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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Archie Manning : Super Bowl XLIV is Sunday in Miami , Florida . The New Orleans Saints will face the Indianapolis Colts , and it 's the first time the Saints have been in the Super Bowl in the team 's four-decade history . Archie Manning is in an interesting situation . The quarterback was drafted by the Saints in 1971 , and was hands-down the most famous and revered Saint , staying with them for ten years . He still has a home in New Orleans , Louisiana . Now his son , Peyton Manning , quarterback of the Colts , will face his father 's old team , the team he grew up rooting for . Archie Manning and his wife , Olivia , raised three football-playing sons . Cooper , an all-state high school wide receiver and now a partner in an investment firm ; Eli , who led the New York Giants to their Super Bowl win two years ago ; and Peyton , who did the same for the Colts the year before that . Eli and Peyton both won MVP awards . A few weeks ago , Mike Chappell in the Indianapolis Star reported that Archie Manning said he plans to root for the Colts . `` I 'm going to pull for my son , '' Archie said . '' -LRB- Saints coach -RRB- Sean Payton knows that . He 's a great friend of mine . -LRB- Saints quarterback -RRB- Drew Brees knows that . That 's just the way it is . Anybody who thinks it 's different must not have children . '' Indy Star : Saints legend Archie Manning pulling for son , Colts . Robert Park : North Korea said Friday it was releasing the Korean-American missionary detained after reportedly illegally entering the country in December , state-run media reported . Tyong Park , Robert Park 's father , said in San Diego , California , that he was `` so excited '' by the news but had no other information about his son 's release . Robert Park told relatives before Christmas that he was trying to sneak into the isolated communist state to bring a message of `` Christ 's love and forgiveness '' to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il . After an investigation , North Korean authorities `` decided to leniently forgive and release him , taking his admission and sincere repentance of his wrong doings into consideration , '' the state-run Korea Central News Agency said . During an interview with North Korean authorities , Park reportedly told investigators that `` he was taken in by the false rumor spread by the West and committed a criminal act in the end . '' Park said he heard stories of concentration camps and of mass killings , prompting him to go to North Korea to help , the news agency said . A South Korean Web site in December posted a copy of the letter it said Park was trying to deliver to Kim , urging the North Korean leader to free political prisoners and `` open your borders so that we may bring food , provisions , medicine , necessities , and assistance to those who are struggling to survive . '' But according to the North Korean news agency , once Park was in North Korea he said he was treated well and allowed to attend church and pray freely . CNN : N. Korea says it is releasing U.S. citizen . Joe Lombardi : He 's the grandson of legendary New York Giants and Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi . The Los Angeles Times reports that Joe Lombardi , 38 , never met his famous grandfather ; he was born a year after his death in 1970 . Lombardi , the quarterbacks coach for the New Orleans Saints , told the newspaper that he had seen a quote from his grandfather saying he wished he had never said `` Winning is n't everything , it 's the only thing , '' and that he feels Vince was misinterpreted . `` I think his point was that certainly your goal is to win , but it 's the process that you take in order to get there , the will to win , the will to prepare -- doing everything in your control in order to put yourself in position to win at anything . And I think that 's what his point was , more so than win at all costs , even if you 've got to cheat or cut corners , '' Joe Lombardi told the Los Angeles Times . L.A. Times : Saints have a Lombardi , and now they want a trophy . Jenny Sanford : `` Staying True '' by Sanford , who in December filed for divorce from South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford , will be available in bookstores Friday . Reporters exposed the governor 's affair with an Argentine woman after he disappeared for several days last summer . Staffers said he was hiking the Appalachian Trail . Sanford later admitted he was actually in Argentina with his mistress . Rather than standing by their men , wives of morally challenged politicians are now publicly opting to let their husbands clean up their own messes . That is one reason why former investment banker Jenny Sanford wrote her book , publisher Ballantine Books says on its Web site . `` She chose to let Mark Sanford deal with the embarrassment and political fallout from his own actions while focusing her own efforts privately on raising their children to be men of character , even in the face of the lies their father has told , '' says the synopsis of her book on the site . CNN : Silent no more , wives go public about husbands ' affairs . D.A. Powell : Claremont Graduate University in Southern California announced this week that D.A. Powell has won the $ 100,000 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award for his book `` Chronic . '' Powell teaches at the University of San Francisco and lives in the Bay Area of California . According to the Poetry Foundation , Powell was born in 1963 in Albany , Georgia . When he was teaching at Sonoma State , he noticed that many of his students wrote poems that somehow fit the size of the page they were working on , so he began experimenting with his students . What difference would it make if words were written on a candlestick or a roll of toilet paper ? When he wrote the first poem for his book , `` Tea , '' he turned his legal pad sideways and began writing longer lines of poetry . Powell receives his prize this April . Here 's an excerpt from his poem , `` Chronic : '' I carry the same baffled heart I have always carried / a bit more battered than before , a bit less joy / for I see the difficult charge of living in this declining sphere / by the open air , I swore out my list of pleasures : / sprig of lilac , scent of pine / the sparrows bathing in the drainage ditch ... '' Claremont Graduate University : D.A. Powell wins Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award . Poetry Foundation : Poet biography . Poetry Daily : `` Chronic '' What makes a person intriguing ? There are people who enter the news cycle every day because their actions or decisions are new , important or different . Others are in the news because they are the ones those decisions affect . And there are a number of people who are so famous or controversial that anything they say or do becomes news . Some of these people do what we expect of them : They run for office , pass legislation , start a business , get hired or fired , commit a crime , make an arrest , get in accidents , hit a home run , overthrow a government , fight wars , sue an opponent , put out fires , prepare for hurricanes and cavort with people other than their spouses . They do make news , but the action is usually more important than who is involved in the story . But every day , there are a number of people who become fascinating to us -- by virtue of their character , how they reached their decision , how they behaved under pressure or because of the remarkable circumstances surrounding the event they are involved in . They arouse our curiosity . We hear about them and want to know more . What they have done or said stimulates conversations across the country . At times , there is even a mystery about them . What they have done may be unique , heroic , cowardly or ghastly , but they capture our imaginations . We want to know what makes them tick , why they believe what they do , and why they did what they did . They intrigue us . | Former Saints quarterback puts family before team . Korean-American missionary to be released from North Korea . Poet D.A. Powell wins $ 100,000 award for book , `` Chronic '' | [[1439, 1510], [5106, 5117], [5173, 5272]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An English-language immersion class failed Miriam Flores , her mother contended . A divided Supreme Court dismissed on Thursday a 17-year-old suit filed on behalf of English-deficient students . After two years of instruction in her native Spanish , Miriam entered the Nogales , Arizona schools ' English Language Learner program as a third-grader . However , she continued to lag behind her classmates and was cited as a disruptive influence in the classroom because she often had to ask a fellow student for help . The girl 's mother , also named Miram Flores , and other minority parents claimed school officials in Nogales , a border town about 70 miles south of Tucson , did not provide enough money to get English-deficient students up to speed in writing and reading comprehension . In 2000 , a federal judge agreed , concluding Arizona violated the Equal Educational Opportunities Act , and ordering the state to rework its plan and increase funding . The English Language Learner -LRB- ELL -RRB- program was then placed under federal oversight . On Thursday , a divided Supreme Court dismissed the 17-year-old lawsuit , but ordered a federal judge to review whether Nogales officials are `` providing equal opportunities '' to mainly Spanish-speaking students in the community . Arizona maintained the federal court injunction delayed its plans to fix the system . It maintained it has provided enough resources to improve its ELL program , allowing it to end federal oversight . `` Injunctions of this sort bind state and local officials to the policy preferences of their predecessors , '' wrote Justice Samuel Alito for the majority . Some legislators claim a 2006 state law essentially eliminated long-standing funding inequities . But parents say officials continue to drag their feet when it comes to complying with an appropriate classroom model for non-English-speaking students . Arizona says it increased more than twofold the amount of money it spends per non-English-speaking pupil , and that it has complied with the No Child Left Behind Act , the sweeping public classroom accountability act passed in 2002 that ties federal education funding to improvements in measurable student achievement . The current dispute has pitted the GOP-led state legislature and the school superintendent against the Democratic governor and attorney general , along with civil rights and teacher groups . Alito said a federal law guaranteeing equal opportunity in public schools `` is a vitally important one , and our decision will not in any way undermine efforts to achieve that goal . '' He added that if state officials ultimately prevail in their reform efforts , `` it will be because they have shown that the Nogales School District is doing exactly what this statute requires -- taking appropriate action to teach English to students who grew up speaking another language . '' Alito was backed by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia , Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas . But in a lengthy dissent -- parts of which were read from the bench -- Justice Stephen Breyer said the ruling was `` misguided , '' calling it `` a mistaken effort to drive a wedge between review of funding plan changes and review of changes that would bring the state into compliance with federal law . '' He was backed by Justices John Paul Stevens , Ruth Bader Ginsburg and David Souter . The divided court seemed poised to issue a narrow ruling , fact-specific to the ELL plan in Nogales . But groups on both sides of the issue asked the high court for broader guidance on settling state-federal conflicts involving institutional reform mandates , especially those involving disadvantaged groups . Such political turf battles often end up in the courts , and can lead to decades of federal oversight , such as the fight over school desegregation beginning in the 1950s . Against that backdrop is the continuing fight over immigration and the responsibility of states to fund the education of illegal immigrants and their children . Miriam Flores is now an adult and a student at the University of Arizona . The cases are Horne v. Flores -LRB- 08-289 -RRB- and Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives v. Flores -LRB- 08-294 -RRB- . | Supreme Court dismisses case that claimed schools failed English-deficient kids . The 17-year-old case began in Nogales , Arizona , a border town . A federal judge agreed and ordered increased funding and federal oversight . Both sides seek help from high court in resolving political turf wars over reforms . | [[112, 224], [1085, 1096], [1099, 1156], [158, 224], [820, 827], [830, 852], [866, 947], [820, 827], [855, 873], [929, 989], [990, 1051], [1059, 1084], [990, 1042], [1047, 1084], [3533, 3644]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Australian pilot landed a company plane in the ocean off Darwin on Friday , in a water landing that prompted comparisons to last month 's landing of a US Airways jet in New York 's Hudson River . The Australian pilot has been compared to U.S. hero Chesley B. `` Sully '' Sullenberger , pictured above . The Australian pilot also encountered problems shortly after takeoff . The twin-propeller plane was carrying the pilot and five passengers when it went down shortly after leaving Darwin International Airport , said Neville Blyth , a senior transport safety investigator with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau . All those aboard were unhurt and managed to walk to shore , he said . Pictures showed the men from the plane soaked and carrying bags and equipment as they walked through the water . `` It 's essentially a good story , '' Blyth said . The ATSB is deciding whether to investigate , he said , and the cause of the incident is still unknown . The Piper Chieftain plane was on its way to the town of Maningrida , about 500 kilometers -LRB- 310 miles -RRB- east of Darwin , according to its owner , Australian information technology company CSG . Watch the plane ditch in Darwin Harbor '' `` We would like to congratulate the pilot following all emergency landing and evacuation procedures and his very professional handling of the situation , '' a CSG statement said . Darwin is in Australia 's Northern Territory , on the coast of the Timor Sea . The city 's airport is near the water . The plane 's trajectory took it over the water , giving the pilot limited opportunities to ditch the plane on land , Blyth said . He said the ocean was a safer option for landing than the beach , where the firmness of the sand was unknown . `` Personally , I think the decision was appropriate , '' Blyth said . Australian media dubbed the captain of the Darwin plane `` Sully Lite , '' comparing him to the captain of the US Airways Airbus jet that landed safely in the Hudson . Pilot Chesley B. `` Sully '' Sullenberger was hailed as a hero for landing the plane safely and ensuring that all 155 people on board survived . Asked about the comparisons , Blyth said the connection was tenuous . `` The correlation for a water landing is as close as it gets , '' he said . | Australian pilot lands a company plane in the ocean off Darwin . He and five passengers escape injury after emergency landing . Australian media dubbed pilot `` Sully Lite , '' comparing him to U.S. hero . | [[0, 15], [19, 95], [641, 669], [218, 280]] |
Barcelona 's recent defensive problems have increased further with the news that French international Eric Abidal faces up to two months out of action because of an injury to his left leg . Abidal collected an abductor muscle problem in training , meaning he joins fellow-defenders Rafael Marquez , Dani Alves , Gerard Pique and midfielder Yaya Toure on the sidelines for the Primera Liga trip to Atletico Madrid this weekend . Barcelona confirmed the news on their official Web site , with a statement adding : `` After medical tests , which were carried out in Barcelona , the medical team confirmed that Abidal was suffering a disinsertion of the adductor in his left leg . '' As well as Saturday 's match , Abidal will be absent from both legs of the Champions League last 16 showdown against Stuttgart , while he will also miss a host of key Spanish league fixtures . Marquez and Pique are banned this weekend after their recent dismissals against Getafe , while Alves is suffering from a calf injury . Toure is sometimes deployed by Barca coach Pep Guardiola as an emergency defender , but the Ivory Coast international has a leg injury which will rule him out of action for two weeks . | French defender Eric Abidal faces two months out because of a left leg injury . The setback is a further blow to Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola . Rafael Marquez , Dani Alves , Gerard Pique and Yaya Toure are also on sidelines . | [[81, 189], [1096, 1192], [190, 196], [248, 412], [873, 959]] |
MADRID , Spain -- Barcelona 's Brazil forward Ronaldinho was granted dual nationality by Spain on Monday , the Primera Liga club said . Brazilian striker Ronaldinho leaves Gava magistrates court in Spain after being granted dual nationality . The move frees up a place for another non-European Union player in Frank Rijkaard 's squad . Mexican forward Giovani dos Santos is set to take up the vacant slot alongside Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure in the non-EU berths permitted under Spanish Football Federation -LRB- RFEF -RRB- rules . However , Dos Santos is also expected to be granted dual nationality this week . Barcelona opened up their Primera Liga campaign with a goalless draw away to Racing Santander on Sunday . E-mail to a friend . | Barcelona 's Brazil forward Ronaldinho is granted dual nationality by Spain . Move allows another non-European Union player in Frank Rijkaard 's squad . | [[0, 6], [9, 104], [136, 242], [204, 242], [243, 335]] |
Rome , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Italian government plans to participate in the international troop buildup in Afghanistan by sending 1,000 more troops there next year . The Italian Defense Ministry confirmed the troops would be deployed in the second half of 2010 , a complement to the nearly 2,800 Italians already in the western part of the country . Italy is one of 43 countries serving under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force . Based in Herat , the Italian military is the lead nation in ISAF 's Regional Command West . 22 Italian service members have been killed in the Afghan conflict . The Italian escalation would be part of the troop buildup of 5,000 extra non-U.S. service members ISAF intends to commit to the country . NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said that new troop pledges could be announced at a conference of NATO foreign ministers Thursday and Friday in Brussels , Belgium , where the alliance is based . There are currently 42,000 non-U.S. NATO troops in Afghanistan at present . 28 NATO allies and 15 non-NATO members are contributing to the U.S.-led coalition . The added NATO troop deployment would complement the nearly 100,000 Americans expected to be in the fight once the 30,000 troops U.S. President Barack Obama announced Tuesday night are in place . | Italy is one of 43 countries serving under the NATO-led ISAF contingent . 22 Italian service members have been killed in the Afghan conflict . There are currently 42,000 non-U.S. NATO troops in Afghanistan at present . | [[357, 385], [373, 454], [547, 615], [966, 1031]] |
Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Kurdish member of Iraq 's parliament said Monday that the United States is pressuring the `` highest levels of the Kurdish leadership '' to accept a compromise that would dictate how national elections would be held in January . Mahmoud Othman said the United States urged the Kurdish majority in the northern oil-rich province of Kirkuk to agree to a proposal that would settle issues about the law that spells out how the election will be carried out . Vice President Joe Biden broached the issue of elections in telephone calls Sunday with Iraqi Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani and Speaker of the Parliament Ayad al-Samarrai ` e , said Biden spokesman Jay Carney . `` In both calls , the vice president echoed the president 's position that timely elections are important and that we urge all parties to do their part to make them happen , '' he said . A secure environment and political stability during and after the polls will be key as the United States looks to withdraw combat troops by August , leaving 50,000 in advisory roles , and then withdraw all U.S. forces by the end of 2011 . Some Kurds have complained that the U.S. proposals would favor the province 's Arabs and Turkmen , though it was not clear on what they based that assertion . Kurds have long regarded Kirkuk as an integral part of Kurdistan , and many want to be part of Iraq 's autonomous Kurdish region . Arabs and Turkmen have their claims to the city , and all the groups want their voices and votes to be fairly represented in the political system . Provincial elections that were to have been held in January were postponed indefinitely because officials there could not agree on how to apportion seats among the ethnic groups . Last week , the Kurds threatened to boycott voting on the election law , thereby threatening to delay the election itself , which is scheduled to take place January 16 . The constitution would allow for a delay , but not past January 31 . Iraq 's election commission has said it needs at least 90 days after passage of any election law to prepare to carry out elections , which U.S. and Iraqi government officials call a vital step in Iraqi efforts to solidify a democratic system in the post-Saddam Hussein era . The head of Iraq 's Independent High Electoral Commission , Judge Qassim Aboodi , said Monday that if the law is not passed within a few days , the elections could be threatened altogether . Othman described the U.S. efforts at pushing forward a compromise to the Kurds as being `` counterproductive '' and `` making things worse . '' Though the proposal was submitted by the United Nations , Othman said , `` the U.S. is behind this . '' He said the U.S.-backed plan was not fair and urged that U.S. officials remain neutral . Under Saddam 's regime , Kurds were kicked out of Kirkuk , and many Arabs moved in , a policy called Arabization . But Kurds returned to the city in droves after the regime was toppled . Sharp disagreements exist over which voter registries should be used in the elections , with the Kurds wanting a current one and the Arabs and Turkmen wanting registries from several years ago . As for the lists , politicians disagree over the use of open lists that name candidates and closed lists that name parties . The law used in the 2005 election calls for a closed list . U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill and Gen. Ray Odierno , the top U.S. officials in Iraq , issued a statement Thursday urging lawmakers to decide that `` rules , procedures , and decisions '' for the election apply only to that vote . They argue that it should not set precedent `` for future political settlements related to Article 140 , demographic change , disputed boundaries , or other contested issues , '' a specific reference to the Kirkuk question . Article 140 is the section of the country 's constitution referencing the issue . CNN 's Mohammed Jamjoom and Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this story from Baghdad , Iraq . | Member of parliament says U.S. pushing for agreement on election law . Biden discussed January elections in calls with Kurdish political leaders . Kurds have said U.S. proposals favor Arabs , Turkmen . Iraqi election commission has called for swift passage of election law . | [[2458, 2536], [491, 584], [1573, 1593], [1604, 1632], [1135, 1270], [2267, 2324], [2349, 2408]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When the earth started to shake on January 12 , Rocher Joseph-Michelet was in his tiny , one-room apartment , composing lyrics for the upcoming Carnivale in Port-au-Prince . He ran out the door to find an entire two-story building , crumbling and falling in his direction . `` They break down . I fell down , I was on my back , '' he said . In heavily-accented English , peppered with American slang , Joseph-Michelet described how he was all-but buried under the rubble ... and then rescued by members of his hip-hop group . `` Thanks to God , thanks to my friends , '' he said . `` I 'm so proud it 's them come to save me . '' Joseph-Michelet is better known by his stage name `` MRJ . '' He is a member of a neighborhood hip-hop group called Sekte Atis Lib , or S.A.L. . They are six childhood friends from the same poor neighborhood who rap in Creole . MRJ escaped the earthquake with minor injuries . Many other residents of his neighborhood were n't so fortunate . `` Two days after the disaster , we -LSB- carried -RSB- 39 dead bodies ... from here to the central cemetery , '' said Gaby Guerrier , the manager of the band . He spoke while standing on a rooftop which offered a view of a devastated urban landscape of collapsed and dangerously sagging cinderblock apartment buildings . The members of S.A.L. have been forced to abandon their homes in this tightly-packed community of concrete houses and narrow alleyways . `` It 's too dangerous , nobody wants to live in the houses again , '' said Guerrier 's younger brother Panarothy , also known as the rapper named `` Next . '' He led CNN on a tour , past a large wall mural showing S.A.L. 's name in jagged graffiti , to the sprawling , fetid camp where the band , their families , and some 4,500 other displaced Haitians now live . The artists have helped each other build crude shacks out of plywood and rusting metal sheeting , along a winding dirt alleyway they have playfully nick-named `` Big Man Street . '' Twenty-one year old Geffrard Jonel , a.k.a. Fame , has already decorated the walls of his hut with posters of soccer teams and music groups . He said he and three others slept in the tiny room , along with some unwanted visitors . `` Rats ! '' he yelled , to peals of laughter from the rest of the group . Despite the unbearable conditions , spirits among the band 's members appeared remarkably high . `` If you get angry with it , you get angry at God , '' said the manager , Gaby Guerrier . `` We are not more important than those people who are dead . God just leave us alive . We thank him for that . '' Perhaps because of this infectious optimism , 25-year-old `` Next '' has been appointed the leader of a camp association , representing all 4,500 residents . `` If I have a problem , I 'll come to him , '' said one resident named Levi Lazard . `` Because he is the one that can make the people listen to him . '' On the day CNN visited , Next and about ten other colleagues had just completed construction of a sandbag platform to house a large water bladder and distribution system donated by Irish aid organization Concern . Residents with buckets and jugs were already lining up for a taste of fresh water . `` We want to make the people , the survivors live better , '' Next explained . He then issued an appeal for other aid organizations to come and help the community . `` We need something else specially for the children , '' he said . `` We need to make a place for the children for education . There 's no school . It 's destroyed . '' Three weeks after the earthquake , residents of this camp were stripping away vegetation and small trees from the surrounding area , and the air was thick with the sound of hammers and saws as people worked to construct new ramshackle homes . Before the earthquake , only one member of S.A.L. had a full-time job , working at a juice factory . The others were unemployed artists , filming music videos on shoe-string budgets , all victims of Haiti 's impoverished economy . Since the disaster , these young men have carried corpses , cared for wounded friends and relatives , and become leaders of their displaced and desperate community . They are also trying write new lyrics , to explain this life-changing ordeal . `` This is a revolution of nature , '' said MRJ , who survived the two-story building collapse . MRJ and his colleagues then delivered a memorable a cappella performance amid shelters made of bed sheets and sticks where hungry children wailed . `` All the parks have become home to most , '' he chanted in Creole , as the sun set over smoking campfires . `` We have to mobilize to overcome this crisis . Hopefully now the system will reboot . The time for the people has come . Solving the problems will take time . But we 're not going anywhere . We need to deal with this crisis at the grass roots . '' | Members of rap group S.A.L. tell of life amid the rubble of Haiti . Rocher Joseph-Michelet 's friends rescued him after the earthquake . Since the quake , they have been using music to lift survivors ' spirits . Group raps amid shelters made of bed sheets and sticks . | [[752, 816], [444, 450], [521, 567], [4393, 4479], [4471, 4509]] |
West Point , New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama said Tuesday that the deployment of 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan is part of a strategy to reverse the Taliban 's momentum and stabilize the country 's government . `` There is no imminent threat of the government being overthrown , but the Taliban has gained momentum , '' Obama said at the U.S. Military Academy . `` Al Qaeda has not re-emerged in Afghanistan in the same numbers as before 9/11 , but they retain their safe-havens along the border . `` And our forces lack the full support they need to effectively train and partner with Afghan security forces and better secure the population . ... In short , the status quo is not sustainable . '' Obama said he 'd begin sending the additional troops `` at the fastest pace possible '' starting in early 2010 `` with a goal of starting to withdraw forces from the country in July 2011 . '' The president said additional U.S. forces bolstered by NATO troops `` will allow us to accelerate handing over responsibility to Afghan forces . '' Senior administration officials said Tuesday that Obama has a goal of withdrawing most U.S. forces by the end of his current term , which ends in January 2013 . Watch what the new troops will do in Afghanistan . It will be the second increase of U.S. forces in the war-torn Islamic country ordered by Obama since he took office in January . In his speech Tuesday , Obama said his strategy had three objectives : . • Deny al Qaeda a safe haven . • Reverse the Taliban 's momentum and deny it the ability to overthrow Afghanistan 's government . • Strengthen Afghanistan 's security forces and government . The additional troops was one way to achieve these , he said . Other strategies will include holding Afghan government leaders accountable for corruption , focus assistance on areas that could help the lives of Afghans , and securing the country 's border with Pakistan . `` We are in Afghanistan to prevent a cancer from once again spreading through that country . But this same cancer has also taken root in the border region of Pakistan . That is why we need a strategy that works on both sides of the border , '' Obama said . The president said he rejected the option of committing more forces for an undefined mission of nation-building without any deadlines . `` I reject this course because it sets goals that are beyond what we can achieve at a reasonable cost , and what we need to achieve to secure our interests , '' Obama said . `` Furthermore , the absence of a timeframe for transition would deny us any sense of urgency in working with the Afghan government . It must be clear that Afghans will have to take responsibility for their security , and that America has no interest in fighting an endless war in Afghanistan . '' Obama rejected analogies with the war in Vietnam that divided America in the 1960s and 1970s . `` Unlike Vietnam , we are joined by a broad coalition of 43 nations that recognizes the legitimacy of our action , '' Obama said . `` Unlike Vietnam , we are not facing a broad-based popular insurgency . And most importantly , unlike Vietnam , the American people were viciously attacked from Afghanistan , and remain a target for those same extremists who are plotting along its border . '' Obama said the U.S. has no interest in occupying Afghanistan . `` We will support efforts by the Afghan government to open the door to those Taliban who abandon violence and respect the human rights of their fellow citizens , '' Obama said . `` And we will seek a partnership with Afghanistan grounded in mutual respect -- to isolate those who destroy ; to strengthen those who build ; to hasten the day when our troops will leave ; and to forge a lasting friendship in which America is your partner , and never your patron . '' Obama spoke to an audience of West Point cadets , staff and guests in outlining his strategy that he has deliberated for months , meeting several times with his national security team . He recognized that some in the audience had fought in Afghanistan , and some would be deployed in the future . `` As your commander in chief , I owe you a mission that is clearly defined , and worthy of your service , '' he said . The additional U.S. forces `` will increase our ability to train competent Afghan security forces , and to partner with them so that more Afghans can get into the fight , '' Obama said . `` And they will help create the conditions for the United States to transfer responsibility to the Afghans . '' Obama also said he is asking NATO allies to provide more troops , and that he is `` confident that there will be further contributions in the days ahead . '' `` Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan , '' he said . `` Now , we must come together to end this war successfully . For what 's at stake is not simply a test of NATO 's credibility -- what 's at stake is the security of our allies , and the common security of the world . '' The new troop deployment would increase the total U.S. commitment to roughly 100,000 troops in Afghanistan , bolstered by more than 40,000 NATO forces . Obama , whom Republicans had accused of `` dithering '' over the decision , concluded the deployment needs to be accelerated to knock back the Taliban , the senior officials said . The push for a speedy deployment is surprising because White House officials who defended Obama 's slow pace of coming to a decision had said the Pentagon would n't be able to get new troops to Afghanistan that quickly . A Pentagon official noted that , under the new strategy , Obama is `` trying to do it faster '' than the 12-month timeline initially requested by Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan . McChrystal wrote in a report in August that a `` failure to gain the initiative and reverse insurgent momentum in the near-term -LRB- next 12 months -RRB- -- while Afghan security capacity matures -- risks an outcome where defeating the insurgency is no longer possible . '' The Pentagon official said Obama 's six-month timeline for sending the new troops is `` very aggressive '' and will be challenging for the military to fulfill . The official expressed confidence , however , that the military would successfully carry out the order . Opponents of an increased U.S. troop deployment complain that the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai is corrupt and an unreliable partner . Obama spoke to Karzai for an hour by videoconference Tuesday to discuss the deployment decision , according to a White House statement . `` The president also emphasized that U.S. and international efforts in Afghanistan are not open-ended and must be evaluated toward measurable and achievable goals within the next 18 to 24 months , '' the statement said . Share your views on Obama 's Afghanistan decision . The decision to send the troops carries significant political risk for Obama , who will announce it nine days before he travels to Oslo , Norway , to accept the Nobel Peace Prize . His liberal base , which helped him win last year 's presidential election , opposes another troop deployment to Afghanistan . In addition , the deployment , expected to cost an extra $ 30 billion a year , comes amid high unemployment as the economy emerges from a recession . That concerns Democrats and Republicans faced with competing domestic priorities such as health care reform and job creation . U.S.-led troops first 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 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 so far claimed the lives of more than 900 Americans and nearly 600 allied troops . | 30,000 troops to be deployed within six months , President Obama says . Obama : More troops would quicken transfer of responsibility to Afghanistan . Obama wants most U.S. troops out of Afghanistan in 3 years , officials say . President : Goals are to deny al Qaeda a safe haven and reverse Taliban 's momentum . | [[41, 137], [75, 159], [6051, 6132], [983, 1060], [1064, 1193], [309, 340], [1405, 1426], [1429, 1473], [1478, 1508], [1509, 1542]] |
Perugia , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A defense lawyer for Amanda Knox -- accused in Italy of killing her roommate -- on Tuesday said the prosecution 's theory does n't fit the facts of the case and there is not sufficient evidence to find her guilty . Calling Knox a victim herself , Carlo della Vedova portrayed the Seattle , Washington , native as someone who fell victim to a rush to judgment by police following the murder , and who had to fend off a myriad of false media reports regarding the crime . Police declared `` case closed '' after an investigator saw Knox and her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito sharing a `` flirtatious gesture '' at the crime scene . And in the months following the murder , della Vedova argued a slew of leaks to the media made things even worse . The lawyer showed photos of the crime scene that were published in the media that were n't authentic -- including a photo of the bathroom -- and said false allegations and rumors about Knox 's character created a bias from the get-go . Della Vedova also questioned the change in what prosecutor Giuliano Mignini 's said was the motive for the murder . In preliminary hearings he argued Knox , Sollecito and Rudy Guede slashed Kercher 's throat during a sexual misadventure as the two men vied for Knox 's attention . In recent days , della Vedova said Mignini focused more on what he says was a hatred between the two roommates . Defense lawyers have staunchly disagreed , claiming the two girls were friends . They argued that Guede , who was convicted in a separate fast-track trial and is currently appealing his conviction , was the sole killer and argued there is no evidence that ties the three people together or shows proof they planned her murder . Della Vedova also fixated during closings on the lack of evidence tying Knox to the crime scene . As defense lawyers have throughout the entire trial , he cast doubt on DNA evidence prosecutors claim shows Knox 's DNA on the handle of the alleged murder weapon . The defense has claimed the knife does n't match Kercher 's wounds or an imprint of the knife left on a bed sheet . They also claimed the DNA sample is too small to attribute . Besides the knife , della Vedova claimed if there really was a struggle or argument in Kercher 's room , then Knox 's DNA would be all over the room . Citing forensic testimony from the trial , he argued that while traces of DNA from other people were found in the room , not a single sample that can be traced back to Knox was found . He stressed too , that Sollecito and Knox are not the kind of people they have been portrayed as , noting that the couple met at a classical music concert and are n't the typical `` sex , drugs and rock 'n' roll '' couple they have been labeled . During the first day of closings for Knox 's lawyers , della Vedova stressed to the eight-member jury that they should also keep church law in mind as they decide whether to find Knox and Sollecito guilty or not guilty . He told the jury they needed to be `` morally certain of their decision . '' `` If you have the minimum of doubts , you must absolve this young girl , '' he said . `` A girl that is merely 22 years old . '' Knox and Sollecito , who both deny any role in the murder , have been jailed for more than two years since they were arrested on charges of murder and sexual violence . Prosecutors have asked they be sentenced to life in prison if they are found guilty . Knox 's other lawyer , Luciano Ghirga , will continue closings on Wednesday and the jury is expected to begin deliberations on Friday . CNN 's Mallory Simon contributed to this report . | Carlo della Vedova questions evidence in case , says Amanda Knox should be found not guilty . Prosecutors maintain Knox , Raffaele Sollecito and Rudy Guede killed Meredith Kercher . Lawyer : `` If you have the minimum of doubts , you must absolve this young girl '' | [[1136, 1201], [3100, 3134]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A massive search and rescue mission continued late Friday for nine people who may have plunged into chilly Pacific water off the Southern California coast after a Coast Guard plane and a Marine helicopter collided . `` We 're still in the search and rescue phase . We are not standing down from that at this point , '' Coast Guard Capt. Thomas Farris told reporters at a news conference . `` We have every hope that we 'll be able to find survivors . '' The search will continue , he said , `` Until I stop . '' The Coast Guard plans to continue the search at least throughout Friday night and Saturday morning , Petty Officer Henry Dunphy of the San Diego Coast Guard told CNN . The Coast Guard C-130 plane and its seven crew members had been searching for a missing person when it collided Thursday with the Marine AH-1 Cobra helicopter , with a two-person crew , on a military training exercise , Farris said . None of the names of those on either aircraft has been released . A pilot reported seeing a fireball about 7:10 p.m. Thursday near the crash site . The crash occurred about 16 nautical miles -LRB- 18 miles -RRB- off the coast , near San Clemente Island , said Cpl. Michael Stevens of U.S. Marine Air Station Miramar in San Diego . Helicopters , cutters and patrol boats , aided by the Navy , were scanning a 644-square-mile area for survivors , said Coast Guard Rear Adm. Joseph Castillo . Castillo earlier said an investigation `` to determine what exactly happened '' was beginning . The investigation will be done in `` lockstep '' with the Marine Corps , he said . A large debris field has been located , and debris has been collected , he said . `` The debris is what you 'd expect , I think , from a midair collision , '' he said . The two Marines on the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton chopper were one of four helicopter crews involved in the training exercise , Stevens said . The Coast Guard plane had been on a search mission for a couple of days before Thursday 's crash . `` They were searching for a possible person in the water who was reported to have gotten in a dinghy and attempted to row to Catalina -LSB- Island -RSB- , '' Farris said . `` We were searching in that area because of the drift that would have naturally occurred after that event . '' With water temperatures in the 60s , Farris earlier Friday estimated survivability could be up to 20 hours . The missing person the Coast Guard members were searching for prior to the collision is still missing , Farris said . CNN 's Sonya Hamasaki and Larry Shaughnessy contributed to this report . | NEW : Coast Guard Capt. Thomas Farris : `` We 're still in the search and rescue phase '' A Coast Guard plane and a Marine helicopter collided off cost of Southern California . Seven people were aboard C-130 Thursday , which was searching for a missing person . The Marine helicopter contained two crew members . | [[238, 283], [77, 223], [204, 234], [699, 857]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The `` pregnant man '' who gave birth to a daughter earlier this year says he is expecting a second child . Thomas Beatie , a married man who used to be a woman , has told America 's ABC News that after giving birth to Susan on June 29 he did not go back on the male hormone testosterone so he could have another baby . `` I feel good , '' he told ABC News ' Barbara Walters . `` I had my checkups ... And everything is right on track . '' Beatie , who lives with his wife Nancy in Bend , Oregon , said the baby is due on June 12 . Beatie was born a woman but underwent hormone therapy before he was legally declared a man . He had a mastectomy but kept his female reproductive organs when he underwent a sex change in the late 1990s . He and Nancy decided they wanted to start a family and he underwent artificial insemination late last year . Walters said on her television talkshow , `` The View , '' that Beatie had revealed his second pregnancy to her during an interview for a documentary to air on U.S. television Friday night . Beatie spoke to Walters about Susan 's birth , which was not via Caesarean section . Prior to her birth , he released a photo showing his bearded face and pregnant belly . It sparked a worldwide media frenzy . | `` Pregnant man '' who gave birth to a daughter is expecting a second child . Thomas Beatie is a married man who used to be a woman . He had a mastectomy but kept his female reproductive organs . | [[39, 41], [46, 88], [0, 15], [89, 126], [143, 156], [161, 179], [644, 663], [644, 646], [668, 754]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I asked a knowledgeable environmentalist earlier this week : `` How big a story is the CRU scandal in your community ? '' `` The what ? '' `` The e-mails hacked at the Climate Research Unit at -LSB- the British -RSB- East Anglia University ? '' `` Ah . '' He smiled . `` It says something that I did n't immediately recognize what you were talking about . I suppose on my side we 'd take the same view that the Pentagon took of Abu Ghraib : a few bad apples on the night shift . '' Meanwhile , on the right , the story is the biggest scandal since the leak of the Pentagon Papers . Seemingly unperturbed by the CRU embarrassment , President Obama will shortly jet to Copenhagen to pledge reductions in U.S. carbon emissions . The Democratic majority in Congress continues to work on a cap-and-trade bill . At the same time , Gallup has recorded an amazing 20 point drop since summer 2008 in the number of Republicans who believe that global warming is occurring . Among Republican conservatives , the drop is slightly smaller -- 13 points -- but that 's because so few of them believed in the reality of global warming in the first place . It used to be said that we were all entitled to our own opinions , but not entitled to our own facts . No more . In modern America , we choose our facts to fit our opinions . Michael Barone drove this point home in a 2008 column for the magazine of the American Enterprise Institute : . Americans ' views of the economy are increasingly a function of voting behavior or party loyalty , rather than the other way around . In early 2006 , a time of vibrant economic growth , 56 percent of Republicans said the economy was excellent or good , while only 28 percent of independents and 23 percent of Democrats agreed . Maybe Republicans were just doing better than Democrats ? No -- the partisan divergence held true among Republicans and Democrats even of the same income level . The same effect showed up in reverse in the 1990s . Under President Clinton , Democrats were more likely to assess the economy positively than were Republicans of the same income level . Media critics often blame cable , talk radio and blogs for isolating the public into self-satisfied information communities . And for sure , Fox News , MSNBC , Rush Limbaugh and the Daily Show have done good business serving niche markets . But it 's a real question : What is cause and what is effect ? Maybe customers always wanted to have their pre-existing opinions confirmed . Notice how often 19th century newspapers had names like the `` Clay County Whig '' or the `` Jacksonville Democrat . '' What were these old county papers if not the Fox News and MSNBC of their day ? The whole global warming debate has been distorted from the start by intellectual self-ghettoization . Suffused by self-righteousness , the East Anglian scientists felt entitled to twist the evidence and delete the counter-evidence . iReport : Share your thoughts on climate change . But it also helped that they felt sure they would not be caught . They had defined their community in a way that excluded skepticism , that defined skeptics as the enemy , as liars , as Holocaust deniers . Private e-mails and documents allegedly from the servers at the University of East Anglia 's Climate Research Unit , a world-renowned center on the study of climate change , are thought to have been leaked by hackers . Everything important about global warming remains disputed : . How fast is it happening ? How much of it is attributable to human activity ? How dangerous is it ? How much should we pay to avert or mitigate it ? Who should do the paying ? How are to begin to reach conclusions if we can not even agree on the rules of discussion ? The most famous public document on global warming calls itself `` An Inconvenient Truth '' -- and yet that document itself is filled with untruths , on every subject from sea levels to polar bears . -LRB- The bears are doing fine , populations at record levels in the Canadian Arctic . -RRB- . In his first book , `` Earth in the Balance , '' former Vice President Al Gore wrote that human consciousness itself may be the most important obstacle to environmental improvement . He spoke more accurately than he knew . The global warming controversy has been pervaded from the start by the human instinct to divide the world into `` us '' and `` them '' -- and then believe only the news we hear from `` us . '' Global warming advocates can see this weakness in their opponents . It was the same weakness in themselves that led the advocates themselves to cheat and twist and betray scientific standards and public trust . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Frum . | David Frum says the global warming debate has been distorted by intellectual self-ghettoization . How can we reach conclusions if we ca n't agree on rules of discussion , Frum says . Frum says that in modern America , we choose our facts to fit our opinions . | [[2704, 2806], [3693, 3743], [1272, 1289], [1292, 1333]] |
BEIJING , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 19-year-old prostitute working in an apartment that doubles as a brothel said she has up to eight clients a day . A woman awaits customers at a Beijing barber shop in 2008 . Sex workers also ply their trade in barber shops . Working in the southern boom city of Shenzhen , a special economic zone just north of Hong Kong , she told CNN she worries about getting AIDS , but has her own prevention measures . `` I always use condoms or take an injection . The medicine can prevent sexually transmitted diseases , '' she said . `` Some girls do not use prevention measures , but we do n't talk about that in public . '' This young woman , who would not give her name , is part of a group that Chinese and international health authorities are concerned could potentially spread HIV and AIDS in the world 's most populated country , so officials have stepped up efforts to educate them about the virus and dispel misconceptions about so-called `` injections '' that can prevent infection . `` I think sex work is probably one of the most important factors for the potential of HIV spreading in Asia and also in China . There is no doubt about it , '' said Bernhard Schwartlander , UNAIDS China Country Coordinator . `` One of the things that we have seen in China is that knowledge about HIV/AIDS is very low in the general population and certainly also in the sex work industry . That is a big , big problem , '' Schwartlander said . It is estimated that some 700,000 people are living with HIV in China and there are about 50,000 new infections every year , according to the Chinese government and UNAIDS . The U.N. agency believes a significant number of those new infections include sex workers . Prostitution is officially illegal in China , but very loosely addressed by the government . It is estimated that there are between two and four million sex workers in China . As the country 's economy has boomed , so has the sex industry , especially in prosperous cities like Shenzhen . Many clients flock there from Hong Kong which is just an hour away , some of them businessmen with money to spend . Condom use in China can range anywhere from about 20 percent to 80 percent , according to UNAIDS . `` There are misconceptions . People think that they can avoid HIV infections by taking a pill . People think that they are not at risk for HIV infections because they do n't know anybody -LRB- who has it -RRB- , because you ca n't see it , you ca n't touch it . And clearly , this is something that we have to change very rapidly , '' Schwartlander said . Historically , HIV and AIDS have been taboo topics in China , another reason awareness can be so low . Prevention in the gay community has also been difficult because of traditional stigmas against homosexuality . But the Chinese government is now conducting educational campaigns to inform higher risk groups , including sex workers , about how to prevent the transmission of HIV . `` After years of these campaigns , we found out through survey that condom use is constantly increasing , especially in urban areas , the condom use can reach 70 percent or even up to 80 percent , '' said Hao Yang , Deputy Bureau Chief of the Chinese Health Ministry 's Disease Prevention and Control Bureau . But other areas are proving difficult . In rural parts of the country , the proportion of condom use among sex workers is less than 50 percent , Hao said . `` When we go to investigate in rural areas , the proportion of people with this knowledge -LRB- of AIDS prevention -RRB- is still very low , '' he said . `` In addition to that , the proportion of change in their activities is also very low , which means that the condom use rate is still low . '' About one in 200 sex workers nationwide currently has HIV , Schwartlander said . But in one part of Yunnan province in the country 's far southwest , seven percent of the sex workers -- or as many as 14 in every 200 -- have HIV , according to UNAIDS . `` The sex workers living in remote areas and rural areas have played an important role in AIDS spreading . We do not have a precise figure for the proportion that sex workers make up in it -LRB- the spread of AIDS -RRB- , but we can say that they are making up a significant proportion , '' Hao said . The government has a long-term plan to educate the general public and to strengthen intervention in the high-risk populations , particularly sex workers , Hao said . When HIV initially began to spread in China , infections were concentrated among people who injected drugs , Schwartlander said . Campaigns among this group have been effective , while infections among other groups have risen . One of those groups , Hao said , was men having sex with men , which accounts for 5.9 percent of infections , according to the Chinese Health Ministry . A majority of the infections are concentrated among drug users , men having sex with men , and sex workers and their clients , Schwartlander said . `` Society and communities have been able to curb the spread of HIV , also in sex work , and that is what we have to do , '' Schwartlander said . As China 's economy grows , it is likely the sex industry will as well . Current estimates show that some 30 to 50 million people are at significant risk for HIV infection , Schwartlander said . `` China is a society which is in quite a significant transition . There is a huge increase in disparity of income between the rich and the poor , and all these are very well-known factors that drive the sex industry forward , '' Schwartlander said . `` Clearly , in China , I think that the sex industry is a rising industry . We will see an increase in the number of sex workers due to these factors in the future . '' A 22-year-old prostitute in Shenzhen , who did not want to give her name , said she knows the risk but needs the work . `` AIDS is the number one killer for my job . I can not let this disease destroy my life . This is only a short-term business . I do n't have any relatives in Shenzhen and ca n't borrow any money . I can only rely on myself . '' | Some people in China believe injections or a pill can prevent infection . Some 700,000 people have HIV in China ; about 50,000 new infections yearly . About one in 200 sex workers nationwide currently has HIV . As China 's economy has boomed , so has the sex industry . | [[2267, 2333], [1467, 1640], [1483, 1536], [1488, 1507], [1547, 1589], [3743, 3800], [1912, 1934], [1951, 1971], [5142, 5164]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood was released on bail Thursday after being arrested on suspicion of domestic assault . The 62-year-old was arrested near his home in southern England on Wednesday and spent the night in police custody before being released . `` I can confirm that there was an incident last night and that Ronnie Wood was arrested , '' a spokesman for the musician said , adding that he did not have any further details . As the case is under investigation , police have said little . They have not stated who filed the assault complaint . Wood will face police questioning again in January . The assault charge follows Wood 's highly publicized divorce last month from his wife of 24 years , Jo , on grounds of adultery . The divorce settlement set Wood back an estimated # 6.5 million -LRB- $ 10.7 million -RRB- . He and Jo have two children . Wood has reportedly been dating a 20-year-old Russian cocktail waitress , Ekaterina Ivanova , for a year . | Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood arrested Wednesday , accused of assault . Wood has since been released on bail . Incident follows high-profile divorce from wife Jo last month on grounds of adultery . Wood has reportedly been dating 20-year-old woman for a year . | [[0, 15], [44, 141], [142, 217], [283, 368], [0, 15], [44, 141], [631, 735], [884, 975]] |
Perugia , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A defense lawyer for Amanda Knox made an impassioned plea to the jury Wednesday as the high-profile case neared its conclusion . Knox is the American student accused of killing her British roommate , Meredith Kercher , at the villa they shared in Italy . `` We suffer at the memory of Meredith . But we look at the future of Amanda , '' Luciano Ghirga said in his defense summation . `` Meredith was my friend , '' he quoted Knox as saying , rejecting the notion that she hated her roommate , who was fatally stabbed in November 2007 . Prosecutors say Kercher died during a twisted sex game in which Knox taunted Kercher , and two men -- Knox 's then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito , 26 , and acquaintance Rudy Guede -- sexually assaulted her . The prosecution says a knife found in Sollecito 's house had Knox 's DNA on the handle and Kercher 's on the blade , among other pieces of evidence . But Ghirga rejected the accusations against Knox on Wednesday . He attacked the way police and prosecutors had treated the defendant , giving them a symbolic `` red card '' -- a referee 's sign in soccer that a player is being expelled from the game for breaking the rules . Ghirga concluded an emotional oration -- sobbing as he came to the end -- by asking the judge and jury to acquit Knox , because her mother asked him to request it , because her family asked it . Knox 's father , Curt , said Wednesday she had been a victim of `` character assassination , '' and expressed hope she would be found not guilty . Members of Kercher 's family have declined repeated CNN requests for comment on the case . But prosecutor Giuliano Mignini accused the defense of `` lynching '' the Italian police who worked on the case . He defended the work of the police and the credibility of the prosecution witnesses as he responded to Ghirga 's arguments Wednesday . And he called again for life sentences for Knox and Sollecito if they are found guilty . Italy does not have the death penalty . The jury is expected to begin deliberations on Friday , after the prosecution completes its summary . Another Knox attorney on Tuesday said the prosecution 's theory does n't fit the facts of the case and there is not sufficient evidence to find her guilty . Calling Knox a victim herself , Carlo della Vedova said the police had rushed to judgment following the murder , leaving Knox to fend off a myriad of false media reports regarding the crime . The lawyer showed photos published in the media , purportedly showing the crime scene , that were n't authentic -- including a photo of the bathroom -- and said false allegations and rumors about Knox 's character created a bias from the start . Della Vedova also questioned the change in what prosecutor Mignini said was the motive for the murder . In preliminary hearings , Mignini argued Knox , Sollecito and Guede slashed Kercher 's throat during a sexual misadventure as the two men vied for Knox 's attention . In recent days , Mignini has focused more on what he says was a hatred between the two roommates . Defense lawyers have staunchly disagreed , claiming the two women were friends . Ghirga on Wednesday said the two had gone to a chocolate festival together days before Kercher was killed . The defense has argued that Guede , who was convicted in a separate fast-track trial and is currently appealing his conviction , was the sole killer . The defense has said there is no evidence tying the three suspects together or proving they planned Kercher 's murder . Della Vedova also focused during closing arguments on the lack of evidence tying Knox to the crime scene . As defense lawyers have throughout the entire trial , he cast doubt on DNA evidence that prosecutors claim shows Knox 's DNA on the handle of the alleged murder weapon . The defense has said the knife does n't match Kercher 's wounds or an imprint of the knife left on a bedsheet , and the DNA sample is too small to be conclusive . During the first day of closing arguments for Knox 's lawyers , della Vedova stressed to the eight-member jury that they should also keep church law in mind as they decide whether to find Knox and Sollecito guilty or not guilty . He told the jury they needed to be `` morally certain of their decision . '' `` If you have the minimum of doubts , you must absolve this young girl -- a girl that is merely 22 years old , '' he said . Knox and Sollecito , who both deny any role in the murder , have been jailed for more than two years since they were arrested on charges of murder and sexual violence . Their trial began in January . CNN 's Mallory Simon contributed to this report . | NEW : Prosecutor accuses defense of `` lynching '' police who worked on case . Defense lawyer for Amanda Knox becomes emotional during Wednesday 's closing argument . Luciano Ghirga sobs as he tells the jury Knox is innocent and has been mistreated . Knox , an American student , is accused of murdering her British roommate in Italy . | [[1640, 1705], [0, 7], [10, 31], [68, 114], [1203, 1251], [1220, 1240], [1244, 1320], [0, 7], [10, 31], [68, 114], [1203, 1251], [1220, 1240], [1244, 1320], [164, 251]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- All Cedric wanted was lunch . A 14-year old student in a special education classroom in Texas , Cedric was living with a foster family because of a history of neglect , including malnutrition . But on this day in 2002 , his teacher tried to punish him by withholding food , despite the abuse he had suffered as a young child . Cedric 's teacher delayed his lunch for hours to discipline him for refusing to do his work . When he would n't comply , his teacher put him in a face down restraint and sat on him in front of his classmates . Cedric said repeatedly that he could not breathe . He died minutes later on the classroom floor . Cedric 's tragic story is n't an isolated case in America 's schools today . According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office , over the last 20 years there have been hundreds of allegations of school personnel using restraint and seclusion in abusive ways on children . It 's happening disproportionately to students with disabilities , often at the hands of untrained staff . Many of these students bear haunting physical and emotional scars . And in a number of cases , students have died . It 's difficult to believe , but there are no federal laws to prevent this from happening . Local newspapers recount bone-chilling stories of schoolchildren tied to chairs , or with their mouths taped shut , sometimes locked in dark closets , or pinned to the floor for hours at a time . If parents treat their kids this way , it 's considered a criminal offense . But unlike in hospitals and other institutions that receive federal taxpayer funding , there are no federal protections against these abusive practices when they happen in schools . The Children 's Health Act of 2000 regulates how and when restraint and seclusion can be used in medical settings and community facilities . But classrooms , where students spend the majority of their day , are exempt . In the absence of a federal standard , state protections for kids are all over the map . Many states have no regulations whatsoever . Children are left vulnerable and staff untrained . Restraint and seclusion techniques should be used only as a last resort , when someone is in imminent danger of physical injury and there are no alternatives . Without proper training , staff can be hurt and students , especially small children , are at risk . Yet the GAO and news reports confirm that these practices are used frequently , often as discipline , when students are n't physically aggressive . While there is no centralized reporting , data from the few states that do track incidents paints a troubling picture . In the 2007-2008 school year in California alone , the GAO reports , there were more than 14,300 cases of restraint , seclusion and other `` emergency interventions . '' We do n't know how many of these merited real emergencies . In one California case , Paige , a young girl with Asperger 's syndrome , was restrained in class because she was wiggling her loose tooth . Her mother , who had never consented to physical interventions , had no idea restraint was regularly imposed until her daughter came home with bruises . As parents , when we send our children to school , we expect they will be safe from danger . And when the very people we entrust with our children 's well-being inflict this type of abuse , it 's not just the victims and their families who suffer . It hurts their classmates , who witness these terrifying events . It undermines the vast majority of teachers and staff who are trying to give students a quality education . It 's a nightmare for everyone involved . The easy answer here would be to blame teachers . But it would be the wrong one . Ultimately , the root of this problem has been our system-wide failure to provide direction and enforcement . As long as school systems continue to lack the tools they need to create good policies and properly train staff , these incidents will continue . The solution is a balanced approach to make classrooms safe for students and teachers . With that goal in mind , on Wednesday we are introducing legislation to finally ensure that schools in every state have the resources they need to prevent inappropriate restraint and seclusion . Our bill would set minimum safety standards in schools , similar to the protections children already receive in other institutions , so that states can ensure appropriate school district policies . It would limit physical restraints or locked seclusion to situations involving imminent danger , and require staff to be trained in administering these practices . It would outlaw mechanical restraints , such as strapping kids to chairs , and prohibit restraints that restrict breathing . It will increase transparency and oversight , so we will finally know just how widespread these practices are , and provide the Secretary of Education with tools to enforce the law . And it would give schools the support they need to equip their staff to handle difficult situations in the most positive manner possible . In a time of deep partisan divide , some may wonder what prompted strange bedfellows -- a member of Democratic leadership and a member of Republican leadership -- to team up . It 's as simple as this : Schools are places for our children to learn , grow , and thrive . As a nation we must do better . It 's time to ensure that no child in this country suffers the same fate as Cedric . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of U.S. Reps. George Miller and Cathy McMorris Rodgers . | Reps. Miller and McMorris Rodgers say kids sometimes restrained abusively in schools . No federal laws prevent this , they say , and it happens disproportionately to special ed kids . They say students , teachers , classmates are all harmed by abuse , with lasting effects . Miller , McMorris Rodgers : New law would train teachers , limit restraint , provide oversight . | [[942, 1006], [1198, 1256], [1617, 1681], [1049, 1116], [2303, 2333], [4454, 4456], [4555, 4617]] |
Tokyo , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A body was found in the landing gear bay of an airplane that arrived at Tokyo 's Narita Airport Sunday , the airport announced . The dead man was not carrying a passport or personal belongings , airport police said . The man was of dark complexion and dressed in blue jeans and a red and dark blue long-sleeved shirt , police told CNN . Police said he possibly froze to death and suffered a shortage of oxygen at high altitude , but did not provide a definite cause of death pending an autopsy . A mechanic found the body in the landing gear bay , which was impossible to enter from the cabin , the airport said . The Boeing 777 , Delta Flight 59 , which departed New York 's John F. Kennedy International Airport at 12:53 p.m. ET Saturday arrived at Narita at 4:46 p.m. local time Sunday , the airport said . `` Delta is fully co-operating with the Japanese authorities , and there is -LRB- an -RRB- on-going investigation which is being led by the Japanese authorities . The airline has not issued an official statement at this time , '' a Delta representative told CNN . CNN 's Junko Ogura and Ayesha Durgahee contributed to this report . | Flight left New York 's John F. Kennedy airport Saturday afternoon . Police believe man froze to death , suffered shortage of oxygen . Dead man had no passport or personal belongings . | [[647, 661], [688, 763], [370, 459], [162, 225]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The H1N1 virus has been confirmed in a sample taken from a pig that was displayed at the Minnesota State Fair , the first time the virus has been found in a U.S. pig , the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday . The Department of Agriculture quickly issued a statement saying the food supply is safe . `` We have fully engaged our trading partners to remind them that several international organizations , including the World Organization for Animal Health , have advised that there is no scientific basis to restrict trade in pork and pork products , '' Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the statement . `` People can not get this flu from eating pork or pork products . Pork is safe to eat . '' The announcement came three days after health officials announced that three pigs that were displayed during the fair had tested positive in a preliminary test for the H1N1 flu virus . Final results on the other two pigs have not been announced . `` This , of course , may be the first indication that it is present in some swine here in the United States , '' Gene Hugoson , commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture , told reporters in a conference call on Friday . The U.S. Department of Agriculture National veterinary services laboratories conducted the confirmatory testing on the sample collected at the fair , held in Saint Paul , Minnesota , between August 26 and September 1 . Further testing is ongoing . The pigs sampled showed no signs of sickness and were apparently healthy , the officials said . The samples collected were part of a joint University of Iowa and University of Minnesota research project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine whether animals at such events had the infection . `` Like people , swine routinely get sick or contract influenza viruses , '' Vilsack said . The misconception that the virus , sometimes called the swine flu , could be contracted through eating pork has hurt sales of the meat in the wake of the expanding pandemic . This year 's crowd of 1.79 million attendees was a record . Though an outbreak of H1N1 was reported among a group of 4-H ` ers who had attended the fair , officials said it was unlikely they contracted the virus from the animals , since few of them had contact with the pigs . The report came as no surprise to experts , since herds in other countries , including Argentina , Canada , Ireland and Norway , have been infected with H1N1 . Pigs that do get sick with H1N1 typically recover from it , the officials said . The officials said the display animals likely were sent to slaughter . Even if they were slaughtered while still infected , that would not be an issue for anyone eating the meat , said Dr. Jeff Bender , co-director of the University of Minnesota Center for Animal Health and Food Safety . `` This virus is not in muscle tissue , so if these animals were slaughtered or processed there would be no risk to the public . '' A vaccine to protect swine from H1N1 is under development but is not yet commercially available , one official said . | First time the virus has been found in a U.S. pig , Department of Agriculture says . Pork and pork products still safe to eat , Agriculture Secretary says . Three pigs on display at Minnesota fair tested positive in preliminary H1N1 test . | [[131, 184], [187, 235], [236, 325], [637, 703], [704, 725], [71, 81], [87, 128], [729, 810], [768, 913]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Deposed Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya will not be reinstated as head of state , an overwhelming majority of the Honduran congress voted Wednesday . In an hours-long process , 111 lawmakers voted in favor of a motion not to return Zelaya to office . A majority of 65 votes in the 128-member body was required to reject his reinstatement . Zelaya was removed from office in a military-led coup on June 28 and replaced by congressional leader Roberto Micheletti . On Wednesday , lawmakers voted one by one and addressed the chamber as they cast their vote , making for a slow process . The vote was a key part of a U.S.-brokered pact that representatives for Zelaya and Micheletti signed October 29 , giving Congress the power to decide Zelaya 's fate . The United States expressed disappointment Thursday over the latest rebuff to its diplomatic efforts to end the political crisis in Honduras . U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Arturo Valenzuela continued to call on the Honduran government to allow Zelaya 's return and to create a unity government in the interim period before the new president takes office next month . `` We are disappointed by this decision since the United States had hoped the -LSB- Honduran -RSB- Congress would have approved his return , '' Valenzuela said in a conference call with journalists in Washington . `` Our policy since June 28 has been consistently principled . It has condemned the coup d'etat and continued to accept President Zelaya as the democratically elected and legitimate leader of Honduras throughout this political crisis . '' The United States continues to call for Honduras to engage in national reconciliation and creation of a truth commission to investigate the crisis , in addition to the unity government . `` The absence of democratic , constitutional order is the unacceptable status quo , '' a senior U.S. administration official said on the conference call , remaining anonymous under the ground rules of the call and because of the sensitivity of the situation . `` The election is a step toward a day where Honduras will have an electorally legitimate government in place . '' Zelaya , who says he does not recognize the election , also has said he would not accept the post even if Congress voted him back in . Accepting the job , he said , would legitimize the coup . Many nations said before the Sunday 's election they would withhold recognition if Zelaya were not returned to power . Some countries , such as the United States , Colombia and Costa Rica , have said they will recognize Lobo . Others , such as Argentina , Brazil and Spain , have said they will not . Despite the diplomatic pressure from abroad , lawmakers were voting the will of the people , Congressman Juan Angel Rivera Tabora said . `` History will judge us , and I 'm certain it will judge us positively , '' he said . `` Congress did n't make this problem . The problem came to us . '' Those voting against Zelaya echoed those sentiments . After the coup , the same body voted to install Micheletti as interim president . Wednesday vote only happened because the agreement between the two sides called for it , many lawmakers repeated . Zelaya 's supporters argued that the coup was an illegal act that only restitution could heal . Congress sought opinions from the nation 's Supreme Court and other bodies before holding the vote . The court ruled last week that Zelaya can not return to office without facing trial on charges that he acted unconstitutionally when he tried to hold a vote that could have led to the removal of presidential term limits . The Supreme Court ruled before the coup that the vote was illegal and Congress had forbidden it . The coup came on the day the term-limits vote was to have been held . Micheletti and his supporters have insisted that Zelaya 's removal was a constitutional transfer of power , not a coup . But the United Nations , the Organization of American States , the European Union and most nations -- including the United States -- condemned the coup and demanded that Zelaya be reinstated immediately . He was n't . Zelaya , who was flown out of the country while still in his pajamas on the day of the coup , has been staying at the Brazilian Embassy in Honduras ' capital since secretly returning to the country September 21 . | 111 of 128 lawmakers vote against reinstating ousted leader Jose Manuel Zelaya . Vote part of U.S.-brokered pact between Zelaya , de facto President Roberto Micheletti . Zelaya was removed as president in June 28 military-backed coup . Hondurans elected a new president , Porfirio Lobo Sosa , on Sunday . | [[276, 321], [335, 364], [610, 657], [365, 429]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` In Afghanistan , the sacrifice in the political game is women and children , '' female Afghan parliamentarian Fawzia Koofi said . Critics say they fear that Afghanistan 's new Shiite law will set the nation backward . Koofi says that is exactly what happened when the Afghan parliament recently passed a bill intended to give the minority Shia community their own identity . But critics say the latest draft strips Shia women of rights as simple as leaving the house without permission from a male relative and as extreme as allowing a man to have sexual intercourse with his wife even when she says , `` No . '' These critics wonder how what amounts to rape in marriage could be passed by parliament and signed into law by President Hamid Karzai . Amid blistering criticism from the West , Karzai addressed the law over the weekend , saying that key elements of the bill were misinterpreted by Western news organizations . Watch Karzai react to controversial law '' `` We understand the concerns of our allies and the international community . Those concerns may be due to an inappropriate , not-so-good translation of the law , or misinterpretation , '' Karzai told reporters in Kabul . He added that the Minister of Justice will study the `` Shia state law , '' line by line , to make sure it follows the nation 's constitution , which requires equal rights to both sexes . `` If there is anything that is of concern to us , then we will definitely take action in consultation with our -LSB- religious clerics -RSB- and send it back to the parliament . You be assured of that . This is something that we 're also serious about and should not allow , '' he said . However , Karzai did not address the most controversial part of the bill , dealing with rape of a wife . Watch a report on the law '' The Shia state law was debated by 249 members of the lower house , including 68 women , some of whom voted for the bill . It was then sent to the upper house . Even some lawmakers are baffled at the manner in which it passed . `` Most members of the parliament did not know what they were going to vote for , '' Koofi said . `` Even some of my friends , MPs sitting with me , voted in favor without knowing what happened . '' U.S. President Obama called the law `` abhorrent '' and said his administration has made it clear to the Karzai government that it objects to the law . Human rights groups and the international community have condemned the law and say it could undermine efforts to support basic human rights in the war-torn nation . `` We very much hope that the draft piece of legislation is to be withdrawn , '' German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during a NATO summit on Afghanistan over the weekend . `` It is unacceptable if such a law were to be passed in Afghanistan and become a part of Afghan legislation . '' According to lawmakers who opposed the bill , conservative legislators are pushing back any progress made for women 's rights in Afghanistan after the brutal oppression under the Taliban regime . From 1996 to 2001 , under the Sunni fundamentalist government of the Taliban , women were not allowed to leave their homes without being escorted by a male relative , and girls were not allowed to go to school . When women did leave their homes , they were required to wear a blue burqa , which covered their bodies from head to toe . The only opening was a small net that provided an eyehole for the women to see through . Women remember those days with despair . One female teacher , who asked not to be named , said that during the Taliban regime , she was stopped at the market by the Taliban and beaten with a whip . Her crime : She wore a shawl covering her body instead of a burqa . She says she was too poor to purchase a real burqa . After that beating , she was stuck in her home for months until someone was able to give her a used burqa . But even then , she did n't know how to function wearing the suffocating fabric . `` I remember stepping out of a taxi with my son , and my foot was caught inside the burqa , making me fall out of the taxi onto mud . And everyone started laughing . It was humiliating , '' she said . Women in Afghanistan can still be seen wearing burqas . But Koofi says advances have been made for women 's rights in recent years . In some cases , it 's as simple as putting on makeup and walking down city streets . But she fears that the rights of women and children could slowly be eroded , the `` victims of political games , '' as she puts it . `` I mean , they do n't have a gun to fight -LSB- with -RSB- , they can not create a mess , '' Koofi said . That 's a sentiment echoed by rights groups . `` The reported new law on women 's rights could be about to seriously undermine women 's rights for millions of Afghanistan women , '' Amnesty International said in a statement . The new law was intended to give the minority Shia community its own identity within the predominantly Sunni country . Shias have been practicing their form of Islam for centuries in Afghanistan , but they agree that there needs to be a governing Islamic law for Shias alone , one recognized by the central government . Koofi welcomes international support in fighting the new law , telling CNN that international investments in Afghanistan should go beyond financial donations . `` I do n't ask that the international community come and make laws for us , but they have to make the government of Afghanistan accountable for their commitment to women and children ... and basically the human rights situation in this country , '' she said . | Afghan law appears to let a man to have sex with his wife even when she says `` no '' President Hamid Karzai says the law will be reviewed line-by-line . Rights group : `` President Karzai needs to start standing up for human rights '' Afghan lawmaker says women and children are `` victims of political games '' | [[564, 627], [1231, 1372], [4670, 4707], [59, 116], [119, 171], [4425, 4533]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A memorial cruise is scheduled to set sail 100 years after the sinking of the Titanic , following the same trans-Atlantic route as the ill-fated ship , according to organizers . A list of first class passengers for the R.M.S. Titanic is one of the artifacts that remains after the sinking . The Titanic Memorial Cruise is to set sail in April 2012 , departing from Southampton , England , on April 8 , just as the Titanic did . On April 15 , the ship -- the Balmoral -- will arrive at the spot in the North Atlantic where the Titanic sank after it collided with an iceberg . Passengers on the 2012 cruise will take part in a memorial service at the site , according to organizer Miles Morgan Travel . Artifacts from the Titanic and a piece of the ship 's hull have been recovered , but most of the wreckage remains where the luxury cruise liner sank . The 12-night memorial cruise will then take passengers to Halifax in Nova Scotia , Canada , so they can visit cemeteries where some of the Titanic victims are buried . The trip will end in New York , where the Titanic was headed . Prices for the trip start at $ 3,900 . Millvina Dean , thought to be the last survivor of the Titanic , died in June 2009 at age 97 , according to friends . Dean was an infant when the Titanic -- publicized as `` practically unsinkable '' and as the largest passenger steamship at the time -- struck an iceberg on the night of April 14 , 1912 , during its maiden voyage from Southampton in southern England to New York . The ship sank less than three hours later , killing more than 1,500 people . Dean 's brother and mother also survived the sinking . | The Titanic Memorial Cruise is to set sail in April 2012 , 100 years after the sinking . It will depart from Southampton , England , on April 8 , just as the Titanic did . The trip will end in New York , where the Titanic was headed . | [[0, 15], [19, 104], [310, 405], [310, 337], [369, 405], [408, 418], [310, 405], [310, 337], [369, 405], [408, 418], [1039, 1068], [1060, 1068], [1077, 1101]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The father of a 6-year-old girl , one of four relatives who police say were killed by another family member on Thanksgiving Day , said it was `` unbelievable '' how a tip from a television viewer brought about the arrest of the suspect . `` Before the show even came on , Paul was being surrounded by the people behind me , '' Jim Sitton said Tuesday in Jupiter , Florida , standing in front of police officers . Paul M. Merhige is accused of fatally shooting his twin sisters , Sitton 's 6-year-old daughter Makayla -- Merhige 's cousin -- and a 79-year-old aunt at a family home in Jupiter , Florida , on November 26 . One of his sisters was pregnant . Police said Merhige also wounded two other family members during the shooting rampage . A viewer of the television show `` America 's Most Wanted '' recognized descriptions of Merhige and his car and called police . Officers responded to the tip late Saturday , surrounding a small motel in the Florida Keys and taking Merhige into custody . Sitton said the tip came in from a promotional announcement before the show aired , not the show itself . The couple at the hotel who called police went outside and lifted a tarp to look at Merhige 's license plate and verify it was the vehicle sought , he said . `` So many people do n't make the call , and they made the call , '' Sitton said . `` The monster 's in a cage and now we can get out of protective mode and begin the process of healing . '' He said he 's not `` jumping for joy '' at the arrest , `` because our daughter 's room is still empty . There 's dresses and shoes in there that will never be worn again . '' While the arrest wo n't bring his daughter back , he said , `` this is the first step toward justice . ... If there 's anyone that deserves the death penalty , it would be someone who would go and execute my 6-year-old daughter while she is sleeping in her bed . '' Merhige made a first appearance in court on Sunday . He is charged with four counts of premeditated murder and attempted first-degree murder . His next court appearance is February 1 . He is being held without bond at the Palm Beach County jail . `` America 's Most Wanted '' host John Walsh told reporters he got involved in the case after his wife called him and told him she had been seeing news reports on it , and pushed him to air information on the suspect , who had been at large since Thanksgiving . `` I really believed that the public would make the difference , '' said Walsh , who met with the Sittons on Tuesday , according to the AMW Web site . He said Sitton 's home had been under police protection and Sitton had patrolled his home nights with a shotgun since the incident . Walsh also said Merhige deserves the death penalty . `` He killed four people , including a pregnant woman . He needs to pay . '' He cautioned the media to be gentle with the Sittons , saying , `` these are decent , wonderful , good people that are getting ready to go through hell . '' Walsh has been involved in assisting crime victims since his 6-year-old son , Adam , was abducted and killed in 1981 . According to its Web site , `` America 's Most Wanted '' has helped find more than 1,050 fugitives and bring home more than 50 missing children in its 22 years on the air . | Dad of slain girl , 6 , says arrest of relative is first step towards justice . Viewer tip led to arrest of suspect in fatal Thanksgiving shooting . Paul Michael Merhige was arrested Saturday at motel in Florida Keys . Couple who called police lifted tarp to check license plate on Merhige 's car . | [[1647, 1689], [1697, 1704], [1707, 1749], [195, 256], [1122, 1145], [1181, 1241]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Congressional auditors have uncovered widespread abuse of techniques used to restrain or discipline special-education students in U.S. schools , with some deaths linked to the practices , a top congressman says . Investigators in Utah say a teacher left Garrett Peck in an isolation cubicle for at least two and a half hours . The findings are among those expected from a Government Accountability Office report scheduled to be released Tuesday . The report documented serious problems with the way children with disabilities are being treated in public schools , including cases of children being held face-down on the ground . The GAO report was prepared for the House Education and Labor Committee , which is considering new laws governing what actions teachers can take to rein in disruptive special-needs students . `` I think what we 're going to hear from the GAO is that very often , special-need children are subjected to the policies of seclusion and policies of restraint that have turned out to be lethal in a number of circumstances , '' said Rep. George Miller , D-California , the committee 's chairman . In other cases , children as young as 6 have been locked away `` for hours at a time , '' Miller said . `` What the GAO is telling us is that that policy is fairly widespread , '' he said . `` The state regulations about how to handle these incidents do n't exist in about half the states , and in other states you have kind of a patchwork of regulations . '' The GAO , the investigative arm of Congress , found that state laws governing the treatment of the more than 6 million children classified as having `` special needs '' -- conditions including autism and Down syndrome -- are patchy at best . Teachers and school staff frequently lack training in correct restraint methods , and in some cases , where improper restraints led to injuries , teachers often kept their jobs . Only five states keep track of incidents where special-needs students are separated or restrained . Parents contacted by CNN commonly said they were not told their child was being disciplined until he or she began to behave badly at home -- a sign of trouble at school . When confronted with complaints , school systems sometimes sought to minimize or deny the allegations , even after public investigations found the charges to be true . And parents told CNN that when they got into a dispute with the teacher , their child was made to suffer as retribution . Some of the most disturbing reports concerned the use of seclusion rooms . Experts have long recommended that children should only be isolated when they pose an immediate threat to themselves or others . But CNN found that isolation was often used as a punishment by teachers to compel the students to follow instructions . State investigators in Utah found a teacher left 7-year-old Garrett Peck in an isolation cubicle for at least two and a half hours after the teacher said he told her to `` shut up . '' While the boy was in the cubicle , the teacher taunted him by playing his favorite video and telling him what he was missing . His parents , Joshua and Becca Peck , said the child has an attention span of about 10 minutes , and they believe that after the first few minutes , he had no idea why he was in the cubicle . `` It was so sad . We felt it was a form of torture for him but he , being autistic , he had no way to express it , '' Joshua Peck said . `` He could n't tell . '' And Becca Peck said her son had been left in the cubicle with nothing but a magic marker -- which he used to scrawl all over himself . When she came to school to pick him up , `` He was covered in marker -- on his eyelids , on his hair , face , clothes , arms , eyelids -- everywhere . '' `` I started thinking , ` What was he thinking ? ' Was he thinking , ` Why is my mom letting this person do this to me ? Why am I here ? I trust no one now . ' '' In Garrett 's case , like others cited by the GAO , the teacher remains on the job . And what frustrates experts is that efforts to force unruly children to comply do n't actually work . At one school in Pennsylvania , however , teachers appear to have better results using sharply different methods . The Centennial School at Lehigh University serves severely emotionally disturbed children that have been passed from school to school , and even from juvenile justice centers . When school director Michael George came to Centennial in 1999 , the school had documented more than 1,000 cases of restraint and seclusion that year . After the school revamped its approach , no such incidents were reported . When they get to Centennial , students can be violent and aggressive . But instead of trying to force a change in behavior , the school teaches the children new skills to get what they need . Children who might be violent because they are desperate to escape an uncomfortable task or environment learn to communicate their discomfort in nonviolent ways . Children who need to move frequently -- a common trait with conditions such as autism -- are permitted to do so , then re-directed to the task at hand . Staff are forbidden from saying anything negative about the children , parents or other teachers , even among themselves . And when a child acts violently , the staff is trained to step aside , rather than immediately attempt a potentially dangerous restraint . On a recent visit to the school , all students appeared to be calm and receptive to teachers . The school 's philosophy can be summed up in a question George likes to ask teachers interviewing for jobs there : Which teacher you remember most from your own childhood ? `` No one ever mentions the person who yelled at them , who screamed at them , who told them to write a phrase a hundred times , who slammed them into closets , who was abrupt , who made them feel stupid . No one ever mentions those people , '' said George . `` Our job is to teach . Sometimes the children we are teaching here present extraordinary challenges ; it can be very , very difficult . But that 's the job we chose to do . '' | GAO report uncovers abuse of techniques used to restrain or discipline children . Some deaths of special-needs kids have been linked to the practices , report says . Investigators : Utah boy with autism left in cubicle for at least two and a half hours . Only five states keep track of incidents ; many states have no regulations . | [[0, 15], [19, 87], [77, 180], [389, 465], [856, 1001], [169, 204], [232, 345], [258, 345], [2805, 2935], [1329, 1427], [1920, 1960]] |
MANCHESTER , Tennessee -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Bela Fleck told us he had been missing something in his life musically , he caught us off guard . Bela Fleck traveled to Africa to immerse himself in banjo-related culture . Keep in mind : Fleck is considered by many to be the premier banjo player in the world . He 's won Grammy awards . He 's collaborated with bluegrass musicians , jazz players , classical performers and any number of other talented artists . But Fleck said he wanted to make himself uncomfortable . Earlier this year , he released the documentary `` Throw Down Your Heart , '' for which he traveled to Uganda , Tanzania , Mali , and Gambia to explore the African roots of the banjo . CNN caught up with him backstage at the Bonnaroo music festival last month , where he played with African kora player Toumani Diabate , to discuss his film and experience in Africa and what prompted him to go . The following is an edited version of the interview . Watch Fleck at Bonnaroo '' CNN : What gave you the inspiration to go to Africa to trace the roots of the banjo and make `` Throw Down Your Heart ? '' Bela Fleck : Well , I have loved the banjo since I first heard it when I was a little kid , and after I started to learn to play it I discovered that it came from Africa originally , and that does n't seem to be common knowledge . There are a lot of people who have forgotten over the years where the banjo comes from . I 've always wanted to go back to Africa and hear what 's going on there and find the instruments that still exist that are the roots of the banjo and play music with them . So that 's what this trip and the film and the record were all about -- going to Uganda , Tanzania , Mali and Gambia and finding musicians and filming interactions with them and recording it all . CNN : What did you learn ? Fleck : That 's a common question . Everybody wants some kind of epiphany out of a trip like this , and I got it , but it 's hard to put it into words . Except that just the experience of playing with these musicians made my life a lot richer , made my worldview a lot bigger , and in a lot of cases I learned music that was so new to me that it 's affected the way I play music ever since . CNN : It 's clear that learning this music and a new technique on the banjo was a challenge for you . Fleck : Sure . Another important part of the trip for me was putting myself into uncomfortable situations and seeing how I would do , because over the years , as I 've gotten more and more successful , I get in control of things , and less and less I was finding myself in situations that were truly risky musically . I liked being unprepared and being forced to come up with it on the spot . It just was n't happening in my life at the time . So that was another part of going to Africa , throwing myself into completely uncharted waters and trying to do something good and survive . -LSB- There was also -RSB- the brotherhood of acoustic musicians , 'cause we feel something when we play our instruments and the sounds mingle in the air . I think it 's different than playing pop music or electric instruments . CNN : Tell us about your collaboration with Toumani Diabate . Watch the masters play '' Fleck : I am so lucky to be performing with Toumani . He 's the greatest kora player . The kora is a 21-string harp , and he comes from 71 generations from it being taught from father to son , father to son . We improvise together with just the kora and the banjo . CNN : Did you learn how to play the kora ? Fleck : No , I have n't sat and tried to play the kora , but he 's taught me the notes that he plays , the scales and the patterns that he does , and I taught him some banjo stuff . He 's a great collaborator . Playing with musicians who did n't speak English was not a problem , when we started to play together , we always found a way to make music . CNN : Is there a social message about Africa you came back with and want people to know about ? Fleck : My reasons for going to Africa were kind of selfish , because I love the banjo , and I really want to play with the musicians . But I think that the film serves in a lot of positive ways . One of the ways is to show people that there are a lot of great things about Africa . Currently there are so many horrible things that are getting press about Africa , and they truly are horrible . But there 's a reason we should care about Africa : It 's a wonderful place . People are beautiful , and there is an incredible culture and history there , and I think this film sits on the other side . It 's not a political statement , but it does point out what is beautiful about Africans . | Bela Fleck , top-rank banjo player , went to Africa to seek instrument 's roots . Fleck : I like throwing myself into `` uncharted waters '' Musician collaborated with African kora player Toumani Diabate . | [[145, 220], [234, 309], [606, 702], [1001, 1114], [2774, 2776], [2820, 2868], [786, 836], [839, 913], [3144, 3147], [3150, 3205]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Jackson has officially become the most popular person on Facebook , with more than 7 million fans on the social networking site . The Michael Jackson Facebook page is now the most popular on the social networking site . Previously , the most popular person on Facebook , with just over 6 million fans , was U.S. President Obama . Over the past week , Jackson 's page has grown from 80,000 fans to just over 7 million , generating the largest response on a Facebook page , the social networking site says . He has continued to gain about 20 fans per second and even more during peak traffic hours , said social media commentator Nick O'Neill , founder of the Social Times Web site . By comparison , actor Ashton Kutcher recently entered a race to beat CNN 's Larry King to 1 million followers on Twitter . Kutcher won and remains the most popular person on Twitter -- but still has only 2.6 million followers . During his memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles , California , all 10 trending topics on Twitter.com were Jackson-related . Jackson 's popularity and the viral nature of Facebook fan pages are the primary reasons for the huge fan base , O'Neill explained . He said , `` It 's simply his popularity . Also , as users become fans , the page gets recommended to others , driving the viral growth of the page . `` Michael Jackson is simply the largest celebrity in the world . While he was a controversial figure , he clearly attracts the attention of the global media , '' he continued . The Facebook page has become an online memorial to Jackson , with thousands of comments from around the world ; dozens appear every minute . Free virtual versions of Jackson 's famous glove are the most popular gift on the site , with more than 800,000 sent to members . The huge following leaves the singer 's heirs -LRB- and his record label -RRB- with a massive network to communicate with fans and continue the massive resurgence of interest in Jackson 's music , O'Neill said . `` While Sony has not heavily engaged the fan base on Michael Jackson 's page , they at least have a presence . If your fans are there , you should be there . `` This also provided an ongoing promotional channel for any future products that are released . It 's simply not an option and will become a component of all marketing strategies . '' There have been 2.6 million downloads of Jackson 's music since his death . He has the top two albums on iTunes , as well as three of the top 10 singles . In the United Kingdom , Jackson held 11 of the top 200 album positions and 43 of the top 200 singles , based on sales monitored by the Official Charts Co. for the week ended June 27 . His `` Number Ones '' album topped the OCC album chart after selling 46,400 physical copies and 10,000 downloads . The surge for demand in Jackson 's music looks likely to continue for several months : The fan page has a music player with some of Jackson 's hits and an option to buy them through Amazon . | Michael Jackson is most popular person on Facebook with nearly 7 million fans . Previously , U.S. President Obama had the most fans . Experts say Jackson 's fan base gaining more than 20 fans per second . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 109], [174, 263], [264, 274], [277, 344], [347, 373], [550, 639]] |
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]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Teenagers exchange text messages while driving because , well , they 're teenagers and teenagers sometimes do dumb things . But suit-wearing adults who should know better are texting behind the wheel too , driven by grown-up motivations . A sign in San Francisco warns drivers late last year of a new California law prohibiting texting while driving . `` My job has me out on the road for four to five days out of the week , '' Anthony Perry , a director of business development for a Washington-based health care research firm , told CNN in an e-mail sent from his BlackBerry . `` I do n't particularly think I am that good at texting while driving but I do it anyway , recognizing the risks . '' Those risks are significant . A Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study released this week showed truck drivers are 23 times more likely to be in a crash if they 're texting , and several fatal accidents have been blamed on drivers or train operators who were distracted by texting . Nevertheless , for many in business , it seems to be a matter of competitive survival . `` Now with e-mail and with the advent of the BlackBerries and hyper-accessibility , there 's this sense that if you do n't show that you 're always prepared and ready to respond and address an issue , then somehow you 're going to be perceived as not being conscientious or not keeping up on things , '' said Tom Britt , a professor of social psychology at Clemson University in South Carolina . Watch someone attempt to text and drive '' `` I could not imagine doing my job , or living my life , without the aid of a bberry , '' Perry wrote . `` I do n't know many who could who are in my line of work . '' Entrepreneurs and people in service industries , such as lawyers , may feel the heat more than others , said Dr. Debra Condren , a business psychologist and executive coach with offices in New York and San Francisco , California . `` The constant pressure to be on the grid , especially in this economy -- ` Oh my gosh , has a client called ? Has a potential client called ? Am I going to lose the job ? Am I going to miss an opportunity ? -- makes us kind of revert to almost an adolescent mentality in terms of thinking that we 're invulnerable -LSB- vis a vis -RSB- texting and driving , '' she said . But those fears are overblown for most people , she said . `` There 's this sense that we 're so important that every single moment has to be filled ; we ca n't even pull over or we 're going to miss five minutes ' driving time or 10 minutes ' driving time . The pace is at this breakneck speed , '' said Condren , author of `` Ambition Is Not a Dirty Word , '' a career guide for women . `` The truth is nobody is that important or that in demand that they ca n't practice safety and good common-sense behaviors . '' Condren recently scolded a cabdriver who was trying to program her hotel 's address into his GPS device while driving 60 mph . He got a little `` snippy '' with her but put the device down , she said , and she gave him directions to the hotel . Watch how high the risk really is '' The subject is personal for Condren , whose son Edward was struck four years ago by an SUV whose driver was fishing around on the floor for a dropped cell phone . Edward suffered a broken pelvis and a concussion , but has fully recovered and now is a college student . It 's going to take something that drastic to get Mei Lin Walker to quit texting while driving . `` I think the thing that would happen -- this sounds horrible -- that would make me stop texting is if I actually had a wreck or I did run off onto the curb or something crazy like that , '' the Delta Air Lines flight attendant said . `` I try not to do it while I 'm driving , but if I 'm sitting in traffic and there are a lot of lights I will , '' said Walker , of Decatur , Georgia . `` I do think it is dangerous , and I consciously try not to do it , but then sometimes there 's just a text that ca n't wait . '' Walker has never had an accident or even a close call while texting , she said , even though she drives a stick-shift car . Texting is easier than talking on a cell phone , she said , because she can set the device down in mid-text without disrupting the conversation if she needs both hands free for driving . Nevertheless , Walker probably is n't driving as well as she believes she is , Britt said . `` In general , people are overconfident and have a sense that they 're capable of doing much more than they really are , '' he said . `` People , especially adults , feel like driving is such an automated skill that basically they could do multiple things in addition to it without performance suffering . '' Many drivers do understand the danger and act accordingly . `` It 's nearly impossible to text in California while driving , '' said Los Angeles County resident Karen North . `` I can see why they make it a law here for no texting while driving . '' See where laws limit texting while driving '' North said she sends her messages right before heading out . If messages need to be sent en route , she hands her iPhone over to one of her teenage children , who are almost always with her . Both Britt and Condren advocate awareness campaigns based on the Virginia Tech study 's findings . It 's up to corporate executives to lead the way , Condren said . `` Leaders at the top have to walk their talk and really make it a priority , '' with companywide meetings and periodic reminders , she said . `` It 's difficult to change the culture of a particular corporation , '' Britt said . `` That has to start at the top . ... At least have the corporate leadership indicate that if you 're actually at the wheel , that responding is n't as important as safety . '' | Business people exchange messages while driving despite risk of crashing . Competitive , economic pressures drive risky behavior , experts say . Georgia woman sends texts in traffic while driving stick-shift car . People are n't as good at multitasking as they think they are , psychologist says . | [[1044, 1046], [1053, 1093], [347, 370], [4064, 4072], [4075, 4117], [4413, 4419], [4442, 4516]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After scathing criticism from the son of slain Sen. Robert F. Kennedy , police in Los Angeles , California , have apologized for including the clothes the senator was wearing when killed in an exhibit of high-profile homicide cases . The clothing -- a shirt , tie and jacket , with what appears to be bloodstains on the shirt -- was removed from the exhibit , `` Behind-The-Scenes : The LAPD Homicide Experience , '' at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas , Nevada . In addition , Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley and Police Chief Charlie Beck , in an open letter Thursday , apologized to any other victims ' family members who might have been offended by the other items in the exhibit , running Tuesday through Thursday at the California Homicide Investigators Association 's 2010 conference . `` Based on the feedback we have received , it is now clear that a few of the items on display have offended some crime victims ' families , '' the letter said . `` We have both been to hundreds of murder scenes in our law enforcement career and we have consoled many family members . It was never our intent to cause grief to victims of crime or their families . '' In a statement issued last month , the LAPD had billed the exhibit as `` a glimpse into some of the most notable homicides and critical incidents that occurred in Los Angeles over the past 100 years . '' `` It 's about the history of Los Angeles , as told through the eyes of homicide investigators of the Los Angeles Police Department , '' Beck said Tuesday on CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' `` This is an opportunity for homicide investigators from all over the country to get together , to share ideas , to share best practices and to talk about some of the most famous cases in Los Angeles history , as well as their current cases . '' But in an opinion piece in Wednesday 's Los Angeles Times newspaper , Maxwell Taylor Kennedy , son of the late senator , called the display of his father 's clothing `` a cheap bid for attention . '' `` The chief of police and the district attorney took my father 's blood-soaked clothing and displayed it , as part of a macabre publicity stunt , '' he wrote . `` It is almost incomprehensible to imagine what circumstances would have led to a decision to transport these items across state lines to be gawked at by gamblers and tourists . It is demeaning to my family , but just as important , it is demeaning to the trust that citizens place in their law enforcement officers . '' The exhibit also features evidence associated with the death of Marilyn Monroe , the 1963 `` onion field '' case in which LAPD Officer Ian Campbell was slain , the O.J. Simpson and Charles Manson cases , and the so-called `` Black Dahlia '' murder , according to the LAPD statement announcing it . Family members of some victims in those cases told `` Larry King Live '' the LAPD should have notified them about the exhibit . `` From my perspective , it 's very disturbing , '' said Debra Tate , sister of actress Sharon Tate , slain along with six others in 1969 by the Manson family killers . `` Number 1 , I did n't get any notice that this was going to occur . But these are very personal artifacts to me . These are things that bring back horrible memories , not only for myself , but other Manson family victims . '' The items include ropes used in the murders of Tate and others , and a fork used to stab one of the victims , said retired LAPD Sgt. Glynn Martin , the curator of the exhibit . `` We certainly try to concern ourselves with the thoughts and concerns of victims , and certainly our hearts go out to them , '' Martin told King . '' ... Likewise , we have an obligation , both as a museum and then the bigger one as the police department , to train , educate and inform officers and the public about people that do this particular job of investigating people that have lost their lives . '' Debra Tate said she can see the educational value , and might consider seeing the exhibit , but `` I think a little bit of notice for people to prepare themselves would have been very , very nice . '' Also featured are the bloody gloves from the Simpson trial and a watch cap collected as evidence , Martin said . Simpson was acquitted in 1995 of killing his ex-wife , Nicole Brown Simpson , and her friend Ron Goldman . `` Had we been given a little bit of notice , it would have been easier to avert your eyes , '' Goldman 's sister , Kim , told `` Larry King Live . '' '' ... I think there is an educational value , and I understand that . '' But , she said , `` it just comes back to sensitivity . '' `` If we 've offended anybody , certainly we extend our apologies to them , '' Martin said . `` But the intent here is to inform and educate , with the idea that we 're going to serve a greater public good . '' The exhibit opened to the public Wednesday , and `` thousands of guests have stood in lines for up to two hours to glimpse Los Angeles ' history , '' said the letter from Cooley and Beck . `` A number of the exhibits show evidence that was collected during various well-known incidents , and they were carefully designed so visitors would gain a better appreciation for the tragedy of murder and the difficult jobs law enforcement detectives have in solving often very complicated cases , '' the letter said . `` Murder is the absolute worst thing one human being can do to another and the displays were designed to provide a unique insight into the sacrifice of victims and their families as well as the emotional toll murder takes on homicide detectives and the district attorneys who prosecute the cases . '' `` Homicide is by nature horrific , but the entertainment media often portrays it as sterile and benign , '' the letter said . `` When people see the reality of murder , it becomes an unthinkable act . '' The exhibit `` was designed to be educational and show the public how murder cases are very carefully investigated , '' the letter said . Kennedy was a New York senator running for president when he was shot to death in June 1968 at Los Angeles ' Ambassador Hotel , shortly after declaring victory in California 's Democratic presidential primary . His killer , Sirhan Sirhan , is serving a life sentence at a California prison . In his op-ed , Maxwell Kennedy said that he had contacted Beck and that he was pleased the chief had agreed to remove the items . `` When I called to express my surprise and disappointment , the chief maintained to me that hanging my dad 's bloody shirt from a mannequin in a casino was part of an effort to train detectives , '' he wrote . `` Perhaps he believes that , but to me it seems like a cheap bid for attention . It is almost like a traffic cop inviting motorists to slow down and take a good look as they go past a tragedy . '' The California Constitution guarantees crime victims and their families will be treated with dignity and respect , he wrote . And as a former assistant district attorney , Maxwell Kennedy said , `` I understand that proper storage of property and legal evidence is a critical part of the judicial process . '' He said he requested the return of his father 's clothing nearly 10 years ago , and the district attorney 's office refused , but he was promised the items would be treated with care and kept out of the public view . Beck , he wrote , should remember that `` such items are personal property , entrusted to the state 's care , not to be exploited . He relies on crime victims to prosecute virtually every criminal . He can not long succeed if he continues to put victims ' pain on display for publicity . '' | LAPD apologizes after son of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy objects to Las Vegas display . Tie , jacket , shirt senator wearing when slain removed from exhibit . Chief calls exhibit , which includes evidence from other high-profile crimes , educational . In editorial , Maxwell Taylor Kennedy calls clothing display `` a macabre publicity stunt '' | [[253, 344], [348, 376], [1193, 1225], [1228, 1338], [5034, 5127], [5859, 5904], [1837, 1900], [1903, 1925], [1954, 1998]] |
Austin , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Internet that gives people the information they want virtually as soon as it 's created is getting closer , according to Internet professionals . But before real-time Web becomes a reality , developers say they need to figure out how to protect people 's privacy while blasting out as much information as they can , as fast as they can . `` A lot of this data that people would like to make available , they would n't necessarily want to make available to everyone , '' said Jack Moffitt , chief technical officer for Collecta , a search engine that aims to give real-time results . `` I think we 'll be wrestling with privacy issues around real-time data for a long time . '' The idea behind a real-time Web is to create technology that does n't require an Internet user to actively seek out something they 're interested in . That could mean anything from getting pinged when an article about your favorite sports team is posted to an alert when you 're mentioned in someone 's blog . Moffitt and others speaking at the South By Southwest Interactive Festival on Saturday said there 's not yet fully developed technology that would both give people all the real-time info they want and let people who put their information on the Internet select who sees it -- or even take it back . `` It 's kind of in our best interest , being selfish , if everyone was completely open with their data , '' said Scott Raymond , founder of Austin-based Gowalla , a location-based mobile app . `` From the user 's perspective , it 's kind of the opposite -- it 's probably better to just stay selfish with your own data but consume everyone else 's . `` There 's a whole lot of work that needs to be done on this and it has n't been solved yet . '' For example , if people on Twitter all set their feed to private , the popular trending-topics feature would n't work . Recently , Twitter , on which most users make their information open to everyone , hit a major milestone -- its 10 billionth tweet . Unfortunately , that tweet was by a user whose settings are private , so the curious will never know what the landmark message was . Brett Slatkin , a software developer with Google , said a real-time Web would create numerous new opportunities -- among them , giving small , local retailers a chance to catch up with major online stores that capitalize on convenience . `` If my corner store can say -LSB- to a customer online -RSB- , ` Yes , I just got five rickshaw bags in stock and you wanted one -- you can just walk down here and get it , ' it 's a chance to change competition and commerce , '' he said . On sites like Twitter , Gowalla and Foursquare , Google Buzz and Facebook , status updates already exist as elements of a real-time Web . Developers note that the speed with which information travels on the Internet is already dramatically faster than it was just a couple of years ago -- before Twitter and location-based apps existed and before Facebook became a worldwide phenomenon . `` This creates lots of interesting social scenarios , '' said Dare Obasanjo , of Microsoft . `` In the ` old days , ' you would have written a blog post about something you did and I 'd be like , ` Crap , I was in the next room . ' '' Multiple players , at both major Internet companies and new startups , are working on an Internet platform to `` real time '' the rest of the Web . That starts with faster searching . Current search engines `` crawl '' around the Internet -- adding the material they find to their databases . But that can sometimes take awhile , particularly on smaller Web sites . Then , there needs to be a universal system for pushing that information to the right people . Obasanjo suggested there may eventually be a way for every new page of data on the Internet to have hashtags -LRB- # -RRB- similar to the ones used on Twitter to denote that a post is about a particular topic . On the issue of privacy , Slatkin said developers could roll out a way for a person to set their online privacy settings in one place then have those settings apply on every Web site . `` We 're going to see a definition , at the technical level , of what sharing means , '' Slatkin said . `` I think we 're going to solve it on the technical level first . Once we solve it technically , it 'll be about how to actually implement it for users . '' | Idea behind real-time Web is to create technology that does n't require user to seek out info . Developers say they need to figure out how to protect privacy first . Real-time Web could help local retailers catch up with major online stores , developer says . | [[714, 769], [714, 745], [749, 808], [759, 769], [775, 839], [187, 225], [228, 338], [2158, 2171], [2286, 2362]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Half a million homes remained without power across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic region on Sunday , as rain continued to pound states from West Virginia to Connecticut for a second day . The rain caused flooding and airport delays across the region , even as Saturday 's high winds -- reaching hurricane force in some areas -- waned dramatically on Sunday . `` High winds are over , but the rain and flood threat remain in Mid-Atlantic and Northeast , '' CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras said . `` There are major travel delays -- and more expected on Monday . '' Some coastal areas have received up to six inches of rain since Saturday , according to the National Weather Service . Flood warnings remained in effect in parts of the Eastern Seaboard into Sunday night , including much of New England . Flooding in West Virginia caused one death there , authorities said . Con Edison reported more than 100,000 customers without power in New York City and Westchester County on Sunday , while the Long Island Power Authority said that 150,000 of its customers were without electricity . `` The ground is so wet from all the snow we 've had this winter , it 's helping the trees to topple over , as well as our utility poles , '' said Long Island Power Authority president and CEO Kevin Law . `` The conditions are still too terrible to get crews out there . '' Law said that some customers will likely go without power until early in the week . Roughly 100,000 New Jersey customers saw their electricity restored Sunday , along with 30,000 PPL Electric Utilities customers in Pennsylvania . But tens of thousands of other homes in New Jersey and Connecticut were still without power on Sunday . iReport : Share photos , video of storm damage . The outages were mostly due to power lines downed by Saturday 's winds , which toppled trees and utility polls . Wind speeds reached 75 miles per hour at New York 's JFK International Airport -- as strong as a Category 1 hurricane -- and 72 miles per hour in Atlantic City , New Jersey . New York-area airports reported delays of at least two hours on Sunday , while Boston 's Logan International Airport averaged 40 minute delays . In the Midwest , meanwhile , flooding continued on Sunday because of snow melt , rains and ice jams . Farther west , North Dakota 's Red River is expected to reach major flood stage around Fargo and Moorhead on Tuesday . | Half a million homes remained without power across Northeast , mid-Atlantic region . Winds reached hurricane-force levels in some places . Winds dying down , but flooding remains a threat . Midwest , North Dakota dealing with their own flooding problems . | [[0, 5], [19, 48], [1010, 1103], [1612, 1685], [1700, 1711], [279, 301], [305, 343], [407, 469], [2194, 2208], [2223, 2295]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The House of Representatives voted unanimously Thursday to impeach Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana , making him the nation 's 15th federal judge ever impeached . `` Our investigation found that Judge Porteous participated in a pattern of corrupt conduct for years , '' said U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff , D-California , chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Task Force on Judicial Impeachment . `` Litigants have the right to expect a judge hearing their case will be fair and impartial , and avoid even the appearance of impropriety . Regrettably , no one can have that expectation in Judge Porteous ' courtroom . '' After the impeachment vote , Schiff and Rep. Bob Goodlatte , R-Virginia , were named the lead impeachment managers for the Senate trial , which will decide whether to remove Porteous from the bench . `` Today 's vote marks only the second time in over 20 years that this has occurred , '' Goodlatte said in a House news release . `` However , when evidence emerges that an individual is abusing his judicial office for his own advantage , the integrity of the entire judicial system becomes compromised . '' In a statement , Porteous ' lawyer Richard W. Westling said the Justice Department had decided not to prosecute because it did not have credible evidence . `` Unfortunately , the House has decided to disregard the Justice Department 's decision and to move forward with impeachment . As a result , we will now turn to the Senate to seek a full and fair hearing of all of the evidence . '' In a telephone interview , Westling said he did not know when the Senate trial would be held . `` There are no clear rules that dictate timing , '' he said . Last year , the Task Force on Judicial Impeachment held evidentiary hearings that led to unanimous approval of the four articles of impeachment , citing evidence that Porteous `` intentionally made material false statements and representations under penalty of perjury , engaged in a corrupt kickback scheme , solicited and accepted unlawful gifts , and intentionally misled the Senate during his confirmation proceedings , '' the House release said . Porteous was appointed to the federal bench in 1994 . In 2007 , after an FBI and federal grand jury investigation , the Justice Department alleged `` pervasive misconduct '' by Porteous and evidence `` that Judge Porteous may have violated federal and state criminal laws , controlling canons of judicial conduct , rules of professional responsibility , and conducted himself in a manner antithetical to the constitutional standard of good behavior required of all federal judges . '' The complaint said the department opted not to seek criminal charges for reasons that included issues of statute of limitations and other factors . But Westling said the statute of limitations was not applicable . An Impeachment Task Force held four hearings late last year that focused on allegations of misconduct by Porteous , including : . -- Involvement in a corrupt kickback scheme . -- Failure to recuse himself from a case he was involved in . -- Allegations that Porteous made false and misleading statements , including concealing debts and gambling losses . -- Allegations that Porteous asked for and accepted `` numerous things of value , including meals , trips , home and car repairs , for his personal use and benefit '' while taking official actions on behalf of his benefactors . -- Allegations that Porteous lied about his past to the U.S. Senate and to the FBI about his nomination to the federal bench `` in order to conceal corrupt relationships , '' Schiff said in his floor statement as prepared for delivery . Porteous was invited to testify , but he declined to do so , Schiff said . `` His long-standing pattern of corrupt activity , so utterly lacking in honesty and integrity , demonstrates his unfitness to serve as a United States District Court judge , '' he said . Porteous , 63 , has not worked as a judge since he was suspended with pay in the fall of 2008 , Westling said . The last federal judge impeachment occurred last year , when Judge Samuel B. Kent of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas resigned after being impeached on charges of sexual assault , obstructing and impeding an official proceeding , and making false and misleading statements , according to the Web site of the Federal Judicial Center . The Senate , sitting as a court of impeachment , dismissed the articles . Before then , Judge Walter L. Nixon of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi was impeached in 1989 on charges of perjury before a federal grand jury . The Senate convicted him and removed him from office that year . | Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. was impeached by U.S. House of Representatives . Porteous is from U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana . Rep. Adam Schiff : Porteous `` participated in a pattern of corrupt conduct for years '' | [[250, 351], [354, 398], [3804, 3852], [3901, 3976]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Arjen Robben proved the difference for the second time in four days as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Freiburg 2-1 to leapfrog Schalke at the top of the Bundesliga . The brilliant Dutchman put the Bavarian giants into the quarterfinals of the Champions League with his stunning strike against Fiorentina on Tuesday and worked his magic again at the Allianz Arena . Cedric Makiadi had put struggling Freiburg ahead in the 31st minute , but Robben equalized in the 76th and then converted a 83rd-minute penalty to give Bayern an invaluable three points . It leaves them two points clear of Schalke , who went temporarily top after a 2-1 lead against Stuttgart . Makiada 's fine strike left Hans Joerg-Butt with no chance and a shock looked on the cards as Louis van Gaal 's men appeared jaded after their midweek heroics . But Robben cropped up to drill home his ninth of the season and his 10th came after Thomas Mueller was fouled to win a penalty . Earlier on Saturday , Borussia Dortmund moved up to fourth spot with a 4-1 win at Bochum with Argentina star Lucas Barrios scoring twice in three minutes in the second half to seal victory . Defending champions VfL Wolfsburg picked up their fourth-straight Bundesliga win under caretaker coach Lorenz-Guenther Koestner as they beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-0 to move up to eighth . But basement side Hertha Berlin look certain for the drop after a 2-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Nuremberg , who followed up their shock win 3-2 at Bayer Leverkusen with another fine victory . It lifts them to 15th . Third-placed Leverkusen play Hamburg on Sunday in a bid to get their title challenge back on track after Nuremberg ended their record unbeaten run . In other action around Europe on Saturday , on-loan Robbie Keane scored a hat-trick as Celtic won 3-0 at Kilmarnock to reach the semifinals of the Scottish Cup , their last realistic hope of silverware this season . In the French League , Lyon struggled after their midweek heroics against Real Madrid and were held to a 1-1 draw at home to local rivals St. Etienne . A first half goal from Emmanuel Riviere put struggling St. Etienne ahead with Lyon getting an 80th minute equalizer from Argentinian Lisandro Lopez . With leaders Bordeaux held to a goalless draw at Monaco and fellow challengers Montpellier and Auxerre playing out a 1-1 draw , Lyon 's draw was a missed opportunity . Bordeaux are top with 53 points from 27 games , with a game in hand on Montpellier , who also have 53 , with Auxerre just a point behind in third . Lyon are fourth with 50 points after 28 games . | Arjen Robben hits a second half double to give Bayern Munich 2-1 win over Freiburg . Victory lifts them two points clear of Schalke at the top of the Bundesliga . Nuremberg boost their battle against relegation with 2-1 win at Hertha Berlin . Celtic reach semifinals of Scottish Cup as Robbie Keane scores hat-trick . Lyon follow midweek heroics with 1-1 home draw against St.Etienne in France . | [[90, 192], [466, 494], [499, 579], [90, 192], [580, 622], [1366, 1474], [1734, 1775], [1778, 1893], [1950, 1970], [1973, 1977], [2029, 2101]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bayer Leverkusen moved to within three points of German Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich after a comfortable 4-2 home victory over Hamburg on Sunday . A double from Stefan Kiessling helped Leverkusen on their way to another three points , leaving them clear in third , a point behind second-placed Schalke , with the top three now pulling away in the race for the title with just eight games left . Kiessling opened the scoring after running onto Tranquillo Barnetta 's through-ball and out-pacing two defenders before firing past goalkeeper Frank Rost . But Ze Roberto volleyed home a 33rd-minute equalizer for Hamburg after a defensive mix-up involving Sami Hyppia and goalkeeper Rene Adler . Eren Derdiyok restored Leverkusen 's lead in the 55th-minute when heading home Daniel Schwaab 's ball into the box -- and Kiessling quickly added a third with a simple tap-in after some great work from Renato Augusto . Czech defender David Rozehnal gave Hamburg some brief hope when converting an 83rd minute Piotr Trochowski free-kick but the victory was confirmed just a minute later when Gonzalo Casto fired home from just inside the area . Meanwhile , in the day 's other match , Claudio Pizarro scored his 11th league goal of the season to give Werder Bremen a 1-0 home win over Hoffenheim . The Peruvian striker lobbed goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand with just nine minutes remaining to leave Werder sixth in the table , one point away from a place in Europe . | Bayer Leverkusen move to within three points of German leaders Bayern Munich . Stefan Keissling scores twice for Leverkusen in their 4-2 win over Hamburg . Claudio Pizarro nets the only goal as Werder Bremen defeat Hoffenheim . | [[19, 93], [108, 115], [170, 231], [170, 200], [258, 285], [1158, 1167], [1170, 1195], [1198, 1310]] |
NEW ORLEANS , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The doctor at the center of an investigation into patients ' deaths after Hurricane Katrina said everyone must remember the `` magnitude of human suffering '' after the storm to ensure that no health care worker is ever `` falsely accused in a rush to judgment . '' Dr. Anna Pou said Tuesday she hopes to return to work doing what she `` loves to do best . '' `` Today 's events are not a triumph , but a moment of remembrance for those who lost their lives in the storm and a tribute to all of those who stayed at their posts and served people most in need , '' Dr. Anna Pou said after a grand jury decided Tuesday not to pursue criminal charges against her . Pou and two nurses -- Cheri Landry and Lori Budo -- were arrested in July 2006 after a 10-month investigation into the deaths at New Orleans ' Memorial Medical Center . Pou 's lawyer , Rick Simmons , said she and her patients were `` abandoned '' by all levels of government . `` The certificates of death in these individual patients should read ` abandoned by their government . ' That 's what happened here , '' he said . Pou said she hopes to return to work doing what she `` loves to do best . '' She fought back tears as she thanked those who have stood by her during the past 23 `` challenging and painful '' months . Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti charged the doctor and two nurses with second-degree murder . Landry and Budo were recently given immunity in exchange for their grand jury testimony . Watch what led up to grand jury 's decision '' Pou , Landry and Budo denied the charges , and their attorneys have said they acted heroically , staying to treat patients rather than evacuate . Foti accused the three of involvement in as many as nine deaths at the hospital . The investigation concluded that patients were given a `` lethal cocktail '' of morphine and midazolam hydrochloride , both central nervous system depressants , he said . None of the patients had been prescribed the drugs by their caregivers , and none of the accused treated them before the injections , Foti said . `` This was not euthanasia , '' Foti said at a news conference last summer . `` This was homicide . '' Foti said he turned his findings over to Orleans Parish District Attorney Eddie Jordan , who was required by law either to file charges or reject the case . Instead , Jordan impaneled a grand jury and vowed to let it decide what charges , if any , should be sought . Jordan also directed New Orleans Coroner Frank Minyard to hire outside forensic experts to review the case . On Tuesday , Foti acknowledged that `` in our system , justice has been served . The grand jury has made its decision . ... I 'm not here to second-guess what the court says . '' But he noted that none of the alleged victims ' relatives and none of five medical experts who independently concluded the deaths were homicides were called to testify before the grand jury . Asked her feelings about Foti , Pou said , `` I 'm really putting Mr. Foti in God 's hands , '' adding that she continues to pray for the ability to forgive him . CNN first reported the allegations of euthanasia months after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast and triggered flooding in New Orleans two years ago . Patients , staff and their families rode out Katrina . But four days after the hurricane hit , despair was setting in . The hospital was surrounded by floodwater . There was no power or water , and the heat was stifling . Food was running low , and nurses were forced to fan patients by hand . Simmons said Pou is still facing lawsuits filed by relatives of three of the patients who died . E-mail to a friend . | NEW : Prosecutor : `` Justice has been served . ... I 'm not here to second-guess '' Lawyer says Dr. Anna Pou , patients were `` abandoned by their government '' Pou was accused of killing patients in the chaos after Hurricane Katrina . Two nurses arrested in same case had charges dropped earlier . | [[2595, 2605], [2608, 2675], [2719, 2748], [873, 886], [904, 980], [981, 1084], [1051, 1084], [3129, 3288]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Yume-Hotaru 's first novel was a best-seller in Japanese bookstores , and he wrote it entirely with his thumbs . Publishers in Japan were quick to see the potential of putting cellphone novels into print . The 22-year-old who would rather be identified by his pen name than his real one -LRB- Yume-Hotaru means `` Dreaming Firefly '' in Japanese -RRB- started composing the novel on his cell phone in 2007 . Between classes , on the bus or before going to bed at night , he would type single sentences into his phone 's tiny keypad , uploading each one straight to the mobile social networking site Mobage-town . The more Yume-Hotaru posted , the more popular his story became . It won a prize and soon publishers approached him , asking if he wanted to turn his digital book into a paper one . By early 2008 , his novel `` First Experience , '' a story about love and sex in high school , was a top title in one of Tokyo 's biggest bookstores . Since it emerged in Japan nearly a decade ago , the cell phone novel , or keitai shosetsu , has moved from a little-known subgenre to a mainstream literary phenomenon . Keitai shosetsu sites boast billions of monthly users while publishers sell millions of copies of cellular stories taken from phones and turned into paperback . It is even spreading to other countries as other cultures start to take part in a type of composition long considered purely Japanese . As the name suggests , cell phone novels are written entirely on handsets and posted on sites like Maho no i-rando -LRB- Magic Island -RRB- , the first and largest mobile novel portal in Japan . The site has a million titles , 3.5 billion monthly visitors and six million registered users , according to the company . Mobile readers instantly see new chapters as they are added , often adding comments about the direction they think a novel should take . The diary-like stories are written and read mostly by young women in their teens and 20 's . Many authors use pen names and claim their stories are at least partially autobiographical . The novels often center on themes that are rarely discussed aloud in Japanese society -- drugs , sex , pregnancy , abortion , rape and disease . `` When they write those novels , they share their secret , personal problems , and when they read by mobile phones , they can hide what they are reading , '' explained Toshie Takahashi , an associate professor of media studies at Rikkyo University in Tokyo . `` They are also involved and engaged with their mobile phones very strongly , '' added Takahashi , noting that 96 percent of high school students own a cell phone in Japan . `` The mobile phone itself is embedded in young people 's everyday lives very deeply and also emotionally and physically . '' Despite its popularity among young women , a male writer known as Yoshi , widely considered the first cellular novelist , brought the burgeoning genre to light when he self-published `` Deep Love '' in 2002 . The story about a prostitute in Tokyo sold nearly 3 million copies and was adapted for film , television and Manga , or Japanese comics . Publishing phenomenon . A struggling Japanese publishing industry was quick to take notice of the growing popularity of keitai shosetsu , especially early works like Yoshi 's `` Deep Love . '' Many of the popular cell phone novels have since been turned into paperbacks , and bookstores across Japan now have entire sections devoted to the digital-age literary genre . By 2007 , half of the country 's 10 best-selling novels were written on cell phones , according to book distributor Tohan while last year mobile novels and comics were a $ 240 million market in Japan , which is over 5 percent of the country 's $ 4.5 billion total mobile content market , according to Japan 's Mobile Content Forum . In January 2009 , three Japanese mobile phone novel publishers reported collective sales of 1.7 million copies . Publishers , like Goma Books , one of the first to print cell phone novels , have also launched their own keitai shosetsu sites , which they use to sift through for talent whose work will be marketable on bookshelves . Goma 's mobile story site Orion carries 20,000 novels and has approximately two million monthly users , according to the company . Goma has also published several top-selling keitai shosetsu , including `` The Red Thread , '' by Mei -LRB- also a pen name -RRB- . Since it was released in 2007 , the story , which revolves around the romance of two middle school students , has sold nearly 2 million copies and was adapted for a TV series and movie last December . The publishing house now prints a new mobile novel every month . Some literary purist do n't think the cell phone novels constitute real literature , but their popularity is undeniable . `` The sentences may be a bit immature . It does n't have a major plot line sometimes . It is just love stories of ordinary high school girls , said Aya Tanaka , a spokesperson for Goma . `` But it is kind of like popular comics , it is what the teenagers want to read , and for the publishers , it is quite a big market and it does sell . '' Michael Keferl , a trend consultant with Cscout Japan in Tokyo , believes that '' -LSB- readers -RSB- are participating in the creation of the novel , which is one of the reasons why they buy it afterwards . They are helping to write it and are also witnessing it being written . '' Crossing cultures . However some believe the future of keitai shosetsu as one that is quickly following in the footsteps of most teenage fads : A sudden and rapid rise to mass popularity followed by a slow but steady decline to the fringes of the not-so-cool . Last year few mobile novels appeared on best-seller lists while new stories published online have lost their characteristic edginess , said Chiaki Ishihara , a Japanese literature expert at Waseda University in Tokyo who has studied cell phone novels . `` Keitai shosetsu is rapidly declining at this point , '' Ishihara told CNN . `` In a few years , it may not even be considered a subculture . '' Others see the cell phone novel moving from an initial boom that peaked around 2007 to a period of market stabilization . `` You are not going to have as many of the big hits as you had before because there are so many titles out , '' said Keferl . `` Things are leveling out now . '' While the cell phone novel market may be cooling in Japan , it is just starting to emerge in other countries , like the United States , where faster networks and cheaper data plans are leading more consumers to use handsets in ways similar to people in Japan . Many companies are starting to launch mobile web sites in the U.S. , including DeNA , the Japanese firm that owns Mobage-town , the site where Yume-Hotaru writes his keitai shosetsu . `` What has surprised us is users in America are behaving in a similar way to the Japanese , '' said Dai Watanabe , president of DeNA Global , Inc. `` They are writing about things that are very close to their actual lives . I was surprised to see it is very similar with what is happening in Japan . '' Julian Knighten , a 22-year-old who works three jobs , writes his cell phone stories while lying in bed at night in his home outside of Dallas , Texas . He said he had never heard of keitai shosetsu before but likes writing cell phone novels because of the relationship he has with readers and the feedback they give him about his stories . `` It encourages me to write , '' said Knighten . `` And it gives me the chance to escape reality . '' | Hugely popular cell phone novels have created new market for publishers in Japan . Written on cell phone , often by 20-somethings with themes taboo in society . Publishing boom has led to sector maturing , but sales still in millions of copies . Cell phone novels finding popularity in U.S. with advancing mobile technology . | [[132, 224], [132, 151], [163, 224], [1886, 1908], [1925, 1978], [2099, 2105], [2111, 2216], [1134, 1248], [4454, 4465], [4521, 4564]] |
Seattle , Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The suspect in Sunday 's fatal shooting of four police officers was shot and killed early Tuesday by an officer after the suspect approached him and `` reached into his waist area , '' authorities said in a statement . Although the medical examiner has not formally identified the man shot and killed in south Seattle about 2:45 a.m. , detectives recognized him as Maurice Clemmons , sought in the killings of four Lakewood , Washington , police officers shot Sunday at a coffee shop , Seattle police said in the written statement . Pierce County Sheriff 's Department spokesman Ed Troyer said earlier Tuesday that Clemmons was carrying a weapon taken from one of the slain officers and had been shot in the abdomen in Sunday 's shooting at the Forza Coffee Company in Parkland , Washington . He had had stuffed gauze and cotton into the wound and put duct tape over it , Troyer said Tuesday . Clemmons had been the subject of an intense manhunt for two days . Two people accused of helping Clemmons evade authorities , brothers Eddie and Douglas Davis , appeared in court Tuesday . Both are charged with rendering criminal assistance , a felony . A man who police believe is the getaway car driver was also in custody , along with a second man . Neither has been charged . The men accused of trying to help Clemmons provided medical aid , housing , a cell phone and money and were trying to get him out of the state , Troyer said earlier Tuesday . They also called in false leads to police to divert investigators . Early Tuesday , a patrol officer saw an unoccupied car in south Seattle that was running and had its hood up , police said . He determined the car was stolen and was doing paperwork in his vehicle when he saw a man approach his patrol car from behind on the driver 's side , the statement said . The officer got out of the car and ordered the man to stop and show his hands , but the man refused , the statement said . Follow local coverage on CNN affiliate KIRO-TV . `` As the officer was drawing his gun , the suspect reached into his waist area and moved , '' the police statement said . `` The officer fired several times , striking the suspect at least twice . '' He was pronounced dead at the scene . The officer is a four-year member of the Seattle police force and is a military veteran , police said . He will be placed on administrative leave , which is standard procedure after a shooting involving an officer . Authorities said they regretted the shooting death but are glad the two-day ordeal is over . `` Right now , it 's just a feeling of relief , '' said Jim Pugil , the assistant Seattle police chief . `` Another tragic time has come upon us , and we 're just happy that it 's over . '' Additional arrests in the case are likely , Troyer said Tuesday . `` I am thankful the suspect in this horrible crime is no longer a threat to our community , '' Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire said in a statement . `` I hope this provides some closure for the families and colleagues of our fallen officers . ... We should now focus our attention on providing comfort and support to those who have lost a loved one . '' Clemmons had made comments before Sunday 's shootings that he was going to kill some officers -- comments that were not reported to authorities until after the shootings -- but officials believe he was the lone gunman . `` We do n't think anyone helped him plan this murder , '' Troyer said . The manhunt for Clemmons began Sunday after the four Lakewood officers -- three men and a woman -- were gunned down while meeting at the coffee shop before their shifts began . Clemmons was an ex-convict with a long rap sheet in Washington and Arkansas , according to authorities and documents . Clemmons slipped away from a home in Seattle 's Leschi neighborhood Sunday night before police surrounded the residence for about 12 hours . He was not found in the home when investigators moved in Monday morning , Seattle police spokesman Jeff Kappel said . Officials said Tuesday that they missed him by mere minutes . Clemmons was accused of child rape and assaulting a police officer in May . He had been released on $ 150,000 bail five days before the shootings , according to court records . After his arrest , Clemmons ' sister told police that he `` had not been himself lately '' and that his behavior was `` unpredictable and erratic . '' `` He had said that the Secret Service was coming to get him because he had written a letter to the president , '' an affidavit quoted her as telling investigators . In addition , neighbors had complained that he had been throwing rocks through their windows . Clemmons ' wife told deputies that she and her husband had argued over a `` newly discovered child , '' and she suggested that was why he went on his rock-throwing spree , according to an arrest affidavit . In 2000 , then-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee commuted a prison sentence for Clemmons , according to documents from the Arkansas Department of Community Correction . Clemmons was sentenced to 95 years , to be served consecutive to time he was already serving from previous convictions , according to the documents . In all , he faced a total of 108 years , Arkansas officials said . He returned to prison in 2001 and was paroled in 2004 . Sunday 's shooting was the first for the Lakewood Police Department , which was created five years ago for the town of nearly 60,000 . The slain officers were identified as Sgt. Mark Renninger , 39 ; Officer Ronald Owens , 37 ; Officer Tina Griswold , 40 ; and Officer Greg Richards , 42 . All of them were parents and had been with the department since its inception . `` My worst nightmare has come true , '' said Tiffany Ryan , Griswold 's sister . `` I ca n't tell you how painful it is to lose my sister . '' Police said the gunman walked past the officers to the counter as if to order but then pulled a gun out of his coat and began shooting at 8:15 a.m. Two of the officers were `` executed '' as they sat at a table , Troyer said . Another was shot when he stood up , and the fourth was shot after struggling with the gunman all the way out the door , Troyer said . Officials said Tuesday they know which officer shot him but were withholding that information pending conclusive confirmation . CNN 's Patrick Oppmann , Dan Simon , Dave Alsup , Dina Majoli and Matt Smith contributed to this report . | Police : Officer fired gun after suspect approached and reached toward waist . Maurice Clemmons had been sought in killings of four police officers . Slain suspect had abdominal wound , victim 's gun , police say . At least three accused of helping Clemmons elude police . | [[10, 36], [117, 184], [189, 219], [2065, 2104], [2446, 2479], [376, 386], [424, 494], [573, 594], [714, 817], [1668, 1681], [2354, 2367]] |
Atlanta , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An elections board certified Kasim Reed on Saturday as the winner of the Atlanta mayoral runoff election by a margin of 620 votes . Barry Garner , director of Fulton County 's elections board , told CNN on Saturday that former state senator Reed was declared the winner of last Tuesday 's runoff election against City Councilwoman Mary Norwood . Garner said Reed received 42,348 votes compared with Norwood 's 41,728 . Norwood has until 5 p.m. Tuesday to request a recount , Garner said . He said if a recount is requested , it will begin Wednesday morning . In the initial vote among eight contenders , Norwood received 45 percent of the votes to Kasim Reed 's 37 percent . Lisa Borders came in a distant third with 14 percent of the vote , according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . A candidate needs 50 percent plus one vote to avert a runoff . CNN 's Greg Morrison contributed to this report . | Elections board : Kasim Reed is the winner of Atlanta mayoral runoff . Reed defeated Mary Norwood by 620 votes , elections board director says . Norwood has until 5 p.m. Tuesday to ask for a recount , elections official says . | [[56, 109], [252, 382], [252, 382], [456, 488], [474, 509]] |
London , England -- Petra Nemcova is a former Victoria 's Secret supermodel-turned-philanthropist . Despite her riches , Nemcova , who grew up with few luxuries in communist Czechoslovakia , told CNN that her most important work is her charity , the Happy Hearts Fund . The model set up the foundation after her near-death experience in the 2004 Asian tsunami . While Nemcova survived by clinging to a palm tree for eight hours , her long-term partner did not . Here , Nemcova shows CNN around Prague and tells of her love for the `` Golden City , '' what she learnt from growing up in a communist country and how she keeps smiling -- despite life 's setbacks . CNN : Tell us about the first time you came to Prague . Petra Nemcova : The first time was to visit my aunt and even if Prague is in the same country as my town , it felt like a real journey . For us it was like going somewhere very special , far away , because under the Communist regime you did n't travel that much and Prague was `` wow . '' I was overwhelmed and amazed by the beauty of Prague and every time I arrive in Prague , even now , I 'm still amazed . The lighting at night ; the incredible architecture ; the details ; the history ; there was a lot to learn about and a lot to discover . It was a very special experience . The following time I went to Prague was during my early career in the fashion industry and I was traveling once , twice a week from my town to Prague . I would wake up at 5.45 in the morning , take the bus for one hour , then a tram to school . After school I would take a five-hour train to Prague . So it was quite intense at that time , but it was a great experience and it taught me a lot about being independent . CNN : How would you describe Prague , in five words ? Petra Nemcova : Prague is a city of romance , of incredible architecture and history . Some people call it the `` golden city , '' some people say it 's the heart of Europe -- although maybe the French do n't like that very much ! Paris is bigger obviously and a bit more hectic and Prague is smaller and has more of a village-y feeling compared to Paris . Prague has more of a calming vibe . It 's not rush-rush-rush . I think when people come here they are surprised by the beauty of Prague and also the vivid colors . I think they may imagine Prague more in gray colors because of the communist association . But since then a lot of reconstruction has been done . Before Prague was shades of grey and black , which was quite mysterious , but now it 's more happy and pretty . In five words it 's historical , inspirational , creative , romantic and beautiful . CNN : What was your childhood like ? Petra Nemcova : Growing up in the Czech Republic -- at the time Czechoslovakia -- was a beautiful childhood because I did n't understand the whole concept of communism . I was only 11 when communism fell down and when the Velvet Revolution happened . I had a really beautiful childhood ... I did n't have the great luxury things , we had very little and we counted every penny . But our parents gave us something more valuable than money -- they gave us so much love and that 's priceless . We did n't get the opportunity to travel all over the world and were able to travel only within the communist countries . So we went around our country to see different castles , little towns and I loved it . So that made us richer . It also made us appreciate nature because we spent every weekend in nature . And the values you learn there are priceless too . You do n't step on flowers , kick on mushrooms , you really respect nature . And the value of appreciation came from not having anything and then having a little bit . Having a clementine for Christmas -- it was an incredible joy and every time I smell a clementine , it brings me back to my childhood . But it was harder for my parents . Because if you were n't part of the system then you did n't get a job and an apartment and it would be really difficult for you . My parents had these passports where every time they would go to these communist meetings they would get a stamp and if you did n't get enough stamps throughout the year , you would get in trouble . CNN : What happened to you in the 2004 tsunami ? Petra Nemcova : I lost my partner and physically , my pelvis was broken four times , I was drowning many times throughout the experience . There were hard moments throughout that experience and some sweet ones . Seeing the compassion of other people risking their lives for strangers , there was just a lot of love around in that moment . That 's what happens actually if you live through disasters , it brings people together , it shows that we are capable of that compassion , but unfortunately it just goes away after some time . CNN : Tell us about your foundation , Happy Hearts ? Petra Nemcova : Happy Hearts is a foundation that I established after the tsunami . It helps children improve their lives after natural disasters through educational and sustainable initiatives . We build or rebuild a school , add computer labs inside and then we build businesses to sustain the school . The education is really a key not just for the children to recover faster from the disaster but also to help them , their families and communities get out of poverty . We help over 23,000 children a year . We give them hope and not just for them but for their parents and communities . The schools elevate the whole community . After the tsunami we went to other countries where disasters happened and one of them was in Indonesia . We work with local partners on the ground and have been able to build 33 kindergartens after the 2005 earthquake and that 's something incredible because it really changed so many lives . Our other project is in Peru , where there was an earthquake in 2007 and we have a commitment to build three schools a year . CNN : If you only had 24 hours in Prague , what would you do ? Petra Nemcova : First of all I would take my friends and family and I would walk around and go to the Charles Bridge because that is my favorite place . Then I would stop by some exhibitions of some new artist . And then I would go and sit down for some tea perhaps at the Musical House . In the evening I may go to a typical Czech pub and afterwards for a concert because I really love them ; they put my mind at ease and inspire me . CNN : How creative is the city ? Petra Nemcova : Many people know about Kafka and some of the other famous writers . But there is a lot of interest in music here and in different types of art . That 's perhaps because art was suppressed during communist times and you were only allowed to read certain authors . That 's why there is such a hunger now for everything that was forbidden . Not just Czech authors but also a lot of American authors because especially anything from U.S. was big taboo and you could not see any movies and you could not listen to any music . I discovered Stevie Wonder seven years ago and I 'm still working on learning and seeing more of the great movies . CNN : If Prague were a person , who would it be ? Petra Nemcova : I think Prague would be our former president Vaclav Havel . He is a proud person and Prague is a proud city ; he 's an artist and Prague is artistic ; he 's an achiever and Prague has achieved so much . He is someone people admire , as they do Prague . | Czech supermodel and philanthropist shows CNN around her `` Golden City , '' Prague . Nemcova : `` Prague is like former president Vaclav Havel : Admirable , artictic and proud '' Nemcova also talks about growing up under communism and surviving the 2004 Asian tsunami . | [[462, 466], [469, 500], [7132, 7191]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actress and animal rights activist Eva Mendes hopes you 'll shun fur as you shop for the holidays . `` Even if you buy a fur glove with the little trim , and you think ` Oh , my God , it 's just a little trim , ' that animal got clubbed , '' Mendes said . Mendes took her clothes off two years ago for the PETA -LRB- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -RRB- `` Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur '' campaign , but now she wants you to see something less pleasant . She 's narrated a video of PETA 's latest undercover footage of animals being killed for their fur . `` These animals are beaten to death , they 're skinned alive , their throats are slashed while they 're still alive , '' she said . `` They 're anally electrocuted , just so the fur wo n't become tainted . '' It 's unlikely you 'll see the 3-minute video on television because of its gruesome nature . But it should n't be hard to find it spreading virally online . `` It 's not something you want to see , '' she said . `` But it 's something you have to see . '' Mendes says she 's confident that anyone who watches it will eventually ditch furs as fashion . `` Even if you do n't do something today , it 'll stay in your consciousness and you 'll think about it , '' she said . `` That 's why these strong images are so necessary for people to see , because they 'll stay in your mind , and maybe in your subconscious . They 'll stay there and that will really help you make a more evolved decision in the future . '' Mendes said her dog , Hugo , `` changed her world '' and convinced her to campaign against fur . `` I 've become so much of a more just sensitive , empathetic person towards animals because of him , '' she said . `` Because he 's just so precious and I ca n't imagine wearing him or eating him , and what 's really the difference between him or some little raccoon or some bunny or seal ? '' Mendes stopped eating beef , chicken and pork two years ago , but she still consumes animal products such as cheese and milk . But there is a great substitute for animal fur , she said . `` Go faux , go fake . '' | Eva Mendes narrates PETA video of undercover footage of animals being killed for fur . `` It 's not something you want to see , '' Mendes says of gruesome 3-minute video . Two years ago , Mendes took off clothes for group 's `` Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur '' campaign . | [[513, 584], [577, 613], [283, 299], [824, 916], [982, 1019], [300, 367]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Virgin has secured a partnership with the Brawn Grand Prix team in Formula One racing , Virgin chief Richard Branson announced Saturday . Virgin 's sponsorship mark 's Richard Branson 's first foray into Formula One racing . The move , which had been the subject of speculation , marks Virgin 's first foray into F1 . Branson made the announcement from Melbourne , where he is attending Saturday 's Australian Grand Prix . He announced the news just before the Brawn team secured the first two grid positions after qualifying , with Jenson Button in pole position . `` I have always said I would love to have a Virgin car on the circuit , '' Branson wrote on his blog . `` I am thrilled to be involved with people as skilled as Ross Brawn and his team . '' Branson added , `` We are very confident that the Virgin Car driven by Jenson Button and Reubens Barrichello will go from strength to strength this season and look forward to a great future for the Brawn GP team . '' Brawn Grand Prix is a newcomer to the F1 world . Run by former Ferrari technical guru Ross Brawn , the group was formed after Honda pulled out of Formula One because of the global economic downturn . Brawn kept the same driver line-up of Brazil 's Barrichello , the most experienced driver on the grid , and Button , who has had to play second fiddle following the emergence of world champion and fellow-Briton Lewis Hamilton . Saturday 's qualifying positions marked the first time a new team have started their first race from the front row since the 70s , according to Formula1.com . Billionaire Branson is famous for his Virgin brand , which began with music shops and record label now includes airlines and interests in publishing , nightclubs , hotels , and a makeup line . Flight testing is under way for a new Virgin venture , Virgin Galactic , which will launch space tourists into sub orbit . Branson says the service could be ready within two years . Branson , who received a knighthood in 1999 , is famous for his daredevil feats , including round-the-world balloon attempts and transatlantic boat races . | Virgin boss Richard Branson announces F1 sponsorship deal with Brawn GP . The sponsorship deal is Branson 's first foray into the world of Formula One . Brawn driver Jenson Button has pole position for season-opener in Melbourne . | [[16, 104], [107, 156], [16, 104], [244, 296], [299, 336]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- David Beckham has promised he will do everything in his power to help England win the bid to stage the 2018 World Cup . The England and LA Galaxy midfielder has been in South Africa with Football Association chief Lord Triesman to promote England 's bid ahead of the draw for the 2010 tournament . Beckham was an ambassador for the successful London 2012 Olympic campaign , and now has a similar role in the World Cup bid . The 34-year-old , who was speaking at a Coaching for Hope project in Cape Town , believes `` hard work '' is the key England 's bid . `` We can win the campaign with hard work - nothing in life is easy and you have to work for special things to be given to you and we are prepared for that , '' Beckham said . `` Football is in our culture , in our DNA . It 's in us from the moment we are brought into this world , from when we are born and that 's something we will always have . '' Find out all the latest news about the build up to the World Cup in South Africa here . FIFA vice-president Jack Warner , who had previously been critical of England 's bid to stage the tournament , said that celebrity appeal can form just as important part of a bid as the quality of the stadiums . `` The stadiums and infrastructure is just one of the things that the bid will be judged on , '' Warner added . `` There is the social responsibility and the legacy that the World Cup leaves and other maters . '' `` Celebrities ? Of course that will help - is n't that what football is all about ? '' FA chief Lord Triesman also appreciates the role that Beckham , who has met with FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Warner while on the trip , can have on charming the relevant parties . `` When he talks to people , even privately , the passion and patriotism shines out of him , '' he said . `` England is one of the few countries with its stadia and its infrastructure that could host a World Cup almost immediately , next week . `` The diversity of cultures around our country is a big thing as well . There are not many countries where you can have Brazil and Portugal and so on coming to our country and for there to be lots of their fans already there . That 's a special thing for us . '' | David Beckham has promised he will do everything in his power to help England win the bid to stage the 2018 World Cup . FIFA vice-president Jack Warner admitted that celebrity appeal is an important part of a country 's bid . Beckham was speaking ahead of the draw for the 2010 event and believes `` hard work '' will be crucial to England 's bid . | [[19, 80], [46, 108], [1016, 1047], [1127, 1227], [139, 316], [247, 316], [443, 458], [524, 576]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As with many jokes , it started with a small jab at the expense of New Jersey . Talk show host Conan O'Brien is locked in a playful feud with the mayor of Newark , New Jersey . The gags continued Monday night when `` Tonight Show '' host Conan O'Brien ventured into `` the biggest scandal in the country that 's now involving a late-night host . '' O'Brien was , of course , referring to his continuing comical conflict with the city of Newark , New Jersey , and its mayor , Cory Booker . It all began on September 23 , when O'Brien , in his nightly comical spiel , joked that Booker 's plan to improve citizens ' health care in New Jersey 's largest city `` would consist of a bus ticket out of Newark . '' The Internet-savvy mayor , who has more than 800,000 followers on Twitter , fired back on YouTube , stating that O'Brien is no longer welcome at Newark International Airport . `` I 'm officially putting you on the Newark , NJ , no fly list -- try JFK , buddy , '' Booker quipped . That video has since amassed more than 119,000 hits on YouTube . The verbal melee did n't stop there . Watch the jousting escalate '' O'Brien retaliated by sarcastically stating that Newark is `` one of America 's greatest cities , '' and proceeded to pair its `` thriving arts scene '' with an image of a graffiti-ridden wall and its `` exciting regional cuisine '' with a Dunkin Donuts sign . He then banned Booker from an airport in Burbank , California , near Los Angeles . On October 1 , Booker , claiming solidarity with all New Jersey 's mayors , retorted by posting another YouTube video outlawing O'Brien from the entire state . `` Now listen , you may like Boardwalk and Park Place , but the only way you 're going to get to them is on a Monopoly board , '' the mayor said . O'Brien , forced to pull out the big guns , Friday banished the mayor from California entirely . In his latest barb on Monday , O'Brien revealed that the mayor of a neighboring New Jersey city , Elizabeth , had sent him a letter welcoming him `` with open arms to Elizabeth . '' Mayor Chris Bollwage claims that Newark airport 's Terminal A actually lies within his municipality and he intends to rename it the Conan O'Brien Terminal if and when the talk show host ever decides to visit . O'Brien then launched a `` campaign to surround and crush '' Newark and the `` drunk on power '' Mayor Booker by making courteous tongue-in-cheek overtures to other adjacent towns , forming a `` geographic toilet seat around the city of Newark . '' The charismatic Booker , widely popular in a state often plagued by corrupt politicians , was elected in 2006 . He has promoted a sense of urban renewal in Newark , New Jersey 's largest city , which has suffered high crime and poverty rates over the past few decades . Booker 's office had no statement available early this week regarding the newest swipe at his city . The humorous altercation illustrates a recent shift in the media landscape . `` The Tonight Show , '' catering to a traditional broadcast audience , now competes with the Web 's constantly streaming flow of viral videos , which are popular amongst O'Brien 's target audience . What will become of the sparring remains to be seen . While O'Brien did invite Booker to be a guest on `` The Tonight Show '' and the mayor extended O'Brien an invitation to Newark , such visits could pose a problem , seeing as how each is banned from the other 's state . `` I think we have to meet in neutral territory '' O'Brien said on Friday 's show . `` I think we 're going to meet in Lebanon , Kansas . '' That community is often billed as the geographical center of the 48 contiguous states . On Friday , the dispute was widened by Joe Territo , content director for NJ.com , a Web site affiliated with 13 major New Jersey newspapers . Territo declared through an article on the site that O'Brien is barred from using NJ.com because of his anti-Jersey sentiments . `` Perhaps O'Brien has never been to NJ.com , and perhaps he has never been interested in visiting NJ.com , '' Territo wrote . `` Given the nature of forbidden fruit , no doubt he wants to use NJ.com now , and he can not , for he is banned . '' `` We 're hitting Conan hard , and where it hurts most : Right smack in the Internet , '' he said . On Monday 's show O'Brien wrapped up his latest Newark segment , but not the feud , by declaring , `` It 's your move , Mayor Booker . '' | Conan O'Brien has been trading barbs with the mayor of Newark , New Jersey . The `` feud '' began after the comic joked the mayor 's health care plan . Mayor Cory Booker then `` banned '' the `` Tonight Show '' host from Newark airport . Conan : `` It 's your move , Mayor Booker '' | [[108, 191], [377, 384], [403, 500], [553, 560], [594, 732], [736, 760], [812, 833], [844, 911], [736, 760], [836, 911], [915, 916], [920, 975], [4380, 4388], [4391, 4403], [4407, 4424]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Argentina international defender Fernando Caceres is fighting for his life in a Buenos Aires hospital after being shot in the head during an armed robbery . The 40-year-old Caceres , who played for Argentina in the 1994 World Cup , was gunned down as a gang tried to steal his BMW car in the early hours of Sunday morning . A bullet has reportedly entered his head through his right eye , and he remains in a coma in a grave condition . Caceres was visited by his former Boca Juniors teammate and national coach Diego Maradona , who clearly distressed , told reporters outside the hospital that crime was rife in the Argentine capital . `` This is a time bomb , going out is a constant danger , '' Maradona told television station TyCSports . `` This happens every day , nobody does anything and something must be done . `` Caceres is in the hands of God and I hope it helps , '' Maradona added . The attack happened in the Fort Apache area of Buenos Aires , which is where Manchester City star Carlos Tevez grew up , and is notorious for high crime levels . Players from two of his former clubs , Argentinos Juniors and Independiente displayed a banner of support for him ahead of their later match in the Argentine league on Sunday . Caceres won the league title with River Plate in 1991 and the European Cup Winners Cup with Spanish side Real Zaragoza in 1995 . He played 24 games for Argentina , helping them to the Copa America in 1993 before appearing at the World Cup finals in the United States a year later . Caceres ended his playing career at his original club of Argentinos Juniors in 2007 and has been coaching at Independiente . | Former Argentina international Fernando Caceres in grave condition in hospital . Caceres shot in the head as gang try to steal his BMW car in Buenos Aires . Argentina football legend Diego Maradona visits Caceres in hospital . 40-year-old Caceres enjoyed a distinquished club and international career . | [[419, 462], [0, 15], [76, 182], [183, 206], [258, 283], [277, 349], [463, 537], [183, 206], [213, 255]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World number two Novak Djokovic beat John Isner in a grueling four hour 16 minute encounter to secure Serbia 's passage into the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup on Sunday . Serbia led the United States 2-1 overnight in Belgrade with Djokovic favored to beat the giant Isner to clinch the tie , but he was given an almighty scare before winning 7-5 3-6 6-3 6-7 6-4 . They will now play Croatia at home on July 9-11 in the quarterfinals of the premier team event in tennis after their first-ever victory in the World Group . Djjokovic , urged on by a partisan home crowd , looked headed for a routine win as he took the opening set , but he was broken twice in the second as Isner leveled . Djokovic returned the compliment in the third set to lead two sets to one , but he could not force home the advantage and he lost a fourth set tiebreak 8-6 as Isner set up a decider . A single break in the first game gave Djokovic a crucial advantage , but his American opponent proceeded to save six match points before finally netting a forehand , the home hero sinking to his knees after an exhausting ordeal . The defeat means Patrick McEnroe 's U.S. team face a relegation playoff later this year to maintain their record of playing in the World Group every year . In other ties , defending champions Spain shrugged off the absence of the injured Rafael Nadal to beat Switzerland 4-1 to set-up a quarterfinal clash with France . Russia edged out India 3-2 and will face Argentina who defeated Sweden 3-2 in Stockholm . Returning from injury David Nalbandian was Argentina 's match winner in Stockholm as he beat Andreas Vinciguerra 7-5 6-3 4-6 6-4 in the deciding rubber after Swedish number one Robin Soderling had drawn them level with a straight sets win over Leonardo Mayer . 2005 champions Croatia , last year 's runners-up Czech Republic and France sealed their quarterfinal places on Saturday against Ecuador , Belgium and Germany respectively . France 's home clash with Spain is already whetting the appetite of tennis fans . `` It 'll be like a final , it 's the kind of thing you dream about , '' France captain Guy Forget told the official Davis Cup Web site www.daviscup.com . | Novak Djokovic beats John Isner in five-set marathon as Serbia beat USA in Davis Cup tie . Serbia reach quarterfinals of the World Group for the first time . Defending champions Spain will play France in pick of the last eight ties . | [[32, 93], [111, 190], [384, 388], [394, 540], [1347, 1440]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An organization of Christian physicians argued Wednesday against an impending rollback of a federal rule allowing health care workers to refuse to provide certain reproductive services , saying it 's discriminatory . The rule protects the rights of health care providers who refuse to participate in certain procedures . The Bush White House proposed the rule in August , and it was enacted January 20 , the day President Obama took office . It expanded on a 30-year-old law establishing a `` conscience clause '' for health care professionals who do n't want to perform abortions . Under the rule , workers in health care settings -- from doctors to janitors -- can refuse to provide services , information or advice to patients on subjects such as contraception , family planning , blood transfusions and even vaccine counseling if they are morally against it . The Obama administration is expected to reverse the rule shortly , touching off a new wave of heated debate over what remains one of the most sensitive and emotional hot-button issues in American politics . '' ` Right of conscience ' is under attack , and that is dangerous for our country , our health care system and our patients , '' said Dr. David Stevens , head of the 15,000-member Christian Medical Association . `` When the state demands that we surrender our conscience , it becomes totalitarian and dangerous . Do we want our professional schools to ethically neuter doctors of all moral convictions that are not approved by the government ? '' Watch CNN 's Sanjay Gupta discuss the ` conscience clause ' '' Stevens was speaking on behalf of Freedom to Care , an umbrella organization of 36 groups working to prevent a rollback of the rule . Watch why one pharmacist says the `` conscience clause '' is needed '' Many health care organizations , including the American Medical Association , believe that health care providers have an obligation to their patients to advise them of the options despite their own beliefs . And critics of the current rule argue that there are laws on the books protecting health-care professionals when it comes to refusing care for personal reasons . `` We do n't make God-like decisions . ... That 's not what it 's about for us . It 's about helping the patient make their own decision . ... No one appointed us to be the ultimate person to pass judgment , '' said Mary Jean Schumann , a member of the American Nurses Association . Dr. Suzanne T. Poppema , board chairwoman of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health , praised Obama `` for placing good health care above ideological demands . '' `` Physicians across the country were outraged when the Bush administration , in its final days , limited women 's access to reproductive health care , '' she said . `` Hundreds of doctors protested these midnight regulations and urged President Obama to repeal them quickly . We are thrilled that President Obama -LSB- is taking steps -RSB- to ensure that our patients ' health is once again protected . '' Stevens argued that there is `` a well-funded and increasingly successful effort to discriminate against health care professionals based upon their deeply held religious and moral beliefs . '' Rescinding the rule will send `` a clear message , '' he said : `` It 's open season on health care professionals of conscience . Discriminate at will . If anyone should understand the ugliness of discrimination , it is our first African-American president . '' Stevens predicted that a large number of specialists in obstetrics and gynecology would leave the medical profession if the rule is repealed . A final announcement from the Obama administration is expected with the conclusion of a 30-day public comment period on the proposed rule change . `` We do not want to impose new limitations on services that would allow providers to refuse to provide to women and their families services like family planning and contraception that would actually help prevent the need for an abortion in the first place , '' a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services official said in February . CNN 's Saundra Young contributed to this report . | Christian doctors group says impending rollback of conscience rule is discriminatory . Rule lets health care providers refuse to provide services they 're morally against . '' ` Right of conscience ' is under attack , '' one doctor says . Supporter says Obama is putting `` good health care above ideological demands '' | [[133, 144], [206, 235], [109, 203], [268, 289], [294, 339], [602, 616], [619, 650], [670, 849], [853, 882], [2075, 2175], [3142, 3226], [3855, 3961], [2459, 2481], [2552, 2625]] |
CABANATUAN CITY , Philippines -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Typhoon Parma crossed the northern tip of the already storm-battered Philippines Saturday afternoon and early Sunday , killing three people , according to local media . A NASA satellite image shows Typhoon Parma as it headed toward the Philippines on Friday . Parma made landfall Saturday afternoon in a rural region of fishermen and farmers in Luzon , the largest of the Philippine islands . Tens of thousands of people to fled their homes for safer shelter . Winds whipped the coastline and felled power lines in northernmost Cagayan Province . Debris littered the roads , making evacuations even more difficult . At 5 a.m. Sunday -LRB- 5 p.m. Saturday ET -RRB- , Parma , known locally as Typhoon Pepeng , had maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour -LRB- 75 mph -RRB- with gusts as high as 148 kilometers -LRB- 92 mph -RRB- as the eye began to leave land , heading to the northeast , according to the U.S. Navy 's Joint Typhoon Warning Center . Parma avoided a direct hit on heavily populated Manila , but the real menace in the Philippines capital was not wind . It was water , and there was no escape from it . Parma was expected to dump as much as 8 to 20 inches of rain in areas still water-logged from last week 's Typhoon Ketsana . That storm resulted in the heaviest rainfall in 40 years and at one point , 80 percent of Manila was submerged . Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro appealed to Filipinos to remain in shelters even if they were in cities and towns not directly in Parma 's path . He said he was worried about massive flooding and possible mudslides in mountainous regions . The government deployed 10,000 troops to help with rescue and relief operations as frightened Filipinos prepared for the worst . World Vision , the Christian humanitarian organization , was planning to launch relief operations Saturday evening in Isabela Province , one of the areas slammed by Parma . The group also plans assistance for nearby Cagayan province , whose capital , Tuguegarao , is being hit hard by Parma 's strong winds . Arturo Fidelino , a telecommunications executive in Manila , described panicked people rushing to stock up on essential goods -- drinking water , canned food and electrical supplies . `` We had a traumatic experience when we had Ketsana , '' he said . `` We do n't want that to happen again . '' President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo placed the country `` under the state of calamity . '' Macapagal-Arroyo said disaster-relief crews in vulnerable areas must be equipped with life-saving kits , boats , portable generators and trucks . Ketsana , which swallowed whole houses and buses over the weekend , killed 246 in the Philippines . It later strengthened into a typhoon . An additional 38 are missing , the National Disaster Coordinating Council said . The storm affected nearly 2 million people and forced the evacuation of 567,000 . CNN 's Eunice Yoon and Pamela Boykoff in Cabantuan City , and Josh Levs in Atlanta contributed to this report . | NEW : 3 dead in Philippines from Typhoon Parma , local media report . Storm heads to sea after crossing northern Philippines . Tens of thousands of Filipinos sought shelter in evacuation centers . The biggest threat was rain in areas water-logged by Typhoon Ketsana . | [[0, 39], [168, 188], [0, 39], [191, 217], [49, 165], [442, 509], [1176, 1181], [1195, 1264], [1252, 1257], [1258, 1300]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Digital cameras are now as common and affordable to the average family as the Polaroid of the '60s . A self-admitted tech geek , Chris Pirillo is president of Lockergnome.com , a blogging network . Best thing about 'em ? You do n't even have to take your film in to the corner drugstore to get developed -- because digital cameras do n't rely on film to make their pictures `` stick . '' Thanks to technology , the entire process , from clicking the shutter to printing the pictures , is now entirely within the power of the consumer . Maybe you 've taken a picture that 's just not as perfect as you 'd like it to be . Instead of being at the mercy of a darkroom-shackled photo lackey to improve upon it , you 've got more tools than ever to take it upon yourself to edit , store , organize , and share your images with the world . Here 's a roundup of 10 free , and mostly free , online tools for the budding digital photographer : . 1 . Picnik -- Summed up from the site : `` Picnik makes your photos fabulous with easy to use yet powerful editing tools . Tweak to your heart 's content , then get creative with oodles of effects , fonts , shapes , and frames . '' If you already use Flickr for your photos -LRB- here 's what I do with mine -RRB- , you 're only a click away from taking a Picnik . That 's how I discovered it , and it 's worked fairly well for me to this point . 2 . Splashup -- Splashup `` is a powerful editing tool and photo manager . With all the features professionals use and novices want , it 's easy to use , works in real-time , and allows you to edit many images at once . '' You 'd wonder how something this extensive could be free - and it all runs within the browser . 3 . FotoFlexer -- FotoFlexer bills itself as `` the world 's most advanced online image editor . '' With it , you can edit photos from Photobucket , MySpace , Facebook , Flickr , Picasa , and `` more places . '' I 'm not quite sure what `` more places '' means , but last I checked , this does not include a phone booth . 4 . Pixlr -- `` Pixlr is a free online photo editor ; jump in and start : edit , adjust , filter . It 's just what you imagine ! '' Alexa says it 's the `` fastest growing photo editor online . '' If these resources are starting to look similar to your eye , remember you do n't have to use all of them - just pick the one that works best for your needs . 5 . flauntR -- flauntR is a suite that includes the ability to edit images , add effects , add text , and print the results on everything from mugs to posters . You might be overwhelmed with the options here , but ... is n't that better than being underwhelmed ? 6 . Photoshop Express -- Adobe 's Photoshop was really the first image editor of its kind to herald in the age of digital photography , though it was designed for professionals and its endless options could be daunting -LRB- and bank - breakingly expensive -RRB- for the layman . Now , Photoshop.com is on the Web to help that very same layman -- for free or plus levels of membership -- edit , store , and share his photos . Lots of helpful tutorials promise to guide the casual user through editing pickles . 7 . PiZap -- PiZap 's tagline is `` fun with photos made easy . '' It 's another flavor of photo editor/storage center that , like flauntR , allows you to print the results to mugs , bags , and t-shirts . PiZap invites developers to check out its API for more personalization options -LRB- which is usually a good thing -RRB- . 8 . Aviary -- Aviary lets you : `` edit images , create mind-blowing effects , design logos , find colors , collaborate , and more . All you need is a Web browser . '' This particular brand looks to be the one to beat , as they have several different tools in development . I 'm guessing that within five years , this one is going to be at the top of every person 's list of Web-based image editors . 9 . DrPic -- DrPic says it 's `` the easiest free online picture editor '' and that it has `` processed over five million pictures . '' I say they 're easy enough , but not necessarily THE easiest . Everything 's relative , no ? 10 . Cameroid -- Cameroid lets you `` take crazy -LRB- or not -RRB- snaps with your webcam straight from your browser . '' I featured this one in a CNN.com live video a while ago , and it certainly deserves to be mentioned again . If you 're looking for something else to do with your webcam , give it a cameroid -LRB- which is n't as painful as it might sound -RRB- . As you can see , there are plenty of options for photo editing , storing , and sharing out there . Some are going to fit your personal workflow more neatly than others , so it 's worth it to try a few and see what works best for your needs . Or maybe you swear by something that I totally missed ? Do n't be a miser - share it with the rest of the class ! We 'd love to know about it . | Tech enthusiast Chris Pirillo suggests 10 free online digital photographry tools . Photographers today have more tools than ever to edit , organize and share images . FotoFlexer bills itself as `` the world 's most advanced online image editor '' Cameroid lets you `` take crazy snaps with your webcam straight from your browser '' | [[852, 882], [726, 816], [738, 742], [759, 851], [4517, 4598], [4136, 4144], [4148, 4250]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former `` enemy combatant '' who was held in a South Carolina Naval brig for six years with no charges was sentenced Thursday to eight years and four months in prison , a Justice Department spokesman said . Ali al-Marri pleaded guilty in federal court in Illinois in May to conspiring to provide material support to a terrorist organization . He could have received a maximum of 15 years in prison . `` This administration is committed to bringing terrorists to justice for their crimes , '' Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said . `` Al-Marri , who has been in U.S. custody since December 2001 , was dispatched by the highest levels of al Qaeda to carry out its terrorist objectives in America . '' A defense attorney for the Qatari citizen , who had been a student at Bradley University in Peoria , Illinois , when he was arrested , said the judge ruled on a lesser sentence to reflect the nearly six years al-Marri already spent at the Naval brig in Charleston , South Carolina . `` We 're pleased with the result , '' said the attorney , Larry Lustberg . `` Mr. al-Marri is also very pleased . '' Al-Marri was transferred to a federal prison in Illinois in March after President Obama ordered a review of his case . The case was ultimately referred to the Justice Department , which filed charges . The Pentagon said he trained at a terror camp in Afghanistan , met al Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and `` volunteered for a martyr mission , '' according to court documents filed earlier in the case . According to a copy of his plea agreement , al-Marri admitted that he `` knowingly conspired and agreed with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed '' to provide support to al Qaeda and to work under the organization 's direction and control . `` Between 1998 and 2001 , the defendant attended various training camps because he wished to engage in jihad , '' the document said . While in the training camps and in al Qaeda safe houses in Pakistan , he was known by the name Abdul-Rahman al-Qatari , according to the plea agreement . Mohammed approached al-Marri in 2001 about his offer to assist al Qaeda , the plea agreement said . `` The defendant was instructed by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to enter the United States no later than September 10 , 2001 , with an understanding that he was to remain in the United States for an undetermined length of time , '' the documents said . Al-Marri applied to Bradley using the same e-mail address he used to communicate with Mohammed , the plea agreement said . At Bradley , he `` rarely attended classes and was in a failing status by the end of his first semester . '' On September 21 , 2001 , al-Marri traveled to another central Illinois university and created five e-mail accounts under different aliases , the documents said . `` By this time , the defendant knew that al Qaeda was responsible for the September 11 , 2001 , attacks on the United States and fully understood why Khalid Sheikh Mohammed had directed him to be in the United States before that date . '' He used the new e-mail accounts to inform Mohammed of his whereabouts and activities , and also gave him his cell phone number in encoded format , according to the plea agreement . In addition , he conducted online research `` related to various cyanide compounds . The defendant 's focus was on various cyanide substances ... the defendant reviewed toxicity levels , the locations where these items could be purchased , and specific pricing of the compounds , '' the documents said . He also explored obtaining sulfuric acid . An almanac found at al-Marri 's residence was bookmarked `` at pages showing dams , waterways and tunnels in the United States , '' the plea agreement said . Al-Marri initially was arrested on credit card fraud charges in December 2001 . But his continued confinement without charges mushroomed into a major legal case before federal prosecutors filed charges in February . The Supreme Court ruled on March 6 that al-Marri 's case was rendered moot by a decision to indict him on federal conspiracy charges , and granted the Obama administration 's request to dismiss his challenge of the president 's unilateral authority to detain him indefinitely without charges . He was transferred to civilian custody and taken to Illinois in March . The court 's ruling , however , meant that the larger constitutional issue of the president 's power to detain accused terrorists and other criminals in the United States remains unresolved . CNN 's Carol Cratty contributed to this report . | Ali al-Marri sentenced for charges of conspiring to provide support to terrorism . His lawyers wanted a lighter sentence because he was held without charges for six years . Al-Marri sentenced to eight years and four months ; faced 15 years . Prosecutors say al-Marri volunteered for `` martyr mission , '' met bin Laden . | [[228, 255], [292, 338], [228, 240], [292, 363], [29, 49], [54, 123], [886, 990], [0, 15], [124, 187], [364, 420], [1461, 1496]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared martial law beginning Friday night in the southern province of Maguindanao , where 57 people were killed last week , an army spokesman told CNN Saturday . Army spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said martial law -- under which police can make arrests without a warrant -- went into effect at 9 p.m. Congress would have to approve any extension beyond 60 days . Brawner said the measure was invoked to impose peace on the region after the unrest , which led to troops being mobilized . `` Life is to resume normally and martial law is established to prevent new violence , with troops on the ground monitoring any possible violence breakout , '' he said . `` But the civilian government will be running the affairs of the province , not a military governor . '' Military police have detained three brothers and their father on suspicion of involvement in the unrest : Akmad Ampatuan , the vice governor of Maguindanao ; Anwar Ampatuan , the mayor of Sherif Auguak , Maguindanao 's capital ; and Zaldy Ampatuan , governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao . Andal Ampatuan Sr. , the patriarch , became ill and was hospitalized after he too was taken in . `` Local government will function , it will prevent armed groups from wreaking havoc ... and it will allow the officials to search and find the guilty parties , '' Brawner said . Security forces on Friday searched the home of Andal Ampatuan Jr. , mayor of Datu Unsay and son of the provincial governor of Maguindanao , according to Brawner . Authorities say Andal Ampatuan Jr. directed the November 23 politically motivated killings . Weapons were found in the house , Brawner said . On Tuesday , Philippine authorities charged Ampatuan and other suspects with 25 counts of murder in the killings . Still more suspects were taken into custody Friday . The Philippine military is investigating its own forces in connection with the case as well , Brawner said . The National Bureau of Investigation has moved a third witness to Manila for questioning , the Philippines News Agency reported Thursday . `` At the moment , we are interviewing the witness , so that we would know what he knows about the incident in Maguindanao , '' NBI Director Nestor Mantaring said . The witness claimed to have been at the site during the massacre . `` He is very vital , '' Mantaring said . `` From what I know ... he knows a lot of information regarding the incident . '' Among the victims in the massacre were the wife and sister of political candidate Ismael `` Toto '' Mangudadatu , who had sent the women to file paperwork allowing him to run for governor of Maguindanao . He said he had received threats from allies of Gov. Andal Ampatuan , the father of the accused mayor , saying he would be kidnapped if he filed the papers himself . Witnesses and local officials have blamed the younger Ampatuan , a longtime ally of the Philippines president and a known warlord . They said the killings were an attempt to block Mangudadatu from challenging him in the May gubernatorial election . Also killed were a dozen journalists who had accompanied the women . Violence in the run-up to elections is not uncommon in the Philippines . The Maguindanao massacre , however , is the worst politically motivated violence in recent Philippine history , according to state media . Maguindanao is part of an autonomous region in predominantly Muslim Mindanao , which was set up in the 1990s to quell armed uprisings by people seeking an independent Muslim homeland in the predominantly Christian Asian nation . Suspicion fell on Ampatuan after a government construction vehicle was found at the hastily dug mass grave that held the bodies of the massacre victims . CNN 's Talia Kayali contributed to this report . | NEW : Martial law invoked to impose peace on the region after unrest . Measure follows killings of 57 people last week in province of Maguindanao . Security forces search the home of Andal Ampatuan Jr. , mayor of Datu Unsay . Authorities say Ampatuan Jr. directed the November 23 politically motivated killings . | [[437, 520], [591, 684], [157, 188], [1418, 1483], [1581, 1673], [1597, 1673]] |
The Hague , Netherlands -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bosnian war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic launched a full-throated attack on the International War Crimes Tribunal Tuesday , as he appeared at a hearing to discuss his refusal to appear for trial . He said he `` can not take part in something that has been bad from the start , and where my fundamental rights have been violated . '' Karadzic , who is accused of responsibility for the worst massacre in Europe since World War II , says he has had insufficient time to prepare his defense . He is representing himself . But Judge O-Gon Kwon told Karadzic it was the court , not the defendant , who decides when the case is ready for trial . He advised Karadzic to participate in order to get a fair trial . The judges will decide by the end of the week how to deal with the former Bosnian leader 's boycott of the proceedings , Judge Kwon said before adjourning the trial for the day . Karadzic , the Bosnian Serb leader during the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s , faces 11 counts of genocide , war crimes and crimes against humanity . Memories of the massacre remain raw . Watch the video . The charges stem partly from the massacre of more than 7,000 Muslim men and boys at the town of Srebrenica , in what is know Bosnia and Herzegovina , in 1995 . Karadzic has been insisting he has not had enough time to prepare for the trial , saying there are 1.3 million pages of documents to study . He denied stalling , and said imposing a lawyer on him would not help . `` It is with joy that I am preparing for these proceedings , '' he said through a translator . `` Nobody can get through this material better than I can , no lawyer . The best possible solution would be that the defense be given sufficient time '' to prepare . He rejected prosecutor Hildegard Uertz-Retzlaff 's assertion that Tuesday 's proceedings constituted part of the trial . `` I hope that this is not some kind of a trick , '' he said . `` I am attending a status conference hearing . '' The court can not force a defendant to appear . Karadzic , as a `` self-representing accused , '' is the only one who can cross-examine witnesses and speak in court about the substance of the charges against him . However , judges can impose a lawyer on Karadzic if he continues to refuse to cooperate . The trial began without his presence on October 26 , more than a year after Karadzic was captured in Belgrade , the capital of Serbia . He had been on the run for more than 13 years and was living in disguise in Belgrade , practicing alternative medicine at a clinic . Karadzic faces life in prison if he is convicted . The court can not impose the death penalty . The 1992-95 Bosnian conflict was the longest of the wars spawned by the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s . Backed by the government of then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic , Bosnian Serb forces seized control of more than half the country and launched a campaign against the Muslim and Croat populations . Karadzic was removed from power in 1995 , when the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian war barred anyone accused of war crimes from holding office . Milosevic died in 2006 while on trial at The Hague . | Radovan Karadzic appears at hearing at International Criminal Tribunal to discuss his refusal to appear for war crimes trial . Ex-Bosnian Serb leader is accused of responsibility for worst massacre in Europe since World War II . Karadzic , who is representing himself , says he has had insufficient time to prepare his defense . Karadzic was arrested last year in Belgrade after more than a decade on the run . | [[173, 220], [188, 242], [379, 389], [394, 455], [379, 387], [477, 535], [536, 564], [1342, 1393], [2091, 2095], [2096, 2116], [2119, 2121], [2398, 2437], [2464, 2509]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ronaldinho 's participation in this summer 's World Cup finals now appears in serious doubt after the AC Milan playmaker was not named in Brazil coach Carlos Dunga 's 22-man squad for next month 's friendly international against Ireland in London . The 29-year-old former Barcelona star has been in outstanding form for the Italian giants this season -- but he has still not done enough to force his way into Dunga 's thinking for the match at Arsenal 's Emirates Stadium . Ronaldinho is not the only high-profile player not selected for the match , with Chelsea central defender Alex also left out of the squad . Manchester City forward Robinho , who is currently on loan for the rest of the season with Brazilian club Santos , is in the squad -- while there is also a place for full-back Dani Alves , although the Barcelona defender is currently sidelined with a calf injury that is expected to keep him out for around three weeks . Brazil squad to face Ireland : . Goalkeepers : Julio Cesar -LRB- Inter Milan -RRB- , Doni -LRB- Roma -RRB- . Defenders : Maicon -LRB- Inter Milan -RRB- , Daniel Alves -LRB- Barcelona -RRB- , Lucio -LRB- Inter Milan -RRB- , Juan -LRB- Roma -RRB- , Thiago Silva -LRB- AC Milan -RRB- , Luisao -LRB- Benfica -RRB- , Michel Bastos -LRB- Lyon -RRB- . Midfielders : Gilberto -LRB- Cruzeiro -RRB- , Gilberto Silva -LRB- Panathinaikos -RRB- , Felipe Melo -LRB- Juventus -RRB- , Josue -LRB- Wolfsburg -RRB- , Kleberson -LRB- Flamengo -RRB- , Ramires -LRB- Benfica -RRB- , Elano -LRB- Galatasaray -RRB- . Forwards : Kaka -LRB- Real Madrid -RRB- , Robinho -LRB- Santos -RRB- , Nilmar -LRB- Villarreal -RRB- , Luis Fabiano -LRB- Sevilla -RRB- , Adriano -LRB- Flamengo -RRB- , Julio Baptista -LRB- Roma -RRB- . | Ronaldinho left out of Brazil 's squad for next month 's friendly against Ireland . There is no place for the playmaker despite his outstanding form for AC Milan . On-loan Santos forward Robinho has been named in 22-man squad for Emirates Stadium match . | [[117, 267], [0, 15], [82, 176], [117, 267], [268, 369]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. helicopters carrying food hovered above the ground in one area of the battered Haitian capital on Saturday , flinging out boxes to the anxious crowd . It was a chaotic scene as hundreds of Haitians without food and water for four days swarmed toward the boxes , ignoring the wind and dust kicked up from the helicopters ' blades . A similar scene erupted Friday when a food convoy with the World Food Programme was forced to leave an area after men in the crowd starting pushing and shoving their way to the trucks . Elsewhere , people stood in long , orderly lines for food , according to a CNN crew , although anxiety about whether there was enough to go around permeated the wait . In Petionville , a suburb of Port-au-Prince , U.S. troops handed out about 2,500 meals Saturday , before they ran out . Seventy soldiers arrived with the Army 's 82nd Airborne Division in Petionville to set up a distribution base and a landing zone for helicopters . They began handing out meals about 2 p.m. `` Our goal is to get supplies out to the people who need it the most , '' Col. Mike Foster said . `` We got a good start . '' Authorities set up more than a dozen aid distribution points across battered Port-au-Prince , as aid workers toted medical supplies into the battered island nation . Still , although some progress could be observed four days after Tuesday 's devastating earthquake , problems persisted . Get the latest developments on Haiti . A CNN crew observed U.N. World Food Programme personnel who were trying to move food from a warehouse damaged from the earthquake . The building has large cracks up its side , weakening the walls . Its doors could not be forced fully open to allow a forklift through , so workers were painstakingly hand-carrying the supplies out . Despite the difficulties , the Haitian ambassador to the United States , Raymond Joseph , said he did not believe that violence will increase , as long as distribution of food continues . `` I think it wo n't get any more violent than it is now , '' he said . Also Saturday , former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush kicked off a fundraising drive -- a donation push called the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund , similar to the appeal led by Clinton and Bush 's father , former President George H.W. Bush , for the victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami . The drive was announced at the White House , with President Obama flanked by Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush . `` We 're moving forward with one of the largest relief efforts in our history to save lives and to deliver relief that averts an even larger catastrophe , '' Obama said . Obama said his predecessors will tap into `` the incredible generosity , the ingenuity , the can-do spirit '' of Americans . See full coverage of Haiti . The leaders said the best way for Americans to help Haiti is to donate money . `` I know a lot of people want to send blankets or water , '' Bush said . `` Just send your cash . '' Aid delivery has been slowed by damaged roads , the destroyed port and bottlenecks at the airport . As TV images showed people jostling for aid , U.S. officials reiterated what they said has been a continuation of relief efforts : Ongoing search and rescue operations ; the establishment of 14 aid distribution points ; finding alternatives to the damaged port , distributing water containers , water purification units , medical supplies , and establishing medical clinics and field hospitals . Israel was establishing a field hospital to treat thousands of victims from the earthquake , expected to absorb 500 casualties a day . The U.N. World Food Programme said it plans to reach 2 million people `` with one-week rations of ready-to-eat food , '' and UNICEF said it is distributing water purification tablets , dehydration salts and other supplies , specifically to halt diarrhea infections and diseases . The U.S. Southern Command said the military is supplying many resources . About 4,200 U.S. military personnel are currently supporting task force operations , and 6,300 military personnel are scheduled to arrive by Monday , the command said . Aid efforts from the USS Carl Vinson , an aircraft carrier off the coast of Haiti , were in full gear Saturday , with flights transporting concrete-breaking equipment , medical supplies and water . Some of those flights are ferrying aid from the airport to the surrounding region and choppers have rescued two American citizens . The U.S. Agency for International Development said Saturday that the USS Carl Vinson has delivered more than 30 pallets of relief supplies for transport by helicopters . The U.S. Naval Ship Comfort pushed out of the Port of Baltimore for Haiti on Saturday and is expected to arrive late next week . A full-scale medical hospital , the craft is equipped with one of the largest trauma facilities in the United States . It was in Port-au - Prince in 2007 , and again in 2009 , on humanitarian missions , and its medical workers tended to many Haitians during those visits . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Haiti on Saturday , with top relief officials and aid . She returned to the States later Saturday with Americans who had been evacuated , State Department officials said . USAID chief , Rajiv Shah , who as traveling with Clinton , said some roads have been cleared in Haiti and that water purifications systems have been sent . A major shipment of medical aid was being trucked to Haiti through the Dominican Republic , which shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with Haiti , a Red Cross spokesman said . Six truckloads of `` urgently needed medical equipment , '' including a field hospital , and 50 people specializing in health , water , and sanitation , were en route , he said . A Finnish Red Cross plane also landed in Port-au-Prince with a `` badly needed mobile medical clinic , he said . CNN 's Karl Penhaul , Arthur Brice , Elise Labott , Laurie Ure and Dugald McConnell contributed to this report . | U.S. troops handed out about 2,500 meals Saturday in Port-au-Prince suburb . Presidents Bill Clinton , George W. Bush kick off fundraising drive . USS Carl Vinson brings helicopters , hospital beds and operating rooms . 4,200 U.S. military personnel currently supporting operations , 6,300 scheduled by Monday . | [[732, 746], [778, 827], [830, 851], [2092, 2100], [2103, 2183], [2187, 2237], [2428, 2494], [4156, 4192], [4240, 4266], [4546, 4655], [3987, 4036], [4048, 4069], [3987, 4022], [4027, 4069], [4076, 4134]] |
Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iraq has appointed its first ambassador to Kuwait in two decades , the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said Tuesday . Mohammed Hussein Bahr Al-Ulum was appointed to the post , the ministry said . While Iraq has had an embassy and a chargé d'affaires in Kuwait since the regime of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein fell in 2003 , it has not had an ambassador there since Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 . That invasion resulted in the United States ' launching Operation Desert Storm , its first Iraq war , in 1991 . Kuwaiti 's Kuna state news agency also reported the appointment , saying , `` Iraqi-Kuwaiti relations have been developing since the fall of the Baath regime , with both nations expressing desires to develop bilateral relations . '' In February 2009 , a Kuwaiti envoy made his country 's highest-level visit to Iraq since the invasion . Sheikh Mohammed Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah , Kuwait 's deputy prime minister and foreign minister , said at the time that Kuwait wanted to strengthen and develop ties between the two nations , and congratulated Iraq on its recent provincial elections . `` This is Iraq which we have wagered on and we congratulate the Iraqis for this , '' al-Sabah said , according to Kuwait 's official news agency . Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki , who met with the delegation during the trip last year , said in a statement he told the Kuwaitis that the Hussein regime `` harmed Arab relations . '' `` Some Arabs still view Iraq the same way they did under Saddam , but we tell them Iraq today is built on a constitution and on democracy , '' al-Maliki said at the time . | Iraq has not had ambassador to Kuwait since Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 . That incursion led U.S. to launch Operation Desert Storm , its first Iraq war . New ambassador is Mohammed Hussein Bahr Al-Ulum , Iraq says . | [[358, 428], [429, 507], [143, 198]] |
-LRB- PEOPLE.com -RRB- -- One thing Jennifer Lopez has n't missed about not constantly being in the spotlight anymore : constantly watching her weight . `` Part of my business is being in shape and looking good . You ca n't lie to yourself about it , '' Lopez , 40 , told the January issue of Allure . `` But I 'm not the monster I used to be in the exercise department . '' Her reprieve likely is coming to an end . The mother of 17-month-old twins Max and Emme released a dance track , `` Fresh Out of the Oven , '' in October and performed at the American Music Awards in December . Her new album , `` Love , '' drops in January . As well as having to hit the gym again , J-Lo may also have to deal with that other flip side of fame -- the paparazzi . `` It 's a business . Once they stop making money off of you they stop coming around , '' Lopez said . © 2010 People and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Jennifer Lopez told Allure magazine that she 'd fallen off her workout routine . Now that she 's gearing up with a new album , she 's getting back to her old habits . Lopez : Part of my business is being in shape and looking good . | [[251, 259], [267, 301], [153, 212], [153, 175], [198, 212]] |
Portland , Oregon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two F-15 fighter jets escorted a passenger jet that had been headed for Hawaii back to Portland International Airport in Oregon after a passenger in coach became `` uncooperative , '' an airline official said Wednesday . Hawaiian Airlines Flight 39 took off from Portland at 10:10 a.m. with 231 passengers and a crew of 10 when -- 90 minutes into the flight -- its captain decided to turn around the Boeing 767 , said Keoni Wagner , the airline 's vice president of public affairs . The fighter jets intercepted the plane at 1 p.m. , North American Aerospace Defense Command said in a written statement . It landed at 1:16 p.m. without further incident , the TSA said . The military decided that fighters should accompany the flight after receiving `` indicators '' of a problem , said Lt. Cmdr. Gary Ross , a NORAD spokesman . He declined to elaborate on those indicators but noted that NORAD often must make decisions with limited amounts of time and information about whether fighter jets should accompany commercial flights that may be experiencing problems . `` There was little time to react , '' he said . `` The prudent thing to do was to scramble '' the jets . Upon the plane 's return , the passenger -- a 56-year-old Salem , Oregon , man -- was escorted from the plane with his female companion without incident , the FBI and the Port of Portland said in a joint statement . The FBI said it was not releasing his name because he had not been charged . FBI agents and Port officers interviewed the passenger and his companion , the flight crew and others , then released the two and referred the matter to the U.S. Attorney 's Office for review . Local and federal officers searched the plane , then allowed it to depart again for Hawaii , absent the pair . Oregon Air National Guard spokesman Sgt. John Hughel said command post officials told him they did not know who had placed the call for the escort . In a statement , the Transportation Security Administration said the captain decided to return the plane to Portland `` due to a suspicious passenger who made threatening remarks and refused to store his carry-on bag . '' Port of Portland Public Information Officer Martha Richmond told CNN that the plane was turned around `` due to concerns the crew had . '' Hawaiian Airlines spokesman Wagner said pilots occasionally return a jet to the airport from which it took off . But , he said he had never known one of the flights to be escorted by fighter jets . `` That 's new for us , '' he said . John Cornelio , also a NORAD spokesman , said the command routinely monitors events in the air via the Domestic Events Network , a sort of party line that includes representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration and other agencies involved in national security . The FAA acknowledged last November that it notified military authorities 69 minutes after losing radio contact with Northwest Flight 188 , which had overflown its destination of Minneapolis-St . Paul airport . Under standard procedures , the FAA managers should have reported the incident to the Domestic Events Network five to 10 minutes after losing contact with the flight . Radio contact was eventually restored and the plane was redirected to its destination , where it landed without incident . Afterward , the FAA promised to take steps to prevent a repeat of that failure . The incident was one of two that occurred Wednesday . A Northwest Airlines flight preparing to take off from Miami International Airport in Florida for Detroit 's Wayne County International Airport instead taxied back to the gate after a passenger `` was heard making inappropriate remarks and acting disruptively , '' the airport said in an incident statement . At the gate , local law enforcement and TSA personnel met the aircraft and all passengers were taken off the plane . The passenger and three companions were questioned by Miami Dade County police . The aircraft was searched and cleared for its flight . CNN 's Mike M. Ahlers contributed to this story . | NEW : NORAD says decision made after receiving `` indicators '' of a problem . Hawaiian Airlines Flight 39 took off from Portland at 10:10 a.m. with 231 passengers . 90 minutes into the flight , captain decided to turn around the Boeing 767 , said airline official . FBI : Not releasing name of alleged unruly passenger because no charges yet . | [[707, 842], [258, 346], [218, 257], [398, 447], [1423, 1473], [1436, 1499]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Russia and South Ossetia have strongly denied news reports that a motorcade carrying the presidents of Georgia and Poland came under fire , calling the claims `` a provocation '' meant to destabilize the region . Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili , said there were `` unpredictable people '' in the area . `` This is a real provocation , '' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told journalists on Monday . `` It is not the first time that such things have happened : First they mastermind everything themselves and then accuse the Russian or the Ossetian side . '' Eduard Kokoity , president of the breakaway region of South Ossetia , added : `` Today 's event was a deliberate provocative act of the Georgian and Polish presidents targeted at regional destabilization . '' Kokoity made his comments to the Russian news agency , Interfax . The motorcade , carrying Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Polish President Lech Kaczynski , was passing a checkpoint near Georgia 's breakaway South Ossetia region -- site of intense conflict between Russian and Georgian troops in August -- when shots were fired Sunday , according to the Georgian Interior Ministry . The motorcade was not hit and there were no injuries , the Georgian Interior Ministry said . No other shooting was reported in the area . The shots were fired from Russian-controlled territory as the motorcade passed , the ministry said . Russia 's Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin denied the gunfire came from its army positions . `` This is one more instance of wishful thinking on the part of Georgia , '' he told reporters . After the incident , Saakashvili told reporters he would not have taken his Polish counterpart into danger intentionally and that the incident showed `` you are dealing with unpredictable people '' in the disputed area . Kokoity , the South Ossetian president , countered that the Polish and Georgian presidents need to answer questions whether they informed European Union monitors of their trip . Tensions have remained high in the area since fighting between Russian and Georgian troops broke out in August . Georgia launched a campaign against South Ossetia , a Russian-backed separatist territory , on August 7 . The following day , Russian tanks , troops and armored vehicles poured into South Ossetia and another breakaway Georgian territory , Abkhazia , advancing into Georgian cities outside the rebel regions . The two sides blamed each other for starting the conflict and have accused each other of a variety of offenses leading up to and during the fighting , including ethnic cleansing . | Russian peacekeepers , South Ossetia deny involvement in shooting . Leaders ' motorcade was not hit , and there were no injuries . Ministry : Motorcade was passing a checkpoint near South Ossetia . The shots were fired from Russian-controlled territory , ministry officials say . | [[0, 156], [1195, 1220], [1225, 1247], [867, 880], [969, 1040], [1333, 1411], [1414, 1433]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The world has a new alliance to save vanishing frogs , toads and salamanders . A frog swims in a pond in Munich , Germany , in June . A coalition of organizations established the Amphibian Survival Alliance this month to conserve species threatened by deadly fungus , habitat loss , pollution , pesticides and climate change . The scientists said amphibians are the world 's most threatened group of animals . Though they thrived on Earth for more than 360 million years , one in three of the 6,000 recognized amphibian species are now at risk of extinction and as many as 122 species have gone extinct since 1980 , according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature 's amphibian specialist group . `` The world 's amphibians are facing an uphill battle for survival , '' said James Collins of Arizona State University , co-chairman of the group . He said the new alliance , formed at the Amphibian Mini Summit at the Zoological Society of London , will focus efforts on the biggest threat to amphibians : infectious disease and habitat destruction . The group includes amphibian specialists working in the wild as well as those in zoos , aquariums and botanical gardens worldwide . `` Amphibians have so much to offer humans , '' said amphibian specialist Simon Stuart . `` Many have an arsenal of compounds stored in their skin that have the potential to address a multitude of human diseases . '' But as amphibians die out , so do opportunities to develop new medicines , he said . The southern gastric brooding frog , for instance , could have led to the development of a treatment for human peptic ulcers had it not gone extinct , Stuart said . `` We simply can not afford to let this current amphibian extinction crisis go unchecked , '' he said . Andrew Blaustein , who began documenting amphibian declines two decades ago , said the loss of species was part of an overall biodiversity crisis . `` Amphibians seem to have been hit the hardest of all vertebrate species , '' said Blaustein , a professor of zoology at Oregon State University . `` The long-term ecological repercussions of their decline could be profound , and we have to do something about it . '' | Amphibian Survival Alliance aims to save threatened frogs , toads , salamanders . One in three of 6,000 recognized amphibian species at risk of extinction , group says . 122 amphibian species have gone extinct since 1980 , group says . Amphibian species could help in development of medicines , scientist says . | [[19, 97], [153, 256], [492, 576], [592, 632]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fantasy author Terry Pratchett has admitted that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer 's disease -- but says he plans to continue writing his multi-million selling Discworld books . Terry Pratchett , whose books have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide in 33 languages . Pratchett , 59 -- whose books have , according to his Web site , sold more than 45 million copies worldwide in 33 languages -- suffered what he called a `` phantom stroke '' earlier this year . In a statement titled `` an embuggerance '' on the Web site of Discworld illustrator Paul Kidby , Pratchett says that he has been diagnosed with what he terms `` a very rare form of early onset Alzheimer 's . '' `` I would have liked to keep this one quiet for a little while , but because of upcoming conventions and of course the need to keep my publishers informed , it seems to me unfair to withhold the news , '' says Pratchett , who has a strong following among fans of fantasy fiction . `` All other things being equal , I expect to meet most current and , as far as possible , future commitments but will discuss things with the various organisers , '' he continues . `` Frankly , I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful , because I think there 's time for at least a few more books yet . '' Pratchett adds that work is continuing on his next book `` Nation '' and that the `` basic notes are already being laid down for Unseen Academicals . '' In a P.S. he adds that `` I would just like to draw attention to everyone reading the above that this should be interpreted as ' I am not dead ' . I will , of course , be dead at some future point , as will everybody else . `` I know it 's a very human thing to say ` Is there anything I can do ' , but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry . '' Pratchett 's Discworld novels , of which 36 have been published to date , are set in a fantasy universe through which the author satirizes modern-day life . He says in a statement on his own Web site that the series `` started out as a parody of all the fantasy that was around in the big boom of the early '80s , then turned into a satire on just about everything , and even I do n't know what it is now . '' Pratchett , who began writing while a provincial newspaper journalist in the 1960s , received the Order of the British Empire `` for services to literature '' from the Prince of Wales in 1998 . E-mail to a friend . | Multi-million selling writer has `` a very rare form of early onset Alzheimer 's '' Terry Pratchett says work continuing on books , plans to honor commitments . Discworld novels are set in a fantasy universe but satirize modern day life . Received the Order of the British Empire from the Prince of Wales in 1998 . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [51, 147], [523, 537], [621, 731], [9, 32], [155, 232], [1332, 1481], [1352, 1387], [1882, 1925], [1949, 1953], [1956, 1985], [1967, 1985], [2000, 2038], [2292, 2301], [2377, 2419]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iraqi President Jalal Talabani will likely not seek re-election once his term ends . Jalal Talabani says he will not run for Iraq 's president again , but he plans to stay in the political arena . Talabani , 75 , has been president since April 2005 . The ethnic Kurd was re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term . Although he `` has expressed his willingness not to seek another presidential nomination ... it does not mean that he will withdraw from the political and partisan arena , '' a message on Talabani 's Web site said . `` President Talabani , on various occasions , sought to emphasize the importance and the need to devolve the power , tasks and responsibilities of leadership in the country to local authorities , especially at this stage when the country is going through political efforts by the parties to expand their bases , '' the statement said . In Iraq , the prime minister wields most of the power . However , Talabani played an important role in maintaining the country 's delicate ethnic balance . The Iraqi parliament picks the president and two vice presidents , a Sunni and a Shia . All will leave office when parliamentary polls are held in December . Talabani is the head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan -LRB- PUK -RRB- party . CNN 's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report . | Iraq president Jalal Talabani says he will likely not seek re-election . Talabani , 75 , has been president since April 2005 . Talabani , a Kurd , played role in maintaining the country 's ethnic balance . | [[10, 118], [119, 182], [356, 437], [231, 239], [242, 284], [966, 1055]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` The Blind Side '' could have been filmed anywhere , says Tim Bourne , an independent producer who worked on the film . But there 's a reason producers brought the project to Georgia : money . `` There 's nothing in -LSB- the movie -RSB- that could n't have been shot in any midrange urban setting . The reason , and the sole reason , it was shot in Georgia was the tax incentives , '' he said . Georgia boasts one of the highest tax credits in the United States : a 20 percent base tax credit , with an additional 10 percent if a Georgia logo appears somewhere in the project . The Oscar-nominated `` Blind Side '' is one of many films that 's taken advantage of the incentives to shoot in the Empire State of the South , incentives that also include a diverse set of locations , state-of-the-art facilities and large production crews . Recently , another production , `` Hall Pass , '' written by Peter and Bobby Farrelly -LRB- `` There 's Something About Mary '' -RRB- , started filming in the Atlanta area . The film , starring Owen Wilson and Jenna Fischer , is about a woman who gives her husband permission to have an affair . It called for a New England location -- standard for the brothers , who are from Rhode Island -- but tax incentives led the production crew south , producers said . Georgia is far from the only state offering filmmakers opportunities to leave Hollywood . Indeed , it 's one of 44 states offering incentives in hopes of attracting projects that will help their economies , according to the Tax Foundation . `` No one is trying to compete with L.A. from a technical standpoint , '' Bourne said . `` They 're certainly competing from a financial standpoint , though . The name of the game is all about tax incentives . It 's the sad truth . `` Films are made in a particular place strictly because of financial rebates , '' he continued . `` If , tomorrow , Louisiana or ... any state with a crew base , rather , came up with a better incentive program , that 's where the work would be -- overnight . '' Incentives differ from state to state . In most cases , filmmakers are able to apply for a tax credit or rebate as long as they meet the state 's minimum standards for expenditures and utilize local crews , some of whom do n't belong to unions . However , Bill Thompson , deputy commissioner at the Georgia Film , Music and Digital Entertainment Office , said bigger production companies usually prefer to work with union workers . Louisiana , one of the first states to develop an incentive program eight years ago , has found exposure in front of the camera with films such as `` Ray '' and `` The Curious Case of Benjamin Button . '' `` Green Lantern , '' set for release in 2011 , is one of many projects whose makers opted to film in Louisiana after the state increased its film production tax credit to 30 percent in 2009 , said Chris Stelly , director of the Louisiana Office of Film and TV . But Louisiana does n't just attract projects because of the state 's high tax credit , he said . `` No matter how big your incentive is , if someone does n't have a good experience , they 're not going to be back , '' he said . Warner Bros. . Entertainment is what Stelly calls a repeat customer . Michael Walbrecht , vice president of Studio & Production Affairs at Warner Bros. , said the company brings a lot of projects to Louisiana . It 's the third most popular place the company films , behind Los Angeles and New York . `` So far , we 've had great experiences in the -LSB- Southeast -RSB- , '' Walbrecht said . There 's no denying the tremendous impact the film industry has had on each state . Hotels , rental cars , restaurants , equipment rentals , local crews , props , wardrobes and local extras are just some of the ways the industry gives back to the area it films in . According to the Web site for Georgia 's Film , Music & Digital Entertainment Office , TV networks , Hollywood studios , production companies and independent producers invested more than $ 521 million in Georgia in fiscal year 2008-09 ; the state estimates the economic impact of this investment at $ 929 million . Louisiana has experienced economic success , as well . Its Economic Development department 's Web site says the incentives have generated thousands of jobs and more than $ 2 billion since the program began in 2002 . `` With some of the bigger movies , -LSB- there are -RSB- hundreds of extras on set , '' Thompson said . `` Those people all get paid something per day . This is especially a big deal in small towns that have never had a film -LSB- shoot -RSB- there . To spend a few million dollars in a rural area -LSB- makes a big difference -RSB- . '' Even California , the home of the business , has gotten into the act . The state recently introduced a 20 percent tax credit , though its incentives are n't as broad as in other states . For example , TV shows to air on basic cable qualify for the credit , whereas shows on broadcast networks do not . Walbrecht said the amount of larger movies and TV shows filming in smaller states will continue to rise , which is one reason California was prompted to create incentives . `` They realized their iconic industry was moving elsewhere , '' he said . Meanwhile , away from Hollywood , the competition is getting stiffer . North Carolina became a major player in the filmmaking business thanks to such productions as the TV show `` Dawson 's Creek , '' which filmed in the coastal city of Wilmington and helped create a thriving film industry there . So when `` The Last Song '' -- set in Wilmington -- began filming in seaside Savannah , Georgia , hard feelings were inevitable . `` You ca n't dwell on what you lost ; you have to keep going and move forward , '' said Aaron Syrett , director of the North Carolina Film Office . `` It happens all the time , to every state . '' Legislation to raise the 15 percent tax credit was proposed before `` The Last Song '' chose not to film in North Carolina . The state 's new refund , 25 percent , went into effect January 1 . `` We 're not trying to -LSB- have -RSB- the highest refund . We 're trying to be the smartest , '' Syrett said . In other words , offer a hefty tax rebate -- and roll camera . | Forty-four states offer tax credits to filmmakers in hopes of attracting projects . Georgia boasts one of highest tax returns in United States , up to 30 percent . Louisiana was one of first states to develop incentive program eight years ago . | [[1419, 1493], [1419, 1441], [1527, 1560], [2501, 2572]] |
Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The top U.S. general in Afghanistan vowed that coalition forces `` are absolutely going to secure Kandahar , '' as security efforts expand in the country 's south . `` We already are doing a lot of security operations in Kandahar , but it 's our intent -- under President -LSB- Hamid -RSB- Karzai -- to make an even greater effort there , '' Gen. Stanley McChrystal told a joint news conference Monday with Mark Sedwill , the NATO senior civilian representative to the country . The news conference coincided with a visit by U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates , who was also to meet with Karzai . McChrystal indicated a military operation could begin in the volatile Kandahar province as early as this summer , but both Sedwill and McChrystal cautioned that much political groundwork lay ahead for NATO-led coalition troops before an offensive can begin . Just as in the recent Marjah operation , the goal , they said , is to gain the support of the Afghan people . `` What I think we 've learned about operations in Afghanistan ... is if you try to push against the culture , you have huge problems , '' McChrystal said . `` What we 're trying to achieve in Kandahar is to do the political groundwork so when it 's time to do the military operation , the significant part of the population is pulling us in and supportive so we 're not only doing what they want but we 're operating in a way that they 're comfortable with . That 's the key to success here . '' McChrystal said the goal `` is to demonstrate again that we can operate in a way where we 've got strong resolve by the government of Afghanistan , effective performance by the Afghan military and coalition partners , and government partners , so that as we do an operation that shows the people of Kandahar , and the Taliban as well , that operations like this actually result in a better outcome for everyone . '' He declined to comment specifically on when the Kandahar offensive will begin , but said `` our forces will be significantly increased around there by early summer . '' `` There wo n't be a 'D - Day ' that is climactic , '' McChrystal said . `` It will be a rising tide of security as it comes . '' The push to secure Kandahar from what McChrystal calls a `` menacing Taliban presence '' is part of a larger counterinsurgency effort in the country 's south , started last month in Marjah in southern Helmand province . Long a bastion of pro-Taliban sentiment and awash with the opium used to fund the insurgency , the Marjah region has been known as the heroin breadbasket of Afghanistan and as a place where the Taliban had set up a shadow government . The hope now is for the United States to persuade the locals to change their crops from poppies -- grown to produce opium for the Taliban 's drug trade -- and instead grow crops such as wheat , which can help them survive and provide income as well . Sedwill and McChrystal praised the early stages of the Marjah offensive , with Sedwill calling it a `` template for the way we want to take this campaign forward over the next year to 18 months . '' McChrystal said that in addition to the strategic importance of the Marjah offensive , the operation was a `` demonstration to the Afghan people , to the international community , to the Pakistanis , and very important to the Taliban as well , that things have changed . '' | McChrystal indicates a military operation could begin in Kandahar as early as summer . Sedwill praises Marjah offensive as `` template '' for next year to 18 months . | [[640, 751], [3006, 3050], [3043, 3122]] |
Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai made an unannounced visit to Marjah on Sunday to see the gains made after a massive military offensive by Afghan and international troops to wrest control of the southern city from the Taliban . Karzai toured the city in Helmand province with Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the U.S. commander in Afghanistan . Marjah residents remain skeptical of U.S. troops and the newly installed local government that has moved in and taken over , said U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson , who was in charge of the Marjah offensive . They want to know what Karzai 's government is going to be able to do for them , he said . `` We are in competition every day for the confidence and support of the population -- we 're in competition with the Taliban , '' Nicholson told reporters last week . `` We have a very narrow window of opportunity here in Marjah to make that first impression and you get one shot at it , '' he said . Dubbed Operation Moshtarak , the offensive was launched last month by an international coalition of 15,000 troops including Afghans , Americans , Britons , Canadians , Danes , and Estonians . The Marjah region has long been a bastion of pro-Taliban sentiment and is where the Taliban had set up a shadow government . It is a key area in Afghanistan 's heroin trade and full of the opium used to fund the insurgency . The hope now is for the United States to persuade the locals to change their crops from poppies -- grown to produce opium for the Taliban 's drug trade -- and instead grow crops like wheat , which can help them survive and provide income as well . Nicholson said for years , the Taliban-run town had no police force . Now , the Afghan government is in the process of recruiting Marjah citizens to join a new police force that would be trained by the Marines . The general had no timetable on how long it would take to truly secure the town . Meanwhile , in Baghlan province , about 50 insurgents , including more than a dozen Taliban , were killed in fighting between two rebel groups , the province 's governor said Sunday . Some 35 fighters of the Hezb-e-Eslami , or Islamic Party , and 13 Taliban died in the fighting , which began Saturday and continued into Sunday , Mohammed Akbar Barikzai told CNN . Apparently some bystanders also were killed or wounded , Barikzai said , adding he could not put an exact number on the civilian casualties . More Afghanistan coverage on Afghanistan Crossroads blog . Hezb-e-Eslami is an insurgent group loyal to warlord Gulbeddin Hekmatyar . They are enemies of the Taliban , but it is rare that the anti-government groups fight each other . A group of 25 Hezb-e-Eslami fighters including their commander surrendered to Afghan National Police on Sunday , the governor said . Separately , two children were killed and two were hurt in an explosion while they were playing in Kandahar province , provincial spokesman Zalmay Ayoubi said Sunday . The explosive device was in a bag that blew up while the children were playing , the Interior Ministry said in a press release . The injured children were transferred to a hospital for treatment . Two NATO service members were killed in southern Afghanistan in two separate incidents on Sunday , a NATO news release said . One was killed by small arms fire and the other by an improvised explosive device , NATO said . The identities and nationalities of the service members were not immediately released , pending notification of the relevant national authorities , the statement said . Journalist Matiullah Mati contributed to this report . | Afghan president tours Marjah , site of massive operation to take control from Taliban . Next goal is to win support of population , U.S. general says . Elsewhere in Afghanistan , about 50 killed in battle between two rebel groups . Two NATO service members killed in separate incidents . | [[115, 263], [1405, 1465], [1947, 1956], [1959, 1978], [1981, 2089], [3186, 3282]] |
Tokyo , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Japanese authorities arrested an activist from New Zealand on Friday for illegal trespassing after he boarded a whaling ship last month in waters off the Antarctic . Peter James Bethune , 44 , is accused of jumping from a Jet Ski onto the Shonan Maru 2 , the security ship of a Japanese whaling fleet , after the Ady Gil boat , of which Bethune was captain , sank . Bethune belongs to the activist group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society . The group said the New Zealander was attempting to make a citizen 's arrest of the Shonan Maru 2 skipper for the collision that sank the Ady Gil , a futuristic vessel used to intercept and block harpoon ships , in January . Hirotaka Akamatsu , Japan 's minister of agriculture , forestry and fisheries , said Japan would take a firm stance against Bethune . He said Sea Shepherd 's acts were not acceptable . `` Their violent acts are escalating , '' Akamatsu said . Bethune was taken into custody a month ago aboard the Shonan Maru 2 , which arrived from Antarctic waters -- where Japan conducts its annual whale hunt -- back to Japan on Friday . He was formally arrested then . Bethune has legal representation in Japan , said Sea Shepherd spokeswoman Traci Walter . A spokesperson for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the government was providing consular assistance to Bethune on his arrival in Japan . The Bethune case highlights an ongoing feud between Japanese whaling fleets and conservation agencies , especially the hardline Sea Shepherd . Activists have used butyric acid -- found in rancid butter and vomit -- and fired paint guns at Japanese whaling ships , which in turn have repelled protesters with water cannons . Japan 's Institute of Cetacean Research , a branch of the fisheries ministry that deals with whaling , accuses Sea Shepherd of jeopardizing the safety of fleets that are conducting research legally . Sea Shepherd uses its boats to interfere with whaling and fishing boats , and its efforts have included ramming a Portuguese whaler in 1979 . Two years ago , Sea Shepherd activists boarded a Japanese ship and handcuffed themselves to the vessel with plastic ties . Japanese authorities had called the Shonan Maru 2 incident the latest `` publicity stunt '' by Sea Shepherd activists . Sea Shepherd has accused the Shonan Maru 2 of destroying the Ady Gil during the skirmish in the Southern Ocean -- a term used to describe parts of the Indian , Pacific and Atlantic oceans that surround Antarctica . However , Japanese authorities deny their ship intentionally hit the high-tech catamaran and have said the activists were harassing their whaling fleet . In the early 1980s , the International Whaling Commission determined that there should be a moratorium on commercial whale hunting . But whaling is allowed under international law when done for scientific reasons , which Japan cites as the legal basis for its hunts . The country 's annual hunt kills up to 1,000 whales a year . | Bethune belongs to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society . Group : Bethune was trying to make citizen 's arrest of Shonan Maru 2 skipper . Skipper was involved in collision that sank Ady Gil , which targets harpoon ships . Sea Shepherd : Bethune has legal representation in Japan . | [[399, 436], [473, 595], [582, 595], [601, 617], [1153, 1194]] |
Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Deadly blasts targeting foreign nationals in the Afghan capital Friday killed at least 17 people and wounded many others . Authorities were trying to determine how many people died and the nationalities of those slain . Kabir Al-Amiri , an employee at Kabul hospital , said eight Indians and one Pakistani national were among the dead . Afghan Interior Ministry officials said an Italian was killed , and the Indian Embassy said four Indians were killed in the attack . The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attacks near the Safi Landmark Hotel in the neighborhood of Shahr-E-Naw , where there are a number of government buildings and U.N. offices as well as supermarkets , banks , diplomatic facilities and villas for well-to-do Afghans . The force of the first explosion -- at about 6:30 a.m. -LRB- 9 p.m. Thursday ET -RRB- -- shook parts of the Afghan capital as windows shattered and smoke billowed . The sound of gunfire filled the air . The attack started with a suicide car bomb and four suicide bombers with explosive-laden vests , said Taliban spokesman Zaidullah Mujahid . Three of the bombers were killed , he said . About 20 minutes later , a second large explosion occurred . Afghan police blocked off roads leading to the area of the blasts . CNN 's Ben Wedeman contributed to this report . | 17 killed in attacks in Kabul , nationalities still to be confirmed . Taliban claim responsibility for attacks , which started with suicide car bomb . Three bombers were killed , Taliban spokesman says . Neighborhood has a number of government buildings and U.N. offices . | [[0, 5], [8, 35], [110, 135], [162, 258], [509, 623], [987, 1081], [1127, 1159], [632, 783]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The ever-changing cast of `` Saturday Night Live '' is getting two new faces , but losing a couple of current members . Michaela Watkins was known for her impressions of Barbara Walters and `` Today '' show co-host Hoda Kotb . Michaela Watkins and Casey Wilson have been dropped from the show , while Jenny Slate and Nasim Pedrad are joining the cast , Entertainment Weekly reports . Watkins -- who joined `` SNL '' mid-season last year and was known for her hilarious impersonations of Barbara Walters and Kathie Lee Gifford 's suffering `` Today '' show co-host Hoda Kotb -- said she was shocked by the firing . In an interview with EW , she recalled getting the news from Lorne Michaels , the creator and executive producer of `` Saturday Night Live . '' `` I do n't think anyone knows what Lorne Michaels was thinking , '' Watkins told the magazine . `` The only explanation I got from him -- and he 's not known to say things just to make people feel better -- was that he felt deep down that I should have my own show . And I agreed . ` SNL ' was a dream come true for me . It was a fantastic year . I do n't have any regrets . '' Watkins told EW she thinks the new hires will be `` exquisite '' on the show and said she would take Michaels ' advice to pursue her own show . Meanwhile , `` SNL '' veteran Darrell Hammond is still negotiating for a return to the show , Variety reports . `` Saturday Night Live '' kicks off its 35th season on September 26 . | Michaela Watkins , Casey Wilson have reportedly been dropped from the show . '' ` SNL ' was a dream come true for me , '' Watkins tells Entertainment Weekly . `` Saturday Night Live '' kicks off its 35th season on September 26 . | [[246, 311], [633, 656], [659, 708], [843, 873], [1062, 1065], [1068, 1098], [1415, 1481]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities are asking residents in some some parts of south Australia to evacuate their homes as an impending heat wave prompted the nation to issue its first `` catastrophic '' brush fire warning . The warning system was put in place to better alert residents after a devastating brush fire ravaged the southeastern state of Victoria in February , killing more than 170 people and destroying 2,000 homes . During that fire , many residents stayed to defend their property . Though authorities still can not mandate that people leave , the new warning system urges people to flee . The Code Red `` Catastrophic '' warning was issued for the Eastern Eyre Peninsula and West Coast districts in the state of South Australia . Are you there ? Send your pictures , video . Such a rating means that even well-constructed and defended homes might not be safe from the blaze , the South Australian Fire Service said . In addition , three other districts -- Flinders , North West Pastoral and Lower Eyre Peninsula -- were placed under an `` Extreme '' watch . Such a rating means that only well-constructed homes can withstand the flames . An intense heat wave -- with temperatures climbing to 104 F -LRB- 40 C -RRB- -- is expected to hit the areas until the weekend . The region is already in the midst of a severe drought . Coupled with low humidity and strong winds , the soaring temperatures will make it ripe for fires to ignite . Any fire that breaks out will be uncontrollable , the fire service said . People in their path will likely die , it added . | Warning system put in place to better alert residents after a devastating fire ravaged Victoria in February . During that fire , many residents stayed to defend their property as the fire claimed 170 lives and 2,000 homes . An intense heat wave -- with temperatures climbing to 104 F -LRB- 40 C -RRB- -- is expected to hit south Australia until weekend . | [[219, 311], [287, 366], [219, 237], [369, 426], [427, 443], [446, 494], [90, 139], [1180, 1227], [1151, 1219], [1222, 1279]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- `` My beloved . The delight of my eyes . '' So says a poem inscribed in cuneiform on a lump of clay approximately 4,000 years ago . Why does love inspire such works of art ? Recent science points to a possible answer -- and a difference between the way the brain reacts to love and lust . Last year psychologists in the Netherlands reported on a study where they asked a group of young men and women to imagine taking a long walk with their beloved -LRB- those without a partner imagined taking a walk with an `` ideal '' one -RRB- . A different set of volunteers were asked to imagine having casual sex with someone they found attractive but were not in love with . Before and after , both groups were given a battery of tests to examine their creative and analytical abilities . The results : Thinking about a romantic partner stimulated `` global processing '' mechanisms in the brain , which increased long-term focus and improved creativity . Thinking about sex , on the other hand , stimulated `` local processing , '' which increased focus on the present and heightened analytical thinking . Oprah.com : Tap into your right-brain thinking . There may be a physiological explanation for these results . Feelings of romantic love can boost levels of dopamine , a neurochemical associated with creativity , while sexual desire can raise levels of testosterone , known to promote analytical skills . And these chemical links may have evolved for an important purpose : increasing the likelihood of sexual reproduction . In ancestral days , creative individuals may have used their inventiveness to attract future mates , while sex-focused individuals harnessed analytical clarity and short-term focus in order to bed a partner here and now . Thoughts of either love or sex could pay off in the form of children -- the ultimate measure of survival . While we no longer use cave drawings to attract our partners , you can still take advantage of this evolutionary link . Daydreaming about your sweetheart may boost inventiveness and help you come up with creative ideas , while sexual thoughts could help you solve an analytical puzzle . Oprah.com : How to fix whatever 's broken . In addition , it may be that jilted lovers who want to get over an ex faster would be better off replacing thoughts of what might have been with sexual fantasies . This might just help refocus your attention on the present -- and on the steps you need to take to rebuild , so that one day you 'll be ready to write love notes again . 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 . | New research from Netherlands says thinking about partner can increase focus . Thinking about sex heightens analytical thinking instead , study finds . In ancestral days , creative people may have used inventiveness to attract mates . | [[1047, 1049], [1056, 1123], [1548, 1565], [1568, 1646]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Democratic Rep. Charles Wilson of Texas , whose support for anti-Soviet forces in Afghanistan inspired the 2007 movie `` Charlie Wilson 's War , '' died Wednesday at age 76 . The 12-term congressman , who served the state 's second congressional district , had been in a meeting Wednesday morning with a friend when he complained of difficulty breathing , said Yana Ogletree , a spokeswoman for Memorial Medical Center in Lufkin . The two men were heading to the hospital when they passed an emergency medical services vehicle on the side of the road and stopped for help , she said . Paramedics took Wilson to the hospital emergency room , where he was pronounced dead , she said . Wilson , who had undergone a heart transplant at Methodist Hospital in Houston in September 2007 , moved back to Lufkin when he retired from Congress in 1997 after having served since 1973 , she said . `` I had the unforgettable experience of knowing Congressman Wilson when I was at CIA and he was working tirelessly on behalf of the Afghan resistance fighting the Soviets , '' said Defense Secretary Robert Gates in a written statement . `` As the world now knows , his efforts and exploits helped repel an invader , liberate a people and bring the Cold War to a close . After the Soviets left , Charlie kept fighting for the Afghan people and warned against abandoning that traumatized country to its fate -- a warning we should have heeded then , and should remember today . '' `` Charlie Wilson led a life that was oversized even by Hollywood 's standards , '' said Texas Gov. Rick Perry in a statement . `` Congressman Wilson was fiercely devoted to serving his country and his fellow Texans . '' `` Charlie was a man of courage and conviction who worked hard , loved his country , and lived life to the fullest , '' said House Appropriations Committee Chairman David R. Obey , D-Wisconsin . `` We will miss him . '' Tom Hanks portrayed the flamboyant congressman in the 2007 movie `` Charlie Wilson 's War , '' based on the book by George Crile . The book and the film told the story of Wilson 's efforts to get weapons to Mujahedeen fighters after Soviets invaded Afghanistan . `` Hanks did a great job , '' Wilson said in 2008 . Wilson also praised the other actors . `` They were too close to the truth , '' he said . The U.S. Naval Academy grad and Navy veteran was elected to Congress in 1972 -- a Democrat bucking the national Nixon landslide -- and quickly became known for his high-living escapades , which earned him the nickname `` Good Time Charlie , '' and shrewd accumulation of political chits . His savvy came in handy in the early 1980s , when Wilson , a staunch anti-Communist , decided to help Afghan rebels in their war against the invading Soviet Union . Over several years , working behind the scenes , his efforts to raise funds through his defense subcommittee , to establish a bond with a CIA agent named Gust Avrakotos -LRB- played by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the film -RRB- and to negotiate support from Middle Eastern countries helped the Afghans take the upper hand and eventually forced the Soviets out of the country . Asked what led to the Soviet departure , Pakistani leader Gen. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq was blunt : `` Charlie did it , '' he told CBS News ' `` 60 Minutes . '' Some people criticized the film because it did n't do much to highlight what happened in Afghanistan after the Soviets left : the Taliban 's takeover of the country and al Qaeda 's use of the nation as a base . Wilson was asked in 2008 about the consequences of helping the Mujahedeen fighters . `` I do n't think there was a serious blowback , '' Wilson said . `` I think there was the point that -LSB- author -RSB- George Crile made in the -LSB- book 's -RSB- epilogue , that the Muslims saw that they took down one superpower and then the radical ones thought they could take down another one . But they 're wrong . '' Wilson is survived by his wife , Barbara Alberstadt Wilson , a sister , a niece and a nephew . Funeral arrangements are pending . CNN 's Todd Leopold contributed to this report . | Wilson complained of difficulty breathing while in meeting , hospital says . 12-term congressman died at Lufkin , Texas , hospital . 2007 movie depicted his efforts to arm Afghan Mujahedeen . He served Texas ' 2nd Congressional District . | [[342, 379], [201, 224], [231, 280], [201, 224], [283, 336], [637, 649], [673, 695], [2063, 2120], [2103, 2112], [2121, 2194], [201, 224], [231, 280]] |
Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 30 Iraqi children riding in a bus were among the 160 people killed in Sunday 's twin car bombings in Baghdad , the Interior Ministry said Monday . At least 540 people were wounded in Sunday 's attacks , the deadliest in the capital in more than two years , the ministry said . One of the bombs exploded outside Baghdad 's governorate building , the other outside the Justice Ministry . The bombs detonated in quick succession about 10:30 a.m. , officials said . The children were packed in a mini bus that was outside the Justice Ministry building , a ministry official said . The vehicle carrying the explosives that detonated outside the ministry building was a stolen white pick-up from Falluja , Baghdad Gov. Salah Abdul Razzaq told CNN during his inspection of the bomb site . Images from the time of the attack showed the truck , linked to the Department of Water , pull up to the side of the building and blow up , he said . Plumes of smoke billowed from the sites as victims fled , some with blood streaming down their faces . The streets were strewn with debris , including charred cars and chunks of concrete . Some government buildings and others in the area were heavily damaged . Among the wounded were three American security contractors , the U.S. Embassy said , declining to provide further details . The area struck is close to the heavily guarded `` Green Zone , '' which houses the embassy . The blasts sparked questions about Iraq 's security and national elections planned for January . Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki , who visited the scene shortly after the explosions , said holding the elections as scheduled would send a strong message to the attackers . `` The cowardly attack ... should not affect the determination of the Iraqi people from continuing their battle against the deposed regime and the gangs of criminal Baath party , and the terrorist al Qaeda organization , ' '' al-Maliki said in a written statement . U.S. President Barack Obama called the attacks an attempt to derail progress in Iraq , and pledged to work closely with the country as it prepares for elections . Obama spoke with the prime minister and President Jalal Talabani to express his condolences and reiterate U.S. support . In August , more than 100 people were killed in a series of bombings that led to tightened security in Baghdad . Blast walls were installed across the city and checkpoints were added . Two years earlier , three truck bombings killed hundreds in Qahtaniya , in northern Iraq . Sunday 's attacks were the deadliest on Iraqi civilians since those blasts in August 2007 . A day before Sunday 's explosions , the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations , Susan Rice , visited Iraq for the first time . During her trip , she made a condolence stop at the Foreign Ministry , one of six sites attacked in August . Iraqis are supposed to go to the polls January 16 , but parliament has not passed key election legislation , putting the balloting in limbo . The president , prime minister and other top officials are scheduled to meet Monday to discuss the elections law and security concerns . CNN 's Jomana Karadsheh , Mohammed Jamjoom , and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report . | Death toll in Baghdad double bombing rises to 160 . Bombs exploded outside government buildings in Baghdad . Obama condemns bombings , pledges U.S. support for Iraq election . | [[88, 151], [320, 385], [1995, 2079], [1995, 2022], [2086, 2157], [2158, 2278], [2158, 2163], [2254, 2278]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In 2009 , some units of the New York Police Department still function more like `` Dragnet '' than `` CSI . '' They rely on typewriters . Records show New York City signed a $ 432,900 contract for typewriter maintenance with in 2008 . NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne confirmed the department 's continued , if limited , use of the 20th-century writing devices , explaining that they 're mainly used for filling out property vouchers -- forms that officers must file when they seize items during case investigations . The typewriters also are retained in case a technological meltdown disables the NYPD 's computers , he said . The vintage typing machines do not come cheap . Public records show that the city signed a $ 432,900 contract for typewriter maintenance with Afax Business Machines in 2008 , as well as a $ 99,570 contract with that company in 2009 . Typewriter company Swintec received a $ 982,269 contract from the city in 2007 . Eugene O'Donnell , a former New York police officer who now lectures at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice , said the typewriters are an anachronism -- and a waste . `` The two places you 'd find typewriters are the museum and the police department , '' O'Donnell said . Typewriters create significant efficiency and storage problems for the department , he added , causing extra labor and unwieldy paper trails . Deputy Commissioner Browne emphasized that `` we have a $ 4 billion budget '' and the financial resources devoted to typewriters are relatively miniscule . Officers interviewed by CNN on the street had no soft spots for the contraptions . `` It 's so antiquated , '' said one officer who did not want to be identified . Her partner shared her frustration . `` It 's very inconvenient -- you have to find ink , you have to find this , find that . '' | Typewriters mainly used for filling out property voucher , says NYPD official . Public records show city signed $ 432,900 contract for typewriter maintenance . `` It 's so antiquated , '' said one officer . | [[395, 474], [179, 262], [708, 893], [733, 832], [1637, 1656]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators searching for a missing 8-month-old boy began an intensive excavation and search effort Tuesday at a Texas landfill . `` Let me say this , that we do remain hopeful that baby Gabriel is alive , '' William McManus , chief of the San Antonio Police Department , said at a news conference at the landfill . `` We are , however , conducting both a missing persons investigation as well as a homicide investigation , '' he said , adding that aspects surrounding Gabriel Johnson 's disappearance involve elements of a possible homicide . Gabriel has been missing since December 26 and was last seen in San Antonio , with his 23-year-old mother , Elizabeth Johnson , who has refused to disclose information on his whereabouts . She told Gabriel 's father she killed the boy and has also said she gave him away to a couple in San Antonio , police say . Johnson drove Gabriel to San Antonio from Tempe , Arizona , and she went to Florida a week later , according to investigators . Johnson was arrested in Florida and extradited to Maricopa County , Arizona , where she remains behind bars , charged with kidnapping , custodial interference and child abuse . A lead prompted investigators to focus on the landfill , which is owned by Republic Services , a waste and environmental services company based in Phoenix , Arizona . The part of the landfill that will be searched has been pinpointed , according to McManus . First , it will take at least six days to remove 45 feet of garbage that has piled up since the time investigators believe evidence may have been dumped in the area . `` Once we have removed the debris and have searched our target area , we will begin the arduous task of sifting through layers in the search for possible evidence , '' McManus said . `` This phase will be a long and repetitive cycle . Search teams will be looking for anything of evidentiary value . '' Cadaver dogs will assist the search teams in the effort , which will be conducted weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. , McManus said . He estimated more than 20 people will be involved . Rain would not compromise any evidence but could cause dangerous toxic runoff , which Fire Department and hazardous materials experts would work to contain . San Antonio police have been working with the FBI and Tempe police . They have been looking at every lead and `` chasing them down very , very vigorously , '' McManus said . `` We are doing everything that we can to try to track down baby Gabriel , and hopefully we will find that baby alive . '' | 8-month-old has been missing since December 26 . His mother has said she killed him and also that she gave him away . San Antonio police are excavating landfill in search after getting a lead . | [[19, 72], [565, 607], [754, 799], [754, 757], [804, 862], [0, 15], [64, 150], [1183, 1237]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jesper Parnevik admitted that he had `` lost all respect '' for fellow golfer Tiger Woods following revelations about the world number one 's private life . Woods apologized on his official Web site for `` transgressions '' and `` personal sins and failings '' on the same day that a gossip magazine published a story alleging that Woods had an affair with a 24-year-old New York cocktail waitress . Former European Ryder Cup star Parnevik , 44 , and his wife introduced fellow Swede Elin Nordegren to her future husband . `` It 's always sad , and especially sad because me and my wife were at fault hooking her up with him and we probably thought he is a better guy than he is , '' Parnevik said . `` I would probably apologize to her and when you 're a world-class athlete you probably should think a bit more before you do stuff . `` I have n't really talked to Tiger yet so I do n't want to say too much but my heart goes out to her . `` There 's nothing I regret saying and I stand by everything . He 's lost all my respect , I mean , all the respect I had for the guy is gone , that 's pretty much all I can say . '' The rumors emerged after Woods , 33 , was found bleeding and semi-conscious after his car hit a tree and fire hydrant outside his Florida home . He was charged with careless driving , which carries a $ 164 fine and four points on his driving record . | Jesper Parnevik said he had `` lost all respect '' for fellow golfer Tiger Woods following revelations about his private life . Former European Ryder Cup star Parnevik and his wife introduced fellow Swede Elin Nordegren to her future husband . Woods had previously apologized on his official Web site for `` transgressions '' and `` personal sins and failings '' | [[19, 175], [1023, 1025], [1029, 1048], [1051, 1057], [1060, 1101], [419, 541], [176, 279]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former President Bill Clinton will travel to Haiti on Monday to meet with officials and deliver aid supplies to the quake-ravaged country , his foundation announced Sunday . Clinton , the U.N. special envoy to Haiti , will meet with Haitian President Rene Preval and other members of the local government as well as aid workers , to discuss how to proceed with recovery operations . The visit comes two days after President Barack Obama announced the formation of the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund , a major fundraising effort for victims of Tuesday 's earthquake led by Clinton and former President George W. Bush . In a pre-recorded interview broadcast Sunday on CNN 's `` State of the Union , '' Bush and Clinton said the first goal of the fund is to get aid to Haiti right away to save lives . It also seeks to ensure that money keeps coming in after public attention begins to wan in the weeks and months ahead . `` For me , success is helping save lives in the short term , and then we can worry about the long-term after the situation has been stabilized , '' Bush said . Clinton , who also is the U.N. special envoy to Haiti , defined success as `` setting up a network quickly to get the food , water , medicine , security and information people need . '' The overall goal is to help Haiti resume `` as quickly as possible '' its efforts to build a `` strong , modern society '' after decades of political and social instability that made it the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere before the earthquake , Clinton said . Officials in Haiti fear more than 100,000 people killed in the disaster . Clinton noted that Haiti already was working to overcome its problems before the latest crisis . `` They have an economic plan , '' Clinton said . `` We 're going to have to amend it now , and substantially , to take account of the damage done . '' Simply restoring Haiti to its impoverished state prior to the earthquake would amount to failure , Clinton said . The two predecessors to Obama as U.S. leader also said the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund -LRB- http://www.clintonbushhaitifund.org/ -RRB- was intended to provide people with a safe place to continue donating money to help the Caribbean country . `` Our job it to set up a fund to make sure the compassion is still existent once the crisis gets off TV and make sure the money is wisely spent , '' Bush said . That means getting the donated money quickly to organizations with experience working in Haiti , including faith-based groups and international aid groups , Bush and Clinton said . `` During these crises , all kinds of fake charities spring up that take advantage of people 's good will , '' Bush said . `` We 're safe haven . We will make sure the money is accounted for and there 's transparency and properly spent . '' Both Bush and Clinton noted politics should play no role in responding to the crisis , with Clinton saying : `` I hope that it will humanize us all in every aspect of our lives . '' However , Clinton could n't resist a little politicking , praising the Obama administration 's response so far and noting that the president had `` extraordinary taste '' in a secretary of state -- his wife , Hillary Clinton . Clinton also offered warm praise for CNN 's coverage of the Haiti earthquake . `` You made this come alive to the American people , '' Clinton said . `` You put us in the skin of the Haitian people , and I 'm personally very grateful . '' For Bush , his return to Washington is a welcome chance to aid a worthy cause , but nothing more . `` I frankly do n't miss the limelight , '' Bush said . `` I 'm glad to help out . '' | Clinton will meet with Haitian president on Monday . Clinton working with former President George W. Bush on Haitian relief . Clinton says relief fund will help Haiti recover after situation stabilizes . Bush says fund is a place for people to make sure their donations are well-spent . | [[0, 26], [30, 167], [204, 211], [240, 357], [2318, 2328], [2345, 2380], [2725, 2816], [2725, 2727], [2800, 2816]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Citing a `` deficit of trust '' in government by the American people , President Obama 's first State of the Union address urged Congress to erode the influence of special interests and work together to confront the nation 's most pressing problems . In the nationally televised speech Wednesday night to a joint session of Congress , Obama sought to reassure Americans angry and nervous about the pace of economic recovery that his government understands the challenges and would act boldly to meet them . Obama called for a new political climate of `` common sense '' approaches that invest in the American people without building `` a mountain of debt . '' Highlights of the speech . `` We have to recognize that we face more than a deficit of dollars right now . We face a deficit of trust -- deep and corrosive doubts about how Washington works that have been growing for years , '' Obama said . Key areas where Obama wants to build that trust include : the economy , education , energy , health care and national security . Democrats applauded the remarks of their party 's leader . `` He outlined a road map that , if followed with bipartisan support in Congress , can reduce our deficit , rebuild our economy and create a new foundation of prosperity for American families and businesses , '' said Sen. Tom Harkin , D-Iowa . `` It was a serious speech -- reached out to Republicans , '' said Rep. Steny Hoyer , D-Maryland , the House majority leader . iReport : Share your views on the speech . Republicans , however , were skeptical of Obama 's ability to change the partisan atmosphere in Washington . `` Real bipartisanship requires more than just lip service ; it demands both sides coming together in a real and meaningful way . It 's time for the administration to abandon this big-government agenda and start working in a meaningful way with Republicans to find common-sense solutions to move the country forward , '' said Sen. Orrin Hatch , R-Utah . `` I would have liked to have seen him emphasize reaching out to the other side of the aisle and bringing us together , '' said Sen. George Voinovich , R-Ohio . Read more reaction to address . Analysts , too , were mixed in their reactions to what Obama had to say Wednesday night . CNN political contributor John Avlon said Obama was targeting independents with his remarks , but questioned his success . `` They still hear The Who 's ` Wo n't Get Fooled Again ' in the back of their minds , '' Avlon said . Democratic strategist James Carville said Obama made progress . `` He picked up a first down tonight , '' Carville said . And a post-speech opinion poll shows a divided public . A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey indicated that 48 percent of speech watchers had a very positive reaction , with three in 10 saying they had a somewhat positive response and 21 percent with a negative response . See full results of poll . The 48 percent who indicated they had a very positive response is down 20 points from the 68 percent of speech watchers who felt the same way a year ago about the president 's February 24 primetime address to a joint session of Congress . `` Wednesday night 's State of the Union audience is more Democratic than the nation as a whole , but speech-watchers were less Democratic this year than they were last year , '' said Keating Holland , CNN polling director . `` That may be one reason why the number who gave his speech a ` very positive ' rating is lower this year . But part of the reason also may be that speech-watchers did n't necessarily hear a new agenda and are n't confident that the president can improve health care or lower the deficit . '' | Obama says he wants to close `` deficit of trust '' with American people . Democrats say president hits right areas with speech . Republicans say Obama does n't go far enough to reach across aisle . | [[27, 98], [1060, 1118], [1999, 2113]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actor Peter Graves , best known for his starring role on TV 's `` Mission : Impossible , '' died Sunday . He was 83 . While the cause of the actor 's death was not immediately known , he apparently suffered a heart attack , his publicist said . Graves had gone to brunch with his family Sunday morning . After they returned home and entered the house , one of his daughters began to wonder why he had n't come back inside with them , said publicist Sandy Brokaw . The family went outside and found Graves had collapsed . His daughter performed CPR but was unsuccessful in reviving the actor , Brokaw said . Graves had been in good health and was celebrating 60 years of marriage and 60 years in the entertainment business . He was still pursuing work when he died , the publicist said . Share your memories of Peter Graves . He is best known for playing the character Jim Phelps for all but one of the seven years `` Mission : Impossible '' ran on CBS , from 1967-1973 . He won a Golden Globe in 1971 for his work on the show , and was also nominated for an Emmy . He reprised the role from 1988 to 1990 when the show resurfaced on ABC . In an interview with CNN in 1996 , Graves expressed disappointment with Hollywood 's movie version of `` Mission : Impossible '' -- starring Tom Cruise -- which included none of the stars from the original TV series . Actor Jon Voight played the Phelps character . `` I am sorry that they chose to call him Phelps , '' he said at the time . `` They could have solved that very easily by either having me in a scene in the very beginning , or reading a telegram from me saying , ` Hey boys , I 'm retired , gone to Hawaii . Thank you , goodbye , you take over now . ' '' Graves also appeared as Capt. Clarence Oveur in the 1980 movie spoof `` Airplane ! '' -- a role he originally turned down , according to the Web 's Internet Movie Database . He changed his mind after meeting with the film 's writers , according to IMDb . In recent years , Graves was part of a larger group that won an Outstanding Informational Series Emmy for the 1997 TV documentary `` Judy Garland : Beyond the Rainbow . '' Graves hosted the documentary . He is survived by his wife , Joan Endress , and three daughters , Kelly , Claudia and Amanda Graves , according to IMDb . Graves was the younger brother of actor James Arness , who starred in the long-running TV series `` Gunsmoke , '' as Marshal Matt Dillon . CNN 's Douglas Hyde contributed to this report . | LAPD : The 83-year-old Peter Graves was found collapsed outside his home . Daughter performed CPR but was unsuccessful in reviving the actor . Graves played Jim Phelps on `` Mission : Impossible '' during original run and revival . Publicist says it appears Graves had a heart attack . | [[150, 161], [508, 518], [536, 564], [565, 591], [565, 577], [596, 634], [869, 968], [228, 265], [810, 830]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.S. Army officer who was honored for valor after his combat outpost in Afghanistan was attacked has also received a letter of reprimand for failing to secure the base before the attack , according to Army officials . Such a letter normally would prevent career advancement . U.S. Army Capt. Matthew Myer received the Silver Star for his part in repelling a Taliban attack on his small combat outpost in eastern Afghanistan in July 2008 . The attack , near the village of Wanat , is still the deadliest ground combat of the war involving U.S. troops . A coordinated Taliban attack from the steep hills surrounding the base almost resulted in the outpost being overrun . According to troops who survived , the Taliban came at the base with about 200 fighters , outnumbering the U.S. forces at the base . In the end nine soldiers were killed and 12 were wounded . About 100 Taliban were killed . Despite the heavy U.S. death toll , Myer was awarded the Silver Star for calling in aircraft to beat back the fighters , some of whom had breached the base walls , according to U.S. military officials in Afghanistan . After the attack , the U.S. military scrutinized how enemy forces were allowed to get as close to the base as they did . Officials familiar with the after-action review said Taliban fighters got within grenade-throwing distance of U.S. troops . Myer even called in close air support to hit enemy targets just 10 meters from his own position , according to officials familiar with the after-action report . Four-star Gen. Charles C. Campbell was chosen to review the final investigation and make disciplinary decisions . Campbell decided Myer would receive a career-ending letter of reprimand for failing to prepare the base 's defenses sufficiently against an enemy attack . Myer was informed this week of his punishment , according to U.S. military officials . CBS News first reported his punishment . Two of Myer 's senior commanders , who were not at the base during the attack , also received similar career-ending letters of reprimand . Officials would not elaborate on the reasons for the reprimands . Army officials acknowledge the base , built to protect the people in Wanat , was at the bottom of a valley surrounded by high hills , an almost impossible location to defend . According to one U.S. military official familiar with the general 's decision to reprimand Myer , `` He saw the evidence and made a decision based on that . '' However , the same official said , `` Unless you 've been there , you do n't know how hard those places are to defend . '' Myer and his two senior officers are allowed to appeal the punishment . Another U.S. military official familiar with the review said he expects the three officers to meet with Campbell to plead their cases . | Army Capt. Matthew Myer has Silver Star from actions during a Taliban attack . Letter of reprimand criticizes him for allowing attack to take place . Two of his superior officers also receive letters of reprimand . Site of attack was at bottom of a valley surrounded by high hills . | [[324, 470], [1947, 1979], [2032, 2085], [584, 654], [662, 685], [2152, 2258], [2250, 2283]] |
Colombo , Sri Lanka -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sri Lanka 's former army chief appeared before a military court Tuesday , on charges that he says are designed to remove him from politics . Retired Army Gen. Sarath Fonseka faced a panel of three military judges , who are to decide whether he is guilty of participating in politics while still in uniform . Fonseka 's spokesman Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the former military commander 's lawyers raised two objections : that the judges are biased and that a military court can no longer rule on Fonseka 's case , because he left the army more than six months ago . The court will reconvene on April 6 to rule on the objections , according to government spokesman Maj. Gen. Prasad Samarasinghe . However , Fonseka must return to court Wednesday to face separate charges of violating military procurement procedures . Fonseka says the charges against him are false and politically motivated . The man credited with the military campaign that defeated a quarter-century-long insurgency by the Tamil Tiger rebel movement was arrested last month . He was dragged from his office by armed military police during a meeting with his supporters , they said . He has since been detained at naval headquarters in Colombo , where the military tribunal is convening . Fonseka and President Mahinda Rajapaksa were allies and heroes of last year 's battle against the Tigers , but they drifted apart . Fonseka 's supporters say the former general was seen as a threat to the government and his arrest was ordered to prevent his participation in parliamentary elections April 8 . The former military commander challenged Rajapaksa in January 's presidential elections , but lost by a wide margin and accused the government of election fraud . The Fonseka family has challenged his arrest in Sri Lanka 's supreme court . Those arguments are to be heard April 26 . His wife , Anoma Fonseka , called the legal proceedings against her husband a joke . Journalist Amal Jayasinghe contributed to this report . | Retired Gen. Sarath Fonseka credited with campaign that defeated Tamil Tiger rebels . Military judges to decide whether he 's guilty of participating in politics while in uniform . Fonseka says the charges against him are false and politically motivated . Supporters say the former general was seen as a threat to the government . | [[956, 977], [983, 1059], [180, 251], [230, 251], [258, 346], [124, 179], [859, 933], [872, 933], [1430, 1596]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Security cameras were rolling when a killer whale at SeaWorld 's Florida park grabbed a trainer by her hair and pulled her underwater , leading to her death . Now SeaWorld and the family of Dawn Brancheau are fighting to keep videos and photos related to her death out of the public eye . A Florida judge on Thursday granted a request from SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment to join in a lawsuit filed last week by Brancheau 's family seeking to prevent the release of the footage , which was captured at SeaWorld 's Orlando , Florida , park on February 24 . Brancheau was interacting with an orca named Tilikum when the animal grabbed her ponytail and pulled her underwater in front of shocked onlookers at Shamu Stadium . She died from `` multiple traumatic injuries and drowning , '' the Orange County Sheriff 's office said . Portions of the incident were captured on two cameras at the park -- one that shows a view from under water and another from that park 's Sky Tower , according to the family 's complaint , which was filed last week . `` The underwater view does not show Mrs. Brancheau until after she had entered the water . The overhead camera was not aimed at the scene until after the incident had begun , '' the complaint states . `` Significantly neither camera shows what occurred in the moments prior to and including Mrs. Brancheau being pulled into the water and offer no insight into the cause of this tragic event . '' Brancheau 's family filed the complaint against the Orange County Sheriff and the District Nine Medical Examiner 's Office , who have possession of the footage . Circuit Court Judge William Kirkwood granted a temporary injunction of the release of the footage , noting that the sheriff 's office filed a notice with the court stating it had no position on the matter . The medical examiner 's office also filed a notice of no objection to the Brancheau family 's complaint . iReport : Bob Barker , Tippi Hedren speak out on Sea World incident . In a motion filed Monday , SeaWorld claimed it has an interest in the pending litigation because it is the exclusive owner of the footage . If possession of the videos is not controlled , the motion further claims , `` it is almost a certainty that they will be made publicly available on the Internet , '' causing SeaWorld to lose its exclusive right to the video . `` Further , SeaWorld 's interests are generally aligned with the Plaintiffs ' interests , and SeaWorld , as the former employer of Mrs. Brancheau , seeks to assist Plaintiffs in protecting their privacy interests , '' the motion states . SeaWorld also expressed concern that members of the media will be able to gain access to the videos if they become part of an investigative file with law enforcement . In fact , Florida 's broad laws regarding access to public documents creates a great likelihood of such a possibility , said CNN legal analyst Lisa Bloom . `` As a general rule , matters of a police file are public record , and the media has access to contents of a police file . Most mainstream media are not going to broadcast someone being killed or someone 's remains , but it 's a matter of having that access to decide how to use it , '' Bloom said . `` Law enforcement files have to be released in Florida , so the media has a very strong argument not only under federal First Amendment laws but also under Florida access laws , '' Bloom said . The Brancheau family 's lawsuit marks the second time this month that a family has asked the courts to intervene in the release of footage depicting dead loved ones . Earlier this month , another family made a similar appeal to the courts involving the release of photos depicting dead loved ones . The family of slain hiker Meredith Emerson last week asked a Georgia judge to issue an order preventing the release of crime scene photos depicting her nude and dismembered body . A reporter on assignment for Hustler requested the photos for a story he was doing , according to the adult magazine . A judge granted a temporary order in the case preventing the photos ' release pending a hearing on the matter . | Judge grants SeaWorld 's request to join family 's lawsuit restricting access to footage . Dawn Brancheau 's family wants to prevent release of videos , photos related to her death . Brancheau died after killer whale pulled her underwater in front of onlookers at Shamu Stadium . | [[308, 426], [1621, 1718], [4028, 4113], [178, 307], [178, 223], [237, 262], [245, 307], [401, 449], [430, 495], [3495, 3568], [19, 152], [605, 738]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the April 15 income tax filing deadline approaches , the top tax expert at the National Association for the Self-Employed offers his best advice for business people who work for themselves . Keith Hall , a national tax adviser at the association , answers the tax question he is asked most often and talks about changes in tax rules for small-business owners . He also offers advice about how the self-employed can best avoid being audited by the Internal Revenue Service . CNN : What should self-employed taxpayers keep at the top of their minds this year ? Keith Hall : I think the most important thing to remember is that you have resources . The IRS is always changing information -- from automobile deductions , to alternative minimum tax limits , to net operating loss carry-forwards . It 's tough to keep up with , but you do n't have to remember it , because it 's all out there on the IRS Web site for you . Do n't forget , you 've got resources to go out and look for . CNN : What 's different this year for self-employed taxpayers ? Hall : Perhaps the most important thing unique to this year is there are so many businesses which were affected by the downturn in the economy , that the IRS has expanded opportunities for loss carrybacks . The definition of a loss carryback is if you had losses from your business in 2009 , then you may have the opportunity to then take those losses and offset income from previous years . That 's certainly something to look into if you had a tough year for 2009 , because it may give you the ability to recover taxes in more years -- namely five -- than you used to be able to , which is just two . So if that 's the situation that you find yourself in , certainly look into options for those loss carrybacks . It certainly can help you with the tax impact . More particularly , for those new to being self-employed or maybe even their first year filing a Schedule C , make sure you look for deductions that do n't appear in your business checkbook . It 's very easy to overlook deductions like the deduction for the home office that you use , deduction for the business use of your automobile -- those typically do n't show up in your business checkbook , so if you do n't know to look for them , they 're very easily overlooked , and that 's basically just leaving money on the table . CNN : What can self-employed workers do to avoid an IRS audit ? Hall : The No. 1 reason a small business gets audited or asked for additional information by the IRS is simple math errors -- the numbers simply do n't add up correctly on the form . Whether you use TurboTax or TaxCut or the IRS online filing , it 's a great idea -- particularly for the new small business -- to make sure you use that software package -- if nothing else -- just to make sure those math errors are eliminated . Do n't be too afraid of an IRS audit . Obviously , when people think in terms of the IRS , they get a little bit antsy . Nobody likes to get that letter in the mailbox on Saturday morning that 's got an IRS return address in the upper left-hand corner . But if you do , the best thing to keep in mind is pay attention to your tax return . Do the due diligence that you need to to avoid the little shortcuts of filling in numbers that you do n't have support for . If you just take the time to pay attention to the business and do the tax return the way you should , there 's nothing to be afraid of with that audit . So at a very minimum -- just to ease the stress of that potential letter you 're going to get form the IRS -- just make sure you take the extra time to use resources like nase.org , like the IRS Web site at irs.gov , and just make sure you dot your I 's and cross your Ts . And then , if you do get a request from the IRS , it wo n't be stressful . CNN : What are some important tax law changes for tax year 2009 ? Hall : Always be aware that every year , the IRS changes something . For example , automobile mileage : The new rate for 2009 is 55 cents . Make sure you get that one correct . The IRS always changes the adjusted limits for alternative minimum tax . For the standard itemized deductions , all those levels are adjusted for inflation . Make sure that you get those right numbers . Using an automated software program -- having that system in place -- will help you keep up with any of those changes that occur as a matter of course with the IRS every year . CNN : What 's the most frequent tax question you get asked ? Hall : The first question we typically get , particularly at tax return time , is `` What can I do right now to save money on last year 's tax return ? '' Most tax planning ideas really end with the New Year 's Eve party . But the one thing you can do today to save money on your taxes for last year is to consider making a retirement plan contribution -- whether it 's a traditional IRA contribution , a self-employed pension plan contribution , lots of different ways to put money away for your own future . The IRS recognizes how important that is , and they 'll even give you a tax deduction for it . So you can actually reduce the taxes you have to pay right now , just by putting money away for your own future . That 's certainly something that should be considered . CNN : Should we expect future tax breaks for small businesses ? Hall : The current administration and both sides of the House and Senate all promote the growth of jobs through small business . The influences of small business in generating jobs -- which are more and more important these days -- is only going to increase the influence of small business . Whether it 's legislation for a standard home office deduction , which is pending , legislation for additional health credits and concentration on affordability for health care for the self-employed , which is also pending , there 's lots of legislation out there to benefit small business . The more and more small businesses we have , I think more emphasis in Washington and at the state level will focus on benefits for the self-employed . | Use IRS.gov to avoid mistakes , says top tax expert at advocacy group for self-employed . How to save tax money right now ? Consider retirement contributions . Look for deductions that do n't appear in your business checkbook . Automobile mileage : The new deduction rate is 55 cents/mile . | [[0, 15], [75, 186], [4727, 4852], [1829, 1833], [1939, 1972], [1962, 1972], [1978, 2020], [2167, 2224], [3965, 3983], [4008, 4021]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rock guitarist and singer Alex Chilton , known for his work with bands the Box Tops and Big Star , died Wednesday . He was 59 . Chilton was having heart problems and died in an emergency room in New Orleans , Louisiana , said longtime friend and business associate John Fry . `` Obviously , we are all stunned and deeply saddened at this news , '' Fry said . Chilton started in music as a teen in the 1960s , as vocalist for the psychedelic soul group the Box Tops , Fry said . They were known for the No. 1 hit '' ` The Letter '' and songs such as `` Neon Rainbow '' and `` Cry Like a Baby . '' After that group disbanded in 1970 , Chilton formed the Memphis rock group Big Star . Though that band had a short life , breaking up in 1974 , its music catapulted the group and Chilton to cult status . `` While Big Star struggled with success commercially , their early '70s , power-pop sound is often cited as directly influencing bands like Cheap Trick , R.E.M. and the Replacements , '' Billboard magazine said in its biography of Chilton 's group . The evidence of that : a song the Replacements released in 1987 , called `` Alex Chilton . '' Part of the chorus of that song is `` Children by the million sing for Alex Chilton when he comes ` round . They sing , I 'm in love . '' In the 1990s , Big Star got back together . Chilton and the band were scheduled to perform at the South by Southwest music festival in Texas this weekend . CNN 's Denise Quan contributed to this report . | Guitarist known for his work with bands the Box Tops and Big Star . Chilton was having heart problems and died in an emergency room in New Orleans . Chilton was to perform at the South by Southwest music festival in Texas this weekend . | [[0, 9], [45, 57], [60, 115], [147, 180], [147, 154], [185, 225], [1346, 1457], [1346, 1366], [1382, 1457]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities have linked seven deaths to the nor'easter affecting the Eastern Seaboard , and more than 300,000 customers remained without power Monday in the Northeast after rain and fierce winds . Hurricane-force winds over the weekend toppled trees , taking power lines with them . Five of the weekend 's deaths were caused by falling trees , authorities said . Two people died in New Jersey ; authorities from Rhode Island , New Hampshire , Connecticut , West Virginia and New York each said they had one storm-related death . Heavy rain also caused flooding across the region . Flood warnings were in effect from northern Virginia to southern New Hampshire , the National Weather Service said . The city of Alexandria , along the Potomac River across from Washington , distributed nearly 800 sandbags to those in low-lying areas that typically are first to see high water . A coffee shop there experienced minor flooding , said Alexandria official Rich Baier . Some coastal areas have received more than 6 inches of rain since Saturday , according to the National Weather Service . Are you there ? Share pictures and video . Con Edison said that more than 86,000 customers were without power Monday in New York City and Westchester County , New York , while the Long Island Power Authority said that 64,437 customers were in the dark . In New Jersey , about 100,000 were without power . Flooding caused 2,000 customers in New Jersey to lose their gas service , PSEG said . Connecticut Light and Power said that about 56,000 customers also had no power Monday . And in Pennsylvania , utility companies had restored power to a majority of residents , but the outage still affected more than 5,000 . `` The ground is so wet from all the snow we 've had this winter , it 's helping the trees to topple over as well as our utility poles , '' said Long Island Power Authority President and CEO Kevin Law . `` The conditions are still too terrible to get crews out there . '' Some customers probably will go without power for a few days , Law said . The outages were due mostly to power lines downed by Saturday 's winds , which knocked over trees and utility polls . Wind speeds reached 75 mph at New York 's John F. Kennedy International Airport -- as strong as a Category 1 hurricane -- and 72 mph in Atlantic City , New Jersey . In Connecticut , the lingering effects of wind and rain from the weekend were apparent just by looking at the streets , according to J.P. McNamara , an iReporter in Fairfield , along the coast . `` The beach area of Fairfield experienced high tides that flooded streets with ... water and sand on Saturday night , '' McNamara said Monday . `` Many roads are still blocked off because of fallen trees and limbs , and it seems that this occurrence is widespread . '' James Durosier , an iReporter from Rahway , New Jersey , said the storm 's aftermath reminded him of a scene from an action movie . `` The way the whole scene looked was just incredible , '' Durosier said Sunday of the damage in the area . `` Power lines were hanging , street signs knocked down , and it was very quiet . '' Brian DeNicola of Sayreville , New Jersey , said he has opened his home to three friends who do n't have any power or hot water to shower . He said he lost electricity for about an hour Saturday evening and had to use a vacuum to relieve his basement of flooding . DeNicola said he 's eager for spring 's arrival Saturday . `` Oh , thank God , it 's almost here , '' he said . `` We 're ready . We 've had it with this stuff . '' CNN 's Paul Courson , Edmund DeMarche , Henry Hanks and Khadijah Rentas contributed to this report . | NEW : Five deaths blamed on falling trees . 86,000 without power in New York City and Westchester County , Con Ed says . Some customers will be without power for days , Long Island utility says . | [[302, 360], [1991, 2051]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The path that brought U.S. citizen David Coleman Headley to the point of pleading guilty to involvement in two international terrorism plots is complicated and twisted . His life , in many ways , is far from the average American experience , but he 's also very much a product of a typical American upbringing . He 's an unusual fusion , a product of two worlds , a rare blending of East and West . And because of his unusual background , Headley , experts say , is one of the most unusual and important American-born terrorists . Even his eyes -- one blue and one brown -- reflect the double life he has lived almost since the day he was born . Headley pleaded guilty Thursday to all 12 charges against him in connection with the four-day siege on India 's financial capital in 2008 that left more than 160 people dead and a planned attack in Denmark . Headley , the son of an American mother and Pakistani father , was accused of extensive involvement in planning the devastating attacks on hotels in Mumbai , which the Indian government says were carried out by the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Tayyiba . At least six Americans were among the dead . Headley , 49 , was indicted last October and charged by the U.S. government for conspiracy to murder and maim people in India and provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization . He initially pleaded not guilty to the charges , but he has changed his plea as part of a deal with the government to cooperate with investigators and possibly to avoid the death penalty he might have received if convicted on some of the charges . In the federal courtroom in Chicago , Illinois , on Thursday , Headley told the judge that he did not dispute any of the 12 charges . By pleading guilty , he also gave up his right to appeal in the case . He faced six counts of conspiracy to bomb locations in India and to murder and maim persons in India and Denmark , and six counts of aiding and abetting the murder of U.S. citizens in India . The indictment against him charged that Headley scouted targets in Mumbai for more than two years to set up the November 2008 attacks . He was also accused of planning a terrorist attack on a Danish newspaper , which was never carried out . The newspaper became the target of Muslim fury in 2005 after it published cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in a manner offensive to Muslims . Even family asks : Who is David Coleman Headley ? Now that he 's admitted to conspiracy to murder and maim in the Mumbai attack , even members of his own family are wondering who David Headley really is . `` I was really shocked . And just did n't expect something like that . And I mean such a hands-on accusation , '' said William Headley , his uncle , reflecting on when he first learned of the government 's accusations against his nephew . `` It was like you had poured cold water inside my chest . '' David Coleman Headley was born in 1960 in Washington , D.C. , but with a different name : at birth , he was given the Urdu name Daood Gilani . He was the son of an eccentric , flamboyant and rebellious high society mother from Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , Serrill Headley ; and a strict , formal Pakistani diplomat father , Sayed Salim Gilani . The couple met at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington but moved to Lahore , Pakistan , when their son was very young . `` He was the first baby I had anything to do with , '' his uncle William Headley said . `` He was the first baby I ever touched or held or anything like that . And somewhere I have a photograph of me in my pajamas holding little Daood . ... He was a nice-looking little baby . '' Fractious union of East and West . After only a few years , Daood 's parents split up , an early sign of the fractious union of East and West . The separation left Daood straddled between his traditional Muslim father and his very Western , very American mother . For a time , his mother remained in Pakistan , but she eventually returned to Philadelphia , where she opened a popular bar called the Khyber Pass . The Khyber Pass is the name of the main passage between Pakistan and Afghanistan . Daood remained in Pakistan throughout much of his childhood , and as a teenager he was enrolled for several years at a prestigious and regimented Pakistani military academy , the Hasan Abdal Cadet College . But then his mother pulled him out of the school and brought him back to Philadelphia . There , the teen moved into his mother 's apartment above the bar . In 2006 , Daood Gilani changed his name to David Coleman Headley , borrowing the family 's American name , and even the middle name of William Headley 's father , Coleman . The change was made , U.S. officials believe , to help Headley escape detection and travel more easily between the United States , India and Pakistan . In an exclusive television interview with CNN in January , Headley 's uncle described his disbelief in learning that his own nephew was connected in any way to the massacre in Mumbai -- disbelief that lingered until he began receiving letters from his nephew in his jail cell . `` To find an insider in my own family involved -LSB- in terrorism -RSB- -- you 're not responsible for what your family does and yet you have such a close association with it , it 's your blood . '' Headley wrote to his uncle from jail , saying that despite his heritage , he was now 100 percent Muslim . Headley 's life has been full of twists and turns , from his dual heritage childhood -- being equally comfortable in Pakistan 's Muslim circles and in Philadelphia 's social scene -- to his marriage to a blond American beauty and subsequent divorce , after which he took a traditional Muslim wife . Drug trafficking snare . In the 1990s , Headley became a major drug dealer and turned informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration after being caught , according to his family . His involvement with the DEA may have been one of the factors that pushed him toward Islamic extremism . In 1997 , he was running a video shop in New York . On February 7 of that year , he was in a midtown hotel negotiating to bring a large load of heroin from the Middle East to New York City . But he had walked into a trap . The hotel room , on the ninth floor , was wired by the Feds . As Gilani tried to escape , he found himself surrounded by gun-toting DEA agents . It was a moment that became the ultimate turning point in his life , said his uncle . `` Daood said ` If I get free of this I 'm going to commit myself to God , ' '' William Headley recounted . `` So that is when , I would say , he became a serious Muslim . '' What happened next is somewhat of a mystery . While his co-conspirator in the drug deal went to prison for 10 years , Headley was out within 15 months . His family believes the DEA was using him as their own informant , frequently sending him to Pakistan and Afghanistan to meet directly with heroin dealers . Those trips may also have put Headley in direct contact with Islamic terror groups who use the drug trade to finance their operations . It was during this time that he may have first encountered Lashkar-e-Tayyiba , the Pakistani group that some say is now second only to al Qaeda in its global terrorist reach . The indictment indicated that Headley had moved among senior figures in Lashkar -- including Ilyas Kashmiri , who 's alleged to have had contacts with al Qaeda . Headley case called unique . The Headley case is unique for many reasons , experts say . `` It reads like a spy novel more than your typical terrorism cases , '' said Frank Cilluffo , who heads the George Washington University Homeland Security Policy Institute . He says Headley was a sophisticated and valuable asset for anyone in the terrorist world , because of his ability to move easily between the East and the West . `` This is someone who clearly lived in two different worlds and grew up in two different worlds and had an awareness of both the United States -- having spent much of his adult life and later childhood life here -- as well as in Pakistan , '' said Cilluffo . `` Clearly , you have someone who was conflicted , even though he lived in both worlds . You get the sense that he never felt at home in either world , searching for his identity ... and we know how , unfortunately , it plays out , '' he added . Headley 's uncle still finds it hard to believe . He was shocked when CNN called to tell him that his nephew was pleading guilty . The nephew he knew was not someone who could have been involved in a terrorist plot , William Headley said . `` We absolutely can not imagine it , '' he said . `` It 's not at all consistent with anything we know at all . '' | David Coleman Headley is a product of two worlds , a rare blending of East and West . His mother was a fun-loving Philly socialite ; his father was a strict , formal Pakistani . His arrest in a heroin sting was a turning point in his life , an uncle says . He 's been tied to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba ; India says group carried out Mumbai attacks . | [[3829, 3928], [7869, 7876], [7923, 7954], [3062, 3191], [6388, 6465], [6388, 6390], [6457, 6473], [1048, 1058], [1064, 1138]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The murderer of a 16-year-old girl who bragged about his crimes was electrocuted Thursday night , a spokesman for the Virginia Department of Corrections said . Paul Warner Powell was pronounced dead at 9:09 p.m. at a correctional center in Jarratt , Virginia . He did not make a last statement at the execution attended by the victim 's family . Powell was convicted in the 1999 murder of Stacie Reed and the rape of her 14-year-old sister in their Manassas , Virginia , family home . Powell 's execution comes after Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell denied him clemency and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the execution . The killer claimed double jeopardy after state prosecutors put him on trial for a second time in the killing . In July , the high court delayed Powell 's execution while considering the broader constitutional claims , which were finally rejected . Powell rejected lethal injection , the state 's usual method of execution . `` I 'm hopeful this is the last legal chapter in the long history of this case , '' said Powell 's prosecutor , Prince William County Commonwealth 's Attorney Paul Ebert . `` The survivors -- Stacie 's mother and -LSB- her sister -RSB- -- have really been traumatized by delay after delay . Hopefully they 're going to get some peace and closure after all these years . '' CNN does not identify sexual assault victims without their permission , even though the surviving victim , now 25 , has talked publicly about the case . The crime shocked the Washington area . Reed knew Powell , then 20 and an admitted racist . The state 's highest court eventually threw out the 2000 verdict in the first trial , saying prosecutors had not proven other necessary death-eligible offenses were committed against the 16-year-old . Such `` aggravating '' factors could include rape , attempted rape or robbery in commission of the murder . The sexual assault and attempted murder of Reed 's younger sister was upheld , and Powell was given a long prison sentence . Powell , believing he was free from execution , proceeded to write a taunting , profanity-filled letter from behind bars to Ebert , laying out explicit details of the crime unknown to investigators at the time . `` Since I have already been indicted on first degree murder and the Va. . Supreme Court said that I ca n't be charged with capital murder again , I figured I would tell you the rest of what happened on Jan. 29 , 1999 , to show you how stupid all of y' all ... are , '' wrote Powell , who is white . He said he had gone to the family 's home to confront Reed about dating a black man . He admitted pinning the victim , threatening to rape her , then stabbing her in the heart when the girl resisted . He then stomped on her throat . `` I guess I forgot to mention these events when I was being questioned . Ha Ha ! '' he wrote in 2001 . `` Do you just hate yourself for being so stupid ... and saving me ? '' The killer also said that after that crime , he waited in the house until the younger girl returned from school , then attacked her , leaving her for dead . In the meantime , he drank iced tea from the family refrigerator and smoked a cigarette , part of the forensic evidence that investigators used to place Powell at the scene of the crime . With this first-hand account from Powell , he was indicted again and charged with murder and attempted rape of Stacie Reed -- a capital-eligible crime . He was convicted again , and federal and state courts subsequently upheld the conviction on appeal . | Paul Warner Powell did not make a last statement at the electrocution . Powell rejected lethal injection , the state 's usual method of execution . Killer wrote a taunting , profanity-filled letter laying out details of the crime . Based on letter , prosecutors put Powell on trial for second time in Stacie Reed 's death . | [[280, 329], [893, 925], [2022, 2028], [2031, 2142], [2022, 2028], [2070, 2151], [2154, 2233], [645, 755], [686, 755]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mexican President Felipe Calderon made his third visit in a little more than a month Tuesday to the troubled border city of Juarez , where three people associated with the U.S. Consulate were killed over the weekend . Ciudad Juarez is the most violent city in Mexico , with more than 2,600 drug-related deaths in 2009 . No official numbers are available , but more than 400 killings have been reported in local media this year . The city , long the focal point of Calderon 's war on drug cartels , came to renewed prominence after the January 31 killings of 15 people , most of them students with no links to organized crime . The massacre sparked outrage throughout Mexico and drew worldwide attention . Saturday 's deaths of a pregnant woman and two other people connected with the U.S. Consulate renewed attention to the blood-soaked city . Calderon visited Juarez twice in mid-February within a one-week period , meeting with local officials and residents . More such meetings were scheduled for Tuesday . Although Tuesday 's visit had been scheduled before the latest slayings , analysts say it highlights the city 's importance to the president . `` What it says is that he has really decided that success in Juarez is essential for stemming the tide of organized crime , '' said Andrew Selee , director of the Woodrow Wilson Center 's Mexico Institute . `` He has staked his presidency on success in Juarez . '' Juarez , which accounted for about one-third of the drug-related killings in Mexico last year , was already significant because of the high death count , Selee said . But the killings in January and over the weekend have elevated the city to a symbolic level , the analyst said . `` It has gained an emotional value , '' Selee said . The latest killings were carried out by a local gang known as Los Aztecas , who are allied with the Juarez Cartel , Juarez Mayor Jose Reyes Ferriz said . The three victims were followed and targeted , Reyes said . They were attacked as they left a birthday party at the U.S. Consulate in Juarez . U.S. and Mexican officials said a consulate employee who was four months pregnant and her husband , a U.S. citizen who was a jailer in El Paso , Texas , across the border from Juarez , were slain in their SUV . The couple 's 10-month-old daughter , who was in the vehicle , was not injured , Reyes and other officials said . Authorities identified the couple as El Paso residents Arthur Redelfs , 34 , and Lesley Ann Enriquez , 35 . Redelfs was a 10-year veteran of the El Paso County Sheriff 's Office , department spokesman Jesse Tovar said . The third victim was identified as Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros , 37 , a state police officer who was married to a Mexican employee at the U.S. Consulate . His wife was not traveling with him , but two of their children , ages 4 and 7 , were in the car and were wounded , officials said . Authorities said they do n't know of a motive , nor had they made any arrests Tuesday . Widespread violence throughout northern Mexico in the past few weeks has led U.S. officials to take precautions , including the temporary relocation of State Department employees ' families in border-area consulates . The family members at U.S. consulates in Tijuana , Nogales , Ciudad Juarez , Nuevo Laredo , Monterrey and Matamoros are allowed to leave for up to 30 days , the State Department said . The leave can be renewed after 30 days . The announcement was part of a continued warning to U.S. citizens regarding travel to Mexico . U.S. citizens are advised to delay nonessential travel to parts of the states of Durango , Coahuila and Chihuahua , where Juarez is located . In addition , U.S. government employees are restricted from traveling to all or parts of the three states . Attacks have included the kidnapping and killing of two resident U.S. citizens in Chihuahua , the warning states . `` Some recent confrontations between Mexican authorities and drug cartel members have resembled small-unit combat , with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades , '' the warning says . `` During some of these incidents , U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area . '' About two weeks ago , the Texas Department of Public Safety took the unprecedented step of telling college students not to visit Mexican border cities during spring break because they are too dangerous . It was the first time Texas authorities had taken that step . Canada , likewise , issued an advisory Tuesday urging citizens not to take nonessential trips to Ciudad Juarez and to `` exercise a high degree of caution '' throughout Mexico . `` Travelers are advised to reconsider their need to travel to Ciudad Juarez and should only do so if it is absolutely necessary , '' the government warning says . Asked if Ciudad Juarez is safe for visitors , Mayor Reyes laughed softly . `` We have a problem in Ciudad Juarez , '' he said . `` We ca n't deny that or lessen it . `` Normally , the violence is directed at people involved in crime , but at times , civilians are affected who are not involved in crime . '' Violence last weekend is a prime example of the extent of the problem . In the western state of Guerrero , for instance , at least 25 people were killed Saturday , state officials said . The bodies of 14 people , including nine civilians and five police officers , were found in various parts of the resort city of Acapulco , the official Notimex news agency reported , citing Guerrero Public Security Secretary Juan Heriberto Salinas . In the small city of Ajuchitlan del Progreso , 10 civilians and one soldier were killed in two shootouts that started when federal officials tried to carry out search warrants in two locations , Salinas said . The Mexican government has not released official figures , but national media said 7,600 people were killed in drug-related violence in 2009 . Calderon said last year that 6,500 Mexicans died in drug killings in 2008 . No official figures are available , but unofficial tallies this year say more than 17,000 people have been killed since Calderon declared war on the cartels after assuming office in December 2006 . | Felipe Calderon goes to troubled city for third time in little more than a month . Analysts : Visit highlights city 's importance as focal point of Calderon 's war on drug cartels . Visit was scheduled before 3 people slain Saturday . Deaths of pregnant woman , two others renewed attention to the border city . | [[0, 15], [19, 149], [863, 933], [1103, 1171], [152, 236], [724, 783], [818, 862], [1038, 1100], [448, 458], [517, 586], [724, 783], [818, 862], [1609, 1696]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World number three Rafael Nadal of Spain survived a three-set battle to reach the quarterfinals of the Masters 1000 tournament at Indian Wells as second seed Novak Djokovic crashed out on Wednesday night . Nadal is starting to recover his best form after his injury problems of last year , but the giant Isner posed a continuous threat when he leveled at one set it looked ominous . But Spanish ace Nadal kept battling and got a lucky break in the fourth game of the decider as his U.S opponent 's return hit the net cord and bounced back on his side of the net to fall down a break . It gave Nadal a decisive break and he held on for victory in the fourth round match . Nadal , who won the Indian Wells title last year and in 2007 , is the lone survivor among former champions of the tournament : . Top seed Roger Federer of Switzerland went out to Marcos Baghdatis in the third round while Serbian ace Djokovic of Serbia joined him on the sidelines with a 7-5 6-3 defeat to Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia in their last 16 match . 27th-seeded Baghdatis could not repeat his heroics against Federer as eh slipped to a 7-5 0-6 6-4 loss to Spanish 18th seed Tommy Robredo . Home hopes were kept alive by Andy Roddick who advanced to the last eight with as a 7-6 6-4 win over Austrian Jurgen Melzer , while fourth seed Andy Murray was detained on court for only 38 minutes as his fourth round opponent unseeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro retired with a left ankle injury . `` He seemed like he was moving okay , '' Murray told the official ATP Tour Web site . `` At the start we had some pretty good points . But then it seemed like it came on pretty suddenly . He said he had done it yesterday , and if you have a bad ankle sprain , it 's obviously very difficult to move , '' Murray next plays Roland Garros finalist Robin Soderling , who reached the quarterfinals in California for the first time after beating ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 6-3 6-4 . | Rafael Nadal is the lone survivor among former champions at Indian Wells . Spanish star sees John Isner of the United States in three sets . Second seed Novak Djokovic beaten in straight sets by Ivan Ljubicic . Fourth-ranked Andy Murray eases through as Nicolas Almagro retires . | [[690, 695], [753, 814], [0, 15], [60, 161], [69, 171], [165, 224], [1386, 1389], [1412, 1480]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Barcelona and Manchester United are on course to meet again in the money-spinning European Champions League final after they avoided each other in the draw for the last eight . Josep Guardiola 's reigning champions Barca will face English Premier League side Arsenal in the quarterfinals -- a repeat of the 2006 final which the Spanish club won 2-1 . French striker Thierry Henry played for Arsenal in that game but has since joined Barca . Henry remains Arsenal 's all-time leading goalscorer . The draw for the quarterfinals of the tournament took place at the headquarters of European football 's governing body -LRB- UEFA -RRB- in Nyon , Switzerland where the match-ups for the semifinals were also decided . United will win the Champions League ... I feel it in my bones . Alex Ferguson 's Manchester United were drawn against Bayern Munich , who they famously beat in the 1999 final . Bayern went in front after just six minutes of the final in Barcelona but United scored two injury time goals to stun the German side . Dutch coach Louis van Gaal is attempting to secure Bayern Munich 's first European crown since 2001 , after they knocked out Italian side Juventus in the group stages . Jose Mourinho 's Inter Milan are playing first time quarterfinalists CSKA Moscow . The Italian champions dumped Mourinho 's former club Chelsea out of the competition earlier this week . There is no country seeding at the last eight stage , which led to Lyon and Bordeaux being drawn together . Their tie means France is assured a representative in the last four . The Champions League is the most lucrative tournament in world football with the final worth an estimated $ 421 million , according to sponsors Mastercard , with the winners earning close to $ 150 million . The quarterfinal ties will take place the week beginning March 29 . In the Europa League draw English Premier League team Liverpool were drawn against Portuguese club Benfica . There is an all-Spanish tie in the last eight after Atletico Madrid and Valencia were drawn against each other . If Liverpool get past Benfica they will face one of the Spanish teams in the semifinal , meaning either an emotional return for striker Fernando Torres to former club Atletico , or for manager Rafael Benitez to the team he used to coach , Valencia . Juventus ' conquerors Fulham were drawn against German champions Wolfsburg while Hamburg pulled Belgian side Standard Liege . | Draw for the UEFA Champions League to take place in Switzerland on Friday . Holders Barcelona are favorites to retain their crown . The final is worth an estimated $ 421 million in economic terms , according to sponsors . This year 's final will be held in Madrid , Spain , on May 22 . | [[1580, 1753]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Health care reform advocates inched closer to victory Wednesday as a high-profile liberal Democrat switched his position and announced his intention to vote for a sweeping $ 875 billion plan under consideration in the House of Representatives . Rep. Dennis Kucinich , D-Ohio , said he believes `` health care is a civil right . '' He had previously characterized the bill , which cleared the Senate in December , as little more than a boondoggle for private insurers . Kucinich was publicly lobbied for his vote by President Barack Obama during the president 's visit this week to Kucinich 's congressional district in Ohio . He told reporters he 's had four meetings with Obama to discuss the bill . `` The president 's visit to my district ... underscored the urgency of this vote , '' Kucinich said . `` I have doubts about the bill ... -LSB- but -RSB- I 've decided to cast a vote in favor of the legislation . '' He said he ultimately had `` to make a decision on the bill as it is , not on the bill as I 'd like to see it . '' Kucinich is a backer of a single-payer health care system under which the government would fund all costs billed by doctors and hospitals . Kucinich 's decision to change his vote is `` a good sign , '' Obama told reporters in the Oval Office . `` I told him thank you . '' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-California , said she thought Kucinich 's switch would make a difference with a large number of liberal activists . `` He 's been a supporter of health care for all Americans for a long time , '' she said . `` He has a constituency , and many of those people still do n't understand why there is n't a public -LSB- option -RSB- . '' Pelosi has repeatedly expressed confidence that she will have enough support to pass the bill when it comes to the floor for a final vote . Read more about how votes are lining up . Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer , the No. 2 House Democrat , indicated Wednesday the vote could come at some point this weekend . He said the leadership is still waiting for final cost estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on a package of changes to the measure . Asked if the release of the CBO numbers was imminent , Pelosi said , `` I would have said ... half an hour ago , hopefully any minute . I think it 's going to take a little more time . '' She said she had no explanation for the delay . `` I do n't know the calculation , '' she said . `` I do n't know how they do it . Whatever it is , they 're the gospel and we have to live by it . '' Later , Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami said that the CBO estimates would not be released Wednesday night . Since the Democrats have said the bill will be available for reading for 72 hours before a vote , the vote can take place no sooner than Sunday , provided the CBO numbers are posted Thursday . Pelosi needs 216 votes from her 253-member caucus to pass the Senate bill . No Republicans are expected to back it . A number of House Democrats have refused to state their voting intentions publicly . Twenty-seven House Democrats , however , have indicated they will join Republicans in opposing the Senate plan . That puts opponents of reform 11 votes shy of the 216 needed to prevent Obama from scoring a major victory on his top domestic priority . Meanwhile , GOP leaders continued to pound away at the legislation on Wednesday , slamming House Democratic leaders for considering the use of a controversial legislative maneuver to pass the Senate bill . Pelosi may try to help House Democrats unhappy with the Senate bill by allowing them to avoid a direct vote on the measure . She is considering pushing for a vote on a rule that would simply `` deem '' the Senate bill to be passed . The House then would proceed to a separate vote on the more popular package of changes to the Senate plan . `` I 've never seen anything like the plan that House Democrats hatched this week to jam their health care bill through Congress , '' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , said Wednesday . `` Historians will remember this as a new low in this debate , the week that America was introduced to the ` scheme and deem ' approach to legislating . They 'll remember this as the week that Congress tried to pull the wool over the eyes of the public in order to get around their will . '' House Minority Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio , said Tuesday that Republicans will try to block the procedure . They will try to force a vote on a resolution requiring the Senate health care bill to be brought to an up-or-down vote . Boehner has called the maneuver -- also known as a `` self-executing rule '' -- the `` ultimate in Washington power grabs . '' House Republicans sent a letter to the Democratic head of the House Rules Committee on Wednesday asking her to move an upcoming hearing on the health care bill to a larger room to account for overwhelming public interest in the issue . The committee is responsible for deciding whether the full House will have a chance to pass the Senate bill using the self-executing rule . `` While C-SPAN may decide to cover the hearing , that does not satisfy the need for the maximum amount of transparency and openness needed to give the American people faith in this process , '' the letter said . `` By moving the hearing to a larger room , we can ensure more Americans will have the opportunity to participate in our proceedings and not be turned away at the door . '' Where does health care reform stand ? If enacted , the Democratic reform proposal would constitute the biggest expansion of federal health care guarantees since the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid more than four decades ago . The plan is expected to extend insurance coverage to more than 30 million Americans . The Senate bill also would reduce federal deficits by about $ 118 billion over 10 years , according to CBO estimates . Top Republicans contend the plan amounts to an ill-conceived government takeover of the country 's health care system . They have said it would do little to slow spiraling medical costs . They also argue it would lead to higher premiums and taxes for middle-class families while resulting in deep Medicare cuts . Public opinion polls indicate a majority of Americans have turned against the administration 's health care reform plan , though individual elements of the proposal remain widely popular . CNN 's Dan Lothian , Charles Riley , Alan Silverleib , Jeff Simon , Deirdre Walsh and Robert Yoon contributed to this report . | Democratic leaders say timing of vote will depend on CBO figures , which are delayed . Rep. Dennis Kucinich , D-Ohio , on Wednesday said he intends to vote for health care bill . Kucinich previously had characterized the bill as a boondoggle for private insurers . The apparent defection improves chances for the bill 's passage . | [[2007, 2161], [2015, 2161], [2549, 2554], [2557, 2656], [0, 26], [155, 274], [880, 944], [361, 378], [393, 498], [361, 363], [368, 498]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three people connected to the U.S. consulate in Ciudad Juarez , Mexico , were killed in two drive-by shootings , a senior White House official told CNN Sunday . Two of the victims were an American employee at the consulate and her U.S. citizen husband . Their 1-year-old child , who was in a vehicle with the couple at the time of the shooting , survived the incident , according to the El Paso County Sheriff 's Office . The American couple were found dead inside a white Toyota RAV4 with Texas license plates , according to the Chihuahua state attorney general 's office . The woman was shot in the neck and left arm , while the man had a bullet wound near his right eye , officials said . `` We know that the U.S. citizens were targeted , '' Juarez Mayor Jose Reyes Ferriz told CNN , saying a police officer witnessed a car shooting at the Americans ' car . `` We know they were chasing them . We know they wanted to kill them . '' The Americans were identified as Arthur Redelfs , 34 , and Lesley Enriquez by the El Paso County Sheriff 's Office , where Redelfs worked as a detention officer . Redelfs was a 10-year veteran of the department , according to Jesse Tovar , a spokesman for the sheriff 's office . `` On behalf of the men and women of the Sheriff 's Office , I would like to extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to the family during this difficult time , '' said Sheriff Richard Wiles . `` Our thoughts and prayers are with them . '' Authorities retrieved only one shell casing , from a 9 mm weapon . About 10 minutes before authorities received the call , they were alerted to a body inside a 2003 Honda Pilot . Inside was the husband of the Mexican employee , identified as Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros , 37 . Reyes said the victim was a state police officer who was married to a Mexican employee at the U.S. consulate . Two children , 4 and 7 , were injured in that shooting and transported to the hospital , the attorney general 's office said . Police recovered two shells at that scene from an assault rifle , authorities said . `` The president is deeply saddened and outraged by the news of the brutal murders of three people associated with the United States Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez , '' National Security Council Spokesman Mike Hammer said in the statement Sunday . `` He extends his condolences to the families and condemns these attacks on consular and diplomatic personnel serving at our foreign missions . In concert with Mexican authorities , we will work tirelessly to bring their killers to justice . '' In response , the U.S. State Department authorized the temporary relocation of employees ' families working in border-area consulates . `` These appalling assaults on members of our own State Department family are , sadly , part of a growing tragedy besetting many communities in Mexico , '' Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement Sunday night . `` They underscore the imperative of our continued commitment to work closely with the Government of -LRB- Mexican -RRB- President -LRB- Felipe -RRB- Calderón to cripple the influence of trafficking organizations at work in Mexico . '' The families of employees at U.S. consulates in Tijuana , Nogales , Ciudad Juarez , Nuevo Laredo , Monterrey and Matamoros , are allowed to leave for a period of 30 days `` in response to an increase in violence along the Mexican side of its border with the U.S. , '' State Department spokesman Fred Lash told CNN . After 30 days , the authorization can be renewed , depending on a review , Lash said , adding that this was not a mandatory evacuation . The announcement was part of a warning to American citizens regarding travel to Mexico . The warning urges U.S. citizens to delay nonessential travel to parts of the states of Durango , Coahuila and Chihuahua , where Juarez is located , because of recent violent attacks . U.S. government employees are restricted from traveling to all or parts of these three states . The attacks include the kidnapping and killing of two resident U.S. citizens in Chihuahua , the warning states . `` Some recent confrontations between Mexican authorities and drug cartel members have resembled small-unit combat , with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades , '' the warning says . `` During some of these incidents , U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area . '' The mayor said the shootings highlight a problem shared by both countries along their border . `` It is not just a Mexican problem -- it 's is a U.S.-Mexico problem , '' Reyes said . `` I 'm very glad that the U.S. has taken that position . '' He said he supported the State Department 's authorization to consular families and that `` it is important they feel safe . '' Mexico on Sunday said that its government was committed to protecting all people , citizens and visitors alike , diplomats or not . `` The Mexican government deeply laments the killings of three people linked to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez , '' Mexico 's foreign ministry said in a statement . `` The Mexican authorities are working with determination to clear up the facts surrounding the crime scene and put those responsible before the law . '' Juarez is one of the front lines in Mexico 's war against the drug cartels that operate in its territory . More than 2,600 people were killed in Juarez in 2009 . Juarez , across from El Paso , Texas , has become a focal point of Mexican President Felipe Calderon 's anti-drug efforts after the January 31 killings of 15 people , most of whom were students with no ties to organized crime . The incident sparked outrage across Mexico . In the western state of Guerrero , at least 25 people were killed in a series of violent acts on Saturday , state officials said . The bodies of 14 people , including nine civilians and five police officers , were found in various parts of the resort city of Acapulco , the official Notimex news agency reported , citing Guerrero Public Security Secretary Juan Heriberto Salinas . In the small city of Ajuchitlan del Progreso , 10 civilians and one soldier were killed in two shootouts that started when federal officials tried to carry out search warrants on two locations , Salinas said . Police in the state were on a heightened security alert , he said . The government has not released official figures , but national media say 7,600 Mexicans lost their lives in the war on drugs in 2009 . Calderon said last year that 6,500 Mexicans died in drug violence in 2008 . CNN 's Mariano Castillo and Jamie Crawford contributed to this report . | 1-year-old child of two of the victims survives the attack . Juarez mayor : `` We know that the U.S. citizens were targeted '' Drive-by shootings kill U.S. employee at consulate and 2 others in Ciudad Juarez . State Department warns Americans of danger of traveling to three Mexican states . | [[273, 295], [302, 362], [273, 295], [365, 386], [711, 758], [727, 758], [761, 763], [19, 80], [0, 15], [83, 129], [180, 272], [2167, 2248], [4988, 5046], [3629, 3717], [3671, 3717], [3718, 3837]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A five-year-old British boy who was kidnapped in Pakistan earlier this month has been found safe and is back with his relatives , the British High Commission said Tuesday . Sahil Saeed was released at a school in the Punjab province of Pakistan , said Assistant Chief Constable David Thompson of the Greater Manchester Police in England , near his parents ' residence in Oldham . From there , Sahil wandered into a field and was found by residents who looked after him until police arrived , Thompson said . Regional Pakistani police said Sahil was found near the town of Danga in Punjab province , close to where he was abducted March 3 . Sahil was in good condition , said Aslam Tareen , the head of the regional police . `` He is with members of family in Pakistan and the Pakistani police , and there is also contact from the British High Commission , '' Thompson said . He added that Sahil had already spoken to his mother and father in England by telephone and that both parents were `` clearly relieved '' to speak to their son . The High Commission issued a statement thanking police in Jhelum , another town in the eastern province of Punjab , for the boy 's return . `` This is fantastic news that brings to an end a traumatic ordeal faced by Sahil and his family , '' said Adam Thomson , the British high commissioner to Pakistan . Police arrested some of the kidnappers , said Rana Sanaullah , the provincial law minister . Sahil , a British citizen of Pakistani descent , was on the last day of a two-week vacation in Pakistan before he was to return home to Oldham , in northern England . Gunmen barged into Sahil 's grandmother 's home in Jhelum and took him . They reportedly demanded a ransom of 10 million rupees -LRB- $ 118,000 -RRB- . Pakistan 's Interior Minister Rehman Malik had said the captors included someone close to the family . `` There is someone who is very close to the family because the way the situation happened , the way the entry was made , '' Malik told reporters . But Tareen said Tuesday there is no evidence that any family member was involved . There was also no indication a ransom was paid , Tareen said . Sanaullah , the law minister , said the kidnappers were part of a ring that operated in and out of Pakistan . He did not elaborate . Thompson , of the Greater Manchester Police , could not comment on the possibility of arrests in England . `` At this stage there are no inquiries that we 're carrying out in the UK that would lead me to contemplate that we 'd make an arrest in the near future , '' he said . | NEW : Sahil Saeed was released at a school in the Punjab province of Pakistan . Sahil was in good condition , said Aslam Tareen , the head of the regional police . Gunmen took him at gunpoint from his grandmother 's home in Punjabon on March 3 . They reportedly demanded a ransom of 10 million rupees -LRB- $ 118,000 -RRB- . | [[192, 263], [659, 686], [16, 46], [51, 95], [627, 658], [1622, 1679], [1622, 1646], [1684, 1694], [1695, 1773]] |
Jerusalem -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a bid to end what it calls illegal riots , the Israeli military will prohibit outsider access to areas in two occupied West Bank villages one day a week , according to a statement explaining the move . `` Every week , violent , illegal riots take place in the area of Nil ` in and Bil ` in , during the course of which members of the security forces are wounded and heavy damage is caused to the security fence and to public property , '' the Israeli military statement read . `` In an effort to prevent the inciters of these riots from reaching the area in which the riots take place , three weeks ago , OC Central Command Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi signed an order designating the area between the fence and the villages of Nil ` in and Bil ` in as a closed military zone . '' Word of the Israeli military order became public Monday . For the past five years the two Palestinian towns have been home to weekly Friday protests opposing Israel 's separation barrier , the over-700-kilometer stretch of concrete wall and fence that separates Israel from the West Bank . The demonstrations have become a weekly ritual and the center of a nascent non-violent Palestinian resistance movement , which attract an assortment of Palestinians , Israelis and international activists . However , the demonstrations often degenerate into clashes between Israeli military personnel and stone-throwing youths . The protest sites will be closed between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. every Friday for the next six months , but the closure does not apply to residents of the villages . The Palestinian Authority Cabinet issued a statement saying it `` condemned the repressive actions by the occupation forces against peaceful demonstrations , as well as the declaration of Bil ` in and Nil ` in as closed military areas every Friday for six months . '' The cabinet `` stressed the right of the Palestinian people , according to international laws , to defy occupation measures , settlement activities , and the building of the wall . '' The move comes after months of increased Israeli military activity in the form of night raids and arrests in the villages . Residents and protest organizers also have decried the latest Israeli military action , saying in a news release that it is part of a `` persecution campaign against Palestinian activists in an attempt to suppress the rising tide of West Bank popular resistance to the occupation . '' Speaking to CNN last month , Peter Lerner , a spokesman for the Israeli military , acknowledged Israeli army activity in the towns and said Israel has the responsibility to deal those who were leading the protests . `` If those people who are organizing it from even behind the scenes , they can not be above the law , and that 's what we 're dealing with . '' Gaby Lasky , a lawyer representing village residents , said the military order is illegal and argued that `` closed military zone orders are not meant to deal with demonstrations , which are clearly in the civic rather than the military realm . '' According to the Palestinian activist group Popular Struggle , six protesters have been killed in the demonstrations since 2008 . The Israeli military says more than a hundred of its soldiers have been wounded . | Two Palestinian towns have been home to weekly protests opposing separation barrier . 700-kilometer stretch of concrete wall and fence separates Israel from West Bank . Protest sites will be closed between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. every Friday . Gaby Lasky , a lawyer representing village residents , said the military order is illegal . | [[138, 184], [234, 247], [260, 318], [864, 954], [932, 992], [1029, 1052], [1058, 1095], [1424, 1532], [2832, 2871], [2819, 2829], [2874, 2955]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Saying it plans to lease aircraft and provide replacement workers , British Airways on Monday unveiled an ambitious contingency plan in preparation for the first of two strikes by the union members representing the airline 's cabin crews . The Unite union 's leadership aimed to ground the airline through its action , but `` the flag will continue to fly , '' said Willie Walsh , BA chief executive , in a written statement . `` Around 60 percent of our customers will be able to fly as planned and many thousands more can be rebooked onto alternative BA flights or onto rival airlines . '' Members of the Unite union voted to strike for three days beginning March 20 , and for four more days beginning March 27 . BA said Monday its contingency plans will allow about 45,000 customers to fly each day during the first strike period . `` At this stage , the vast majority of flights between March 23 and March 31 remain in the schedule , and we will update customers due to fly during the second strike period after the first strike period has ended , '' the statement said . `` The airline is still available to hold further talks but wants customers to have early warning of its flying schedule to allow sufficient time for alternative travel arrangements to be made . '' At London 's Heathrow Airport , more than 60 percent of British Airways long-haul flights will be operated during the first strike period , the company said . In addition , it will operate all long-haul flights to London 's Gatwick Airport and more than half of the short-haul flights at Gatwick . `` The airline will operate some of its own short-haul flights at Heathrow , and will supplement its schedule by leasing up to 22 aircraft with pilots and crews from eight different airlines based in the UK and Europe , '' the statement said . `` Due to the numbers of cabin crew who have called in to offer their services over the weekend , the schedule will be slightly larger than we had originally anticipated , '' Walsh said . The airline said it has also made agreements with 40 other carriers to rebook customers free of charge during the strike period if their British Airways flights are canceled . `` We will continue to try to prevent this strike taking place , but we have reached a point when we must now offer some clarity to our customers who have waited with great patience since Friday , when the strike dates were first announced , '' Walsh said in the British Airways statement . '' ... I recognize the frustration of customers booked for travel from March 27 onwards , when the second stoppage is due to begin , and we will do all we can to give them more clarity about their specific flight number once we start to understand just how many cabin crew are willing to work as normal . '' The industrial action is over planned changes to cabin crew conditions , which British Airways says will save the carrier more than # 60 million -LRB- approximately $ 90 million -RRB- a year . Unite has said the plans call for working hours to be extended and crew levels to be cut , changes that it has said will damage customer service and the BA brand . The airline 's management submitted a formal offer to the union Thursday , Unite said , but added that the offer failed to address union concerns about crew numbers and service delivery . That prompted Unite officials to announce the strike dates Friday . When that occurred , the airline took its offer off the table . The airline , for its part , also has rejected all union proposals so far , saying they would have saved the airline significantly less money than the airline 's own planned changes . British Airways has opened an extra call center manned by volunteers to help customers , the Monday statement said . `` We remain absolutely determined to search for a sensible settlement and our door remains open to Unite , day or night . It is not too late for ... Unite to call off this action and we will do all we can to reinstate some of the canceled flights , '' Walsh said in the company 's statement Monday . | BA : Contingency plans will allow about 45,000 customers to fly each day . It plans to lease up to 22 aircraft with pilots and crews from eight different airlines . The industrial action is over planned changes to cabin crew conditions . Union says plans call for working hours to be extended and crew levels to be cut . | [[751, 821], [759, 870], [33, 69], [46, 101], [1718, 1758], [1774, 1825], [2815, 2885], [3023, 3086], [3075, 3096]] |
Editor 's Note : The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE , an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn , New York . VBS.TV is broadband television network of VICE . The reports , which are produced solely by VICE , reflect a transparent approach to journalism , where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process . We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers . Brooklyn , New York -LRB- VBS.TV -RRB- -- For the launch of VICE magazine in Mexico , we decided to make an entire issue about Mexico , written entirely by Mexicans . At the same time , we came up with the idea of producing a parallel version of that issue in video for VBS.TV and populate our site with documentaries about Mexico , local artists , local musicians and beautiful Mexican girls for the entire month . Since then , we repeated the same concept when we launched the magazine in Brazil , and we produced an entire month of content about China during the Olympics . Producer Santiago Stelley and I spent a few weeks in Mexico City producing an hour-long documentary about nighttime crime photographers , interviewing some of the best bands and artists in the city and shooting a project about B movies inspired by the lives of drug traffickers . A couple of days before Mother 's Day , I got to spend a few days at an amazing place called Casa Xochiquetzal -LRB- The House of the Beautiful Flowers -RRB- , a retirement home for older prostitutes in Tepito , one of the sketchiest neighborhoods in the city . I went there with Guillermo Rivero , who wrote the print version of the article , and I produced the documentary version of the same story . The house has a minimum age requirement of 60 and can accommodate up to 45 women . Right now , there are only 23 retired ladies of the night living there . The majority of them continue working , because there are still people who want to pay to have sex with them . See the rest of House of the Setting Sun at VBS.TV . We had the opportunity to meet some of the women that live there , such as 86-year-old Reyna , who sang for us and told us stories of her youth , and Lourdes , a childless widow in her 60s who is still turning tricks . We met Canela , a woman in her 80s who was soft spoken and looked incredibly tired . She had stopped working just a few years ago and now sells candies for a living . Finally , we spent some time with Paola , a 61-year-old who is still a sex worker and hopes to continue working for as many years as she can . We ended up spending Mother 's Day with them at what was perhaps the most bittersweet party I 've attended . The women were dancing and eating and drinking punch together , they joked around and seemed to be having a great time . But at some point , Paola started talking to me about her sons , whom she has n't seen in years and never really visit her . She also talked about the kids of many of the other women in the house -- none of them present at this party -- to celebrate motherhood . Most of these women actually ended up becoming prostitutes to support their children as their only means of survival . I think the work that this house and its director Rosalba Rios do -- as weird and unusual as it may seem -- is incredibly valuable . Spending Mother 's Day with these brave women forever changed they way l look at prostitution and without a doubt has been one of the most intense parties I 've ever attended . | VBS.TV visits home for elderly prostitutes in sketchy Mexico City neighborhood . Twenty-three women who are 60 or older live in the facility . Crew attended bittersweet Mother 's Day party with residents . | [[1817, 1826], [1829, 1889], [2583, 2674]] |
BIRMINGHAM , Alabama -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Detroit , Michigan , is often thought of as the automaker capital of the country , but increasingly , foreign auto plants are heading south , to a region known for more than its charm . Toyota 's plant in Georgetown , Kentucky , is as big as 156 football fields . Almost every foreign auto factory that 's opened since the '90s has sprouted below the Mason-Dixon Line . Two of the three auto plants under construction also are in the South . Plants typically establish their roots in what is known as the auto corridor -- a roughly 200-mile-wide stretch that runs from Michigan to Alabama . `` The northern end is more heavily dominated by the traditional Detroit-base assemblers and their supplier base , and then the foreign automakers and their supplier base tend to pull a little further south , '' said Thomas Klier , a senior economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago who specializes in the auto industry . Check out auto plants across the corridor '' So what 's behind the South 's charm ? It has a lot to do with the people , experts say . `` If you do n't have people , you do n't have economic development , '' said Michael Randle , president and publisher of Southern Business & Development . `` People drive economic development and that 's why the South has gone from being dirt poor 50 years ago to leading this country 's economy . '' The South 's population is growing much faster than the Midwest , which is home to the Big Three : Chrysler , Ford and GM . Between 2000 and 2030 , the South 's population is expected to increase by about 43 percent , while less than 10 percent growth is expected in the Midwest , according the U.S. Census Bureau . See how the United States is expected to grow '' But it 's not just the quantity of the people that matters . The quality of the work force was a big factor in Toyota 's recent decision to build a plant near Tupelo , Mississippi , according Dennis Cuneo , formerly Toyota 's senior vice president and now an adviser to the company . Watch how Toyota hopefuls are already preparing for jobs '' Northern Mississippi has been hit hard by the closing of furniture factories , leaving highly skilled workers looking for jobs . Those workers have the mentality the automobile makers want , Randle said . If it 's broken , they are going to fix it , he said . The automotive industry provides a much-needed bridge , connecting a labor pool that wants to work with an economy in need of a boost , Randle said . And the plants bring in far more than their initial investment . The Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance , Alabama , for example , announced it would double its production just three years after it opened . Honda had a $ 450 million expansion in Lincoln , Alabama , that added another 2,000 jobs . For each job created inside an auto plant , experts estimate as many as six to eight are created in businesses outside . Hear a worker describe how an auto plant changed his life '' Local leaders know how valuable the industry is -- worth enough to offer to foreign companies hundreds of millions of dollars in incentives -- including tax abatements , site preparation and employee training . While companies remain mum on the topic , those local leaders have a big edge on the North : They are fighting to bring jobs to workers who are n't unionized , unlike much of the Big Three 's workforce . Unions increase overall costs at plants , Randle said , explaining that the foreign automakers are drawn to the South where unionization is not mandatory and where workers have resisted calls to join voluntarily . If a plant is unionized in the North , everyone must join . No foreign assembly plants are unionized except for a few joint-ventures : the ones that started as projects between domestic and foreign companies . `` That 's not a coincidence , '' Klier said . `` That suggests pretty strongly that that does affect the location decision . '' With all of these benefits playing in its favor , the South -- with its low operating costs -- has become the go-to place for this international industry , Randle said . `` A lot of economists were saying manufacturing was dead in this country and it 's not coming back , '' Randle said . `` It may be dead Massachusetts or New York or Detroit ... but it 's not dead in the South . ... You have to make cars in this country . '' E-mail to a friend . | Almost every foreign auto plant that 's opened since the '90s is in the South . South 's population is growing much faster than the Midwest . South provides manufacturing workforce . No foreign auto assembly plants are unionized . | [[311, 337], [346, 367], [304, 337], [359, 409], [3680, 3752]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Democratic congressional leaders unveiled a long-awaited $ 940 billion compromise health care plan Thursday , setting the stage for a final legislative showdown on President Obama 's domestic priority . White House press secretary Robert Gibbs announced that Obama had decided to delay an upcoming trip to Australia and Indonesia to help push the bill over the finish line . The president had been set to depart Washington on Sunday , the same day that the House of Representatives is likely to vote on the measure . Watch Gibbs defend health plan maneuver . `` I 'm sure he wants to be here for the history , '' said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-California . If enacted , the measure would constitute the biggest expansion of federal health care guarantees since the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid more than four decades ago . It would extend insurance coverage to an additional 32 million Americans , according to a preliminary analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office . Among other things , the plan would expand Medicare prescription drug coverage , increase federal subsidies to help people buy insurance , and ban denials of coverage for pre-existing conditions . It seeks to bridge the gap between previous House and Senate bills partly by watering down and delaying the implementation of a tax on high-end insurance plans . As with earlier House and Senate plans , it includes significant reductions in Medicare spending , in part through changes in payments made under the Medicare Advantage program . It also eliminates a deeply unpopular provision in the Senate bill that exempts Nebraska from paying increased Medicaid expenses . The compromise plan would cut the nation 's deficit by $ 138 billion over the next 10 years , according to the Congressional Budget Office . It would further reduce the deficit by more than $ 1 trillion in the following decade . The full House is now tentatively set to consider two measures Sunday : the $ 875 billion plan passed by the Senate in December and the compromise , which would bring the total to $ 940 billion . The compromise plan can not become law if the Senate bill is not also enacted . If the Senate bill passes , it would go to Obama to be signed into law . If the revisions unveiled Thursday are also approved , they would still have to clear the Senate . House members unhappy with the less expansive Senate bill have received assurances from top Senate Democrats that they will pass the $ 940 billion compromise . House Democrats pushed hard to ensure the compromise included an expansion of subsidies to low - and middle-income families , as well as a reduction in the tax on high-end `` Cadillac '' plans . Rep. Henry Waxman , D-California , told reporters Thursday that the budget office 's cost estimate `` will go a long way to get -LSB- fiscally conservative Democrats -RSB- to feel comfortable with the legislation . '' The Senate bill , if allowed to stand unchanged , would reduce federal deficits by $ 20 billion less than the compromise plan over the next 10 years . GOP leaders said the new budget office estimate of the revised plan had not changed their opinion of the overall measure , which they vehemently oppose . `` It 's not too late for the American people to continue to speak up , '' House Minority Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio , said Thursday . `` They need to yell a little louder , and we can stop this . '' Republicans insist the Democratic proposal will do little to slow spiraling medical costs . They also say it would lead to higher premiums and taxes for middle-class families while resulting in deep Medicare cuts . Pelosi has nevertheless expressed confidence in recent weeks that she will have enough support to pass both the Senate plan and the compromise bill when they come to the House floor . The speaker needs 216 votes from her 253-member caucus to pass the measures . No Republicans are expected to back either one . Watch Pelosi express her confidence in the plan . Twenty-seven House Democrats indicated to CNN on Wednesday they will join Republicans in opposing the Senate plan . That leaves opponents of reform 11 votes shy of defeating the measure . Pelosi has tried to sweeten the deal for House liberals by adding a large student loan reform measure to the compromise plan . The measure , which is a priority for Obama , would end the practice of having private banks offer student loans while expanding direct lending from the government . The speaker may also try to help House Democrats unhappy with the Senate bill by allowing them to avoid a direct vote on the measure . She is considering pushing for a vote on a rule that would simply `` deem '' the Senate bill to be passed . The House then would proceed to a separate vote on the changes incorporated in the $ 940 billion version of the plan . Read about the highlights of the compromise plan . Republicans failed Thursday to force a vote on a resolution requiring the Senate health care bill to be brought to an up-or-down vote . GOP leaders are also fuming over Democrats ' decision to use a legislative maneuver called reconciliation , which will allow the $ 940 billion plan -- if passed by the House -- to clear the Senate with a simple majority of 51 votes . Senate Democrats lost their filibuster-proof 60-seat supermajority in January with the election of GOP Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts . Republicans say that reconciliation , which is limited to provisions pertaining to the budget , was never meant to facilitate passage of a sweeping reform measure such as the health care bill . Democrats say that reconciliation was used to pass several major bills in recent years , including President George W. Bush 's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts . Public opinion polls indicate that Americans remain sharply divided over the Democrats ' health care reform agenda , though individual elements of it remain widely popular . CNN 's Ted Barrett , Dana Bash , Lisa Desjardins , Brianna Keilar and Kristi Keck contributed to this report . | NEW : GOP effort to require up-or-down vote on Senate health care bill fails . NEW : President delays trip to Australia , Indonesia to help push bill over finish line . NEW : Bill cuts Senate bill provision that exempts Nebraska from paying Medicaid expenses . Bill cuts deficit by $ 138 billion over 10 years ; additional $ 1 trillion in cuts expected after that . | [[4922, 5019], [4982, 5057], [233, 404], [284, 404], [1615, 1630], [1636, 1694], [1695, 1786], [1836, 1923]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On a Saturday at the Lamar Edward Salon , a small cluster of women watch a demonstration of a new product . Their giggles turn into growing interest . They learn the city is handing out free samples , but it 's not shampoo or makeup products . Instead , the women can leave the salon with free female condoms tucked into their purses . Co-owner Gerald Armstrong said his salon is a perfect place for a frank discussion about safe sex . `` We talk about beauty and we talk about hair and makeup and things to make them feel better , '' Armstrong said . `` We should start talking about things that are helping them to live longer . '' Faced with an HIV infection rate six times higher than the national average , District of Columbia officials are launching an unorthodox campaign to halt the spread of the disease . They will hand out 500,000 female condoms at salons and community centers and offer informal training sessions to teach women how to use the little-known product . About 30 percent of people infected in Washington are women , and the numbers are growing , said Shannon Hader , senior deputy director of the district 's Department of Health . HIV is particularly prevalent among African-Americans , and more black women between 25 and 34 will die from HIV/AIDS nationwide than from any other cause . `` Women have n't really gotten the message that they 're at risk , '' Hader said . `` So we are very , very concerned with making sure that women in the district realize that HIV , in fact , is a woman 's disease too . '' In the past , the higher price of female condoms kept them from reaching the ubiquity of the male condom . A newly released version , called FC2 , is cheaper and designed to be more user-friendly , but the female condom is still relatively unknown . So when health officials in Washington decided to use a $ 500,000 grant from the M.A.C. AIDS Fund to distribute female condoms , they allocated a portion for marketing . `` One of the things about female condoms is that they 're a new product to most people , '' Hader said . `` So like any new product , you ca n't expect it just to sell itself , just to take off on its own . '' The city trained outreach workers to demonstrate female condom use and then sent them into salons and onto college campuses to reach women where they already feel comfortable . Charlene Cotton became an outreach worker after she discovered she was HIV-positive six years ago . Now Cotton has begun giving demonstrations on the female condom . She says she 's a convert . `` It will give a woman a choice , freedom to use protection when a man feels as though that he does n't have to use a condom , '' Cotton said . `` And it gives her the opportunity to say , ` Well you do n't have to use one , so I 'll use one . ' '' She said demonstrators ask women to take home three female condoms in the hopes it will increase their familiarity with the product . `` Try it three times , '' Cotton said . `` First time , experiment -LSB- with -RSB- it , you feel it , try to apply it . Second time , apply it again . And the third time , use it with your friend . And if they 're not convinced by the third time , '' then they probably wo n't continue to use it , she said . Before Katrina Byrd saw a demonstration she was not enthusiastic about using an `` unattractive '' female condom . But after another woman offered tips on female condom use and explained the condoms could prevent sexually transmitted diseases , Byrd said she would give them a chance . `` I 'll try it , '' Byrd said . `` I 'll see if through my own experience I 'll like it . '' That 's the response that prevention advocates are hoping to hear . `` HIV and AIDS has declared war on our communities , particularly on African-American women . And I feel that we are justified as health care providers to look for every single avenue to fight back , '' said Dr. Celia Maxwell , director of the Women 's Health Institute at Howard University . `` For me the important thing would be that even one women is spared from becoming infected . '' | D.C. officials will hand out 500,000 female condoms at salons and community centers . Informal training sessions to teach women how to use the little-known product will be given . HIV infection rate six times higher than national average in D.C. ; 30 % are women . Outreach worker : `` It will give a woman a choice , freedom to use protection '' | [[846, 956], [2199, 2207], [2270, 2337], [846, 956], [846, 850], [924, 1009], [2199, 2265], [664, 739], [2571, 2602]] |
Miami , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The parents of an injured baby girl who was flown to Florida for treatment after Haiti 's earthquake have been told what they already know : They are the biological parents of the little girl . The International Red Cross notified Nadine Devilme and Junior Alexis in Haiti that DNA testing proves that the infant is theirs , said Mark LaPoint , an attorney representing the baby . Rescuers dubbed her Patricia , but her parents call her Jenny . On Wednesday morning , Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman decided that Jenny 's parents will get to take her back to Haiti after doctors and nurses in Florida finish treating her . `` This is a case where these were really good parents , and I ca n't wait for these parents to be reunited with their baby , '' the judge said . `` This is one happy day . '' Federal authorities have pledged to help Devilme and Alexis travel from Haiti to the United States to reunite with their daughter , though the timing of that trip has not yet been determined , said Bob Martinez , an attorney for the parents . The baby still has a hard time closing her left hand and needs some medical therapy , LaPoint said in court Wednesday . The judge scheduled a hearing for April 7 to get an update on the baby 's condition . Jenny was 4 months old when the January 12 earthquake destroyed large swaths of Haiti . Her mother was knocked unconscious in the 7.0-magnitude temblor and taken to a hospital . When she awoke , she urged her husband to go home to search for their baby . Alexis searched through the broken rubble for four days , but found nothing . The couple says that on the fifth day , January 16 , witnesses saw a cleanup crew rescue Jenny from the rubble . She reportedly was found in the arms of her baby sitter , who was dead . The witnesses got word to Devilme , who was in the hospital with her own injuries . Rescuers apparently assumed the baby was an orphan and whisked her away to a different hospital in Port-au-Prince , one run by the University of Miami and Project Medishare , where a team of pediatricians worked desperately to keep her alive . Read more about the couple awaiting the baby 's return . With several broken ribs , the baby was having trouble breathing . The doctors stabilized her , and a few hours after the baby 's rescue , a United Nations truck took her to a plane that was minutes away from leaving for Miami , Florida . `` I told the ambulance driver if she got there in time , we 'd name the baby after her , '' says Dr. Arthur Fournier , a University of Miami physician working at the hospital . The driver , Patricia , did make it on time , and thereafter , doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami referred to the infant by that name . Devilme says the friend who told her of Jenny 's rescue did n't know where the baby had been taken . By the time she found out , the baby had already been flown to Miami , Devilme says . Devilme and Alexis say it was `` God 's will '' that Jenny went to Miami , as she might not have survived if she 'd stayed in Haiti . Jenny was discharged from the hospital and is living in foster care in Florida . Her parents are living in a tent city in Port-au-Prince and recently had the DNA testing needed to prove the baby is theirs . The DNA tests have taken more than a month because of logistical difficulties getting the test to Haiti and because of a legal dispute over whether the baby should become a ward of the state of Florida or a ward of the U.S. government , says Mark Riordan , a spokesman for the Florida Department of Children and Families . | NEW : Florida judge says parents can take Jenny back to Haiti after her medical treatment ends . NEW : Timing of parents ' trip not set ; April 7 hearing will provide update on baby 's condition . Parents say it was `` God 's will '' that the child went to Miami for treatment of quake injuries . The child , apparently mistaken for orphan amid quake chaos , is in foster care in Florida . | [[480, 500], [503, 665], [981, 1016], [981, 1004], [1013, 1032], [1205, 1290], [1239, 1290], [47, 70], [75, 135], [2946, 2993], [1894, 1989], [3080, 3085], [3110, 3160]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The rash of stories about priestly sexual abuse in Europe , especially in Ireland and Germany , has put many Catholics on the defensive . They should not be . While sexual molestation of any kind is always indefensible , the politics surrounding this story is also indefensible . Employers from every walk of life , in both the U.S. and Europe , have long handled cases of alleged sex abuse by employees as an internal matter . Rarely have employers called the cops , and none was required to do so . Though this is starting to change , any discussion of employee sexual abuse that took place 30 and 40 years ago must acknowledge this reality . Thus it hardly comes as a surprise that Cardinal Sean Brady in Ireland did not summon the authorities about a case involving a priest in the 1970s . What is surprising is why some are now indicting him , acting as if his response was the exception to the rule . Selective indignation at the Catholic Church is not confined to Brady . Why , for example , are the psychologists and psychiatrists who pledged to `` fix '' abusers treated so lightly ? After all , employers from the corporate world to the Catholic Church were told over and over again that therapy works and to give the offender a second chance . Indeed , the zeitgeist of the day was that rehabilitation not only works , it is virtuous . That such advice was wildly oversold can now be agreed upon by almost everyone , and that is precisely why it smacks of politics to deny how strongly held the rehabilitative ideal was . Had the Catholic Church simply tossed the offenders out , it would have been branded as heartless . There is also much noise about Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger -- now the pope -- approving the transfer of a priest out of his archdiocese in Germany for therapy . That happened 30 years ago . Again , he did exactly what virtually every other leader , clerical or secular , did . Anyone who maintains that in North America or Europe it was common practice for employers outside the Catholic Church to file a police report about suspected wrongdoing by their employees needs to put up or shut up : Where is the evidence ? Beyond that issue , the focus on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church is far out of proportion to the attention given by the media to the sexual molestation of minors when committed by non-Catholic clergymen . According to a report by the New York Times in October , the Brooklyn district attorney 's office had filed charges in 26 cases of sexual abuse involving members of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community . Just this month , Rabbi Baruch Lebovits was found guilty on eight counts of sexually abusing a Brooklyn boy . Yet the Times , which has run several stories on the decades-old cases in Ireland and Germany , never reported it . And none of it merits the kind of attention given to priests . Catholics are n't fooled . Public school teachers accused of sex abuse are either transferred to another school district -- it 's so common that it is called `` passing the trash '' -- or they are assigned to what , in New York , they call a `` rubber room '' -LRB- these are places where teachers draw full salary and benefits doing makeshift administrative work -RRB- . Both the teachers unions and state law allow this outrage to continue . Maybe if the media concentrated on this problem , solutions would follow . But the politics of the day being what they are , do n't bet on it . It 's a lot sexier to nail the Catholic Church . The hyper-concentration on the Catholic Church is not by accident . The Church preaches an ethic of sexual restraint -- a profoundly countercultural idea -- so when a priest fails , it 's tempting to highlight it . Human nature being what it is , that 's understandable . But it 's also immoral . Quite frankly , if sexual abuse is wrong , it should not matter what the identity of the abuser is . Selective justice is the highest form of injustice . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bill Donohue . | Bill Donohue says church treated sex abuse as internal matter , as did other leaders . He says critics are unfairly implying Church acted differently in failing to disclose such cases . He says other faiths , professions have had similar problems but less publicity . | [[308, 341], [374, 455], [848, 852], [877, 934]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tennis ace Roger Federer has given his unfailing support to his `` good friend '' Tiger Woods as the embattled golfer attempts to restore his reputation . Federer believes the `` worst has passed '' for Tiger after his very public apology to a world wide television audience . Woods fought back the tears as he admitted he had cheated on his wife Elin , but surprised observers by not setting any date for his return to golf ahead of major tournaments later this year , although he subsequently announced he would return for the U.S. masters in April . It 's time to give Tiger some peace . But Federer told The Gulf News that whatever the future held , Woods would remain his friend . `` What 's happened to him has been hard to watch over the last three months right down to when he made his apology . I am sure he 's headed in a better direction now , '' he added . Federer , who has appeared in a well-known advertisement for Gillette with Woods and football star Thierry Henry , went on : . `` The worst has passed . I hope that he can also work things out with his wife Elin because they are very nice people - obviously for the sake of their kids as well . '' But Federer admitted he had not spoken to Woods since the November car crash which set in chain a stream of revelations about the American 's private life . `` I have supported him , but I have n't had any contact with him , '' added the Swiss maestro , who was forced to withdraw from the Dubai Open with a lung infection which is set to sideline him for several weeks . `` It 's been hard to watch from far away but I would love to see him back on the golf course . It is what he does best , '' added the 16-time grand slam winner . | Roger Federer goes public to back his `` good friend '' Tiger Woods . Tennis ace Federer has appeared in the same Gillette adverts with the golfer . Woods made a televised public apology after admitting he cheated on his wife . | [[0, 15], [19, 97], [888, 897], [902, 986], [174, 295], [182, 295], [296, 365], [801, 822]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Monday welcomed its newest inductees : Jimmy Cliff , ABBA , Genesis , The Hollies and the Stooges . Other inductees this year include individual recipients of the Ahmet Ertegun Award -- record executive David Geffen and songwriters Jeff Barry , Otis Blackwell , Ellie Greenwich , Barry Mann , Mort Shuman , Jesse Stone and Cynthia Weil . The induction ceremony was being held Monday night at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York . The inductees `` represent a great cross-section of artists that define the broad spectrum and history of rock 'n' roll and people that have contributed immeasurably to our business , '' Joel Peresman , president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation , said when they were named last year . The inductees were chosen by a voting committee of the foundation . Artists are eligible 25 years after their first recording is released . An exhibit featuring all the inductees opened Monday at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum , in Cleveland , Ohio . Their stage outfits , instruments , handwritten lyrics , photographs and more will be on display through March 14 , 2011 . The museum -- which says it `` exists to collect , preserve and interpret the impact the Rock has made on our world '' -- features seven floors of exhibition space , spanning 150,000 square feet . | Induction ceremony held Monday night at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York . Inductees chosen by a voting committee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation . Artists are eligible 25 years after their first recording is released . | [[391, 484], [791, 858], [820, 858], [859, 930], [889, 930]] |
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