fall and a $ 10.6 trillion national debt , '' said Rep. Jim Cooper of Tennessee , vice-chairman of the Blue Dog Budget and Financial Services Task Force . `` While short-term spending was necessary to get the economy moving again , our long-term fiscal problems became that much more urgent . '' A White House statement said Obama 's proposal calls for the Office of Management and Budget to maintain a ledger of the average 10-year budgetary effects of all legislation affecting mandatory spending or baseline tax levels . Any extra cost that lacks payment authorized by Congress would require the president to find money within the budget to pay it , while any tax cut would require a corresponding increase in tax revenue . Some costs would be exempt , including Medicare payments to doctors , the estate and gift tax , and tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2002 , the White House statement said . | PAYGO proposal calls for balancing increased spending with equal savings . `` Paying for what you spend is basic common sense , '' Obama says . Rep. Cantor says remarks seem `` a tad disingenuous , '' given recent spending . Some costs would be exempt , including Medicare payments to doctors . | [[239, 346], [569, 581], [632, 682], [685, 700], [1220, 1256], [2206, 2234]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- While administrations come and go , and power in Congress teeters between political parties , one thing remains constant in the lives of Washington , D.C. 's , elite : the power lunch . Between noon and 2 p.m. , brokers meet to clinch deals , with the emphasis more on power than on lunch . Just steps from Capitol Hill , Charlie Palmer is one of the places to see and be seen at lunchtime . Depending on the week , the modern American steakhouse serves between 70 and 80 congressmen and between 20 and 30 senators . `` I 'd bet we 've had every member of Congress and every senator in the restaurant at some point , '' says Matt Hill , executive chef for the famed eatery . It 's not just the proximity to Capitol Hill that draws Washington 's elite to Charlie Palmer . The restaurant has several private dining areas -- including a rooftop with scenic views of the city -- and an executive chef who prides himself on serving homemade , inventive fare . `` We do anything , we 've got senators from Hawaii that come in , and they ask for Hawaiian hors d'oeurves , we 've got , you know , people from Texas that ask for things from Texas , '' Hill says . `` So , we can really vary the menu , and it makes it interesting for me to try to come up with new ideas . '' Thirty-seven years ago , Tommy Jacomo moved to Washington with his brother and built The Palm with his bare hands . Now , as executive director of the famed power spot , Jacomo is known by Washington 's elite as the keeper of the keys to The Palm . Everyone knows him . `` It 's pretty frightening , yeah , you ca n't even walk down the street sometimes , Jacomo said . `` People say , ` Hey , Tommy ! Put me down for two at 12:30 , ' and I do n't even know who the hell they are . '' The Palm has hosted every president from Richard Nixon to Bill Clinton . President Obama has yet to make a visit . But it 's not just presidents who visit The Palm . White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has frequented the restaurant since the Clinton administration . Cabinet secretaries including Madeleine Albright , administration officials , senators and representatives , Supreme Court justices , the city 's top lobbyists , lawyers , strategists and media elites are all regulars at the Dupont Circle steakhouse . And if you become a regular , you get your picture on the wall . `` People used to think when we first opened up that we had all the -LSB- portraits of -RSB- Republicans on one side and all the -LSB- portraits of -RSB- Democrats on the other side , '' Jacomo said . `` It 's not really as much thought behind it . It just goes up , it 's good customers , loyal customers , famous people , infamous people , and I decide where I want to put them when I get the chance , '' he joked , pointing out the minimal space left on the wall . Not everyone is willing to put their picture on the wall . James Carville and Mary Matalin , who are political strategists and CNN contributors , chose to have their dogs ' portraits on the wall instead of their own . While steakhouses remain a favorite , not all power restaurants dish out filet mignon . Steps from the White House are three of Washington 's oldest power spots : The Oval Room , which serves up American fare ; Bombay Club , which is Indian ; and Old Ebbitt Grille , which also specializes in American cuisine . Cafe Milano , in Georgetown , and The Monocle and Johnny 's Half Shell , on Capitol Hill , also remain abuzz with some of the most prominent people in Washington . Italian restaurant Posto on 14th Street has become a favorite among younger administration staffers because of its laid-back atmosphere and expansive dining room . Posto 's sister restaurant Tosca , owned by Paolo Sacco , has kept D.C. 's top lobbyists and politicians coming back since it opened in 2001 . Not only known for the power scene and homemade Italian cuisine , Tosca has set itself apart from others by having some of the most attentive waitstaff in the city . Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia , known by friends as a big foodie , has dined at Tosca , as have Emanuel and Obama adviser David Axelrod . The Washington Post reported that former Sen. Tom Daschle convinced then-freshman Sen. Obama to run for president at the Italian eatery . The newest member of the Supreme Court , Justice Sonia Sotomayor , is known by friends as a `` very adventurous diner . '' She is a fan of Lebanese Taverna , in Woodley Park , which serves up Middle Eastern fare . Serving up inventive sushi dishes like a fish-and-chips roll , or wasabi guacamole with wonton chips , SEI in Penn Quarter has established itself as a newcomer to the power scene , along with its neighbors Rasika and Oyamel -- all reported to have recently hosted first lady Michelle Obama . `` One of the things that 's been sort of fun to watch over the course of this year is the Obamas have eaten out in a wide variety of places , '' says Garrett Graff , editor of Washingtonian magazine . `` You 've seen them come and get burgers up here on the Hill , you 've seen them go out for burgers in Virginia , you 've also seen them go out to some of the nicest restaurants in the city , like Citronelle and Blue Duck Tavern , where they went this fall for their anniversary dinner . But then you see Barack eating on his own -- he 's going to a place like Ben 's Chili Bowl or he 's going to a place like Ray 's Hell Burger . '' Graff points out one top restaurant at which the Obamas have yet to dine . `` They still have n't been to what is widely considered to be the city 's best restaurant , which is a small Greek place near Dupont Circle called Komi , '' Graff said . `` But one of the challenges with a place like Komi is that it 's very small and books up far in advance , so it might be hard for the Obamas to sort of drop in there like they 've been dropping in at a lot of these other restaurants . '' | The power lunch is a constant of Washington 's elite . Executive chef of Charlie Palmer says every member of Congress has been in . Most presidents since Nixon have dined at The Palm . The Oval Room , Bombay Club and Old Ebbitt Grille are steps from the White House . | [[550, 644], [737, 749], [755, 800], [1781, 1853], [3143, 3215]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The number of dead in devastating floods triggered by torrential rains in India has risen to at least 271 , and about a million people have fled their homes , officials said Monday . An aerial view of a flood-affected area in Bijapur district in North Karnataka , India . At least 192 people have died in the southern state of Karnataka , its disaster-management secretary H.V. Parshwanath told CNN . More than 450,000 people there have been housed in 1,330 relief camps as authorities completed rescue operations in most of the flooded zones in the state , he said . `` The focus is now mainly on relief , '' Parshwanath said , adding that rains have now eased in Karnataka . In neighboring Andhra Pradesh , authorities put the death toll at 51 . Some 531,000 people have been evacuated to safety , with more half of them now sheltering in relief camps , said Dinesh Kumar , the commissioner of the state 's disaster-monitoring department . India has deployed the military to help with relief and rescue in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh . More than a dozen teams of naval divers have been sent to the two flood-hit states , the country 's defense ministry said . Air force planes and helicopters have also been dropping food packets in the submerged regions . The military has been able to rescue 1,336 people so far , it added . Flood waters were now receding in two of the five worst hit districts of Andhra Pradesh , disaster official Kumar said . But floodwaters from a local river might submerge the remaining three , he warned . Flooding also killed at least 25 people in Maharashtra state , officials said . Three others died because of lightning strikes , said S.C. Mohanty , director of Maharashtra 's disaster-management department . About 3,000 people have been displaced because of flooding , he told CNN . Thousands of people die each year in India during seasonal monsoon rains . More than 1,100 had been killed in monsoon-triggered flooding in different parts of the country as of last month , according to the disaster-management division of the federal home ministry . | Death toll from floods in India has now reached 271 . Over a million people have been forced to flee their homes . Over 450,000 people in southern state of Karnataka housed in 1,330 relief camps . | [[0, 33], [111, 142], [145, 193], [785, 834], [438, 592], [855, 890]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dr. David Ores , or Dr. Dave as he 's referred to by his patients , is n't your average neighborhood doctor . It 's not because his arms are covered with tattoos of nearly naked women or because he drives a Harley to work , but because eight months ago he started New York City 's first health care cooperative for restaurant workers . The Harley-riding Dr. David Ores has started New York 's first health care cooperative for restaurant workers . The Restaurant Worker 's Health Care Cooperative , currently servicing 15 restaurants in lower Manhattan , provides free health care to all restaurant employees , from bus boys to bartenders . Every month the owner or manager of each restaurant contributes money into a common fund based on its number of employees . In return , their workers can go see Dr. Dave with any kind of health issue they may have . Dr. Dave , a graduate of Columbia Medical School , has been treating uninsured people for more than a decade . He decided to start the co-op after noticing a trend among patients working in the restaurant industry . `` Over the past ten years , I 've seen many patients that work in restaurants , and there were always two things in common : They had no real access to any kind of medical care , and they also waited a long time to come see a doctor , '' Ores says . `` I decided to form this co-op in order to get them early , basic health care . '' Watch the doctor at work '' The restaurant workers , many of whom have never been medically insured , can now make appointments , stop by the office , text medical questions and even send photos of their injuries to Dr. Dave , free of charge . `` This is my first checkup ever , '' Asaf , a waiter at Macao Trading Co. , told CNN in the waiting room . `` It 's an example of how someone finds an easy and fair solution to a serious problem or a need . '' And statistics show there is , in fact , a need . According to a 2005 study by the Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York , about 73 percent of all New York restaurant workers -- about 160,000 people -- have no health insurance . The co-op comes as a relief to restaurant owners who would ideally like to provide medical insurance to their employees but can not afford to do so . `` Obviously we want to take care of our people , but financially we 're only capable of doing so much , '' says restaurant owner Billy Gilroy . `` This was the perfect opportunity to be able to extend the ability to find medical services through the restaurant , but in a way that 's affordable . '' The price for use of the co-op 's services ranges from as little as $ 50 a month for an establishment with a couple of employees to $ 400 a month for a larger restaurant . Dr. Dave , who works as a general practitioner and sees other patients , is able to support himself because both his office and apartment are located in rent-stabilized buildings operated by the Lower East Side People 's Mutual Housing Association , a not-for-profit housing group that charges him only $ 800 a month for rent . With health care currently a hot-button political issue , Dr. Dave sees this local , not-for-profit health system as a model for how national health care in America could work . `` I 'm not against profit , '' he says . `` I just do n't think you can have a for-profit health system that provides everyone with proper health care . It 's just never going to work . '' In the meantime , Dr. Dave has plans to expand . `` In the next year I 'd like for our little health co-op to offer more services . Maybe dental , more hours in the evening , maybe hire a second doctor . '' He also hopes to offer routine checkups for all workers , so he can catch illnesses early and hopefully prevent steeper medical costs down the road . Although Dr. Dave started the program only eight months ago , he 's no stranger to helping others . `` I would call him a pioneer in health care , I would call him a pioneer as a human being , and also as a doctor , '' says restaurant owner and longtime friend Julio Peña , who has been benefiting from Dr. Dave 's services for quite a while . `` We 've been trading pasta and cappuccinos for stitching somebody up with him for years , and now that he 's doing it with other people , it 's great . '' | Health care cooperative helps New York restaurant workers . Not-for-profit system now enables workers to see a doctor when necessary . `` Dr. Dave '' now has plans to expand coverage , hours of service . `` I would call him a pioneer in health care , '' friend says of Dr. Dave . | [[256, 363], [364, 475], [476, 524], [527, 580], [476, 524], [583, 636], [3445, 3460], [3463, 3493], [3903, 3946]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Anthony and Lisa Leoni have little time to worry about whether California 's budget crisis will affect their daughter 's life-sustaining care . Anthony and Lisa Leoni are afraid of budget cuts that pose a threat to daughter Jessica 's care . A steady stream of nurses , caregivers and therapists visit 12-year-old Jessica at home around the clock . Jessica suffers from a rare and fatal disease called Niemann Pick Type C . A cholesterol imbalance destroys healthy cells in the liver , spleen and brain . Although Jessica led a relatively normal life before the illness worsened , her mother always knew the disease would eventually take over . `` Jessica was playful , happy and loves people . My heart was always a flutter because you never knew how many moments you 'd get , '' Lisa Leoni says . In Jessica 's case , a grand mal seizure suffered Memorial Day weekend 2005 brought a world of hurt to the Leonis . At the height of her symptoms , Jessica suffered up to 60 seizures a day . The disease , also known as NPC , has stolen her ability to walk , talk , eat or even breathe on her own . An oxygen machine pumps air into her lungs around the clock . Anthony Leoni knew they needed help . `` If you told us 10 years ago this is how your life is going to be , I would have said we 're not capable . We do n't have the training , ability , we do n't have the energy , we do n't have the stamina . '' They found Bill Feeman of Westside Regional Center . `` When you walk into this home and you see Jessica , -LSB- you -RSB- just fall in love with her , '' Feeman says . `` She is a sweet soul -- you see her , she 's physically helpless , yet there 's a light that shines out of her eyes , it takes you in . `` When you meet this family and you see how hard-working and involved they are , you just wan na do everything you can to help . '' Watch the family 's heartbreaking struggle '' Feeman worked to find in-home support in the form of nurse caregivers , therapists and medical supplies . `` This family also has all the normal responsibilities of raising a family . They have to pay their mortgage , they have to feed their family , they have to go to work . So when you have someone as medically involved as Jessica is , and you 're talking about all that worriment and responsibility of your child being ill and on top of that you still have to ... bring home a paycheck every week in order to pay your bills , you need a lot of help . `` You have to be awake at night with Jessica . She can not be left alone for even five minutes where someone is not awake and attentive to her needs . So you 're looking at a family , who when I first met them a year ago had some help in the home but nowhere near enough and they were exhausted . They were trying to be caregivers , nurses , doctors , and then get up and go to work during the day and still support their family . '' `` We pieced all these programs together . We finally got everything in place where they can be parents again , which is a wonderful thing . And that 's what scares me about these budget cuts ... it scares me a little bit that things might start moving backwards . '' One of those caregivers is Carmen Bailey , a certified nurse assistant and home health aide with Caring Connection . She has been working with Jessica for more than two years . `` It 's been an experience . I call her my angel . I bathe her , groom her , position her , massage her to make her comfortable . '' Carmen may be affected by the budget cuts . `` I also have to live to keep on going . I know I will still be here and whatever I need to do extra I 'm willing to do it for the family and Jessica . '' Westside Regional Center is one of 21 state regional centers providing services literally from birth to death . They work with people diagnosed as developmentally disabled , including those with cerebral palsy , epilepsy , autism and mental retardation . Mike Danneker is executive director of Westside Regional Center . `` Our budget is in the 4 billion dollar range for about 240,000 clients in California , '' Danneker says . `` Westside gets about 140 million dollars a year and we have about 7200 clients . '' He believes the California budget fix will cut a half-billion dollars statewide from their budget . `` It 's going to affect everybody . Camps , therapies like art , horseback riding , some of the things people have done for decades will be gone . We 'll have to cut back the number of hours to about 300 hours a year . We estimate 40 percent of California clients have over 300 hours a year . '' Anthony Leoni has this to say about impending cuts to Jessica 's life-sustaining care . `` It 's absolutely frightening to think about what happens if the services go away . They 're absolutely essential to keep Jessica going . '' Jessica 's childhood friend Kristina Carmickle stands by her bedside . `` We did a lot of tap -LRB- dance -RRB- together , that was Jessie 's favorite . Once you have a friendship that 's big enough , you 're always wishing for the best . '' Anthony Leoni sums it up this way : `` We know that there are other families that have challenges similar to us , sometimes even more dramatic than ours , and if we can serve a purpose or a role to help bring the awareness to public what it takes to take care of a family like ours , then we 're willing to make that effort . '' | Twelve-year-old Jessica Leoni has rare and fatal disease . Illness requires around-the-clock care for Jessica . California budget crisis threatens cutbacks in Jessica 's care . Potential budget cuts are `` going to affect everybody '' | [[393, 438], [414, 467], [286, 392], [84, 187], [225, 236], [242, 285], [4618, 4625], [4648, 4705], [4322, 4357]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Suzanne Richard was born to be an actress . Suzanne Richard says that navigating the maze of government aid regulations is a challenge . She was also , however , born with osteogenesis imperfecta , a bone-crippling disorder that can mean a lifetime of health problems and physical disability . But rather than letting her condition hinder her acting ambitions , Richard has embraced it , and now works to encourage other actors with disabilities to do the same . As the artistic director of Open Circle Theatre , a theater founded to `` showcase professional artists with disabilities in an integrated setting , '' Richard offers her actors respite from the challenges they face , and access to an industry that can often discriminate against people like her . `` I decided a long time ago that if people were going to stare at me , they were going to pay me for it , '' she quipped backstage at a rehearsal for her latest production , `` Is there ANYBODY OUT THERE ? '' And at a height of just under 4 feet , with legs encased in metal braces , the 38-year-old Richard said she indeed often attracts curious stares from the public . Richard 's condition , also known as Brittle Bones Disease , is a genetic disorder `` characterized by fragile bones that break easily , '' according to the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation . The condition is considered rare , thought to affect only about 40,000 Americans , said Tracy Hart , CEO of the OI Foundation . There is no cure , Hart said . While the severity of the disorder varies greatly , common health issues related to OI are a short stature , weak tissues , fragile skin , muscle weakness , loose joints , hearing loss , breathing problems and curvature of the spine , according to the OI Foundation . In Richard 's case , OI has meant frequent bone fractures , painful surgeries , leg braces , wheelchairs , and a multitude of symptoms caused by the pressure her weak frame puts on her body . As a child , Richard had to have rods surgically placed in her legs `` as infrastructure '' -- a painful routine that she repeated as often as she grew . But for Richard , the physical constraints of her condition are only half the battle . When Richard was forced to retire from her job as an accessibility specialist at the National Endowment for the Arts because she was too sick to work , she lost her work-provided private health insurance coverage . She now gets Medicare through her Social Security Income retirement benefits . Social Security Income is a government program that `` makes monthly payments to people who have low income and few resources , '' and are either at least 65 years of age or disabled . Social Security recipients are subject to income restrictions depending on what state they live in , and are only allowed to have resources worth $ 2,000 , with certain exceptions , according to the Social Security Web site -LRB- www.socialsecurity.gov -RRB- . These strict financial eligibility limitations , Richard said , can be nerve-wracking , and can make navigating the system extremely difficult . `` If you lose your Social Security benefits because you make too much money , you lose everything . You lose your Medicare , too , '' Richard said . `` So if you 're on disability you have to be really careful not to make too much money , which is self-defeating . '' It is `` self-defeating '' especially when one considers the massive medical bills Richard accumulates due to her OI . Though Medicare covers 80 percent of her medical costs , Richard said she often comes up short some months . `` You ca n't get blood from a stone . ... I 'm on a fixed income . That 's why I 'm on Medicare , '' she said . So , Richard constantly finds herself in the precarious situation of having to rely on her loved ones and the government for her financial stability . `` I 'm hanging on by my fingernails . ... You can never get ahead , '' she said . It 's a frustrating circumstance familiar to Richard 's fellow actors at Open Circle , as well as to the millions of disabled Americans in need of expensive medical treatment . It 's a system , said Richard , that must be reformed . `` It 's a foreign concept to me . ... this idea that ` No , I 'm sorry you do n't have enough money to get this treatment , ' '' she said . `` I sincerely believe that people with disabilities , if you want them to be at all a useful part of the society , you need to have medical care that you do n't have to worry about having . '' But until then , Richard said she survives by familiarizing herself with the system and learning to navigate through the obstacles , a skill that she was forced to learn early on . `` You just get used to adapting . I guess we always do that anyway , '' she said . | Theater 's artistic director was born with bone-crippling disorder . Suzanne Richard encourages other disabled actors to embrace their art . Navigating maze of government aid is extremely difficult . `` You can never get ahead '' when system punishes earning , Richard says . | [[167, 170], [192, 225], [392, 399], [422, 475], [74, 166], [95, 149], [100, 166], [3007, 3014], [3044, 3102], [3235, 3252], [3907, 3930]] |
-LRB- WIRED -RRB- -- Hackers who commandeer your computer are bad enough . Now scientists worry that someday , they 'll try to take over your brain . Scientists can use brain signals to control computers -- hands free . In the past year , researchers have developed technology that makes it possible to use thoughts to operate a computer , maneuver a wheelchair or even use Twitter -- all without lifting a finger . But as neural devices become more complicated , and go wireless , some scientists say the risks of `` brain hacking '' should be taken seriously . `` Neural devices are innovating at an extremely rapid rate and hold tremendous promise for the future , '' said computer security expert Tadayoshi Kohno of the University of Washington . `` But if we do n't start paying attention to security , we 're worried that we might find ourselves in five or 10 years saying we 've made a big mistake . '' Hackers tap into personal computers all the time . But what would happen if they focused their nefarious energy on neural devices , such as the deep-brain stimulators used to treat Parkinson 's and depression , or electrode systems for controlling prosthetic limbs ? According to Kohno and his colleagues , who published their concerns July 1 in Neurosurgical Focus , most devices carry few security risks . But as neural engineering becomes more complex and more widespread , the potential for security breaches will mushroom . `` It 's very hard to design complex systems that do n't have bugs , '' Kohno said . `` As these medical devices start to become more and more complicated , it gets easier and easier for people to overlook a bug that could become a very serious risk . It might border on science fiction today , but so did going to the moon 50 years ago . '' Some might question why anyone would want to hack into someone else 's brain , but the researchers say there 's a precedent for using computers to cause neurological harm . In November 2007 and March 2008 , malicious programmers vandalized epilepsy support Web sites by putting up flashing animations , which caused seizures in some photo-sensitive patients . `` It happened on two separate occasions , '' said computer science graduate student Tamara Denning , a co-author on the paper . `` It 's evidence that people will be malicious and try to compromise peoples ' health using computers , especially if neural devices become more widespread . '' In some cases , patients might even want to hack into their own neural device . Unlike devices to control prosthetic limbs , which still use wires , many deep brain stimulators already rely on wireless signals . Hacking into these devices could enable patients to `` self-prescribe '' elevated moods or pain relief by increasing the activity of the brain 's reward centers . Despite the risks , Kohno said , most new devices are n't created with security in mind . Neural engineers carefully consider the safety and reliability of new equipment , and neuroethicists focus on whether a new device fits ethical guidelines . But until now , few groups have considered how neural devices might be hijacked to perform unintended actions . This is the first time an academic paper has addressed the topic of `` neurosecurity , '' a term the group coined to describe their field . `` The security and privacy issues somehow seem to slip by , '' Kohno said . `` I would not be surprised if most people working in this space have never thought about security . '' Kevin Otto , a bioengineer who studies brain-machine interfaces at Purdue Universty , said he was initially skeptical of the research . `` When I first picked up the paper , I do n't know if I agreed that it was an issue . But the paper gives a very compelling argument that this is important , and that this is the time to have neural engineers collaborate with security developers . '' It 's never too early to start thinking about security issues , said neural engineer Justin Williams of the University of Wisconsin , who was not involved in the research . But he stressed that the kinds of devices available today are not susceptible to attack , and that fear of future risks should n't impede progress in the field . `` These kinds of security issues have to proceed in lockstep with the technology , '' Williams said . History provides plenty of examples of why it 's important to think about security before it becomes a problem , Kohno said . Perhaps the best example is the Internet , which was originally conceived as a research project and did n't take security into account . `` Because the Internet was not originally designed with security in mind , '' the researchers wrote , `` it is incredibly challenging -- if not impossible -- to retrofit the existing Internet infrastructure to meet all of today 's security goals . '' Kohno and his colleagues hope to avoid such problems in the neural device world , by getting the community to discuss potential security problems before they become a reality . `` The first thing is to ask ourselves is , ` Could there be a security and privacy problem ? ' '' Kohno said . `` Asking ` Is there a problem ? ' gets you 90 percent there , and that 's the most important thing . '' Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2009 Wired.com . | Scientists can use thoughts to operate computers , wheelchairs and Twitter . As tech develops , risk of `` brain hacking '' become more real , scientists say . Neurosurgical Focus article says risks are slim now . But security `` should proceed in lockstep with the technology , '' expert says . | [[150, 219], [266, 276], [282, 415], [239, 250], [340, 381], [75, 149], [482, 534], [4211, 4291]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An independent research group predicts that cyberwarfare will accompany future military conflicts and is recommending international action to blunt its impact . Computers can become victims in future military conflicts , a nonprofit group says . The nonprofit U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit studied the cybertactics used against the country of Georgia during its military conflict with Russia last year . Cyberattacks in August 2008 shut down the Web sites of crucial Georgian government agencies , the media and banks . `` The Russians have developed a model here that is very effective , '' said Scott Borg , director of US-CCU . `` We can expect to see the Russians use it in the future , and other countries as well . '' Because of the sensitive nature of much of the information , the full 100-page report is being released only to U.S. government officials and selected cybersecurity professionals . CNN was provided a nine-page summary . The study concludes that the cyberattacks against Georgian targets were carried out by civilians , many of them recruited via social networking forums devoted to dating , hobbies and politics . `` There was a large-scale collaboration on these forums , '' said US-CCU 's chief technical officer , John Bumgarner . `` They were used to recruit potential actors to launch attacks , to collaborate on what types of attacks worked and what types of attacks did n't work . They were used to collaborate on how to bypass security controls and share attack codes . '' As a result , Borg said , Russian sympathizers who were not hackers , and who did n't even know much about computers , could participate . The report says the civilian cyberattackers were aided and supported by Russian organized crime . Although they found no evidence of direct involvement by the Russian government or military , the report concludes that the organizers were tipped off about the timing of Russian military operations . `` There was a lot of information being passed on , but at what level it was being passed on was hard to say , '' Borg said . The report says that `` the necessary reconnaissance and the writing of attack scripts had to have been done in advance ... and suggests that cyber attacks against Georgia had been on the Russian agenda for some time . '' The hackers did not carry out physically destructive cyberattacks , although they probably had the technical expertise to do so , suggesting that `` someone on the Russian side was exercising considerable restraint , '' the report says . It also notes that media and communications facilities , which might have been attacked by missiles and bombs in a conventional war , were spared that , `` presumably because they were being effectively shut down by cyberattacks . '' Because the cybercampaign against Georgia presents a pattern that can be expected in future conflicts , the report says , there is an `` urgent need '' for an international organization to provide risk advisories when preparations for a cybercampaign are detected . It also says there should be an international cyber-response force to provide quick assistance to member countries , advising them on how to thwart an attack and setting up operations to do so . The report also recommends that every country conduct cyber-response exercises , otherwise `` the relevant officials will waste precious time trying to figure out whom they should be contacting and what they should be doing . '' Bumgarner said that cyberwarfare `` is a global chess game in which citizens , governments and corporations are the pawns . '' Borg added , `` Right now , the international community has no idea how to deal with this . '' | Study looked at cybertactics used during Russia-Georgia conflict . Civilians recruited from social networks carried out most attacks , report says . International agency needed to advise about risks , group says . Another recommendation is creation of cyber-response force . | [[276, 432], [327, 432], [973, 1123], [2948, 3042], [3058, 3060], [3066, 3124], [3071, 3172]] |
ST. BERNARD PARISH , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- This year , the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina will hold new meaning for Tina Caserta and her family . Liz McCartney runs the St. Bernard Project , which helps families rebuild in a parish hit by Hurricane Katrina . Like countless other residents from St. Bernard Parish , a community just east of New Orleans , Caserta lost everything in the storm . She had lived there since she was 12 , married and raised her three sons there and even lived on the same street as her husband 's family . `` We had nothing to salvage ... nothing , '' said Caserta , 41 . She returned to her community just two months after Katrina , but she and her family have been enduring the challenges of moving from one form of FEMA housing to another ever since . When the family home she had been fighting to return to was condemned and torn down earlier this year , it was the final straw for Caserta . `` I was spiraling down , '' she said , choking up . `` I was totally hopeless . '' That 's when she found Liz McCartney and her nonprofit St. Bernard Project . In the past three years , McCartney and her team have helped more than 230 families rebuild and move back into their homes . At the fourth anniversary of Katrina , Caserta and her family finally see a light at the end of the tunnel . `` The day that St. Bernard Project called and told me they -LSB- would -RSB- be able to help my family rebuild , that was the first day I felt like I could breathe , '' recalled Caserta . `` They gave my family hope . '' McCartney , 37 , was honored last November as the CNN Hero of the Year for her efforts in St. Bernard Parish . She said the CNN Heroes award has had an incredible impact on the effectiveness of her St. Bernard Project , which she co-founded with Zack Rosenberg . More than 5,000 new volunteers have joined their cause , bringing their total to date to 15,000 ; and the group has raised more than $ 300,000 from new funding sources . `` We 're rebuilding homes more efficiently than ever before , '' McCartney said . But her ultimate goal remains the same : `` We want to work ourselves out of a job . '' Read more about CNN Hero Liz McCartney and her efforts in St. Bernard Parish . For McCartney , that means helping to address the housing needs of thousands of families still living in Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers or temporary housing . The St. Bernard Project recently expanded to rebuild homes in New Orleans and opened a center for wellness and mental health , offering residents one-on-one and group counseling , among other clinical services . A combination of the heartbreaking stories of continued suffering and the speed at which her group can get those families back to normal , said McCartney , `` re-energizes me and everyone on our staff about working harder and working smarter to get the job done . '' To that end , this anniversary will be `` business as usual '' for the group , she said . Beginning Friday , it will hold a 24-hour build . McCartney predicts at least 120 volunteers from all over the country will each work an eight-hour shift to help build four homes . `` We get out there and show how much work can get done in a 24-hour period , which is pretty significant , '' McCartney said . Watch how McCartney 's organization helped one St. Bernard resident move home . Caserta and her 17-year-old son signed up to volunteer with the graveyard shift because `` it will give us a chance to help another family out and give them the hope that I feel . '' The organization also plans to launch a yearlong campaign called `` 4 NOLA , '' which will include a number of fundraisers and events throughout the country . `` It focuses on the positive , promotes the progress we 've made , but shows that we still have a ways to go , '' McCartney said . `` We 've seen thousands of people who are ready , willing and able to respond to the needs of their fellow Americans . It 's our job to continue reminding them that the need here is great . '' Watch McCartney describe her turning point while volunteering in New Orleans . Today , McCartney is optimistic . And thanks to her organization 's efforts to bring the community back , Caserta and many other St. Bernard Parish families are optimistic , too . `` This is going to be the first time that I can actually go through the anniversary with tears of joy , not tears of sorrow , '' Caserta said . `` Every day I see the progress -LSB- of -RSB- these volunteers , it makes me able to accept that date and the reality of what it 's done to my family . Without people like Liz , people like me would n't have that opportunity to come home . '' | Hurricane Katrina destroyed Tina Caserta 's home four years ago . The St. Bernard Project is helping her rebuild . Liz McCartney has expanded organization 's efforts since winning CNN Hero award . Thousands of families still live in trailers or temporary housing . | [[2313, 2405]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- High school athletic director Brian Bordainick felt like he 'd been shot when he learned the crushing news about his `` 9th Ward Field of Dreams '' project . Coach Shyrone Carey , left , and athletic director Brian Bordainick are rebuilding a once-dominant football team . Architects who had agreed to help the Katrina battered Carver High School in New Orleans , Louisiana , win an NFL grant to build a $ 2 million stadium were pulling out -- the weekend before a Monday deadline . The firm apologized , Bordainick said , but it would not be able to provide a design proposal for the facility , which was critical to winning the $ 200,000 grant . `` I 've never been shot , but I imagine it felt something similar to that , '' said Bordainick , recalling that day in December 2008 . To make matters worse , swarms of news media were gathering at the school to interview the 23-year-old boy wonder -- the self-described `` youngest high school athletic director in Louisiana '' -- who was leading an effort to bring Carver 's athletic program back from near death . `` I sucked it up , did the story ... and when they left , I picked up the phone book and started calling architects in the city . '' Watch update on New Orleans ' schools after Katrina '' In an amazing moment of serendipity and opportunity , an entrepreneur friend of Bordainick 's happened to be at a party and cornered a partner in one of the city 's top architectural firms . The friend called Bordainick and -- before handing the architect the phone -- told Bordainick : `` You 've got 30 seconds to give your best elevator spiel you 've ever given . '' The architect was Steve Dumez , design director for Eskew + Dumez + Ripple , who agreed to help , despite Bordainick 's preposterous plea . Watch Bordainick tell his story . `` The one-day turnaround came as a bit of a shock , '' Dumez said . `` What was crazy about it was trying to pull together an entire design proposal -- and that 's just something that does n't happen in 24 hours . '' Usually such design proposals require as long as a month to complete . `` How could you not get sucked into such an amazing story ? '' asked Dumez 's partner , Mark Ripple , a 30-year veteran New Orleans architect . `` There really is n't a good outlet in the area where kids can develop skills and self-esteem and all the things that come with a healthy recreation program . '' The next day , the firm organized a small army of construction companies , civil engineers and architects who offered their support . `` We got the satellite images and the renderings done in 8 hours , '' Bordainick said . The proposal worked . In March the school learned it had won the NFL grant . Nike also has backed the project -- donating $ 100,000 and joining thousands of individuals who have offered $ 1.5 million in pledges , cash and services so far . All this during one of the nation 's worst-ever economies . Bordainick credits much of the fundraising success to a network of e-mailers who started with a Web site created by a Web-developer-turned-Carver teacher . He crafted an e-mail touting his `` passion for building character through sports , '' and `` creating something from nothing '' while working with `` people crazy enough to believe that they have the power to create change . '' `` I made it a goal to just e-mail a couple hundred people a day , '' he said . `` I was teaching and calling people during my lunch break , and trying to get other people to make calls during their lunch break , and e-mailing people and doing all these things to get the word out about what we 're doing and what we 're trying to accomplish . '' The proposed stadium -- which would host football , track , soccer and lacrosse -- is just one facet of Carver 's struggle to regain its former self four years after the ravages of Katrina . A perennial football powerhouse , the team re-formed after Bordainick arrived at Carter in 2007 , his first year in the Teach for America program . He touts athletics as `` changing the dynamics of the school and having it not be someplace where the bus just drops you off in the morning . '' But four years after the storm , Carver students on the 65-acre campus are still struggling to learn without the benefit of permanent classrooms . All of Carver 's 530 students -- down from more than 1,000 students before the storm -- still attend classes in FEMA trailers . The actual building which used to be the school is now boarded up . The cafeteria is a hollowed-out shell . The school district has plans to rebuild Carver 's classrooms and other facilities , but it 's not clear when . `` If you kick a field goal on one side of our football field -- the ball goes into the gym , which was condemned after the storm , '' said Bordainick . `` And , if you kick a field goal on the other side , it goes into a house which was knocked off its foundation from Katrina . '' The track team , he said , now practices on nearby city streets . Last season , the Carver Rams failed to win a single game . But many fans , school officials and alumni are hoping the proposed stadium will increase pride and confidence for the revitalized team and student fans . `` If we give kids some constructive things to be involved in -- guide them and give them discipline , we can help them achieve their dreams , '' said Charles Webb , a project board member and 1965 Carver quarterback . `` It 'll bring back pride the way it used to be . '' `` With a sense of pride and teamwork , anything can happen , '' said Carver head football coach Shyrone Carey . Carey -- a standout running back for Louisiana State University from 2001 to 2005 -- arguably could n't have chosen a more challenging post as his first head coaching job than rebuilding Carver from the ground up . `` The overall motivation that comes from athletics is an overall lifelong lesson , '' said Carey , who 's pushing his players hard in advance of a big game Saturday . `` If you make the right decisions then positive things can come . '' Backers of the 9th Ward Field of Dreams hope to break ground sometime next year and complete construction in time for the 2010 football season . Supporters are trying to bolster support by offering the stadium for use as a free jogging track and a venue for middle school sporting events . `` If we 're able to lock sixth - , seventh - and eighth-graders in at a younger age , we 'll be able to train and get them into mentors ' hands so they 're able lead a more successful life , ultimately , '' Bordainick said . `` This school -- and these children overcoming the odds stacked against them -- can be a real catalyst for rebirth in this city , '' Bordainick said . `` I think it can be something that people can look to , and something that people can rally behind . '' | High school hit hard by Katrina aims to build $ 2 million sports field with donations . Four years after storm , all 530 students attend classes in FEMA trailers . 23-year-old athletic director leads fundraising campaign -- much of which is online . Supporters : Facility will help students develop pride , discipline for successful life . | [[4158, 4184], [4187, 4300], [4301, 4330], [4389, 4428], [5062, 5212]] |
Editor 's note : This is an excerpt from `` Zeitoun '' by Dave Eggers , a nonfiction account of a Syrian-American immigrant and his extraordinary experience during Hurricane Katrina . Eggers is the author of five other books , including `` What Is the What , '' a finalist for the 2006 National Book Critics Circle Award . Eggers is the founder and editor of McSweeney 's , an independent publishing house based in San Francisco . Dave Eggers writes that Abdulrahman Zeitoun dreamed of fishing on the Syrian coast as Katrina approached . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- FRIDAY , AUGUST 26 , 2005 . On moonless nights the men and boys of Jableh , a dusty fishing town on the coast of Syria , would gather their lanterns and set out in their quietest boats . Five or six small craft , two or three fishermen in each . A mile out , they would arrange the boats in a circle on the black sea , drop their nets , and , holding their lanterns over the water , they would approximate the moon . The fish , sardines , would begin gathering soon after , a slow mass of silver rising from below . The fish were attracted to plankton , and the plankton were attracted to the light . They would begin to circle , a chain linked loosely , and over the next hour their numbers would grow . The black gaps between silver links would close until the fishermen could see , below , a solid mass of silver spinning . Abdulrahman Zeitoun was only thirteen when he began fishing for sardines this way , a method called lampara , borrowed from the Italians . He had waited years to join the men and teenagers on the night boats , and he 'd spent those years asking questions . Why only on moonless nights ? Because , his brother Ahmad said , on moon-filled nights the plankton would be visible everywhere , spread out all over the sea , and the sardines could see and eat the glowing organisms with ease . But without a moon the men could make their own , and could bring the sardines to the surface in stunning concentrations . You have to see it , Ahmad told his little brother . You 've never seen anything like this . And when Abdulrahman first witnessed the sardines circling in the black he could not believe the sight , the beauty of the undulating silver orb below the white and gold lantern light . He said nothing , and the other fishermen were careful to be quiet , too , paddling without motors , lest they scare away the catch . They would whisper over the sea , telling jokes and talking about women and girls as they watched the fish rise and spin beneath them . A few hours later , once the sardines were ready , tens of thousands of them glistening in the refracted light , the fishermen would cinch the net and haul them in . They would motor back to the shore and bring the sardines to the fish broker in the market before dawn . He would pay the men and boys , and would then sell the fish all over western Syria -- Lattakia , Baniyas , Damascus . The fishermen would split the money , with Abdulrahman and Ahmad bringing their share home . Their father had passed away the year before and their mother was of fragile health and mind , so all funds they earned fishing went toward the welfare of the house they shared with ten siblings . Abdulrahman and Ahmad did n't care much about the money , though . They would have done it for free . Thirty-four years later and thousands of miles west , Abdulrahman Zeitoun was in bed on a Friday morning , slowly leaving the moonless Jableh night , a tattered memory of it caught in a morning dream . He was in his home in New Orleans and beside him he could hear his wife Kathy breathing , her exhalations not unlike the shushing of water against the hull of a wooden boat . Otherwise the house was silent . He knew it was near six o'clock , and the peace would not last . The morning light usually woke the kids once it reached their second-story windows . One of the four would open his or her eyes , and from there the movements were brisk , the house quickly growing loud . With one child awake , it was impossible to keep the other three in bed . Kathy woke to a thump upstairs , coming from one of the kids ' rooms . She listened closely , praying silently for rest . Each morning there was a delicate period , between six and six-thirty , when there was a chance , however remote , that they could steal another ten or fifteen minutes of sleep . But now there was another thump , and the dog barked , and another thump followed . What was happening in this house ? Kathy looked to her husband . He was staring at the ceiling . The day had roared to life . The phone began ringing , today as always , before their feet hit the floor . Kathy and Zeitoun -- most people called him by his last name because they could n't pronounce his first -- ran a company , Zeitoun A. Painting Contractor LLC , and every day their crews , their clients , everyone with a phone and their number , seemed to think that once the clock struck six-thirty , it was appropriate to call . And they called . Usually there were so many calls at the stroke of six-thirty that the overlap would send half of them straight to voicemail . Kathy took the first one , from a client across town , while Zeitoun shuffled into the shower . Fridays were always busy , but this one promised madness , given the rough weather on the way . There had been rumblings all week about a tropical storm crossing the Florida Keys , a chance it might head north . Though this kind of possibility presented itself every August and did n't raise eyebrows for most , Kathy and Zeitoun 's more cautious clients and friends often made preparations . Throughout the morning the callers would want to know if Zeitoun could board up their windows and doors , if he would be clearing his equipment off their property before the winds came . Workers would want to know if they 'd be expected to come in that day or the next . `` Zeitoun Painting Contractors , '' Kathy said , trying to sound alert . It was an elderly client , a woman living alone in a Garden District mansion , asking if Zeitoun 's crew could come over and board up her windows . `` Sure , of course , '' Kathy said , letting her feet drop heavily to the floor . She was up . Kathy was the business 's secretary , bookkeeper , credit department , public-relations manager -- she did everything in the office , while her husband handled the building and painting . The two of them balanced each other well : Zeitoun 's English had its limits , so when bills had to be negotiated , hearing Kathy 's Louisiana drawl put clients at ease . This was part of the job , helping clients prepare their homes for coming winds . Kathy had n't given much thought to the storm this client was talking about . It took a lot more than a few downed trees in south Florida to get her attention . `` We 'll have a crew over this afternoon , '' Kathy told the woman . Kathy and Zeitoun had been married for eleven years . Zeitoun had come to New Orleans in 1994 , by way of Houston and Baton Rouge and a half-dozen other American cities he 'd explored as a young man . Kathy had grown up in Baton Rouge and was used to the hurricane routine : the litany of preparations , the waiting and watching , the power outages , the candles and flashlights and buckets catching rain . There seemed to be a half-dozen named storms every August , and they were rarely worth the trouble . This one , named Katrina , would be no different . | Dave Eggers : Abdulrahman Zeitoun grew up in a Syrian fishing town . He says Zeitoun emigrated to America and settled in New Orleans . Zeitoun and his family thought little of Katrina as it approached the Gulf Coast . | [[3526, 3559]] |
NEW ORLEANS , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As floodwaters washed away homes in the Lower 9th Ward , Robert Green watched with horror as his mother got swept away in the storm . Robert Green stands on the porch of his family 's FEMA trailer in front of his new home earlier this year . Four months later , Green and other family members found Joyce Green 's remains in the splintered wreckage of the house where they left her . Robert Green 's granddaughter Shanay also drowned the night Hurricane Katrina hit . Green spent almost the entire last four years living in a small FEMA trailer on his land , sharing his story with anyone who came through the Lower 9th . One of the people he met was Tom Darden , executive director of the Make It Right Foundation , Brad Pitt 's nonprofit vision for building green , sustainable houses in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans . Only a handful of homes have returned to the Lower 9th , one of the areas hardest hit by the killer storm . `` We have 14 neighbors and feel crowded , '' Green said `` But we have 3,000 houses that are gone , and we would love to see those houses come back . '' Darden and Pitt felt compelled to help provide Green and his family a second chance , and on July 9 Green officially became a proud homeowner once again . Getting a fresh start has helped Green and his family deal with the tragedy that turned their lives upside down and took away their loved ones . `` That 's what gave me the strength to endure all that we 've been through , '' Green said . `` People constantly coming by , volunteers constantly coming by . People that really care about us and let us know that we were n't in this alone . It gave us the hope that one day we would come back and be a community again . '' Watch as Green talks about his family 's tragedies and life in New Orleans after Katrina '' The Make It Right Foundation has built 15 homes in the Lower 9th so far ; the group 's goal is to have 150 built by the end of next year . Darden said the program is designed as a hand up , not a handout . `` We ask the families to contribute as much as they can afford , '' he said . `` On average that 's been about $ 75,000 , but we work with the families very closely to make sure that a family is not spending more than 30 percent of their income towards housing costs , and that 's how we ensure they are affordable . '' Safety and energy efficiency are among the group 's primary concerns . '' -LSB- The houses -RSB- are all elevated at least above Katrina-level flooding . A family has the option to build even higher than that if they want . We 've got hurricane-resistant features like impact-resistant glass , or a certain type of fabric that protects the windows , '' Darden said . See photos detailing the features of the Make It Right homes '' Another of the driving forces instrumental in rebuilding the Lower 9th Ward in a sustainable fashion is Global Green , the American arm of former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev 's Green Cross International . `` Immediately after the storm , we saw a failure in government in every level : local , state and federal , '' said Matt Petersen , president of Global Green . `` There 's still so much work to be done that we ca n't wait , we ca n't rely on the federal government . `` This is an era where I think the citizens of this great country need to take responsibility for our nation , and it starts right here . How we respond affects the future of our country . '' Shaun Donovan , secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development , knows mistakes were made in the efforts to get people back into their homes , both in the Lower 9th Ward and other devastated parts of New Orleans . `` We have to be more flexible , we have to be more responsive , and make sure the programs do n't just work in theory , but they will work for families , '' Donovan said . `` We 've been very focused in the first seven months -LSB- of the Obama administration -RSB- on cutting red tape , making sure that recovery moves ahead . And that we can get as fast as possible to the completion of the recovery phase . '' Donovan said HUD 's plans will help hundreds of millions of federal dollars be directed to areas across New Orleans , helping rebuild communities and get families into permanent houses . But Donovan also said this could still take another 18-24 months , and that if it were n't for nonprofits there would be little to no progress , even four years after the storm . `` We have to say , ` Look , there are groups on the ground that have solutions , they are able to make it work , we 've put barriers in the way for them to be able to get their work done as quickly and effectively as possible . We 've got to get those barriers out of the way . ' '' For Robert Green , seeing any progress at all gives him hope that one day the place he calls home will no longer be dominated by concrete slabs , abandoned homes and overgrown weeds . `` We have children back in this community , we have families back , '' Green said . `` So basically when those families come back , it gives the other relatives and friends and other people a jump off point . '' | Robert Green lost his mother and a granddaughter in Hurricane Katrina . Since then he has lived in a FEMA trailer in New Orleans ' Lower 9th Ward . This year he moved into his new home thanks to Brad Pitt 's Make It Right nonprofit . HUD secretary : If it were n't for nonprofits , there would have been little or no progress . | [[427, 456], [469, 510], [530, 599], [4317, 4324], [4330, 4455]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From soup kitchen director Rita Baldwin 's perspective , the notion that `` homeless people are the scum of the earth '' has returned to her Gulf Coast town , which still struggles four years after Hurricane Katrina . Loaves and Fishes executive director Rita Baldwin poses with her son , Scott Blain , who works at the kitchen . Baldwin -- formerly homeless herself -- found that `` the storm was a great neutralizer . It put us all on the same level . '' That social pendulum is swinging back to the pre-Katrina world , she said , but she added that the community has shown a renewed sense of compassion . Baldwin , executive director of the Loaves and Fishes community kitchen in Biloxi , Mississippi , lost her home in Katrina as the storm barreled into the coastal community in 2005 . She said she watched with sadness as storm victims she dubbed `` amateurs '' -- `` people who did n't know how to be homeless '' -- attempted to survive after losing everything . Homeless people who were accustomed to living in the woods and on the streets used their wherewithal to make it through each day , said Baldwin , who relied on the kitchen 's services herself before she was hired there . Biloxi was one of the cities that Katrina hit hardest . And though the city has made progress rebuilding , the 26-year-old kitchen has seen steady increases in clients each year since the storm . With few residents in the city shortly after Katrina , there was little activity . But the kitchen reports serving 55,281 meals in 2007 , 64,825 meals in 2008 and 38,877 in the first seven months of 2009 . Loaves and Fishes nearly closed this summer because of lack of funding , until the public was reminded of the need to feed the hungry . After the Biloxi Sun-Herald reported in late June that the kitchen could close its doors , more than $ 50,000 in donations poured in , and it is now funded until around March . `` I certainly had never gotten that kind of response before . So it just made me realize that they just did n't know '' about the hunger problem , Baldwin said . After spending time focusing on themselves and picking up the pieces , the more fortunate Biloxi residents are starting to return to a more philanthropic frame of mind , according to Biloxi Public Affairs Manager Vincent Creel . `` There 's been a reawakening . People are getting in a closer position where they can help others , '' he said . ` Hitting us with both fists ' Loaves and Fishes hit a `` really bad financial crunch , '' Baldwin said , because its federal grants for disaster relief had run out . She used to provide other services for the homeless , but when the money disappeared , she had to eliminate the additional assistance . `` The economy really did n't get bad for those of us in Katrina areas because so much money was flushed into these areas to help us get back up on our feet . And now those funds are gone , so the ... poor economy and the unemployment is hitting us with both fists now , '' Baldwin said . Baldwin 's clients include the expanding homeless population , day laborers , the elderly and other poor people in the area . Terry , 59 , who asked that his last name not be used , was homeless for about three years after losing his Gulfport , Mississippi , home in Katrina . He now rents a bedroom and regularly eats at Loaves and Fishes . `` Most everyone just tries to keep to themselves right now , '' Terry said of the atmosphere there . '' -LSB- We -RSB- struggle , try and get everything back in order . However , the community is binding together and helping each other . So that 's a good thing . '' Terry learned about six years ago that he had bone cancer , but only recently began receiving disability checks . Before that , it was hard to get work despite all the post-Katrina construction because outside contractors were not hiring locals , he said . Loaves and Fishes also serves down-on-their luck visitors to Biloxi 's casinos . `` A lot of people that come in here ... have gambled up their money , '' Baldwin said . `` They max out their credit cards and they get stuck here . '' Biloxi 's casinos , however , have been struggling over the past year . After showing signs of post-Katrina growth in 2007 with more than $ 1 billion in revenue , casinos pulled in $ 951 million last year . They are trending down again this year , according to city data . But A.J. Holloway , Biloxi 's mayor , says the city celebrates new milestones of recovery daily . For example , the public school district has rebounded to about 4,600 students from a pre-Katrina population of about 6,100 , and around 700 of 1,000 replacement homes have been built at Keesler Air Force Base . The preliminary unemployment rate in Gulfport and Biloxi for June was 7.9 percent , compared with a national rate of 9.4 percent in July . Gulfport-Biloxi 's unemployment rate hit 23.2 percent the month after Katrina , according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . This weekend , the city will break ground on $ 50 million worth of recovery , including a new library , civic center and visitor center . Holloway also expects a $ 400 million infrastructure project to begin construction in January , which he hopes will put people to work and stimulate the local economy . He says it will take awhile for Biloxi to return to normal . It probably was n't until 1992 , when the casinos were established , before the city was fully rebuilt after Hurricane Camille in 1969 , he said . `` I think we 'll feel the effects of Katrina for a long time , '' the mayor said . For now , the area still struggles with poverty , homelessness and hunger , and Loaves and Fishes ' Baldwin wants to be there to answer the call . `` There 's hunger in our communities , '' she said . `` There 's not just hunger in Africa . '' Contact Loaves and Fishes at PO Box 233 , Biloxi , MS 39522 . | As the city recovers from Katrina , Loaves and Fishes sees more visitors . Clientele include the homeless , day laborers , out-of-luck gamblers . `` I think we 'll feel the effects of Katrina for a long time , '' mayor said . He expects to break ground on a $ 400 million infrastructure project in January . | [[3023, 3148], [3890, 3907], [3913, 3970], [5284, 5344], [5495, 5553], [5556, 5575], [5115, 5123], [5129, 5208]] |
NEW ORLEANS , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the storm raged outside her hospital room four years ago , an equally consuming force hijacked Alesia Crockett 's mind : deep depression . Alesia Crockett , who suffers from bipolar disorder , ended up in a hospital hours outside New Orleans . For days , Crockett lay in darkness and a tangle of sweaty hospital bed sheets , one among hundreds of desperate patients trapped inside Charity Hospital in 2005 , while outside , Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath battered the city . Crockett had been admitted to Charity 's inpatient mental health unit after having a psychotic episode . She had struggled for years with bipolar disorder , an illness that causes her to volley between euphoria and profound depression . She said she barely remembers Katrina . `` Most of the time , I was in a fog , but I do remember some things , '' Crockett said . `` Where my room was , I could see thousands of people wandering , and I could see the waters rise . '' Crockett , and many other New Orleanians suffering from chronic mental illness -- and those with what is called `` soft depression , '' or nonchronic mental illness -- say Katrina may have relented days after it hit New Orleans proper , but their mental health issues have not . `` Four years later , everything is not all right in New Orleans , '' said Dr. Jan Johnson , a psychiatrist who treats Crockett . Watch more on New Orleans ' mental health crisis '' While mental health problems grow , the resources to treat those problems continue to wane . A report about mental health issues in New Orleans after Katrina , published in early 2008 in the journal Psychiatric Annals , lists the number of inpatient psychiatric beds in greater New Orleans at 487 before the storm . Since Katrina , that number has declined to 190 . Most of the remaining beds are dedicated to patients unable to live independently . That leaves what the report 's authors describe as a `` paltry '' 17 beds for acute mental health care in New Orleans . `` The situation is unconscionable , atrocious . I ca n't use enough bad words to describe it , '' said Johnson , who is an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at the Tulane University School of Medicine . `` Patients are not getting care , they are sitting in emergency rooms for days , and that 's just an inappropriate place for psychiatric patients . '' For two years following Katrina , after being rescued from Charity , Crockett 's illness was controlled with medications . Then in 2007 , she stopped taking them , and she had another episode . `` She came to my clinic and was psychotic and really a danger to herself not able to care for herself , '' Johnson said . `` And I had nowhere to hospitalize her . '' After leaving the clinic , Crockett bounced among three local hospitals before being transported to the closest medical center with an available psychiatric bed , several hours outside of New Orleans . `` I can remember being in the back of an ambulance , and I kept thinking , ` This is taking so long , ' '' Crockett said . `` I did n't know where I was going . I just remember seeing the sky turn from daytime to nighttime , and we still had n't gotten there . '' Crockett is far from alone , Johnson says . `` The system has been in horrible shape for a while , '' she said . `` We had our problems even before the storm , but comparatively , we had it much better then . It 's very frustrating . '' And the consequences of not finding a bed for acutely ill patients can be deadly . In January 2008 , a New Orleans police officer was killed by a man suffering from psychosis due to schizophrenia , New Orleans police said . The officer , Nicola Cotton , approached 44-year-old Bernel Johnson for questioning about a rape . A struggle ensued , and Johnson overpowered and killed Cotton with her own gun , police said . As it turns out , Johnson was no longer under psychiatric care and was not taking his prescribed medication . Cotton 's death trained a spotlight on the deplorable condition of the New Orleans mental health system -- for a moment -- said Rep. Neil Abramson of the Louisiana House of Representatives . Months after Cotton 's death , Louisiana allotted millions of dollars to bolster mental health services in New Orleans , he said . A year later , the funding was gone . `` People are outraged , '' Abramson said . `` Everyone is concerned about consequences you ca n't quantify . Safety of law enforcement personnel , more psychotic patients out on the street , and more killings instead of people getting the treatment they need . '' Abramson is fighting to get back critical inpatient beds . At the center of that fight is the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital -LRB- NOAH -RRB- , which is scheduled to close Tuesday . After Cotton 's death in 2008 , legislators allotted $ 14.2 million to NOAH , Abramson says . This year , Gov. Bobby Jindal line-item vetoed that funding . `` That 's why this is so critical , '' Abramson said . `` This is the only state-operated mental health facility left in New Orleans . And now there will be none . '' Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals spokesperson says that the veto was justified , and that funding appropriated to NOAH would have resulted in a loss of beds at another local hospital . `` This is much bigger than closing NOAH , '' said Alan Levine , secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals . `` We have to put mental health resources where we know they have the highest opportunity to succeed . '' Levine called the debate about NOAH and inpatient beds among New Orleans caregivers and legislators symbolic of overall frustration with mental health care in the area , adding that Louisiana is focusing funding on community-based services , rather than inpatient beds , a strategy that he says will eventually shore up New Orleans ' mental health system . Jan Johnson , the New Orleans psychiatrist , agrees about the need for more community-based services . `` It 's part of the answer , but it in no way can really take the place of hospital beds that we need , '' she said . `` Someone with diabetes may be managed outpatient , but if they have a heart attack as a result of it , they need an inpatient bed . Our patients are the same way . We can manage a lot of this outpatient and community-based , but when they have an acute psychiatric episode or they are suicidal , they need an inpatient bed . '' Today , Crockett , Johnson 's patient , is well . But sometimes , fears about tomorrow creep up on her . `` I wonder sometimes , if I were to get sick , where would I go ? '' Crockett said . `` We are people battling an illness , and we do n't need to also have to be faced with not having the availability of beds and hospitals and doctors . If I want the help that I so desperately need , I ca n't get it because it 's not there . '' | New Orleans continues to face crisis of mental health needs , resources . Study : Before storm , area had 487 inpatient psychiatric beds ; now ,190 . Police officer 's slaying by mentally ill man renewed spotlight on city 's needs . | [[1406, 1454], [1458, 1491], [1494, 1550], [1551, 1615], [1678, 1773], [1774, 1787], [1790, 1823], [3542, 3557], [3560, 3633], [3987, 4090]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The wooden sculptures lining the median of U.S. 90 are among the top tourist attractions on the Mississippi Gulf Coast . Marlin Miller 's live oak sculpture in Biloxi 's Town Green will be dedicated Saturday . They are also a creative tribute to the live oaks that lined the scenic highway before the saltwater surge of Hurricane Katrina killed them at their very roots . After the storm , the Mississippi Department of Transportation began bulldozing the dead trees , much to the chagrin of area residents . Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway , one of the coast 's longtime civic leaders , intervened . He contracted to have some of the live oak trunks turned into sculptures . But it would have proved to be a costly venture . Enter Marlin Miller , a wood sculptor from Fort Walton Beach , Florida , who volunteered to create a few live oak sculptures for free -- in part to leave his artistic mark on the Mississippi Gulf Coast , but also as a service to the community . A tree sculpture begins with the transportation department removing all the branches , leaving just the core of the tree . `` I get an idea of what that carving is going to look like , and I go after it with a wide variety of steel chain saws . '' Miller said . He works his way down to high speed grinders , sanders and chisels to add the final detail work . `` They 're live oaks , so it 's like carving stone . Sparks fly off my chain saw blades when I go after one of the trees , '' Miller said . Some of the trees , which are as much a part of south Mississippi 's heritage as the antebellum homes scattered along the coastline , are estimated to be as much as 500 or 600 years old . Miller 's sculptures along U.S. 90 range from eagles and herons to seahorses and dolphins . He said local governments have never dictated how his carvings should look . In Pass Christian , Miller created what he believes to be the world 's largest eagle wood carving , at 25 feet tall . `` That sculpture is dedicated to Col. Lawrence Roberts , one of the original Tuskegee Airmen , '' he said . A recent survey of area tourist attractions by the Harrison County Tourism Commission listed the beaches as the third-most popular attraction and the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino second . Miller 's tree sculptures are first . `` We 've had a lot of traffic diverting off of Interstate 10 , down to U.S. 90 just to see these carvings , '' Miller said . On Saturday , one of Miller 's sculptures will be dedicated on the Biloxi Town Green : a 24-foot-tall marlin flying into the sky , three mahi fish jumping to the left , and a sea turtle and a blue crab at the base . It is the only painted tree sculpture of all those lining U.S. 90 . Next on Marlin 's to-do list : an oak tree in the center of Ocean Springs , Mississippi , and one in Gulfport , Mississippi . He also plans to expand the project to downtown New Orleans and parts of North Carolina . `` Instead of just cutting these trees down , '' Marlin said , `` we 're going to put new life into them by adding a sculpture . '' | Live oaks lined scenic U.S. 90 before Hurricane Katrina destroyed them . Florida wood sculptor Marlin Miller has been turning the tree trunks into carvings . Miller 's sculptures range from eagles and herons to seahorses and dolphins . One of his sculptures will be dedicated on the Biloxi Town Green on Saturday . | [[265, 278], [284, 356], [339, 390], [645, 689], [140, 228], [2423, 2434], [2437, 2507]] |
Editor 's note : John Rice is founder and CEO of Management Leadership for Tomorrow -LRB- MLT -RRB- , a New York-based national nonprofit organization seeking to develop `` the next generation of African American , Hispanic and Native American leaders in major corporations , nonprofit organizations and entrepreneurial ventures . '' John Rice says there 's a tremendous need for new leaders in the nonprofit world . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama has challenged all Americans to participate in the volunteer service movement and to support initiatives that help solve the problems that plague our communities . He recently introduced the Social Innovation Fund , intended to help increase the impact of the most effective and innovative nonprofits in our communities . This is a tremendous step in the right direction , but in order to expand these initiatives , we need a broader pool of leaders with a deep understanding of the communities they are serving and who have the skills , experience and relationships required to succeed in leadership roles . According to the Bridgespan Group , a leading nonprofit consulting firm , the number of vacant senior manager roles in the nonprofit arena is ever increasing , with 24,000 positions available in 2009 alone . Over the next 10 years , this sector will need to attract and develop more than two times the number of people currently employed in order to fill these roles . This next generation of leaders must come from within the communities that struggle most , as these leaders are the most passionate about making change and have the most to gain if successful . Watch John Rice on preparing for leadership roles '' The good news is that there is an incredible desire among young African-Americans to give back to their communities . Darren Smith is a young investment banker who grew up in one of New York 's underserved neighborhoods and won a scholarship to Baruch College in New York , where he graduated with honors . If you were to ask him what he wants to accomplish in his life , he will say that he aspires to do two things : become a business leader and build a nonprofit that has a large impact in the community in which he grew up . He believes that developing strong business skills , broad relationships and a track record of success will prepare him to maximize his impact in the community . Smith is one of thousands of talented African-American students and young professionals eager to become corporate or entrepreneurial leaders in sectors such as finance , technology , consulting and entertainment , where they have a broad sphere of influence that extends into their communities . Yet minority leaders remain dramatically under-represented in leadership positions and in the pipeline to those roles . Despite representing 13.5 percent of the U.S. population , African-Americans hold less than 3 percent of senior executive positions and represent only 5 percent of MBA graduates . To address this issue , I founded Management Leadership for Tomorrow -LRB- MLT -RRB- , a nonprofit that provides high-potential young people such as Smith with the `` key ingredients '' they need to realize their career potential -- the step by step career roadmap , coaching and mentoring , hard and soft skill development , door-opening relationships and a high-performing peer community . Every senior leader would say they would not be where they are today if they had not gotten some or all of these ingredients , but remarkably these key ingredients are not taught in even the best schools . Instead they are passed down through informal channels to which minorities still have more limited access . As a result , too many African-Americans who overcome a challenging home environment and troubled K-12 education system to attend college are not achieving their full career potential . Here at MLT , we have had exciting results to date : nearly 40 percent of the minority students at top business schools such as Harvard , Wharton and Kellogg completed MLT 's MBA Prep program and 95 percent of the undergraduates who complete our Career Prep program land fast-track jobs at America 's leading firms across all sectors . While participating in MLT 's Career Prep program as a college student , Smith and several other MLT fellows founded a mentoring organization that prepares high school students from New York 's most underserved communities for college . Like Smith , nearly 90 percent of our alumni desire to launch or lead a nonprofit organization at some point in their careers , and many are already well down the path . To harness this potential , MLT has built a robust curriculum that prepares our fellows to enter and succeed in the social entrepreneurship sector , and we partner with leading nonprofits and foundations such as Teach for America , Stand for Children , New Profit , The Knight Foundation and Blue Ridge Foundation to connect MLT alumni to other talent pipelines . Despite these advances , there is still much more to be done . It is not enough to get African-Americans into fast-track entry-level positions or MBA programs ; we need a comprehensive , multistage approach to enable them to overcome hurdles they will encounter along the path to the senior leadership levels . Research shows that the largest challenge for minorities is the transition from middle management to senior management , so more investment is needed at that stage . By helping to grow organizations such as MLT and other successful talent development initiatives , I believe that we will succeed in filling the growing leadership gap in corporations , nonprofits , entrepreneurial ventures and the government . Once there , African-Americans and other under-represented minorities will have the passion , financial capital , experience and relationships they need to be change agents in the communities that are in desperate need of our support . The success of our nation depends on it . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Rice . | John Rice : President Obama is stressing need for national service . He says there 's a huge need for leaders in the nonprofit world . Rice : It 's crucial to train leaders from minority communities . He says these leaders can help change communities in desperate need . | [[334, 416], [349, 416], [1439, 1508]] |
Editor 's note : Malaak Compton-Rock is founder and director of The Angelrock Project , `` an online e-village promoting volunteerism , social responsibility , and sustainable change . '' One of her initiatives , `` Journey for Change : Empowering Youth Through Global Service , '' will be seen as part of CNN 's `` Black in America 2 . '' Her first book is being published by Broadway Books in May , 2010 , titled , `` If It Takes a Village , Build One : How I Found Meaning Through a Life of Service to Others and 100 + Ways You Can Too . '' Malaak Compton-Rock says focusing on problems facing African-Americans is difficult but necessary . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In the words of my mentor and America 's foremost child advocate Marian Wright Edelman , founder and president of The Children 's Defense Fund , it 's time to `` raise a ruckus people , it is time to raise a ruckus ! '' CNN 's `` Black in America '' raised many critical issues facing African-American people in this great country of ours . It was not pretty , it was not flattering , but it was very , very frank . The show delved into the negative issues that have plagued the African-American community for generations , i.e. , crime , education , single parent families , drug abuse and the like . People got mad . People sent many e-mails and letters to Soledad O'Brien and CNN and cried foul . People said `` Black in America '' was not consistent with the lives of many African-American people and was one-sided . Blogs and Web sites popped up all over the place where people `` raised a ruckus '' about the content of the show . I read a lot of these comments . As a matter of fact , I was obsessed with people 's views for many weeks after the documentary aired . And the more I read , the more I got angry . The more I read , the more I wanted to `` raise my own ruckus . '' But I was frustrated and upset for a very different reason than most . I was almost apoplectic with the amount of criticism for `` Black in America '' without critical , thought provoking commentary about how each person can do their part to make a difference to change the very startling and distressing issues facing most African-American children and adults in America . On a typical day in the lives of black American children : . And on a typical school day for black children in America : . And consider that in America , . -LSB- Statistics are from the Children 's Defense Fund 's Child Research Data . -RSB- . This is serious stuff people . And it is the cold-hearted truth . So , it is okay to comment that the documentary did not represent your life . It is okay to comment that it was upsetting to see images of black men in jail , children dropping out of school , and unwed mothers . It is okay because the truth hurts , especially when it is seen by 16 million people . In fact , most of the images shown in `` Black in America '' do not represent my personal life or the lives of my children . But because these issues face my brothers and sisters in my collective African-American family , they concern me , they hurt me , they belong to me , and I will own them . We know that as African-Americans we have come a long way . We know that we are doctors , lawyers , CEOs , philanthropists , politicians , and even the president of the United States of America . And yes , it would do our children a lot of good if these images were portrayed more frequently in the media . But this does not change the very real issues facing African-American people portrayed in `` Black in America . '' And frankly , with so many of our people struggling , we ca n't just celebrate our achievements -- we must make it a priority to work on the most critical and urgent matters in our community . As I always say , `` The blessed and the best of us , must take care of the rest of us . '' So why did the criticism make me so mad ? Because so much of it was unaccompanied by real ideas , thought-provoking suggestions , plans of action , or inspiring initiatives or solutions . How can you complain if you are unwilling to join the fight ? How can you get mad , if you are disinclined to make a difference in someone else 's life ? And why would you take the time to write an accusatory e-mail to Soledad O'Brien instead of writing a letter to your representative in Congress demanding health care for all children and pregnant women , increased funding for schools , or new initiatives to increase black-owned businesses in black neighborhoods ? `` Black in America 2 '' will offer many solutions to the ills facing African-American people . I think it will make the naysayers happy . But it will only make me happy if the naysayers `` raise a ruckus '' by joining the fight to better the lives of all black folks . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Malaak Compton-Rock . | Malaak Compton-Rock : Some critical of `` Black in America '' focus on problems . She says community has serious challenges to overcome , particularly for children . Compton-Rock : `` Black in America 2 '' will show solutions . She says naysayers must join the fight to improve conditions . | [[544, 614], [1919, 1920], [2141, 2221], [4493, 4555]] |
Editor 's note : Jameel Jaffer and Amrit Singh are attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union and co-authors of `` Administration of Torture : A Documentary Record from Washington to Abu Ghraib and Beyond '' . Jaffer is counsel to the plaintiffs in ACLU v. Department of Defense , a lawsuit that has forced the release of more than 100,000 pages of government documents concerning the abuse of prisoners . Singh is lead counsel in the suit seeking disclosure of photographs of U.S. personnel abusing prisoners at overseas locations . Jameel Jaffer says the courts have ruled that refusal to disclose the abuse photos was unlawful . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Last week President Obama announced that he would suppress prisoner abuse photographs that he earlier said he would release . Given the president 's stated commitment to government transparency , this reversal was both surprising and profoundly disappointing . The ACLU has sought release of these photos for almost six years . In October 2003 , we filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act for records -- including photographs -- relating to the abuse of prisoners in U.S. detention facilities overseas . In 2005 , a federal judge in New York ruled that the Bush administration 's refusal to disclose the photographs was unlawful , and in 2008 a federal appeals court unanimously affirmed that decision . The Bush administration continued to suppress the photos , and now President Obama has vowed to do the same . The photos are a critical part of the historical record . The government has acknowledged that they depict prisoner abuse at locations other than Abu Ghraib , and it 's clear that the photos would provide irrefutable evidence that abuse was widespread and systemic . The photos would also shed light on the connection between the abuse and the decisions of high-level Bush administration officials . As the district court recognized , the photos are `` the best evidence of what happened . '' In explaining his change of heart , President Obama said that the release of the photos `` would not add any additional benefit '' to the ongoing public debate about the abuse of prisoners . But the ongoing public debate is rife with false claims , and the photos would expose the truth . The Bush administration told the public that abuse was aberrational and isolated , and many media organizations adopted this fraudulent narrative as their own . But even President Obama , in explaining his reversal , perpetuated the myth that the abuse of prisoners `` was carried out in the past by a small number of individuals . '' President Obama 's statement was meant to explain why the photos would not inform the public debate , but it only underscored why the release of the photographs is so important . Many Americans still believe that abuse took place in spite of policy rather than because of it . The truth is that senior officials authorized the use of barbaric interrogation methods that the U.S. once prosecuted as war crimes , and even abuse that was not expressly authorized was traceable to a climate in which abuse was tolerated and often encouraged . The photos would help tell this story . President Obama 's other rationale for suppressing the photographs is that they would `` inflame anti-American opinion and put our troops in greater danger , '' an argument that was repeatedly rejected by the courts when made by the Bush administration . Nobody , of course , wants to see anyone get hurt by the release of this or any other information . But the fundamental problem with the government 's argument is that it lacks a limiting principle . Any photograph of prisoner abuse , civilian casualties in Afghanistan , or U.S. military operations in Iraq could be used to `` inflame anti-American opinion '' ; indeed , the same is true of any news article that discusses -LRB- for example -RRB- torture , Guantanamo , or the CIA 's secret prisons . iReport.com : Did Obama make the right decision on photos ? To give the government the power to suppress information because it might anger an unidentified set of people in an unspecified part of the world and ultimately endanger an ill-defined group of U.S. personnel would be to invest it with a virtually unlimited censorial power . And by investing it with such power , we would effectively be affording the greatest protection from disclosure to records that depict the worst kinds of government misconduct . President Obama has inherited a legacy of lawlessness and abuse , and it 's not easy to untangle that . But the idea that suppressing the photographs will help the country turn the page on the last eight years is misguided . We can not make a clean break with the past until the public knows what happened in the detention centers and why . Blinding ourselves to the ugly consequences of the Bush administration 's policies only deprives us of the opportunity to learn from recent history . And if we fail to learn from this history , we are bound to repeat it . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jameel Jaffer and Amrit Singh . | ACLU lawyers : We filed Freedom of Information request for abuse records . They say courts have ruled that government ca n't withhold the photos . Lawyers : Release of photos would show extent of prisoner abuse . They say government should n't stop release because of possible negative reaction . | [[985, 1000], [1003, 1070], [540, 637], [554, 637], [1174, 1181], [1184, 1298], [3341, 3352], [3358, 3395], [1084, 1095], [1099, 1173], [1659, 1750], [3140, 3179]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The one-star general almost yells when asked to talk about the infamous Abu Ghraib photos showing U.S. soldiers abusing Iraqi detainees . An Iraqi detainee grips a fence at Camp Cropper , one of the few U.S. detention centers remaining in Iraq . `` If we had had a company commander doing what he was supposed to be doing , a battalion commander doing what he was supposed to be doing ... , '' Brig. Gen. David Quantock said . He carried on -- growing more and more angry . So the next obvious question was , `` It makes you angry ? '' `` It does make me angry , '' he said . `` Because I think we lost a lot of American lives because of those photos . '' And there it is -- the issue of detainee abuse and what the U.S. military struggles with , and has struggled with , since the release of those photos in 2004 , some of which showed naked prisoners being humiliated , stacked in piles or subjected to mock torture . Quantock , the head of detainee operations in Iraq , is echoing a debate raging in Washington . Another round of photos allegedly showing further abuse of prisoners was to be released by the end of this month . But President Obama asked that the photos be held back . Obama said he believed the release of the pictures could put American lives in danger . That is Catch-22 situation No. 1 : on one hand transparency ; on the other , the safety of U.S. troops . Quantock agreed with his commander in chief . `` The jihadists have used those pictures . And it has spurred some of the violence , '' he said . Walking through Camp Cropper -- one of the last remaining U.S. detention centers in Iraq -- it is clear the damaging photos have forced the United States to become more transparent in its dealings with prisoners . Detainees are now checked before and after interrogations to ensure the guards have not abused them . Officers who walk the catwalk , the long metal walkway that surrounds the sprawling yard housing the detainees , have more oversight . These institutional checks reduce the possibility that abuse could reach the same scale as it did in Abu Ghraib in 2003 . The camp itself has a strange feeling to it . Visitors are told to put on sunglasses before entering some of the holding areas . Many of the detainees spit and even throw their own fecal matter at the guards , officials said . Inmates in American detention with arrest warrants against them will be turned over to Iraqi authorities under the terms of the U.S.-Iraqi security agreement . All others will be released . But the United States has signed the international treaty against torture , which compels a nation to keep suspects detained rather than send them to another country if that other country might ill-treat them . `` Iraqi detention facilities are not good ; they are not like American facilities , '' said a woman who had just visited her detainee husband at Camp Cropper . `` There is a lot of witness testimony from detainees who suffered maltreatment in Iraqi detention facilities . '' A U.N. report examining the second half of 2008 agreed , saying that detention centers run by Iraqis are using torture and physical abuse to extract confessions . The lingering questions about Iraqi detention facilities create Catch-22 situation No. 2 . The United States very much wants not only to get out of Iraq , but to get out of the detainee operation business . But it has a legal bar to satisfy . For its part , the U.S. military said it is inspecting and monitoring nine of the Iraqi facilities where its detainees will go . Iraqi government authorities maintain that they are treating all prisoners in accordance with international law . But when the United States pulls its last troops form Iraq , the monitoring is likely to stop . Nongovernmental organizations have been denied access , and CNN recently has not been allowed into any Iraqi prison . | U.S. head of detainee operations in Iraq is angered by Abu Ghraib photos . The pictures showing abuse of Iraqi prisoners continue to cause problems . U.S. military faces tough choices over future of detainees in Iraq . | [[93, 171], [700, 702], [779, 803], [806, 847], [1067, 1118]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For Thomas Tugend , there was no doubt which side he was fighting for as a young infantryman in Europe in World War II . Actually , the choice was made for him in 1933 , when he was just a child . Born in Germany , Tugend lived a comfortable , upper-middle class life in Berlin . His father , Gustav , was a loyal and patriotic German who had fought in World War I and was a decorated officer in the German army . He was also a successful doctor , leaving Thomas with few worries during his childhood in Berlin . Like many of his schoolmates , Thomas was an avid soccer player who gave little thought to the political storm brewing around him . Everything changed in 1933 when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party came to power . That the Tugend family was successful , educated and loyal Germans no longer meant anything . To the new German government , the Tugends were Jews -- and that was all that mattered . Still , the family remained in a state on denial about the danger they faced because , as Thomas Tugend later said , `` for us , the oppression came gradually , not all at once . '' The Tugend 's longtime nanny , a mother figure to young Thomas , was forced to leave because of a government edict prohibiting non-Jewish Germans from working in Jewish homes . Then , Thomas ' father was told he could no longer treat non-Jewish patients . Shortly thereafter , the elder Tugend was summarily fired from his job in the pediatrics department of a prominent Berlin hospital . As a result , the Tugend family was forced to move from their comfortable home to a poorer part of the city . `` It was little things at first , and people would say , ` Well , we can live with that , ' and then another more stringent law would pass and people would say , ` This is n't ideal , but things will get better , ' '' Tugend said . By 1937 , Tugend 's father had no illusions about what was happening . He left Germany for the United States via England with the help of old friends from an American Quaker group . The elder Tugend had worked with them on health issues related to childhood poverty in Germany after World War I . As soon as he was able , Thomas ' father sent for his family . `` He told my mother to forget the furniture and pack up what she could and get out , '' Tugend said . In May 1939 , Tugend , his sister and their mother entered the United States as refugees . Four months later , the Germans invaded Poland . `` The reason so many German Jews did n't leave when they had the chance was because they could n't believe what was happening , '' Tugend said . `` They thought Hitler would get what he wanted and there would be no war and things would get back to normal . The Holocaust was unimaginable at the time . '' Despite their escape , Tugend said his father was never the same . The whole experience `` broke him , spiritually and physically , '' he said . By 1944 , the war was raging in Europe and 18-year-old Thomas was attending high school in the United States . He was raring to join the fight . And he admits his family 's tragic experience was only part of the motivation . `` I could n't wait to get away from home , '' he said . An adventurous spirit mixed with a touch of wanderlust led him to enlist in the U.S. Army . `` Even then I knew the historical significance of the war and I wanted to be a part of it , '' he said . `` I had a personal reason to fight the Nazis that most Americans did n't . '' Tugend was assigned to the Army 's 63rd Infantry Division . He was worried he might be shipped off to the Pacific , but fate was on his side -- Pvt. Thomas Tugend was sent to France , where he faced his former countrymen in battle . Tugend said he tried not to dwell on the fact that he was fighting his former friends . `` As long as I was just an infantryman , they were shooting at us , we were shooting at them , that 's all you think about , '' he said . Once the Army found out Tugend spoke fluent German , his commanders created a new job for him . At the end of the war , Tugend was tasked with finding members of the Nazi party who were thought to be cooking up a post-war insurgency . `` Every town and village I went to , '' Tugend said , `` I would be told , ` No , I 'm not a Nazi . But my neighbor , he 's a Nazi , ' and then the neighbor would say , ` No , no , no . I 'm not a Nazi . ' There was n't a Nazi left in Germany . '' After some villagers led Tugend to an elderly blind man who was proud to admit his affiliation with the Nazi Party , Tugend returned to his headquarters and proclaimed , `` I found the only Nazi in Germany ! '' Tugend may have harbored resentment toward the people who betrayed his family and allowed the murder of 6 million Jews , but on a personal , face-to-face level , he found it difficult to hate them . `` You have to understand , the average German may have known what the Nazis were up to , but I think most of them were just trying to survive , '' he said . `` You would go to some of these bombed-out villages and they had suffered so much , I could n't hate them . It was n't like they were the Goebbels or the Goerings . ... We had no pity for the SS . Those were the real bastards . '' Tugend left the Army soon after the war 's end , but he was n't finished fighting . He joined the Israeli Army and led an anti-tank crew during the 1948 War of Independence . He was later recalled by the U.S. Army to serve in the Korean War . Instead of going to the front lines , however , he was assigned to run an Army newspaper out of the Presidio in San Francisco . Upon leaving the Army , he became a career journalist working for the San Francisco Chronicle and The Los Angeles Times , and as a science writer and a communications director at UCLA . And age has n't stopped Tugend from pounding away at the keyboard . He still writes for several different publications , including The Jerusalem Post and The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles . After all these years , Tugend is philosophical about his family 's escape from certain death at the hands of the Nazis , and his time as an infantryman at war . `` There were a number of instances in my life where by all the odds I should have been killed , '' he said . `` It just gives me a sense of the utter random chance of life . '' | Thomas Tugend fled Nazi Germany with his family for America . At 18 , he enlisted in the U.S. Army to fight against his homeland . After the war , he joined the Israeli Army and led an anti-tank crew . He was later recalled by the U.S. Army to serve in the Korean War . | [[1912, 1961], [2304, 2315], [2318, 2394], [3236, 3268], [5282, 5308], [5282, 5284], [5313, 5372], [5373, 5440], [5398, 5406], [5412, 5440]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The aging veterans gingerly walk from the plane in the nation 's capital . Some get pushed in wheelchairs . A brass band strikes up World War II era tunes . Strangers rise to their feet and clap their hands . `` Why are they doing this ? '' says Frank Bales , 86 , a co-pilot on a B-24 during World War II . `` I feel as humbled as a mouse . '' Walter Victor was overwhelmed as he made his way through the crowd . `` The chills came over me . Very seldom do you see something like that , '' says the 92-year-old army veteran . These World War II veterans have traveled here to visit the National World War II Memorial , which honors the 16 million U.S. armed forces who served and the more than 400,000 who died in battle . The vets made the trip thanks to a former employee at the Department of Veterans Affairs . A physician 's assistant at the VA in Springfield , Ohio , Earl Morse was struck by the WWII vets he treated and how few made the journey to see the memorial that honors them . `` They dedicated the WWII memorial in May of 2004 , 60 years after the war had ended . That was a cause of celebration in my clinic . All of the veterans wanted to see it but they were in poor health or did n't have the means to visit it . '' `` Reality set in , '' Morse says , `` they were never going to see their memorial . '' Morse was determined to change that , because he so admired the quiet grit and heroism of the unassuming men he treated every day . He took his cause to a local air club . `` I stood before 150 pilots and told them I was going to start flying WWII veterans to Washington . I said if you want to help me , the WWII veteran does n't pay a penny . You 'll have to rent an airplane and cover all the travel costs . '' `` Honor Flight '' took to the skies in May of 2005 . Six planes flew 12 veterans . The next month , eight planes flew 16 veterans . Today , it operates like a volunteer airline , with 86 hubs in 33 states . Instead of renting small planes , they charter Boeing jets , thanks to donations that keep the planes in the sky . So far , more than 30,000 veterans have experienced a visit to the memorial , courtesy of Honor Flight . `` Witnessing their emotions is what fuels our cause . When you see WWII veterans break down in tears because they had no idea how much this nation reveres , cherishes and loves them for what they 've done , it really overwhelms them , '' Morse says . In the days and weeks before each Honor Flight , an army of ground volunteers coordinates every detail of each trip -- from the buses that pick them up to the meals they eat . Shortly after Bales and his group arrived in Washington this day , they were taken by bus to the memorial . Many said they were stunned by its size and scope . Inscriptions carved in granite recognize specific battles that were fought in Europe and across the Pacific . A wall of stars marks the high price of freedom . They paused to remember the 448,000 who died in the war -- and their fellow survivors who did n't live to see this moment . `` Each of those stars represents 100 men and women who died in WWII , and I realized that my division has almost 39 stars on that wall , '' said Tom Rone , 85 , who stormed the bullet-ridden beaches on Guadalcanal as a platoon sergeant with the Marines . Morse says the trip often provides closure for the vets who visit . Many veterans open up at the memorial and speak in detail for the first time about what they went through . `` I 've had exchanges with veterans that are jaw dropping , '' Morse says . `` You ca n't fathom what it 's like to have experienced what they went through fighting for their lives . '' The same `` Honor Flight '' that transported the veterans to Washington returns them back home , landing just 12 hours after it took off . The elderly warriors seem renewed rather than exhausted by their whirlwind trip . `` I will never forget this , '' say 86-year-old Marcus Lee Long , who served in the Pacific on the USS Ellet . `` Everybody is so happy and treating us so nice . '' Allen Pittard , 88 , added , `` I feel so fortunate to be here . So many did n't make it . '' For Morse , the founder of Honor Flight , the end of each flight is a bittersweet experience . His mission continues with an air of urgency , because less than 10 percent of the Americans who served in World War II are still alive . An estimated 1,200 WWII veterans die every day . `` In another five to seven years , our efforts will be a moot point because they will be gone or too infirm to participate in a mission like this , '' he says . | Program called Honor Flight takes WWII vets to see memorial in Washington . Honor Flight has taken 30,000 vets to D.C. since it began in 2005 . `` I 've had exchanges with veterans that are jaw dropping , '' founder says . WW II vet on the trip : `` I feel as humbled as a mouse '' | [[557, 647], [971, 1021], [3699, 3714], [3720, 3758], [1768, 1821], [2100, 2166], [3699, 3714], [3720, 3758], [3506, 3536], [3528, 3536], [3542, 3558], [3528, 3536], [3546, 3558], [3561, 3569], [341, 371], [4342, 4355], [4360, 4382]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Long before people posted their thoughts and feelings on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook , millions of people were doing just that on a different sort of wall . It might have been something as simple as a baseball , a playing card or a walking stick . Or perhaps a more personal item , like a poem , photograph or diploma . And then there 's the occasional letter , like the one dated November 18 , 1989 , that began : . Dear Sir , . For twenty two years , I have carried your picture in my wallet . I was only eighteen years old that day that we faced each other on that trail in Chu Lai , Vietnam . Why you did not take my life , I will never know . ... These are among the more than 100,000 objects that have been left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall . Since its dedication in 1982 , nearly 4 million people a year have visited the memorial 's polished black granite wall , many to leave a personal item or note in memory of the more than 58,000 people whose names are engraved there . No one is sure who started the custom of leaving items at the wall , curator Duery Felton said . The first items began showing up even before construction on the memorial was complete . A park ranger started collecting the items , thinking people might come back for them someday . By 1986 , as the objects continued to pile up , the National Park Service decided to establish an official collection . Thus was born the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Collection . The items are catalogued 12 miles away at the Museum and Archaeological Regional Storage facility in Maryland . Though it 's not open to the public , traveling collections are often on display at museums both in the United States and abroad , Felton said . `` You had , for the first time that we 've been able to ascertain , people coming to a public site for a protracted period and leaving unsolicited objects , '' Felton said . There is seemingly no limit to the types of artifacts that are part of the collection , from G.I. Joe action figures to crutches , dog tags , combat boots -- even a motorcycle . On any given day , the wall might be adorned with artwork , prayers , a diploma marking a missed milestone or a picture of a young child born too late for a loved one to meet . Occasionally , a note accompanies an item , but most times an object 's meaning is left to interpretation . Felton , a Vietnam veteran himself , says he 's wary of making assumptions about an item 's meaning . Many may seem like ordinary objects , but often they hold deeper significance to either the donor or one being remembered . Felton likes to use a bag of M&M s to make his point . The candy , which gained popularity among World War II soldiers looking for a chocolate treat that would n't melt , may have been left at the wall because it was a loved one 's favorite , he says . More likely , though , it had something to do with the little-known fact that military doctors used M&M s as placebos for injured soldiers when no aspirin was available . `` I look at us as being voyeurs in many ways , because we do n't know the full story , '' he said . `` Outside of donor information , I ca n't tell you why -LSB- an -RSB- item was left . '' On a more comprehensive scale , the collection serves as a record of social history , he said . The egalitarian nature of the memorial and the unprecedented public outrage that resulted from the controversial war are not unrelated , Felton said . `` This is a study . This is tangible evidence of a major epoch on the psyche of the American public , '' Felton said . `` For all intents and purposes , this collection is being curated by the public . ... It 's uncensored . '' And as Vietnam veterans age , it even more important to preserve these artifacts for future generations , he said . `` Almost 60 percent of today 's population was not alive during Vietnam , '' he said . `` You ca n't tell where you are until you understand where you 've been . ... We 're preserving the past for the future . '' | More than 100,000 objects have been left at Vietnam Veterans Memorial . As objects piled up , National Park Service established official collection . Traveling collections often on display at museums in U.S. and abroad . | [[704, 749], [714, 825], [1341, 1348], [1389, 1460], [1668, 1721]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In the Army you live by the Warrior Ethos , which states , `` I will always place the mission first . I will never quit . I will never accept defeat . I will never leave a fallen comrade behind . '' I am alive today because my helicopter crew lived by these words . When our aircraft was shot down in November 2004 , the injuries I sustained were devastating . The amount of blood I had lost in a matter of minutes was so vast that my crew thought I was dead . They could have left me in that dusty field in Iraq , but they did n't . Instead , they stood their ground in the face of approaching enemy , risked their lives , and carried me to safety . They did this regardless of whether I was dead or alive , because the American warrior does not leave a fallen comrade behind . My crew and all the men and women in the U.S. armed forces know what it means to be a part of something greater than themselves . They are America 's finest sons and daughters , and we made a promise to care for them after they serve . It is our job in the Department of Veterans Affairs to make sure that promise is kept . We at VA stand at a historic time with great opportunities to further our mission in caring for the nation 's 23.4 million veterans and their families . With the largest one-year percentage increase in VA 's budget in over three decades , President Obama has made it very clear that serving our nation 's veterans is a top priority in his administration . He wants to increase funding for VA by $ 25 billion above our current baseline over the next five years . He launched a new initiative to expand eligibility for veterans ' health care to as many as 500,000 Priority Group 8 Veterans who were previously denied care . And he wants us to invest in better technology to deliver services and benefits to veterans with the quality and efficiency they deserve . As commander in chief , President Obama has charged Secretary Eric Shinseki and all of VA 's leadership with a new mission : to transform VA into a 21st-century organization . Secretary Shinseki has begun to do just that by making VA a more veteran-centered , results-oriented and forward-looking department . It will be a different organization from the one that exists today . It will be accessible , responsive and transparent . To achieve the president 's vision , we must leverage new technologies to serve the various demographics and needs of today 's veterans , while also renewing our commitment to the older generation of veterans . These technologies will carry us well into the 21st century as we maintain our mission to serve our nation 's veterans for the rest of their lives . Tonight , 131,000 veterans will sleep on the streets of our cities . These are the same men and women who allowed us to have the opportunities to go to school , get a job and buy a home . We are all dishonored anytime a veteran is forced to sleep on the streets , and President Obama , Secretary Shinseki and the VA leadership team will not stand for this . Within the next five years , we aim to eliminate veteran homelessness by providing grants to community-based organizations assisting homeless veterans and by attacking all the areas that often lead to homelessness . Our veterans deserve better , and we are determined to provide them the best care and most timely benefits possible to end homelessness in their ranks . We will improve medical care to minority veterans , including female veterans , who are enrolling in VA at historic rates . We will also improve access to VA for veterans who live in rural areas . All our veterans deserve the best care possible regardless of race , gender or where they live . And we are working with the Department of Defense to build a fully interoperable electronic records system that will provide each member of our military with a Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record . For VA , this will revolutionize our claims process by making it faster with higher-quality decisions and with fewer errors . Five years from now , we intend to make VA the provider of choice for veterans -- in insurance , health care , education , home loans and counseling . We are going to be the advocate for veterans , their dependents and survivors to make sure we meet their needs , hear their concerns , and take proper action . We know that we have a big task ahead of us . But there is not a population more deserving of the absolute best than the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms . In the same way that my crew refused to leave me behind , each and every one of us at VA will fight everyday for our nation 's military heroes to ensure that they are never left behind . It is our turn to serve America 's warriors , and we at VA consider it a privilege . | American warrior does n't leave a fallen comrade behind , VA official says . L. Tammy Duckworth : VA funding increase will improve care and benefits . Goal is to have zero veterans homeless in five years , Duckworth says . Duckworth : Electronic records system will speed claims and reduce errors . | [[181, 225], [717, 736], [739, 808], [3044, 3070], [3073, 3225], [3913, 3917], [3937, 3940], [3956, 4029]] |
Bountiful , Utah -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It was two weeks after D-Day , a few miles from the bloody shores of Omaha Beach . An airstrip had been carved out of the Normandy countryside , costing the lives of 28 Army engineers at the hands of German snipers . A lone sniper still remained in the nighttime distance . Despite the risk , Capt. Jack Tueller felt compelled to play his trumpet . That afternoon , his P-47 fighter group had caught up with a retreating German Panzer division . As the U.S. Thunderbolts descended on their targets , they saw French women and children on top of the tanks . After an initial fly-by , the order was given to attack anyway . `` We were told those human shields were expendable , '' Tueller said . Back at the airstrip , Tueller took out his trumpet . He 'd used it on many a starlit night to entertain the men of the 508th Squadron 404th Fighter Group . `` I was told , ` Captain , do n't play tonight ; your trumpet makes the most glorious sound , ' but I was stressed , '' he said . He was so troubled that he was willing to take a chance the sniper would n't fire . `` I thought to myself , that German sniper is as lonely and scared as I am . How can I stop him from firing ? So I played that German 's love song , ` Lilly Marlene , ' made famous in the late '30s by Marlene Dietrich , the famous German actress . And I wailed that trumpet over those apple orchards of Normandy , and he did n't fire . '' The next morning , the military police came up to Tueller and told him they had a German prisoner on the beach who kept asking , `` Who played that trumpet last night ? '' `` I grabbed my trumpet and went down to the beach . There was a 19-year-old German , scared and lonesome . He was dressed like a French peasant to cloak his role as a sniper . And , crying , he said , ' I could n't fire because I thought of my fiancé . I thought of my mother and father , ' and he says , ` My role is finished . ' `` He stuck out his hand , and I shook the hand of the enemy , '' Tueller said . '' -LSB- But -RSB- he was no enemy , because music had soothed the savage beast . '' `` Boy , you have strong lips '' Tueller had learned to play the trumpet as a child growing up in Wyoming . His mother , a nurse , died at 29 , and his father , a bartender and alcoholic , left the next day -- leaving Jack and his brother , Bob , orphans . They left their home in Superior to live with an aunt in nearby Evanston . She gave Jack his first trumpet , and he quickly discovered he had a musical ear . `` In 1939 , I was playing in Yellowstone Park in a dance band of 22 musicians at Lake Hotel . The famous trumpet player Louis Armstrong came up to the band during intermission and said , ` You sound pretty good for white cats , ' '' Tueller recalled . He asked Armstrong what advice he would give a young trumpet player . `` He said , ` Always play the melody , man . Look at them , see their age group , play their love songs , and you 'll carry all the money to the bank . ' '' Tueller enrolled at Brigham Young University , where he met his future wife and fellow trumpeter , Marjorie . `` This beautiful brown-haired gal with luscious lips said , ` Did you play the trumpet solo at the freshman assembly ? ' And I said , ` Yes , ma'am , I did . ' She said , ` Boy , you have strong lips . ' Being a sophomore , I said , ` Would you like to try me ? ' She nodded , and I went over and kissed her . '' In 1941 , as war clouds gathered , Jack enlisted in the Army and was sent to fighter school because he was an `` individualist , '' he said . `` I wanted to fly it , fire it , navigate it , shoot the guns . '' He once flew his plane through a dirigible hangar at Moffitt Field in Sunnyvale , California . The commandant was fuming mad . `` He stood me in a brace , then he kind of smiled and says , ` We do n't want to quell spirit like that ... but do n't do it again ! ' '' When D-Day arrived on June 6 , 1944 , Tueller was in the air , flying five missions . `` I witnessed the invasion from a ringside seat . We saw 2 million men , 10,000 ships . And we just shot at everything , '' he said . `` We tried to help those men trying to get off the landing craft at high tide , where a lot of them were drowned . `` I remember feeling pride and sadness as I saw the bodies of 4,000 killed in two hours . '' Tueller credits common sense and his first flight instructor , a crop duster , with his survival that day -- and the rest of the war . `` I learned to love low-level flying . I never came off enemy targets high . I 'd lay it down a row of trees 400 knots , a foot off the ground , so all the flak would go over my head . They 'd wonder where I 'd gone . '' Trumpet in the cockpit . Tueller managed to fly 140 missions without taking a single bullet hole to his airplane -- the name of his infant daughter , Rosanne , painted on the side . `` Everyone wanted to fly it ; they thought it let a charmed life . '' And on each mission , Tueller carried his trumpet in the cockpit . `` I took it in a little canvas bag attached to my parachute . I figured if I ever got shot down , it would go with me , and if I survived and got put into a prisoner of war camp , I could get an extra bar of soap from the guard . '' His tour of duty ended just before his fighter group left for Belgium and the Battle of the Bulge . Three months later , his plane was shot down and destroyed . The pilot was killed . Tueller went on to fight in the Korean and Vietnam wars , and served in the Pentagon during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War . He retired in 1966 as a colonel , having earned the Distinguished Flying Cross , almost two dozen air medals and two Legions of Merit , the nation 's highest peacetime award . Now 89 , Tueller takes care of Marjorie , his wife of 68 years , who has Alzheimer 's disease . As Veterans Day approaches , he has a word of advice to veterans : `` When you become a veteran , it 's my opinion that you should do everything to make people realize the wonderful life that you really have . '' He still has his trumpet of 70 years and still performs at schools , family get-togethers and church functions . He has a stereo system installed in the back of his family van , where he inserts a CD of big band music and begins playing the melodies of a bygone era . `` I was an unruly child , '' he said . `` Music tamed me . ... My ambition as the last action on my part as a veteran is to hit high C and fall right into the grave . What a way to go ! '' | Jack Tueller learned to play the trumpet as a child growing up in Wyoming . Louis Armstrong once told him , `` Always play the melody , man '' Tueller became a World War II pilot and carried his trumpet in his cockpit . He says his playing once prevented a German sniper from killing him . | [[2145, 2195], [2188, 2219], [2850, 2860], [2863, 2895], [4949, 4952], [4971, 5015]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I have vivid memories of childhood . The 5-year-old girl with endless questions ; she wanted to discover the secrets of the entire world within minutes . She dreamed of being a doctor once , an engineer another time , and a mother of lovely kids . A dreamer , this is how I would describe the little girl Reem . Reem is a 22-year-old student living in Gaza City . Days passed fast . Reem could n't remember a lot of them , but she had some moments left in her memory -- usually the happy moments of her life -- and those memories were the basis for today 's Reem , the 22-year-old girl who is ME . I remember how happy I was when my teacher announced to the school that I was first in my class . I remember my mother 's voice singing to me before I fell asleep ; I remember my father running behind my kite when I lost it in the air , and I remember me asking my parents for a real monkey as a pet . I ca n't forget the day I finished high school ; I felt so grown up . I remember the day when the school announced the exam results and the tears of happiness my mother shed when I received a grade of excellent , and then I decided to enroll in the college of Business Administration . I can call Gaza City the city of qualifications , where a lot of youth are qualified for good jobs . I am one of those youth who is volunteering in organizations , participating in community service activities , getting trained in various skills and getting more qualified day by day . But many young people like me can not find jobs . See perspectives from Palestinian youth '' Sometimes , I feel disconnected from Gaza , but whenever I see the photos of Jaffa , I realize that it 's where I and a thousand refugees belong . I find myself crying , missing a place I have never been to , but it 's where my parents and my grandparents lived . I remember all those bedtime stories my grandmother used to tell me about the land , the fence of roses they had , and her climbing trees and cutting fruits . How I miss that place . But life must go on . My day starts with the smile of optimism and the plan of my day . Waking up early to go to my university ; I have to attend all of my lectures even though some are boring . My friends are a big part of my day . We start with our updates and then go to courses where we can develop our skills . When I arrive home , I feel so exhausted , but still I continue working and studying hard . I am always looking for chances for personal development , whether through volunteer work or at school . I was offered a great opportunity to volunteer with the aid organization Mercy Corps as a founding member of the Why Not ? youth program , and then I had the pleasure of seeing this program blossom into the Global Citizen Corps , or GCC , a cultural exchange between Palestinian and American students . I believe this program is deeply important because it changes the negative impression of Palestinian youth that is too often spread by media . All my friends and 1,000 others are engaged in this program , which develops our personalities , our skills and serves the community . We use digital media as a tool to express what we feel and what we do . We make changes in ourselves , in our community , and we pave the way for global change . We are thinking globally and acting locally . My ambition is to be a researcher in business studies all over the world . I finished my B.A. and a diploma of business studies , and I hope to obtain a scholarship to do graduate work in media and development . I am also interested in the field of project management and human interaction management . I know it is a good ambition to be Ph.D. holder and a worldwide researcher , but as Palestinian girl , I have fewer opportunities , not because I am not qualified or hard-working enough but because I am Palestinian . Usually Palestinian students have fewer opportunities than others to get scholarships , because it 's hard for them to leave the Gaza Strip , as all of the borders are closed . But I have not lost hope , and I will not . I will keep trying to pursue my dream of being the researcher I want to be . It 's true that I am a girl , and girls face some challenges in our society . For example , I ca n't stay a late hour at work . But I am so happy and honored to be a Muslim ; putting the scarf on my head is something that I love . To many foreigners , it might seem to be against women 's freedom , but I can tell that when a lady is convinced of it , it becomes part of her self-esteem , her self-confidence and her protection each day . I feel sad when the world gets angry at Muslim girls while they are peaceful and happy , enjoying their choices and freedom . I found that I 'm not that different from Catherine , who lives in the United States and whom I contact through the Global Citizen Corps . I have realized how similar Palestinian youth are to youth all over the world . Catherine likes some of the food I like , and she loves swimming just like I do . There are also lovely differences between us : I tried to cook what she taught me once , and she is learning Arabic now . Maybe our lifestyle is different . I focus on my own development ; I spend most of my time working to become a more qualified person with more knowledge and skills . I do not work hard because I am super girl or I aspire to be one but because I always want to be ready for the worst situation . In Palestine where I live , surprises can happen at any time , and I do n't want to be caught off guard . I want to make my future secure by being a really good person . I deserve to live . I enjoy my life as it is now , but I hope that when I find a scholarship and live in the West , I will not be obliged to take off my scarf and wo n't hear negative comments about me because I am Muslim . I consider religion a personal freedom that is related to your beliefs and what you feel in your heart . I love letting others live in peace . ... Why ca n't we enjoy peace , too ? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer . | Reem calls Gaza City the city of qualifications , but many ca n't find jobs . She describes her day filled with school work , friends , studying and volunteering . She says she realizes Palestinian youth are similiar to youth all over the world . For more , go to In Depth : Generation Islam . | [[1205, 1252], [1495, 1540], [2226, 2263], [2394, 2438], [4855, 4934], [4875, 4934]] |
SWAT VALLEY , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The boys shuffle into the room in a remote army base high in the mountains of Pakistan 's Swat Valley . They are disheveled , disoriented . These boys say they were kidnapped by the Taliban and trained to be suicide bombers . There are no smiles , their eyes stare at the floor . These are the lost souls of Pakistan 's battle with the Taliban . Each has a story of terror to tell , but the trauma runs so deep they ca n't even begin to properly find the words to describe what they have been through . That task is best left to the psychiatrist who , with her team , was brought in to try to pick through the pieces of this nightmare ; to make sense of the brutality here and try to put broken lives back together . Watch Stan Grant 's report on the boys '' Dr. Fareeha Peracha describes these boys variously as `` psychotic , '' `` depressed , '' and in some cases , `` psychopathic . '' `` They have been brainwashed . Brainwashed against people like you and me , '' she said . CNN was given limited access to about a dozen boys . They had all been kidnapped by the Taliban and taken to camps where they would be trained to kill ; trained to be suicide bombers . Watch Grant 's exclusive interview with a wanted a Taliban leader '' CNN can not reveal the boys ' names ; they have handkerchiefs tied across their faces to conceal their identities . The army fears they could face retribution should they be returned to their homes and families . The boys sit in a circle as I try to get them to open up about their ordeal . What happened ? Were they brutalized ? What did the Taliban ask them to do ? So many questions . They answer hesitatingly , their voices barely a whisper . `` The first day they beat us and then made us exercise , '' one boy said . `` They made us run and told us you will wage jihad . '' They said the Taliban especially poisoned their minds against the Pakistan army . `` They just told us that they -LRB- army -RRB- are against Islam , are against the Quran . They said wage jihad against them ; we are waging jihad for the Quran , '' said another boy . They all say they were kidnapped by the Taliban , some snatched from fields and others from the towns they lived in . `` I was coming from the shop to my house , I had some stuff with me . They said , ` put your stuff in the car . ' I helped them put stuff in the car . They asked if they should drop me in my village , but when we reached the village they blindfolded me and put a hand over my mouth , '' one boy said . The Taliban 's tactics seem to have worked . I ask one boy , would he kill for God ? He replied : `` Yes . '' I asked the psychiatrist , Dr. Fareeha , if she believes the boys are capable of killing . `` Oh yes , '' she said . `` Two of them would not even give it a thought . '' The army freed the boys during fierce fighting with the Taliban . Now they are hoping to rehabilitate the boys and one day return them home . But Fareeha thinks that is a long way off -- if ever . She told army chiefs the boys are unpredictable . One boy , she said , told her if he had a suicide bomber 's jacket he would use it , that if he had a Kalashnikov , he would shoot . Of course , it is impossible to verify all of the accounts of the boys , but the doctors have no doubt about their trauma . Fareeha told Army chiefs that these boys were just a tip of the iceberg . After talking to the boys , she believes there are possibly hundreds of others just like them . These boys are the victims of the Taliban 's uprising here . All they are left with are the terrible memories , the voices in their heads : the voices of the Taliban telling them to kill , they said . | Boys rescued from the Taliban in Pakistan are receiving psychiatric help . They are abducted from their homes and are being trained for suicide missions . Psychiatrist says they have been brainwashed ; fixing that will take time . Army hopes the boys can one day return to their homes . | [[182, 243], [182, 192], [197, 201], [236, 267], [1132, 1173], [1144, 1148], [1176, 1207], [932, 963], [2892, 2967]] |
-LRB- Editor 's note : Marnie Gustavson is Executive Director of PARSA , a Seattle-based nonprofit working with widows , orphans and the disabled in Afghanistan . She spent her teenage years in Kabul , where she now lives with her family . For more information about PARSA , read here and here . Marnie Gustavson says the real Afghanistan is more textured than could be seen from secure bunkers . KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In my Afghanistan , the days are compiled images of Afghans living their simple lives . My Afghanistan is a kaleidoscope of real people , from the stick-thin bearded Paghmani man , an imposing 6-foot-5 , rhythmically lifting rocks , 12 hours a day , seven days a week for $ 4 a day , his shalwar kameez billowing in the hot summer breezes ; to the grin of the boy in his blue shirt as he labors to cut the alfalfa after school to feed the flock of big-bottomed sheep . To the kiss of the old widow , her family gone , whose feet hurt incessantly ; she 's forgotten the English she once knew when she worked for the government . And of course , to the communities my organization works with to help them better their lives through direct education and training programs . A Pashtun orphan , about 11 , enters my office with a plate of freshly picked summer apricots . He was rescued from a madrassa that trained him how to throw grenades and to be a suicide bomber . He spends time with me when he gets a chance , tidying my desk , pulling my papers out of the copier and stacking them . We ca n't speak much as I do not know Pashtun and he has n't yet learned Dari or English , but he tucks his head into the crook of my neck for a couple of minutes watching me type . In these gentle moments , he begins to unwind and I experience the fragile connection that is being created between our worlds . Living and working in Afghanistan for nearly five years now , I do not recognize most of what the international news accounts of this area report as anything remotely close to my experience . A visiting journalist recently observed with some surprise that `` parts of Afghanistan are at war and parts are peaceful . '' Indeed , like Ireland and many other sites of civil unrest in the world , there are pockets of peace and pockets of war . The things that concern me most as I go about my day-to-day activities are not suicide bombers , kidnappings , and the `` insurgency . '' These are all just a backdrop to the much more textured story that is Afghanistan , though it rarely touches the lives of the 2,500 or so foreign aid workers who live and work in Kabul . Yet these stories of violence dominate the news outside and thus color the way the world imagines Afghanistan . Internationals living in the country are constantly bombarded with `` threat alerts '' and rarely visit the desperately poor Afghan communities their projects are ostensibly attempting to help . This is what concerns me : how my country is spending development dollars here without really being here . The results of the fear that dominates the management of most development projects are an incompletely informed group of international professionals working in Afghanistan who can literally spend years here without seeing the country but through the windows of their armored cars . Living as they do under cloistered , fearful conditions behind razor-wired walls , venturing out only to a select list of `` secure '' locations , they make often questionable decisions on spending , frequently without the input of Afghan nationals . From this entrenched , isolated position , they are managing hundreds of millions of dollars of international development funds . When news reports talk about Afghanistan 's high levels of corruption , they do not lift the veils to see that the development projects themselves are actually enabling it with security conditions that resemble apartheid . While folks at home are hunkering down , Afghanistan projects are concerned with tripling their monthly `` burn rates '' and managing projects remotely -- projects that almost certainly are less than the books indicate , or worse , have been paid for several times over by different organizations . It is time for those controlling the funding investment in this country to listen to their citizens , especially Afghan-Americans and other Americans like me and my family who live and work here . We are the people on the front lines , and connected as we are to the community here , we have much to offer in the way of supporting the success of the donor efforts . The good news is that there are more than a few Americans in this country who have the privilege of experiencing the Afghan people the way I do . But so far , my attempts to connect them with the American mission here as the new administration `` rethinks '' the strategy for Afghanistan have been unsuccessful as calls and e-mails to the ambassador have gone unanswered . There is a story of a young American worker for a nongovernmental organization who stopped on the road recently to pull out a van that was stuck in the snow , having veered into the oncoming lane when the sun was going down . In the car were two women , three small children and an elderly man , plus the two men who were attempting to dig out the wheels with sticks . It took less than 10 minutes to pull them out , and they were grateful for the help ... they 'd been there for nearly four hours and many trucks and security vehicles had passed them without offering a helping hand . They thought they would either freeze or be pushed over the brink of the cliff once it darkened . I know that story is true because the young man is my son Reese and I was with him . I propose a simple and very Afghan solution to the Afghanistan dilemma : We need to be good neighbors . Offer help . Be visible . Take some risks to communicate with ordinary people . My young Pashtun orphan , trained to kill , is now growing up in an institution where he mixes with internationals , with the very `` infidels '' he was previously conditioned to hate . ... Are these not the ways for us to build bridges into this community ? With shared meals instead of divisive policies ? These are not new thoughts , but they are often unspoken and certainly not practiced in America 's Afghanistan , which is a world divided by sandbags , concrete T-beams and armed guards . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Marnie Gustavson . | Marnie Gustavson : Afghanistan is a complex place with pockets of war and peace . She says the image of Afghanistan provided in the media is n't complete . She says some aid organizations hide behind fences and miss the real story . Gustavson : We must build bridges to the young people of Afghanistan . | [[2129, 2149], [2227, 2274], [2446, 2474], [2480, 2494]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For many graduate students seeking an advanced education degree , obstacles abound . Issues of finance , time management and family logistics often get in the way of students furthering their education and their dreams . Palestinian Sawsan Salameh is attending an Israeli university after years of negotiations and court proceedings . For Sawsan Salameh , the obstacles also involved politics . Several years ago , Salameh , a 31-year-old Palestinian from the West Bank village of Anata , was granted a scholarship to study at Hebrew University of Jerusalem . Although her town is only a few miles from the university , access to the school was out of reach because of an Israeli military ban that limited Palestinian students ' access to Israeli universities , on security grounds . But she was far from giving up on her goal of pursuing her education . `` When I was in high school , it was a dream that I should finish my Ph.D. , '' Salameh said . After obtaining a master 's degree at Al Quds University , a Palestinian school in the West Bank , Salameh was granted full scholarships at several international schools , including Hebrew University . With the military ban in place , Salameh considered studying at a university abroad . `` I started to think I should get up and take this offer to leave , but it 's not easy to go abroad , and the only chance is for me to study in Israel , because it 's important for me to stay close to my family , '' Salameh said . Salameh sought the support of the Israeli human rights organization Gisha , which submitted a petition to Israel 's Supreme Court on her behalf in 2006 . The Supreme Court responded by asking the military to lift the ban and allow Salameh to study at Hebrew University , where she is pursuing a Ph.D. in pharmacology . `` We argued Sawsan 's case for 2 1/2 years , and at the end of the day , the military agreed to let Sawsan study , '' said Sari Bashi , director of Gisha . `` It was impossible to deny her incredible talents and the example she set for women and girls throughout the West Bank , '' Bashi says . The Israeli military agreed to review all future requests for Palestinians in the West Bank wishing to pursue a degree at an Israeli university on a case-by-case basis , based on specific criteria . The criteria include that the potential student clear all necessary internal security checks , that the student pursue a degree in a discipline that would encourage regional cooperation and develop area coexistence , and that the area of study not have the potential to cause damage to Israel , says Maj. Guy Inbar , spokesman for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories . The area of study must be supported by an international organization -LRB- such as the U.N. or the Red Cross -RRB- and approved by the Ministry of Education and must also be a degree unique to an Israeli university -LRB- not offered at a Palestinian university -RRB- . The request must come with a recommendation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , according to Inbar . After Salameh 's victory , Gisha , with the support of a number of Israeli academics , further appealed to the court to push the military to ease these limitations . The Israeli military 's heightened security concerns reflect heightened tensions in the region due to the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict . In July 2002 , a bomb exploded in the student cafeteria of Hebrew University , killing seven people . The Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas claimed responsibility for the explosion , according to Palestinian sources . Still , some academics at Hebrew University believe qualified students like Salameh pose no security risk , and their acceptance to Israeli universities could even foster better relations in the region . Professor Alon Harel , a law professor at Hebrew University , pushed for the appeal to lift the military 's criteria on Palestinian students . He believes that the admission of Palestinian students from the West Bank would enrich the academic environment at the university , particularly in the study of law . `` It 's particularly important for classes to be diverse , for people to have familiarity with Arabic studies and Islamic law , '' he said . Other academics agree that qualified students such as Salameh can only add to the diversity of the campus , where thousands of Israeli Arab students are enrolled . `` My personal feeling is that we should do everything we can to allow Palestinian students to study at Hebrew University , '' said Yaacov Schul , vice rector at Hebrew University . Salameh is a devout Muslim with a traditional background yet shirks pressure from family members to focus on marriage and motherhood . `` Everyday I have to hear something about -LSB- not being married -RSB- from relatives and aunts , '' she says . `` It 's become -LSB- the -RSB- usual . '' Salameh , who also provides valuable resources for young women at a women 's center she opened in her community , says she hopes her pursuit of higher education will open even more doors for young women also wishing to pursue a higher education and achieve their academic goals . `` I get lots of phone calls every day from girls in the West Bank who ask me how to apply to universities in Israel , '' Salameh said . `` Maybe they can become more than just a wife and mother and at least finish their first degree , '' she said . Salameh says she enjoys the collegial atmosphere at Hebrew University , where she studies among Israeli Arab , international and Israeli students . She is considering pursuing another degree after completing her Ph.D. in two years . `` I would like to help other people , and I hope the political situation will become better and things will become easier , '' she said . | Palestinian Sawsan Salameh faced many obstacles before attending Israeli school . She hopes she can open doors for other students to study where they want . She also has become a role model for girls in the West Bank to pursue education . | [[240, 353], [4894, 4901], [5008, 5156], [2022, 2033], [2038, 2086]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators suspect arson in a fire that killed five Guatemalan immigrants in Brooklyn , they said Monday . `` People are all concerned and very sad , '' said Maria Luz de Zyriek , the Guatemalan consul in New York . `` This is a horrible tragedy . '' Authorities continue to investigate and have not formally determined a cause , the Fire Department of New York said . The blaze damaged a restaurant and apartments in a three-story building in the Bensonhurst neighborhood , Frank Dwyer , a fire department spokesman , has said . Luisa Chan , a mother of two , died in the blaze , said Mario Alvarado , a member of Jovenes Cristianos -- Christian Youth , a church with about 200 members , most of them Guatemalan immigrants , on 17th Avenue in Brooklyn . Chan usually attended services on Tuesday , Wednesday , Saturday and Sunday , Alvarado said . The congregation mourned her on Sunday . `` The service was so quiet , '' he said . Are you there ? Share your story . Investigators have not publicly identified the victims , but the Guatemalan consul said they were all from the western part of the country . Two were from the state of Totonicapan and three were from the state of Quetzaltenango , she said . After the fire broke out , Chan managed to get her 2-year-old son to safety , apparently by handing him to someone on the floor below , and threw her 2-month-old daughter toward a passerby , said Alvarado , who said he received that account from someone close to the family . `` Thank God they 're safe , '' he said . A 2-month-old baby was in critical condition , fire officials said , but the child was not immediately identified ; three other people sustained injuries ranging from serious to minor . Thirteen firefighters sustained minor injuries . The fire started about 2:30 a.m. Saturday behind a door in one of the apartment units , Dwyer said . `` If somebody starts a fire there intentionally , that would certainly be looking to kill somebody , because there 's no way for them to get out , '' Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said . At Chan 's church , members in mourning were waiting Monday for more information from authorities , Alvarado said . They also were getting ready for a memorial service and trying to comfort Chan 's husband , who survived the fire , the consul said . `` The husband and wife belonged to that church . Everybody there knew them , '' said Luz , who went to the church during the weekend . `` Everybody there was so sad . Everybody was crying and praying for the husband , '' she said . `` He 's going to have to raise those two little kids now by himself . '' CNN 's Miguel Susana contributed to this report . | NEW : Victims are Guatemalan immigrants , friends say . Arson suspected in early Saturday fire , authorities say . Thirteen firefighters , four residents injured . Roof of three-story building partially collapsed . | [[28, 65], [1674, 1743], [1744, 1792]] |
Malibu , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Many people are struggling just to provide the basics these days . The big question is , how do you find joy and fulfillment during lean holiday times like these ? For the answer , I look back upon the philosophy by which my mother , Mieke Frankenberg , led her life , through both its brightest and darkest hours . Her philosophy originated during World War II through her experiences as a prisoner of war in a Japanese concentration camp in Indonesia . She had lived in that country with an abusive husband , whom she left before the war broke out and the Japanese captured her . Through the bleakest times , she reached out to her fellow prisoners to provide them with comfort and care . The lack of medical supplies meant care was n't much more than holding someone 's hand or sharing some of her starvation rations . While not a nurse , she gave of herself and drew a sustaining love in return . Returning to England after the war , my mother remarried and started a family , which grew to include me and my two sisters . With the camp behind her , my mother 's philosophy remained to always keep an open heart . She volunteered with the Red Cross and regularly provided emotional support for friends . She found that when love flows with no boundaries from an open heart , love also finds its way back in . She gave and gave , and received love in return . This `` open heart '' philosophy has sustained me , as well , through the most difficult of times , including a painful divorce about 20 years ago that left me near penniless . At that point in my life , I attended a fundraiser for ChildHelp USA . I donated some of the last money I had , and in return , I secured a session where an artist drew a picture of my two children at the time . At that sitting , the artist saw potential in some finger paintings I 'd made for my children and offered to give me free painting lessons . As I started painting , I discovered my emotional outlet . I began creating images of hearts that were always open , never closed . These hearts may have appeared unfinished in a way . But they brought me back to the lessons of my mother , a reminder to live as she lived -- openhearted . Soon , I changed from a frantic , terrified and angry person into someone who was able to let go of the past . I began to let other people into my life and to give back emotionally . Around that same time , I landed the TV role of `` Dr. Quinn , Medicine Woman '' and was back on my feet . I now embody my mother 's belief that only when you can love yourself and keep your heart open can you best give and receive love . My family continues my mother 's tradition at Christmas , when we open our home to relatives , neighbors , my six children and even their friends -- extending our family to include those unable to head home for the holidays . Some years , there are as many as 50 people at the dinner table . Living with an open heart can be a path to rewarding holidays for many people this year , even if budgets tighten and troubles mount . The holiday table may be less bountiful . There may be fewer presents under the tree . But an open heart can bring a wealth of love , hope and inspiration . You might think these are shaping up to be your gloomiest holidays ever . But remember , as my mother taught me , someone is always worse off than you . Find a way to give , even if you 're in need yourself . Find the place where you can provide comfort , care or love . Volunteer at a food bank or a shelter . Reach out to elderly neighbors to find out how you might make their lives a little easier . By opening your heart to others , good things will come to you , too . With that approach , I hope you 'll find that 2009 could become the most fulfilling of holiday seasons . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jane Seymour . | Jane Seymour says her mother 's spirit of openheartedness is instructive in lean holiday times . Her mother formed her philosophy while helping other POW 's in WWII , she says . She says that open hearts allow love to flow freely between people . Seymour : People should find a way to give , even if they are in need themselves . | [[1093, 1156], [1402, 1451], [2935, 3069], [355, 400], [1262, 1315], [1318, 1322], [1328, 1351], [2590, 2642], [3380, 3435], [3385, 3386], [3391, 3398], [3401, 3408], [3409, 3435]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- American tourists heading to Mexico 's Baja California state in the future can expect more police protection from a new task force , according to Mexican authorities . Mexican officials want to make sure the tourist traffic continues to flow into Tijuana . Officials from the Baja California cities of Tijuana , Ensenada and Rosarito gathered earlier this week to announce the creation of the task force , which will be made up of bilingual officers and which will be designed primarily to serve Americans . The initial plan , according to Ensenada Secretary of Public Safety Cesar Santiesteban , is to create a force that patrols a 50-mile tourist corridor from Tijuana through Las Playas Rosarito to Ensenada in Baja California , which is Mexico 's northernmost and westernmost state . There were no immediate details as to when the task force would go into operation or how many officers would be in the unit . City officials in San Diego , California , said the city 's police force would extend help in ways that Mexican officials deemed necessary in getting the task force up and running , including training the officers . `` We 've always prided ourselves in our working relationship with our friends to the south , '' San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders , said . `` When you look at it , we 're really one community . '' For a region whose reputation has been tarnished by ongoing drug-fueled violence , plans for task force could n't come soon enough . Policing the drug war has proven complicated for Mexican authorities , including the military , and also hindered the tourism industry in Mexico . American travelers , who represented 80 percent of the country 's booming $ 13 billion travel industry last year , are a critical part of Mexico 's economy . In 2008 , more than 18 million Americans visited the country , according to the Mexico Tourism Board . In some areas , hotels and local businesses are struggling to recover from low visitor numbers , according to the Mexico Tourism Board . Tijuana Mayor Jorge Ramos said tourism in Baja California in the past two years has remained steady , and the task force was set up to create a stronger police presence for tourists . `` We 're here on this side of the border to invite you to our city and to -LSB- show you -RSB- we 're making a lot of things ... better , and to make some progress in our city , '' Ramos said in a news conference in San Diego Monday . | Task force will be made up of bilingual officers ; primarily will serve Americans . Initial plan is to create a force that patrols a 50-mile tourist corridor of Baja . Region 's reputation has been tarnished by ongoing , drug-fueled violence . $ 13 billion travel industry is critical part of Mexico 's economy . | [[469, 526], [527, 543], [619, 748], [2127, 2204], [1347, 1355], [1362, 1423], [1623, 1641], [1648, 1735], [1623, 1641], [1738, 1780]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Jackson 's mother fired the lawyers helping her fight for control of her son 's estate , but her new lawyer missed a key hearing where the judge gave more power to the men she is opposing . Katherine Jackson , with Michael in 2005 , is challenging the appointment of Michael 's estate trustees . Katherine Jackson replaced lawyers Burt Levitch and Londell McMillan with Adam Streisand , a lawyer known for his expertise in Los Angeles probate cases . `` The family came to a decision before they called me , '' Streisand said . `` They felt they needed a different perspective and fresh look at how this case was being approached . '' But Streisand arrived at court Thursday minutes after Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff ended a hearing in which he granted a request from estate special administrators John Branca and John McClain for more authority to make deals on behalf of Jackson 's estate . `` I want this estate to move forward and I want these creditors to be dealt with , '' Beckloff said . `` And while we are proceeding in this posture , I want Mrs. Jackson to have information about what is going on and I do n't want to be in court all the time . '' The process of probate of Jackson 's will , which named Branca and McClain as executors , has been slowed since soon after the pop star 's June 25 death by numerous legal challenges filed by Katherine Jackson 's lawyers , led by Levitch . Howard Weitzman , lead lawyer for the estate 's administrators , expressed optimism that the two sides would be able to work better toward a settlement with Streisand in charge . The estate 's administrators were able to make a series of deals expected to bring in at least $ 100 million to the estate this year , mostly through a documentary movie that premieres next week . Katherine Jackson 's legal team has asked that a member of the Jackson family `` have a seat at the table '' as a third executor . They 've also raised questions in sealed court papers about possible conflicts of interest that might prevent Branca and McClain from controlling the estate . Streisand said the Jackson family was frustrated with the inability `` to get this case going . '' He indicated Katherine Jackson still planned to challenge Branca and McClain 's control of her son 's wealth . Under the 2002 will , Michael Jackson 's three children and his mother are the chief beneficiaries of his estate , while unnamed charities will share in 20 percent of the wealth . Streisand said when he met with Katherine Jackson and the children to discuss the case , they were united . He said Jackson patriarch Joe Jackson was not present at the meeting and he 's never talked with him . Joe Jackson appeared frustrated earlier this month when he attended his first hearing in the probate process , suggesting the lawyers should be more aggressive in court . Streisand said the three Jackson children are doing `` absolutely wonderful . '' | Katherine Jackson hires probate lawyer Adam Streisand . Jackson has been fighting for more control over her son 's estate . Michael Jackson made John Branca and John McClain his executors . Streisand misses hearing in which executors are given more control . | [[348, 436], [2238, 2348], [1260, 1275], [1284, 1321], [145, 223]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a little-known corner of southern England , more than 130 men are wrapping up in their winter warmers and drinking down their last whiskeys , as they prepare to do battle with their fiercest foes on the fairways . Their goal : a place in the fabled history of sporting rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge Universities . The `` President 's Putter '' event takes place every January at Rye Golf Club between alumni of the two famous academic institutions . Competitors , whose ages can range from 18 to 85 , travel from such far-off places as the U.S. , South Africa and Asia in a quest to attach their winning ball to the fabled President 's Putter -- a hickory-shafted instrument dating back to the inaugural event of 1920 . David Normoyle flew in from Far Hills , New Jersey last week to see in the New Year with friends before heading down to Rye to take part in the event , which is scheduled to start on Friday . He is just hoping the heavy snowfall forecast for the rest of the week will not cause the competition to be called off for only the second time in its history . `` There 's a great tradition of the event going forward in spite of the weather , '' says Normoyle , 31 , who studied history at Cambridge . `` Last year , there was a hard frost and a very thick fog . There 's something lovely about the warmth in the clubhouse at the end of the day when it 's freezing cold outside . It really adds to the atmosphere of the whole thing . '' While the competition is always intense -- many players have scratch or single-figure handicaps -- the matches are played in a jovial spirit and the motto of the event is `` serious fun . '' The winner 's medal carries the Latin inscription `` Primus inter pares , '' which is loosely translated by the Putter fraternity as `` he was lucky to win . '' The competition takes place over four days , with a dinner held on the eve of the Sunday final , followed by a night out amid the cobbled streets of the medieval town of Rye . `` People push the boat out at both ends of the day , '' says David Bonsall , Treasurer of the Oxford and Cambridge Golfing Society , which organizes the event . `` There are often a few whiskey macs and bloody marys on the first tee to bury the memories of the night before . '' Entry to the President 's Putter is limited to golfing `` Blues , '' the term given to those who play for the Oxford or Cambridge teams at sport . January is the chosen month because if falls at a time when students and graduates are generally on vacation . In its early years , the Putter would be contested by some of the finest players of the day : four of Great Britain 's 1926 Walker Cup side were Oxbridge graduates . The record for consecutive appearances is held by World War Two army parachutist Peter Gracey , who played in 57 Putters before finally hanging up his spikes in 2006 at the age 84 . Other well-known competitors include the former England cricket captain Ted Dexter , who won the event twice in the 1980s . While the snow flakes continue to fall on the frosty fairways of the course , braver competitors have been out practicing their games . Others have been sharing stories in the warmth of the clubhouse bar as they wait to find out whether their annual pilgrimage has been worthwhile . `` It would be a huge disappointment if it did n't happen , '' says Normoyle . `` But we 'll make do with whatever the decision is and we 'll have fun whatever . '' | Oxford and Cambridge alumni brave January weather for annual President 's Putter competition . Players aged 18 to 80 travel from U.S. , Asia to take part . Past winners include former England cricket captain Ted Dexter . Heavy snow threatens to call off event for just second time since 1920 . | [[343, 454], [3017, 3047], [3095, 3152], [479, 490], [493, 527], [479, 490], [530, 597], [2893, 2975], [2930, 2975], [2982, 3016], [1003, 1016], [1027, 1101], [1021, 1101]] |
Chatham Borough , New Jersey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The janitor charged in the slaying of a priest answered a call from a 911 operator and said , `` Everything 's fine , '' according to police . Jose Feliciano stabbed the Rev. Ed Hinds 32 times with a knife after the two got into an argument on Thursday , Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi said . The Roman Catholic priest 's body was found in the rectory of at St. Patrick 's Church on Friday morning . Feliciano , 64 , has been employed with the church for 17 years , Bianchi said . Feliciano also faces two weapons charges , Bianchi said at a news conference . It was not immediately known whether the janitor had retained legal counsel . When the janitor was interviewed Saturday , after waiving his Miranda rights , he `` confessed to the murder of Father Hinds , '' an arrest affidavit said . The priest 's body was discovered Friday morning in the rectory kitchen by Feliciano and others , according to the affidavit . An autopsy had concluded that Hinds died of `` multiple sharp force injuries . '' Hinds had stab wounds to his upper torso and the back of his head , Bianchi said . The priest also had defensive wounds on his hands and contusions and bruises to his face , he said . Hinds called 911 from his cell phone at 5:11 p.m. Thursday , saying he was being attacked and asking for help , Bianchi said . The call was cut off and the 911 operator called back , Bianchi said . He said Feliciano answered the phone . The operator could n't send authorities because the calls were made from a cell phone and could not be traced , Bianchi said . Feliciano `` made a half-hearted attempt to do CPR in front of police . They said it was bizarre . He made about two or three compressions and said something like , ` he 's dead , ' '' Bianchi told CNN . The affidavit said authorities discovered that Hinds ' cell phone had been used in Easton , Pennsylvania , about 40 miles west of Chatham . Further investigation led them to a garbage can in a park there , where a T-shirt and rags `` saturated with what appeared to be blood '' were found , the affidavit said . The garbage can was about 50 yards from Feliciano 's home , it said . Feliciano told police that he entered the rectory around 5 p.m. Thursday , where he and the priest argued , the affidavit said . The two men got into an argument `` over Feliciano 's continued employment , '' Bianchi told CNN . He said Feliciano `` beat him up first , there was also bruising on his face , '' said the prosecutor . Feliciano left Hinds on the kitchen floor and went into the church to get a kitchen `` steak or paring '' knife , and returned and stabbed the priest , the prosecutor said . After the slaying , Feliciano said he cleaned up the blood with rags and paper towels and put them in a black bag , which he put in the trash can , the affidavit said . Feliciano also said he threw away the knife after returning home and destroyed Hinds ' cell phone . Bianchi said the suspected weapon was found in a field near Feliciano 's home . Hinds also oversaw the church 's Catholic grade school . `` When you 're the sole pastor and you do most of the baptisms and weddings and funerals , people end up loving you . This will be a big loss for the parish and a big loss for the diocese , '' said the Rev. Paul Manning from the Archdiocese of Paterson , New Jersey . CNN 's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report . | Victim called 911 , said he was being attacked before call cut off , prosecutor says . Janitor beat , stabbed Rev. Ed Hinds after dispute over employment , prosecutor says . Suspect Jose Feliciano has worked at the church for 17 years , police say . Pastor died of multiple stab wounds , blood spatters indicate fight , authorities say . | [[1245, 1250], [1306, 1354], [2502, 2526], [2679, 2700], [48, 94], [2502, 2526], [2527, 2536], [2658, 2676], [2679, 2700], [457, 466], [469, 471], [474, 520], [979, 1057], [1009, 1057], [1061, 1126], [2004, 2010], [2025, 2101]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 9-year-old girl was laid to rest Wednesday as a 15-year-old girl , described as an acquaintance , was in court on charges she carried out the younger girl 's murder . Elizabeth Olten was coming home from a friend 's house last week in St. Martins , Missouri , when she disappeared . Distraught residents searched for days for Olten without luck , when the Cole County Sheriff 's Department received a tip that led them to the alleged killer . It did n't lead them to a stranger , a child predator or a convicted sex offender -- avenues police had originally considered because of Olten 's age . Instead , it led them to a 15-year-old girl who , according to Peggy Florence , a family spokeswoman , had played with Olten . The girl then led police to the body -- which was found in an area authorities searched before , the sheriff 's department said , but was hidden so well they had n't seen it . Authorities said both physical evidence and some written evidence led to the suspect 's arrest . She has been charged with first-degree murder . On Wednesday , Olten 's family looked towards closure as two drastically different scenes unfolded in Missouri . Olten 's family and friends watched as two white horses pulled her casket in a glass hearse . Hours earlier , a judge had ordered the 15-year-old suspect to be held while he decides whether she should be tried in adult court . Authorities have not released the suspect 's name . Authorities released few details about the case , though they said an autopsy was conducted Saturday . The Olten family spent the day of Elizabeth 's funeral remembering a very special little girl and mourning their loss , choosing to celebrate her life , instead of attending the court hearing of the teen accused of killing her . After the funeral ceremony , they released pink balloons , in honor of Elizabeth Olten 's favorite color . For them , it was about their little girl -- the one who was always ready with a bright smile . `` She wanted to be a mother , she wanted to love others and take care of others , '' family spokeswoman Florence told HLN 's Nancy Grace . `` She was just a lovely child -- she never met an animal she did n't love and dress up and play with . '' She loved to dress up and put on fancy dresses , Florence said , even in the snow and the mud . `` She was a beautiful little girly girl , '' Florence said . `` She had everyone 's heart . '' | 15-year-old suspect accused planning , carrying out murder of 9-year-old . Elizabeth Olten disappeared after returning home from friends house in Missouri . Olten , 9 , and suspect had played together before , family spokeswoman says . Judge will be deciding whether to charge suspect as an adult or juvenile . | [[0, 15], [19, 85], [143, 187], [1754, 1787], [188, 267], [705, 742], [1348, 1403]] |
An Israel air force pilot , the son of an astronaut who died aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 2003 , was killed Sunday in an F-16 fighter jet crash , Israel Defense Forces said in a statement . A military helicopter hovers over the Hebron Hills , site of the jet crash Sunday of Israel air force pilot Assaf Ramon . Lt. Assaf Ramon died in the crash near the Israeli community of P'nei Chever in the southern Hebron Hills , the IDF said . The F-16 crashed `` during a routine flight as part of the advanced pilot training course , '' the statement said . The wreckage of the plane was found by search and rescue forces , the IDF said . Ramon was posthumously promoted to captain , officials said . He was the son of Col. Ilan Ramon , Israel 's first astronaut . The elder Ramon died February 1 , 2003 , with six others aboard the space shuttle Columbia when it broke apart over Texas , minutes before it would have landed in Florida . Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan , Israel air force commander , launched an investigation into the crash , the IDF said . All F-16 training flights were canceled until further notice . Nehushtan and Maj. Gen. Avi Zamir , head of the Personnel Branch , `` visited the home of Rona Ramon and informed her of the tragic event , '' the IDF said . Rona Ramon is Assaf Ramon 's mother and the widow of Ilan Ramon . The younger Ramon excelled in an IAF pilot training course last month , received a presidential honor , and was given his pilot 's wings by President Shimon Peres , Israeli military officials said . Funeral arrangements were pending . | Lt. Assaf Ramon fatally crashes during routine flight , Israel Defense Forces say . IDF : Personnel Branch brass `` informed -LSB- mother Rona Ramon -RSB- of the tragic event '' Assaf Ramon 's father died February 1 , 2003 , aboard the space shuttle Columbia . | [[0, 25], [105, 151], [154, 197], [324, 425], [443, 532], [1182, 1184], [1220, 1252], [39, 51], [56, 102], [766, 804]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- He says it 's true . She says it 's not . Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey and his wife , Dina Matos McGreevey , in 2004 . Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey says he and his wife , Dina Matos McGreevey , used to engage in sexual relations with his ex-aide and driver , Teddy Pedersen . Dina Matos McGreevey has denied the allegation . The New York Post and New Jersey 's Star Ledger reported online Sunday that Pedersen said he had sexual relations with the McGreeveys in the late 1990s during the couple 's courtship , and after the McGreeveys ' marriage in 2000 . In the article , Pedersen describes trysts during which he and Jim McGreevey would both have sex with Dina Matos McGreevey , but says that , in his opinion , `` me being part of their sexual relationship enhanced it for both of them . '' Pedersen described regularly sharing a hotel room with the McGreeveys during out-of-town business trips . In a statement issued Monday , Dina Matos McGreevey acknowledged that Pedersen had long had a `` close relationship '' with her former husband , but called his sexual claims `` completely false . '' `` This all has to do with the publicity I have received since -LSB- New York -RSB- Gov. -LSB- Eliot -RSB- Spitzer resigned , '' her statement said , alluding to her recent New York Times op-ed piece on Silda Wall Spitzer and her recent discussion of betrayed political wives on CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' `` Jim has enlisted one of his cronies in trying to distinguish that situation from his own , and to discredit me in the media , '' she said . In August 2004 , she stood silently beside her husband while he publicly declared himself `` a gay American , '' admitted to having an office-compromising affair with another man -- later identified as a staff member -- and announced his intention to resign . They are in the process of divorcing . Jim McGreevey Monday confirmed Pedersen 's claims . `` This happened , this happened in the past , and now , we need to move on with our lives , '' the former governor said in a written statement . `` For all our sakes , particularly our daughter , we need to close this chapter and look toward the future . '' The statement went on to say he had removed references to the incidents Pedersen describes from an early draft of his book . `` I still hope Dina and I can resolve our issues privately , '' it concluded . After Dina Matos McGreevey issued her refutation , Pedersen stood by his story , telling the New York Post , `` Dina is still in denial . It 's time for her to face the truth . '' E-mail to a friend . | Former aide to Jim McGreevey says he and the couple had sexual relations . Dina Matos McGreevey denies , says husband has `` cronies '' after her . Jim McGreevey confirms aide 's accounts given to reporters . McGreeveys are in the process of divorcing ; he announced resignation in ' 04 . | [[238, 300], [369, 551], [445, 589], [600, 614], [617, 722], [320, 368], [2411, 2459], [2462, 2489], [2411, 2448], [2520, 2548], [28, 48], [1895, 1946], [1706, 1708], [1820, 1855], [1856, 1894]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities evacuated 310 people from their homes early Thursday because of a major fire at a building site and nearby apartments in south London , fire officials and police said . The London Fire Brigade said it was called to the scene at 4:26 a.m. -LRB- 11:26 p.m. ET Wednesday -RRB- , and police said they were called minutes later . Ten fire engines and around 75 firefighters were on the scene some eight hours later , a spokesman for the fire brigade said . The fire engulfed an entire building site in Peckham , an area of south London , and spread to several three - and four-story residential buildings in the area , police and fire officials said . Firefighters had the fire surrounded by noon and said there may still be deep-seated pockets of fire , a fire brigade spokesman said . Four people were taken to a hospital , mainly for smoke inhalation , a spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said . None of their conditions was serious , she said . `` I was in bed and my neighbor knocked and told me to wake up -- the building 's on fire , '' said one woman wrapped in a coat on a nearby street . It was not clear what started the fire , the fire brigade spokesman said . | Residents evacuated in area of south London after fire engulfed their apartment block . 30 fire engines and more than 310 firefighters battled the blaze . No injuries have been reported , according to police and fire officials . It is not known what started the fire which took hold of the building in the early hours of Thursday . | [[0, 6], [36, 143], [500, 552], [184, 216], [662, 694], [0, 6], [36, 143], [1152, 1190]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For Liz McCartney , selection as one of the Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2008 could not have come at a better time . Anderson Cooper will host `` CNN Heroes : An All-Star Tribute , '' to air on Thanksgiving at 9 p.m. ET . `` With the recent storms in Texas and southwest Louisiana , we have experienced a sudden drop in volunteers , '' said McCartney , whose St. Bernard Project helps Hurricane Katrina survivors rebuild their homes just outside New Orleans , Louisiana . `` While other areas need help , this recognition is letting the American people know that the New Orleans area still matters , '' McCartney said . The diverse group of honorees includes a Cambodian activist who offers free schooling to children who work in Phnom Penh 's trash dump ; a Georgia prosthetist-orthotist who provides limbs and braces to hundreds of people in Mexico ; and a Virginia woman who tapes video messages from incarcerated parents for their children . CNN 's Anderson Cooper announced the 10 honorees Thursday on `` American Morning . '' `` Our Top 10 CNN Heroes are proof that you do n't need superpowers -- or millions of dollars -- to change the world and even save lives , '' Cooper said . Watch Anderson Cooper name the Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2008 '' CNN launched its second annual global search for ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary deeds in February . The network has aired weekly CNN Hero profiles of those people , chosen from more than 3,700 nominations submitted by viewers in 75 countries . A panel made up of world leaders and luminaries recognized for their own dedication to public service selected the Top 10 . The Blue Ribbon Panel includes humanitarians such as Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu , Jane Goodall , Kristi Yamaguchi and Deepak Chopra . `` What an incredible group of people and how difficult it was to select only 10 , '' said Rabbi Shmuley Boteach , a panel member . Archbishop Tutu added , `` They all deserve to win . Thanks for saluting these remarkable human beings . '' Each of this year 's Top 10 CNN Heroes will receive $ 25,000 and will be honored at `` CNN Heroes : An All-Star Tribute , '' airing from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on November 27 . Hosted by Cooper , the Thanksgiving night broadcast will culminate with the announcement of the CNN Hero of the Year , selected by the public in an online poll that began Thursday morning . iReport.com : Tell us about your hero . Continuing through November 19 , viewers can log on to CNN.com / Heroes to participate in the poll . The person receiving the most votes will receive an additional $ 100,000 . In alphabetical order , the Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2008 are : . Tad Agoglia , Houston , Texas -- Agoglia 's First Response Team provides immediate help to areas hit by natural disasters . In a little over a year , he and his crew have aided thousands of victims at more than 15 sites across the United States , free of charge . Yohannes Gebregeorgis , Addis Ababa , Ethiopia -- Moved by the lack of children 's books and low literacy rates in his native Ethiopia , Gebregeorgis established Ethiopia Reads , bringing free public libraries and literacy programs to thousands of Ethiopian children . Carolyn LeCroy , Norfolk , Virginia -- After serving time in prison , LeCroy started The Messages Project to help children stay connected with their incarcerated parents . She and volunteer camera crews have taped roughly 3,000 messages from inmates to their children . Anne Mahlum , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania -- On her daily morning jogs , Mahlum used to run past homeless men . Today , she 's helping to transform lives by running with them , and others as part of her `` Back On My Feet '' program . Liz McCartney , St. Bernard Parish , Louisiana -- McCartney moved to New Orleans to dedicate herself to helping Hurricane Katrina survivors move back into their homes . Her nonprofit St. Bernard Project has rebuilt the homes of more than 120 families for free . Phymean Noun , Toronto , Ontario -- Growing up in Cambodia , Noun struggled to complete high school . Today , she offers hundreds of Cambodian children who work in Phnom Penh 's trash dump a way out -- through free schooling and job training . David Puckett , Savannah , Georgia -- Puckett started Positive Image Prosthetics and Orthotics Missions -- PIPO -- to provide artificial limbs and braces and care to people in southeastern Mexico . Since November 2000 his mission has helped more than 420 people , free of charge . Maria Ruiz , El Paso , Texas -- Several times a week , Ruiz crosses the border into Juarez , Mexico , to bring food , clothing and toys to hundreds of impoverished children and their families . Marie Da Silva , Los Angeles , California -- Having lost 14 family members to AIDS , the Los Angeles nanny funds a school in her native Malawi -- where half a million children have been orphaned by the disease . Viola Vaughn , Kaolack , Senegal -- The Detroit , Michigan , native moved to Senegal to retire . Instead , a group of failing schoolchildren asked her to help them pass their classes . Today , her `` 10,000 Girls '' program is helping hundreds of girls succeed in school and run their own businesses . `` It is very rewarding to be able to honor these amazing , often unheralded individuals who are making a tremendous difference in their communities and beyond , '' Jim Walton , president of CNN Worldwide , said . `` These stories of selfless achievement deserve to be told , and our multiple platforms around the world allow us to do that . '' | The public will select `` Hero of the Year '' in an online poll at CNN.com / Heroes . Distinguished panel of world leaders and luminaries chose Top 10 finalists . `` CNN Heroes : An All-Star Tribute '' to be hosted by Anderson Cooper . To air Thanksgiving , November 27 , 9 p.m. ET -LRB- November 28 , 0200 GMT -RRB- . | [[2313, 2321], [2324, 2364], [2350, 2364], [2370, 2394], [2466, 2535], [1516, 1563], [1603, 1639], [128, 167], [2205, 2221]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A small town in Maryland is setting a precedent in eco-friendly road construction , breaking ground this week on one of the greenest streets in the nation . The tiny port town of Edmonston in Prince George 's County is billing the thoroughfare as the greenest on the East Coast . The road will help clean and filter toxic storm water pollution that drains into rivers , and eventually into Chesapeake Bay . `` What we 're hoping to do , from top to bottom , is build a street that is completely environmentally sustainable , '' said Edmonston Mayor Adam Ortiz . Ortiz says the blueprint incorporates native tree cover to cool off the streets , wind-powered street lights that use high-efficiency LED bulbs , and pedestrian and bicycle access . But most important , says Ortiz , is the plan for all that water that rolls down the streets when it rains . '' -LSB- It 's -RSB- not going to be flushed into our local rivers . Instead it 's going to be naturally filtered . And that 's very important for us to save our rivers and to help save the Chesapeake Bay here in Maryland . '' Storm water runoff often carries toxins and pollution from parking lots and city streets , and from farms and agricultural lands in rural areas . Most cities and towns have underground concrete drain systems that collect the runoff and dump it into rivers and streams , pollutants and all . `` What we 're going to do , instead , is divert that water into natural gardens . To the naked eye it just looks like a regular garden , but actually it 's very specially engineered to absorb a lot of water and naturally filter it before it gets into the water table , and to keep it from washing all those pollutants into the river , '' according to Ortiz . The storm water runoff in Edmonston drains into the nearby Anacostia River , which feeds into the Washington Channel , then empties into the Potomac River and eventually Chesapeake Bay . The eco-street project includes using porous bricks in building the road and creating bioretention cells or rain gardens . The idea is to trap the polluted runoff water , sending it through natural filter systems so that when it makes it into the Anacostia , it 's a lot cleaner . Maryland Department of the Environment Deputy Secretary Robert Summers hopes this new main street in Edmonston is just the first of many . `` This kind of green infrastructure project to reduce storm water and energy consumption is exactly the kind of thing we need to do around the bay watershed to reduce pollution . '' Summers says the benefits of this project are twofold : a reduction in storm water pollution and , through the energy efficiency in powering lighting , a reduction in air pollution and fallout . But how much can converting one street really help in cleaning up an area the size of the Chesapeake Bay ? Summers acknowledges this is just the beginning . `` We need to grow it by leaps and bounds . '' The Edmonston green street project is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency through a $ 1.1 million Recovery Act grant . Summers says the state of Maryland has already allocated $ 20 million for other green projects and that this is the first of many projects . The District of Columbia , Virginia , and Pennsylvania are also reviewing this green technology to eventually help do their part to clean up Chesapeake Bay . And in the Northwest , Seattle , Washington , and Portland , Oregon , have already taken steps to clean and control polluted storm water runoff . `` Our goal is that other towns and cities and communities will steal our ideas , '' Edmonston Mayor Ortiz said . `` We 'll know we 're successful when we see these technologies used in other places . '' | New road will help clean storm water pollution that drains into rivers , Chesapeake Bay . Road will divert runoff into natural gardens designed to filter water . Plan also uses native tree cover to cool streets , wind-powered street lights . Project aims to reduce storm water pollution , air pollution , fallout to the bay , official says . | [[299, 362], [299, 307], [328, 386], [1664, 1723], [1750, 1824], [2540, 2632], [949, 987], [1390, 1397], [1429, 1472], [1541, 1618], [1602, 1657], [581, 689], [2540, 2632]] |
OKAZAKI , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At Spencer Morrey 's home , there are two constant sounds : his dad , Craig , murmuring , `` You 're okay , Spence . You 're okay , buddy , '' and the sound of a machine clearing the toddler 's airway . Spencer Morrey , pictured with his father Craig , has severe cerebral palsy and requires 24-hour medical care . Both sounds come every few minutes , in between hugs , tears and kisses . Spencer has severe cerebral palsy and requires constant , 24-hour medical care . In Japan , a country that lacks sufficient medical services for disabled children , the only person to care for Spencer is his father . Morrey says his wife left , overwhelmed by the strain of their son 's medical condition . That would be pain beyond what most parents could imagine . But Spencer 's mother fled while pregnant with Morrey 's daughter , Amelia . In more than a year , Morrey says he has only seen his daughter four times . `` She would n't recognize me , '' Morrey said , with Spencer propped on his lap . `` She would n't call me daddy . She 's just starting to talk now . But she 's not going to know who I am . I think she deserves my love . And I think she deserves to be with Spencer and Spencer deserves to be with her . '' Morrey , a native of Chicago and a U.S. citizen , was married to a Brazilian woman of Japanese descent . They divorced in a Japanese court . Under Brazilian law , Morrey would likely have joint custody and guardianship of both children . What do you think about Spencer 's case ? Have your say . But in Japan , where only one parent gets custody of a child in a divorce , the family courts have left the case in legal limbo for a year because they have not decided which parent legally has custody of the children . Typically , the parent with physical custody of a child retains custody . Morrey has stayed in Japan the last year , trying to get the courts to recognize that he has joint custody of the children in Brazil -LRB- he has not yet applied for such custody under U.S. law -RRB- . Watch Kyung Lah 's report on the case '' He is afraid that if he heads home for the U.S. with Spencer without that , he could be subject to international child abduction laws , and he also fears such a move could hurt his chances of getting the Japanese family court to give him joint custody of his daughter . Morrey has been forced to quit work to care for Spencer . The financial strain of living off his credit cards is adding to the stress of caring for a disabled child alone in a foreign country . Despite his pleading with court mediators and repeated court filings claiming that joint custody is the law in both the U.S. and Brazil , Japan 's slow and antiquated family courts have let the case languish . `` Kids need both parents , '' Morrey said . `` Whether the parents are married or not is irrelevant in my mind . The Japanese courts , and I realize you 're going against years and years of cultural differences and everything else , but they do n't care about the welfare of the child . `` In Japan , it 's considered too messy . It 's too complicated . It deals with personal feelings , so they do n't want to deal with it . So the best way is to not deal with it . '' CNN contacted Morrey 's ex-wife four times by telephone and once by fax . She declined to discuss the case . The International Association for Parent and Child Reunion believes there are an estimated 100 American families in situations like Morrey 's in Japan and dozens involving those from Britain , France and Canada . One of those cases is that of American Christopher Savoie . Savoie , 38 , a Tennessee native and naturalized Japanese citizen , was arrested on September 28 in Yanagawa , Japan , for attempting to abduct his two children , eight-year-old Isaac and six-year-old Rebecca . Watch more about this case '' Savoie drove his children to the nearest U.S. consulate in the city of Fukuoka to try and obtain passports for them . Steps away from the front of the consulate , Japanese police arrested him . Savoie is now in jail , awaiting a decision by prosecutors on a possible indictment . Savoie and his first wife , Noriko Savoie , were married for 14 years before their bitter divorce in January . According to court documents , she fled with the children to Japan in the summer . A U.S. court then gave Christopher Savoie sole custody of the children . But Japanese law recognizes Noriko Savoie as the sole custodian , despite the U.S. order . `` It 's like a black hole , '' Morrey said . `` If you go through a divorce , there 's this joke . If you have an international marriage with a Japanese , do n't piss them off because you 'll never see your kids again . '' Not seeing his daughter Amelia again is what is keeping Morrey in Japan . He has been selling off everything he owns , trying to keep himself and Spencer afloat , hoping the Japanese court will bring him some legal connection to his child . He is stuck choosing between caring for his son , who needs the better resources of the U.S. , and hoping to be a father to his daughter . `` How do you make that choice ? It 's not -- once you 're a dad , you 're always a dad . '' | Craig Morrey 's wife left him to care for their disabled son , Spencer , alone . His wife has sole custody of the daughter she had shortly after . Under Japanese law only one parent gets custody of a child in a divorce . Under U.S. law Morrey would likely have joint custody of both children . | [[653, 666], [4404, 4463], [505, 513], [589, 640], [1569, 1621], [4404, 4463]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Israel may have to retire its title as the only democracy in the Middle East . With Sunday 's free and fair national election , Iraq joins the honor roll as one of the very few Islamic democracies . Other Middle Eastern countries hold elections too , of course . But those elections fall into two broad categories . The first category is the blatantly rigged : Iran , most spectacularly , but also Algeria , Egypt , and Yemen , among others . In the second category , elections are more or less honest -- but fail to exert much control over the actions of the government : Lebanon , Morocco , and Jordan . In Iraq , despite violence , votes are honestly counted . Once counted , votes decide who rules . For all the country 's well-known problems , that record is a remarkable achievement . The brave Iraqi democrat Nibras Kazimi posted this firsthand account on his important blog , Talisman Gate : . `` I voted . It felt great , but the greatest thing about it was how normal it felt ; elections have become a ho-hum , commonplace occurrence . That 's quite a feat for a country with Iraq 's past and current challenges . The voting procedure itself was very well organized and speedy . The election site had seven polling stations , with about 400 registered voters allowed to vote there . Everyone 's name was posted outside , along with information about what polling station they were supposed to use . Once inside , IDs were checked against name lists , and one had to sign next -LSB- to -RSB- one 's name to indicate that this name has voted . All in all , there are reasonable mechanisms in place to contain incidents of fraud . ... `` The Western media is hyperventilating about mortars and katyushas . ... This was a logistical failure for the jihadists ; hardly any successful suicide bombers or sniper attacks near the polling stations . Lobbing mortars indiscriminately around Baghdad is BS intimidation . It certainly did n't deter voters . `` The fact that the security authorities allowed vehicular traffic around 11 AM was both surprising and bold . It showed confidence in their security precautions , and the fact that there were no car bombs shows that they were right . '' Iraq 's elected government has consolidated power over the whole country , including the formerly Iranian-run southern city of Basra . It has presided over a remarkable decline in violence . The Brookings Institute 's Iraq index estimates that there were 34,500 Iraqi civilian casualties in 2006 . In 2009 , 2,800 Iraqi civilians died violently . Attacks on coalition forces have dwindled from almost 2,000 per week at the end of 2006 to a little over 100 per week . Iraq is not yet a stable place -- but a future of stability seems at last at hand . Maybe the surest sign of success is that those who once opposed the surge are now scrambling to grab credit for it . Iraq `` could be one of the great achievements of this administration , '' boasted Vice President Joe Biden to CNN 's Larry King last month . Next we 'll hear how we owe the Marshall Plan and the Panama Canal to the Obama administration . Well , that 's not how those who were there remember it . A stable Western-oriented Iraq at peace with itself and its neighbors would be a great prize . If that future does take hold , we 'll learn the answer to another great question . Speaking on the eve of war in 2003 , President George W. Bush told the guests at the American Enterprise Institute 's annual dinner that he discerned `` hopeful signs of a desire for freedom in the Middle East . Arab intellectuals have called on Arab governments to address the ` freedom gap ' so their peoples can fully share in the progress of our times . `` Leaders in the region speak of a new Arab charter that champions internal reform , greater politics participation , economic openness , and free trade . And from Morocco to Bahrain and beyond , nations are taking genuine steps toward politics reform . A new regime in Iraq would serve as a dramatic and inspiring example of freedom for other nations in the region . '' Will he be vindicated ? In the January issue of the Journal of Democracy , Larry Diamond offers grounds for hope that the answer may be yes . Diamond , an expert on democracy-building who served with the Coalition Provisional Authority , itemizes the indicators of growing yearning for self-rule in the Middle East . He notes surveys in which 80 percent of Arabs across the region agree that democracy is the best form of government and would be good for their own country . Of all the obstacles to Arab democracy -- religion , culture , geopolitics -- the most important is geological : oil . Oil states tend to be undemocratic states , because control of the state so directly translates into control of the nation 's wealth . When the price of oil rises , the value of power rises with it . It 's not a coincidence that oil states from Russia to Venezuela to Iran have turned to more repressive and hard-line policies since the price of oil began to rise in 2001 . By contrast , the 1986 collapse in the price of oil is widely cited as a decisive factor in the collapse of the Soviet Union . Iraq 's future will depend on its success overcoming `` the curse of oil . '' America 's next contribution to Middle Eastern democracy may be an energy policy that finally lifts this curse . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Frum . | Iraq held a free and fair election for parliament on Sunday , says David Frum . He says Iraq can be a model democracy for the Arab world . President George W. Bush spoke of `` hopeful signs of a desire for freedom '' in the region . Frum : Biggest obstacle to democracy in Middle East is the influence of oil wealth . | [[3395, 3569], [4230, 4237], [4326, 4404]] |
Santiago , Chile -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Aid poured in for Chile from home and overseas , with a local television station hoping to raise $ 27 million by Saturday and the United Nations pledging funds toward recovery efforts after a massive earthquake . `` Chile Helps Chile , '' a telethon that started Friday , runs until Saturday night , according to TV Chile 's Web site . The site includes phone numbers and and e-mails for making donations in nearly 20 countries outside the South American nation . Hundreds of people died when the 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile last Saturday . The world 's fifth-strongest earthquake since 1900 resulted in a tsunami that toppled buildings , particularly in the Maule region along the coast . It 's still unclear exactly how many people died . Army divers have been searching the waters near the city of Constitucion for the bodies of as many as 400 tourists who were camping on an island during a summer festival . `` There were horrible screams . People calling out for us to go and rescue them . They were crying for help . But there was nothing we could do , '' local fisherman Agustin Diaz said . Full coverage of Chile 's earthquake . United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon on Friday pledged up to $ 10 million to support relief and recovery efforts during a two-day visit , where he met with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet . `` I am visiting this city with a deep sadness , '' Ban told reporters Saturday while in Concepcion . `` Standing before this destruction , I can feel for your loss , your struggle . `` At the same time I am very grateful , very moved by such a strong determination , '' he added . `` The leaders , the people on the ground , they are all united . '' Ban also announced Friday a team effort between U.N. agencies and the Chilean government to determine the priority areas for funds , with emphasis on health , shelters , education and water . The secretary-general plans to bring the matter in front of the United Nations on his return . Chileans proud to help out their own . The Chilean government has asked the United Nations for items such as field hospitals with surgical facilities , dialysis centers , generators , saltwater purifying systems , mobile bridges and field kitchens . Chile endured two more strong aftershocks Friday -- the first a 6.0-magnitude earthquake and the other 6.6 . They were the latest in scores of aftershocks that have hit in the past week . Friday 's aftershocks did not cause any known injuries or damage and no tsunami warnings were issued . A six-member U.S. Agency for International Development disaster response team has been sent to Chile to assist with relief effort , said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley . Shocking scenes hours after quake . The United States has sent 71 satellite phones , plastic sheeting and two mobile water treatment units , the State Department said . Six more water treatment units are to arrive within a week . A field hospital and two C-130 aircraft to assist with moving supplies around the country have also been deployed . The United States has also sent $ 1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to aid their efforts . Chile has announced three days of national mourning beginning Sunday . Every house has been authorized to hang the national flag in memory of those who perished . Share your story from the earthquake in Chile . The death toll was revised downward Thursday as authorities reviewed discrepancies in the reported number of dead in the Maule region . To limit confusion , Deputy Interior Minister Patricio Rosende read aloud the names of 279 Chileans whose bodies had been identified by Thursday evening . The new tally does not account for hundreds of unidentified victims . `` It takes months sometimes to compile the information , because one of the biggest problems in the affected areas is the lack of precision and uncertainty at the scene , '' Rosende said . Despite the disaster , the Chilean Davis Cup tennis team will open competition Saturday in Coquimbo , Chile , against Israel . Team officials and players said they would be playing in honor of quake victims . `` It will be difficult , but we will do our best for our country , '' said player Fernando Gonzalez . | Aid efforts for Chile quake victims gain momentum . Region still dealing with aftershocks a week after 8.8-magnitude earthquake . Three days of national mourning set to begin Sunday . | [[529, 586], [2371, 2416], [2402, 2416], [2422, 2449], [3217, 3268]] |
Napa Valley , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It is the quintessential Napa Valley experience . Passengers aboard sleek antique rail cars pay more than $ 100 for a four-course meal , not including the wine . A recent lunch aboard the train included steak , lobster cakes and local greens . During their three-hour journey winding through Napa Valley , passengers can choose from more than 100 wines to complement their meal . The Napa Valley Wine Train has been shuttling passengers through one of the country 's most famous valleys for more than two decades , but now it 's under fire because of Republican Sens. Tom Coburn and John McCain . They ranked the wine train as No. 11 on their list of the 100 most `` wasteful '' and `` silly '' stimulus projects , leading some to call it the Stimulus Waste Express . When Melodie Hilton , who handles public relations for the wine train , learned about that nickname , she was less than pleased . Hilton said the report temporarily affected business . She said through a smile , `` it 's never fun to wake up and find that you 're an object of national scorn . '' But CNN found that scorn undeserved . In fact , CNN confirmed that not a single stimulus dollar is being spent on the wine train itself . The stimulus money is really being used for a massive flood-control project for the valley . The train 's tracks happen to be in the way , so they have to be moved . It is a simple fix , but it 's not cheap . To make it happen , $ 54 million is being used to build a flood wall at the wine train depot , elevate the tracks and move them 33 feet , and raise four bridges . How did the wine train end up on the list of wasteful projects ? `` The person who did the research for the senators did n't do a thorough job , '' Hilton said , `` and I think if they did a thorough job , we would n't have been on the list at all . '' Barry Martin is the spokesman for the Napa River Flood Control Project . He called the senators ' report `` deliberate deception '' and a way to score `` political points . '' Martin says this is not a `` frivolous project '' or a waste of stimulus dollars . `` This is perfectly fitting into what stimulus is intended to do . People are on the job working today who might not be otherwise , '' Martin said . Coburn 's spokesman said the whole project is a `` misplaced priority . '' He also criticized it for being a `` no-bid '' project , meaning only one contractor was considered . Just how many people are employed on the project is ambiguous . Martin says that at least 600 jobs have been created for the whole thing . And those people , he says , will stay on the job two to three years . The Army Corps of Engineers , which is overseeing the flood control initiative , said that every $ 1 million spent creates about 20 jobs but said it did n't have an exact figure of jobs for the project . And the contractor , Suulutaaq , had reported just 12 jobs created to the White House . A spokeswoman said the company expects that 200 people will be employed over the life of the project . Regardless , the goal is to prevent Napa from flooding every few years , as it does now . In 1986 , a flood cost the city $ 100 million . In 2005 , flood damage hit $ 115 million . Hilton , who has lived through the floods in Napa Valley and recalls neighborhoods under feet of water , wrote a letter to McCain : `` Since you have thrown down the gauntlet , and made accusations , I would like to demand satisfaction ! ... Talk to the officials behind this project ; learn what is really going on . It is your right and your responsibility . '' `` We all have the same goal , '' she later said . `` Nobody appreciates waste . If he came out and explored this , I do n't think this would have been on the list . '' CNN 's Susan Chun contributed to this report . | U.S. senators claimed Wine Train received stimulus money . CNN found stimulus funds are not used for the train ; money is for flood-control project . Sen. Tom Coburn 's spokesman calls project `` misplaced priority '' The latest on the controversy over the wine train on tonight 's `` AC 360 ° , '' 10 ET . | [[1157, 1246], [1247, 1339], [2281, 2352], [2306, 2352]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.S.-flagged ship that played a central role in a bloody hijacking drama last spring was attacked again Wednesday , a busy day for piracy in the dangerous waters off the east coast of Africa . It was the first time a security team aboard a major merchant ship repelled a pirate attack , a top U.S. Navy officer said . But a defensive weapon that emits a loud noise did not work , Vice Adm. Bill Gortney said in a briefing . `` They tried to employ -LSB- a long-range acoustical device -RSB- and it did not have the effect , '' said Gortney , the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command , which is responsible for the area favored by pirates . He said he did not know why the device did not work . The Maersk Alabama came under automatic weapons fire from pirates about 350 nautical miles east of the Somali coast , the European Union 's anti-piracy force said , but fought the attackers off . The failed attack came on a day of dramatic piracy events : The captain of a ship hijacked Monday was confirmed to have died , even as his ship was used to attack another , and a Spanish prosecutor demanded an investigation into reports that a ransom had been paid for a ship released Tuesday . The failed attack Wednesday targeted the same ship that was hijacked in the Indian Ocean in April . Its captain , Richard Phillips , was held hostage on a lifeboat for five days before U.S. Navy snipers shot three pirates dead . A fourth pirate was arrested , and Phillips was rescued . This time , private security guards on the Danish-owned ship fended off the pirates , EU and U.S. naval sources said . Security had been beefed up on the vessel since the attack in April , Maersk spokesman Kevin Speers told CNN . The ship 's owners did not immediately respond to a CNN question about whether Phillips is still captain of the ship . Somali pirates vowed revenge for the killing of their compatriots by the U.S. Navy in April , but it was not immediately clear if the Maersk Alabama was targeted intentionally or if the latest attack was a coincidence . No casualties were reported on the ship , but pirates on land in Somalia feared the pirates who attacked the Maersk Alabama may have been killed or wounded , or may have drowned , they told a local journalist . There has been no contact with them since they attacked the Maersk Alabama , a pirate in the central Somali town of Harardhere said . Their last communication came while they were battling the security guards on the cargo ship , the pirate said . Pirates on land also exchanged gunfire -- with one another . They fought among themselves Wednesday over a multimillion-dollar ransom they received for releasing a Spanish fishing boat , said a local journalist in contact with the pirates . `` There was a heavy exchange of gunfire between some of our friends '' one pirate told the journalist , speaking of the other pirates . `` They fought over the 3 million euro -LRB- $ 4.5 million -RRB- received as a ransom from the Spanish boat . '' At least two pirates were wounded in the gunfight in Harardhere , a pirate stronghold in central Somalia , the local journalist told CNN . Those two pirates are in critical condition and have been transferred to the town of Galka ` yo . The Alakrana , the Spanish fishing vessel , was freed Tuesday along with its 36 crew members , Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said . It had been held for 47 days . Zapatero did not say how the ship was freed . Spanish media -- including CNN sister station CNN + , which cited a source it said was close to the negotiations -- reported that a ransom had been paid . A top prosecutor in Madrid on Wednesday called for an investigation into the reported ransom . National Court prosecutor Jesus Alonso sent a written request for the ransom investigation to Judge Santiago Pedraz , asking that the financial web involved in the alleged payment be untangled , including commissions paid to intermediaries in the negotiations , CNN + reported from the courthouse . The prosecutor also called on the judge to take testimony from all the ship 's 36 crew members . Various government ministers have sidestepped questions about whether a ransom was paid , but Spanish media reported the payment to the pirates totaled $ 3.5 million to $ 4 million . A leading Spanish fishing industry executive , Juan Manuel Vieites , told CNN on Wednesday that he was certain a ransom was paid for the release of the Spanish tuna trawler . But Vieites , who heads Euroatun -- a pan-European tuna fishing industry group -- and a Spanish tuna canning association , said he was n't sure about the amount of the ransom . He declined to provide details . A day after the hijacking , Spanish military monitoring the situation captured two pirate suspects as they left the fishing boat and later brought them to Madrid . The two were indicted Monday on 36 counts of kidnapping and armed robbery . They could face sentences of more than 200 years in prison each because of the multiple kidnapping counts . Separately , the captain of a chemical tanker seized earlier this week died of a wound inflicted during the hijacking , a pirate said . The ship , the MV Theresa VIII , was used to attack another ship off the Somali coast , the pirate said , but did not provide any other details . The Virgin Islands-flagged vessel , with a crew of 28 North Koreans and operated from Singapore , was seized in the Indian Ocean on Monday , according to the EU naval force . It was heading for Mombasa , Kenya , but was hijacked in the south Somali Basin , about 180 miles northwest of the Seychelles , the EU statement said . Pirates have captured more than 50 ships this year off Somalia . Mohamed Amiin Adow and CNN Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman in Spain contributed to this report . | NEW : Captain of Virgin Islands-flagged ship , hijacked Monday , confirmed to have died . Maersk Alabama , after April hijacking in which pirates died , thwarts attack Wednesday . Other pirates apparently fight over ransom money from Spanish vessel hijacking . Top prosecutor in Madrid calls for investigation into reported ransom . | [[996, 1018], [981, 1002], [1019, 1035], [981, 1011], [1033, 1045], [1048, 1052], [5333, 5366], [5405, 5428], [5333, 5400], [5419, 5471], [5333, 5400], [5474, 5507], [19, 38], [44, 105], [1216, 1315], [1244, 1266], [1272, 1315], [2591, 2663], [1098, 1196], [3644, 3738], [3739, 3829], [3864, 3918]] |
Editor 's note : Since becoming State Department producer in 2000 , Elise Labott has covered four secretaries of state and reported from more than 50 countries . Before joining CNN , she covered the United Nations . Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meet in Washington . WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi made the rounds in Washington just as President Obama 's national security team shifted its attention to Pakistan . This week Secretary of Defense Williams Gates called the Afghan border with Pakistan the `` epicenter of jihad . '' And the renewed focus on Pakistan suggests that Obama has a new role for Pakistan in the battle against al Qaeda and the Taliban . After all , in developing a strategy for `` Afpak , '' Obama acknowledged the United States can not win in Afghanistan without cooperation from Pakistan , the suspected hideout of Osama bin Laden and other al Qaeda leaders . Which is why the buzzword of both Qureshi and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this week was `` partnership , '' as in the United States and Pakistan are united in a `` strategic partnership '' against a common enemy . Right now , the relationship between the two countries is less a partnership and more an uneasy marriage with a history fraught with decades of mutual mistrust and disappointment . In the late 1980s , the United States partnered with Pakistan to supply mujahedeen fighters with weapons and training to defeat the Soviets in Afghanistan . Then the United States abandoned the region , leaving the Pakistanis , in Clinton 's words , `` awash in drugs ... and jihadists who had been trained up in conjunction with us . '' Now the Americans are back . But , rightly , the Pakistanis are wondering if this time they will stay . This week Qureshi urged the United States not to repeat history , but rather to articulate a `` long-term commitment '' for the region . That 's exactly what the United States is trying to do with an aid package worth $ 1.5 billion a year for five years for social and economic development and with discretionary military spending . By building roads , schools and democratic institutions , the United States hopes to combat both Islamic extremism and anti-Americanism . In part the aid has had the opposite effect . Tough conditions attached to the aid to ensure the Pakistanis are fighting terrorism on their own soil have prompted fears and resentment about renewed -- and unwanted -- American influence . The military spending in the Kerry-Lugar legislation threatens to cut off assistance if Pakistan fails to crack down on extremists or uses the funding to attack neighboring countries , namely India . It requires Pakistan 's cooperation in efforts to dismantle nuclear weapons networks operating in the country and demands Pakistan provides the information about its military budget and chain of command , all of which has given birth to grave concern in the military that the aid package is compromising Pakistan 's sovereignty . The bill also makes reference to the southwestern city of Quetta and eastern town of Muridke . Both are believed to be hubs for al Qaeda and Taliban leaders , which suggests that the United States could target those cities for the kind of drone attacks which have drawn Pakistani ire . As the Pakistani parliament debates the bill , street protests over the aid have spread through the country . The fears about sovereignty have only been aggravated over U.S. plans to send hundreds more diplomats to its embassy in Islamabad . Washington says the additional staff is needed to distribute and monitor the aid , but it has all left Pakistanis humiliated and feeling like a child who needs a babysitter . Pakistan also wants more credit from the United States for decisive action it has taken against terrorists , including its recent offensive in the Swat Valley . The United States has been impressed by the Pakistani army 's recent offensive against the Taliban in Swat . And it is encouraged that Pakistan is gearing up to launch a major offensive in Waziristan , believed to be a stronghold of both the Taliban and al Qaeda . But the conditions attached to the aid are a symptom of the United States ' longstanding doubts about the Pakistanis ' capacity to be a reliable partner it needs in the struggle against al Qaeda and the Taliban . Not only are there concerns about Pakistani intelligence ties to extremist networks , but the United States continues to fear Pakistan 's obsession with its nuclear neighbor India will divert its focus from fighting terrorist threats on its own soil . As the United States struggles over the future of the mission in Afghanistan , Pakistan wants to strengthen cooperation . This week Qureshi said the United States needed to share more critical information it has about al Qaeda and the Taliban on its border . What 's more , he suggested the administration should consult with both the Pakistani military and civilian government before deciding to send more troops . The sad legacy of U.S. and Pakistani relations can be overcome only if both counties are able to rebuild trust . Pakistan needs to answer lingering questions about the country 's commitment to fighting terrorism . And after 20 years of neglect , the United States needs to assure Pakistan it wo n't exploit it for its own interests , only to abandon the region once again . Only then will this uneasy marriage give way to a true partnership . | U.S.-Pakistan relationship fraught with decades of mistrust and disappointment . Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi asks U.S. for `` long-term commitment '' U.S. aid package of $ 1.5 billion is for social and economic development . | [[1214, 1223], [1226, 1394], [1847, 1854], [1914, 1973], [1974, 2149], [1995, 2169]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An arrest warrant has been issued for a Florida man suspected in the shooting deaths of four people , including his sisters , in the coastal town of Jupiter , authorities said Saturday . Paul Michael Merhige , 35 , allegedly left the scene of the Thanksgiving Day shooting armed . He faces four counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder , the Palm Beach County State Attorney 's Office said in a statement . The U.S. Marshals have joined the search for Merhige , and a $ 10,000 reward was offered for information leading to his arrest . The shooting victims include Merhige 's 6-year-old cousin , Makayla Sitton ; his 33-year-old twin sisters , Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight ; and 76-year-old Raymond Joseph , police said . One of the victims -- Knight -- was pregnant , a police spokeswoman said Friday . Two others -- Patrick Knight and Clifford Gebara -- were wounded , police said . Interviews with family members suggest that Merhige `` had ongoing resentment '' for some of his relatives , said Sally Collins-Ortiz , a spokeswoman for Jupiter police . The shooting occurred about 10 p.m. Thursday . Merhige is thought to have escaped in a blue 2007 Toyota Camry with Florida license plate number W42 7JT , police said . | Paul Michael Merhige faces four counts of first-degree murder , two counts of attempted murder . Four shot dead , 2 hurt in Jupiter , Florida on Thanksgiving night . Police : Merhige may have had `` resentment '' for relatives . | [[300, 391], [57, 142], [861, 909], [913, 925], [942, 1075]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The two men running Michael Jackson 's estate gained new powers and an extension of their authority until the end of the year in a court hearing Friday . An investigator 's report said Michael Jackson 's children are doing well with Katherine Jackson as their guardian . Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff also accepted an investigator 's report that said Jackson 's three children are adjusting well under the guardianship of Katherine Jackson . `` It looks like the children are really doing wonderfully with their grandmother guardian , '' Beckloff said . Joe Jackson sat in the courtroom for the hearing on estate and custody matters . It was the first time Michael Jackson 's father has attended the hearings since his son 's June 25 death . John Branca and John McClain , named as executors of Jackson 's 2002 will , have been handling the estate 's business as temporary special administrators since July while the will probate process is completed . Branca was a longtime attorney for Michael Jackson , who was rehired by the pop star just a week before his death , according to estate lawyer Howard Weitzman . McClain is a former music industry executive who worked with Jackson for years . Katherine Jackson 's challenge of Branca and McClain appears headed for a trial in December , unless an agreement is reached between them . Her lawyers have not publicly given their objections to the two men , but have suggested the trial would explore possible conflicts of interest that would prevent them from running the estate . Jackson 's lawyers have also said a Jackson family member should be included as an executor . While Joe Jackson did not speak to reporters after the hearing , a Jackson family friend , Majestik Magnificent , talked about the special administrators . `` Why are they even here ? Why are they even involved in this ? This is a family affair , '' he said . Until now , the administrators had to ask for court approval for every agreement they made for the estate , including a deal for a movie that will hit theaters at the end of October . `` Things went well for the estate , because the estate can now continue to do it 's business , '' Weitzman said after the hearing . Beckloff said that while the case is fascinating , his calendar is too full for him to be involved in all of the estate 's business . With their new powers , the special administrators only have to notify the court and the Jacksons about deals . Michael Jackson 's mother and three children , along with unnamed charities , are the beneficiaries of the estate , which is estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars . An odd moment came in the hearing when a woman who has previously filed a papers claiming to be the mother of Michael Jackson 's youngest child , Prince Michael II , spoke up to remind the judge she was there . She says her name is Billie Jean Jackson . At the end of the hearing , Joe Jackson approached her , but she frowned at him and walked away . Majestik Magnificent later wondered aloud why reporters even give any attention to `` crazy '' people surrounding the case . | Judge extends Michael Jackson administrators ' powers until the end of the year . Administrators of estate do n't need to have court approval for every decision . Joe Jackson attends court hearing for the first time since son 's death . | [[0, 11], [14, 40], [90, 197], [700, 806], [707, 806]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nicklas Bendtner scored a hat-trick as a rampant Arsenal side thrashed Porto 5-0 at The Emirates to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League on Tuesday . Danish international Bendtner had been widely criticized for missing a host of chances in Arsenal 's 3-1 Premier League win over Burnley on Saturday -- however , he was in the right place at the right time twice in the first-half as the Londonders comfortably overturned their 2-1 first leg deficit . The opening goal came in the 10th minute when Bendtner was on hand to fire into an empty net after goalkeeper Helton had rushed out to block the on-coming Andrey Arshavin . And he doubled the lead 15 minutes later after more good work from Russian Arshavin , who evaded two challenges on the edge of the area before crossing for the striker to comfortably slot home . Porto came out with more determination after the break but were hit by two goals in the space of three minutes around the hour mark . First , Frenchman Samir Nasir produced a moment of breathtaking skill and fast foot-work to dance around three Porto challenges before firing past Helton from an acute angle . Then , with their Portuguese opponents chasing the game , Arshavin collected the ball on the break after a Porto corner was cleared . He had Emmanuel Eboue overlapping in support -- and the pass was perfect for the Ivorian to round the goalkeeper before stroking the ball home . And a superb night for Arsenal -- and Bendtner in particular -- was completed in the final minute when Eboue was fouled in the penalty area , and the Dane stepped up to fire his penalty wide of Helton 's despairing dive . Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told Sky Sports : `` It 's never perfect but it was a very good performance , a strong performance . `` We had a very good first half , suffered a bit at the beginning of the second half , but Nasri 's goal made a big difference and from then it was easy . '' Meanwhile , Bayern Munich are also through to the last eight , progressing on the away goals rule despite losing 3-2 at Fiorentina . Their qualification was sealed with a stunning strike from Dutchman Arjen Robben , who skipped past a couple of challenges before firing home a thunderbolt shot from a full 30 meters out . The Serie A side took a 28th-minute lead when Juan Vargas netted from a tight angle after a week clearance from goalkeeper Jorg Butt . And the hosts doubled their advantage nine minutes after the break when Stevan Jovetic scored from close range after a superb Alberto Gilardino backheel . Bayern made the scores level 3-3 on aggregate on the hour mark when Mark Van Bommel drilled home a low shot after good work from Frank Ribery . However , just four minutes later Montenerin striker Jovetic out-muscled Daniel Van Buyten to fire home a Gilardino header-on . That sparked wild celebrations from the home bench and supporters , but just 72 seconds later Robben unleashed his devastating strike to break Florence hearts and complete a crazy spell of four goals in 12 minutes . | Arsenal thrash Porto 5-0 to cruise into the quarterfinals of the Champions League . Nicklas Bendtner scores hat-trick as the London side overturn first leg deficit . Bayern Munich are also through to the last eight despite losing 3-2 to Fiorentina . | [[19, 115], [116, 179], [19, 115], [413, 480], [116, 179], [2028, 2082]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least five homes were destroyed after a tornado touched down in western Oklahoma Monday evening , authorities said . There were no reports of injuries . Other homes were damaged , and power was out to about 900 residences in and around the city of Hammon in Roger Mills County , Oklahoma , Michelann Ooten of the Department of Emergency Management said . Roger Mills officials continued to assess the damage , but all residents appear to be accounted for , Ooten said . The tornado hit about 5:30 p.m. -LRB- 6:30 p.m. ET -RRB- , said Ken Gallant , lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in Norman , Oklahoma . The thunderstorms that produced the conditions for the tornado weakened shortly afterward and a tornado warning was canceled , Gallant said . Jerry Dean , county commissioner of Roger Mills , said the county barn was among the structures destroyed . Area residents had time to prepare before the tornado hit , Dean said . He could see the tornado coming before going into a cellar to wait it out , he said . | At least five homes were destroyed after the tornado touched down . Other homes were damaged , and power was out in Hammon , Oklahoma . County barn in Roger Mills County was among the structures destroyed . | [[0, 15], [28, 69], [175, 199], [206, 219], [784, 794], [834, 879], [865, 891]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After more than a month in a Haitian jail , an American missionary was free Monday night , looking forward to a hot shower and a long night in bed on home soil . But Charisa Coulter 's heart remains in Haiti , her father said , because her best friend , Laura Silsby is now alone behind bars . `` She came back with mixed emotions , '' Mel Coulter told CNN affiliate WSVN in Miami , Florida . Haitian Judge Bernard Saint-Vil released Coulter on Friday . She walked out of judicial police headquarters in Port-au-Prince and headed to the nearby airport for a flight to Miami . Coulter is staying in a hotel by herself , her father said . He did not know when she might return home to Boise , Idaho . He said his daughter had been through a `` trying experience '' and was welcoming the solitude . Coulter , Silsby and eight other Americans had been detained in Haiti on suspicion of kidnapping 33 children after the killer earthquake January 12 . Last month , Saint-Vil released the eight others , but Silsby and Coulter remained in custody because the judge wanted to learn more about their motives . On Friday , Silsby was brought into Saint-Vil 's office for further questioning . The missionaries were stopped by Haitian authorities on January 29 as they tried to cross the border with 33 children without proper legal documentation . The group said it was going to house the children in a converted hotel in the Dominican Republic and later move them to an orphanage . Saint-Vil recently traveled to the Dominican Republic to see where Silsby said she intended to open an orphanage . Silsby originally claimed the children were orphaned or abandoned , but CNN determined that more than 20 of them had at least one living parent . Some parents said they placed their children in Silsby 's care because that was the only way they knew to ensure a better quality of life for them . The 10 Americans , many of whom belong to a Baptist church in Idaho , have said they were trying to help the children get to a safe place after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake flattened cities and towns in Haiti . Silsby said she was `` very happy that Charisa went home today . '' She expected her freedom would soon follow . `` I came here to help these children , '' she said . CNN 's Lonzo Cook and Sara Sidner contributed to this report . | NEW : Last group member in custody says she expects to be released soon . Charisa Coulter is ninth member of American group to be released . Coulter was one of 10 Americans accused in Haiti kidnapping case . Group accused of trying to illegally remove children from Haiti after earthquake . | [[2204, 2248], [2217, 2239], [838, 987]] |
Willow , Alaska -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The 2010 Iditarod is officially under way , with 71 mushers and dog teams on the wide-open trail toward Nome . Teams will spend the next week and a half crossing 1,049 miles through some of the most demanding and formidable conditions on Earth , including North America 's largest mountain chain , the Alaska range . `` Ten days and nothing else but eat , sleep and feed dogs , '' Canadian musher Sebastian Schnuelle said excitedly . The sport has been dominated in recent years by Lance Mackey , 39 , of Fairbanks , Alaska , and this year he will be trying to accomplish what no musher in history has been able to do : win four consecutive Iditarods . Mackey is a throat cancer survivor and is known for his fierce determination and competitive spirit . He comes from family of Alaskan mushing champions . His father , Dick Mackey , and brother Rick have also won the Iditarod . Dick Mackey 's one-second win over Rick Swenson in 1978 set a record for the closest finish in Iditarod history . The Iditarod , though , is n't a competitive sprint to the finish for every musher in the field . Jim Lanier , 69 , of Chugiak , Alaska , mushes primarily for enjoyment . He 's entered and completed 13 Iditarods , at least one in all four decades the race has been in existence . He has never won . Rookie Iditarod musher Kristy Berington admits that she 's not racing to win ; she just hopes to finish . Her longest race prior to entering this year 's Iditarod was only 300 miles . `` I 've got puppies on this team that I want to see get to Nome . It 's like watching your kid graduate from college , '' said the 25-year-old Kasilof , Alaska , resident . `` They go and they 're puppies , and they come back and they 're dogs . '' She has been training with Iditarod veteran Paul Gebhardt and has borrowed one of his dog teams to lead her to Nome . Outside of personal accomplishments and goals , the race this year also presents an opportunity for some mushers to show their respect to fallen serviceman , thanks to a collaboration with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors . Always a top competitor in the race , four-time Iditarod champion Martin Buser of Big Lake , Alaska , has six commemorative purple ribbons attached to his sled this year , placed there at the ceremonial start by the wives of the fallen soldiers and officers . Buser , who was born in Switzerland in 1958 , became a U.S. citizen in 2002 . `` After the 9/11 incident , I proved to my boys that this is the soil I wanted to defend ... so being asked to do such honors as these are very , very important to me because I 'm truly one of the new immigrants and one of the staunches believers in our country , '' he said . Buser was naturalized under the famous burled arch in Nome at the finish line of the 2002 Iditarod . He carried an American flag in his sled for more than 1,000 miles to the finish line that year and set an Iditarod record for the shortest race time ever recorded : 8 days , 22 hours , 46 minutes and 2 seconds . His two sons are even named after Iditarod checkpoints : Nikolai and Rohn . The 2010 Iditarod musher 's roster includes men and women ages 18 to 69 who hail from five countries : the United States , Canada , Scotland , Belgium and Jamaica . Some are professional mushers who raise and train sled dogs year-round ; others are teachers , nurses , horse trainers , foresters or biologists . A doctor and a fishing guide also are included , among other professions . Asked to explain why mushers are drawn to this sport , four-time Iditarod champion Jeff King of Denali Park , Alaska , took time to reflect before answering . `` Until you 've ridden a dog team you 've trained from puppies on a full moon with a hard trail and feel their energy and hear the panting of their tongues , the jingle of their collars , feel the surge of power that comes through the handlebar , I do n't think you can appreciate what it 's really like , '' the 54-year-old said . `` But that 's exactly the reason . '' | 38th year of famed Alaskan sled dog race begins with 71 teams . Lance Mackey will be trying for fourth consecutive win . `` It 's like watching your kid graduate from college , '' musher says of completing . | [[565, 687], [1579, 1629]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The driver of a Toyota Prius says he was taken on a wild ride Monday after the car 's accelerator became stuck , reaching speeds in excess of 90 mph on a winding , hilly portion of a southern California interstate . It took the California Highway Patrol to bring the car safely to a stop . The driver , Jim Sikes , said he was traveling east on Interstate 8 outside of the San Diego area when he attempted to pass a slower vehicle . `` I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car , and it just did something kind of funny ... and it just stuck there , '' he said at a news conference outside a Highway Patrol office . `` As I was going , I was trying the brakes ... and it just kept speeding up . '' Sikes said he called 911 for help , and dispatchers talked him through instructions on how he might be able to stop the car . But nothing worked . At one point , Sikes said he reached down to try to pull the accelerator up , but it `` stayed right where it was . '' Alerted by emergency dispatchers , a California Highway Patrol officer was able to catch up to Sikes ' Prius and used the patrol car 's public address system to instruct Sikes to apply the brakes and the emergency brake at the same time . The tactic worked , and the car slowed to about 50 mph . Sikes said he was able to shut off the car , and it rolled to a stop . The responding officer , Todd Neibert , positioned his patrol car in front of the Prius as a precaution to prevent it from moving again . Toyota recently issued widespread recalls due to problems related to the accelerator pedal in several of its auto models . One theory behind the sticky accelerators is the vehicles ' floor mats . But Sikes said `` my mat was perfect . There was nothing wrong with my mat . '' Sikes said he took his 2008 Prius into a local Toyota dealership about two weeks ago for service and gave workers there his recall notice . He said he was told his car was n't on the recall list . `` I 'll be back there tomorrow , '' he said Monday , visibly shaken up . CHP spokesman Brian Pennings said the ordeal lasted just over 20 minutes . `` We are extremely thankful that there was a safe end to this , '' Pennings said . A Toyota spokesman issued a statement Monday night saying the automaker had been notified of the incident . `` Toyota has dispatched a field technical specialist to San Diego to investigate the report and offer assistance , '' the statement said . | `` I pushed the gas pedal ... and it just stuck there , '' said Jim Sikes . Sikes had to get help from the California Highway Patrol to stop his car . A Toyota spokesman said the automaker had been notified of the incident . | [[542, 561], [941, 974], [235, 308], [2189, 2296], [2215, 2296]] |
LUKAVAC , Bosnia-Herzegovina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The man 's remains lie on a table . Next to him are the bones of his 22-year-old son and the remains of another son . But no one yet knows which of the man 's two missing boys the third set of remains could be . Cheryl Katzmarzyk measures a leg bone as she puts together remains from Srebrenica . Cheryl Katzmarzyk wants to be able to put a name to the remains , and to those of hundreds of other bodies stacked around her in a building in Lukavac , near Tuzla in the northeast of Bosnia . The bones are from more than 8,000 men and boys slaughtered in 1995 during the Bosnian war at Srebrenica in the worst massacre in Europe since World War II . The killers -- Serbs seeking to drive out Bosnian Muslims in a policy of `` ethnic cleansing '' -- executed the region 's fighting-age males , then used bulldozers to dump them into mass graves . What makes the work harder for the teams trying to put the bodies back together -- so they can be returned to their families for proper burial -- is that so many have been broken up over the years . Mass graves were dug up and the bodies moved sometimes again and again , to hide evidence as the Serbs retreated amid the NATO bombing that followed Srebrenica and led to the end of the war . Those killed in a warehouse execution at Srebrenica are spread throughout 20 secondary grave sites , for instance . Katzmarzyk said remains of one of the victims was found in eight different parts of one mass grave . Another man 's shoulder was found where he and others were lined up and shot , one of his legs was found near a grave , a hip was found inside the grave , his upper jaw several miles away and his left arm in a secondary grave . `` What we do here is we sort them out , '' said Katzmarzyk , the head of anthropological examinations for the International Commission on Missing Persons . Katzmarzyk 's team from the ICMP -- a nongovernmental organization set up at the end of the Bosnian war to locate and identify victims of war and human rights abuses -- has pioneered quicker , simpler DNA tests to work out which bones go together . Watch an audio slideshow about the ICMP 's work '' Then , a more extensive DNA test is done to see if there is a match with any of thousands of relatives who have donated their own samples in the hope of finding missing relatives . But DNA can only go so far , and while it can show that the unidentified remains on Katzmarzyk 's table are those of a man and his 22-year-old son , it can not say whether the third set belongs to a missing 21-year-old or his 24-year-old brother -- because neither had children to act as an extra reference point . It 's a particular problem with identifying the Srebrenica dead because so many of the victims were related . Across the room , brothers lie next to each other , but as yet the scientists do not know who is who . So Katzmarzyk and her colleagues are also experts in forensic anthropology , using other pointers to make an identification . They will look for clues to the age of the remains and any other factors that could identify them : Did the man break his leg as a child ? What clothes was he wearing ? How tall was he ? `` We started to look at clothing , place of disappearance , '' said Katzmarzyk . `` We use all kinds of evidence to identify as many people as possible . '' Watch a Bosnia concentration camp survivor describe the torture and rape she witnessed '' About 5,200 people out of the 8,000 executed at Srebrenica have been identified with the help of ICMP , but new mass graves continue to be found and more remains are delivered to the facility in Lukavac to be matched . Years of work lie ahead -- if governments continue to contribute to the project . `` We still have many more IDs to make , but what we need are additional funds to ensure that the process is completed . It 's essential . ... This is a unique contribution to the investigation of genocide , '' said Katzmarzyk , who was recently working on 842 sets of remains , all but one of them male . Evidence gathered by the ICMP about the Srebrenica genocide could also be used against former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic , who is set to face trial at The Hague , accused of ordering the massacre . ICMP helped identify victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunami , but its main work continues in the former Yugoslavia , where the condition of the remains makes it vital to use DNA , forensic anthropology and anything else to piece skeletons together and give them a name . `` The ICMP is unique in that all these lines of inquiry are used together , '' Katzmarzyk said . `` DNA is essential , anthropology is essential . '' The work is challenging scientifically and sometimes emotionally , she said . It is rewarding and satisfying to identify remains and allow them to be released to the coroner and then to the family . But some cases are more haunting . `` The fact that I have three brothers lying side by side on a table -- how can that not affect you ? '' Katzmarzyk asked . `` And there 's a fourth brother missing . '' | Scientists piece together remains of massacre victims . Many of the 8,000 slaughtered at Srebrenica still not identified . Team uses mix of DNA and forensic anthropology . | [[557, 695], [3481, 3513]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sen. Barack Obama is saddled with a potentially toxic image problem : that he has an elitist attitude . Sen. Barack Obama mingles at the Penn State dairy farm . It has made him a target of attacks from Democratic rival Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. John McCain , the presumed Republican nominee . It 's ironic that one presidential candidate could hang that label on another , said Dr. Drew Westen , professor of psychology and psychiatry at Emory University in Atlanta , Georgia , and author of `` The Political Brain . '' `` If you think you should be president , by definition you are an elitist , only because you believe that of the 300 million people in America , you are the best person to run it , '' he said . `` There ca n't be a more elitist statement than that . '' Obama 's opponents made the elitist charge after the senator from Illinois said some small-town Pennsylvanians are understandably `` bitter '' over the government 's failure to reverse their economic decline and , in their frustration , `` cling to guns and religion . '' He made the statement at a recent fundraiser in San Francisco , California . Watch how Obama is fighting the elitist label '' Obama defended his remarks but said he could have worded them better . Clinton said his comments were `` elitist , out of touch and frankly , patronizing . '' McCain agreed that the remarks were `` elitist . '' Branding a rival elitist is not new in politics . Republicans for years have successfully labeled Democratic presidential candidates as the liberal elite . Portraying their rivals as latte-sipping , sushi-eating insiders , Republicans have connected with some voters by arguing that they understand the values important to the everyday person . `` It 's a little like when politicians charge politicians with being politicians . It has the same feel to it : that if it sticks , it 's because a candidate has n't handled it well , '' Westen said . Republicans painted George W. Bush 's Democratic opponents Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004 as elitists who were detached from average Americans , and the strategy worked . How damaging the blow is , Westen said , depends on the target 's response . `` The mistake that Kerry and Gore both made was to let that brand stick to them , '' he said . `` The only question is whether Obama fights it back and offers a different brand for himself than the brand that is starting to be given to him . '' By definition , all the candidates exhibit the aura of elitism , because it 's difficult to get a presidential campaign started without some degree of personal wealth . It 's ironic , Westen said , that of the three standing , the only one who is n't demonstrably wealthy is Obama . Since leaving the White House , the Clintons have earned more than $ 109 million from book sales , speaking engagements , the presidential pension and her Senate salary , among other sources . McCain , whose father and grandfather were Navy admirals , married into wealth . His second wife , Cindy , has a stake in her father 's multimillion-dollar beer distributor company . The Associated Press estimated her worth at more than $ 100 million . Whatever their current financial status , the candidates all like to convey the impression that they are not much different than the people they are trying to persuade to vote for them . Obama , 46 , who graduated from Columbia University and received a law degree from Harvard , often mentions growing up in a single-parent home . He says he and his wife just paid off their school loans in the past five or six years . `` I was n't born into a lot of money . I did n't have a trust fund . I was n't born into fame and fortune . I was raised by a single mother with the help of my grandparents , '' he said . `` My mother had to use food stamps at one point . '' Clinton , who has been reaching out to blue-collar voters with stories of how she learned to shoot a gun in Pennsylvania and photo ops hoisting a shot and a beer , often talks about her middle-class upbringing . Clinton , 60 , went to Wellesley College before attending law school at Yale . After graduation , she advocated for women and children 's rights and became a staff attorney for the Children 's Defense Fund . She later became a partner in a law firm and was twice listed as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in the country . The senator from New York frequently touts her 35 years of public service , including eight as first lady . McCain spent a week traveling around on a `` get-to-know-me '' tour . He talked about how he was a rambunctious child with a chip on his shoulder . McCain , 71 , went to the United States Naval Academy and frequently jokes about finishing at the bottom of his class . After graduation , he spent 22 years as a naval pilot . He was shot down on a bombing mission and spent five years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam . He retired from the Navy in 1981 and , living in Arizona , became a member of the House the next year . He was elected to the Senate in 1986 and is serving his fourth term . Dr. James Twitchell , an author , University of Florida English professor and commentator on American culture , said the whole elitism back-and-forth is `` self-serving nonsense , '' pointing specifically to the similarities in the Democratic contenders ' stories . `` Both senators are members of one of the more elite clubs -LSB- the Senate -RSB- , attended the elite schools -LSB- Harvard , Yale -RSB- and are out for one of the most elite jobs , '' he said . As the candidates get closer to the White House , they get farther away from `` normal life . '' They fight to show they still share the average American 's values , visiting bowling alleys , diners and schools along the way . `` I do think it speaks to one of the conflicts that Americans have about their leaders , which is we want them to be like us , and we want them to be above us at the same time , '' Westen said . `` The issue comes down to two things . One is , do you let your opponent brand you as elite , in which case you are in a lot of trouble in American politics ? And the second is , do you convey clearly to people that you understand them and the world they live in and the problems they face ? '' he said . `` In the case of Barack Obama , my guess is , this is n't going to stick terribly well because he does such a good job of connecting with people that the elitist charge is going to be a harder one to make people feel . '' E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Candy Crowley contributed to this report . | Barack Obama 's rivals have accused him of having an elitist attitude . Presidential candidates are elite by definition , says author Drew Westen . Charge of elitism is not new in politics . The toxicity of the charge depends on how it 's handled , Westen says . | [[94, 122], [180, 279], [797, 871], [1406, 1430], [1456, 1561], [6021, 6027], [6033, 6073], [6021, 6024], [6030, 6073], [1406, 1455], [2132, 2153], [2159, 2165], [2173, 2208]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A deadly car bomb attack on a busy market in Peshawar Wednesday continued a bloody trend of atrocities in Pakistan during October . Ten attacks have been carried out so far this month , resulting in nearly 400 deaths , according to security expert Will Geddes , chief executive of International Corporate Protection . Geddes gives CNN his assessment on the latest attack and the challenges facing the Pakistan forces . Why Peshawar and why now ? No one 's actually releasing any statement , but I would say it 's a retaliatory action to the seizing of Kotkai , a town in the South Waziristan district by Pakistani troops almost two weeks ago on October 17 . The Taliban is setting off devices and suicide bombs in other parts of the country to draw attention away from Waziristan to make it harder for them . Because obviously troops will be deployed to the areas perceived to be the greatest threat . It 's a pretty smart tactic on behalf of the Taliban . Why did the attackers target the marketplace Meena Bazaar ? It 's indiscriminate . It 's the purest essence of terrorism . It is to absolutely instill fear and terror into the general populace . Whether that works effectively and advantageously for them in the longer run , I do n't think so . Because ultimately it will be the local community who will be feeding intelligence back to Pakistani intelligence service , the Inter-Services Intelligence . If you alienate that community by targeting them then you 're not winning the support of people who are potentially going to hide you out or not disclose your whereabouts , your location or your operations . It is a risky tactic . It is showing the arrogance of the Taliban . They do n't care who they target -- they just want to terrorize the whole nation . How much can be read into the timing of the attacks ? It coincides with Hillary Clinton being in the country . It 's fundamentally saying : `` You 've got a high-ranked world leader who 's a guest in the country , and we 're showing you we 're still kicking your backside , '' for lack of better words . It 's really to make President Zardari lose face , as well as to continue the turmoil across the country and to show to the international community that the Taliban is winning . It is the latest in a series of deadly attacks this October . Why is the Taliban so active now ? The Taliban are always more active up in the mountains in the autumn months because it 's far harder for the enemy to be successful . It is colder , the terrain 's harder . The Taliban are experts at fighting in mountainous regions . The Taliban will generally come down on to the flats during the summer months and during the winter months they retreat back up into the mountains . What would conditions be like on the ground ? It would be very cold , very brutal . It would be tough , tough terrain for any military forced to try to fight against the Taliban . They are kings of their castle in many respects in those regions . Can you see the fighting intensifying between now and the end of the year ? The Pakistan military will find it incredibly hard going to battle against them as the winter months progress . There is very possibly going to be some kind of withdrawal , maybe the closer we get to the end of the year , because it starts becoming more and more brutal before the early months of the year . It 's like Afghanistan ; you do n't want to be down there in January or February . However the government ca n't lose face and they ca n't seem to be losing . Is there anything the government can do to halt the spate of suicide attacks ? If you have got sorties from the Taliban coming down into Islamabad and Karachi and undertaking attacks there , it 's very difficult to intersect . Quite often what you may have is a group that is working in Karachi and Islamabad who will be the resource ; they 'll be the ones doing the reconnaissance , looking at the various targets and then the suicide bombers would likely come down to be briefed by the local team and pointed to the explosives , wherever they might be . It demonstrates their determined campaign to embarrass and humiliate Zardari 's government . iReporter : `` Increasing chaos '' in Pakistan . | Car bomb in Peshawar market killed at least 100 people , injured many more . Of recent attacks by the Taliban , Geddes says : `` It 's the purest essence of terrorism '' Pakistani forces fighting Taliban militants in increasingly difficult conditions . Geddes : Taliban employing risky tactic of terrorizing nation with indiscriminate attacks . | [[1059, 1098], [394, 437], [3072, 3183], [3072, 3075], [3104, 3183], [1704, 1786], [1725, 1736], [1740, 1786]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- About 1,000 National Guard soldiers will report for duty Saturday in Puerto Rico , activated by the governor this week to help fight a drug-fueled crime tsunami that has flooded the Caribbean island . The military personnel will repair police cruisers and join local authorities on patrols in the most crime-ridden areas of Puerto Rico , mainly in poor parts of the commonwealth 's largest cities . One soldier will accompany a police officer on each patrol , said the National Guard chief , Maj. Gen. Antonio Vicens . `` The problem that exists now is that the police are short of personnel , '' Vicens said . `` What we are going to do solely is to help them . First , we are going to help them with mechanics , provide them with more than 100 mechanics so that their fleet of patrol cars can go out on the street . Once we have that , we are going to have joint preventive patrols . `` You wo n't see military vehicles on the street . What you 'll see are police patrols on the street . '' The soldiers will be deployed in San Juan , the territory 's capital , and the cities of Carolina , Bayamon and Ponce . Gov. Luis Fortuno announced the call-up in his annual state of Puerto Rico speech Monday night , saying the help is needed until more officers can be trained . He did not set a timetable . In a separate development , Fortuno announced Tuesday that U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez Velez had reached an agreement with the commonwealth 's Justice Department and Puerto Rico Police Department for federal prosecutors to have jurisdiction over a series of major crimes . Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States and more stringent federal U.S. laws can apply . `` To those who commit carjackings , '' Fortuno said , `` to those who provoke shootouts on our roads ... to sexual offenders who rob our children of our innocence , our message is clear : We 're going to impose on them the full weight of the federal law . We 're going to look for them , and we 're going to bring them to justice . '' Rodriguez said the agreement will streamline the prosecution of cases and allow federal agents immediate access to some crime scenes . `` We feel very strongly about fighting crime , '' she said Thursday . `` It 's much better to fight crime together . This is an additional crime-fighting measure . '' By all measures , there 's much crime to fight . A 2010 threat assessment by a 15-agency task force notes there were 68,738 violent crimes reported in 2008 , a 9.3 percent increase over the previous year . Of the 13 major police areas in Puerto Rico , the municipality of Bayamon was the worst , with 16,590 violent crimes . Homicides also showed a significant increase , with 807 killings reported in 2008 , the latest year for which statistics were available . That was a 10.5 percent increase over the previous year . Homicides had already increased by 9.2 percent in 2007 . San Juan had the highest homicide rate in 2008 , with 177 slayings . Bayamon was second-highest , with 154 killings . As in many other parts of the world , authorities tie the crime jump to drugs . `` It 's strong . It 's very strong , '' Rodriguez told CNN . A recent Puerto Rico Police Department report documented that more than 60 percent of the slayings on the island were directly related to drug trafficking . `` Drug-related violence is endemic in Puerto Rico , '' said a 2009 analysis by the Justice Department 's National Drug Intelligence Center . `` Homicide rates typically rank among the highest in the United States , and law enforcement officials report that most of these homicides are related to drug trafficking . -LSB- Drug-trafficking organizations -RSB- and gangs frequently use intimidation , violence and murder to gain and retain control of retail drug markets in the region . '' The largest gangs predominantly operate in public housing projects scattered throughout San Juan , Aguadilla , Fajardo and Ponce , the 15-agency threat assessment said . Drug gangs also operate in lower-income neighborhoods where they feel less vulnerable to law enforcement . Cocaine , crack-cocaine , marijuana , heroin and Ecstasy are the drugs most widely trafficked , officials say . Puerto Rico is particularly vulnerable because of its location . `` The Caribbean region remains a major transshipment area for cocaine and heroin shipments originating from Colombia , transiting through Venezuela and destined to the United States , Europe and Canada , '' the multiagency report said . The criminals are well-financed and well-armed . `` Large-caliber assault type rifles such as AK-47s , M-16s and various types of military carbines are the weapons of choice , '' the report said . `` In some instances , rifles recovered in the streets have been converted to fire in the fully automatic mode . The handguns of choice are Glocks and Smith & Wesson pistols converted to fire in the fully automatic mode , thus providing added fire power . '' The National Drug Intelligence Center also notes that Puerto Rico `` is a major money-laundering center for drug traffickers operating in the region . '' Although Puerto Rican officials did not mention it this week , there 's another reason for the National Guard deployment . `` Public confidence in the -LSB- Puerto Rico Police Department 's -RSB- ability to protect the citizenry remains low because of continued corruption within the department , '' the National Drug Intelligence Center analysis said . `` This situation has resulted in decreased cooperation between the public and the police department and has made it more difficult for police officers to deter crime and enforce the law . `` Consequently , it is likely that the crime rate in Puerto Rico will remain high and the drug situation will worsen in the next year as traffickers take advantage of a perceived law enforcement weakness . '' Vicens , the National Guard general in charge , believes the military can help change that . `` We are the beneficiaries of a -LSB- good -RSB- reputation and confidence on the part of the public , '' he said in a published interview this week . `` When we act , we act professionally . That will help us accomplish our objectives . '' Some Puerto Ricans wonder whether the military can solve the problem . `` It might help , '' said Tony Santiago , owner of Rent the Bike in Old San Juan . He questioned whether some of the Guard members are up to the task . `` What do they do for a living , '' he asked . `` Maybe they do n't have the knowledge to handle the situation like a policeman would . '' No one seems to question that there 's a problem and that something needs to be done about it . Gwenn Bentz and her husband own Coqui 's Hideaway , a vacation rental cottage 45 minutes east of San Juan . `` It does n't affect us personally because we live up in the mountains , '' she said . `` It 's mostly in the cities . '' Nonetheless , she and some neighbors are starting a crime-watch group . `` Is there crime ? Yes , sure . That 's gone up , '' Bentz said . And the governor feels he has to act , she said . `` I think Fortuno realizes that something has to get done about the violent crime , drug problems , and the police do n't seem to be able to get the problem under control , '' said Bentz , a New Jersey native who has lived in Puerto Rico for six years . `` So if the National Guard can help , I am happy he is trying something . '' A few minutes later , she was not so sure . `` I do n't think the National Guard troops activation is the answer to the problem , but I guess it ca n't hurt , '' she said . U.S. Attorney Rodriguez , a 32-year veteran of the justice system , believes her office 's new powers will make a difference . `` I have much hope , '' she said . And if anything can make the situation better , she said , it 's intervention by federal authorities . `` I am rich in satisfaction , '' the prosecutor said . `` The United States has always taken care of Puerto Rico . It 's a good father . '' | Violent crimes , homicides on the rise in Puerto Rico . Military will repair police cruisers , join local authorities on patrols in crime-ridden areas . Soldiers will be deployed in San Juan , Carolina , Bayamon , Ponce . Confidence in local law enforcement is low because of corruption , report says . | [[2679, 2688], [2694, 2723], [220, 270], [220, 242], [275, 354], [842, 904], [837, 854], [857, 904], [1012, 1131], [5262, 5433]] |
MEXICO CITY , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mexican authorities deployed more than 1,000 additional police officers to reinforce security at the capital 's 175 subway stations on Saturday , a day after a shooting inside a station left two people dead and eight injured at the height of evening rush hour . Camera footage shows Luis Felipe Hernandez Castillo brandishing a gun . The shooting at the Balderas station in central Mexico City happened after police stopped Luis Felipe Hernandez Castillo , 38 , from writing graffiti on the wall of one of the subway platforms . Five of the injured suffered gunshot wounds , and three others were hurt by the stampeding crowds , officials said . Hernandez Castillo was writing `` Este gobierno de criminales , '' or `` this government of criminals , '' Mexico City district attorney Miguel Angel Mancera said . As police tried to stop him , Hernandez Castillo drew a .38 special handgun and began firing . Mancera said his first impression of Hernandez Castillo is that he may suffer from mental illness . `` One moment he is talking about global warming and then about the message of the Bible and suddenly he focuses on some government , '' Mancera said . Authorities identified Hernandez Castillo as an agriculturalist from the state of Jalisco . Hernandez Castillo also told investigators that he believed a great famine would come , and he traveled to Mexico City to relay a message , Mancera said . Earlier this month , a Bolivian pastor hijacked a passenger jet in Mexico City with a fake bomb , claiming that he acted on a divine revelation to warn people of a forthcoming earthquake . Mancera said Hernandez Castillo was aware of the hijacking , but that the two events were not connected . Hernandez Castillo said he opened fire because he saw the police as a threat to his task of writing on the wall , Mancera said . Preliminary tests show that Hernandez Castillo was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the incident , Mancera said . The Mexican government on Saturday posted security camera footage of the shooting . It shows a busy subway platform as the train pulls into the station just before 5:15 p.m. Friday . As the train comes to a stop , there is a disturbance in the crowd , and Hernandez Castillo is seen shooting at an officer . Watch the dramatic incident unfold '' The crowd disperses , and the officer runs out of view of the camera . The officer , who was a bank policeman , is later seen on the footage lying dead , face down on the platform . Authorities identified the officer as Victor Manuel Miranda Martinez . The footage shows a man in a white shirt running off the train and trying to wrestle Hernandez Castillo . The man chases Hernandez Castillo around the platform . He frequently falls either because he slips or is trying to avoid being shot . The man is on the floor facing Hernandez Castillo , about to get up and try to grab him , when he is shot in the head and falls to the ground . Mancera initially said the man was a federal security agent in plain clothes , but later clarified that the man was a civilian , a 58-year-old construction worker . A scattered handful of people remain on the subway platform during the shooting . Some stay on the train . Others walk on the platform very close to the shooter , seemingly undisturbed . Seven minutes later , the camera pans out to show the construction worker lying on his back and the bank police officer in the foreground . Hernandez Castillo remains on the train , occasionally firing his gun and peeking out of the train . At 5:23 p.m. , the camera shows first one , then two , then three plain-clothes police getting into position on the platform . Within moments they rush Hernandez Castillo and pull him out of the train , with nearly a dozen police officers then wrestling him to the ground . Hernandez Castillo was treated at a hospital for a bullet wound to the right shoulder before being transferred to the local attorney general 's office , a common place to hold prisoners during preliminary investigations , a spokesman for the attorney general said . He faces two counts of murder and one count each of attempted murder , aggression , resisting arrest and disturbing the peace , said the spokesman , who declined to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the press . CNN 's Esprit Smith in Atlanta , Georgia , contributed to this report . | Shooting took place at the Balderas station in central Mexico City . Luis Felipe Hernandez Castillo , 38 , had been writing graffiti . When police tried to stop him he drew a gun and began firing . Witnesses heard Hernandez Castillo yelling anti-government slogans . | [[198, 256], [374, 568], [323, 373], [854, 878], [881, 926], [881, 899], [931, 945], [2253, 2308]] |
Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- China has threatened to slap sanctions on American companies that sell arms to its rival Taiwan as part of a range of punitive actions Beijing is taking to protest the deal . China also summoned U.S. ambassador Jon Huntsman to express its anger over Washington 's announcement , the official Chinese news agency Xinhua said , citing the Foreign Ministry . Beijing also suspended plans for visits between the Chinese and U.S. militaries and postponed a high-level arms control meeting , it announced Saturday , following Washington 's $ 6.4-billion arms deal with Taiwan . China 's Defense Ministry said the decision was made `` in consideration of the serious harm and impacts on Sino-U.S. military relations '' brought about by the arms deal , according to Xinhua . `` China will make further judgments as appropriate , '' Xinhua reported . China had already complained to the United States about the deal , announced Friday by the Obama administration . Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei called it a `` rude interference in China 's internal affairs , severely endangering China 's national security '' and said China expressed its `` strong indignation . '' The arms sale includes 60 Black Hawk helicopters , totaling $ 3.1 billion ; 114 advanced Patriot air defense missiles ; a pair of Osprey mine-hunting ships ; and dozens of advanced communications systems . The deal with Taiwan -- which neither China nor the United States recognizes as an independent country -- does not include F-16 fighter jets , which China has vehemently opposed . The State Department described the latest round of arms sales to Taiwan as a way to guarantee security and stability , despite China 's objections . `` This is a clear demonstration of the commitment this administration has to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons it needs and as provided for in the Taiwan Relations Act , '' State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Friday . He said the action is consistent with Washington 's `` one-China '' policy and will help maintain security and stability across the Taiwan Strait . The arms sales come as the United States is hoping to persuade China to sign on to harsher sanctions against Iran and just after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized China for its policies relating to the Internet . Crowley would not speak directly about the timing of the announcement of the sales , and about the fact that the arms package does not include F-16s . A senior U.S. official said later that the United States expected Chinese criticism of the arms deal , but does not expect permanent damage . The official said he believed Clinton had discussed the sale in London with her Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of Thursday 's international conference on Afghanistan . `` This relationship between the United States and China is broad , it 's deep . There are a large number of issues . We do n't see eye to eye with them and we have to have and do have the ability to speak honestly , '' the official said . The arms deal is the latest chapter in a decades-long uneasy standoff . China claims Taiwan is its own territory and has threatened to invade if Taiwan ever declares independence . The United States has said it will defend Taiwan if China ever attacks . The government in Taiwan began as the remnant of the government that ruled over mainland China until a Communist insurrection proved victorious in 1949 . With the Communist takeover of mainland China , the losing faction fled to the island of Taiwan . Taiwan is formally known as the Republic of China , while Communist China 's official name is People 's Republic of China . Many Western nations and the United Nations recognized Taiwan as the legitimate Chinese government until the 1970s . CNN 's Eve Bower and Charley Keyes contributed to this report . | China considers sanctions against U.S. companies over arms deal with Taiwan . China has suspended U.S. military visits , postponed arms control meeting . Sale includes Black Hawk helicopters , air defense missiles , mine-hunting ships . | [[0, 7], [35, 95], [391, 398], [404, 470], [391, 398], [475, 518], [1201, 1249]] |
Havana , Cuba -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Marina Ochoa keeps a handful of photos of her little brother in a faded yellow envelope . She has a black-and-white snapshot of him as a baby and some color portraits of him as a successful banker in Miami , Florida . And then there 's one of him as a 7-year-old , about to be airlifted out of Cuba . That was the last time she ever saw him . `` I went to the airport to see him off , '' the Cuban filmmaker said at her Havana home . Her brother Frank was one of 14,000 Cuban children quietly sent to the United States between 1960 and 1962 , at the start of Fidel Castro 's revolution . Their parents were terrified the new government would strip them of parental authority and ship their kids off to work camps in what was then the Soviet Union , or send them into the countryside on literacy campaigns . Those fears deepened when the state nationalized industries , confiscated private property and closed religious and private schools . `` Our parents thought they would soon join my brother or that this government would n't last , '' Ochoa said . `` My father thought , ` Americans wo n't put up with this radical revolution . ' '' Her parents wanted to send Ochoa , then 11 , but she refused to go . The clandestine program came to be known as Operation Peter Pan . It was backed by Washington and coordinated by the Catholic Church , which helped Cuban children get U.S. visas and once in America , find a family or go to foster homes or orphanages . But things did n't play out as expected . To begin with , a CIA-backed invasion failed to topple Castro . With the subsequent Cuban missile crisis , relations between Havana and Washington broke off completely , making travel and even communication almost impossible . Many parents could n't get U.S. visas , and others could n't get permission to leave Cuba . Latin pop star Willy Chirino and former U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida are perhaps the best-known of the `` Peter Pan '' kids . The operation inspires mixed feelings . Many Cuban exiles argue that the airlift saved children who might have died trying to escape on rafts or grown up under a repressive regime . Others say the clandestine program put many kids at unnecessary risk , with a few suffering abuse in foster homes and orphanages . Silvia Wilhelm was airlifted out when she was just 14 . She did n't come back to Cuba for more than 30 years but now visits frequently and promotes cultural and religious exchanges . `` I will always respect my parents ' decision , because they made it at a juncture in time that was when their whole world was falling apart , '' she said . Her parents managed to get coveted U.S. visas a year later and moved to Florida . `` I think at the end of the day we were pawns between political powers , two countries . '' But it took years for other families to be reunited , and 20 percent of the children never saw their parents again . Ochoa 's brother Frank drifted from home to home , and his family eventually gave up trying to join him . `` He felt so alone that he wrote to my mother , filling pages with the same sentence : Come Mommy . Come Mommy , '' she said . In 1993 , Frank died . He was only in his 30s . `` When the bureaucratic hurdles started to ease , it was too late . My brother was already sick . My mother had already died without ever seeing him again , '' she said . Ochoa started work on a documentary about the exodus a year later . Politics still divide the countries , but many families touched by Operation Peter Pan have started to reach out to people and places they thought they had lost . Last year , President Obama lifted restrictions on allowing Cuban-Americans to visit relatives in Cuba and made it easier for them to send money to relatives . | 14,000 Cuban children sent to U.S. at start of Castro 's revolution . Mixed feelings remain about Operation Peter Pan . Some families were never reunited . Others have started to reach out again as restrictions are lifted . | [[467, 478], [485, 517], [496, 573], [1984, 2023]] |
San Francisco , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Before the protests of tuition hikes last week , a colleague posted the following : `` Need suggestions for protest songs . We have a DJ but need to give her a play list . '' The requests started coming in : Joan Baez , the Dixie Chicks , The Clash . I wondered about the overlap between songs on a professor 's play list and those on a student 's . So I went to class and asked students to tell me what they wanted to hear . The list included Dead Prez , Lyrics Born , B-Side Players and Erykah Badu , among many others . This is the protest play list of a new generation . My introduction to protest songs came through my mom . As the daughter of a Chicano movement activist , I attended protests against wars in Central America and rallies in response to police repression . Last week , I marched in solidarity with people across 17 states calling for well-funded , accessible public education . While at the March 4 rally , I realized that California 's public education system has had a great impact on who my mother and I are today . As a 15-year-old immigrant newly arrived in Los Angeles , my mother was placed in remedial classes because she did n't speak English . She struggled with the language but excelled in math . Yet her high school counselor directed her to work at a local tortilla factory . This was the early 1960s , just a few years before students responded to educational inequities through organized acts of civil disobedience that would later be referred to as the East Los Angeles blowouts . It was only by chance , and without parental or institutional guidance , that my mom enrolled in East Los Angeles College . Like many other low-income and working students , community college was her entry into higher education . It was not until her mid-30s that she enrolled in the California State University of Los Angeles while working full time . I was in elementary school and remember going to campus with her on days that my dad was working , even during an in-class exam . This was my first exposure to a university classroom . Since then , I have taught at the California State University of Los Angeles and the University of California at San Diego . I am currently an assistant professor at San Francisco State University . Watching preschool teachers and children participating in the recent marches reminded me that my education began at Head Start . My mom enrolled me in this program , which provided early reading and math skills and set a foundation for my educational development . I stand in solidarity with early childhood educators . At the protest , I watched high school students confidently take the stage and list their demands and hopes for a better future . I wish that my mom , as a teenage immigrant , could have aired her own frustrations with the 1960s educational system . Today 's high school students inspire me , and I am proud of today 's teachers , who support their students . I ran into some of my own students at the rally . One asked where she could hear the DJ playing her song request . We searched through the sea of people and realized the turnout was much larger than we had imagined . The protest play lists of multiple generations filled the air with music . Young fans of Dead Prez marched and chanted alongside older fans of Joan Baez . They all recognized the need for well-funded , accessible public education . Rising student fees have placed barriers between thousands of eligible students and their dreams of higher education . In addition , budget cuts and the subsequent elimination of course offerings have extended the number of years necessary to graduate . Many of my students have taken on multiple jobs to finance their education . I hear their stories and imagine my mom trying to attend Cal State L.A. today . Younger generations in the U.S. have consistently achieved a higher level of education than the generation that came before . But for the first time since World War II , we are in danger of reversing that trend . Students and educators view education as a public good available to all and will continue mobilizing to restore funding for public education . Will they receive support or will education become a luxury available to fewer and fewer people ? The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Katynka Z. Martínez . | Katynka Z. Martínez : Protest songs at education rally ranged from old school to hip hop . Martínez : Whichever generation , all were fighting for accessible , affordable higher education . Writer 's mom immigrated to L.A. at 15 and went to college ; she could n't afford it today . Rising fees keep thousands of eligible students from realizing their dreams , she says . | [[1089, 1141], [3431, 3450], [3431, 3549]] |
Central Falls , Rhode Island -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Graduates of the nation 's most vilified high school descended upon campus Tuesday evening to support the school 's fired teachers . They also had a message for President Obama : Do n't bash our school . `` He does n't know us . He does n't know the teachers . He does n't know the students , '' said Nikko Calle , 21 , a graduate of Central Falls High School in 2006 . `` I think it 's a real outrage what 's happening here . '' Nearby , Ashley Delgado , 19 , stood on the school 's steps clutching a sign that read : `` Dear Obama , I supported you , your causes , goals and beliefs . Why are n't you supporting mine ? '' A firestorm has erupted in this Democratic stronghold in recent weeks after 93 teachers , support staff and administrators at Central Falls High School were fired for the low performance of the school , which graduated just 48 percent of its seniors last year . The firings will go into effect at the end of the school year . Teachers can re-apply , but no more than 50 percent will get rehired . Obama weighed in last week , endorsing the actions of the local board . `` Our kids get only one chance at an education and we need to get it right , '' the president said . Obama 's comments further inflamed an already tense environment in this poor Rhode Island enclave , just outside Providence . `` I could n't believe it , '' said Delgado , who graduated in 2008 . `` Ever since the beginning , I thought firing all the teachers was a ridiculous notion . '' About 70 young people , most of them graduates of the school and now in college or working , demonstrated peacefully outside the school in the largely Hispanic , working class neighborhood . They expressed outrage and disbelief that the school they attended has become a national pariah . `` We stand together for our teachers and for our school , '' said Katherine Lopera , 20 , a graduate in 2007 . Her classmate , Sindy Alvisures , said , `` The teachers are literally like our family . When I went through high school , I went through a lot of personal problems and my teachers were always there for me . '' Of the 800 students who currently attend Central Falls , 65 percent are Hispanic ; English is a second language for most . Half the students are failing every subject , with 55 percent skilled in reading and 7 percent proficient in math , officials say . The defenders of the school say improvements have been made , but the stats are skewed against them because the school 's population is so transient . Tuesday 's demonstration was to coincide with a board of trustees meeting , where the firings were to be the main topic . However , the meeting was abruptly called off , because the Governor 's Commission on Disabilities said the school 's auditorium was unfit for people with disabilities . On the steps outside the school , George McLaughlin shrugged . He cast suspicion on the reason for the meeting 's cancellation . `` Unless they mean , it 's not fit for morally disabled people , '' he said . McLaughlin has been a guidance counselor at Central Falls for the last 15 years . His wife is a chemistry teacher . `` We will lose all of our income . '' He suggested Obama should summon the 93 teachers and administrators for a beer summit . The president `` has n't heard our side of the story , '' said McLaughlin , a member of the teachers ' union . `` He has n't listened to us . He knows nothing about us . '' Marcia Reback , president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers , was less hospitable toward the president . `` We 're all taking our bumper stickers for Obama off our cars , '' Reback said earlier in the day . She said the union supports school reform . She called for an independent mediator to intervene at Central Falls because tensions have gotten so high between the union and the school administrators who carried out the firings . `` This is unprecedented , '' Reback said . `` I do n't think anyone was prepared for this kind of fallout . '' School superintendent Fran Gallo said she stands by her decision . She noted the school did n't graduate half its seniors last year . `` Somebody has n't spoken up for them , the other 50 percent , '' she said . As darkness fell at the school , the graduates who had come back said the problems at the school have been oversimplified and that the rest of the nation ca n't understand the importance of the teachers in the tough environment they live . Nikko Calle said one of the most important men in his life was his creative writing teacher , Michael Occhi . A freshly planted tree stands on the school 's lawn to honor the legacy of Occhi . He was killed in an accident by a drunk driver last summer . Encouraged by his high school teacher , Calle has taken up poetry . `` A lot of these teachers here helped me through hard times , '' he said . `` They were always here for me . '' Now , many here wonder what the legacy of the school will be next . | About 70 young people , most of them graduates of the school , demonstrated Tuesday . Graduates upset by President Obama 's comments about their school . Supporters say school is improving , despite the neighborhood 's many obstacles . | [[1532, 1553], [1625, 1691], [2399, 2458]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Luis Caplan served the poor of the South Bronx for decades out of a small medical office . His leg was amputated after a bout with cancer in 1990 , yet he continued to work for another five years . Luis Caplan , 71 , asks of the stimulus package : `` What happens to the real middle class ? '' Now , his savings have nearly been wiped out because of the economic crisis . At the age of 71 , he faces losing his apartment if things do n't change soon . The government bailed out the big institutions , but `` what happens to the little people ? '' he asks . `` What happens to the real middle class ? What happens to me ? '' he says , choking back tears . `` It 's awful . It 's really awful . '' With Congress working to pass the $ 800 billion stimulus bill , millions of Americans -- especially those with homes they 're trying to sell or about to be foreclosed on -- are asking the same thing : What 's in it for me ? Caplan says most of his equity is tied up in his 800-square-foot apartment that he purchased in 1985 . He wants to sell it to move to Seattle , Washington , to be near his daughter , who was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis . But his place has sat on the market for three months without an offer . Located in a tony neighborhood in Manhattan 's Upper East Side , apartments used to sell in a matter of weeks . Caplan has dropped $ 50,000 from the original asking price of $ 625,000 and may have to drop the price again . He says he can barely afford maintenance fees and other monthly costs associated with his place . He hopes to make enough money to pay off the reverse mortgage he took out to supplement his Social Security payments . `` I do n't know how much more I can go through like this , '' he says , sobbing even more . `` I 'm going crazy with this . '' His son , Danny Caplan , says , `` He 's collateral damage . He has equity and could sell it and walk away and have enough to live comfortably . But -LSB- he ca n't -RSB- because of the economic situation . '' America 's housing crisis has become a key issue for Washington policymakers . Millions of Americans are in foreclosure or facing foreclosure ; others are out of work trying to sell their homes in a down economy . And there are elderly people , such as Caplan , who want to sell immediately to help stabilize their finances . Send us your thoughts on the stimulus plan . President Obama on Tuesday told people at a town hall meeting in Fort Myers , Florida , that he plans to announce in coming weeks `` what our overall housing strategy is going to be . '' Secretary of Treasury Tim Geithner made the rounds in Washington on Tuesday to push the stimulus bill , including the need to jump-start America 's housing market . See stimulus bill provisions '' `` Homeowners around the country are seeing the value of their homes fall because of forces they did not create and can not control , '' he said . `` This crisis in housing has had devastating consequences , and our government should have moved more forcefully to help contain the damage . '' At one Senate hearing , Sen. Jack Reed , D-Rhode Island , said `` decisive action '' is needed to address the housing crisis . `` I think the message should come through clear from all of us , you have to move aggressively , clearly , and to start working , '' Reed said . `` I agree with you , '' Geithner responded . `` Our objective is , and our hope is , that our program meets that test . '' The stimulus bill does sweeten the pot for potential homebuyers , which supporters say could help spur the economy . Critics charge that letting housing prices stabilize on their own is healthy for the economy . The Senate 's version of the bill offers a $ 15,000 tax credit to anyone who purchases a home in the next year , more than double the tax credit offered by the House . Dwight Jaffee , a professor of real estate and finance at the University of California-Berkeley , says the housing market is the `` perfect instrument in leading the economy out of recession because housing is such a big-ticket item . '' `` We will not turnaround this economy until we start to turn around housing . I hope people in Washington are hearing it , '' he says . In the case of Luis Caplan , Jaffee says , `` What it means to him , if they did carry out this program , then the government would be stimulating the demand -- the buyers -- for his apartment to sell it at a fuller price and much sooner . '' Caplan says that would be a good thing . He needs all the help he can get . Born in Argentina , Caplan came to the United States as a legal immigrant in 1964 to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor . He eventually became a naturalized U.S. citizen and opened his medical office to help treat the Spanish-speaking poor of the South Bronx . He believed his calling was to help `` the poorest of the poor '' get decent medical treatment , rather than pursue the more high-paying lifestyle of other doctors . Most of his patients were on Medicaid , so he got paid at a rate much less than other doctors . He beams with pride at the lives he saved . `` I caught cancers very early , '' he said . `` I 'm not the savior of humanity . ... I just did what I could to help poor people . '' In June 1990 at the age of 53 , Caplan started having pain in his left leg . It turned out to be a malignant tumor and his leg was amputated . Yet his passion and commitment to helping others kept him going . Even after losing his leg , he went back to work for another five years . When he retired , he got another shocker : Social Security initially rejected him -- a man without a leg -- for disability . He says he scraped and saved money along the way , `` a very small amount that has practically disappeared . '' He now scoots around his apartment in his wheelchair hoping for better days . As far as he 's concerned , the big Wall Street institutions can `` burn in hell . '' `` I do n't have a Rolls-Royce . I do n't have a Cadillac , '' he says . `` The government ... is n't trying to help everybody : People like me that went through this , people who did something good for the community , people who did n't buy an expensive painting for their office . '' Caplan pauses . `` This is what I 'm left with : an apartment that can hardly sell . '' His son is proud of his father 's accomplishments , yet he 's frustrated that his dad is in such a financial pinch during a time that 's supposed to be the Golden Years of his life . `` He bought the American dream and paid for the American dream , '' says Danny Caplan . CNN 's Jackie Adams contributed to this report . | Luis Caplan , 71 , committed his life to the poor ; now , he faces losing his home . On the stimulus bill , he asks , `` What happens to the real middle class ? '' Stimulus plan offers a $ 15,000 tax credit for homebuyers to try to spur the market . | [[391, 407], [410, 439], [217, 228], [236, 264], [267, 309], [524, 562], [563, 575], [576, 618], [3682, 3754]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistan 's religious affairs minister escaped with a minor injury in an attack that killed his driver Wednesday . Hamid Saeed Kazmi -LRB- center -RRB- and his driver are helped into an ambulance at the site of the shooting . The attack took place at an Islamabad market , next to a police station , the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan said . The minister , Hamid Saeed Kazmi , was shot in the leg but his injury was not serious , hospital officials said . The minister 's driver , however , died in the attack , the APP said . Kazmi , 51 , is the federal minister for religious affairs and member of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party . Security analyst Hasan Askari-Rizvi told CNN affiliate Time.com the attack shows that the serious security problems in the country remain . `` If this type of attack can take place in the center of Islamabad , '' he said , `` then nowhere in Pakistan is safe . '' Wednesday 's attack comes a day after Pakistani officials claimed fighting in the northwest of the country left 43 militants dead and two commanders captured . The deaths came as a result of a military operation in Bara , in the Khyber Agency , according to the agency 's Office of Political Administration . CNN 's Samson Desta contributed to this report . | Religious affairs minister , Hamid Saeed Kazmi , was shot in the leg . Attack took place at an Islamabad market , next to a police station . Minister 's driver was killed in the attack . | [[390, 402], [417, 444], [575, 580], [588, 683], [266, 310], [110, 119], [125, 142], [504, 526], [539, 557]] |
Chicago , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The four people found dead this week in a suburban Chicago home were the victims of a murder-suicide , a coroner said . A man , a woman and two boys were found dead Wednesday in a house in Addison , Illinois , west of Chicago , according to the DuPage County coroner 's office . A statement from the coroner 's office identified the four as Thomas Mangiantini , 48 , his wife Elizabeth , 46 , and the couple 's two sons , Angelo , 12 , and Thomas , 8 . The deaths of Elizabeth Mangiantini and the two children were called homicides in the coroner 's report . Thomas Mangiantini 's manner of death was ruled a suicide , the report said . Police received a 911 call from a woman at 6:30 a.m. CT Wednesday , according to CNN affiliate WGN-TV in Chicago . When officers arrived at the scene , they found a female dead downstairs in the house and the bodies of three males upstairs , according to WGN . A spokesman for the Addison Police Department declined to give more information Friday . | Coroner says four are victims of murder-suicide in Addison , Illinois , house . Bodies of married couple and two sons found after 911 call in suburban Chicago . Father 's death a suicide , others homicides , coroner says . | [[38, 101], [10, 34], [102, 138], [158, 234], [491, 596], [38, 101], [158, 234], [790, 824], [827, 914], [141, 157], [491, 596], [597, 654]] |
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