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Tenino , Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities in Alaska are examining two wolves to see if they are the animals that killed a jogger last week , said a wildlife biologist investigating the attack . The two gray wolves were tracked down Monday and shot to death from a helicopter near the town of Chignik Lake , Alaska , said wildlife biologist Lem Butler . The wolves are suspected of killing special-education teacher Candice Berner last week . Berner , 32 , was attacked while jogging near the town , authorities said . `` We had a systematic search , '' he said . `` These were the only two wolves we could find tracks for . '' The wolves appeared to be the same ones that left tracks at the scene of the attack , and they matched witnesses ' descriptions of the animals seen near Berner 's body , Butler said . Officials will conduct tests on the wolves ' carcasses to determine whether they killed Berner , Butler said . The carcasses will also be examined to see whether the animals were rabid or starving , or suffering from some condition that led them to attack a human , he said . The rare wolf attack shook Chignik Lake , population 105 . `` We see wolves a lot , '' said Johnny Lind , president of the Village Council . `` But we 've never had anything like this happen . '' The killing is thought to be only the second fatal wolf attack in North America in more than a century . In 2005 , a wolf pack killed a geology student in Saskatchewan , Canada . Wolves typically avoid human contact and do not threaten people , said John Blankenship , executive director of Wolf Haven . `` They are not human predators . It 's healthy to have awareness of them , for sure . But to be afraid of them is too strong an emotion , '' he said . Wolf Haven in Tenino educates the public about wolves and serves as a haven for about 50 rescued wolves , many of them once kept as pets . | Teacher was killed by wolves last week while jogging near Alaska town . Wildlife officials tracked and shot 2 wolves they believe are the killers . Carcasses will be tested for rabies , other conditions that might have led to attack . Wolves normally avoid humans and do not attack them , experts say . | [[96, 147], [362, 372], [387, 423], [439, 450], [451, 457], [460, 462], [465, 505], [203, 247], [203, 222], [252, 313], [820, 914], [931, 1051], [1037, 1051], [1057, 1083], [1471, 1507], [1471, 1477], [1512, 1534]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The pilots of Northwest Flight 188 did not fall asleep when they overflew their destination by more than 100 miles in October , the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday in a detailed report on the wayward flight . The two pilots `` became distracted by a conversation '' about the airline 's new work schedule system and by laptop computers they were using in violation of company policy and did not communicate with air traffic control for about 1 hour and 17 minutes while they cruised past their Minneapolis , Minnesota , destination at 37,000 feet , the NTSB said . The safety board also faulted the Federal Aviation Administration for air traffic control shortcomings . The NTSB report gives the most complete official account to date of the errant flight , which prompted the FAA to revoke both pilots ' licenses , prompted the airline to suspend them from flying and prompted the FAA to adopt new procedures to notify the U.S. military in cases where the FAA loses contact with commercial aircraft . According to the account , the flight from San Diego , California , was routine until the plane was in the Denver , Colorado , region . There , air traffic controllers directed the crew of the Airbus A-320 to change their radio frequency . The co-pilot , or first officer , acknowledged the frequency change and read back the correct frequency . However , neither the captain nor the first officer contacted controllers on the new frequency until about 1 hour and 17 minutes later , when Winnipeg , Manitoba , controllers directed the crew to contact Minneapolis . The NTSB said that because of the proximity of the Winnipeg frequency to the last frequency acknowledged by the pilots -LRB- Winnipeg is 132.125 megahertz , while the last frequency used was 132.17 -RRB- it is `` likely the first officer began to dial in the new frequency but never completed the frequency change by pushing an activation button . Nor did the first officer attempt to contact the next controller . '' The NTSB said the frequency change likely occurred while the captain was taking a restroom break and while a flight attendant was serving dinner . `` These events may have distracted the first officer from completing the frequency change or attempting to contact the next ATC controller , '' the NTSB said . Further , the captain 's absence would have prevented him from checking the co-pilot 's actions . When the captain returned , the pilots became involved in a conversation over new scheduling procedures , and the first officer tutored the captain using their computers , the NTSB said . `` The pilots allowed this conversation to monopolize their attention , '' the board said . `` Both pilots state that they heard radio chatter but did not hear a radio call for NWA188 . '' The laptop computers they used likely blocked their view of numerous visual alerts , including text messages sent by airline dispatchers and at least nine messages regarding their position on the airplane 's primary flight display , the NTSB said . Northwest Airlines policy prohibited the use of the laptops , the NTSB said . Both pilots told the NTSB the first indication of anything unusual was when a flight attendant called to ask about their arrival time . The captain `` looked at his navigation display and saw Duluth -LSB- Minnesota -RSB- to his left and Eau Claire -LSB- Wisconsin -RSB- to his right , '' the board said . The NTSB said it could not determine why the pilots did not respond to numerous radio calls , but said it could be because the volume was turned down , the pilots were distracted or the plane was outside the coverage for the 121.5 megahertz transmitters . The NTSB faulted the FAA for not catching the pilots ' errors earlier , saying the plane entered two Denver sectors uneventfully , but radio contact was not established in the next two sectors , where controllers were preparing for a shift change . `` Neither sector controller 's relief briefing included information that communication had not been established '' with the plane , the NTSB said . The NTSB said the FAA had no standard procedures to indicate that an aircraft had not made radio contact when electronic radar handoffs of planes occurred from one sector to the next . `` Because of this lack of standardization , NWA188 passed through two Denver ATC sectors without the controllers being aware that it had not made radio contact , '' the safety board said . Almost 30 minutes had elapsed before the next sector 's controller attempted to regain contact with the plane and realized the plane was unresponsive to radio calls , the board said . Recognizing the problem , controllers first attempted to regain contact by calling Northwest dispatchers , then by calling an emergency frequency , but did not use words such as `` emergency '' or `` mayday '' that may have helped capture the pilots ' attention , the NTSB said . The pilots did not respond . As a result of the investigation and of the crash of an executive jet in Montana in 2009 , the safety board is recommending steps to prevent a repeat of the incidents . Six days after the event , the FAA revoked the licenses of Capt. Timothy Bryan Cheney and First Officer Richard Irwin Cole , saying their lack of awareness that they had overflown the Minneapolis airport was `` completely unacceptable '' and `` put your passengers and your crew in serious jeopardy . '' But in a settlement signed with the pilots on Monday , the pilots acknowledged no wrongdoing , and the FAA agreed to allow the pilots to reapply for their licenses in August , two months shorter than would ordinarily be allowed . A spokesman for Delta Airlines , which merged with Northwest , said this week the airlines ' internal investigation is continuing . | First officer did n't completely load radio frequency , NTSB says . He and pilot then were distracted by discussion , personal computers , NTSB says . NTSB also blames air traffic controllers for not realizing problem earlier . | [[598, 613], [1836, 1853], [1893, 1929], [2612, 2627], [3050, 3065], [3128, 3143], [4087, 4102], [4926, 4941], [258, 384], [598, 613], [2440, 2465], [2468, 2543], [2612, 2627], [2628, 2697], [3050, 3065], [3128, 3143], [3449, 3457], [3547, 3634], [4087, 4102], [4926, 4941], [614, 630], [636, 718], [3705, 3774]] |
Jerusalem -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Palestinians hurled rocks and burned tires in several neighborhoods in East Jerusalem Tuesday to protest the reopening of a landmark synagogue after more than 60 years . Officers dispersed the crowd by firing stun grenades in one area , and village elders helped end the riots in another , said police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld . At least seven people in the Mount of Olives neighborhood were wounded when police fired rubber bullets . In all , 91 people were wounded in the clashes , the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said . About 3,000 officers were deployed in the city after the militant group Hamas declared Tuesday a `` Day of Rage . '' The group was protesting the reopening of the Hurva synagogue on Monday . However , rumors swirled that right-wing groups were planning to ascend the Temple Mount , where al-Aqsa Mosque is located . Senior Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal , in a speech Monday in Syria , called on Palestinians to take to the street to protect Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian shrines . The Palestinian Authority suggested Israel was `` preventing citizens from reaching the Old City ... to pray in al-Aqsa Mosque , as part of increasing provocative policies violating international law and human rights . '' `` Pay no attention to malicious slander , '' said Rabbi Yona Metzger , chief rabbi of Israel , told the Jewish news agency JTA on Monday . `` All we are doing is resurrecting the Hurva that was destroyed 60 years ago . All the rumors that suggest we will later march on Temple Mount are just that -- rumors . '' However , the incident is only the latest to ratchet up tensions between Israelis and Palestinians . The synagogue is located in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem 's Old City . The Old City also includes East Jerusalem , seen as Palestinians as the capital of their future state . Israel claims sovereignty over all of Jerusalem since it took over East Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967 in the Six-Day war . The rededication has underlined Palestinian concerns that Israel is attempting to bring more Jews into East Jerusalem and drive Palestinians out , particularly as it comes on the heels of an Israeli announcement last week that 1,600 more housing units would be built in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of East Jerusalem . The synagogue rededication , however , had been planned for months in advance , according to organizers . In a statement Tuesday , the Palestinian Center for Human Rights said it `` strongly condemns recent measures taken by Israel in East Jerusalem , the latest of which has been the inauguration of a synagogue in the old city . PCHR holds Israel responsible for the escalation of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory . '' Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak , meeting in Madrid , Spain , with the Spanish minister of defense , said , `` Israel will not allow extremists to dictate and force political arrangements . `` I have said this times before and I repeat : Israel is strong ... and must reach political arrangements out of this position , '' Barak said . `` Lack of political negotiations will strengthen and encourage the extremists of both sides and the riots in Jerusalem today proves so . A political arrangement will only be achieved by direct negotiations . '' Construction on the synagogue began in 1700 , but halted , according to the Web site of Sacred Destinations , which describes itself as an educational and travel resource . It was restarted in 1836 and the synagogue was completed in 1856 . The synagogue was destroyed by the Jordanian Arab Legion in 1948 . Conservation and investigation of the ruins began in 1977 . Meshaal also warned the international community that Israel is `` playing with fire '' that could lead to a regional blowup . Speaking to reporters Monday , U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said there were American concerns `` about the tensions regarding the rededication of a synagogue in the Jewish quarter of the Old City . And we are urging all parties to act responsibly and do whatever is necessary to remain calm . '' At a memorial service Tuesday for late Israeli prime ministers and presidents , President Shimon Peres said : `` We can not afford to unravel the delicate fabric of friendship with the United States . `` Today , we are also at a decisive moment and we must decide without the determination of external parties . That is , decide that even in a time of threats we will not give up on peace . The heritage of our leaders guides us and our children as such . '' Last month , protests erupted after the Israeli government announced it would include two West Bank religious shrines as part of a larger list of 150 Zionist heritage sites . CNN 's Kevin Flower and Michal Zippori contributed to this report . | Palestinians protest reopening of landmark synagogue in Jerusalem after 60 years . Officers disperse crowd by firing stun grenades ; village elders help end riots elsewhere . 91 people wounded in clashes , Palestinian Red Crescent Society says . Palestinians angered by Israeli settlement plans in largely Arab East Jerusalem . | [[0, 25], [59, 198], [676, 749], [2563, 2641], [199, 263], [270, 316], [466, 472], [475, 512], [466, 472], [515, 558], [2487, 2560]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An American lawyer has been holding secret negotiations with Iran for the release of an Iranian-American being detained for two years . Reza Taghavi , a retired businessman from Orange County , California , has been held in Iran 's notorious Evin prison since his arrest in May 2008 without ever being charged , his lawyer said . Los Angeles-based attorney Pierre Prosper told CNN he has been talking to the Iranian government since September 2009 and traveled to Tehran in December to seek the release of Taghavi , a retired businessman accused of supporting an anti-regime group . Taghavi , 71 , traveled frequently to Iran to visit family and friends without incident , according to Prosper . In April 2008 , he went to Tehran with his wife . Before he left , he was asked by an acquaintance in Los Angeles to take $ 200 for a friend in Tehran `` who was down on his luck . '' Los Angeles has a large Persian community . Taghavi did not know the individual to whom he was asked to deliver the money , Prosper said . He handed over the money and two weeks later was detained by Iranian authorities , after the recipient of the money was arrested on charges of association with an anti-regime group called Tondar . The group , which seeks to restore the monarchy in Iran , claimed responsibility for the April 12 , 2008 , bombing of the Hosseynieh Seyed al-Shohada mosque in the city of Shiraz . Prosper declined to name the man , who he said has since been tried and convicted . Taghavi has a rag-to-riches story , his 36-year old daughter , Leila Taghavi , told CNN . He brought his family to the United States in 1979 , before the revolution , and stayed on in California to keep his family safe . Leila Taghavi said her father taught himself English , started a video game company in his garage and grew it into a successful corporation , which he handed over to his son when he retired 10 years ago . `` His life was the American dream , '' Leila said . `` He learned everything the hard way , sacrificed for his children and taught us to be grateful for the good things . He is wonderful , honest and generous , the kind of father every daughter would want . '' Taghavi 's family was silent for more than a year about his arrest , fearful his arrest would be politicized in Tehran and Washington by getting the American government involved . `` It was blind faith , really , '' Leila said , explaining the silence . `` Not knowing it would take this long , and fear of the system . There was never a doubt of his innocence . '' In September 2009 , with no movement on the case and losing hope he would be released , they hired Prosper to contact the State Department and initiate a dialogue with the Iranian government . Prosper said he contacted the State Department about seeking a consular visit by Swiss diplomats , which was denied because Iran does not recognize the dual citizenship of Iranian-Americans . The United States and Iran do not have formal relations , and Switzerland serves as the `` protecting power '' for the U.S. in Tehran . A U.S. State Department spokesman urged Iran to allow Swiss diplomats to be granted consular access to Taghavi . `` We are adamant that we believe he should be released on humanitarian grounds along with all the Americans who are unjustly held there , '' Mark Toner , a State Department spokesman , told CNN Wednesday . A senior government official who met with Prosper said the lack of information makes it difficult to help Taghavi . `` As far as we are concerned , there are no facts in the case , '' the official said . `` Our concern is that he should get due process . '' Taghavi is one of several Americans in prison in Iran . American hikers Josh Fattal , Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd were detained on July 31 , 2009 . According to their families , they accidentally strayed across an unmarked border into Iran while on a hiking trip in Iraq 's Kurdistan region . They are being held on espionage charges . Kian Tajbakhsh , an Iranian-American scholar who spent four months in jail in 2007 , was arrested in July after the disputed presidential election and sentenced to 15 years in jail for spying . His sentence was later reduced by an appeals court to five years , and a State Department official tells CNN he has been released for two weeks from jail to celebrate the Persian New Year . The United States has no information about Robert Levinson , a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran almost three years ago . After being hired by Taghavi family last September , Prosper said he contacted the Iranian Permanent Mission to the United Nations and was granted a meeting with the ambassador , who eventually put him in touch with Iran 's foreign ministry . After several months of weekly contact with Iranian officials in New York and Tehran , Prosper was invited to Iran in December for talks about Taghavi 's case . Prosper said he was briefed on the Iranian view of the case but was told the authorities were still investigating the matter . `` It 's still not clear what the accusations actually are , '' he said . Prosper left Tehran without being allowed to see Taghavi , but he was taken to visit victims of the 2008 mosque bombing by Tondar in an Iranian effort to show him the threat the regime says it 's facing from `` terrorist groups '' being financed from sources abroad . `` I think they had me meet with victims and survivors of the bombing to let it be known that they , too , in their eyes had experienced terrorism , '' Prosper said . It is unclear why the Iranian government invited Prosper , who served as the ambassador-at-large for war crimes under the Bush administration and as a prosecutor for the Rwanda tribunal at the Hague , for talks in Iran . Beyond talking about the case and attacks at the hand of the Tondar group , Prosper said his Iranian hosts made no effort to broaden the discussions to include the nuclear standoff between Iran and the West or the Obama administration 's offer of engagement . The facts of the case remain a mystery . Taghavi 's family maintains he is innocent and has never been involved in political activism against the Iranian regime . Prosper acknowledged the case has been a challenge to investigate because of his inability to question people in Iran and the lack of information from the government or Taghavi 's Iranian lawyers in Tehran , who do n't speak English . But based on his discussions with the family and his own `` due diligence , '' Prosper said he believes Taghavi is an innocent man , whose only crime is guilt by association . As a former prosecutor , Prosper said he believes if the Iranians had a case against Taghavi , they would have already tried him . He 's seeking a humanitarian release for Taghavi , who suffers from diabetes and whose health is deteriorating in prison , according to his family . The political upheaval in Iran after the disputed presidential election and subsequent violent crackdown on demonstrators has complicated his efforts , the lawyer said . `` It casts a shadow over our efforts , '' Prosper acknowledged . `` What I 've been doing to my best ability is to cut through that , cut through the fog that has been created , focus on Mr. Taghavi and work with the Iranian authorities on the substance of what happened in 2008 . '' Leila Taghavi traveled to Iran last year and was allowed a brief visit with her father in prison . `` I saw him behind a window , '' she said , choking back tears . `` It was painful to see your father , an innocent man , behind a window . '' `` We are chipping away at this , '' Prosper said . `` I want to give them credit for the dialogue , but the proof will be in the results . We are holding out hope because that is the only thing we can do . ... Effectively his life is at stake . '' Leila spoke with her father by phone Wednesday morning and said he sounded tired and anxious . `` My biggest hope is that this message reaches people and somebody can do something , '' Leila added . `` Not just for my father , but for the many people that are trying to get their loved ones out of Iran . '' | Businessman Reza Taghavi of California has been held in Iran since May 2008 arrest . Attorney Pierre Prosper says he 's been talking to Iranian officials since September 2009 . Family initially kept the detention a secret , fearing publicity would inflame situation . Taghavi came to the United States in 1979 before the Islamic Revolution . | [[166, 178], [224, 234], [237, 325], [30, 134], [342, 359], [360, 477], [2565, 2582], [2653, 2757], [4514, 4564], [4567, 4644], [4757, 4917], [2199, 2265], [1601, 1651], [1654, 1675]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The city of Fargo , North Dakota , largely completed flood preparations early Thursday as a surging Red River rose nearly 3 feet in 24 hours . The waterway was well beyond its banks along the North Dakota-Minnesota line . `` Thanks to our volunteers , we 've been able to fill a million sandbags and place 700,000 around our city , '' Fargo spokeswoman Karena Carlson said early Thursday . `` We 're just buttoning up a lot of our clay levees and putting a few more sandbags in place , and we hope to be protected up to 40 feet . '' Several hundred volunteers worked with the National Guard in Fargo to fill those sandbags as the river rose . Flooding where you are ? Share pictures , video . Fargo set a record in 2009 when the Red River hit 40.8 feet . As of 9:15 a.m. Saturday , the river stood at 36.56 feet , more than 18 feet above the flood stage of 18 feet and past major flood stage . `` Fortunately , we started filling sandbags March 1st . We thought our crest was going to be the first or second week in April . It turns out our crest is going to be this week , '' Carlson said . `` So we did it in just over two weeks . '' Floodwaters are forecast to peak at 38 feet Sunday afternoon . Last week , warm weather and rain melted snow south of Fargo and Moorhead , Minnesota , causing the Red River to swell . Upstream , snow and ice have yet to melt , causing water to accumulate near the two cities . Across the river in Moorhead , Tom Holmgren spent Wednesday filling sandbags as Minnesota State University gave students time off to help with the effort . `` Most of my friends have put in at least a couple hours , '' said Holmgren , who said sandbagging has become a source of college pride . `` I know there 's a big push in just the college community that 's like , ` Yeah , we 're doing it . We 're saving this town . ' '' One man refuses to leave his home . About 90 miles south of Fargo in Browns Valley , Minnesota , Kathryn Bartz said Thursday that she 's grateful that a 40-year water diversion project is nearly complete . `` Otherwise I believe we would have washed out a considerable amount of our town , '' said Bartz , a former town council member . Browns Valley suffered severe flooding from the winding Little Minnesota River in 2007 , 1993 and 1943 , and lesser floods many other years . Funding and property acquisition problems kept the diversion project -- consisting mainly of a canal to carry overflow around the town -- from being completed , Bartz said . A section of a new road that is part of the project washed out this week , but boulders and rocks were put in place to prevent further erosion , said Bartz , 66 , who owns a hobby ranch outside of town . `` That will be repaired when the water goes down , '' she said . `` It 's an inconvenience , but we are grateful that it has worked as well as it has . '' Meanwhile , in the Northeast , utility crews made steady progress restoring electricity after a nor'easter -- a powerful low-pressure system -- blasted the region over the weekend . About 40,000 customers in New York , New Jersey and Connecticut remained without power early Thursday , down from a peak of more than 500,000 . `` We recognize the hardship our customers face from being without power for days , '' said Jeff Butler , president of Connecticut Light & Power . `` We appreciate everyone 's patience as we continue to safely restore power as quickly as possible . '' The outages were caused mostly by power lines downed by Saturday 's hurricane-force winds , which knocked over trees and utility poles . At least seven deaths were attributed to the storm , authorities said . CNN 's Ed Payne and Jim Kavanagh and CNN Radio 's Shelby Erdman contributed to this report . | NEW : Diversion project saves Minnesota town , resident says . Volunteers , National Guard fill 1 million sandbags , mayor says . River expected to crest Sunday 20 feet above flood stage . Power restored to most of Northeast after weekend nor'easter . | [[271, 348], [552, 661], [552, 578], [591, 603], [619, 661], [2873, 2882], [2885, 2901], [2904, 2979]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At a hearing Tuesday before the Senate Banking Committee , federal officials said a bailout is needed immediately for the health of the U.S. economy . Sen. Christopher Dodd is chairing Tuesday 's hearing on President Bush 's proposed $ 700 billion bailout plan . Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke are urging the passage of a $ 700 billion bailout proposed by President Bush following the failure of financial institutions and frozen credit markets . The proposal , if adopted , would amount to the most sweeping economic intervention by the government since the Great Depression . Before the hearing , Sen. Christopher Dodd , a Connecticut Democrat who is the Banking Committee chairman , spoke Tuesday with `` American Morning 's '' Kiran Chetry about whether the bailout is the right option and what may have contributed to the tumultuous economic environment . Kiran Chetry : You know talk about waking a sleeping giant -- we have almost 2,000 blog posts on CNNMoney.com about this bailout alone . Many people are outraged about it . They feel the government is spending $ 700 billion or more to reward bad behavior . What can you do to assure people that this is the right thing ? Sen. Christopher Dodd : Well , I 'm not sure it is at this point . That 's why we 're having this hearing this morning . We 'll have Secretary Paulson and Ben Bernanke , the chairman of the Federal Reserve , before the banking committee to explain this plan , why it 's necessary and where we go from here . They basically have asked for a blank check of $ 700 billion for the next several years here to buy a lot of bad instruments out there in these institutions . See what power Paulson would have if the bailout is approved '' I have a lot of reservations . We 're trying to put some safeguards in it . I 'm angry as well . This did n't have to happen . It was not a natural disaster . It was a preventable , avoidable situation . We are where we are . Our economy is teetering . We 've been warned we 're very fragile . There could be a complete collapse . It needs to be straightened out or it could get worse . Pension funds , 401 -LRB- k -RRB- s , jobs could be in worse shape . Chetry : You have a revised version yourself . We 'll get into what you 're talking about . Do you believe that in general a bailout needs to happen ? Dodd : Something needs to be done here . I do n't know if it 's at this magnitude or if ... the specifics of this -LSB- bailout plan -RSB- make the most sense . But clearly something needs to be done . We ca n't lurch from one weekend to another with one failed institution after another watching our economy decline , stock market collapse and the price of oil rise . It 's not just our own country ; this has global implications . Chetry : Let 's look at some of the things you want added or in some cases taken out . Under your -LSB- revised version of the bill -RSB- , you feel there should be some foreclosure assistance -- if Wall Street is getting some help , Main Street should be getting help , too , especially for those struggling homeowners . You want limits on executive compensation . You do n't want CEOs to get millions of dollars in packages for a failed company . You talk about an oversight board over the Treasury . Why are these so important to include , and what if they end up costing more ? Dodd : Well , let me tell you why . First of all , we have almost 10,000 foreclosures occurring every day . For the last 18 months on a daily basis , I 've had 65 hearings since July of 2007 begging the administration to do something about the foreclosure problem . They admitted today if you do n't deal with 10,000 foreclosures a day -- that 's the bulk of these bad debts that are out there -- so you need to do something about that to stop the hemorrhaging . That 's No. 1 . No. 2 , I wo n't give a check for $ 700 billion , for 41 days , to this secretary or any secretary without safeguards built in -- accountability , transparency , oversight . That 's just not going to happen . Watch CNN 's Lou Dobbs discuss whether the bailout would work '' Thirdly , taxpayers deserve to be first in line in all of this . I 'm not going to write this at the end of the day -LSB- and -RSB- watch a handful of chief executives walk away with multimillion-dollar contracts . You 'll have people storming this building if we do n't understand that people are fed up with that kind of behavior . Chetry : You yourself said this is not a natural disaster , and a lot of people have been asking , `` Why did n't Congress see this coming ? '' In fact , this is a quote from Henry Paulson , the treasury secretary , back in July . This was during the time of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bailout . People thought that was the beginning and the end of this . He writes : `` Remember our economy has got very strong long-term fundamentals , solid fundamentals . Your policymakers are here ; regulators were being very vigilant . '' How can the argument be made that they were vigilant when we see the bottom fall out of the market ? Dodd : Back in 2005 , -LSB- then-Rep . -RSB- Mike Oxley , along with -LSB- Rep. -RSB- Barney Frank and -LSB- Sen. -RSB- Paul Sarbanes , tried to do just that . The administration opposed the bill , and it was defeated on a party-line vote here in the Senate . I know the history very , very well . When you had cops on the beat not doing their job , basically an eight-year coffee break by and large . Where you had legislation on the books and legislation not being enforced . Where you had regulators sitting back as loans were being made with no documentation , luring people into subprime mortgages , predatory lenders taking advantage of the situation that 's how this all unfolded . It 's not a mystery . Chetry : ... I want to ask you is there anything in this bill ... to make sure this does n't happen again . All the things you listed -- the predator loans , everything that was taking place -- is there any room for regulation or more oversight in this bill ? Dodd : Probably not in this bill . We 're trying to act quickly . I 'm prepared to act quickly , but I 'm not going to act irresponsibly . If it takes longer , so be it . We 'll have a new election in 41 days , and a new secretary in a matter of five or six weeks , and we ca n't begin to guess who that might be . Turning over a check of this magnitude not only to this secretary , but his successor , I think would be the height of irresponsibility . | Sen. Christopher Dodd : `` We 're trying to put some safeguards '' in plan . Senator says he is n't sure bailout plan of this magnitude is right . Dodd : Situation is a result of lax enforcement of rules , documentation in past . Senator says lawmakers will act quickly but wo n't be irresponsible . | [[1807, 1851], [2424, 2535], [5549, 5595], [6124, 6154], [6155, 6183], [6190, 6227]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A snow storm on the first day of spring could drop several inches this weekend from New Mexico to Missouri , while farther north , Minnesota and North Dakota brace for the rising waters of the Red River . The waters of the Red River are forecast to rise another foot this weekend , testing the more than a million sandbags stacked as a defensive barrier along Fargo , North Dakota , and Moorhead , Minnesota . Waters had reached 36.8 feet -- just two-tenths short of cresting level -- by Saturday night , the National Weather Service reported . The river had reached flood stage at 18 feet and major flood stage at 30 feet . The river is expected to crest Sunday , about 3 feet below last year 's record flood level of 40.8 feet . Last year , there were 10 reports of property damage , Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker said Saturday . There have been no reports of property damage associated with the recent river rising , he said . More than 700,000 sandbags were guarding Fargo , and the National Guard was deployed to help in the city and surrounding Cass County on Friday . The flooding began last week when warmer weather and rain melted snow south of Fargo and Moorhead , causing the Red River to swell . Upstream , snow and ice have yet to melt , pushing water back toward the two cities . Near one area of the river bank in Moorhead , a mound of packed snow several inches high sat across from a flooded and impassable underpass . iReport : Are you there ? Share photos , video . The waters are expected to start receding Monday afternoon , but Walaker said he plans to keep Fargo 's sandbags in their places through next week as a precautionary measure . `` Right now , I feel that all the dikes , sandbags and earthen dikes should stay in place until we at least get it down to 30 feet and if its continuing to go down we can start the process , '' he said . `` But I would hate to see us move because of the quick change in the weather . I mean it does n't take much to bounce us back ... just a weather front moving in with significant precipitation . '' The Weather Service forecasted the waters to recede to 32 feet by next Saturday . Farther south , the Plains are dealing with another severe weather threat . Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry called for a state of emergency on Friday in anticipation of the coming snow storm , according to the governor 's office . Ten to 14 inches of snow could fall from northeast Oklahoma to northwest Arkansas , the Weather Service said . The Tulsa metro area could see 5 to 9 inches of snow . By Saturday night , snow accumulations had reached up to 7 inches in some areas and had slowed down operations at Will Rogers World Airport . Freezing fog and snow have caused delays of at least an hour and several flight cancellations , the airport announced in a news release . Continental Airlines canceled all departures and four arrivals , according to the statement . A ski resort in New Mexico 's Santa Fe County received 21 inches , the largest snowfall total from the storm in the state , according to the weather service . Other parts of the county saw half an inch or less , while 15 inches dropped over Rociada , which lies on the east side of the Santa Fe National Forest . More than 6 inches of snow had already fallen in Lawrence , in northeast Kansas , the weather service reported . Seven inches of snow was tallied about 120 miles northeast in Conception Junction , Missouri . From southeast Kansas to western Missouri , 4 to 8 inches of snow are expected through Sunday , the Weather Service said . Meteorologists forecast 2 to 6 inches in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles through Saturday afternoon . Wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour could cause whiteout conditions on roads , the Weather Service said . Snow drifts higher than 2 feet could also occur . | Red River waters forecast to rise another foot this weekend in Minnesota , North Dakota . State of emergency declared in Oklahoma in anticipation of snow storm , governor 's office says . Meteorologists forecast 2 to 6 inches in the Texas , Oklahoma panhandles through Saturday . | [[187, 223], [224, 298], [224, 251], [301, 341], [644, 681], [2238, 2345], [2238, 2262], [2348, 2385], [3570, 3673], [3625, 3673]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For Capt. Kamaljit Singh Kalsi , a doctor , and 2nd Lt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan , a dentist , this is a hill worth fighting for . Tejdeep Singh Rattan , left , and Kamaljit Singh Kalsi are set to report for duty in the U.S. Army in July . These two U.S. military recruits of the Sikh faith are challenging an Army order that they remove their turbans and cut their unshorn hair and beards when they report for active duty in July . In Sikhism , which originated in northwestern India , the turban and unshorn hair are articles of faith and ca n't be removed . But the U.S. military says there are times when the military can not accommodate certain religious practices , `` such as when those religious observations would interfere with the wear of proper military headgear or protective clothing or equipment . '' `` It does n't make sense to me , especially in these hard times , '' Kalsi told CNN . `` The military is hurting for professionals . They need doctors , they need nurses . '' Aided by the Sikh Coalition , a national civil rights group , and a law firm , the men have filed requests that their religious needs be accommodated . They have filed appeals with their immediate superiors and complaints with the inspectors general of the Army and the Pentagon . The Sikh Coalition said Kalsi and Rattan had been assured that when they were recruited to join the Army 's Health Professions Scholarship that their unshorn hair and turbans `` would not be a problem . '' `` Both men were both recruited and commissioned -- with their Sikh articles of faith -- during their respective first years of medical and dental school -LRB- 2001 and 2006 -RRB- through the Army 's Health Professions Scholarship Program . `` Both are concluding their training and are slated to begin active duty in July 2009 . However , the U.S. Army is now disputing their ability to serve with their Sikh identity intact , '' the Sikh Coalition said in an April 14 letter addressed to Defense Secretary Robert Gates . Amardeep Singh , the head of the Sikh Coalition , told CNN that the issue at hand involves observant Sikhs , not those Sikh-Americans who entered the military after removing their turbans and shaving their beards and hair . The issue is all-important for the roughly 500,000-strong American Sikh community , which faced hostility after the September 11 , 2001 , attacks , when people associated them with al Qaeda terrorists because their turbans and beards resembled the militants ' appearance . `` The perception is still there , '' said Singh . `` We 're sort of still feeling it . '' He said surveys -- including one done recently in Queens , New York , where children reported being on the receiving end of verbal and physical abuse -- chronicle the problems Sikhs face . `` These kids are being harassed in New York . It 's Queens , the most diverse county in the United States . If this is happening in Queens , it 's happening in other parts of the country . '' So , he said , the opportunity to serve in the U.S. Army sends the opposite message -- `` that we are part and parcel of the fabric of this country . '' Kalsi , Singh and the Sikh community stress the Sikhs ' military heritage . Kalsi , for example , is the fourth generation in his family to serve in the military , and his ancestors served in India 's military . The Sikh served in allied forces in the two world wars and they serve in the militaries of Great Britain , Canada , Sweden , Pakistan , as well as India . The coalition notes in its letter to Gates that a Sikh doctor and dentist were serving in the Army , `` grandfathered in under the old policy '' that ended in the 1980s when observant Sikhs were barred from admission to the armed forces . Lt. Col. Christopher C. Garver , an Army spokesman , told CNN in an e-mail that `` the Army places high value on the rights of Soldiers to freely observe the tenets of their respective religions . '' `` Accommodation of a Soldier 's religious practices must be examined against military necessity and can not be guaranteed at all times , '' he wrote . `` There are times when the Army can not accommodate for religious reasons , such as when those religious observations would interfere with the wear of proper military headgear or protective clothing or equipment . `` The Army regulations which establish the standards of wear and appearance of the uniform and accommodating religious practices are in accordance with the Department of Defense Instruction on this subject , '' he said . But the Sikhs want the Army to rethink and reconsider their situation . `` If they can come up with another policy that would allow Sikhs to serve , I guarantee you , they will have many , many people join from the Sikh community , '' Kalsi said . | Two recruits of Sikh faith set to report for duty in U.S. Army in July . The Army says they must remove their turbans , cut their hair and beards . Sikh group says the Army should accommodate the religious articles of faith . Army says problem arises when religious practices interfere with military gear . | [[176, 254], [1735, 1742], [1777, 1823], [255, 404], [341, 345], [371, 447], [2130, 2150], [2155, 2240], [580, 684], [698, 827], [4098, 4312], [4122, 4172], [4183, 4312]] |
Santo Domingo , Dominican Republic -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man who provided legal advice to 10 American Baptists accused of kidnapping 33 Haitian children after the earthquake there was arrested Thursday night in the Dominican Republic and accused of human trafficking , the country 's anti-narcotics agency said Friday . The man , identified as Jorge Torres-Puello , is linked to a network that trafficked in Haitian and Central American children and is wanted in the United States , El Salvador and Costa Rica , the National Drug Control Agency said . Torres-Puello had been hiding in the Dominican Republic after he was accused of using the country to take Haitian children to North America , it said . Members of the drug agency took Torres-Puello , also known as Jorge Torres Orellana , into custody without incident at 8 p.m. in the parking lot of a McDonald 's restaurant in the capital , the news release said . Torres-Puello is a Dominican who was born in New York , it said . `` According to documents of authorities in the United States , the Dominican Republic as well as El Salvador and Costa Rica , this person is an important part of a network of traffickers of undocumented people , especially women and children from Central America and the Caribbean , '' the news release said . Torres-Puello faces charges in the United States of conspiracy to take foreigners into the country illegally , it said . In El Salvador , he and his wife , Ana Josefa Ramirez Orellana , face charges of presumed sexual exploitation of minors and women , it said . Ramirez Orellana is jailed in El Salvador . The drug agency said Torres-Puello forced Nicaraguan and Dominican children to work as prostitutes in El Salvador . Torres-Puello is also wanted in Vermont on alien smuggling offenses and in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , for probation violations for fraud , the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said . He is also wanted in Canada . Shortly after the American missionaries were arrested in Haiti on kidnapping and abduction charges , Torres-Puello contacted their church in Idaho , identified himself as a legal authority on Haitian and Dominican law , obtained a retainer and began representing himself as their attorney/spokesman , the U.S. agency said . But Torres-Puello is not registered in the country 's College of Lawyers , implying that he was practicing without a license , the Dominican drug agency said . In February , law enforcement authorities in El Salvador suspected that the missionaries ' legal adviser looked like a man they were seeking , and asked Interpol to help . The international police agency coordinated the efforts of various agencies that resulted in Thursday 's arrest , the ICE statement said . In a phone interview last month with CNN , Torres-Puello acknowledged he is the same man wanted by Salvadoran authorities but denied the charges against him . `` I never did anything , '' Torres-Puello said . `` I started helping a Dominican pastor helping a lot of people who were stranded to get back to their home countries . We once gave some Nicaraguan and Costa Rican women some money to return home and instead they went to the authorities and put in a complaint against us . I never had anybody against their will . '' He also denied Salvadoran allegations that he and his wife ran a brothel out of their home . `` I know I am innocent and I want to clear my past , '' he said . Journalist Diulka Perez contributed to this story from Santo Domingo . | Jorge Torres-Puello gave legal advice to missionaries in quake case . Torres-Puello arrested in Dominican Republic , accused of human trafficking . He is linked to network that trafficked in Haitian and Central American children , officials say . | [[54, 59], [64, 109], [319, 387], [378, 387], [393, 444], [1110, 1264]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Arsenal climbed to the top of the English Premier League with a 2-0 victory over London rivals West Ham despite playing half of Saturday 's clash with only 10 men . Arsene Wenger 's team moved a point above champions Manchester United , who host Liverpool on Sunday , while Chelsea dropped to third ahead of their trip to Blackburn . Carlo Ancelotti 's side can join Arsenal on 67 points with victory in that game . Gianfranco Zola 's West Ham team were left to rue a missed penalty as the defeat left them just three points above the relegation zone . Arsenal , who on Friday were handed a chance to avenge 2006 's Champions League final defeat by Barcelona in the upcoming quarterfinals , took the lead after just five minutes in the rain at the Emirates Stadium . Brazil midfielder Denilson fired in a low shot for his sixth goal this season , having dispossessed Valon Behrami and then played a neat one-two on the edge of the area with striker Nicklas Bendtner . But Arsenal could not turn their dominance into further goals , and West Ham should have leveled just before halftime when Belgium defender Thomas Vermaelen was sent off as his nudge in the back of Guillermo Franco saw the Mexico striker tumble in the box . But Alessandro Diamanti saw his penalty saved by Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia , and the hosts also escaped in the second half when substitute striker Carlton Cole saw his fierce low shot hit the outside of the post . Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas made the points safe on his return from injury five minutes after that with a penalty on 82 , as England defender Matthew Upson paid the price for deliberately blocking the Spain midfielder 's clever little flick with his arm . Tottenham consolidated fourth place with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at 10-man Stoke , as substitute Eidur Gudjohnsen came off the bench to put the London club ahead before Dean Whitehead was sent off and then helped set up Niko Kranjcar 's 77th-minute winner . The on-loan Iceland forward netted just 18 seconds after halftime having come on for Roman Pavlyuchenko , who joined England striker Jermain Defoe on the injured list after suffering a hamstring problem in the first half . Whitehead went three minutes later for his second booking , but Stoke leveled on 64 as winger Matthew Etherington scored from the penalty spot against his former club after fullback Benoit Assou-Ekotto fouled striker Paul Kitson . Gudjohnsen 's dummy allowed Croatia midfielder Kranjcar to put the Londoners four points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool , who will have played one more match after Sunday 's trip to bitter North-West rivals United . The victory was doubly important for Tottenham after fellow Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa had to come from behind to snatch a 2-2 draw with lowly Wolverhampton in the Midlands derby earlier on Saturday . John Carew put Villa ahead in the 16th minute despite appearing to be offside , and the Norway striker salvaged a point for the hosts with eight minutes remaining as he steered Steve Sidwell 's low shot into the visitors ' net for his 13th league goal this season . Wolves moved four points clear of the bottom three , but were denied a first win at Villa Park in 30 years despite Jody Craddock 's bundled 23rd-minute equalizer and an own-goal from England international James Milner seven minutes before halftime . The result left Villa in seventh , having played one less game than Tottenham , equal on 50 points with Manchester City , who travel to Fulham on Sunday . Everton moved above Birmingham into eighth place with a 2-0 win at home to Bolton , who had Gretar Steinsson sent off in the 71st minute for bringing down Nigeria striker Yakubu . Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta fired in the resulting freekick and South Africa international Steven Pienaar wrapped up victory with a minute to go after Leon Osman hit the crossbar . Birmingham crashed 3-1 at Sunderland , who eased their relegation worries as England World Cup hopeful Darren Bent scored twice in the first 11 minutes to take his Premier League tally to 20 goals this season and 21 overall . Wigan moved seven points clear of the bottom three with a 1-0 win over Burnley , as Colombia striker Hugo Rodallega 's 90th-minute header left the visitors deep in relegation trouble after a 15th defeat in 16 away matches . Hull remain second from bottom , behind Burnley on goal difference , as new manager Iain Dowie suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat at basement club Portsmouth in his match in charge . The visitors led 2-1 with 17 minutes to play after two goals from striker Caleb Folan , but Portsmouth 's on-loan midfielder Jamie O'Hara leveled in the 88th minute with a curled free-kick and the Nigerian veteran Kanu netted a late winner . Portsmouth are still set to be relegated after being docked nine points for going into administration , now 14 points from safety with eight games to play . | Arsenal climb to top of English Premier League with 2-0 victory over London rivals West Ham . Relegation-threatened West Ham miss penalty after Thomas Vermaelen is sent off . Tottenham consolidate fourth place with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at 10-man Stoke . Fellow Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa held to a 2-2 draw by lowly Wolverhampton . | [[19, 75], [184, 253], [435, 515], [435, 467], [478, 571], [1725, 1760], [1766, 1772], [1773, 1807], [4538, 4598], [2656, 2747], [2709, 2867]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Alaskan musher Lance Mackey has won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and set an Iditarod record for most consecutive wins , according to race officials . Mackey , 39 , of Fairbanks has dominated the sport in recent years and is the 2007-2010 Iditarod champion . Mackey completed the 1,049-mile Iditarod race , which was broadcast live on IditarodInsider.com , in just under nine days . He was cheered across the finish line in Nome by family and friends , including his father , Dick Mackey , the 1978 Iditarod champion . The senior Mackey greeted his son at the finish line with a hug , saying , `` You 've done something that will never be repeated , son . '' Dick Mackey told race commentators his son `` is highly competitive and he likes to get the best out of his dogs . ... I do n't think anybody trains them any better than he does . '' Mackey could be heard on the broadcast microphones speaking to his dog team just before reaching the famous burled arch on Nome 's Front Street , `` Nice , nice . This is so cool . We 're almost there , guys . You did such a good job . '' Arriving in Nome at 2:59 p.m. local time , Mackey 's official time was 8 days , 23 hours , 59 minutes and 9 seconds . Mackey , a throat cancer survivor who says he began racing `` at birth , '' was inducted into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame in February `` for capturing multiple titles in two of the world 's longest sled dog races . '' Mackey is also a four-time champion of the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest race from Fairbanks to Nome as well as the record holder for the most consecutive first place finishes in that race . Second place in the Iditarod went to Yukon musher Hans Gatt . Past champion musher Jeff King came in third . King , from Denali , Alaska , received praise and gratitude from the Iditarod Trail Committee earlier this season when he donated $ 50,000 toward the 2010 Iditarod prize purse after learning the race was experiencing financial trouble because a shortage of sponsors . More than 54 teams remained on the Iditarod trail headed toward Nome , including rookie Jamaican musher Newton Marshall , who was in 48th place . Marshall trained with Mackey this season in preparation for his first Iditarod run . Fourteen of the original 71 teams that entered this year 's race have scratched en route . A `` Red Lantern '' will be presented to the last place finisher in the dog race , an Alaska tradition dating back to 1953 , according to Alaska Magazine . | Alaskan musher Lance Mackey sets Iditarod record for most wins in a row . Mackey , a throat cancer survivor , completes 1,049-mile race in just under nine days . Mackey 's father , 1978 Iditarod winner , says son `` likes to get the best out of his dogs '' | [[0, 15], [92, 140], [281, 326], [753, 795]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The games begin Thursday , and March Madness buzz will soon take over the lunchroom . Everywhere you turn , co-workers will chat about their favorite teams , the upsets , the injuries . Maybe you will watch the games . Maybe you wo n't . But maybe , irrespective of whether you plan to follow the tournament , you 've ponied up to be part of the office pool . And you do n't have to worry about explaining how you made your picks while filling out out your bracket . Everyone is hoping to choose that one team that comes from behind to win . So what if you always pick Gonzaga just because you like saying the name ? Should it matter if you take Louisville out of the running just because that jerk who once strung you along came from there ? You are in the running like everyone else , and , heck , you might surprise yourself and actually win . In these coming weeks , though , you do n't want to sound like an idiot . It would be nice , you think to yourself , if you actually appeared to know what you were talking about . CNN reached out to Stewart Mandel , a senior writer at SI.com who covers basketball , as well as sports fans in the CNN.com newsroom to get some tips for how you can bluff your way through the tournament . With their sage advice , we offer this wisdom : . • Be careful not to talk about a `` buzzer beater '' unless it 's actually happened . When they do happen , when a player scores at the buzzer -LRB- in the last second -RRB- to change the game 's outcome , throw the term around wildly . It 'll be what everyone is reliving , and if you feel especially bold , you can try to give someone a high-five while saying , `` How about that buzzer beater ? '' • Discussing injuries in vague terms is always safe , since most every team has suffered some . Ideas : `` They really ca n't afford any more injuries this season . '' Or , `` Did n't they have a big injury this year ? '' You do n't have to know the answer , but it 's an easy way to engage with a sports nut who will gladly tell you more about some stranger 's ankle than you ever wanted to know . • Tell people around the water cooler that you really admire a team 's `` tenacity . '' Mandel says that 's `` a good fastball no one can argue with , '' because by virtue of making it to the tournament , a team 's got to have some serious tenacity . Other terms you can throw around to describe a team : `` smart , '' `` experienced '' and `` well-coached . '' • Something called `` guard play '' is apparently very big this time of year . You might shake your head and mutter , `` I do n't know if their guard play is good enough . '' Or , conversely , you can say , `` Oh , yeah , I think they have a good chance because they 've got good guard play . '' • There are some things you might say that could be risky , as they may prompt others to ask you a question in return . For example , if you were to say , `` Gosh , that was a big shot , '' someone might ask , `` Which one ? '' This would be a good time to spill your coffee , diverting attention . • In basketball , the word `` press '' -LRB- short for pressure -RRB- is used when discussing defense . So you might want to express your heartfelt concern about a team `` having trouble with the press . '' • There are different conferences that make up the NCAA . The Big East dominated this year . You can talk about how the `` Big East ruled , '' but make sure you do n't misspeak and talk about the Big North , because no such thing exists . There is a Big 10 , but it 's made up of 11 teams . • `` Ball movement '' refers to how a team passes a ball . Any team that 's made it to the `` tourney , '' as some insiders like to say , must be strong in this realm . So you can assume you 're covered if you say something like , `` Wow , they have great ball movement . '' • A strong three-point game can make the difference for an underdog team . So if some folks are saying how a team does n't have a chance , you could nonchalantly stroll by and say in passing , `` They could pull an upset if they get hot shooting threes . '' Another fun phrase to toss out : `` They live or die by the three . '' • Casting blame on referees for making `` questionable calls '' is highly popular . `` Man , there were some questionable calls '' is a good gripe to share , but only if the game was close . If it was a `` blowout , '' a win by a large margin , your saying this would make you look foolish . It might be better to say , if people are chatting about an upcoming game , `` Man , I hope the refs just let them play . '' • Word is that everyone loves a `` Cinderella , '' the team that comes out of nowhere to make a good run in the tournament . If you want to sound especially savvy , use it in conjunction with the world `` dance , '' another fun slang term for March Madness , as in , `` It 's always nice to see Cinderella go deep in the dance . '' • If you feel compelled to throw out a player 's name , one you 're pretending to be excited to watch , the one to know -- and one that 's easy to remember -- is John Wall . Rhymes with ball , if that helps . He 's a freshman guard at Kentucky and will likely go pro soon , so using his name next year during March Madness would blow your cover . Keep that in mind . • Last , and this is very important , do not -- repeat -- do not walk into work on April 1 and talk about how crestfallen you are that March Madness is over . The tournament goes by this name , but the actual championship is played in April . CNN 's Eliott C. McLaughlin , Steve Almasy , Todd Leopold and Manav Tanneeru contributed their wisdom to this very important report . | NCAA basketball tournament begins Thursday , as does workplace obsession . Among tips for the clueless who want to take part in chatter , use terms shared by experts . `` Buzzer beater , '' `` Cinderella , '' `` ball movement , '' `` press '' are good gems to consider . | [[19, 43], [50, 78], [84, 104], [50, 68], [79, 104], [3797, 3828]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Comedian Betty White -- currently enjoying a career resurgence at age 88 -- said Wednesday that she credits her longevity in the entertainment industry to `` sheer blind luck . '' `` I 'm the luckiest old broad that ever drew a breath , '' White told CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' After a cameo on a popular Super Bowl commercial in January and a series of comedic sketches on Craig Ferguson 's `` Late , Late Show , '' White 's fans campaigned successfully via Facebook for her to host NBC 's `` Saturday Night Live . '' White admitted to King that she was nervous about the May 8 show and said she finds herself questioning , `` What are they doing with me ? '' She said she had been approached to host `` SNL '' three times `` many , many years ago , '' but declined because she associated the show with New York , and as a California girl , `` I 'm so not New York . '' White got her start in show business in 1949 on a local television show . She went on to star in two hit sitcoms , `` The Mary Tyler Moore Show '' and `` Golden Girls . '' `` I think the reason for the longevity is that ... several generations have gotten to know me over the years so I 've become ... sort of part of the family , '' she said . Most recently , she appeared in the blockbuster `` The Proposal '' with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds . And to add to her current hot streak , White recently signed on to be a series regular on a new TV Land cable channel sitcom titled `` Hot in Cleveland '' opposite Jane Leeves , Wendie Malick and Valerie Bertinelli . `` I 'm not hot again , but I 'm surprised to still be working , '' White said . `` I just am amazed and I 'm thrilled and I 'm going along with it and enjoying it . '' White has also continued her work for animal health and well-being , including a 46-year partnership with the Los Angeles Zoo , calling it one of her two loves in life -- alongside show business of course . `` It 's such fun , '' she said . `` Why should you stop something you enjoy so much ? '' | White will host NBC 's `` Saturday Night Live '' on May 8 . Comedian had wo hit sitcoms , `` The Mary Tyler Moore Show '' and `` Golden Girls '' Star 's popularity surged after a popular Super Bowl commercial in January . | [[993, 1031], [326, 447], [462, 540]] |
Harrison , New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators from Toyota and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Wednesday inspected a wrecked Prius and extracted data from the car 's event data recorder they hope will help determine what caused the car to speed out of control . The driver of the car told police the 2005 Prius accelerated on its own as she was driving down her employer 's driveway on March 9 . She lost control of the car , crossed the road and crashed into a stone wall , police say . She was treated for minor injuries . No other cars were involved in the accident . A team of six inspectors from Toyota and two from NHTSA spent several hours taking photos and measurements of the damaged vehicle and downloading the black box data from the car , which has been at the Harrison Police Department since the accident . Two independent inspectors from a forensic technology company , hired by the Police Department , also were aiding the investigation . A Toyota spokesman , Wade Hoyt , said that in this model year Prius , the black box contains data only from the moment the airbags deploy , but not the three seconds before impact that newer models are programmed to record . Hoyt said investigators were pleased they were able to extract any data from the vehicle . `` We are getting information on engine speed , pedal position , that sort of thing , '' Hoyt said . `` I 'm happy we have it . It 's possible it might not have been in there . '' Police say the car 's driver , whose name has not been released pending the investigation , has a clean driving record and there is no reason to believe she is to blame for the accident . But Acting Police Chief Anthony Marraccini said driver error is not being ruled out . `` I 'm not sure we 're going to have conclusive information as to what caused this accident . But we 're not ruling out any possible causes . '' Marraccini said . The 2005 Prius was part of Toyota 's November recall to address the risk of accelerator pedal entrapment in the floor mat . Police say floor mats were not a factor in this particular accident , because they were secured to the seat with nylon ties . A recall to address a sticky accelerator problem did not include the Prius . Hoyt said he would not speculate about the accident 's cause . The Prius is equipped with a brake override feature . `` When everything in the car is working correctly , the brakes will override the engine , '' Hoyt said . `` You have to draw your own conclusions . '' Hoyt said Toyota will release the data from the black box recorder to the Harrison Police Department , but will not make it public because of privacy and legal concerns . Marraccini said police will make a determination after their investigation how much of the data to make public . `` If there 's definitive information that shows the cause of this accident , absolutely we 'll have to release it , '' Marraccini said . | Toyota and federal safety officials extracted data from a wrecked 2005 Prius . Driver said the car accelerated on its own on March 9 ; she was treated for minor injuries . Toyota spokesman : Black box in 2005 Prius contains data only from moment airbags deploy . 2005 Prius was part of recall to address the risk of accelerator entrapment in floor mat . | [[0, 8], [11, 158], [290, 350], [362, 368], [324, 423], [516, 552], [983, 1001], [1016, 1207], [1917, 1969], [1944, 2040], [1917, 1931], [1970, 2040], [2167, 2215]] |
-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- March 18 , 2010 . Download PDF maps related to today 's show : . • Detroit , Michigan • Israel • Oxford University . Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT . THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED . CARL AZUZ , CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR : A prestigious scholarship or a professional football career ? One student athlete is trying to prove that you can have both . I 'm Carl Azuz . CNN Student News starts right now ! First Up : Jobs Bill . AZUZ : First up , a bill aimed at creating new jobs is about to become a law . A vote in the Senate put the final seal of approval on the legislation yesterday , moved it on to President Obama for his signature . The bill has gone back and forth in the House and the Senate . At $ 17.6 billion , it 's actually a scaled-down version of a jobs bill that was put together last month . Here 's some of what it includes : Tax breaks for companies that hire people who are currently unemployed . Tax breaks for businesses that spend money on major investments or purchases . And funding for highway and transit programs this year . Some experts say the bill could create 300,000 new jobs . Others say it does n't guarantee that companies will start hiring , and some lawmakers have argued that the bill does n't do nearly enough . Rising Waters . AZUZ : In parts of the midwestern United States , National Guard members and local volunteers are fighting to keep the Red River at bay . A lot of these volunteers are high school and college students who are spending their spring breaks filling and stacking sandbags . The river 's waters are on the rise thanks to melting snow , and there 's a threat of serious flooding . This same thing happened last year when the Red River hit a record level in Fargo , North Dakota . Rob Marciano has more on the impact of the severe weather then and now . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . ROB MARCIANO , CNN METEOROLOGIST : In Fargo , North Dakota , residents are trying to stack one million sandbags in hopes of pushing back the Red River , which could crest 20 feet above flood stage later this week . Last year , about 100 homes in the area were damaged and thousands of people were evacuated when the Red did n't go down for a record 61 days and crested twice . In the Northeast , a wild storm has left hundreds of thousands of residents either without power or with most of what they own underwater . Trees ripped down power lines , tore up sidewalks and crushed cars . The storm is being blamed for at least seven deaths . Many had to leave their front doors by boat or in the arms of heavy equipment . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . I.D. Me . RICK VINCENT , CNN STUDENT NEWS : See if you can I.D. Me ! I 'm a U.S. city that was founded in 1701 . I 'm known as the Motor City because of my connection to the auto industry . I 'm not the capital of Michigan , but I am the largest city in the state . I 'm Detroit , and I 'm home to about 4 million people . Closing . AZUZ : In three months , more than 40 Detroit schools will be closed . It 's part of a $ 1 billion plan that was announced yesterday . The Detroit School District is looking for ways to cut costs . Officials say this plan will save $ 31 million in 2010 and help save money in the future . At a meeting to announce the proposal , Robert Bobb , the Emergency Financial Manager for Detroit Public Schools , said it will create a `` leaner , smarter '' school system . Detroit is dealing with buildings and facilities that are getting older . Plus , student enrollment in the district has dropped significantly ; there are 50,000 empty seats . Community members will get a chance to offer feedback at a series of town hall meetings . But yesterday , Mr. Bobb outlined the long-term goals for the district . ROBERT BOBB , EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER , DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS : We believe that this plan provides certainty where , in the minds of some , there may be uncertainty . We want to build flexible , adaptable and sustainable learning environments . We want to support smaller learning environments . Want to develop multi-use facilities that support community use and community partnerships . U.S. Relations . AZUZ : Last weekend , the Israeli ambassador to the U.S. reportedly said the relationship between the two countries was the worst it 's been in 35 years . We told you about that . Now , though , he says he never said that . There has been some tension between the countries recently , but the Israeli ambassador says `` recent events do not represent the lowest point in the relations between Israel and the United States . '' He added that the nations disagree on some issues , but says he 's confident the differences will soon be overcome . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had some harsh words for Israel recently . But on Tuesday , she called the bond between the countries `` unshakable , '' although she added that the U.S. is still waiting for Israel 's response on proving that the Middle Eastern country is serious about a Middle East peace plan . Most Visited . AZUZ : If you run a Google search , you 'll find out that Facebook just passed Google as the most popular site on the Internet last week . From March 7th to the 13th , Facebook accounted for seven percent of all U.S. Web traffic . In the past , Facebook has been the number one site on individual days ; this is the first time it 's won an entire week . This only covers Facebook.com and Google.com , so it does n't include other Google sites like Gmail . Google had been on top every week since September 2007 . It took over the number one spot from another social networking site , MySpace . Facebook Promo . AZUZ : We get a ton of traffic at our Facebook page : That 's Facebook.com / CNNStudentNews . I had a few minutes last night at work to log on and answer some of your questions . A student named Zach had a great one ; he asked how we select responses from our blog . The answer : It 's on the wall at Facebook.com / CNNStudentNews . You never know when I might show up ! Shoutout . TOMEKA JONES , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Time for the Shoutout ! Rhodes scholars are invited to study at what university ? If you think you know it , shout it out ! Is it : A -RRB- Cambridge , B -RRB- Harvard , C -RRB- Stanford or D -RRB- Oxford ? You 've got three seconds -- GO ! An invitation to study at Oxford University in England accompanies a Rhodes Scholarship . That 's your answer and that 's your Shoutout ! Scholar 's Comeback . AZUZ : One of last year 's Rhodes Scholars , Myron Rolle , is spending his time at Oxford studying medical anthropology . Eventually , he wants to go to medical school and become a neurosurgeon . It 's not his only dream job . Right now , he 's trying to tackle the football field . Soledad O'Brien has more on the Rolle reversal . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . SOLEDAD O'BRIEN , CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT : Myron Rolle was on a fast track to having it all . MYRON ROLLE , NFL PROSPECT : How you doing ? O'BRIEN : A gifted athlete , he was all but assured enormous fame and even bigger money . Then , something happened . You quit , basically . ROLLE : I did . I did . I do n't like saying that word . O'BRIEN : From the moment he first touched a football , Myron Rolle was a star . ROLLE : I was pretty good at it . I was bigger than all the kids , so I had some success . O'BRIEN : In high school , ESPN ranked Myron the number one senior football player in the country . Eighty-three colleges made him an offer . Myron chose Florida State University , a prime launching pad for the pros . Myron played safety . His future : a shoo-in , first-round pick in the NFL draft last year , millions of dollars to follow . But that 's when he basically quit , when he put it all at risk . Why did you leave ? Why did you quit football ? ROLLE : I left football because the Rhodes Scholarship was too great to pass up . It was either now or never . O'BRIEN : He won a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship , a chance to earn a Masters Degree in medical anthropology at Oxford University in England . Myron moved to England and watched the NFL draft from the sidelines . ROLLE : It hurt . It really did . It pained me . Like inside , deep . I said , I can be out there right now making millions of dollars . That could be my name being called . But when I went to Oxford , I said , this is the right choice . O'BRIEN : He 's not done with his studies . He has more to do at Oxford . But now , nearly a year later , with that certainty of his , Myron Rolle came back . After a few years in the pros , he wants to go to med school to become a neurosurgeon . He 's got to get back to England to finish his degree . ROLLE : This is the mud from England right here . O'BRIEN : Make no mistake , here , no one cares about Oxford . This is business , high stakes football . Is this guy as good as he was a year ago ? And now , game on . Myron played well in the Senior Bowl . The NFL draft is weeks away . It 's pressure . ROLLE : Sometimes it 's overwhelming . Sometimes you have to take a step back . O'BRIEN : So many people counting on him . ROLLE : You know what RS stands for ? UNIDENTIFIED MALE : What 's that ? ROLLE : Rhodes Scholar . O'BRIEN : For In America , Soledad O'Brien , CNN , Orlando . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Downloadable Maps . AZUZ : Oxford , Israel , Detroit . Today 's show 's all over the map . If you head to CNNStudentNews.com , scroll down and look on the left-hand side , you can use our downloadable maps to find out exactly where we went . They 're totally free ! You can find them every day at your favorite Web site . Before We Go . AZUZ : Before we go , maybe you 've seen a horse fly . But you 've never seen one this big . Colorado -- the horse , not the state -- was air-lifted to safety on Tuesday after being swept away by a river late last week and stranded on a sand bar . It took rescuers four days to reach Colorado and get him hooked up to this harness . The one-mile flight to dry land only lasted a few minutes . Goodbye . AZUZ : But during that time , that horse was the mane event . Time for us to giddy up and go , but not furlong . CNN Student News returns tomorrow . | Find out why some U.S. students are spending spring break filling sandbags . Consider the reasons why Detroit is planning to close more than 40 schools . Hear how a Rhodes Scholar is tackling the move back to the football field . Use the Daily Discussion to help students understand today 's featured news stories . | [[1512, 1532], [1537, 1601], [2982, 2986], [2989, 3004], [3007, 3052]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A killer who sent a prosecutor a taunting letter about killing a 16-year-old girl died in Virginia 's electric chair Thursday night , the Richmond Times Dispatch reported . Paul Warner Powell was pronounced dead at 9:09 p.m. ET , the newspaper reported . Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell had denied clemency and the U.S. Supreme Court in January refused to block the execution . 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 claimed double jeopardy after state prosecutors put him on trial for a second time in the killing . The high court in July delayed Powell 's execution while considering the broader constitutional claims , which were finally rejected . The killer 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 . Stacie 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 Stacie '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 Reed house to confront Stacie for dating a black boyfriend . 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 firsthand account from Powell , he was indicted again and charged with murder and attempted rape of Stacie -- a capital-eligible crime . He again was convicted , and federal and state courts subsequently upheld the conviction on appeal . The Supreme Court appeal is Powell v. Kelly -LRB- 09-21 -RRB- . | Paul Warner Powell was convicted of murdering Stacie Reed and raping her sister . Afterward , he wrote a taunting letter to the prosecutor giving new details of the crime . In a second trial , his admission of attempted rape of Stacie got him the death penalty . The U.S. Supreme Court in January refused to block the execution . | [[404, 542], [1802, 1880], [30, 38], [43, 111], [1929, 1935], [1938, 2049], [2061, 2140], [580, 649], [3239, 3241], [3289, 3313], [337, 403]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The California Highway Patrol officer who responded last week to an emergency call about a runaway Toyota Prius described the driver as visibly shaking and said he `` appeared to be in shock '' once the car came to a stop , according to the police report released Wednesday . The Prius ' driver , Jim Sikes , called 911 on March 8 after he said his accelerator became stuck as he tried to pass a slower vehicle . For about 20 minutes , Sikes said , he was unable to gain control of the car as it reached speeds in excess of 90 mph on a winding , hilly portion of Interstate 8 outside of San Diego . He said he repeatedly pressing down on the brakes and trying to lift the gas pedal to no avail . In the police report , responding Officer Todd Neibert said he `` could smell the heated brakes which indicated they had been used extensively '' and said he saw the brake lights periodically illuminate as he came upon the car . When he pulled alongside the car , `` I could see the driver sat up off his seat indicating that he was possibly applying the brake pedal using his body weight . '' He said the Prius slowed slightly -- down to about 85 mph -- before accelerating again to 95 mph , according to the report . `` The driver looked over at me briefly and appeared to be in a panicked state , '' Neibert 's report said . Eventually , Neibert used the patrol car 's public address system to instruct Sikes to apply the brakes and the emergency brake at the same time . That tactic worked , and he was able to stop the car . `` The driver ... was visibly shaking and breathing deeply , '' the report said . `` He appeared to be in shock . '' Upon searching the car , Neibert found `` a large amount of brake dust and brake pad material in and around the wheels , '' the report said . Toyota technicians investigating the incident were unable to recreate the same condition , according to a draft congressional memo obtained earlier this week by CNN . In addition , Sikes ' claims that he slammed on the brake while his gas pedal was stuck to the floor do `` not appear to be feasibly possible , '' the memo said . David Justo of Toyota Motor Sales headquarters , described in the memo as Toyota 's residential hybrid expert , said that if the gas pedal of the car was stuck to the floor , and the driver applied the brake , the engine would shut down . The memo said before Sikes ' vehicle could be tested , technicians had to replace rotors , brakes and pads , as the pads and rotors were worn down . Contacted by CNN on Sunday , Sikes said he stands by his story . He declined to comment further . | CHP officer responded last week to emergency call about runaway Toyota Prius . He said driver of car was visibly shaking and appeared to be in shock after car stopped . Toyota technicians investigating incident unable to recreate circumstances . Driver Jim Sikes stands by his recollection of runaway incident . | [[19, 56], [61, 124], [0, 15], [131, 170], [0, 15], [175, 240], [1234, 1247], [1278, 1312], [1545, 1560], [1563, 1596], [1630, 1658], [1804, 1892], [2551, 2586]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A tour bus carrying about 40 people rolled over Tuesday near Campbellton , Texas , killing two people and injuring more than a dozen , an official said . Tommy Cavazos , a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety , said that 18 people were injured in the Americanos tour bus crash on Interstate 37 , about 50 miles south of San Antonio in southern Texas . Most of the injured are being transported to San Antonio 's Brooke Army Medical Center and University Hospital , Cavazos said . The bus , which was headed to Matamoros , Mexico , flipped and landed on its right side , he said . A spokesman for Brooke Army Medical Center , Dewey Mitchell , said four patients were taken to the hospital 's trauma unit . He did not provide further information . University Health System spokeswoman Julie Wiley said five adults -- four men and one woman -- were transported to the medical facility . She could not describe their conditions but characterized the people as all between the age of 40 and 60 . Although it was not immediately clear whether others were taken elsewhere , Wiley said that University Health System and Brooke Army Medical Center are the two trauma centers in San Antonio and would receive patients in situations such as Tuesday 's crash . The names of those killed were not released . Americanos is a subsidiary of Greyhound . Maureen Richmond , a spokeswoman for Greyhound , said that 40 people were on board the bus , which left San Antonio shortly before 9 a.m. for Matamoros , Mexico . It was a regularly scheduled trip , she said . She said the cause of the crash was not immediately known . KSAT : 2 dead , dozens injured in charter bus crash . Video from the scene showed the bus lying on its side in the highway 's grassy median , with clothing and other items scattered on the ground nearby . Emergency personnel , including fire trucks and ambulances , were on the scene . Mark Baldon , who came upon the crash shortly after it happened Tuesday morning , said he saw the bus `` smoldering , '' CNN affiliate KSAT reported . CNN 's Divina Mims and Jamie Morrison contributed to this report . | Bus flipped and landed on its side on I-37 median , official says . Bus was headed to Matamoros , Mexico , carrying 40 people . Names of victims not released ; injured taken to hospital in San Antonio . | [[154, 172], [514, 572], [1695, 1780], [19, 54], [514, 572], [1371, 1387], [1420, 1461], [386, 496], [1283, 1328]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A trendy California sushi restaurant charged by federal authorities with serving whale meat offered an apology Monday , saying it `` ignored its responsibilities '' to endangered species . Prosecutors charged Typhoon Restaurant Inc. , the parent company of Santa Monica 's The Hump , and chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto , 45 , with the illegal sale of a marine mammal product for an unauthorized purpose . Although it is considered a delicacy in Japan and some other countries , meat from whales -- an endangered species -- can not be sold legally in the United States . `` We write to address the misdemeanor charge recently filed by the U.S. attorney , '' the restaurant said in a statement posted on its Web site . `` The charge against the restaurant is true : The Hump served whale meat to customers looking to eat what in Japan is widely served as a delicacy , '' the statement continued . `` In serving this meat , The Hump ignored its responsibilities to help save endangered whales from extinction and failed to support the world community in its uphill fight to protect all endangered species . '' The restaurant pledged to set up procedures to ensure that it complies with laws and `` becomes a good corporate citizen . '' `` We sincerely apologize . We pledge to work hard to re-earn the trust of the public and respect of our customers . '' The misdemeanor charge carries a federal prison sentence of up to a year and a fine of up to $ 200,000 for the company , said Thom Mrozek , spokesman for the U.S. attorney 's office . The law firm for the restaurant and its parent company deferred questions to The Hump 's Web site . However , Typhoon attorney Gary Lincenberg has said the restaurant accepts responsibility for serving whale and will agree to pay a fine , CNN affiliate KTLA reported . The investigation into the restaurant began in October , when two members of the team that made the documentary `` The Cove '' visited The Hump , officials said . `` The Cove , '' which exposes the annual killing of dolphins at a Japanese fishing village , won the Academy Award for best documentary this month . The restaurant , located at the Santa Monica Airport , is known for its exotic fare . Its Web site asks diners to surrender themselves to its chefs for `` a culinary adventure ... unlike any that you have previously experienced . '' Crowd marches outside restaurant . Armed with a hidden camera , the two women captured the waitress serving them whale and horse meat and identifying them as such , a federal criminal complaint said . A receipt from the restaurant at the end of the meal identified their selection as `` whale '' and `` horse '' with the cost -- $ 85 -- written next to them . The women snuck pieces of the meat into a napkin and later sent them for examination to a researcher at Oregon State University . He identified the whale sample to be that of sei whale , prosecutors said . The sei is found throughout the world 's oceans . Whalers began to hunt them after the populations of right , humpback , blue and fin whales declined due to overfishing . It is now considered an endangered species . In February and March , the activists returned and again asked for -- and were served -- whale meat , the criminal complaint said . A DNA test of the meat smuggled out after the February visit confirmed it to be meat from the sei whale , Mrozek said . During a final visit in March , officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection , the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration observed the activists asking for `` kujira , '' or whale meat . One of the officers then saw the sushi chef leave the restaurant and return with a wrapped package that he seemed to have retrieved from a parked Mercedes , the complaint said . The chef told a customer it was whale meat , the document said . Next , officials raided the restaurant , and chef Yamamoto admitted that he had served whale meat , the complaint said . `` Someone should not be able to walk into a restaurant and order a plate of an endangered species , '' U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. said . Conservation agencies are engaged in an ongoing feud with Japan over whaling . In the early 1980s , the International Whaling Commission determined that there should be a moratorium on commercial whale hunting . However , 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 . Many in the international community believe that such hunts amount to needless slaughter . | The Hump sushi restaurant apologizes in statement posted on Web site . Feds alleged restaurant , chef illegally sold meat of endangered whales . Whale meat is considered a delicacy in Japan , other countries . | [[14, 40], [136, 154], [691, 728], [717, 753], [1270, 1297], [451, 512], [801, 809], [870, 900]] |
Rome , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` The devil tempts everyone -- people in politics , in economics , in sport . And naturally , he tempts , above all , the religious leaders , so you should n't be surprised if the devil tempts those in the Vatican . That 's his job . '' Father Gabriele Amorth is n't speaking metaphorically when he says that . The 85-year-old priest means people can be tempted and literally possessed by Satan . `` It 's not my opinion : I 'm saying that if you believe in the Gospels , you believe in the existence of the devil , in the devil 's power to possess people , '' he said in an interview with CNN . The faithful believe `` that there are people possessed by the devil , and ... in the power of exorcism to liberate from the devil , '' he said . And as the chief exorcist of the Roman Catholic Church , it 's his job to expel the devil when someone is possessed . Amorth , the founder of the International Association of Exorcists , has performed more than 70,000 exorcisms in his career , he estimates . But there is a difference between possession -- where the devil takes hold of someone 's body and actions -- and temptation , where Satan lures a person into doing evil , he said . As a child abuse scandal sweeps across Europe , with accusations being made against priests in Ireland , Germany , Austria and the Netherlands , Amorth said the pedophiles are tempted , not possessed . He has never done an exorcism on a child molester , he said . `` I have carried out exorcisms on some priests who had been molested by the devil , '' he said , without going into details . `` But cases of pedophilia exorcised , no . ... Pedophiles are not possessed by the devil , they are tempted by the devil , '' he said . `` They do n't need exorcism , they need to be converted , to be converted to God , that 's what they need . They need to confess , they need true penitence , true repentance , that 's what they need . They 're not possessed . '' But no one is too strong a believer to be possessed , said Amorth , who is employed by the Roman diocese . `` Nothing occurs without the permission of God , and he allows even holy people , even saints , to be possessed by the devil , '' he said . But , he added , he sees no evil in the Vatican today : `` I just see good people in the Vatican . People of prayer , holy people , I do n't see any evil . '' | Father Gabriele Amorth is chief exorcist at Vatican ; he claims over 70,000 exorcisms . He says the faithful believe `` in the power of exorcism to liberate from the devil '' Amorth : `` Pedophiles are not possessed by the devil , they are tempted by the devil '' Priests from Ireland to Austria have been accused in growing child abuse scandal . | [[893, 899], [950, 1016], [711, 759], [1360, 1416], [1698, 1727], [1218, 1260], [1268, 1357]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced he would be pushing for a public option in the final health care bill , it looked as if he had given up on the possibility of a bipartisan agreement . Most Republicans have been steadfast in their opposition to the Democratic health care proposals . The only serious possibility for GOP backing has come from Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine . While expressing support for much of the Senate Finance Committee bill , she has said she would accept a public option only if private markets and new regulations fail to control costs and lower premiums . Reid 's decision is not a sign of commitment to an ideal but rather an act of political realism . The notion that either party will be able to find substantive bipartisan support for legislation today is dubious . The political forces that generate partisan conflict in Washington are deeply rooted and hard to change . Partisanship is not always a bad thing for politics . Strong parties can give voters real choices at the ballot box , and party leaders are willing to push for bold objectives that centrists often avoid . But bipartisanship is also a valuable objective , and good to have as part of our political mix . When both parties are open to sometimes entering into negotiations and reaching agreements , this improves the chances for major policy breakthroughs that will last over time . When Americans see that their leaders are willing , under the right circumstances , to focus on doing what the country needs even if the other side might receive more credit , citizens are exposed to a side of government that is usually overshadowed by the political machinations that dominate the news . But the pressures against bipartisanship are enormous . Gerrymandered congressional districts favor representatives who play to the party base . The number of centrists in both parties has steadily diminished . The campaign finance system empowers party leaders and conservative activists who are able to raise and distribute substantial amounts of campaign funds to pay for television ads and get-out-the-vote operations . Within the GOP , their power was recently on display in New York 's 23rd district . Conservatives pressured centrist Republican Dede Scozzafava to step down from the special election to clear the way for Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman , who has received the strong support of national conservative groups . `` Doug 's campaign , '' Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele announced , `` will receive the financial backing of the RNC and get-out-the-vote efforts to defeat Bill Owens on Tuesday . '' In the Senate , the constant threat of the filibuster offers the minority party an easy way to thwart the agenda . The media favors stories about conflict over consensus . People tend to be a nostalgic for moments when the two major parties worked together . In fact , this has rarely been the case . But when there were periods with some bipartisanship in the 20th century , what is striking is how much more substantial they were . They involved significant numbers of legislators from one party joining forces with the other . One of the most famous examples of bipartisan leadership involved Republican Sen. Arthur Vandenberg , who in 1947 and 1948 chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee . Vandenberg worked with President Harry Truman to pass some of the key policies of the Cold War , including the National Security Act , the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan . Many Republicans disagreed with Vandenberg , focusing much more on attacking Truman . But Vandenberg still delivered Republican votes for that short period . During the Senate vote on the Marshall Plan in 1948 , which provided economic assistance to help rebuild Western Europe , 31 Republicans joined 38 Democrats to vote for the bill . The same held true with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 . We often remember the important work of Republican Sen. Everett Dirksen , an Illinois conservative who joined forces with Johnson in the summer of 1964 to vote for cloture to end the filibuster by Southern Democrats . Dirksen was one of 27 Republicans who voted to end the filibuster and then to vote for civil rights . Today , discussions of bipartisanship focus on obtaining one or two votes from the opposition party . This is a phenomenon we have seen intensifying since the 1970s . Republicans also had trouble obtaining Democratic votes under President George W. Bush . Until politicians are able to deal with some of the underlying forces that make bipartisanship difficult to achieve , party leaders should not give so much weight to legislative strategies that hinge on appealing to the other side . Seriously searching for bipartisanship , for example , would require reforming the campaign finance system so that legislators are not in such desperate need of private campaign contributions , over which party leaders and activist organizations maintain tight control . Citizens should also support media outlets that place solid journalism above partisan analysis . Right now , bipartisan votes are not coming . In the past few weeks , Democrats seem to have come to this conclusion and are now focusing more on what will unite their own party than what will win Sen. Snowe 's vote . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer . | Julian Zelizer says Harry Reid appeared to be giving up on bipartisanship . He says Democrats are more focused on unity than on attracting GOP votes . Bipartisanship once involved many legislators crossing party lines . Today , Zelizer says , many forces make bipartisanship hard to achieve . | [[19, 57], [140, 218], [5163, 5184], [5187, 5196], [5238, 5334], [3100, 3195], [711, 826], [1722, 1773], [4564, 4631]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Local and federal authorities in Enfield , Connecticut , are investigating how a band of burglars broke into a large pharmaceutical warehouse and made off with approximately $ 75 million in prescription medications . Police say the well-orchestrated heist at the Eli Lilly and Co. distribution center occurred during a rainstorm shortly after midnight Sunday . `` Based on the sophistication of what was used , this had to be well-executed and planned , '' Enfield Police Chief Carl Sferrazza said . According to Sferrazza , the thieves scaled the side of the building onto the roof , where they cut an opening . He said they then rappelled into the building , disabled the alarm and proceeded to steal several dozen pallets of prescription pills , loading them onto one or more getaway vehicles . Police say the robbery was not discovered until almost 2 p.m. ET Sunday . When asked whether the crime could have been an inside job , Sferrazza replied , `` Anything is possible ; we are not ruling anything out at this point . '' A spokesman for Eli Lilly , Ed Sagebiel , said the company is working closely with both the Enfield Police and the FBI . Though Sagebiel would not confirm what types of medications were stolen , he said there were no narcotics at the site . Although the intended destination of the drugs is unknown , the spokesman speculated that the suspects will attempt to sell them on the domestic or international black markets . `` We certainly know that there is a market for these products , '' Sagebiel said . `` We have a closed system here in the U.S. that makes it more difficult to distribute them in the United States for legitimate means . '' Based in Indianapolis , Indiana , Eli Lilly is the ninth-largest pharmaceutical company in the world . | Thieves broke into Connecticut facility early Sunday , police say . Chief says heist was well-organized . Authorities are n't ruling out an inside job . | [[236, 319], [891, 949], [972, 995], [998, 1044]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the NCAA basketball tournament kicks into gear this week , March Madness once again spreads out of arenas and into the workplace . Diehard and fair-weather fans alike will take part in office pools , games will be streamed online , and smack will be talked around water coolers . `` People love Cinderellas , '' the come-from-behind stories , said Stewart Mandel , a senior writer for SI.com who covers basketball and football . `` People love bragging when they pick something right . '' Read Mandel 's analysis of the brackets . And , amid all this game monitoring and chatter , some say productivity and earnings may take a hit , but others say the shared experience bolsters business . The first week of the tournament -- when the most games are played during daytime hours -- could cost U.S. employers as much as $ 1.8 billion , according to Challenger , Gray & Christmas Inc. , a global outplacement company in Chicago , Illiniois , that annually predicts the tournament 's impact . This blow to employers is based on surveys showing that 45 percent of Americans enter office pools and waste on average about 20 minutes a day focusing on basketball instead of work . Challenger , Gray & Christmas says that translates to more than 58 million employees . Print your bracket -LRB- PDF -RRB- . `` Employers can no longer claim to be caught off guard by the annual event , '' firm CEO John Challenger said in a written statement . `` Some have tried to squash these pools , most simply ignore them and others have found ways to embrace the tournament as a team-building and morale-boosting opportunity . '' But this figure on time and money lost seems `` plucked out of thin air , '' said Don Forsyth , a psychologist who studies group dynamics in the workplace in the Jepson School of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond in Virginia . Who is to say how much time and money people waste each day on personal distractions , he asked . And maybe , he added , the employee who generally dreads going to work comes in energized because of the games . Forsyth , who 's been studying work dynamics for 30 years , said the shared experience of feeling the madness probably does the workplace good and leads to gains instead of losses . `` It 's a powerful social process , '' he said . `` It builds relationships and rituals within the group . Everyone is included , '' from the corner offices to the mailroom . `` People on the fringe get drawn in . It builds cohesion , '' he continued . `` You 'd pay an expert to come in to do that for your company . March Madness does it for free . '' | As March Madness begins , office pools and basketball become part of workday . One company says employers stand to lose $ 1.8 billion this week due to distractions . Psychologist says shared ritual boosts sense of belonging in workplace . Positive cohesion comes for free , and employer wins , psychologist adds . | [[81, 152], [712, 744], [803, 853]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Little Rhode Island made big news in the education arena last month . Superintendent Frances Gallo fired all the teachers at Central Falls High School after negotiations with the teachers ' union failed . The move was triggered by low test scores -- only 7 percent of 11th-graders passed the state math tests , and 50 percent of the students at Central Falls failed to graduate in four years . Appalling numbers . Gallo wanted teachers to increase the length of the school day and spend time tutoring kids . The teachers ' union was not convinced . Even President Obama got involved and supported the firing , saying , `` If a school continues to fail its students year after year after year , if it does n't show signs of improvement , then there 's got to be a sense of accountability . '' Yes , accountability is right , but who is supposed to be accountable for this massive failure to learn ? The general consensus is that the teachers are responsible . Is it really all the teachers ' fault ? Columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr. thinks so . Having been a teacher himself for five years , he says teachers just like to complain . He does n't say why he is no longer teaching , but he applauds the firing and blames the teachers . Superintendent Gallo agrees . She fired all of them . Everyone agrees that the K-12 schools are failing , but the reasons are not as simple as Navarrette and Gallo think . Firing all the teachers is not the answer . Closing schools is not the answer . Schools are n't failing because the teachers do n't care or are n't trying . It 's not because teachers fail to follow the curriculum . It is n't because they are poorly paid . Teachers go into teaching because they want to make a difference and help kids . They certainly do n't go into teaching to get rich . They do n't want to do a bad job , either ; no one likes to fail . A recent survey of 40,000 teachers by the Gates Foundation shows that teachers are more interested in reform than money . If you examine Central Falls High School closely , a few things stand out : More than 96 percent of the students are eligible for free or reduced lunch , according to the school 's Web site , and only 6 percent of the people in the town have a college degree . Does that tell you something important about the parents ? They are struggling financially and lack postsecondary education . Central Falls provides little or no parental support for students or for the teachers , yet everyone expects teachers to do it all with few resources . Clearly , it does not work . In his book entitled `` Does Money Matter ? the Effect of School Resources on Student Achievement , '' Gary Burtless argues that the `` home environment has strong effects on student achievement , stronger in fact than social class effects . '' He argues that the most important home environment variables involve `` parents expending time participating in activities with children that enhance learning . '' Very little , if any , of this is happening in the communities of a failing school . Look at where the schools are failing -- in the most densely populated areas of the 50 largest American cities . Teachers are not magicians . Low test scores and the dropout rate can not be blamed on the teachers alone . They need help from the parents , help from the community , help from the administrators , help from state and federal governments . Thousands of kids starting kindergarten each year do n't know colors , counting , or even the names of fruits and vegetables . Their vocabularies are hundreds of words fewer than their more advantaged peers . Who is talking to these kids ? The electronic nanny -- the television . No teacher can effectively educate a child without support from the parents . Support at the elementary level means spending time with their child , reading to their child , talking with their child , providing a stable home for their child . Support in high school means a quiet place to study , recognition and approval for kids ' efforts , and helping when they are not doing well . Strong schools have supportive parents and an involved community . Schools like Central Falls High School have struggling communities . To fire all the teachers and blame them for the failure is to dismiss the important role that parents and communities play in the education of their children . Imagine firing all the parents -- does that solve the problem ? What we have in communities with failing schools is parents who are for a variety of reasons -- mostly economic -- failing to parent effectively . They have no time . The job of mothering is passé . Let 's look at how ineffective school closures have been in Washington , where Chancellor Michelle Rhee has closed many schools . Test scores are up , but scores dropped on the federal government 's broader measure of how local schools are doing in meeting the standards of the No Child Left Behind law . Or take a look at the Chicago Public Schools , where former CEO Arne Duncan , now U.S. secretary of education , closed many schools . There 's been little change in scores because students are being transferred to other low-performing schools . It has n't worked because the community 's attitude and level of support has n't changed . A report released on March 1 by The Education Trust shows that schools often lumped together as `` low-performing '' are not all alike . `` Examining data from reading and mathematics assessments for elementary and middle schools in ten states , the study 's authors found that some low-performing schools remain stuck year after year , and others that started low performing are among the fastest improvers in their states . '' Solving the problem requires individual solutions tailored to each school , not a blanket approach . The U.S. Department of Education needs to change its focus and stop its policy of supporting the closing of failing schools ; it does not bring long-lasting change . No Child Left Behind has had unintended negative consequences . Instead , we as a nation need to support teachers in the classroom and stop using teachers as scapegoats in seeking to solve a major national problem . We need to work with teachers , not fire them . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Esther Wojcicki . | Rhode Island school district fired teachers at a failing school . Teacher Esther Wojcicki says that 's not the answer to poorly performing schools . She says parents , administrators need to share blame , help solve problem . `` No teacher can effectively educate a child without support from the parents , '' she says . | [[3044, 3062], [3284, 3315], [3698, 3775]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The American Civil Liberties Union is pushing for a quick legal decision , hoping to save a high school prom that was allegedly canceled because two lesbians wanted to attend it together . The rights group filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against a Mississippi school district and high school in federal court Tuesday over the April 2 prom . The case will be argued before a federal judge in Mississippi on March 22 , the ACLU said . The showdown stems from a complaint by 18-year-old Constance McMillen , who said she was told not to bring her girlfriend to the prom or wear a tuxedo . The prom was canceled after the ACLU demanded that McMillen 's high school change its policy . `` I never thought the school would try to cancel the prom and hurt everyone just to keep me and my girlfriend from going together , '' McMillen said in an ACLU news release . `` A lot of people have made really generous offers to pay for a prom somewhere else , which I really appreciate . But all I 've ever wanted was to be able to just go to my own school 's prom with my girlfriend . '' The motion filed Tuesday is part of a lawsuit that the ACLU has filed against the Itawamba County School District and Itawamba Agricultural High School . At the center of the lawsuit is a memorandum from the school to students , dated February 5 , which says that prom dates must be of the opposite sex . Also , when McMillen expressed a desire to wear a tuxedo to the prom , the district superintendent told her only male students were allowed to wear them , according to court documents . Superintendent Teresa McNeece also told McMillen that she and her girlfriend could be ejected from the prom if other students complained about their presence , according to the documents . School district officials could not be reached for comment . But the county 's board of education said in a statement last week that `` Due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events , the Itawamba County School District has decided to not host a prom at Itawamba Agricultural High School this year . '' The ACLU aims to change that . `` We are determined to get the prom back on the calendar and open to all students , '' said ACLU lawyer Christine Sun . `` What this case comes down to is the school taking the extraordinary measure of canceling the prom , rather than live up to its legal obligation to fairly treat all students who want to come to it . '' | Group files motion for preliminary injunction against a Mississippi school district . Case will be argued before a federal judge in Mississippi on March 22 . School district officials could not be reached for comment . | [[208, 371], [1150, 1257], [372, 445], [1784, 1844]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Chief curiosity officer '' and the architect of the Plastiki voyage , David de Rothschild is only worried about sea sickness but will be armed with a copy of `` The Complete Sailor '' on the journey . Read the rest of David 's CNN quiz answers , below . CNN : What did you want to be when you were young ? de Rothschild : A pirate . CNN : What 's the one characteristic that has led you to where you are today ? de Rothschild : Being curious and not taking no for an answer . CNN : Who inspires you ? de Rothschild : Family , friends and Buckminster Fuller . CNN : What 's the most important lesson you 've learned about yourself from the Plastiki project ? de Rothschild : Nobody is as smart as everybody . CNN : What 's your biggest hope for the expedition ? de Rothschild : To capture the imagination of as many people as possible in order to inspire , engage and activate them ! CNN : At what point would you define the Plastiki a success ? de Rothschild : When we no longer produce and carelessly throw away single-use plastics . CNN : What is your favorite sea creature ? de Rothschild : Sharks and seahorses . CNN : When is the last time you personally used a plastic bottle ? de Rothschild : A month ago . CNN : What do you most value about nature ? de Rothschild : Everything , especially how humble , inspiring and raw she is ! CNN : What 's the one creature comfort you 'll miss most when you 're at sea ? de Rothschild : A fresh water shower . CNN : Name 3 books you will bring with you on the expedition . de Rothschild : `` Blessed Unrest '' by Paul Hawken ; `` The World Is Blue : How Our Fate and the Ocean 's Are One '' by Sylvia A. Earle and Bill McKibben ; `` The Complete Sailor '' by David Seidman . CNN : If you had to choose a theme song for the expedition , what would it be ? de Rothschild : `` Message in a Bottle '' by Sting . CNN : What 's your favorite adventure film / book ? de Rothschild : `` The Lorax '' by Dr Seuss ; `` Swallows and Amazons '' by Arthur Ransom . CNN : What 's your green motto ? de Rothschild : Green is just a color that 's really only salving the consciousness ! It 's now time to focus on acting on the solutions in front of us ! CNN : What 's the most important thing you 've done to prepare for life at sea ? de Rothschild : Spend time with Jo Royle and David Thomson . CNN : What 's the main emotion you 're feeling right now days ? de Rothschild : Ready to leave ! CNN : What 's your biggest fear for the expedition ? de Rothschild : Sea sickness . CNN : What 's the first thing you 'll do when you reach Sydney ? de Rothschild : Have a long sleep ! | David de Rothschild answers the CNN quiz . Favorite adventure book is `` The Lorax '' ; expedition song would be `` Message in a Bottle '' Most worried about sea sickness . | [[223, 265], [92, 146]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Red River at Fargo , North Dakota , reached `` major flood stage '' early Wednesday as the National Guard and a small army of volunteers filled sandbags to keep the waters at bay . `` Everybody is just focused on battling it once again , and they 're doing it with smiles on their faces , '' said Staff Sgt. Amy Wieser Willson of the North Dakota National Guard . The river rose to a record 40.8 feet at Fargo in 2009 . As of about 7 a.m. Wednesday -LRB- 8 a.m. ET -RRB- , the river stood at 30.34 feet , 12 feet above the flood stage of 18 feet and past major flood stage . Floodwaters are forecast to peak at 38 feet this weekend . Are you there ? Send photos , video to CNN iReport . `` Major flood stage '' is a term the National Weather Service uses to describe flooding causing `` extensive inundation of structures and roads '' and possibly the `` significant evacuations of people and the transfer of property to higher elevations . '' '' -LSB- It 's -RSB- very stressful for a lot of people , especially after seeing how much damage and how long the flood fight went on last year , '' Willson said . About 300 people were helping on the sandbag lines as the community raced to fill 1 million of them . See local coverage of the flooding . Torrey Callies spent a couple of days helping shield his Fargo neighborhood from the rising waters . `` We 're making some good headway here , '' he said at midday Wednesday , as volunteers finished a sandbag dike . The sandbag levee is meant to hold back what 's known locally as Meadow Creek , which branches off from the rising Wild Rice River . `` Everybody that lives here went through it last year , so everybody is well-schooled in how to do this , '' Callies said . Still , `` there 's not the sense of deathly emergency that there was last year , '' he said . At least 150 volunteers -- most of them high school and college students -- helped in the neighborhood Tuesday , Callies said . `` God bless 'em for showing up , because without volunteer help , we 'd never get this done , '' said Callies , 44 , who owns a collection agency with his brother . `` In my book , that 's a pretty cool thing to do . '' The mess it makes of back muscles and backyards is worth it , he said . `` You want to keep your house dry , and that 's the main thing , '' Callies said . `` The grass will grow back . '' `` It 's tough because it 's awful work and it 's hard on the back and it 's stressful , but what do you do ? You just suck it up and start throwing sandbags . '' Last week , warm weather and rain melted snow south of Fargo and Moorhead , Minnesota , causing the Red River to swell . Upstream , snow and ice have yet to melt , pushing water back toward the two cities . Meanwhile , along the Eastern Seaboard , utility crews made steady progress restoring electricity after a powerful nor'easter whipped the region over the weekend . About 125,000 customers in New York , New Jersey and Connecticut remained without power early Wednesday . `` We know how difficult this is for our customers , and we appreciate their patience , '' said John Miksad of Con Edison . `` With each reconnection , we focus on restoring the greatest numbers of customers possible . '' The outages were due mostly to power lines downed by Saturday 's hurricane-force winds , which knocked over trees and utility poles . At least seven deaths were attributed to the storm , five caused by falling trees , authorities said . CNN 's Jim Kavanagh , Sean Morris and Ed Payne and CNN Radio 's Michelle Wright and Richard Benson contributed to this report . | NEW : River rises 12 feet above flood stage at Fargo , North Dakota . NEW : About 300 workers scurry to fill 1 million sandbags to hold off waters . Red River expected to peak at 38 feet this weekend . About 125,000 customers in New York , New Jersey , Connecticut still without power . | [[1132, 1233], [1186, 1233], [1487, 1564], [598, 656], [598, 609], [623, 656], [2912, 2947], [2950, 3017]] |
Bangkok , Thailand -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Anti-government protesters poured a small amount of blood at the headquarters of the government in Bangkok on Tuesday , but the demonstration did not live up to their threat to douse the ministers ' offices in blood . The protesters had launched a blood drive earlier to collect enough samples for the demonstration . Thousands of `` red shirts '' -- so named for their clothing -- held out their forearms to allow their compatriots to draw blood . The protesters intended to collect 1,000 liters -LRB- 1 million cubic centimeters -RRB- and then throw the blood on the grounds of the Government House , which houses ministerial offices , at 6 p.m. -LRB- 7 a.m. ET -RRB- . `` Red shirts '' rally in Bangkok : Share your photos . If Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva still refuses to dissolve parliament , the demonstrators said they will collect another 1,000 liters of blood Wednesday and splash it on the headquarters of the ruling party . The next day , they will collect 1,000 more liters and target the prime minister 's residence , the demonstrators said . What are the protests about ? Abhisit has repeatedly said he will listen to the protesters but will not accede to their demands . The anti-government demonstrations began Friday . By Sunday , tens of thousands of protesters had poured into the center of Bangkok . The rallies have been largely peaceful . Abhisit has said his government will not use force to quell the demonstrations . The nation 's tourism minister estimated the demonstrations might have resulted in a 20 percent drop in tourists . The impact on Chinese visitors appears to have been greater , with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce reporting a 50 percent cancellation rate . The protesters are supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra , who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006 . Thaksin was the only Thai prime minister to serve a full term and remains hugely popular . He fled the country in 2008 while facing trial on corruption charges that he says were politically motivated . The protesters say Abhisit was not democratically elected and have demanded that he call new elections . Since Thaksin 's ouster , Thailand has endured widespread political unrest that has pitted Thaksin loyalists against Abhisit supporters . Two people were killed and at least 135 wounded in riots in April 2009 when protesters clashed with demonstrators supporting the government . CNN 's Kocha Olarn and Dan Rivers contributed to this report . | Thousands of `` red shirts '' hold out forearms to give blood for message . Demonstrators threaten to to splash blood on ruling party headquarters , PM 's residence . Protesters are supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra . | [[356, 385], [420, 486], [487, 501], [579, 638], [841, 977], [978, 990], [993, 997], [1033, 1071], [1742, 1815]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The remains of an Air Force major missing since the Vietnam War have been identified after years of searches , the Department of Defense said . Air Force Maj. Curtis Daniel Miller of Palacios , Texas , was one of 14 men whose plane was shot down on March 29 , 1972 . Miller and his crew were flying over southern Laos when a missile struck their plane , the Defense Department said Tuesday . After the shoot-down , rescue teams had to call off the search after two days because of heavy fighting near the crash site in Savannakhet province . In 1986 , U.S. and Laotian search teams found the remains of nine of the men who were on the plane . In 2005 and 2006 , search teams found more remains . DNA tests have confirmed that they belong to Miller and the other missing crew members . Miller will be buried with full military honors at the Dallas-Ft . Worth National Cemetery on March 29 . | Maj. Curtis Daniel Miller of Palacios , Texas , was shot down on March 29 , 1972 . Miller and his crew were flying over southern Laos when a missile struck their plane . Miller will be buried with full military honors at the Dallas-Ft . Worth National Cemetery . | [[286, 370], [804, 870]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- England soccer star John Terry has again been engulfed in controversy after his car hit a club steward on Tuesday night following Chelsea 's Champions League defeat by Inter Milan . English Premier League side Chelsea confirmed that the club 's captain had driven into one of its security staff as he sought to get past a horde of photographers and fans after the match , the UK Press Association reported on Wednesday . British media had widely reported that police said the man suffered a broken leg , but Chelsea told PA that he had only `` a badly bruised leg . '' `` We can confirm there was an unfortunate accident as John Terry left Stamford Bridge last night , '' a Chelsea spokesman told PA. . `` When driving out of the stadium at approximately 1-2 mph in a queue of traffic exiting the ground , his car was surrounded by photographers and fans . In the melee that ensued a member of Chelsea 's security staff was knocked to the ground , making contact with the car . He suffered a badly bruised leg . `` John was aware at the time that there was a lot of contact with his car during the incident , but not that anyone was injured as a result . Upon hearing of the injury , John spoke to the police . He has also been in contact with the staff member to check on his welfare . '' Terry 's spokesman Phil Hall told Sky Sports News that the player had been breathalyzed by the police , with tests showing he had not been drinking alcohol . Hall said Terry planned to visit the steward on Thursday as he was upset about the accident . The incident was another blow for Terry , whose Chelsea team missed out on a place in the quarterfinals of Europe 's premier club competition for the first time since 2006 . Italian champions Inter , managed by Terry 's former Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho , won 1-0 on the night thanks to a late goal by Samuel Eto'o which sealed a 3-1 aggregate victory . The 29-year-old Terry has recently been at the center of a media storm following revelations about his alleged affair with the ex-partner of his former Chelsea teammate Wayne Bridge . He was stripped of the national captaincy by coach Fabio Capello as a result . Bridge subsequently decided he would not be available for selection by England at the World Cup starting in June as he believed his presence in the dressing room with Terry would be `` divisive '' for the team . Bridge , who plays for Manchester City , is sidelined after having a hernia operation on Tuesday which will rule him out for a month . The defender , who had only just returned to action following a knee injury , aggravated a long-term problem during Sunday 's 1-1 Premier League draw with Sunderland . Meanwhile , the Premier League confirmed on Wednesday that bottom club Portsmouth have been docked nine points after going into administration last month . League officials acted after Britain 's tax department dropped its legal action challenging the club 's change of financial status . The decision means debt-ridden Portsmouth are almost certain to be relegated , with Avram Grant 's team now 17 points from safety with only nine matches left in the season . Fellow strugglers Hull City , second from bottom 14 points above Portsmouth , confirmed on Wednesday that Iain Dowie will be the Yorkshire club 's new manager until the end of this season . Dowie , who replaces the sacked Phil Brown , has previously coached Charlton , Crystal Palace and Queen 's Park Rangers . | England soccer star John Terry drives into a club steward on Tuesday night . Incident happens after Chelsea 's Champions League defeat by Inter Milan . Police initially reported that man broke his leg , but Chelsea say he had bad bruising . Premier League dock bottom club Portsmouth nine points for going into administration . | [[0, 15], [50, 200], [201, 388], [0, 15], [50, 200], [479, 520], [527, 584], [997, 1030], [1009, 1030], [2694, 2703], [2706, 2849]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From a small apartment in Toronto , Iranian exile Saeed Valadbaygi is trying to bring news from his country to the world . Using a network of Iranian journalists and eager volunteers back in Tehran , the 27-year-old former student collates reports , pictures and video for his Web site astreetjournalist.com . Having fled Iran following the June demonstrations , Valadbaygi set up the site in November -- his latest attempt to beat what he says are government hackers and offer news and views about the unrest in Iran . With international media operating under restrictions in Iran , independent journalists using blogs and social networking sites have become an important source of information . `` What 's happening in Iran is not being reflected globally . We want to let the world know and let the state know that the world is watching , '' said Valadbaygi . During the deadly street demonstrations in Tehran on December 27 , Valadbaygi said his web site had 17 million hits in two days . The site , which is maintained by about 12 volunteers , wobbled and slowed down , but stayed up and running . `` We 've already experienced a large number of viewers on our blogs and web sites and therefore we have been hacked by the regime of Iran repeatedly and unfortunately have lost access to many of our web sites . But introducing this web site -LRB- to -RRB- professional colleagues and also lots of viewers who are currently collaborating with us has helped in achieving wonderful results in the past few days . '' Valadbaygi believes in the power of social media . He is active on Facebook and Twitter and maintains a blog called Revolutionary Road . `` Facebook and Twitter have turned into a strong tool for people in spreading news . Citizen journalists have the most effect on news and today we clearly see that each citizen in Iran is acting as a media . Therefore we have the responsibility in gathering the news in one place to achieve a better result against the regime 's censorship , '' he said . Valadbaygi , who says he was expelled in 2008 from Amirkabir University in Tehran because of his political views , took part in the June protests and distributed underground newspapers as an independent demonstrator , rather than a supporter of opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi . Deciding that he needed to leave Iran to pursue his politics , he says he went first to Turkey before arriving in Canada as a `` political refugee '' and quickly connecting with an ex-pat Iranian community in Toronto . He now works long hours collating information for his web site . Meanwhile , Valadbaygi worries about his parents , brother and sister in Tehran . He says his brother was recently arrested . He communicates with his family using multiple email accounts while his parents use public phones to minimize the risk of the call being traced . And he acknowledges that his network of correspondents in Iran , which he says is spreading to cities beyond Tehran , contact him in the full knowledge that they could attract the attention of the authorities . `` They could track the IP addresses and this could cause problems in the workplace or university . '' Valadbaygi says eight of the people he has worked with in the past are currently in jail . Assessing the latest street demonstrations , Valadbaygi says the protest movement is fragmented with diverse demands but there is a groundswell of public opinion that wants a new secular government . `` It 's important that a leadership emerges as quickly as possible otherwise it might all die down . '' | Exile 's network is getting news out of Iran and onto the Internet . In two days after December 27 violence , he said he had 17 million hits . Saeed Valadbaygi left Iran after taking part in protests in June . He acknowledges journalists , bloggers take risks in contacting him . | [[882, 946], [949, 1011], [329, 379], [2029, 2039], [2144, 2174]] |
L'AQUILA , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rescuers worked into the early morning hours Tuesday in hopes of finding survivors of a powerful earthquake that ripped through Italy 's mountainous Abruzzo region , killing scores of people and leaving tens of thousands homeless . People cue in line to receive aid in L'Aqulia following Monday 's earthquake . Tearful survivors , many of them clad in pajamas and blankets , watched as bodies were pulled from the rubble in the medieval city of L'Aquila , about 120 km -LRB- 75 miles -RRB- northeast of Rome . The quake killed more than 150 people , L'Aquila 's fire department said late Monday . Nearly 24 hours after the quake hit , authorities were still unsure how many people remained trapped in the wreckage . `` We think maybe 70 to 100 , '' said Francesco Rocca , a spokesman for the Italian Red Cross . `` We still do n't know the exact number . This is why we are still working very , very hard at the moment . '' Another body was found in the rubble of a student dormitory early Tuesday morning , and at least five other students were believed inside . But aftershocks hindered rescuers early Tuesday , and they have asked for additional equipment and expertise from Rome , authorities at the scene told CNN . Italy 's Civil Protection agency reported at least 1,500 injured and 50,000 without shelter . `` I can say there 's hardly a building which was left without some sign of what has happened in the historical center of L'Aquila , '' Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said during a visit to the stricken region . `` All the public buildings have been affected . '' Berlusconi said 4,000 people were working on the rescue effort . Civil defense officials said they are prepared to house up to 30,000 people , but many of those displaced have gone to hotels . Of the 150 dead , about 100 bodies have been identified , the officials said . Monday 's earthquake was about 10 kilometers -LRB- 6.2 miles -RRB- deep , the USGS said . About 10:20 p.m. -LRB- 8:20 p.m. GMT -RRB- Sunday , a 4.6-magnitude earthquake hit northern Italy , about 55 km -LRB- 35 miles -RRB- southeast of Bologna , the agency said . That earthquake 's depth was 6.4 km -LRB- 4 miles -RRB- . The quake is the deadliest to strike Italy in decades , and the first major temblor to strike the country in almost seven years . Joshua Brothers , an American missionary , told CNN that the quake `` sounded as if a 747 -LRB- jet -RRB- was actually coming in to land . '' `` That was the first thing that was on my mind , '' he said . The quake left stone buildings in heaps , with rubble spilling over parked cars and into alleyways . Frightened residents rushed into the streets , many of them bringing luggage with them , Brothers said . See images of the destruction '' `` If you look along the way , there are many palazzi that are cracked , walls have fallen in on some of them , '' he said . Watch Brothers describe devastation '' L'Aquila 's hospital was damaged as well , forcing doctors to evacuate the most seriously hurt . Agostino Miozzo , the director-general of Italy 's Civil Protection agency , called it `` a disaster on a huge scale . '' iReport.com : ` The house shook for such a long time ' The magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck at 3:32 a.m. -LRB- 1:32 p.m. GMT Sunday -RRB- , Italy 's . Berlusconi declared a state of emergency and canceled a trip to Russia to oversee the rescue efforts . Three significant aftershocks -- ranging from magnitude 4.3 to 4.8 -- shook the area within six hours of the quake , unnerving residents further . See a map showing the epicenter '' The earthquake followed less than six hours after another quake hit the northern part of the country , the U.S. Geological Survey reported . Seismic activity is not uncommon in Italy , which is sandwiched between the European and African tectonic plates , and USGS geophysicist Amy Vaughan called the region geographically `` complex . '' Learn more about how earthquakes are measured '' In 1997 , an earthquake killed 10 people in the Umbria region , left tens of thousands homeless and seriously damaged monuments and artwork , including the town of Assisi 's famed Basilica of St. Francis . About 17 years before the Umbria quake , a 6.5-magnitude temblor in southern Italy killed 3,000 people , according to the USGS . Pope Benedict XVI was praying for the `` victims , especially the children , '' killed in Monday 's quake , the Vatican said , according to Italian news agency ANSA . CNN 's Paula Newton , Hada Messia and Diana Magnay contributed to this report . | About 50,000 people without shelter , Italy 's Civil Protection agency says . Italian prime minister : Tents being provided for quake survivors . People rush into streets , many buildings in L'Aquila destroyed . 6.3-magnitude quake strikes northeast of Rome . | [[231, 267], [1257, 1350], [2647, 2691], [3223, 3304]] |
Mexico City , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four suspected drug cartel members have been arrested in connection with the slaying of a family in what authorities call an act of revenge for the death of a drug baron , a state attorney general said Wednesday . The shootings early Tuesday that led to the deaths of four family members of 3rd Petty Officer Melquisedet Angulo Cordova was an act of revenge carried out by Los Zetas , a drug cartel allied with the Beltran Leyva cartel , said Rafael Gonzalez Lastra , attorney general for the southern Mexican state of Tabasco . The suspects were arrested Tuesday night , he said . Cordova was killed in the December 16 shootout that resulted in the death of Arturo Beltran Leyva , nicknamed the `` boss of bosses , '' during a raid by a Mexican navy contingent at an upscale resort condo in Cuernavaca , Mexico . Angulo Cordova was hailed as a hero by President Felipe Calderon and laid to rest in his home state of Tabasco . Early Tuesday , gunmen entered the family 's home and opened fire , killing Angulo Cordova 's mother , sister and aunt . Angulo Cordova 's brother was injured in the shooting and later died in a hospital . The Zetas , the protection arm of the Gulf cartel that also operates as its own trafficking organization , carried out revenge killings because of an alliance between them and the Beltran Leyva group , Gonzalez Lastra said . Two of the arrested cartel members were responsible for the payments for the killings , and two acted as lookouts during the incident , he said . The suspects were identified as Julio Acosta Saucedo , Yesenia Hernandez Valencia , Azael Jesus Garcia Reyes and Julio Acosta Vargas . Gonzalez Lastra said authorities know the identities of the shooters as well as the vehicles used in the attack . Some local police officers were also involved , he said . | NEW : Two of the arrested were responsible for payout ; two acted as lookouts , official says . Four family members of 3rd Petty Officer Melquisedet Angulo Cordova were killed . Tabasco attorney general says slayings were an act of revenge carried out by Los Zetas . Cordova was killed in the shootout that resulted in the death of Arturo Beltran Leyva . | [[1398, 1483], [1490, 1531], [254, 281], [287, 375], [983, 989], [1035, 1087], [145, 209], [212, 253], [254, 281], [376, 397], [390, 422], [622, 668], [644, 668], [674, 719]] |
MERRICK , New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` This is a healthy 9-year-old boy . How in the world could his heart just stop ? '' Robbie Levine died at age 9 after running the bases at a Little League game . Standing in the emergency room the night of September 27 , 2005 , that 's the question Jill Levine kept asking herself . She 'd just gotten news that she found impossible to comprehend : Her eldest son , Robbie , a fourth grader , had died . About an hour earlier , Robbie had been running the bases at Little League practice near their home in Merrick , a suburb of New York City . Levine 's husband , Craig , who coached the team , was standing at first base when Robbie ran by him . `` I remember thinking I 'd never seen him run so fast , '' he recalled . But seconds later , he turned to see that his son had collapsed right on home plate . Craig Levine ran to Robbie 's side , realized that Robbie did n't have a pulse and began administering CPR . Several minutes passed before an ambulance arrived . Robbie was pronounced dead at the hospital . With two other young children , Jill Levine says she did n't give herself the option to become paralyzed with grief after her tragic loss . Instead , she took action . `` I knew that -LSB- Robbie -RSB- could have had a chance if there was a defibrillator , '' she says . So for the past 2 1/2 years , Levine has dedicated herself to raising awareness about the need for these cardiac devices in youth sports , which she does through her Robbie Levine Foundation , co-founded with her husband . Automated external defibrillators -- also known as AEDs -- administer electrical shocks that can restore a heart to its normal rhythm . When used in conjunction with CPR , these machines can make the difference between life and death . The American Heart Association reports that after sudden cardiac arrest , every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces survival by 7-10 percent . More than 165,000 adults die from sudden cardiac arrest each year , according to the heart association . While statistics are n't kept regarding the number of children who experience such incidents , some states have laws requiring defibrillators in schools . Yet Levine believes that if an incident occurs on a playing field , even having a defibrillator in a nearby school building might not be enough . `` Literally every minute counts , '' she stresses . `` When you 're out using a field , it 's too far away . '' Watch Levine recall the personal tragedy that motivated her to take action '' Through her foundation , Levine works to convince youth sports leagues to buy defibrillators and get people trained to operate them . She spends her days sending out an educational DVD produced by her foundation and talking to parents and coaches . Since defibrillators cost between $ 1,200 and $ 1,600 , her foundation often donates one to a league that commits to starting a program . But even so , Levine often encounters resistance . `` The biggest obstacles that we face are people 's fears , '' she says . `` But I just keep repeating over and over again : ` If it 's not there , it ca n't help . ' '' Watch Levine and her husband describe some misperceptions about defibrillators '' Levine 's goal is to make defibrillators mandatory safety equipment for youth sports , like a batting helmet in baseball . To date , she has raised approximately $ 200,000 and has helped put more than 100 defibrillators on playing fields around the country . Watch Levine explain some ways to help keep young athletes safe '' For Levine , keeping other kids safe is the best way to honor Robbie . `` This horrific thing happened to us , '' she says . `` All I can do is make it so that no other family ever has to go through this . '' | Robbie Levine died at age 9 after running the bases at a Little League practice . His parents set up a foundation in his memory to raise defibrillator awareness . Automatic defibrillators can help make the difference between life and death . She has helped put 100-plus defibrillators on playing fields around the U.S. | [[124, 201], [444, 554], [1685, 1718], [1721, 1784], [3358, 3361], [3389, 3483]] |
Sanaa , Yemen -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab disappeared in Yemen for more than two months before he allegedly tried to bring down a Northwest Airlines jet with explosives concealed in his underwear . Investigators want to know if , during that time , he heeded the call to prayer coming from the hills above Yemen 's capital , where an Islamic university headed by a fiery cleric has helped the country earn its reputation as an incubator of extremism . The students who pray at Al-Iman University now , two weeks after that failed Christmas Day attack , say the school has been made a scapegoat , and that what AbdulMutallab is accused of having done is wrong . `` It 's against Islam , '' one says . `` The thoughts in their heads go against Islam , '' says another . AbdulMutallab 's alleged attempt to ignite explosives as the jet approached Detroit , Michigan , resulted in a fire on his lap -- and serious burns -- before passengers and flight crew subdued him and put out the flames . Al-Imam 's leader is Sheikh Abdel Majid al-Zindani , a provocative cleric with a flaming red beard . The United States considers him a terrorist , accused in 2004 of supplying weapons to al Qaeda . But in Yemen , al-Zindani is a free and influential man . Al-Zindani denied CNN 's request for an interview but allowed the network to tape at the school he 's built from the ground up since the early 1990s . Every year , thousands of Islamic students from Yemen , Africa and around the world are cocooned in al-Zindani 's compound , where they study their faith and are instilled with a strident defense of that faith . Last year , al-Zindani made a public plea to recruit millions of young men to fight jihad against Israel . But the students say they do n't think AbdulMutallab was ever at the school , and investigators do n't appear to have come to ask . Yemeni authorities , it seems , have taken a hands-off approach to the university . `` To my knowledge , no security , no investigation teams came here , '' political science professor Ismail al-Suhaili said . `` Nobody thought that AbdulMutallab was here . '' In Yemen , Al-Iman University is highly respected and its leader admired , making it difficult for investigators to find out for sure if the Christmas Day bombing suspect was ever there . | Officials want to know if attack attempt suspect visited Al-Iman University . School is run by Sheikh Abdel Majid al-Zindani , who the U.S. considers a terrorist . Students at the university say terrorism goes against their Islamic faith . | [[2225, 2313], [1007, 1057], [1108, 1204]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Air travel security is being increased as authorities continue to question how a man got explosives on a U.S.-bound passenger jet , according to federal officials , including the president and his homeland security chief . Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told CNN 's `` American Morning '' on Monday that officials would review how anti-terrorist watch lists are maintained . Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab , who is accused of trying to blow up a flight carrying 300 passengers , was on a general list that contained 550,000 other names , but he was still allowed to travel to the United States . A senior administration official said the suspect was not on a no-fly list because `` the info on him was not deemed specific enough to pull his visa or put him on a no-fly list . '' `` Under the existing protocols , it requires an interagency process and the identification of other negative information that 's credible ... and that process whittles down from 500,000 -LSB- names -RSB- or so that are on the generic list to the fewer than 5,000 that are on the no-fly list , '' Napolitano said . `` We are going to be looking at that process and how those lists are created , maintained , updated , exchanged and the like , because clearly this individual should not have been able to board this plane carrying that material . '' AbdulMutallab is accused of trying to blow up a Northwest flight from Amsterdam , Netherlands , to Detroit , Michigan , on Christmas Day . Officials say he carried an explosive device that contained pentaerythritol tetranitrate , an explosive also known as PETN . Part of the device , which failed to detonate , was sewn into his underwear , a law enforcement official said Monday . President Obama , in his first public comment since the incident , said Monday that screening and security procedures for all flights were immediately enhanced , including an increase in the number of air marshals on international flights . The federal system for tracking potential terrorism suspects will be reviewed because the latest incident showed that it had possible failings , the president said . All screening policies , technologies and procedures for air travel will be reviewed `` to determine just how the suspect was able to bring dangerous explosives aboard an aircraft and what additional steps we can take to thwart future attacks , '' Obama said . A Department of Homeland Security official who asked not to be identified said Sunday that the ranks of the air marshals have been increased by cutting vacations and leave , and by pulling in marshals from instructional and administrative posts . On CNN 's `` State of the Union '' Sunday , Napolitano said air marshals are assigned randomly to flights . Current and former marshals contacted by CNN took exception to Napolitano 's claims , saying that although there is an element of randomness to increase unpredictability , the assignments of air marshals are largely based on intelligence and an analysis of which flights are most vulnerable or most attractive to terrorists . Despite a possible tragedy , Napolitano said the response system worked , as passengers and crew avoided panic and subdued the suspect while authorities notified other flights in the air of the situation and kept the air transport system operating . `` Once the incident happened , we were able to immediately notify the 128 flights in the air , as well as airports on the ground domestically , internationally , our law enforcement partners , other allies , institute immediate safe procedures to make sure that this could not happen on other flights and that people were watching out for it on other flights , even as we focused on what went wrong prior to this one , '' Napolitano added Monday . The Transportation Security Administration invoked a `` one hour rule '' after the thwarted attack , which prohibited passengers on international U.S.-bound flights from leaving their seats during the last hour of a flight , sources said . In addition , passengers had to stow pillows and blankets , and maps viewed on in-flight entertainment screens were disabled during the final hour of flight . The TSA has modified the rule , however , giving airlines and crews discretion over implementation , sources said . CNN 's Erin McLaughlin and Brian Todd contributed to this report . | NEW : Screening procedures enhanced ; more marshals put aboard . NEW : Homeland security chief says terrorist lists to be reviewed . Janet Napolitano says air marshals are assigned randomly . Current , former marshals take exception to Napolitano 's claims . | [[1739, 1754], [1757, 1784], [1806, 1979], [332, 407], [2654, 2695], [2698, 2761], [2762, 2806], [2762, 2789], [2807, 2845]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The H1N1 virus has now become the dominant influenza virus around the globe , with high levels and an increase of activity in many regions , the World Health Organization said Thursday . In a weekly update , the WHO 's point person on the H1N1 virus , Dr. Keiji Fukuda , also warned the public not to treat the virus like just another flu . Like seasonal flu , H1N1 is more active in the winter than in the summer , and a majority of infected people get better on their own , Fukuda said . H1N1 also is as transmissible and infectious as seasonal flu , he said . But unusually for influenza , Fukuda said , H1N1 continues at high levels over the summer months , and many of the serious illnesses and deaths are concentrated in people younger than 65 . Seven months into the pandemic , the virus commonly known as swine flu remains at high levels and continues to increase in North America , Fukuda said . Mexico , for example , has seen more cases from September to November than they saw in the preceding months from April , when the virus emerged , he said . The virus is also becoming more active in Europe and Central and Western Asia , Fukuda said . Health officials this week reported an outbreak of cases in Ukraine , which now has more than 250,000 cases of influenza-like illness , with 235 patients requiring intensive care , the WHO said . Activity is picking up in East Asia , Fukuda said . Mongolia reported `` a number '' of cases over the past week , he said . `` East Asia is one of the parts of the world where seasonal influenza viruses have remained in reasonably high circulation , '' Fukuda said . `` But even in that part of the world , the pandemic virus is becoming dominant . '' More cases are being reported from a number of Caribbean countries such as Cuba and Haiti , he said . In Central America and the Southern Hemisphere , however , activity levels have dropped as those regions enter the summer season , Fukuda said . `` There are several regions in the world -- North America , Europe , Northern and Central Asia -- where we are clearly seeing pandemic influenza activity increase , '' he said , but `` there is no one single place in the world where we are focused on . '' Disease activity has been difficult to predict , Fukuda said . `` We really are not going to know what the future is going to bring , and so the main focus of our effort here is ... what steps are needed to make sure countries are as prepared as possible to deal with disease levels , '' he said . H1N1 poses different challenges in different countries , but it does seem to be affecting indigenous groups more heavily than nonindigenous groups , he said . In Australia , for example , `` aboriginal groups are disproportionately represented in people who end up in hospitals from diseases related to the pandemic , '' Fukuda said . The WHO still does n't know whether the effect on indigenous groups is because of the pandemic itself or because of underlying factors . Because most people infected with swine flu tend to recover on their own and do n't suffer major problems afterwards , some people are tempted to dismiss the infection and think it 's not serious . But Fukuda said that 's a dangerous mind-set . `` At WHO , we remain quite concerned about the patterns we are seeing , particularly because a sizable number of people develop complications -LSB- that lead to death -RSB- , '' he said . `` We do see that the serious complications are concentrated in the younger age groups rather than the older age groups . '' While the complications are most often seen in people who have chronic , underlying health conditions and in pregnant women , they also can develop in people `` who are currently healthy and young . '' But contrary to some reports , Fukuda said , the WHO has not seen big mutations in the virus since it first emerged . He said viruses being isolated now are `` generally similar '' to those isolated over the past several months , indicating they have n't changed much . The WHO also has no evidence of widespread resistance to antiviral medication , Fukuda said . There have been sporadic instances of resistance to oseltamivir -- the generic name for Tamiflu , one of the main drugs used against influenza -- but such cases are still `` isolated and infrequent , '' he said . `` Antivirals are quite useful against these infections , '' he said . Fukuda praised as `` innovative '' the decision by Norway to distribute antiviral medication over the counter for a limited period of time . The move can help take stress off the primary health system and allow patients to get the medicine more quickly , he said . Other useful protections against H1N1 are vaccines , which the WHO recommends against pandemic infections , Fukuda said . `` These vaccines now have been used in a significant number of countries ... and based on this experience , in which millions of people have now received vaccine , we in fact see that these vaccines are very safe , '' he said . The only side effects are swelling and pain at the injection site , but `` these are occurring at rates that are expected and usually seen with seasonal influenza vaccine , '' Fukuda said . `` WHO , along with other public health authorities , believes that these vaccines are very useful against pandemic infections and -LSB- we -RSB- do support their use , '' he said . | H1N1 continues at high levels over the summer months , unlike seasonal flu . The flu seems to affect indigenous groups more heavily than nonindigenous groups . The only side effects of the vaccine are swelling and pain at the injection site . WHO has not seen big mutations in the virus since it first emerged . | [[626, 678], [832, 864], [2586, 2632], [2586, 2588], [2599, 2671], [3789, 3800], [3803, 3875]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. President Barack Obama is expected on Monday to meet with the Shanghai mayor and hold a town hall-style meeting with `` future Chinese leaders '' before heading to Beijing to meet his host , Chinese President Hu Jintao . Trade issues are likely to be a major discussion topic between the two leaders ; the United States imports billions of dollars in Chinese products each year . At local markets , Chinese government officials banned a popular Obama shirt over fears that it would offend their guest . It depicts Obama wearing a Chinese Communist outfit made famous by Mao Zedong , the late Communist leader . The back has `` Oba-Mao '' printed on it . Obama 's visit comes as China relishes its spot as a key global player . It is involved in major international disputes such as the showdowns with Iran and North Korea and has used its position on the U.N. Security Council and its economic leverage to influence events around the globe . China also is now the dominant regional player in northeast Asia , recently hosting a summit in Beijing with the Japanese and South Korean leaders . The nation 's economic expansion has led to a demand for raw materials around the world and the rapid expansion of China 's presence in countries such as Guinea , Myanmar , Sudan and Venezuela . Human rights groups say China is propping up repressive regimes to secure its access to critically important raw materials . China 's rapid economic expansion outpaces growth in the United States , 8.9 percent in the past quarter versus 3.5 percent in the United States , giving Beijing huge economic leverage . Obama 's half-brother Mark Obama Ndesandjo lives in Shenzhen in southern China . Ndesandjo , an engineer by trade , moved from the United States after losing his job seven years ago . Ndesandjo took the last name of the man his mother remarried and has dodged the media since Obama was elected president . He spoke to reporters about his semi-autobiographical book , `` Nairobi to Shenzhen , '' earlier this month . He said their father was abusive and beat him and his mother . Ndesandjo owns a small chain of restaurants in Shenzhen and teaches piano to orphans . The White House did not say whether the president would see him during his trip . The final stop of his Asia trek is Seoul , where Obama will meet with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and deliver a speech to American troops at Osan Air Base . Obama is on an eight-day journey that has also taken him to Japan and Singapore , where he attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations economic forum . He 'll return to the United States on Friday . | In Shanghai Obama will hold town hall-style meeting with `` future Chinese leaders '' Obama 's half-brother Mark Obama Ndesandjo lives in Shenzhen , China . Obama is on eight-day trip through Japan , Singapore , China and South Korea . | [[0, 15], [105, 169], [1622, 1643], [1665, 1702], [2270, 2310], [2436, 2468], [2448, 2468], [2474, 2515]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nude photos and other potentially objectionable materials have been showing up in the iPhone application store in recent weeks , raising questions about Apple 's ability to control iPhone content . An iPhone app called BeautyMeter was pulled from the app store after a nude photo surfaced . In the most recent example , a nude photo of a young woman , reported to be 15 years old , showed up on an iPhone application called `` BeautyMeter , '' according to Wired.com and Krapps.com , an app review site . CNN could not independently confirm the young woman 's age . The photo , which apparently was submitted by one of the photo-sharing app 's users , prompted Apple to remove the entire mobile application from its online store . Funnymals , maker of the BeautyMeter app , which lets users upload and posts photos of people and then rank them based on `` hotness , '' says in a statement on its Web site that it agrees with Apple 's decision to yank the phone application from its online store . Funnymals also says its policies prohibit people from posting nude photos to the application . Neither Funnymals nor Apple responded to requests for comment . About a week earlier , another mobile phone application , `` Hottest Girl , '' showcased a photo of a topless woman and also was pulled from the iPhone app store . `` Apple will not distribute applications that contain inappropriate content , such as pornography , '' an Apple company spokesman said at the time . The explicit material is putting attention on Apple 's attempts to filter out potentially objectionable apps before they 're posted on its app store . The iPhone app store , with more than 50,000 applications , is the most popular entertainment and information venue of its kind for mobile phones . Observers say the successful app store buoys the iPhone 's popularity and adds to Apple 's sterling image as a hip and family-friendly company . The explicit content has the potential to tarnish that image . But Apple , like any company or Web site that hosts user-submitted content , may be engaged an impossible task by trying to keep all offensive material from the app store . Some iPhone apps are developed by Apple , but many are submitted for approval by third-party developers . Phil Malone , a clinical professor of law at Harvard Law School , said it 's unlikely Apple or app developers could be held liable for potentially illegal content that might show up in phone apps , as long as they did n't know about the questionable content in advance . It would be impossible for Apple or developers to keep all potentially objectionable material out of the app store , since much of the content is submitted by users , he said . As the quantity of new apps and updates for apps increases , it becomes all the more difficult for the company to keep up , said Dan Moren , associate editor of Macworld , a blog about all things Apple . Joshua Topolsky , editor in chief of Engadget , a technology blog , said the impossibility of policing all app store content should free Apple from some blame . `` It 's completely out of Apple 's control that someone uploaded a nude photo , and to some extent , it 's out of the -LSB- app -RSB- developer 's hands as well , '' he said . More pressing , Topolsky said , are Apple 's nebulous policies about which apps get the company 's stamp of approval . Apple does not tell developers or the public exactly how the decision process works , he said . Apple did not respond to CNN 's request for comment on this story . The mysterious approval process frustrates app developers and could lead some to turn away from Apple and move on to other phones , said Jared Brown , an app developer . In some cases , applications have been banned from the iPhone app store for showcasing material that also would be easily accessible through iTunes or by using Apple 's mobile Web browser . A Nine Inch Nails application , for example , reportedly was pulled by Apple because it streamed a song with offensive lyrics . Band leader Trent Reznor lashed out against Apple on his Web site , calling the company hypocritical and pointing out that the song in question also was available on iTunes . In a similar incident , a Twitter app called `` Tweetie '' was pulled because it gave access to offensive words on Twitter.com . It was later put back on the app store . And an iPhone app that allowed users to shake a digital crying baby to death was yanked from the app store in April . Apple issued an apology , calling the app `` deeply offensive '' and a `` mistake . '' Unlike Apple , which acts as a gatekeeper , Google lets developers post games and other programs to its Android app store without going through a screening process . Brown said he favors this idea , which lets the Android store 's community flag objectionable content . Apple has said it approves 96 percent of submitted iPhone apps . In a recent update to the iPhone software , Apple included controls that let users choose which types of content they would like to block from their phones . iPhone apps now come with age-appropriateness labels , submitted by developers . Moren said this new parental-control system offers `` fine-grained controls '' and helps iPhone owners decide what content they want to buy . The company is doing anything it can to try to keep pornography and offensive material off the site for public relations reasons , he said . `` They 'd much rather hang onto their image as a family-friendly company '' than let offensive material in , he said . `` I think they 've really cultivated that . '' | Reports say iPhone app posted nude photo of 15-year-old girl . Apple approves mobile phone applications before posting them . Some say it is impossible for Apple to filter out all objectionable material . Legal expert : Apple and developers unlikely to be held liable for user-posted content . | [[217, 309], [310, 336], [339, 368], [371, 398], [310, 336], [339, 368], [401, 435], [1535, 1540], [1553, 1639], [3340, 3383], [0, 76], [148, 188], [2275, 2286], [2341, 2437]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jupiter is sporting a new scar after an unseen object hit the gaseous planet this week , NASA scientists say . This NASA image shows a large impact near Jupiter 's southern pole . An amateur astronomer in Australia noticed the new mark -- seen through telescopes as a dark spot -- on the planet early Monday and tipped off scientists at NASA 's Jet Propulsion Laboratory -LRB- JPL -RRB- in Pasadena , California , who then confirmed it was the result of a new impact , NASA said . It 's not clear what the object was that crashed into Jupiter 's poisonous atmosphere . Glenn Orton , a JPL scientist , told the magazine New Scientist that it could have been a block of ice from somewhere in Jupiter 's neighborhood , or a wandering comet that was too faint for astronomers to have detected before impact . The object created a mark on Jupiter that has the about same diameter as Earth , though the object itself was probably only 50 to 100 miles across , said Anthony Wesley , the amateur astronomer who first noticed the scar . The mystery object was likely moving at speeds of about 50 to 100 kilometers -LRB- 31 to 62 miles -RRB- per second when it struck near Jupiter 's south pole , Wesley told CNN . `` That generates an unbelievable amount of energy when it collides with pretty much anything , but especially with something the size of Jupiter , '' he said . It is only the second time scientists have been able to observe the results of such an impact on Jupiter . The first happened 15 years ago , when comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 broke into 21 pieces and hit the planet 's atmosphere . `` Given the rarity of these events , it 's extremely exciting to be involved in these observations , '' JPL astronomer Leigh Fletcher said in a NASA interview . Thermal images taken by NASA show the scar as a bright spot , which means the crash warmed the lower atmosphere in that area , New Scientist said . Researchers also found hints of higher-than-normal amounts of ammonia in the upper atmosphere . The Shoemaker-Levy comet also churned up extra ammonia , the magazine said . Jupiter 's new spot is n't likely to last long -- probably just one to two weeks , Wesley said . He pointed out the impact scars from the Shoemaker-Levy debris lasted only two to three weeks before disappearing . Seeing an Earth-sized spot appear so tiny on Jupiter 's surface led to some to wonder Tuesday whether our planet might be in danger of a similar collision . But Wesley said that should n't be a concern because Jupiter functions almost like a celestial vacuum cleaner , sucking up any objects that would be of danger to Earth and its neighbors . `` Jupiter is doing a very good job in scooping up a lot of this material that 's still floating around in the solar system , '' he said . `` It 's just got so much gravity as it swings around the outer part of the solar system , it can really pull in and swallow up many of the cometary objects and debris left over from the formation of the solar system . `` So it 's doing a good job in keeping us safe by cleaning out a lot of these bits and pieces . '' Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and the largest in our solar system . Its colorful atmosphere is 86 percent hydrogen and 14 percent helium , with tiny amounts of methane , ammonia , phosphine , water , acetylene , ethane , germanium , and carbon monoxide . The chemicals are responsible for producing the different colors of Jupiter 's clouds . The temperature at the top of those clouds is about 230 degrees below zero Fahrenheit -LRB- 145 degrees below zero Celsius -RRB- , but it is far hotter near the planet 's center . The core temperature may be about 43,000 degrees Fahrenheit -LRB- 24,000 degrees Celsius -RRB- , hotter than the surface of the sun . The most outstanding feature on Jupiter 's surface is the Great Red Spot , a storm of gas that swirls at a speed of about 225 miles -LRB- 360 kilometers -RRB- per hour at its edge . The spot -- which has been shrinking -- has a diameter equal to about three times that of Earth . | Amateur astronomer spots new mark on solar system 's largest planet . NASA confirms discovery is result of object crashing into Jupiter 's atmosphere . Scientists say object could be a block of ice or a wandering comet . Object has left scar the size of Earth in Jupiter 's southern polar region . | [[19, 72], [199, 326], [824, 860], [995, 1017], [1028, 1046], [1531, 1553], [1579, 1609], [588, 599], [620, 732], [19, 72], [130, 198], [824, 860], [1167, 1203]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When the New York Jets face the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday for what may be the final football game played at Giants Stadium , fans in attendance wo n't be able to drown their sorrows or toast a victory . The Jets have banned the sale of alcohol on Sunday at the stadium they 've called home for 26 years . `` With the late start of Sunday 's game , coupled with this being the final regular season and final game at the stadium , we feel it is prudent not to serve alcohol , '' said Bruce Speight , a spokesman for the team . The Jets approach the decision of whether to serve alcohol on a game-by-game basis , Speight said . Fresh off a victory over the formerly undefeated Indianapolis Colts , the Jets are on the verge of their first play-off berth in three years -- and fans are riled up and ready to go . And Jets fans are known for rowdy behavior -- for example , a half-time `` tradition '' of women baring their breasts for men who loudly urge them to do so . In lieu of alcohol , the Jets said , they 'll pass out green and white `` rowdy towels '' to the first 70,000 fans arriving at the stadium . But the ban has raised the ire of a New Jersey vodka distillery . Majorska Vodka , which calls itself `` one of the largest liquor companies in the Garden State , '' is calling for a 24-hour boycott of Johnson & Johnson products because , according to company spokesman Jeff Scott , Jets owner Woody Johnson is the `` heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune . '' Scott said Majorska plans to stop paying for three of their executive 's seats at the Meadowlands and that the company is set to lose more than $ 100,000 in revenue from tailgate parties this weekend . The New York Jets officially declined to comment , but team spokesman Speight said that `` negative fan reaction has been minimal at best '' and pointed out that vodka is not sold anywhere in the stadium and the ban does not apply to tailgating . But Martin Silver , Majorska 's president and CEO , said fans are shocked and outraged that the Jets are treating their supporters `` like children . '' Silver , a life-long Jets backer with a Joe Namath jersey hanging in his office , is directing his frustration at the team 's ownership because he feels they are `` controlling the game completely . '' He said his company is distributing anti-Johnson & Johnson petitions Friday to 350 sports bars across New Jersey . `` We 're taking this on , right to the top , to Johnson , '' said Silver . Woody Johnson is the grandson of Johnson & Johnson founder Robert Wood Johnson , but is not currently connected to the company . William C. Weldon is the company 's chairman and CEO . None of the Johnson family serves on the company 's management team or board of directors . Johnson & Johnson spokesman Bill Price said that `` officially we have no comment given that the Johnson family has had no managerial role with the company for decades . '' Giants Stadium , part of the Meadowlands Sports complex in East Rutherford , New Jersey , has been home to both the Jets and the New York Giants , who played their first game there on October 10 , 1976 . Early on during their tenancy at Giants Stadium , the Jets refered to the 82,000-seat arena simply as `` the Meadowlands '' although in recent years Jets tickets have used the facility 's official name . The stadium , which has hosted popes , concerts and major league soccer as well as football , is to be demolished after this season . Both New York teams will move into a new stadium just a short distance away next season . That stadium will get its name from a corporate sponsor , yet to be named . CNN 's Kristen Hamill contributed to this report . | Spokesman : Game 's late start , fact that it 's regular season 's last game factored into decision . Decision does not affect tailgaters , negative fan reaction `` minimal , '' spokesman says . CEO of New Jersey vodka distillery says company will stop paying for executive seats . Martin Silver says company set to lose more than $ 100,000 from tailgate parties this weekend . | [[33, 125], [333, 335], [376, 454], [1754, 1945], [1136, 1201], [1497, 1698], [1508, 1683], [1497, 1698], [1508, 1683], [1599, 1698]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Arsenal moved to within three points of leaders Chelsea at the top of the English Premier League after Cesc Fabregas inspired them to a 2-0 victory at Bolton to spoil new manager Owen Coyle 's first match in charge . Captain Fabregas produced an impressive display on his return from a hamstring injury and scored his 10th league goal of the season in the 28th minute after a neat one-two with Eduardo . His surging run then led to substitute and fellow-Spaniard Fran Merida scoring the second 12 minutes from time as former Wanderers player Coyle 's reign at the Reebok Stadium got off to a losing start . With these two teams due to meet in the return fixture at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday , Arsene Wenger 's side could well take over at the top of the table in the next few days . Bolton remain second from bottom , with Coyle having swapped one relegation battle with Burnley for another . Earlier in the day , Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen put the seal on his side 's long-awaited return to winning ways as they overcame Fulham 2-0 at Ewood Park . Nelsen applied the finish to Benni McCarthy 's 54th-minute free-kick to put Rovers within touching distance of their first three-point haul since November . Defender Chris Samba had earlier settled the home side 's nerves with a fortuitous 24th-minute opener after he ricocheted home an attempted clearance by former Blackburn winger Damien Duff . In the day 's other match , Aston Villa failed to cash in on slip-ups by their Champions League-chasing rivals after being held 0-0 at home by West Ham . Villa could have closed the gap on the top four after Manchester City , beaten at Everton , and Tottenham , held at home by Hull , both dropped points on Saturday . But a combination of a below-par performance and some fine saves by Robert Green meant they had to settle for their first goalless draw of the league campaign . | Arsenal move to within three points of Chelsea at the top of the English Premier League . Returning captain Cesc Fabregas scores one goal and makes the other in a 2-0 win at Bolton . The result spoils the debut of new Bolton manager Owen Coyle following his switch from Burnley . | [[19, 115], [122, 176], [170, 235], [537, 625]] |
TOKYO , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Even in the midst of Japan 's deepest economic recession since World War II , the country 's love hotel industry is thriving . The Style A hotel in Tokyo offers amenities . `` I 'd hate to use the term `` recession-proof , '' but it 's certainly proven very resilient over the last six to nine months , '' said Steve Mansfield , CEO of New Perspectives , which operates six love , or `` leisure , '' hotels in Japan . One of them , the Bonita Hotel in Isawa , boasts a 257 percent occupancy rate . Rooms can be rented for three to 24 hours . Mansfield 's company estimates the industry in Japan pulls in $ 40 billion a year in revenue . `` It 's a natural human desire . Even these days , on the weekend , every love hotel is full of people -- it 's hard to get in . You can never stop sexual desire , '' said a woman with her boyfriend in Tokyo , who laughed in embarrassment when asked for her name . Love hotels fill a need for privacy in a country where high population density often means couples have little time alone . Rooms offer a broad assortment of features , including karaoke machines , PlayStation game consoles , DVD players , a variety of cosmetics , customized condoms and indoor-outdoor Jacuzzis . Watch Morgan Neill 's report from inside a love hotel '' Though required by law to have a front desk , most can be rented and entered without talking to a clerk . The days of Japanese being ashamed to enter love hotels are coming to an end , though , Mansfield said . `` Seventy-five percent of our guests are members of our points program , '' he said . `` They carry our points cards , they collect points and they receive gifts . That 's something people are very comfortable with , and I think that reflects the customers that we attract . '' Takashi Yamamoto , who designs love hotels in Tokyo , agreed . `` The bad image that love hotels had has faded over time . Also , customers started to raise their voices and became more selective about choosing hotels . In response , management has improved . '' The flashiest love hotels are found in Osaka , including a Hello Kitty-themed hotel and one with a room featuring a merry-go-round . Tokyo hotels tend to be tamer , focused on winning customers with amenities . The Style A Hotel , for example , offers a suite for $ 190 that includes a full-size Jacuzzi and a private sauna . Though young couples make up the majority of customers , they are not the only ones . One man , who declined to be named , said : `` I go to love hotels when I 'm drunk and do n't feel like going home . '' Whatever the reasons , the hotels have been doing well enough that Mansfield recently went to London , seeking investors to expand . `` The industry has 25,000 hotels , and through our research we 've worked out that 90 percent of owners have five or fewer hotels , '' he said . That fragmentation is a structural inefficiency in the market , he said , one he would like to help correct . | Industry has 25,000 hotels , says Steve Mansfield , CEO of a love hotel operator . Venues include a Hello Kitty-themed hotel ; another has a merry-go-round in a room . Mansfield : the industry pulls in some $ 40 billion dollars a year in overall revenues . Most customers are young people ; flashiest hotels found in Osaka . | [[2725, 2758], [2060, 2085], [2107, 2143], [2117, 2163], [2157, 2192], [606, 669], [2393, 2440]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hours after a security breach forced the closure of a terminal at the Newark , New Jersey , airport Sunday , authorities were still searching for a man who went the wrong way through a checkpoint exit . The incident happened at about 5:20 p.m. at Terminal C , when an individual walked from the public side to the secure `` sterile '' side for passengers who had cleared screening , according to the Transportation Security Administration . No flights were allowed to leave from Terminal C Sunday evening and thousands of other travelers who had reached the sterile area after going through checkpoints were moved back to the public area to be re-screened , the TSA said . Authorities are reviewing video from airport cameras . They are not sure whether the man was once on the sterile side and went back , or if he never went through screening , TSA spokeswoman Anne Davis said . Watch more about the situation in Newark . The incident caused arrival delays and mainly affected Continental Airlines , which is the airport 's largest tenant . CNN 's Alina Cho , who arrived at the airport Saturday night on a flight from Fort Lauderdale , Florida , described the hectic scene : `` For the people who are hoping to fly out of Newark this evening , there is not a lot of movement . '' She said many passengers who had already boarded outgoing flights had to get off planes to be re-screened . `` I just saw one woman pleading with a gate agent , saying that she had two small children and a heart condition -- that she simply could not take this , '' Cho said . `` But of course , there will be no exceptions . '' Flying Continental ? Important company notice . Newark Liberty International Airport , which is about 15 miles from Manhattan , is the second-largest hub for Continental . The airport handles about 35 million passengers a year . CNN 's Susan Candiotti and Ross Levitt contributed to this report . | TSA : Man walks through wrong side of checkpoint exit . Police seek the individual , who walked from the public side to the sterile side . No flights allowed to leave from Terminal C Sunday evening . Incident causes arrival delays and mainly affected Continental Airlines . | [[165, 170], [175, 221], [284, 373], [460, 556], [943, 1018]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Reality TV star Tila Tequila first came to fame via social networking , thanks to her popularity on MySpace . Tila Tequila went quiet on Twitter after an alleged violent incident with an NFL player . Later , she became known as one of the most voracious celebrity tweeters , boasting more than 243,000 followers on Twitter . But it was a more archaic form of technology -- a phone call to police -- that briefly quieted her social media activities and thrust the petite personality into the national spotlight after an allegedly violent encounter with an NFL player . Tequila , whose real name is Tila Nguyen , said she was assaulted by Shawne Merriman , a linebacker with the San Diego Chargers . He has denied the charges . Watch player 's lawyer react to allegations '' According to a statement from the sheriff 's department of San Diego County , California , authorities responded to a disturbance call early Sunday from a woman who said she had been choked and restrained by a male . When police arrived , `` the reporting party identified herself as Tila Nguyen , aka Tila Tequila , and her alleged assailant as Shawne Merriman , '' the statement said . Nguyen , who starred in MTV 's `` A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila '' and its follow-up , `` A Shot at Love 2 With Tila Tequila , '' signed a citizen 's arrest at the scene and was transported to a local hospital , authorities said . Merriman was taken into custody on suspicion of battery and false imprisonment , the sheriff 's department statement said . Merriman 's attorney , Todd Macaluso , told reporters that Nguyen was `` extremely intoxicated and inebriated '' at the time of the incident and that the player tried to make arrangements for her to leave the house . After hours of Twitter silence , Nguyen tweeted Sunday evening that she was safe at home in Los Angeles and thanked fans for their concern and support . She also appeared to deny Merriman and his attorney 's claim by tweeting , `` I am allergic to alcohol . It has been publicly known for years . That is how I got the name Tila ` Tequila ' cuz the irony . I ca n't drink . '' For a few hours on Monday the privacy setting on her Twitter page , @officialTila , was turned on to protect her tweets from being viewed by outsiders . Ian Corbin , founder of CelebrityTweet , said Nguyen is one of the top celebrity tweeters , often posting more than 100 tweets a day . Her abundance of followers has earned her a ranking of `` hot , '' said Corbin , whose site gathers the tweets of about 250 celebrities . Nguyen went quiet before , he said , when there were rumors that she was pregnant by a hip-hop artist . Corbin said he is not surprised that her tweeting has decreased in light of the incident . `` She probably has a legal team telling her not to say much , '' he said . Ardent Tequila fans on Twitter are known as members of the `` TilaArmy , '' and many rallied online after learning of the incident . '' @officialTila you know your #TilaArmy is here 4 your support no matter what !!!! , '' tweeted user BeToRC . Sasha Pasulka , head writer of the entertainment Web site Evil Beet , said Nguyen may have fallen into the trap that many face in their pursuit of celebrity : not being able to shield their personal lives . `` The fame does n't stop just because something bad happens to you and you want some space , '' Pasulka said . `` It 's the same thing you saw with Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan . '' The high-profile nature of the domestic violence case involving singers Chris Brown and Rihanna has heightened public interest in such incidents , Pasulka added . In one of her postings , Nguyen offered a few hopeful words early Monday morning via Twitter : `` The truth will set you free . ... God is with me . '' | Normally active tweeter Tila Tequila was briefly silent after alleged battery . Tequila accused NFL star Shawne Merriman of choking her . She has more than 240,000 Twitter followers and sometimes tweets 100 times a day . Tequila tweeted she 's `` allergic to alcohol '' after accusation of being drunk . | [[129, 218], [408, 414], [423, 466], [129, 218], [348, 350], [471, 586], [587, 594], [630, 671], [945, 952], [957, 1008], [227, 230], [294, 343], [2285, 2288], [2377, 2419], [1908, 1911], [1917, 1980], [1908, 1911], [1969, 1980], [1983, 1984], [1986, 2012]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rep. Patrick Murphy , an Iraq war veteran , kicked off a push Wednesday to persuade Americans that the president should repeal `` do n't ask , do n't tell , '' the policy that prevents openly gay troops from serving in the U.S. military . Rep. Patrick Murphy , a veteran of the Iraq war , says it is time to end `` do n't ask , do n't tell . '' Murphy , D-Pennsylvania , appeared along with several gay , lesbian and straight service members to launch the initiative . `` We can not afford to wait any longer '' for the policy 's repeal , Murphy said at the National Press Club in Washington . `` Now is the time to change this , when our military is stretched so thin '' with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan . A `` Voices of Honor '' tour , sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign , will travel across the country , sharing stories of gay , lesbian and straight servicemen and - women in hopes of garnering support for the Military Readiness Enhancement Act , which would repeal the law that established the policy . The act would allow gay and lesbian Americans to serve in the military without concealing their sexuality . Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese said in a statement , `` We must repeal this discriminatory policy and ensure that our military can recruit and retain the best and the brightest troops regardless of their sexual orientation . '' President Obama has said he wants Congress to repeal the law , but gay rights groups have been angered that the president has not done more to hasten the change . Since Obama took office , 287 service members have been discharged for being gay , according to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network , which supports the repeal . The bill , introduced by Colin Powell in 1993 and signed into law by President Clinton , ended the protocol requiring service members to state their sexual orientation . But Powell now says the time has come to review whether the policy is still necessary . `` Sixteen years have now gone by , and I think a lot has changed with respect to attitudes within our country , and therefore I think this is a policy and a law that should be reviewed , '' Powell said . `` I am withholding judgment , because the commanders of the armed forces of the United States and the joint chiefs of staff need to study it and make recommendations to the president and have hearings before the Congress before a decision is made , '' he added . The military 's top uniformed officer , Adm. Mike Mullen , said Wednesday that it 's clear the president wants the law changed and that he is beginning to work with his staff on how a repeal would be implemented . But , he advised , with two wars ongoing , that the decision not be hurried . `` When I talk about looking at this in the future , we have a force that 's under extraordinary stress , and it 's a force that , you know , should this occur , I think we need to implement in a way that is -- that recognizes the challenges and the stress that we 're under right now , '' said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . `` But , if it does occur , when it does occur , you know , I 'll certainly lead it and carry it out . '' Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently said he is looking for ways to make the policy `` more humane , '' including letting people serve who may have been outed because of vengeance or a jilted lover . But there is plenty of opposition to the repeal . In the spring , more than 1,000 retired officers signed a letter organized by Flag and General Officers for the Military urging Obama to uphold the law . `` We believe that imposing this burden on our men and women in uniform would undermine recruiting and retention , impact leadership at all levels , have adverse effects on the willingness of parents who lend their sons and daughters to military service , and eventually break the all-volunteer force , '' the letter said . The recent shooting death of a sailor has also raised questions about acceptance of gays among troops . The family of Seaman August Provost of Houston , Texas , said they believe that he was killed because of his sexual orientation and his race . But a spokesman for Camp Pendleton , where the shooting took place , said there was no indication early in the investigation that the killing was a hate crime . Still , Genevieve Chase , a straight veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and the founder of American Women 's Veterans , said she believes that not much would change in the military if `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' were repealed . Chase appeared with Murphy at the event Wednesday in Washington . Calling them service members of a `` new era , '' Chase said , `` Gays have been and are already serving openly . ... Allowing discrimination and bigotry to continue is what disrupts cohesion . '' There is no clear timeline for when the bill will be debated in Congress . Obama has said he will sign the repeal if it comes to his desk . | NEW : Amid wars , decision should not be hasty , Joint Chiefs chair says . `` We can not afford to wait any longer '' to change policy , congressman says . President Clinton signed law in 1993 after it was introduced by Colin Powell . Family of dead seaman says they believe he was killed because he was gay . | [[2672, 2682], [2685, 2706], [2709, 2743], [3031, 3082], [269, 288], [319, 355], [499, 566], [1725, 1733], [1775, 1811], [1725, 1774], [1814, 1894], [4024, 4070], [4081, 4166]] |
PADANG , Indonesia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As many as 4,000 people could be buried under the rubble in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes in Indonesia , United Nations officials said Saturday . Indonesian soldiers crawl under the rubble of a collapsed building to search for victims . Local disaster management officials put the death toll from the quakes at 540 . Earlier U.N. figures that put the death toll at 1,100 were just estimates , said El-Mostafa Benlamlih , a U.N. humanitarian coordinator . A 7.6-magnitude quake struck Sumatra on Wednesday and a 6.6-magnitude earthquake hit Thursday morning in the same region . Wednesday 's quake reduced buildings to rubble in the city . People used hammers , chisels and bare hands to dig through debris for survivors and belongings . Watch CNN 's Arwa Damon report on search-and-rescue efforts '' Staff at a local hospital treated the injured outside the semi-collapsed building as bodies of the dead lay in makeshift morgues . An area that now looks like a flattened mess of destruction was , just days ago , a group of three villages . Officials believe 90 percent of the residents -- as many as a few hundred people -- were buried , just one piece of the devastation from two large earthquakes that struck Indonesia in as many days . The stench of dead bodies fills the air . Indonesia 's health ministry and ministry of social affairs said Friday they believe thousands remain buried beneath rubble . The West Sumatran capital , Padang , with about a million residents , is near the epicenter . CNN 's Arwa Damon spoke with a few dozen survivors from these villages in the area , most of whom only made it through because they were n't home during the quake . They remained huddled together in a tent , in shock over what had happened . One older woman said eight of her family members were buried . She had been buried up to her chest and had to dig herself out . Another survivor , a 27-year-old man , told CNN four of his family members were killed . His home used to be on top of a cliff in the area . Now , there is only mud . Search and rescue teams are working with the military , but so far , only 25 bodies have been recovered . With each passing day , the scope of the devastation grows . Watch aftermath at house leveled by quake '' President Obama spoke with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Friday after trying several times to reach him , the White House said . Obama received an update on the situation on the ground from Yudhoyono in the five-minute call . The White House statement says Obama `` offered , on behalf of the United States , to do everything we can to help alleviate the suffering and provide assistance to the relief operation . '' The U.N. 's Holmes told reporters Thursday that hundreds are believed to be injured . `` These numbers , I fear , will rise as more information becomes available , '' he added . Telecommunications are difficult in the region , roads are cut off , and the hardest-hit area , including Padang , lacks power and other services , Holmes said . In addition , heavy rainfall has hindered search and rescue efforts . Some have suggested the damage may be worse than that of a 6.3-magnitude quake centered in the central Java city of Yogyakarta in May 2006 , Holmes said . That temblor killed more than 5,000 people and triggered fears of an eruption from a nearby volcano . Many people wandered the streets of Padang stunned and dazed . Some searched the rubble for survivors . Staff at a local hospital treated the injured outside the semi-collapsed building as bodies of the dead lay in makeshift morgues . Several of the hospital 's buildings were severely damaged . Damage in the town itself was spotty ; some buildings remained intact near others in ruins . `` Aftershocks can be just as devastating as the initial quake , '' said Adjie Fachrurrazi , emergency response coordinator in Indonesia for the CARE aid organization , in a statement . `` After an earthquake of this size , we know the immediate needs are going to be getting safe water , food and emergency supplies to the survivors . The question now is : How bad is it ? We 're hoping for the best , but the information so far is not looking good . '' Amelia Merrick , the operations director for World Vision Indonesia , described the situation as `` quite devastating . '' `` Bridges have gone down , phone lines are in total disrepair , '' she said . `` It 's difficult for us to assess the situation . '' Earlier this month , an earthquake in West Java killed 57 people . CNN 's Arwa Damon and Ben Adams near Padang , Indonesia ; Andy Saputra in Jakarta , Indonesia ; and Tricia Escobedo in Atlanta , Georgia , contributed to this report . | United Nations fears 4,000 buried beneath rubble , current death toll 540 . Rescue efforts hampered by heavy rain , power outages , impassable roads . People use hammers , chisels , bare hands to dig through rubble for survivors . | [[46, 155], [290, 369], [1335, 1460], [1400, 1460], [2967, 2984], [2991, 3030], [3033, 3063], [3094, 3149], [245, 289], [692, 789], [714, 789], [3470, 3510]] |
Bartow , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After more than three decades in prison , a man in Florida was set free Thursday after a DNA test showed he did not kidnap and rape a 9-year-old boy in 1974 . James Bain , 54 , was 19 when he was convicted on charges of kidnapping , burglary and strong-arm rape . Now he will be allowed to go home for the first time in 35 years . `` Mr. Bain , you are a free man , '' the judge said in a Bartow , Florida , courtroom . Bain was serving a life sentence . Bain 's mother , who has been in and out of hospitals in recent years , said that her son 's exoneration is `` hard to believe . '' `` He was just a child when he went in there , '' Sarah Reed told CNN . `` I 've been trying to hold on . I 've had things wrong with me , and I was afraid I would n't be here when he got out . '' Of the 245 people in the United States who have been exonerated by DNA testing , none has spent more time behind bars than Bain , according to the Innocence Project , a national organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted people through DNA testing . `` I thanked the Lord . He must have did it for a reason , '' Reed said . `` The Lord has a reason for putting him in here , and he has a reason for keeping me around for me to see this . '' Melissa Montle , an attorney with the Innocence Project , called Bain last week at his prison in Okeechobee , Florida , to tell him the news . `` I told him and he got very quiet , '' she told CNN . Then he said , `` I 'm really happy , '' and began to choke up , she said . `` He 's been so worried about his mom . He wants to be home to take care of her , '' Montle said . Bain was convicted in 1974 of taking a 9-year-old Lake Wales , Florida , boy from his bed and raping him . According to police records , the victim told police that he fell asleep with his brothers and sisters , but when he woke up a man was dragging him by a baseball field . The boy said he was forced to the ground and raped . The Lake Wales police report says that the boy told police that his attacker had bushy sideburns and a mustache . After being shown five photographs of potential suspects , the report says , the victim picked out the photo of Bain . That 9-year-old boy , now 44 , still lives in Florida and has been made aware of the situation , according to multiple sources . `` He is terrified for people to know who he is , '' said one source familiar with the story . `` Somebody hurt him and scarred him badly , and the right person should be punished for that . '' Florida in 2001 passed a statute allowing cases to be reopened for DNA testing . Four times Bain submitted handwritten motions seeking such testing , only to be denied . His fifth try was successful only after an appeals court ruled that he was entitled to a hearing . Bain 's family has stood by him all of these years . His twin sister , Jannie Jones , told police that James was home with her , watching a popular television medical drama called `` Medical Center '' at the time of the attack . Another sister , Patsy Amos , said , `` I still do n't understand why this happened , but we never doubted him . We knew what type of child he was . '' It was incredibly frustrating , she said . `` It 's just like a death , 'cause there was nothing we can do . He was a family member and we could n't bring him home . There was nothing we could do . It was like death . We had no control over it , '' she told CNN . The prosecutor in the case , Edward Threadgill , is now retired after a career that culminated with a seat on the 2nd District Florida Appeals Court . He will be 78 this month . `` I do n't remember any of the details -LSB- of the case -RSB- , '' he told CNN . `` I do n't remember the defendant . '' But he added , `` It upsets me that an innocent man was in prison . It disturbs me greatly . ... I think we did the best with the technology we had . We did the best we could with what we had . '' Bain 's mother said that while her son was in prison he `` turned away from God , because he thought God abandoned him . '' But , she said , she stayed on him -- on the phone , and during twice-a-month visits -- and eventually , over the years , he came back around to find God again , in prison . Watch report on the DNA exoneration of an Arizona man convicted of rape and murder . Now , she said , she is taking steps to ensure her son is taken care of in a world that has changed so much since he entered prison . She 's putting her house and her car , a 1992 Toyota Camry , in his name . `` I want him to have something by himself . He 's suffered enough . He will never worry about where to stay . No more suffering . He 'll be taken care of , if anything happened to me , '' Sarah Reed said . `` He worries about me all the time . He thought he was doomed to stay there , and now he says , ` Do n't let go . I 'm coming home . ' '' | NEW : James Bain released from prison after more than three decades behind bars . Bain was convicted in 1974 of abducting and raping a 9-year-old Florida boy . His case was reopened after his fifth request to use DNA evidence . The victim , now 44 , said `` the right person should be punished '' for the crime . | [[1652, 1758], [1652, 1656], [1679, 1758], [2619, 2685], [2484, 2534]] |
Tehran , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Iranian national security official has called for demonstrators to be arrested following deadly weekend anti-government protests in Tehran . Soon afterward , an opposition Web site reported a wave of arrests . `` The undignified and disruptive behavior of the rioters is no longer tolerable for our people , since they have brought undignified behaviors to new heights by offending sanctities and values held dear in Islam and Iran , '' Naghavi Hosseini , a member of the Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Commission , told state-run IRNA . `` The Nation 's Judiciary must swiftly arrest the rioters who committed those crimes . '' An opposition Web site , NoroozNews , said government officials took several activists into custody Monday , including some close advisors to opposition leader and former presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi . The government did not immediately respond to the report . Meanwhile , the death toll from Sunday 's anti-government protests in Tehran stood at eight , the country 's Supreme National Security Council said . Are you in Iran ? Share your photos and video and tell us what 's going on . With tight restrictions on international media , CNN could not independently verify the casualties that were reported Monday by state-run Press TV . The Press TV report did not say how many others were arrested . But earlier , Iran 's Deputy Police Chief Ahmad Reza Radan said on state television station IRINN that more than 300 were taken into custody . Opposition Web site Rahesabz.net reported the arrests of at least three figures from the reformist movement and also noted that Tehran 's text messaging system had slowed to a crawl with the outbreak in violence . The toll was the result of clashes that broke out between demonstrators and security forces as large crowds gathered for Ashura , a major religious observance that marks the death of Imam Hussein , grandson of Prophet Mohammed , as a martyr . Some demonstrators over the weekend compared Ayatollah Khamenei -- the supreme leader of the nation 's hardline Islamic government -- to Yazid , the caliph who killed Imam Hussein . Radan said those killed included one person who fell off a bridge and two others who were killed in a car accident during the protests . One of the victims was killed by a bullet , Radan said . But `` considering the fact that the police did not use firearms , this incident is extremely suspicious , and is being investigated , '' he added . Mousavi 's Web site reported that his nephew , Seyed Ali Mousavi , was killed in the demonstrations by a shot to the heart . Press TV late Sunday quoted unnamed police officials as identifying one of the dead as `` Seyyed Ali Mousavi '' but it did not mention the elder Mousavi or any relationship between the two men . Tehran Police Chief Azizollah Rajabzadeh denied that any protesters were killed by security forces . Police did not fire any shots in Tehran , `` and security forces were not in possession of firearms , '' Rajabzadeh told the semi-official news agency ISNA . The state has also said it believes some of the videos may have been staged in order to make the government look bad . The English Web site of state-run news agency IRNA led Monday with a story about Iran 's president , Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , planning a visit to Tajikistan . Of about 20 headlines on the main screen of the Web site , none mentioned the protests . Since the disputed presidential elections in June , protesters have turned public gatherings into rallies against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , who was declared the overwhelming winner of the race . CNN 's Reza Sayah , an Iran native who covers the region , has called recent events an unprecedented uprising , presenting `` the most significant challenge '' the Islamic republic has faced since its government came to power through a revolution 30 years ago . `` Its strength , its power over these past 30 years has been repression , has been intimidation of anyone who 's dissented , '' but the government has n't managed to quell this rebellion , Sayah said . `` And you look at this opposition movement , and you have to ask yourself how . They do n't have a strong leader . They do n't have a structure . They do n't have an organization . But somehow they manage to mobilize and move out . '' The unrest Sunday followed day-long clashes between the two sides in the streets of Tehran on Saturday . On Saturday evening , a pro-government mob barged into a mosque where former president and reformist leader Mohammad Khatami was speaking . The dozens-strong group forced Khatami to end his remarks abruptly when it interrupted the gathering at Jamaran mosque . The protests also came as Iranians were mourning the Grand Ayatollah Hussein Ali Montazeri , a key figure in the 1979 Iranian revolution . Montazeri went on to become one of the government 's most vocal critics . Trita Parsi , president of the National Iranian American Council in Washington , D.C. -- a public critic of Iran 's hardline government -- told CNN 's `` American Morning : `` I think this may actually turn out to be a breaking point . What we 've seen here is how the opposition , six months after the fraud in elections , still have a lot of fight in them . `` I think they 've taken the Iranian authorities by surprise . They 're still coming out in huge numbers , and morale seems to be stronger amongst the opposition than among the security forces at this point . '' `` This could very well end up being one of those indicators that this is not just going to end -- this is going to go for something that can be causing a dramatic change , not only in Iran but in the region as a whole . '' -- CNN 's Josh Levs contributed to this report . | NEW : Clashes broke out as large crowds gathered for major religious observance Ashura . More than 300 arrested , Iran 's deputy police chief says on state TV ; death toll reported to be eight . NEW : CNN 's Reza Sayah : Most significant challenge since Islamic republic came to power . Since June 's disputed elections , protesters have turned public gatherings into rallies against President Ahmadinejad . | [[1784, 1791], [1797, 1864], [1852, 1884], [1887, 1915], [1921, 1952], [470, 489], [572, 593], [960, 969], [972, 1051], [1236, 1335], [1414, 1491], [1498, 1542], [2650, 2761], [3669, 3686], [3781, 3849], [3468, 3611]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The first double portrait of Britain 's Princes William and Harry went on display Tuesday at the National Portrait Gallery . The painting shows the brothers dressed in their military uniforms , chatting to each other at their home at Clarence House , near Buckingham Palace . It is the first portrait to show William and Harry together , the National Portrait Gallery said . It will now hang in the museum alongside other portraits of the royal family . Artist Nicky Philipps said she was able to capture an informal moment , `` a behind-the-scenes glance at the human element of royal responsibility , and to emphasize their brotherly relationship . '' Commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery , the painting shows Prince Harry seated next to Prince William , who is standing to his left . They are wearing the dress uniform of the Blues and Royals regiment of the Household Cavalry , where they are both lieutenants . William also wears the the star and blue sash of the Order of the Garter , a British order of chivalry , which the queen awarded him in 2008 . William , 27 , is now training to be a search-and-rescue pilot with the Royal Air Force , where he holds the rank of flight lieutenant . Harry , 25 , who served in Afghanistan , is training to become a pilot with the Army Air Corps . `` The first portrait of the princes captures them formally dressed , but informally posed , '' said Sandy Nairne , the museum 's director . `` It is a delightful image which extends the tradition of royal portraiture . '' The National Portrait Gallery said it was appropriate that the princes were pictured at Clarence House , which used to be the home of the late Queen Mother . Part of a painting of the Queen Mother is visible above Harry 's shoulder in the portrait , and paintings from her private collection are seen behind William . Philipps , 45 , has had high-profile commissions before , but said it was a `` great privilege '' to paint the two princes . `` They were very good company and although I was commissioned to paint them in their official context , I hope I have also captured some of the brotherly banter that characterized the sittings , '' she said . | This is the first double portrait of Princes William and Harry . Artist Nicky Philipps captured a behind-the-scenes glance of the princes . The portrait will hang in London 's National Portrait Gallery . | [[312, 371], [0, 6], [9, 32], [102, 160]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Blake Mycoskie was traveling in South America when he saw , for the first time , hundreds of children without shoes . TOMS founder and entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie says he wanted to make money and do good at the same time . `` I had never met anyone who did n't have shoes , '' the veteran entrepreneur told CNN . That visit to a village in Argentina inspired the creation of a socially responsible footwear company that blends philanthropy and business . Mycoskie called the company TOMS : Shoes For Tomorrow -- a name that reflects his desire to provide shoes for disadvantaged children in a sustainable way . Mycoskie , now 32 , said he realized he could make money and do good at the same time with TOMS . The company 's mission is uncomplicated : It gives a free pair of shoes to a child in need every time it sells a pair . Santa Monica , Calif.-based TOMS gave away 10,000 pairs of shoes in the first six months after its launch in 2006 . This year the company is on track to donate 200,000 pairs . The stylish slip-ons , which Vogue magazine declared `` cool shoes for a cool cause , '' have become a must-have item among fashion elite and received the People 's Design Award from the Smithsonian 's Cooper-Hewitt Museum last year . By the time he launched TOMS , Mycoskie already had four start-ups under his belt . But he did n't always have his sights set on the business world . Growing up , his aim was to play professional tennis . He trained hard and earned a scholarship to Southern Methodist University , where he studied philosophy and finance . But an injury sidelined him his sophomore year . That 's when he got the idea for his first venture , a college laundry service . Within one year , the business , Easy Laundry , had 40 employees , had expanded to three schools and was generating nearly $ 1 million in sales . That 's when Mycoskie realized he was born to be an entrepreneur and dropped out of school . `` I realized I loved doing this . I realized I loved the idea of creating something out of scratch and seeing it work and seeing the benefits of that , '' he said . Mycoskie eventually sold the company and began other ventures , including an outdoor advertising company and a 24-hours-a-day , 7-days-a-week reality TV channel , which he launched after appearing on the second season of `` The Amazing Race '' with his sister . They finished the competition in third place -LRB- missing out on the million-dollar prize by just four minutes -RRB- , but the experience exposed Mycoskie to the astounding amount of poverty in the world -- a problem that TOMS is tackling today , one pair of shoes at a time . | Entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie is blending philanthropy with business . He is the designer and self-titled `` chief shoe giver '' at TOMS Shoes . His company gives away a pair of shoes for every pair it sells . TOMS expects to donate 200,000 pairs of shoes to children in need this year . | [[154, 258], [154, 189], [232, 258], [411, 450], [456, 490], [787, 827], [836, 864], [991, 1002], [1015, 1040]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Britain 's Ministry of Defense has released files on UFO sightings dating back to the 1970s , including witness accounts and the government 's response . The ministry on Wednesday released the files as part of a four-year project to transfer all of the UFO documents to the National Archives to make them available to curious members of the public . The documents include hundreds of police reports taken from witnesses who describe seeing lights or strange objects in the sky , from southern England and Wales up to Northern Ireland . The files released Wednesday cover 1978 to 1987 . The rest , dating from the 1950s and covering recent history , will be released over the coming years . Reported sightings typically describe various shapes and colors of lights , moving in formation or hovering in the sky . Witnesses reported orange , red , white and green lights that were diamond-shaped , square , or cigar-shaped . They reported them to police , who have a standard 16-question form specifically for UFO sightings . `` The vast majority of them are just ordinary people who 've seen something unusual and thought that they ought to tell someone about it , '' said David Clarke , a professor at Sheffield Hallam University and a UFO expert who worked with the National Archives on the project . In one sighting in January 1985 , a man near Cardiff , Wales , was closing his living room curtains when he saw an object in the sky . He said it moved `` up and down like a bouncing ball , '' then disappeared behind a mountain . Two police officers in Woking , south of London , reported seeing a white light in the sky on Christmas morning 1985 . The light , they said , moved into the nearby area of Horsell , where author H.G. Wells had placed the Martian landing in his book , `` War of the Worlds . '' The person who took the report noted the officers were aware of the connection , writing , `` Genuine report . Two competent officers slightly embarrassed -LRB- Horsell Common features in H.G. Wells -RRB- . '' Two other police officers in Edgware , north London , reported seeing an object in the sky in June 1984 . They viewed it with binoculars for an hour and sketched a picture , showing a white sphere with a ring of blue and red lights . `` The object moved erratically from side to side , up and down and to and fro , not venturing far from its original position , '' the officers wrote . Other reports came from stunned members of the public , pilots , and members of the military . The Ministry of Defense said it examined the reports and held onto the records solely to determine whether enemy aircraft had infiltrated British airspace . Once it was determined that no enemy aircraft were in the sky , it did not investigate further . Watch why the ministry is revealing what it knows about UFOs '' `` The Ministry of Defense has no other interest or role regarding UFO matters and does not consider questions regarding the existence or otherwise of extraterrestrial life-forms , '' it said Wednesday . That leaves many of the incidents simply unexplained , such as an April 1984 report made by a senior air traffic controller at an unidentified airfield . The controller was bringing in a light aircraft for landing when he noticed a series of lights appearing to come down on another runway . The crew of the incoming plane radioed that they saw the lights , too . All reported that they saw the lights come down `` at speed , '' touch down , and disappear . `` They were so concerned about this , they filed an official report , '' Clarke said . `` But what was the thing that they saw ? There 's no evidence from the papers that any further investigations were done and it remains a mystery . '' In 1979 , two years after Steven Spielberg 's alien-visitation movie `` Close Encounters of the Third Kind , '' reports of strange sightings had increased and the House of Lords decided to hold a debate on UFOs . One of the documents released Wednesday is a detailed briefing prepared by the Ministry of Defense for the debate , and it sheds light on the military 's position on the matter . `` There is nothing to indicate that ufology -LRB- the study of UFOs -RRB- is anything but claptrap and no evidence at all of ` alien space craft , ' '' read the briefing , prepared by the ministry for Lord Strabolgi , then government chief whip . At least one report in the files has since been explained , however . A report from August 1985 details the crop circles that two army officers found in a wheat field in Andover , in southern England . They noted one large circle surrounded by four smaller ones , all perfectly round with the wheat pressed down in a clockwise direction . No tracks led up to the circles , they said . The farmer called the army officers because he thought the Army Air Corps had created the circles , but the officers said they were stumped . `` None of us could offer any reasonable explanation , '' they wrote . It is now known that the crop circles were some of many created by two hoaxers named Doug Bowers and Dave Chorley , according to Clarke . `` Doug and Dave , '' as they were called , came forward in 1990 to say they created the circles with a garden roller and planks of wood , Clarke said . `` We now know that this particular circle near Andover was one of the ones that was created as a hoax by these two men , '' he said . | British Ministry of Defense releases files on UFO sightings dating back to 1970s . The documents include witness accounts and the government 's response . Ministry says ufology is `` claptrap '' and no evidence at all of alien space craft . It held onto records to determine if enemy aircraft had infiltrated UK airspace . | [[9, 32], [56, 102], [89, 189], [190, 265], [89, 189], [9, 22], [130, 156], [4147, 4155], [4167, 4292], [2536, 2559], [2565, 2567], [2593, 2692]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- James Bond would be lost without them -- those madcap gadgets merging two technologies that help him beat the bad guys and save the planet . The underwater watch with a built-in Geiger counter , for example ; or the car that doubles as a submarine ; or the exploding bagpipes and missile-launching wheelchair . An artist 's impression of what a Flying Electric Generator might look like . Now a U.S. company has taken a leaf out of 007 's book and developed a similarly unlikely `` combination '' technology . The `` villain '' in this case is not a psychotic , cat-stroking megalomaniac , but something both more prosaic and , potentially , more threatening -- global warming : in particular , how to meet the world 's energy needs without swamping the planet with clouds of atmosphere-clogging pollutants . And the madcap gadget that might just provide a solution ? A helicopter that doubles as a wind turbine . Or , to give it its technical name , a FEG -LRB- Flying Electric Generator -RRB- . The brainchild of Australian engineering specialist Professor Bryan Roberts , the FEG is being developed by San Diego-based company SkyWindPower . Code-cracker turned turbine enthusiast . The latter is headed by David Shepard , who started his career cracking Japanese military ciphers during World War Two , and went on to create the Farrington B numeric font that appears on credit cards around the world . Shepard has long been convinced of the need for a new global energy source to reduce reliance on carbon-emitting fossil fuels . For the last two decades his attention has focused on the electricity-generating potential of high-altitude winds , and when he learnt of Professor Roberts ' prototype `` gyromill '' -- a flying wind turbine that the Australian had been developing since 1979 -- he decided it offered the best model for realizing that potential . The two men started working together in 2002 , and the FEG is the result . High-altitude winds . The guiding principle of the FEG is that wind speed and constancy are far greater at high altitude than they are on the ground , especially in the two major jet streams - the Sub-Tropical Jet and the Polar Front Jet - that exist in each hemisphere -LRB- at around 30 degrees and 60 degrees latitude respectively -RRB- . A turbine at great height , so the theory goes , can generate far more power than a similar turbine at or near ground level . It has been estimated that capturing just one percent of the available energy of these high altitude winds would meet the electricity needs of the entire planet . `` The winds a few miles above the mid latitudes of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are far stronger and more persistent than the winds just above us , '' Shepard told CNN . `` This results in potentially being able to generate electricity for over eighty percent of the time , as opposed to thirty percent of the time at ground-based wind turbine sites . `` The largest ground-based wind turbines currently produce about five megawatts each . We expect typical FEGs to produce about 20 megawatts each . '' Helicopter technology . But how do we get a working turbine up to the necessary height -- at least 15,000 ft -LRB- 4600 meters -RRB- above the earth 's surface ? That 's where helicopter technology comes in . Taking the form of a giant H-shaped frame , the prototype FEG has four huge blades at the four points of the H , each blade 10.7 meters -LRB- 35 feet -RRB- in diameter . These act like the rotors of a helicopter , lifting the FEG to the required height . Once in place , the blades not only keep the FEG air-born , providing lift like the surface area of a kite , but also act as turbines , turning dynamos within the platform that generate electricity , which is transmitted back to earth through a vast aluminum tethering cable . An in-built GPS -LRB- Global Positioning System -RRB- uses satellite technology to ensure that the FEG always remains in the same place , both vertically and horizontally . According to Shepard , development is already at an advanced stage . `` Professor Roberts demonstrated a FEG in Australia at an altitude of sixty feet over a decade ago , '' he told CNN . U.S. demonstration in three years . `` We expect to make a demonstration in the U.S. less than three years from now at high altitude in normal high altitude winds . In four years I would expect this sort of technology to be in active use . '' As with ground-based wind farms , Shepard envisages whole `` sky-farms '' of FEGs hovering above the earth in restricted airspace . Forty-three such FEG `` arrays '' -- each comprising 600 FEGs -- would , he estimates , generate sufficient electricity to power the whole of the U.S. `` Our calculations show that by reserving less than one four-hundredth of U.S. air space , located at relatively remote locations not on airway routes , all of America 's electrical energy needs could be met , '' he says . `` That is considerably less airspace than is already restricted for other purposes , primarily military . '' Not only would the FEGs provide clean energy -- the feedback from environmental groups , according to Shepard , has been overwhelmingly positive -- but at less cost than conventional electricity generation . While each FEG would cost an estimated $ 2,260,000 to build , maintain and support , arrays of FEGS would , in the long term , prove extremely cost effective , generating electricity at about 2 cents per kilowatt hour , as opposed to the 3-5 cents of conventional generating methods . There are risks , of course . Even in restricted airspace there is the possibility of collision with aircraft that unwittingly -- or illegally -- stray into that airspace . Likewise , despite numerous design features aimed at ensuring the stability of the air-born FEG , the possibility of the structure malfunctioning and plummeting to earth can not be excluded . Crashes `` inevitable '' `` Inevitably crashes will occur , '' the SkyWindPower Web site acknowledges , `` Just as airplane crashes occur . `` Statistically , however , FEGs should be just as reliable as commercial airliners , whose safety records are incredibly good . `` And FEGs do n't take off or land at airports teeming with people in and around them . '' Shepard and Roberts are not the only people to have considered harnessing the power of high-altitude winds . Magenn Power , a Canadian company , have been developing a helium-filled , medium altitude wind generator , while in the Netherlands Laddermill has been exploring similar ground using kite technology . SkyWindPower 's FEG , however , is at the forefront of the field , with the U.S. government showing considerable interest in the prototype helicopter-cum-wind-turbine . Whether it will provide a definitive solution to the world 's ever-increasing energy needs remains to be seen . With the effects of global warming and climate change becoming increasingly acute , however , a technology that might once have been dismissed as no more than a James Bond fantasy now looks as if it could have a serious role to play . They might not be quite as sexy as your average Bond adventure , but flying wind turbines could end up generating a lot more heat than 007 and Pussy Galore ever did . ... . Are Flying Electric Generators a crackpot idea ? Or could they help save the planet ? Share your views and read others ' thoughts in the Just Imagine forum . | U.S. company develops `` flying '' wind turbine . Wind energy far greater at high altitude . FEG -LRB- Flying Electric Generator -RRB- would hover at 15,000 feet . Massive air-born wind farms envisaged . | [[7197, 7283], [4498, 4595], [7197, 7283]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Phillip Garrido , who is accused of kidnapping and raping an 11-year-old and then holding her captive for 18 years , apologized in a jailhouse letter sent to a television station , the California station said Thursday . But prosecutors responded , saying Garrido was attempting to manipulate public perceptions of the case . In the handwritten letter this week to CNN affiliate KCRA , Garrido seemed to address the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard . `` First off I want to apologize to every human being for what has taken place , '' KCRA said the letter states . The second sentence of the letter appeared to refer to what Garrido has described as a religious transformation that cured him of his sexual deviancy . It says : `` People all over the world are hearing testimony that through the spirit of Christ a mental process took place ending a sexual problem believed to be impossible . '' Prosecutors charged that Garrido was being manipulative -- and not for the first time . `` It appears once again that Mr. Garrido seeks leniency due to claims of religious transformation and alleged personal change , '' retorted a statement released by the El Dorado County district attorney 's office . `` Our office fully intends to hold Mr. Garrido legally accountable for his actions and see that he is punished to the full extent of the law , '' the statement said , noting that the assertion was `` eerily similar to what Mr. Garrido told the judge who sentenced him in 1977 and the parole board when he duped them into releasing him from prison after serving only 11 years of a 50-year federal sentence ... '' Garrido 's letter , which is the third sent to KCRA , also addressed other issues , but the station declined to release more details . `` We are not releasing the entire letter at this time based on consultations with our attorneys , '' said Anzio Williams , news director at KCRA . `` We will tell the story and reference the letter . '' Read earlier letter from Garrido to KCRA -LRB- PDF -RRB- . Garrido and his wife , Nancy , face multiple felony charges in the 1991 kidnapping of Dugard from South Lake Tahoe , California . Authorities say he and his wife held Dugard in a hidden compound behind their home in Antioch , California , for 18 years . The Garridos have pleaded not guilty . Dugard now lives in seclusion with her mother , Terry Probyn , and Dugard 's two daughters , who police say were fathered by Garrido . In September , an attorney for Dugard 's family said it had been a difficult transition for her and her daughters , who are now 11 and 15 , given that her captivity spanned more than half her life and was the only world she knew for so long . `` But there is no question that she knows that terrible and wrong things were done to her and that those people must be held accountable , '' McGregor Scott said . Dugard will testify against the Garridos , Scott said . He also acknowledged that Dugard would have to relive the trauma in court by sharing the `` very , very sordid tale . '' | NEW : Prosecutor disputes Phillip Garrido 's jailhouse apology letter . Garrido 's letter sent to TV station claims religion cured him of sexual deviancy . Garrido and wife are accused of kidnapping , raping Jaycee Dugard . Dugard now lives with mother , two daughters who police say were fathered by Garrido . | [[0, 15], [136, 168], [150, 197], [578, 689], [663, 689], [695, 729], [996, 1122], [1964, 2022], [19, 36], [41, 65], [2023, 2043], [2054, 2137], [2316, 2396], [2390, 2406], [2413, 2450]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When filmmaker Roman Polanski was arrested Saturday in Switzerland , he was on his way to accept an award for Lifetime Achievement at the Zurich Film Festival . Peers of Roman Polanski have praised him for his talent and lamented his arrest . Polanski 's friend , Swiss filmmaker Otto Weisser , was among the first to publicly run to his defense . `` This is for me a shock . I am ashamed to be Swiss , that the Swiss is doing such a thing to brilliant fantastic genius , that millions and millions of people love his work , '' Weisser said upon learning the director had been detained by Swiss authorities . `` He 's a brilliant guy , and he made a little mistake 32 years ago . What a shame for Switzerland . '' By Tuesday , more than 130 heavyweights in the movie industry had taken up Polanski 's cause . An online petition has been signed by directors such as Marin Scorsese , Woody Allen and Pedro Almodovar , as well as actors . Studio chief Harvey Weinstein told CNN in a statement : `` We are calling every filmmaker we can to help fix this terrible situation . '' Watch a report on celebrities ' feelings about Polanski 's arrest '' Roman Polanski first stormed Hollywood with his psychological thriller , `` Rosemary 's Baby , '' in 1968 . He remains one of the most celebrated directors in Hollywood and the world , despite not having set foot in the United States in more than three decades . `` We stand by and await his release and his next masterwork , '' said Zurich Film Festival Jury President Debra Winger on Monday on behalf of Polanski . Adrien Brody , who Polanski directed in 2002 's `` The Pianist , '' had glowing words when it came to his experience working with Polanski . `` If you have the guidance from someone you admire , like Roman Polanski , who not only is a gifted director and actor , but who knows the subject matter and in my opinion the character that I portray , implicitly , then , it 's a huge gift , '' Brody said . `` I learned a great deal about film and the process , '' the Academy Award winning actor added . `` I spent six weeks without another actor on the set , just Roman and I and a crew -- and that 's , that 's a dream come true for an actor . I cherished those memories . '' `` He is sweet and very strong and is very , very demanding , in the tradition of an auteur , '' said Sigourney Weaver about being directed by Polanski in 1994 's `` Death and the Maiden . '' It 's a reputation Polanski 's earned and maintained , despite his 1977 guilty plea on a statutory rape charge of unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl . Watch the mixed reaction in Switzerland to Polanski 's arrest '' The celebrated director fled the United States and settled in France to escape jail , but by the standards of those in Hollywood , the case is ancient history . `` We hope today that this latest order will be dropped , '' Winger said . `` It is based on a three decade old case that is all but dead , except for a minor technicality . '' Matthew Belloni , who has has been following the Polanski case for The Hollywood Reporter 's legal blog , said the outpouring of support from the film industry is not surprising . `` It is a criminal conviction of a terrible crime , but it is something that the industry is willing to look the other way on , '' Belloni said . `` If Hollywood really gets to look at itself and judge the personal character of a lot of the artists in the community , there would be a lot of empty seats at the Oscars because a lot of people have personal problems . This sort of is at the extreme level of that . '' As Polanski 's star rose after his Oscar-winning hit , `` Rosemary 's Baby , '' the world got to know the director 's back story . He was the son of Polish Jews whose mother died in a concentration camp even as a young Polanski escaped the Nazis . Polanski grew up to become a famous director and married actress Sharon Tate . He later became the object of national sympathy when Tate was murdered by the Charles Manson Family in 1969 . His next big movie , 1974 's `` Chinatown , '' was nominated for 11 Oscars . That success gave Hollywood its heroic tag line for Polanski : Tragic survivor moves on . Actors from his films said they have felt a certain empathy as they are directed by him . `` Roman was one of those poor Krakow ghetto children who had to hide in the latrine , '' said Sir Ben Kingsley , who starred with Weaver in `` Death and the Maiden . '' Brody hailed Polanski for his survival , even in the face of being separated from his parents and losing his mother at Auschwitz . `` He survived alone , basically , in hiding , '' Brody said . `` It 's one of the many things I feel he 's overcome , and what 's wonderful about Roman is that although he 's experienced some tragic things in his life , he also has this unbroken spirit . '' After the rape case , American authorities sought his arrest , but he continued to work around the world on movies such as `` Tess '' and `` The Ninth Gate , '' traveling to film festivals and movie sets . But it was in 2002 when Polanski rocketed back onto the public stage , with `` The Pianist . '' The Holocaust film won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival , igniting a buzz culminating in three Oscars in 2003 , including best actor for Brody and best director for Polanski . Harrison Ford accepted the award in his absence . The crowd at the Kodak Theater roared . The Hollywood Reporter 's Belloni explained Hollywood 's readiness to forgive . `` Look at some of the people who have been involved with scandals , '' Belloni said . '' `` Everyone from Michael Vick , who is now playing football again , to Mel Gibson , who has been involved in a lot of scandals , now he 's working again . America is a very , very forgiving culture , and Hollywood itself . If you are a talent , the industry is willing in many ways to look the other way . '' And the industry is n't alone in wanting to put the past aside . Polanski 's victim , Samantha Geimer , told CNN 's Larry King in 2003 that she wished the story and the case had ended soon after it began three decades ago . `` The publicity was so traumatic and so horrible his punishment was secondary to just getting this whole thing to stop , '' Geimer said . `` It was crazy . I never wanted him to go to jail . '' | Some industry heavy hitters support Roman Polanski after his arrest . Many in the international film community continue to hail him as a hero . Polanski has remained a Hollywood insider while living as a fugitive . Film festival president : `` We hope today that this latest order will be dropped '' | [[742, 752], [755, 836], [3009, 3024], [3115, 3168], [3009, 3024], [3115, 3168], [3009, 3024], [3120, 3188], [1497, 1587], [2832, 2887], [2849, 2887], [2890, 2899]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Participation in government health insurance programs -- particularly those aimed at children -- increased from 2006 to 2007 , leading to a decrease in the number of Americans lacking insurance , the U.S. Census Bureau said Tuesday . The Census Bureau says 15.3 percent of Americans lacked health insurance in 2007 . Overall , 45.7 million people , or 15.3 percent of U.S. residents , did not have health insurance in 2007 , the bureau said in releasing reports on poverty , income and insurance . That represents a decrease from the 2006 level of 47 million , or 15.8 percent . The decrease came as a surprise , as the number of uninsured Americans had been expected to rise for a seventh straight year . It also gives a boost to proponents of expanding government health-care plans such as the State Children 's Health Insurance Program , or SCHIP . In December , President Bush signed legislation that extends SCHIP federal funding through the end of March 2009 . That action came after Bush vetoed two congressional attempts to expand the program . In vetoing one of the measures , Bush said the proposed expansion `` moves our country 's health-care system in the wrong direction . '' The percentages of people covered by private health insurance and by employment-based health insurance both decreased slightly in 2007 , the Census numbers showed , although the number of those covered by employment-based insurance , 177.4 million , was not statistically different from 2006 . However , the percentage of people , including children , covered by government health insurance programs increased to 27.8 percent in 2007 from 27 percent in 2006 . The number of children under 18 without health insurance fell to 11 percent , or 8.1 million -- lower than the 2006 numbers of 11.1 percent and 8.7 million . See a state-by-state breakdown of uninsured Americans '' Meanwhile , participation in Medicaid , the government insurance program for low-income Americans , increased to 13.2 percent and 39.6 million in 2007 , up from 12.9 percent and 38.3 million in 2006 . Using a three-year average from 2005-2007 , data showed that Texas had the highest percentage of uninsured , with 24.4 percent , the bureau said . With 8.3 percent , Massachusetts and Hawaii had the lowest estimates for uninsured rates , according to the Census Bureau , but the two were not statistically different from Minnesota -LRB- 8.5 percent -RRB- , Wisconsin -LRB- 8.8 percent -RRB- and Iowa -LRB- 9.4 percent -RRB- . Hawaii also did not differ statistically from Maine -LRB- 9.5 percent -RRB- , it said . But `` even with the overall drop in uninsured Americans , the 45.7 million uninsured number for 2007 exceeds the combined population of 24 states plus the District of Columbia , '' a group called Families USA said in a written statement . The group says on its Web site it is `` dedicated to the achievement of high-quality , affordable health care for all Americans . '' Being uninsured is a stark reality many Americans live with daily . They include Linda Pendleton of Greensboro , North Carolina . Pendleton was unable to afford private coverage when the convenience store where she worked stopped offering insurance to its employees two years ago . It worked out fine , she said , until she was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer last month . Unable to work , she moved in with her daughter and her three grandsons . She has applied for Medicaid and disability , but has yet to receive a response . `` So right now I 'm trying to pay for everything , '' said her daughter , Randi Sharp . But that 's not easy . With two of her sons disabled , Sharp stays at home to care for them . Her eldest son receives disability payments of $ 632 per month , which supports the family , she said . The father of Sharp 's children is supposed to pay support , but `` he up and left and the court ca n't find him . '' Though her monthly rent is $ 600 , Sharp said her landlord has cut her some slack . And she goes to churches for her food and did n't buy her sons school clothes this year , she said . Meanwhile , her mother is so dragged down by her reaction to the chemotherapy that she `` can barely do things for herself , '' Sharp said . And even relatively modest fees threaten to cut short her mother 's chemotherapy treatments . `` If I do n't give them cash on Thursday , if I do n't give them $ 70 , they 're not going to see her any more , '' Sharp said . A yard sale over the weekend and trips to the pawn shop have helped . So does cutting back on food . `` There are days I go without even eating for two or three days , '' she said . `` I 've exhausted all of our resources . '' And while the number of those living without health insurance is down , one economist points out , `` we 're still seeing an unraveling of the private health insurance system . '' Overall , insurance premiums have continued to rise faster than wages or inflation , putting the squeeze on companies and on individual families , said Elise Gould , an economist at the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute . With 2007 being an economic peak year , `` you 'd think some of the economy would have helped our workers , '' she said . `` We 're not seeing that . '' Another underlying problem , she said , is that people purchase cheaper insurance but often have substandard coverage -- something they often do n't find out until they experience a health-care emergency and must pay a large amount out of pocket . Ron Pollack , executive director of Washington-based Families USA , issued a statement saying , `` It is ironic that , at the very time the Bush administration tried to cut back Medicaid and twice vetoed legislation to extend children 's health coverage , the public safety net cushioned the loss of employer-sponsored health coverage . It demonstrates the importance that the next president should protect , and not undermine , the public health safety net . '' Although the uninsured rate for children living below the federal poverty level decreased to 17.6 percent in 2007 from 19.3 percent in 2006 , children in poverty were more likely to be uninsured than all children , the Census numbers showed . Still , the numbers of uninsured children decreased across all ethnic groups . However , people must lack health insurance for a year before being counted as `` uninsured '' by the Census Bureau , meaning the actual number could be higher . In other data , the real median household income increased 1.3 percent nationwide , reaching $ 50,233 , the Census Bureau said . The official poverty rate remained statistically unchanged , although the number slightly increased -- 37.3 Americans lived below the poverty level in 2007 , up from 36.5 million in 2006 . African-American households had the lowest median income , with $ 33,916 , compared with $ 54,920 for non-Hispanic white households , the data showed . The median income for Hispanic households was $ 38,679 . Household income rose in the Midwest and South , declined in the Northeast and remained unchanged in the West , the bureau said . As defined by the Office of Management and Budget and updated for inflation using the Consumer Price Index , the Census Bureau put the weighted average poverty threshold for 2007 at $ 21,203 for a family of four ; $ 26,530 for a family of three ; $ 13,540 for a family of two ; and $ 10,590 for individuals . Working women earned 78 percent of the corresponding male salaries , according to the bureau . Median earnings increased for both men and women following three years of decline . CNN 's Tom Watkins contributed to this report . | Census : 45.7 million Americans uninsured in 2007 , down from 47 million in 2006 . Decrease a surprise , number was expected to increase for seventh straight year . Findings will give boost to backers of expanded government health-care plans . Real median household income increased 1.3 percent nationwide , Census finds . | [[0, 26], [157, 223], [347, 412], [415, 452], [528, 608], [609, 640], [643, 735], [736, 738], [744, 881], [6459, 6472], [6475, 6540]] |
O'Fallon , Missouri -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nathan Halbach is 22 , with a diagnosis of terminal brain cancer . He knows that `` horrible stuff '' lies ahead . His mother , Pat Bond , has been taking care of him full time . But when she needed help , she reached out to the Roman Catholic Church . After all , his father is a priest . Nathan was born in 1986 , during a five-year affair between his mother and Father Henry Willenborg , the Franciscan priest who celebrated Nathan 's baptism . In a story first reported in the New York Times , it was revealed that The Franciscan Order drew up an agreement acknowledging the boy 's paternity and agreeing to pay child support in exchange for a pledge of confidentiality . Now her son -- the youngest of four children -- may have just weeks to live . And when the Franciscans balked at paying for his care , she decided she was no longer bound by her pledge of confidentiality . `` I never asked for extraordinary amounts . I asked for the basic needs and care of my son , '' Bond told CNN 's `` AC 360 . '' But she said the church told her , `` No , we are not Nathan 's biological father , we have no legal obligation to your son . '' Willenborg , whose priestly vows require celibacy , has been suspended from his most recent assignment , in northern Wisconsin , as Catholic leaders investigate allegations that he was involved with another woman -- then in high school -- around the same time he was seeing Bond . Willenborg has acknowledged his relationship with Bond , but denies any inappropriate relationship with the other woman while she was a minor , according to his current bishop . And his order acknowledges its agreement to support his son , telling CNN they have paid about $ 233,000 to support Nathan over his lifetime . Since the affair has become public , the Franciscan Order has agreed to pick up Nathan 's medical bills and the costs for the funeral that now appears likely . Willenborg refused to speak to CNN . But a statement to his parishioners in Ashland , Wisconsin , in September , said , `` My failure to be faithful to my vows has caused me and many others pain and disappointment . I have regretted this for a long time . '' And in October , he told The New York Times , `` We 've been very caring , very supportive , very generous over these 20-something years . It 's very tragic what 's going on with Nathan . '' Bond , then Patricia Halbach , said she and Willenborg began their affair in 1983 . At the time , Willenborg was a priest in her hometown of Quincy , Illinois , about 130 miles north of St. Louis , Missouri . Bond , then a 27-year-old , married mother of three , went to a retreat for women with troubled relationships . Willenborg was the retreat 's spiritual director , and she said he was a `` terrific '' priest -- `` incredibly charismatic , very sought-after . '' He began to counsel her on a regular basis . After about three months , at the end of one of their sessions , she said he kissed her . Bond said she went home and immediately asked her husband for a separation , and she said she began a romantic relationship with Willenborg . Bond said she knew he was forbidden to have sex with her . But she said when in love , `` You do n't think clearly . '' `` I make stupid decisions in my life , '' she said . `` I am not perfect , far from sainthood , and I loved him . '' During their relationship , Bond was a lay leader in the church , and `` We were a very good team , a very dynamic team , '' she said . But in 1985 , she learned she was pregnant . The pregnancy ended with a miscarriage that October . She said in its aftermath , she ended her sexual relationship with Willenborg , only to resume it the following spring . It was during that period that Nathan was conceived , she said . Nathan was born in December 1986 . Willenborg had to disclose the affair and Bond 's pregnancy to his superiors . A deal was negotiated by Father Robert Karris , who told CNN the Franciscans insisted on confidentiality `` to protect Nathan , his mother , and the priest . '' But Karris , now on the research faculty of the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University in Olean , New York , also acknowledged the goal in part was to protect the church . The agreement was reached about a year after Nathan 's birth . Afterward , Willenborg was removed from his job , and it was 17 years before he would lead a congregation again . He told his superiors that his relationship with Bond was over , but she said it continued . `` That was the statement , and they bought it , '' Bond said . `` But the truth of the matter is during those eight month of negotiations , we were living together physically , sexually and every form of relationship there was under their nose . '' The relationship went on until Nathan was nearly 2 years old , Bond said . She and Willenborg went on family outings , including a trip to Florida , with Nathan and her children from her previous marriage . Back in Quincy , where she grew up , Bond said she had a simple answer to questions about Nathan 's parentage : `` He 's my baby . '' But things ended in 1988 , after Bond learned that Willenborg was seeing another woman . She eventually moved from Quincy to a St. Louis suburb . `` You had to go away , you had to take your story , you had to take your children , you had to get out of this town . We 're a small community , everybody knew everybody , '' she said . Nathan grew up as a popular , athletic boy , a big fan of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball club and the Blues hockey team . He has autographs of the entire hockey team and a Cardinals uniform signed by All-Star first baseman Albert Pujols . For years , he said , he wanted a relationship with his father . `` He 's popped in and out of my life , but I 've never gotten the full respect and love out of him that I would always want , '' he said . But several years ago , after Willenborg took him out to dinner on their first night out in years , he said his father did n't seem to want to have anything to do with him . `` When it comes to this person who 's my dad , who should be helping me out more than a person on the street , he has n't done so throughout my 20-plus years of life , '' Nathan said . Nathan was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 . Over the summer , he and his mother went to New York 's Sloan-Kettering cancer center in a last-ditch effort to halt the disease . It was unsuccessful , and doctors give him a prognosis of weeks . `` If I just live my life as happy as I can , I can have a lot of fun until this horrible stuff happens , '' he said . The church had paid for some medical expenses and gave her $ 1,000 toward travel expenses for the trip , but not room and board or treatment costs , Bond said . And in the past week , she said , the church was questioning the cost of a looming funeral . `` They were concerned with getting us out of their lives , and I guarantee you , the day my son goes , the church will rejoice , '' she said . Since she went public , the Franciscans wrote a letter to Bond telling her they will cover 100 percent of her son 's funeral costs -- and added , `` Please advise if there is any additional assistance that the Franciscans can provide to Nathan at this time in connection with his day-to-day expenses and comfort . '' The order also has since said it will not take Bond to court for breaching the confidentiality of the agreement . For four years before September , Willenborg was a priest at Our Lady of the Lake church in Ashland , Wisconsin . Bishop Peter Christensen , whose diocese includes the church , said Willenborg was a good priest -- but added , `` Because of his behavior 23 years ago , the community is now suffering . '' Nathan will not be going back to the hospital and will die at home , Bond said . She ca n't afford a part-time nurse to help take care of him in his last days , but said she hopes the church lives up to its word . | Nathan Halbach 's father is the priest who baptized him , Henry Willenborg . Nathan 's mother made a confidential agreement with the church to keep Willenborg 's identity secret . His mother went public about the secret agreement after he contracted cancer . | [[292, 301], [304, 328], [6256, 6298]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sitting at her home in West Seattle , Washington , Amanda Knox 's aunt Janet Huff was watching the live television news coverage that her niece had been convicted of murder . `` It was terrible , it was gut-wrenching just to hear them say it , '' Huff said of the verdict . She had been up for more than 11 hours while the jury deliberated , anxiously awaiting word . She remained hopeful but deeply afraid . She could n't eat . When the verdict was announced at about midnight in Perugia , Italy , her worst fears came true . Knox and her Italian former boyfriend , Raffaele Sollecito , were convicted of murdering Knox 's roommate Meredith Kercher . Knox was sentenced to 26 years and Sollecito 25 years in prison . Following the verdict , people flooded out of the Italian courtroom . When the prosecution emerged , a rush of applause followed . `` To see the people outside the courtroom applauding -- that just made me sick , that people can be that callous and cold , '' Huff said . Soon after the verdict , Knox 's parents , Curt Knox and Edda Mellas , emerged and swiftly moved through the crowd . Watch Janet Huff 's interview with CNN 's Campbell Brown . Huff said she spoke to Knox 's parents shortly after the verdict . `` They are , of course , shattered . They are not doing great , '' Huff said . `` But we have already started the process of appeals . That 's all we can do . '' For Huff , Knox is still the strong , kindhearted girl she has always known -- not the cold-blooded killer prosecutors portrayed during the trial . Huff said Knox was worried about the trial 's impact on the family . `` I think that 's what gets her through , knowing that she 's got to be strong , '' she said . `` If she falls apart , then we are really going to lose it . Knox 's parents : Our daughter is no killer . `` I know she is terribly disappointed , heartbroken and scared to death , but she 's more concerned about her family and how we are . '' With Knox 's conviction , Huff said the family was moving forward with plans for some relatives to move to Italy to be near Knox . The cost and physical toll of constantly traveling to Italy was weighing on the family , she said . `` We 've looked at jobs and apartments just in case this happened , '' she said . `` There 's no way we are going to leave Amanda in Italy all alone . '' Knox 's case has attracted widespread media attention and prompted salacious articles focusing on her sex life . Her name and photo have appeared on the front pages of newspapers all over the world , and now , Huff fears , things may get worse . `` Now that there 's a guilty verdict , she 's always going to be remembered as ` The convicted killer Amanda Knox , ' and I 'm disgusted by that , '' Huff said . Maria Cantwell , a U.S. senator from Knox 's home state of Washington , issued a statement saying she was `` saddened by the verdict . '' `` I have serious questions about the Italian justice system and whether anti-Americanism tainted this trial , '' Cantwell said . `` I will be conveying my concerns to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton . '' Huff said she hopes the appeals process will show what her family has believed all along . `` She will be vindicated and she will be found innocent , '' she said . Despite the pain the trial has brought Knox 's family , Huff stressed it is nothing compared to what victim Meredith Kercher 's family has gone through . `` They still do n't have closure , they may think they are vindicated with the guilty verdict but we know it does n't bring their daughter back , '' she said . | Janet Huff : `` It was terrible , it was gut-wrenching just to hear them say it '' Amanda Knox , former boyfriend , convicted of murdering British student Meredith Kercher . Aunt says seeing people applaud verdict outside court made her sick . Huff says Knox 's parents are `` shattered , they are not doing great '' | [[215, 253], [222, 225], [226, 260], [215, 217], [241, 260], [1316, 1330], [2753, 2767], [546, 583], [607, 670], [868, 921], [889, 921], [925, 934], [897, 921], [930, 947], [1251, 1258], [1277, 1288], [1289, 1313]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Best known for its luxury massage chairs , Osim opened its first commercial outlet in the Philippines in February 2003 . Osim considers itself a global leader in branded healthy lifestyle products . Just two months later it launched iSymphonic , the world 's first massage chair synchronized to music , voted `` Invention of the Year '' by Time magazine . In January 2007 it launched uPilot , a designer massage chair featuring ROBO-Stic technology for extensive personal massage control . Other pioneer products include iDesire , iMedic , iSqueez , iSense and iTango . Today Osim considers itself a global leader in branded healthy lifestyle products , offering more than 100 innovative products covering its four focuses of health , hygiene , nutrition and fitness , from massage chairs and air purifiers to health supplements and treadmills . Listed in the Singapore Stock Exchange , Osim operates an international point-of-sales network of over 1,100 outlets in more than 360 cities in over 28 countries in Asia , Australia , Africa , Middle East , United Kingdom and North America . Osim has also invested in the communities in which it operates . It has set up an ongoing endowment fund with the NUS Business School -LRB- National University of Singapore -RRB- called the Osim Professorship in Branding and Innovation . In Hong Kong , it involved celebrity Andy Lau to lift Hong Kong residents ' spirits during the critical SARS period . In 2004 , it helped raise funds for victims of the Asian Tsunami . Osim also supported The Healthy Walk Event in Taiwan , as well as major cultural events in Malaysia in 2005 and 2006 . Osim was Awarded the Most Transparent Company Award -LRB- Commerce -RRB- in SIAS Investors ' Choice Awards 2004 and 2005 . E-mail to a friend . | Osim launched iSymphonic , world 's first massage chair synchronized to music . In 2007 it launched uPilot massage chair , featuring ROBO-Stic technology . Osim operates in Asia , Australia , Africa , Middle East , UK and North America . | [[278, 319], [375, 409], [412, 508], [906, 1106]] |
Houston , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- John Phillip Hernandez and a friend walked into the Collector 's Firearms gun store in Houston , Texas , to buy a cache of weapons . Hernandez was wearing sunglasses and a dark T-shirt with the words `` I Am the Scene '' scrawled across the front . It was April 28 , 2007 . Collector 's Firearms was one of two gun stores they visited that day as part of a scheme to arm Mexican cartels across the border , according to federal court documents . Hernandez 's friend passed his background checks and did all the buying , prosecutors say . On that spring day , he purchased six weapons , including a quick-firing 7.62-caliber firearm and a favorite cartel weapon , the Bushmaster .223 . Within days , ATF investigators say , those weapons were put on the road and funneled into the hands of cartel members . `` The cartels are looking to supply their private armies , and they are coming up with more elaborate , larger schemes , '' said Dewey Webb , the special agent in charge of Houston 's Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives field office . The Houston case offers a glimpse into the underworld of illegal gun trafficking and how Mexican drug cartels find much of their firepower in the United States . Straw purchases are made by people who are legally qualified to buy firearms , but those weapons then make their way into the hands of criminals , authorities said . The daily struggle plays out as drugs flow north and guns and money flow south . At least 55 murders were the result of the gun scheme that began in Houston gun shops , authorities said . Hernandez is at the center of the case , what Houston ATF agents say is one of the largest straw-purchasing schemes they have ever seen . `` He does n't stand out in a crowd , '' an ATF agent told CNN . `` He 's just a regular guy . '' The agent asked not to be identified because he 's been intricately involved in the investigation of this case . Federal investigators say Hernandez recruited and organized 23 people around Houston . Together the men funneled nearly 340 firearms valued at almost $ 370,000 to Mexican drug cartels . ATF agents say almost 100 of those weapons have turned up at cartel-related crime scenes in Mexico and Guatemala . Hernandez pleaded guilty in 2009 to making false statements about firearms purchases . He 's currently serving an eight-year prison sentence . Of the 23 other people connected to the case , 11 have pleaded guilty for their roles in the gun trafficking scheme . Each was sentenced to less than eight years in prison . Several others struck plea deals and continue to cooperate with federal authorities . What made this group so effective was its ability to appear like ordinary gun buyers . All the men had clean criminal backgrounds , authorities say . It was n't until the firearms started showing up at violent crime scenes in Mexico that federal investigators started piecing together the magnitude of the case . ATF investigators , cooperating with Mexican authorities , traced the weapons back to various Houston gun shops and started seeing the same names of repeat customers . `` It really surprised us at first that we had this many people linked together , '' said the ATF agent who spoke on condition of anonymity . Federal investigators say Hernandez and his men were reimbursed by the cartels for the money spent on the weapons , and then paid an extra $ 100 to $ 200 for each firearm they supplied . The weapons Hernandez purchased himself , according to federal court documents , were used in the kidnapping and murder of a prominent Mexican businessman . Another group of weapons turned up in a shooting known as the `` Acapulco Massacre '' in 2007 . Seven people were slaughtered that day , including four police officers . ATF agents say breaking up these networks of straw purchasers in the United States is a key battlefront in the fight against Mexican drug cartels . `` These folks that are out buying these guns , they 're just as responsible as the people pulling the trigger and killing people in Mexico , '' said Webb , Houston 's top ATF agent . | Guns smuggled to Mexico after sale in Houston-area gun stores . At least 55 killings linked to gun trafficking scheme . Twelve people have pleaded guilty for their roles in the gun scheme . This story is part of the American Morning series `` The Gun Trail '' | [[1543, 1557], [1563, 1589], [2977, 2994], [3036, 3088], [1504, 1557], [1504, 1523], [1592, 1610]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When film director Kevin Smith tweeted about getting kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight on Saturday , the airline responded in less than 20 minutes . `` Dear @SouthwestAir - I know I 'm fat , but was Captain Leysath really justified in throwing me off a flight for which I was already seated ? '' Smith tweeted at 6:52 p.m. '' @ThatKevinSmith hey Kevin ! I 'm so sorry for your experience tonight ! Hopefully we can make things right , please follow so we may -LSB- direct message -RSB- ! '' the airline responded at 7:08 p.m. . The airline contacted Smith personally to apologize for bumping the director of `` Clerks '' off a standby flight , accommodated him on a later flight , and sent him a $ 100 travel voucher for his inconvenience . Southwest did not immediately return calls or a Twitter message for comment but posted a statement on its blog apologizing to Smith and explaining its `` Customer of Size '' policy , which `` requires passengers that can not fit safely and comfortably in one seat to purchase an additional seat while traveling . '' Kevin Smith ` too fat ' to fly Southwest . But if Kevin Smith were , say , John Smith , who worked in Muncie , Indiana , instead of Hollywood , California , would he have gotten the same response to his tweets ? `` If the company is actively using social media -- and I think that most companies are using social media -- I think the consumer stands a great chance of hearing directly from the company and being engaged and having their issues resolved , '' said Steve Loucks , vice president of communications for Travel Leaders , a large travel agency network . Southwest has more than a million followers on Twitter . Loucks believes the majority of travel companies now are using sites including Twitter and Facebook to get feedback from their consumers . `` If someone feels they are not being heard , social media is a very visible way to tell your friends , the people that follow you , that you 're not happy and hopefully the company will be paying attention , '' Loucks said . Adam Ostrow , editor-in-chief of social media site Mashable.com , says many big brands are starting to dedicate entire teams to social media monitoring , because they know it 's important to respond quickly to negative comments before they become a public relations nightmare . Yet there 's a difference , Ostrow said , between responding and being able to fix the problem . `` For example , if you tweet that your plane has been stuck on the runway for four hours , JetBlue can respond to you , but they 're likely not in a position to do anything about getting your plane off the ground , '' Ostrow said . JetBlue , which was n't involved in the Kevin Smith incident , is one of the most followed airlines , with more than 1.6 million followers on Twitter . JetBlue has six people who watch the airline 's social media presence . The team rarely handles issues personally -- instead directing customers to the right resource for their complaints or questions . `` We consider ourselves more of an information booth rather than a customer service counter , '' public communications manager Morgan Johnston said . Johnston says all JetBlue customers are equally important , but someone with a larger voice may get noticed , and responded to by the team , faster . Ostrow recommends using the company 's Twitter name in your complaint to get noticed , as most teams are set up to monitor for these mentions . He also suggests keeping your character count short so that others can easily retweet and share their own thoughts on the issue . In her Mashable article `` HOW TO : Get Your Feedback Heard on Social Networks , '' media director Mollie Vandor offers additional tips . `` First , always remember that the person on the other end of Twitter is , well , a person , '' Vandor writes . `` Patience is key . You will get a better response if you give your recipient some time to look into the issue before they respond . '' She also suggests avoiding people at the top of the company , instead looking for people who mention user experience , community or support on their Twitter profiles . Most of all , it 's important to hit the normal channels first before going on a social media rant , Travel Leaders ' Loucks said -- give the system time to work and only try the more high profile online complaints if the company does n't respond satisfactorily . `` We 'd want to know about it not only because we want happy customers but because we want to make sure that that never happens again . '' | Kevin Smith gets quick response to his complaint about Southwest Airlines . Travel experts say other customers can get the same response . Use replies on Twitter to get better feedback , industry insiders say . | [[19, 37], [125, 172], [3332, 3416], [3642, 3684]] |
Atlanta , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It so rarely snows in Mobile , Alabama , that the city 's public works department does n't bother keeping road salt on hand . So with 2 to 4 inches of snow expected to fall there starting Thursday afternoon , road crews were filling trucks with the sand that 's typically reserved for filling cave-ins and for sandbagging during floods . `` We do n't know what to do , '' said John Windley , Mobile 's superintendent of public works . `` We just tell everybody to stay home . '' As forecasters predict up to 8 inches of snow across a swath of the Southeast that has n't seen more than an inch of snow in at least a decade -- including parts of Alabama , Arkansas , Louisiana and Mississippi -- public officials are reacting with a mix of trepidation and helplessness . Hundreds of flights into and out of Atlanta have been canceled for Friday as snow bears down on the area . Texas struggles ; East starts to dig out . Delta Air Lines canceled about 800 flights into and out of Atlanta 's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport , and AirTran Airways canceled 32 flights ahead of the storm , according to representatives of the airlines . Downtown Atlanta could get as much as 5 inches of snow Friday , beginning at mid-morning , according to CNN weather modeling . Many residents of the Deep South , meanwhile , are expressing disbelief . `` I 'm dubious , '' said John Hogan , a college professor who 's planning to lead a Mardi Gras parade in Baton Rouge , Louisiana , Friday night despite forecasts of up to 2 inches of snow and ice there . `` It snows here once every 15 years , so what 's the likelihood ? '' John DeMiller , owner of the Petit Bois Grocery in Biloxi , Mississippi , was also skeptical . iReport : Share your winter weather pictures , stories . `` To be honest , we do n't believe it 's going to snow , '' he said . `` It just never does . '' Yet it was already snowing in parts of the South by Thursday afternoon and forecasters were calling for more to come . The storm system moving across the Deep South in the next few days will bring 3 to 6 inches of snow to Jackson , Mississippi , up to 2 inches to Biloxi , Mississippi and 2 to 4 inches to Mobile , Alabama , said CNN meteorologist Sean Morris . `` These are cities that rarely see a flake all winter long , '' he said . With most of the accumulation expected overnight , school and workplaces across the region are bracing for closures Friday . Because temperatures are expected to rise into the 30s and 40s across much of the South on Friday , road crews are worried about melting and refreezing on roads over the next couple of days . A representative of the Federal Aviation Administration said the agency is too focused on responding to the double-punch of Northeast snow to say how the expected Southern snow would affect travel in the region . But by Thursday night , Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport had already measured a snowfall of 9.4 inches , which broke the record of 7.8 inches set on January 14 , 1917 , and matched on January 15 , 1964 , the National Weather Service reported . In Shreveport , Louisiana , where snow had been falling since dawn , the staff at the Naked Bean Cafe said it had only six customers by noon , down from around 30 on a typical day . | Forecasters predict up to 8 inches of snow across a swath of the Southeast . Hundreds of flights at Atlanta airport canceled because of forecast . Many in South not used to seeing much snow skeptical about forecast . Dallas/Fort Worth airport already has received more than 9 inches of snow . | [[519, 593], [806, 912], [1290, 1322], [1337, 1363], [2860, 2877], [2880, 2965]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A lawyer who left a videotape saying Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom would be responsible if anything happened to him masterminded his own death last year , a special United Nations commission said Tuesday after an eight-month investigation . Colom had nothing to do with the killing , said Carlos Castresana , head of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala . `` Rodrigo Rosenberg , for some reason , decided to put an end to his life , '' Castresana said at a televised news conference . Rosenberg was shot from behind in a brazen daylight attack while riding his bicycle in Guatemala City , the nation 's capital . He was shot three times in the head , once in the neck and once in the back , Castresana said . Prominent Guatemalan brothers Francisco Jose Valdez Paiz and Jose Estuardo Valdez Paiz hired hit men at the behest of Rosenberg , who told them he was being threatened by someone , Castresana said . The two brothers , who own a pharmaceutical company , had been cousins of Rosenberg through a previous marriage and did not know that he was the target of the assassination , Castresana said . Rosenberg fed information to the hit squad leader that led to his own death , giving descriptions of what the target looked like and where he would be . `` It was the two brothers and no one else , '' Castresana said . `` Not a politician . Not a -LSB- government -RSB- minister . Not a police chief . No one . Just these two brothers . '' About 300 investigators from 11 nations reached their conclusion after an exhaustive examination of 100,000 telephone calls , 9,500 documents , surveillance videotapes , and 135 interviews with 11 suspects and others , Castresana said . Colom had maintained since the May 10 slaying that he was innocent despite Rosenberg 's explosive videotape , which was made public the day after his death . Guatemalan authorities have arrested 11 men on suspicion that they carried out the killing , but the Valdez Paiz brothers remain at large . Their lawyer , Alexis Calderon , denied last week that his clients were involved . `` This is a story being made up to implicate people who did n't have anything to do with it , '' Calderon said . He also said that he did not know where the brothers were but that they would surrender after Tuesday 's conference . Calderon did not answer calls seeking comment Tuesday . Arrest warrants for the brothers were issued December 10 , Castresana said , noting that the suspects were already out of the country by then . Rosenberg recorded the tape blaming Colom three days before his death . He said Colom wanted him dead because the lawyer had been blaming the president and some of his top associates for the slaying of a prominent businessman and his daughter the previous month . Businessman Khalid Musa and his daughter , Marjorie , were killed , Rosenberg said , because they had refused to participate in acts of corruption as the president wanted . Rosenberg was Musa 's attorney . Castresana indicated Rosenberg staged his own killing to get back at Colom and high-level members of his government , whom he could not prove were responsible for the Musa killings . `` He wanted to open a box of lightning and thunder , '' said Castresana , a Spanish judge . Castresana pointed to several indicators of Rosenberg 's state of mind : His mother had died ; he was going through a second divorce , and his wife had taken their young children to Mexico ; he was bereft at the slaying of Marjorie Musa , with whom he had a close relationship ; and he felt a sense of powerlessness because he could not prosecute the people he believed were responsible for the Musa slayings . May 10 , the date of his killing , was Mother 's Day . In two April 21 e-mails , seven days after the Musa killings , Rosenberg wrote , `` I ca n't stop crying '' and `` I feel like I 'm disintegrating , '' Castresana said . Rosenberg made out his last will and testament on April 24 and started going public with his accusations against Colom regarding the Musa slayings on May 3 . On May 4 , he called a meeting at his law office and said he would be leaving the firm , in which he was a partner . The next day , Castresana said , Rosenberg asked a friend to buy two cell phones anonymously . Those cell phones , the lead investigator said , were crucial to cracking the case . Rosenberg used one of the phones to call threats to his personal cell phone and had the other delivered to the Valdez Paiz brothers , who gave it to the hit squad leader . Rosenberg then used the new cell phone he kept to give instructions to the hit squad leader through the second phone , Castresana said . Castresana detailed how the slaying apparently was meant to be paid through a $ 40,000 check . According to the investigator , Rosenberg told his secretary before his death that she would be receiving a check from Panama that should be delivered to the Valdez Paiz brothers . The check had been made out by Luis Alejos , a Rosenberg friend and business associate who at the time was Guatemala 's minister of communication , Castresana said . Alejos resigned from office in June , a few weeks after the slaying . After receiving the check , Francisco Jose Valdez Paiz destroyed it , Castresana said . The businessman paid the 300,000 quetzales -LRB- $ 35,900 -RRB- for the assassination out of his own pocket , Castresana said . The investigator said Rosenberg sent Alejos the money to pay for the killing . Alejos is the brother of Roberto Alejos , the president of the Guatemalan Congress , and a cousin of Gustavo Alejos , who is President Colom 's private secretary . In his videotape , Rosenberg said Gustavo Alejos would be among those responsible for the lawyer 's death if it happened . `` If you are reading this message , it means that I , Rodrigo Rosenberg Marzano , was murdered by the president 's private secretary , Gustavo Alejos , and his associate Gregorio Valdez , with the approval of Mr. Alvaro Colom and -LSB- first lady -RSB- Sandra de Colom , '' Rosenberg said . After the tape surfaced , Colom went on national TV with a vehement denial that he or anyone mentioned in the video was involved . He expressed his sense of vindication in a televised speech Tuesday afternoon . `` I do n't have any rancor in my heart , '' Colom said . `` Just immense gratitude for those who waited patiently with us . '' The United Nations established the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala in 2006 to investigate corruption and political violence . More than 200,000 people have been killed in the nation since 1970 , mostly as a result of organized crime , drug-trade violence and a 36-year civil war that ended in 1996 . There were 6,451 slayings in Guatemala last year , of which only 230 verdicts were achieved , Castresana said . That means , he said , that more than 96 percent of the killings in 2009 were not solved . | NEW : President expresses feeling of vindication at findings . United Nations commission included 300 investigators from 11 nations . Lawyer left tape saying Guatemalan leader responsible if anything happened to him . U.N. panel says brothers involved in arranging hit are at large . | [[6199, 6278], [1486, 1702], [19, 27], [32, 138], [2536, 2607], [5653, 5669], [5672, 5758], [1978, 2020]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Haiti 's infrastructure was among the world 's worst even in the best of times , the country 's ambassador to the United States said Tuesday . `` It was a catastrophe waiting to happen , '' Raymond Alcide Joseph told CNN from Washington shortly after a 7.0 earthquake leveled parts of his home country , cutting power and phone lines in the capital city of Port-au-Prince . `` Sadly , it has happened . '' He called the result `` a catastrophe of major proportions . '' The capital city is surrounded by hills to which `` little flimsy houses '' were struggling to hold on , he said . Frank Williams of World Vision Haiti told CNN from the Petionville section of the capital that the building in which his organization is based shook for about 35 seconds and did not weather it well . Learn more about Haiti , poorest nation in Americas . `` Portions of things on the building fell off , '' he said . `` Fortunately for us , our building remains standing and none of our staff were injured , but lots of walls are falling down . Many of our staff have tried to leave , but were unsuccessful because the walls from buildings and private residences were falling into the streets . '' In the capital , government buildings were damaged , phone service was spotty and electricity was out , except for people who had emergency generators , Williams said . The quake 's impact also shook the psyches of residents , particularly when aftershocks occurred , he said . `` If there is another aftershock , there is a kind of wail as people are very frightened by it , '' Williams said . `` But most people are out in the streets and just kind of looking up . '' Joseph said he had spoken with Secretary-General Fritz Longchamps , who told him buildings collapsed on either side of him as he walked along a street in Petionville . Catholic Relief Services , international relief agency based in Baltimore , spoke briefly with their person in charge in Port-au-Prince before the line went dead . Regional Information Officer Robyn Feiser said the representative told them `` it 's a total disaster . '' She quotes him as saying , `` I never felt anything like this . It was a major hit , and it was direct . '' He told Robin their building was shaking but still standing , but the building across the street from them collapsed . He described a cloud of dust everywhere , and people moving into courtyards to get away from buildings . Eighty percent of Haiti 's 9 million residents live under the poverty line and more than half -- 54 percent -- live in abject poverty , according to the CIA Factbook . In 2008 , four tropical storms damaged the transportation infrastructure and agricultural sector , on which two-thirds of Haitians depend , mainly as subsistence farmers . Citing that World Bank assessment , the Organization of American States said in a report on its Web site , `` Among the numerous factors explaining the extent of the loss of lives and goods are the absence of land use zoning and building guidelines , and comprehensive enforcement mechanisms . '' The OAS report added Haiti has no national building codes . Former U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Timothy M. Carney told CNN that Port-au-Prince was particularly at risk because it grew rapidly from a population of about 250,000 in the mid-1950s to more than 2 million today , all with little oversight . City planners had called for the surrounding hills to remain undeveloped in order to protect an aquifer . `` That did n't happen , '' Carney said . `` People started building up those hillsides . '' Instead of building concrete structures , they built shanties , he said . `` My fear is that they all fell down . '' | Haitian ambassador to U.S. : Infrastructure of island nation poor in best of times . Raymond Alcide Joseph calls quake `` a catastrophe of major proportions '' People are reported out in the streets , cowering in strong aftershocks . OAS says lack of any building standards in Haiti makes residents vulnerable . | [[0, 15], [19, 97], [100, 161], [425, 485], [2003, 2106], [2050, 2106], [1370, 1389], [1395, 1425], [1428, 1466], [3079, 3138], [3100, 3138]] |
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]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Israel 's government is missing an opportunity to secure the country 's future and build a coalition of nations to counter increasing Iranian influence , according to analyst Fareed Zakaria . He says the government , headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , is letting the dispute with the United States over expanded settlements in East Jerusalem get in the way of making progress toward resolution of the conflict with the Palestinians . `` The Netanyahu government goes on and on about the existential threat that Israel faces from Iran , the need for the world to mobilize , to put that above all else , '' Zakaria said . `` If that really is the case , should n't Israel try to be supportive and deepen the relationship with the one country whose military , political and economic support is going to be absolutely crucial in dealing with this threat , that is , the United States ? `` If the Iranian threat were really the overriding threat to Israel , would n't it be willing to subordinate other issues and make some progress on the Palestinian issue because it would help the moderate Arab states who also share the worries about the rise of Iran , and would allow the moderate Arab states to form a kind of tacit alliance with Israel ? '' Zakaria , author and host of CNN 's `` Fareed Zakaria GPS , '' spoke to CNN on Wednesday . Here is an edited transcript : . CNN : In your view , how badly have U.S.-Israeli relations been damaged by the announcement of the East Jerusalem settlement expansion ? Fareed Zakaria : I think by itself this would be a small friction that could easily be overcome , but it comes on the heels of increasingly tense relations between Washington and Tel Aviv , and because of that , it has become larger than life precisely because it seems to be the straw that broke the camel 's back for the Obama administration . It became a symbol for the fact that in their view , the Netanyahu government is simply not trying to be cooperative in the search for some kind of movement forward on the Israeli-Palestinian issue . CNN : And why do they feel that way ? Zakaria : They have been trying to get the Netanyahu government to do something concrete that would demonstrate that they are interested in moving forward , whether it is direct talks , whether it 's a settlement freeze or any other such signal that would allow the process to begin moving forward rather than to stay where it is . So far , the Netanyahu government has done nothing like that , and in fact has taken several steps that would make it difficult to enter into direct negotiations . ... He has within his coalition members of the orthodox right in Israel who still very much hold to a view that the Jewish state should be on most , if not all , of the land of greater Israel , which includes the West Bank . ... This government has probably been the least responsive to concerns from Washington on the issue of the peace process in 20 years . CNN : The so-called proximity peace talks were delayed as a result of this dispute ? Is that a real step backward ? Zakaria : The whole problem with the peace process is that it 's sort of going around in circles . I myself think the proximity talks are themselves almost like a bad joke . They 're not actually going to talk to one another . The American negotiator is going to shuttle back and forth between them . We 're in 2010 . If everyone agrees that there 's going to be a two-state solution and we kind of know what the plan is going to look like , roughly -- which is to say the plan that was largely agreed upon by the two parties in 2000 under the auspices of Bill Clinton -- we are now going back to the most tentative steps of circling around each other , barely talking to one another . It 's as if we 're at the beginning of a negotiating process when really we should be at the end of one ... CNN : You 've laid out the obstacles on the Israeli side . Are there obstacles on the Palestinian side too ? Zakaria : There are huge obstacles on the Palestinian side : First of all , the divided Palestinian authority -- Hamas being in charge in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority in charge on the West Bank . There is the reality that Hamas is still not reconciled to the idea of a Jewish state . There is the reality of the corruption and perhaps the lack of legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority . But one would have to say that these problems have existed for a long time , and it 's not clear to me that these problems have gotten worse . In fact , the Palestinian Authority is better functioning than it has ever been under Salam Fayyad , the prime minister . There is greater control over the territory by the Palestinian Authority . There is less of a problem of terrorism , a more serious effort to build from the ground up a modern state ... and there have been some very small hints from the Hamas leadership that they would be willing to accept the state of Israel . It 's not nearly enough , but the point is , if there 's been any movement , it has not been movement backward in the Palestinian case . CNN : On the Israeli side , what 's the significance of expanding the settlements in East Jerusalem ? Zakaria : There are religious parties in Israel who want to create facts on the ground -LSB- that -RSB- make it more and more difficult to trade land for peace . It 's also an indication that the broader Israeli public has sort of lost interest in the resolution of the Palestinian problem . I think that many see the wall as essentially ending the problem of terrorism . The Israeli public as a whole has moved right and there is a collective belief that Israel can simply kick this can down the road and deal with the problem later . I think it 's short-sighted , in terms of demographics , regional politics , in terms of the technology of terrorism , pushing this problem away when there will be more Palestinians with the potential for being more radicalized , perhaps a greater international coalition arrayed against Israel . It does n't seem to be a far-sighted way to secure Israel . Israel is basically succeeding brilliantly in the economic realm ... in many ways , it is even more productive than European countries . It is a technological superstar . What it needs is political stability and to resolve this problem so it can move even more dramatically forward . But it has a political system where that kind of resolution becomes politically difficult because of many highly reactionary forces within the system . CNN : Is there a way out of this mess ? Zakaria : The way out would be for the Israelis to recognize that it is profoundly in their long-term interest to resolve this issue , recognize that they are the stronger party ... and see if there is a possibility of some kind of resolution to get out of the terrible bind it 's in . It has 3.5 million people on territory it controls who neither have political rights nor a state of their own . Nor can they be part of Israel . That 's a structural reality which is terrible for the Palestinians but also terrible for the Israelis because it undermines Israel as a democratic state . It 's better resolved soon , and whether that means you give up a few hillsides here or there , strikes me as being far less significant than the gain for Israel , which would be to once and for all resolve this issue . CNN : Is the Netanyahu government in danger of collapsing ? Zakaria : No , I think Netanyahu is playing this juggler 's game to keep his coalition together . But it 's a far cry from the man who wants to present himself as an international statesman or even an important figure in Israel 's history . ... He 's turning out to be a political hack who spends his time counting the votes in the Knesset rather than thinking about his legacy in the history books . ... The image is of a Churchillian statesman , and the reality is of a local alderman counting the votes . | U.S.-Israel relations are at a low ebb over Jerusalem settlements issue . Fareed Zakaria says Obama administration is frustrated with Netanyahu government . He says Israel should show it is serious when it says countering Iran is its highest priority . Zakaria : Progress with Palestinians would facilitate alliance with moderate Arabs . | [[1645, 1730], [0, 24], [182, 219], [220, 288], [927, 945], [1048, 1138]] |
Central Falls , Rhode Island -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The teacher at an embattled Rhode Island school who displayed an effigy of President Obama in his classroom is under disciplinary review , according to the school superintendent . The Obama effigy was an apparent protest of the president 's support of mass firings of the school 's teachers . Its existence was first reported on CNN.com on Thursday . An Obama doll , about a foot tall , hung by its feet from a white board ; the doll held a sign that said , `` Fire Central Falls teachers . '' Superintendent Frances Gallo discovered the item late Monday at Central Falls High School after being asked about a rumor about an Obama doll hung by his feet in a classroom . Gallo took it upon herself to investigate and found the effigy Monday night . `` It was obviously imprudent on -LSB- the teacher 's -RSB- part , very ill-conceived and nothing to fool around with , '' Gallo said . Bold superintendent hated , loved . The superintendent said the teacher was contrite when confronted but said it was `` a joke to him . '' Due to union contract stipulations , Gallo said she could not disclose the name of the teacher . Gallo said it was difficult to comprehend how a teacher could not `` understand that a class full of children are very offput by such a ` joke . ' `` He does n't see it as making a mockery or , worse , just total disrespect , '' Gallo said . `` Clearly , he was n't thinking . '' She said the matter is under disciplinary review and has been sent to Rhode Island State Police . State police have not returned phone calls seeking comment . The local teachers union condemned the act Thursday . `` Simply put , the teacher 's actions were wrong and can not be condoned under any circumstances , '' Jane Sessums , president of the Central Falls Teachers Union , said in a written statement . `` The teacher has apologized verbally to his students and has asked Superintendent Frances Gallo for permission to apologize to them in writing . He understands that his actions affect not just his students but all of us . There is no excuse for what he did . '' A source , whom CNN is not naming because of the sensitive nature of the story , said the teacher is a beloved member of the faculty who has done a tremendous amount of good over the years . Many of the students in the class are immigrants who hold Obama in high regard ; they were learning English as a second language , according to the source . Central Falls High School has been at the center of an educational firestorm in recent weeks after all 93 teachers , support staff and administrators were fired for the low performance of the school . Gallo took the drastic action after talks with union leaders fell through . The firings will go into effect at the end of the school year . Teachers can re-apply , but no more than 50 percent will get rehired . The high school has been failing for the past seven years . Its graduation rate stands around 48 percent . Math proficiency is at 7 percent . Reading scores have improved by 21 percentage points in the past two years but still fall far behind , with 55 percent able to read at grade level , according to school officials . Most of the 800 students at Central Falls are Hispanic . For many , English is a second language . Teachers say the population is so transient that the statistics are a skewed and unfair representation of the students ' smarts and the teachers ' skills . Animosity toward Obama built among teachers after the president endorsed the school 's plans for reform . Marcia Reback , president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers , said last week that teachers were peeling Obama bumper stickers off their cars . `` When the president of the United States celebrates a superintendent of schools for mass firing an entire faculty of teachers , then that is saying something about his attitude toward teachers , '' she said . `` And it 's not a healthy attitude . '' | Obama effigy found in classroom at troubled Rhode Island school . `` It was obviously imprudent on his part , '' superintendent says . Local teachers union condemns act . Source said teacher is beloved faculty member who has done much good . | [[63, 95], [100, 155], [0, 44], [187, 227], [799, 893], [1607, 1660], [2121, 2199], [2202, 2253], [2239, 2253], [2258, 2311], [2393, 2397], [2443, 2468]] |
Havana , Cuba -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 5.6-magnitude earthquake shook Cuba on Saturday . The quake struck at 1:08 p.m. -LRB- 2:08 p.m. ET -RRB- 22 kilometers -LRB- 14 miles -RRB- below the surface and was centered 44 km -LRB- 27 miles -RRB- south-southwest of Guantanamo , the U.S. Geological Survey said . `` So far , there have n't been any reports of major damages or injuries , '' a civil defense official in Havana told CNN nearly an hour after the quake . `` It 's still early . '' There were no immediate reports of injuries or major damage in Santiago de Cuba , which is 57 km -LRB- 36 miles -RRB- from the epicenter , but a woman who runs a bed and breakfast there felt it . `` It was very strong , '' the woman said . `` We ran and stood in the doorway . Neighbors were screaming and ran into the street . ... I have n't heard of any damages . Everybody is back inside . '' `` I do n't think there are any damages , at least around here , '' said Mabel Martinez , who runs another bed and breakfast in Santiago de Cuba . `` But people are definitely alarmed . '' CNN 's Shasta Darlington contributed to this story from Havana . | A 5.6-magnitude earthquake strikes Cuba Saturday at 1:08 p.m. -LRB- 2:08 p.m. ET -RRB- . Quake centered 44 kilometers -LRB- 27 miles -RRB- south-southwest of Guantanamo . Resident in Santiago de Cuba , 57 km -LRB- 36 miles -RRB- from epicenter , feels quake . | [[9, 29], [60, 84], [85, 142], [85, 94], [185, 192], [197, 266], [547, 563], [572, 620]] |
-LRB- CNET -RRB- -- When it comes to 3D television , I do n't see it . Literally . The technology that 's supposed to convince me that a 3D image exists when I look at a 2D screen does n't work for me . Nor does it work for a small but significant percentage of the population -- 4 percent to 10 percent , depending on which expert you ask . Me , and millions of people like me , are being left behind by content and hardware companies as they move to 3D . I do n't mean to complain . It 's not the end of the world . Flat-viewers , like me , can watch 2D versions of 3D content . I saw `` Avatar '' in the non-3D version . As a bonus , the theater was nearly empty -- the 3D showing down the hall was more crowded . Plus , we did n't have to wear those dorky glasses . Of course , we are social beings , and not being able to view 3D means that group or family outings to 3D showings are awkward for the flat viewers , who may have to sit through a showing that will cause headaches or just look bad to them . But the flat-viewer 's experience with 3D imagery can vary . While I find viewing 3D imagery uncomfortable , Daniel Terdiman , another person at CNET who ca n't see 3D , saw the 3D version of Avatar and wore the 3D glasses . It looked fine to him , just not 3D . Manufacturers are mute . At CES this year , the trend toward 3D in home television sets was unmissable , but there was no mention by the manufacturers of how this move would affect flat viewers . I was curious how the hardware companies , which fight for every point of market share jealously , could cavalierly ignore the large number of us who wo n't like this new direction . It 's a lot of market . How are they planning to deal with losing it ? Oddly , none of the HDTV manufacturing companies I reached out to could provide a direct comment on this topic , but I did talk with people familiar with the industry and with an optometrist who has a vested interest in promoting the growth of 3D content viewing . Bruce Berkoff of the LCDTV Association and formerly a marketing executive at LG , noted that for all the hype around 3D , the television manufacturers are not really investing much in putting products on store shelves , nor are they expecting consumers to pay for it yet . Adding the capability for televisions to display alternating images for stereoscopic viewing through electronic shutter glasses is not expensive . It 's the glasses themselves that are , and only a few 3D-capable sets actually come bundled with them . So consumers will be able to soon buy televisions ready for 3D without spending much . Berkoff , and everyone else I talked to about 3D TV , reminded me that a good 3D TV is also a good 2D TV . You should be able to turn off the 3D display features and view content designed specifically for 3D but in 2D : You just show the view for only one eye . If the refresh rate of the program is high enough , you should not notice much of a difference in picture quality . Get your eyes examined . From the optometrist 's perspective , the inability to process stereoscopic imagery is , for many people , a treatable condition . Dr. Brad Habermehl , president of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development , told me , `` You do n't have to be a 3D refugee if you get to the root of the problem . The majority of stereo-blind people really can be helped . '' Habermehl says that there are methods to teach people to see in 3D . Using graduated methods and physical aids -LRB- lenses -RRB- as `` training wheels , '' he says , people can eventually learn how to `` point both eyes to focus on the same space . '' It 's like riding a bike . Once you learn , the training wheels come off and you ca n't imagine not doing it . `` Vision is definitely learned , '' he says . `` That 's what vision training is . '' The doctor sounded to me suspiciously like a spokesperson for the 3D television manufacturers , or at least a recipient of some marketing dollars from them . But he 's not . `` It would be nice if they would fund us , '' he said . But after reminding me that `` Avatar '' had already made $ 1 billion in box office receipts , he added , `` I do n't think the industry is worried about this . '' Personally , I have no interest in undergoing medical treatment just so I can spend more money on consumer electronics . Although Dr. Oliver Sacks , in a compelling New Yorker article , did make me wonder what my kind is missing . And regardless of whether you see in 3D or not , the technology is inexorably changing the visual language of movies and television shows . When directors create shows for 3D , they ca n't rely on cinematic methods viewers are used to in 2D for conveying action , depth , and movement . Hard cuts and swooping camera moves can disorient viewers new to 3D . The new standard of practice is to lock down the camera and move the action around it , instead of the reverse , which is the case in today 's 2D movies . Good 3D movies today will appear subtly more stately and cinematic than 2D shows . The future of the 3D feature . For all the hype at CES , 3D for the next few years is likely to be a `` feature '' in the new crop of TVs , according to Gary Merson of the HDGuru3D site . `` It 's not black-and-white to color , '' Merson says . `` It 's a feature , like Internet connectivity and stereo . '' He also points out that the content is not there yet , and that many consumers have only recently upgraded their tube televisions to HD flat screens . For people like me , for whom the world is flat , this feature can not roll out slowly enough . © 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. . All rights reserved . CNET , CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. . Used by permission . | The author 's eyes will not let him see 3D images on a TV or movie screen . A small but significant percentage of the population can not see 3D images . They may be left behind by Hollywood and TV makers ' rush to 3D technology . TV makers say users can turn off 3D display features and just view content in 2D . | [[20, 50], [53, 70], [782, 784], [809, 834], [203, 303], [342, 377], [380, 456], [518, 540], [543, 580], [2708, 2779], [2767, 2818]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sevilla have sacked coach Manolo Jimenez after their disappointing home draw to bottom-club Xerez on Tuesday extended the club 's winless run to seven games . Despite lying fifth in the Spanish Primera Liga table , Sevilla were knocked out of the lucrative European Champions League by Russian side CSKA Moscow last week . Jimenez had also secured a Copa del Rey final against Atletico Madrid but it was n't enough to save the 46-year-old 's job . The club 's sporting director Ramon Rodriguez admitted the decision had been difficult but said he had `` done what I had to . '' He told the club 's official Web site : `` It was an unavoidable situation and we had to find a solution , and the pain that it brings . `` Tuesday was the end of the story but the decision comes from the image and dynamics of the team . Without doubt we are grateful to Manolo . He is an excellent professional , he has made all this possible and impossible . However it is obvious that he could not get a response out of the team . `` Fortunately we believe that there is time . The growth and the ambition of the club is shown in the change of the manager . We are fighting for important things . '' Xerez 's injury-time equaliser on Tuesday meant Sevilla 's last league success was against Real Mallorca back in February . Ironically , it is Mallorca who occupy the much-coveted fourth spot in the table that guarantees Champions League football next season . Jimenez took charge in October 2007 when former coach Juande Ramos left to take over at English Premier League team Tottenham . In that season he led Sevilla to a fifth-place finish , while in 2009 they came third in the league behind Real Madrid and Barcelona . Rodriguez said a new manager would be in place for Sunday 's game with Villarreal . `` The matter will be resolved as soon as possible and he -LSB- the new manager -RSB- will be sitting on the bench for Sundays match , '' he added . | Sevilla sack coach Manolo Jimenez . The club 's winless run extended to seven games after Tuesday 's draw with Xerez . The club 's sporting director Ramon Rodriguez says no replacement has been lined up . Sevilla play Villarreal on Sunday . | [[16, 127], [16, 127], [0, 15], [128, 156]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than 200 federal , state and local law enforcement personnel have been assigned to an operation intended to find who was responsible for Saturday 's fatal shootings of three people linked to the U.S. consulate in Cuidad Juarez , Mexico , an official said . Among the agencies involved in Operation Knock Down -- taking place in southern New Mexico and in the vicinity of El Paso , Texas -- are the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration , said DEA spokesman David Ausiello . El Paso is across the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juarez . A law enforcement official said investigators believe that there could be a connection between Barrio Azteca , a gang that operates in both cities , and the killings . The official said that mistaken identity has not been ruled out . A relative of U.S. consulate worker Lesley Ann Enriquez said Wednesday that the 35-year-old woman was four months pregnant with a boy when she was shot dead . Enriquez 's husband , 34-year-old Arthur Redelfs , was also killed . He was a 10-year veteran of the El Paso County Sheriff 's Office . The couple was fired on in their SUV as they left a birthday party at the U.S. consulate . Their 7-month-old daughter , Rebecca , who was in the back of the SUV , was unhurt . A third victim , who had also left the party , was identified as Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros , 37 , a state police officer who was married to a Mexican employee of 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 . `` We have all come together to find Barrio Azteca members as part of a major intelligence effort , '' said Andrea Simmons , a public information officer for the FBI in El Paso . In addition to the FBI and the DEA , other organizations involved are the Immigration and Customs Enforcement , U.S. Customs and Border Protection , the El Paso Police Department , the El Paso County Sheriff 's Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety . `` Part of this is being done to generate leads regarding the ongoing investigation in Juarez as well as an opportunity to gather information on the location of Eduardo Ravelo , one of the top 10 fugitives , '' she said . The FBI is offering $ 100,000 for information leading to the arrest of Ravelo , who is accused of being a leader of Barrio Azteca . This week , Mexican President Felipe Calderon made his third visit in slightly more than a month to Ciudad Juarez . Its more than 2,600 drug-related deaths last year made it the most violent city in Mexico . No official numbers are available , but more than 400 killings have been reported in local media this year . CNN 's Arthur Brice contributed to this story . | Hundreds of law enforcement officers assigned to Operation Knock Down . Among possible links being investigated is Barrio Azteca gang . Three people connected to U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez killed Saturday . | [[0, 139], [569, 686], [118, 215], [203, 261]] |
Berlin , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thousands of people joined world leaders in the German capital Monday to remember the night 20 years ago when a euphoric wave of people power swept away the Berlin Wall and consigned the Cold War to history . In scenes calmly mirroring the events of November 9 , 1989 , crowds thronged through the center of the once-divided city , joining German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a symbolic re-enactment of the first crossing of the breached Wall . `` It was worth fighting for , '' Merkel said , after crossing the Bösebrücker bridge on Bornholmer Strasse , the checkpoint where people first poured across the frontier . Merkel , the first former East German to lead the reunified country , was accompanied by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and Polish ex-president Lech Walesa as she kicked off events to celebrate the demise of the iconic structure and remember the darker sides of the communist regimes behind it . `` It is not only a day of celebration for Germans . It is a day of celebration for the whole of Europe , '' Merkel said . Merkel was joined by Britain 's Gordon Brown , France 's Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in a series of events , including solemn tributes and boisterous music concerts . At the climax , a line of 1,000 giant dominoes was knocked over along a 2-kilometer strip where the Wall once stood -- representing the domino effect the structure 's collapse had in ending communism across Eastern Europe . Memorials were to be held for the 136 lives lost of those who tried to eascape through the barrier that cut Berlin in two -- many in the so-called `` death strip '' at the heart of the Wall 's fortifications . Read more in our Autumn of Change special report . Thousands of people gathered at the Brandenburg Gate , the symbol of reunified Germany which once stood at the center of the no man 's land between East and West Berlin . Rock acts including Bon Jovi joined the festivities , echoing the popular music of the late 80s which soundtracked the cold night when rigid communist control gave way to an exhilarating tide of people clamoring for freedom . Testament to the powerful legacy of the Wall 's collapse have been the vivid memories recounted by many of the dramatic and emotional events before and after the fall . `` It was a circus-like atmosphere , people were enthused and exuberant and thrilled to see the Wall coming down , '' said David Paul Noel of Maryland , who was working for the U.S. State Department in Germany at the time . Former CNN correspondent Richard Blystone , who watched the Wall collapse was struck by the difference in appearance of each side of the Wall . `` On the west side , there was all this graffiti and dirty words , and names of rock groups and ` down with that ' -- all the chaos of a pluralistic society , '' he said . `` On the eastern side , it was clean and white , just so sterile . '' Though dominated by nostalgia , Monday was also an opportunity to assess progress in a reunified Germany and democratized Eastern Europe , with many airing concerns that the world still has lessons to learn from the events of 1989 . With many in Germany feeling the economic , social and psychological divisions once demarcated by the Wall , Merkel said Monday that the country had yet to fulfil promises made when East and West reunited in 1990 . `` Germany unity is not yet complete , '' Merkel told public broadcaster ARD earlier . At an event in Berlin on Sunday , U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for renewed global action to liberate those still living under repressive regimes . `` Our history did not end the night the Wall came down , '' Clinton said . `` It began anew . And this matters not only to tens of millions of Europeans , and to the United States , but to people everywhere . '' She added : `` To expand freedom to more people , we can not accept that freedom does not belong to all people . We can not allow oppression , defined and justified by religion or tribe to replace that of ideology . `` We have a responsibility to address conditions everywhere that undermine the potential of boys and girls and men and women that sap human dignity and threaten global progress . '' CNN 's Barry Neild contributed to this story . | Angela Merkel leads ceremonies to mark 20 years since collapse of Berlin Wall . Thousands of people converged on symbolic Brandenburg Gate in center of Berlin . Merkel says Germany still has far to go in its unification process . | [[813, 949], [1764, 1803], [3271, 3333], [3380, 3413]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The nearly 100 children living at an orphanage in Carrefour , Haiti , are hungry and thirsty , and desperately waiting for aid , a member of the orphan 's foundation told CNN on Saturday . All of the buildings of the Good Shepherd Orphanage , about eight miles from the capital of Port-au-Prince , were `` damaged beyond repair , '' including the dormitories , said David Zimmer , treasurer for the Good Shepherd Orphanage and Schools Foundation . Zimmer spoke to CNN from Hebron , Kentucky , but said he has been in communication with the head of the orphanage , Pastor Ernst Cassy , who has worked in Carrefour for 40 years . He has also received messages via e-mail from staff in Carrefour , Zimmer said . The news he and his wife have received is heart-wrenching : The roads are impassable , Cassy has run out of food and the well they used to collect drinking water was damaged in Tuesday 's 7.0-magnitude quake . Get the latest developments in Haiti . About 40,000 homeless people have sought refuge in the streets . The electricity is out and so is the gas that powered the generators . On the night of the quake , moans and screams pierced the dark . `` If they do n't get food and water there will be unrest like you ca n't believe , '' Zimmer said . The Good Shepherd Orphanage is just one of several crippled recently . Reports of pancaked orphanages stretch from Port-au-Prince to the southern coastal town of Jacmel . Are you in Haiti and safe ? Share your photos . In the capital on Friday , chaos broke out at the Maison De Lumiere Orphanage after severe shortages of food , water and medicine sparked an outcry , said Mike Maiolo , senior pastor of the volunteers ' home church in Mission Viejo , California . The building sustained heavy damage but no one was killed , he said . Many children who had parents on Tuesday morning , were orphans by that night . A doctor told CNN 's Elizabeth Cohen on Friday that the number of orphans had tripled after the quake . Zimmer said he plans to fly into Port-au-Prince on Tuesday . View or add to CNN 's database of missing persons in Haiti . CNN 's Khadijah Rentas and Stan Wilson contributed to this report . | Some 100 children at orphanage in Carrefour awaiting aid . Orphans have no food , water well damaged . Other orphanages crippled . Many children who had parents are now orphans . | [[42, 101], [836, 876], [868, 960], [1207, 1237], [1521, 1545], [1548, 1668], [1302, 1372], [1838, 1886], [1889, 1917]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has ordered a full review of security measures at UK airports following the attempted Detroit plane bombing on December 25 . In a statement published Friday on the prime minister 's official Web site , Brown said the UK government will be working with the U.S. to `` examine a range of new techniques to enhance airport security systems beyond traditional measures , such as pat-down searches and sniffer dogs . '' These new measures might include using `` explosive trace technology , full body scanners and advanced x-ray technology . '' Writing on the first day of a new decade , Brown issued a reminder of the ongoing threat posed by international terrorism . `` The new decade , '' he said , `` is starting as the last began -- with al Qaeda creating a climate of fear . These enemies of democracy and freedom ... are concealing explosives in ways which are more difficult to detect . '' The Detroit incident highlighted an `` urgent '' need to tighten airport security measures , Brown said . `` The UK , '' Brown said , `` will continually explore the most sophisticated devices capable of identifying explosives , guns , knives and other such items anywhere on the body . '' The alleged plane bomber , Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab is believed to have concealed explosives in his underwear . The 23-year-old Nigerian is thought to have linked up with an al Qaeda group based in Yemen after attending the UK 's University College London . Brown said the plot was a reminder of al Qaeda 's increasing influence away from `` better-known homes of international terror such as Pakistan and Afghanistan . '' Yemen is becoming `` a major new base for terrorism '' which highlighted the need for `` enhanced cooperation '' between nations in the fight against international terrorism , he said . Brown added that the UK government is already supporting the government of Yemen 's efforts to tackle terrorism and pledged further support . `` By 2011 our already announced commitment to Yemen will exceed # 100 million -LRB- $ 160 million -RRB- , making the UK one of its leading donors , '' he said . It was also announced Friday that Brown had invited `` key international partners '' to a meeting in London at the end of January to discuss how to counter radicalization in Yemen . `` We have already updated our counter-terrorism strategy to include further measures to disrupt al Qaeda 's leadership and frustrate its attempts to recruit , train and direct a new generation of terrorists or to find a new haven for those leaders displaced by the efforts of our Afghan and Pakistani allies . '' The key to tackling terrorism was `` vigilance '' Brown said , but the Detroit incident was `` a wake-up call ... not just for security against terror but for the hearts and minds of a generation . '' | UK Prime Minister orders a full review of airport security following failed Detroit plane bomb plot . Brown says the UK will explore the `` most sophisticated devices '' New measures might include explosive trace technology and full body scanners . | [[0, 6], [9, 174], [117, 191], [1078, 1091], [1094, 1246], [482, 603]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Like most stories that end up with a man mowing his friend 's lawn in a dress , it started out innocently enough . Craig Harrell takes a quick break for the camera while fulfilling his end of the bargain . Not long after Robert Klein began working on his man cave , his friend Craig Harrell paid Klein a compliment . He noticed Klein was looking trimmer since they 'd last met . As Klein continued to slim down , they made a bet : Whoever could get down to 200 pounds first would be the winner , and the loser would have to mow the winner 's yard -- in a dress . Klein started building his man cave in Pasadena , Maryland , so he could have the bar of his dreams and a home theater . He worked on his basement for more than a year and ended up losing 65 pounds in the process -- more than enough to win his bet with Harrell . CNN.com and iReport.com got an overwhelming response when we asked readers to send in photos and stories of their man caves : spaces that foster men 's hobbies , decorating skills and technological needs . Some of their stories were so outrageous that we decided to profile a few of them . Klein 's man cave , however , was the only one to combine dramatic weight loss and cross-dressing , so we had to give him a call to find out more . Klein said his friends wanted to talk about two things while he was building his man cave : how his amazing bar was coming along and how they thought Harrell would lose the bet . The bet was popular with everyone Klein and Harrell knew . Their wives even started a dress committee , to make sure the loser was appropriately attired , and their kids delighted in the prospect of seeing Dad in a dress . To lose weight , Klein said Harrell played golf and cut out chips , while he adopted a balanced , calorie-restricted diet , and spent at least six hours a day on the man cave , which took most of his free time . Klein did all the electric wiring himself , worked on the framing and put three coats of paint on all the walls and ceilings . He attributes his weight loss success to replacing TV-watching with hard work . `` I lost at least 10 pounds on the painting alone , '' he said . `` My neck was sore for weeks . '' Klein knew he could n't build the kind of man cave he wanted all by himself , so he contracted out some of the big jobs , like cutting a hole in the foundation to add 6-foot-tall French doors to the side of the house in place of a window well , and finding someone to do the woodwork on a custom bar he designed . Although he started out with a carefully planned budget , Klein quickly found he needed to spend more money to make his dreams a reality . The hardest part , he said , was finding someone who could build his bar for a price he could afford . After some disheartening estimates -LRB- one was $ 65,000 -RRB- , Klein found Lyle Delfosse , a local furniture maker who had built libraries in the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.C. , and constructed a chair for a U.S. Supreme Court justice over his long career . Now 76 and retired , Delfosse told Klein , `` I can build anything out of wood . '' Klein said Delfosse was true to his word , and they did n't go over the initial estimate of $ 19,000 , although he said Delfosse told him `` if he had it to do all over again , he 'd have charged double . '' Klein calls the bar `` magnificent , '' and said that when people come over to see it , they feel underdressed . Convinced he 'd saved money by doing a lot of the work himself , Klein splurged on a new sprinkler system . The bet he 'd made earlier in the year was on his mind , and he wanted to ensure that the grass in his front yard would be nice and green once the weigh-in arrived . At the height of summer , Klein 's man cave was finished , and he decided it was time to step on the scales . Harrell was 208 pounds , and Klein was 195 . At the party Klein threw to show off his new bar and theater , Harrell was ready . With some help from the dress committee , Harrell became Klein 's newly acquired , frock-sporting landscaper . The wives had sewn two pink , strapless dresses together to fit Harrell , and then layered on accessories like a bow-topped headband and a corsage . All decked out , Harrell graciously mowed Klein 's front yard , with 80 people cheering him on . Somehow , as Harrell was mowing , Klein 's new sprinkler system went off , soaking Harrell and his dress . In a phone interview , Klein was coy about who the perpetrator might have been . These days , Harrell has his own man cave , complete with bar . Klein points out that his bar is nicer , but says he 's got his buddy 's back : Harrell 's wife thinks a dishwasher would be a practical addition to the man cave , but Klein is trying to convince her that the keg refrigerator Harrell wants is a good idea . E-mail to a friend . | Man builds man cave , loses 65 pounds in the process . Of all the man cave tales submitted to iReport.com , this is first to include a dress . Bar of man 's dreams is `` magnificent '' Dress committee sews two dresses together to fit the loser of the bet . | [[703, 705], [754, 794], [3319, 3353]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The health care bill 's passage has struck such an emotional chord that more than 10,000 people have posted comments and sometimes deeply personal stories about it on CNN.com . Under the bill , which President Obama is expected to sign Tuesday at the earliest , most Americans will now be required to have health insurance or pay a fine . Larger employers will be required to provide coverage or risk financial penalties . Total individual out-of-pocket expenses will be capped , and insurers will be barred from denying coverage based on gender or pre-existing conditions . Democrat Alison Victoria , who was a financial manager at a hospital for 15 years , supported the bill . As it 's written , the bill `` is n't perfect , and it 's not everything I wanted , but it will save lives , '' Victoria said in an iReport video . `` Doctors , nurses and financial officers see a part of our health care system that many Americans do n't , if they 're lucky , '' she said . `` We have seen benefits denied based on false allegations that the treatment is not medically necessary . We have seen families and whole small businesses dropped from insurance coverage because one person on the plan got sick . We have seen people unable to find insurance because of a pre-existing condition , '' she said , likening the bill to a form of `` justice '' promised in the Constitution . See complete coverage of the health care bill . Another reader used sarcasm to suggest that people will find a way around paying premiums . `` This is cool . I 'm just going to drop my insurance now , pay the $ 700 yearly fine , and then pickup insurance when I get sick since insurance companies ca n't deny me , '' he wrote on the Sound Off section of a CNN.com news story published after the bill passed . `` I 'll save a bundle of money every year . '' `` I suspect this is what most ` smart ' Americans will do , '' he continued . `` And then guess what ? Insurance companies will collapse because they 'll have no pool of money to pay for the claims that start coming in , and we 'll be in a world of hurt again . '' What will health care reform mean to you ? Many people who responded to CNN 's coverage said they were happy the bill passed simply because the current system was not working . Government-backed health care is `` the best compromise possible , '' Egberto Willies said . He 's relieved that his wife , who has lupus , and his daughter , a pre-med student , wo n't have to worry about health care as much under the new bill , he said . `` America has joined the civilized world , '' he said in his iReport video . iReporter Cameron Harrelson , however , said he is afraid that his generation will end up paying for the bill . `` We 're going to have to endure it the longest , '' the 15-year-old from Georgia said . Cliff Olney 's daughter was born premature , and he 's had to spend more than two decades caring for her with Medicaid , the U.S. health program funded by state and federal governments available to low-income people or people with disabilities . `` After 22 years of fighting health insurance companies , me and my daughter have vindication , '' he told iReport . But he also thinks the fight is far from over . `` You know what 's going to happen now ... the insurance companies will begin to cut people who are sick as quickly as they can before the window of opportunity is over ... they 'll also increase premiums as the banks did after legislation was passed for credit card reform . '' Michael Ingram , of Milford , Pennsylvania , says he 's in good health and feels like he does n't need health insurance . As a Navy veteran , he goes to a Veterans Affairs hospital when he 's ill , he said . `` Forcing me to take a health care package that I may not need is dictatorial and not in keeping with the spirit or a free nation , '' Ingram wrote in his iReport . He said he 's written to his representatives about the bill and said both parties are a `` sham . '' He plans to refuse to buy a health care plan . `` I hope that everyone can give this -LSB- health care bill -RSB- a chance , '' wrote one CNN.com reader who identified herself as a 27-year-old recent college graduate who is working full time for a law firm and has health insurance through her job . Two years ago , she was diagnosed with two debilitating diseases that require chemotherapy twice a week and 19 prescription drugs at a cost of $ 660 a month after insurance , she said . She and her husband , who does n't have health insurance because it would cost $ 1,000 extra to add him to her plan , feel like they can barely keep their heads above water . `` The hardest thing for me , is that I know he has medical issues that go unattended because we simply ca n't afford it , '' she wrote . `` We truly are a family that is one major illness away from financial disaster . So I hope this bill will help our situation , and the situations of people much less fortunate than ourselves . '' | Former hospital financial manager says bill `` is n't perfect ... but it will save lives '' Navy vet who uses VA system says it would be unfair to force him to pay for health care . Recent college graduate who 's on chemotherapy hopes `` this bill will help our situation '' Others worry about cost , potential to cheat system . | [[594, 618], [625, 675], [718, 744], [783, 805], [4122, 4204], [4131, 4149], [4154, 4213], [4878, 4921], [1441, 1455], [1469, 1532]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The National Transportation Safety Board has released dramatic animation of two runway near-collisions this year to illustrate what the agency says is the need for improvements in runway safety . The NTSB animation shows two planes nearly colliding at the San Francisco International Airport in May . The first animation shows a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 and a United Airlines Airbus A320 coming within 230 feet of colliding on the runway at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida in July . The re-creation was based on radar and flight data recorder information from the planes involved . The animation includes audio from the air traffic controller , who can be heard yelling , `` Stop , stop , stop ! '' to the United plane as the Delta aircraft attempts to land . Watch animation , hear controller 's pleas '' The second animation shows a May incident at San Francisco International Airport in California in which a Republic Airlines jet takes off , coming within 35 feet of a SkyWest Airlines commuter turboprop that has just landed . There were no injuries in either situation . The videos were shown Thursday during the NTSB 's annual `` most wanted transportation safety improvements '' board meeting , where the agency reviews its greatest concerns in transportation safety . The Federal Aviation Administration reported that serious runway incursions were reduced by 25 percent in 2007 , but the NTSB said much work remains on runway safety and systems to notify pilots when they are about to collide with another plane or vehicle . NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker expressed frustration with the slow progress of implementing new technology , such as the use of a global positioning system-type procedure in cockpits that would help warn pilots of dangers on the runway . Rosenker told the NTSB-only panel , `` It is time to do something before we have to investigate an accident that is catastrophic . '' Among the most wanted transportation safety improvements cited on the NTSB 's Web site are items to `` stop runway incursions/ground collisions of aircraft '' with the notations `` action needed by Federal Aviation Administration '' and `` unacceptable response . '' The site says systems the FAA has added to airports to warn air traffic controllers of potential collisions are n't `` sufficient . '' `` In recent incidents , -LSB- one system -RSB- did not alert controllers in time to be effective , and the situations were instead resolved by flight crew actions that sometimes bordered on heroics or just plain luck , '' the NTSB site says . `` Until there is a system in place to positively control ground movements of all aircraft , with direct warning to pilots , the potential for this type of disaster will continue to be high . '' Rosenker told Thursday 's board gathering that `` this must be resolved . '' `` We 've had this recommendation for a number of years -- too many number of years , '' he said . Other areas of NTSB concern include fuel tanks on airplanes , pilot and air traffic controller fatigue , and technologies that could help prevent automobile collisions . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Eric Fiegel contributed to this report . | NTSB shows dramatic animations of two recent near-collisions on runways . In a Florida incident , planes came within 35 feet of colliding . NTSB wants FAA to improve systems to alert pilots to runway danger . | [[0, 26], [30, 142], [226, 330], [973, 996], [1009, 1071], [133, 137], [143, 225], [1457, 1520], [1766, 1777], [1783, 1832]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ireland opened the defense of their Six Nations rugby title with a 29-11 victory at home to Italy , while England repelled the challenge of Wales to win 30-17 in Saturday 's other match . Ireland , who won all five matches last year to complete a Grand Slam , led 23-8 at halftime in Dublin but could not run away with victory against a determined visiting team . Recalled flyhalf Ronan O'Gara became the first player to score 500 points in the tournament as he was successful with all six kicks at goal , while Jamie Heaslip and Tomas O'Leary crossed for first-half tries . Italy 's only try came just before halftime , despite the sin-binning of center Gonzalo Garcia meaning coach Nick Mallett 's team were reduced to 14 men , after a charge-down of Rob Kearney 's kick by Kaine Robertson . `` It 's not easy to click immediately having only been together for two weeks and not having played together since November , '' Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll told reporters . `` There is plenty to improve on . It 's the first one and job done . We 'll take the positives out of it and move on . We showed an ability in the first half to turn defense into attack and the amount of lineout ball we won was a big plus . `` We made some good line breaks but did n't finish them off . Maybe we need to improve our support play . '' England flanker James Haskell scored two tries to lift the pressure on head coach Martin Johnson , as Wales paid the price for Alun-Wyn Jones ' sin-binning with 17 points conceded while the lock was off the field at Twickenham . The match was level at 3-3 when Jones was yellow-carded for leg-tripping England hooker Dylan Hartley , and the hosts subsequently scored a penalty and two converted tries , Haskell 's first in Tests and another five minutes after halftime by scrumhalf Danny Care . Wales battled back to 20-17 down with eight minutes left as Jones made some amends by setting up prop Adam Jones for a try and then James Hook crossed for another . But four minutes later Haskell went over again thanks to Delon Armitage 's interception , and then Jonny Wilkinson kicked his third penalty , this one from the halfway line to give the flyhalf 15 points for the match . Wales coach Warren Gatland was furious after Jones ' indiscipline cost his side dear . `` We are frustrated and disappointed . We felt that was a game that has slipped from our grasp , '' the New Zealander told reporters . `` The yellow card has cost us 17 points -- it was one of those things , stupid . It was massive . Sometimes those things are very , very costly , and it was for us today . `` We had stressed discipline over the past two weeks and talked about giving nothing soft away , and it is frustrating we have done that . He has made an impulsive decision , and hopefully it is a learning experience for him and he does n't do it again . '' France travel to Scotland for the opening round 's other match on Sunday . | Ireland open defense of Six Nations rugby title with 29-11 victory at home to Italy . Flyhalf Ronan O'Gara becomes first player to score 500 points in the tournament . England defeat Wales 30-17 at Twickenham as visitors pay for Alun Wyn-Jones ' sin-binning . Hosts score 17 points while lock is off field for leg-tripping England 's Dylan Hartley . | [[19, 78], [383, 474], [420, 480], [125, 206], [1447, 1500], [1506, 1573], [1606, 1675]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mathieu Bastareaud returned from the international rugby wilderness to score two tries as France opened their Six Nations campaign with an 18-9 victory away to Scotland on Sunday . The center made his first start since being cast aside after fabricating a tale of being assaulted during France 's tour of New Zealand in June last year . The 21-year-old crossed for his first five-point scores at the highest level , having made his debut in the 2009 Six Nations before causing controversy when he claimed he had been attacked outside his hotel to explain facial injuries . He later admitted being drunk and falling over a table in his room , but speculation over the incident continued and French sports paper L'Equipe reported that he had psychiatric treatment following a suicide attempt . However , Bastareaud scored the first try of the game in Edinburgh in the 12th minute following a five-meter scrum , and powered over the line again out on the left seven minutes before halftime . Scrumhalf Morgan Parra converted to give France a 15-6 lead and then kicked his second penalty five minutes after the interval . Chris Paterson , playing his 99th international for Scotland , kicked his third penalty to reduce the deficit but the home side never looked like breaching the try line of last year 's third-placed team as France could afford to see Parra miss another attempt at goal . Scotland coach Andy Robinson was left to rue defensive lapses ahead of next weekend 's trip to Wales , who lost 30-17 to England on Saturday . `` We conceded two soft scores , and if we do that we 're not going to beat anybody , '' the Englishman told reporters . `` It was hard against a good French scrum . The French were very canny in what they did . '' France winger Vincent Clerc praised teammate Bastareaud , who was banned for three months after his admission of lying . `` It was a good performance after some problems in July . He had a great match with two tries and some great defense , '' Clerc said . | Mathieu Bastareaud scores two tries on return from international rugby wilderness . France defeat Scotland 18-9 in their opening Six Nations match in Edinburgh . It was center Bastareaud 's first start since admitting he had lied about an assault in New Zealand . The 21-year-old was banned three months after finally admitting he fell over while drunk . | [[19, 199], [1945, 2003], [19, 199], [200, 279], [200, 210], [232, 355], [592, 658]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Caroline Wozniacki has earned a career-high world No. 2 tennis ranking after winning through to the final of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in California . The second-seeded Dane will move above the injured Dinara Safina and close the gap on No. 1 Serena Williams when the latest standings are released on Monday . The 19-year-old will play former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic in the final of the Californian outdoor hardcourt tournament after defeating close friend Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-3 on Friday night . Wozniacki , who reached the U.S. Open final last year before losing to comeback queen Kim Clijsters , will be seeking her seventh title on the WTA Tour . She dominated against fifth seed Radwanska , winning the first five games of the opening set and then taking the final four points off the Pole 's serve in the match-clinching game . `` We know each other so well . We know each other 's strengths and weaknesses , '' Wozniacki told the tournament 's official Web site . `` Agnieszka is a great fighter . She does n't give up . I knew that I had to fight till the last point to win this match . `` She actually owes me an ice cream . She thought we were going to play first match , and I said , ` No , we 're going to play late , or 7:30 . ' Then we made a bet , as well , and I won , so at least I get an ice cream . But I have to buy dinner . '' Wozniacki has lost all four previous encounters with sixth seed Jankovic , who defeated Australian eighth seed Samantha Stosur 6-2 6-4 earlier on Friday . The Serbian , now ranked ninth , has reached the final at Indian Wells for the first time in nine appearances , and will be looking to emulate compatriots Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic by clinching the title there . `` I thought the key to today 's match was my return , '' Jankovic said . `` Samantha has an unbelievable serve , one of the best serves in women 's game , and I was able to return a lot of her first serves . `` I was putting a lot of pressure on her second serve . So I think that was the key , because I was able to break her quite a few times . And then it made everything easier for me . '' Stosur , who knocked out defending champion in the fourth round , will break into the top-10 following her exploits this week . `` Today was a bit disappointing , but it 's still my best result in a tournament like this . I think there 's a lot to build on , '' she said . | Second seed Caroline Wozniacki to play Jelena Jankovic in final at Indian Wells . Dane will move up to No. 2 in world rankings after beating friend Agnieszka Radwanska . She has lost all four previous encounters with former world No. 1 Jankovic . Serbian sixth seed defeated Australia 's Samantha Stosur in the semifinals . | [[340, 382], [401, 461], [1388, 1460], [1441, 1460], [1467, 1516]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- David Beckham believes the furore that followed his return to the LA Galaxy from his loan spell with AC Milan earlier this year has galvanized the team . The Galaxy won the MLS Western Conference Championship with a 2-0 win at home to Houston Dynamo on Friday night , Beckham setting up Gregg Berhalter 's 102nd-minute opener . They will face Real Salt Lake , who upset the favored Chicago Fire 5-4 in a penalty shootout to win the Eastern Conference title on Saturday to reach the MLS Cup final in Seattle next Sunday . Beckham had been subjected to abuse by his own fans after missing the start of the MLS season when he was in Italy , while Galaxy captain Landon Donovan questioned his commitment to the LA franchise . However , the England midfielder -- who missed Saturday 's 1-0 friendly defeat by Brazil in Qatar to play for his club -- thinks the situation helped bring the team together . `` There 's nothing wrong with a bit of controversy in a club , it brings players and teams together and it 's done that , '' Beckham told ESPN in a post-match interview . `` I do n't have to say anything about myself , I leave that down to other people to decide . `` I love playing soccer . I work hard for my teammates , myself , my manager , the fans and I hope that 's enough for people . '' Beckham joined the Galaxy from Real Madrid in 2007 but they struggled to make an impact during the Englishman 's time with the team until the arrival of former USA national team coach Bruce Arena . Beckham , who returns to Milan in January as he bids to win a place in England 's World Cup squad , believes this season 's achievements have already gone some way for making up for the previous two seasons . `` We want to win next week but reaching it is the biggest thing , '' he told the UK Press Association . `` We 've done that , done the hard work and this team deserves it . '' | LA Galaxy beat Houston Dynamo 2-0 to win the MLS Western Conference Championship . Beckham believes controversy over his first loan spell with AC Milan brought team together . The Galaxy can win their third MLS Cup when they face Real Salt Lake in Seattle next weekend . | [[173, 250], [19, 146], [751, 773], [863, 916], [447, 450], [488, 539]] |
Nairobi , Kenya -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Al-Shabaab , a hard-line Somali rebel group that is on the U.S. government 's terror watch list , has threatened to attack neighboring Kenya , according to an online audio recording . On an Al-Shabaab Web site , men chant in Kiswahili , the national language of Kenya , saying , `` We will reach Nairobi . When we arrive , we will hit until we kill . '' A taped message in Arabic follows , thought to be by Abu Zubeyr , Al-Shabaab 's commander in Somalia . The speaker of the message threatens those he calls infidels , throughout the world . It would not be the first threat by Al-Shabaab toward Kenya . Many analysts say Kenya is vulnerable to attack by the Islamic group , which is trying to overthrow the weak transitional government . The threat follows heightened tensions between the Kenyan government and Somalis living in Kenya over the past month . Kenya recently rounded up and arrested several hundred Somali immigrants and refugees living in a mostly Somali neighborhood . And earlier this month , Muslim protesters clashed with police after Friday prayers , leading to one death and extensive property damage . Muslim human-rights groups in Kenya have called for protests in support of cleric Abdulah Ibrahim el-Faisal , whom Kenya declared an unwanted person and deported earlier this month . The Jamaican-born Muslim cleric was previously jailed in Britain for inciting murder and racial hatred . But Kenya 's efforts to deport him failed . He was then arrested on return to Kenya , further outraging some Muslim leaders . Alfred Mutua , Kenya 's government spokesman , has since said that el-Faisal has successfully been deported . However , the government has given mixed signals as to whether he has actually left . | Group says it will hit Nairobi `` until we kill '' Kenya is vulnerable to attack by the Islamic group , analysts say . Threat follows heightened tensions between Kenya and Somalis living in the country . | [[0, 7], [10, 45], [126, 175], [219, 244], [247, 269], [305, 311], [315, 340], [219, 244], [314, 340], [341, 385], [640, 708], [775, 855], [822, 893]] |
Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three people were killed when a parked car rigged with explosives blew up Saturday in Najaf on the eve of parliamentary elections , the Interior Ministry said . At least 54 others -- 17 Iraqis and 37 Iranians -- were injured in the attack near the Imam Ali Holy Shrine , which houses the tomb of Ali , cousin of the Prophet Mohammed . Two of the dead were Iranians , the interior official said . Najaf , about 100 miles -LRB- 160 kilometers -RRB- south of Baghdad , is frequented by Shiite pilgrims from Iran . Iraqis will go to the polls Sunday to choose a 325-member parliament . The election has been marred by violence despite heavy security . It is Iraq 's fifth nationwide vote since 2003 , but only the second for a full four-year-term parliament . Three attacks happened Thursday during early voting for those who will be unable to cast ballots Sunday , such as military and security personnel , detainees , hospital staff , and patients . A total of 12 people were killed and dozens were wounded . There have been warnings of further insurgent attacks around the vote . These are Iraq 's first national elections since 2005 , when the Sunni Arab population boycotted the elections and the political process . A Shiite-led government emerged and the Sunnis , feeling disenfranchised , went on to form the main part of the insurgency . The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq calls the elections an `` important milestone in Iraq 's democratic progress , '' serving to strengthen the country 's sovereignty and independence as the United States draws down its military presence there . Sunday 's elections were supposed to happen in January but were delayed because of political disagreements and a delay in passing the election law that paved the way for this vote . There are 18.9 million eligible voters , casting ballots for 325 seats in the Council of Representatives , as Iraq 's parliament is called . The seats represent Iraq 's 18 provinces . At least a quarter of the positions -- 82 -- are guaranteed to go to women , and eight more have been allocated for minorities . They include five set aside for Christians and one each for the Shabak , Sabaeans -LRB- Mandaeans -RRB- , and Yazidis . The number of seats is increasing from the previous 275 . Seat allocation was based on 2005 population data from the Ministry of Trade and adjusted for a 2.8 percent annual growth across all governates . Voting for Iraqis abroad also is happening in 16 countries starting Friday -- including the United States , United Kingdom , Turkey , Iran , Canada and others in the Middle East and Europe . There are no exact figures for those eligible to cast ballots abroad . Estimates on turnout have ranged anywhere from 300,000 to 3 million . Around 6,200 candidates from more than 80 political entities are vying for seats . It is the first parliamentary vote to use an open list , in which the voters vote for political entities and , if they want , also can vote for candidates within those entities , according to the U.N. Assistance Mission . Although open lists complicates the training of election staff and the counting of votes , the system enhances the role of the voter in the election beyond casting a vote simply for a political party , the assistance mission says . At least 25 percent of the candidates on the ballot list of each political entity must be women . The assistance mission is providing technical assistance to the Independent High Electoral Commission , which is organizing the vote . The commission has ordered that all political campaigning must end as of 7 a.m. Saturday . A number of other special measures are being put in place for security reasons . Since Monday , there has been a ban on motorcycles and bicycles in Baghdad until further notice , and on Sunday a two-day ban on any vehicles in cities will begin , Iraqi authorities announced on state television . Provincial borders will be sealed , preventing movements between provinces , from Saturday to Monday . And international borders and all airports will be shut from midnight Saturday . A curfew will be in place in cities from midnight to 5 a.m. on Saturday , Sunday and Monday , officials said . Civilians may not carry weapons on those days , they said . More than 47,000 polling stations will be open across the country , each one able to accept a maximum number of 420 voters . Polling stations are clustered into polling centers . Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. All those in line at the time the polls are open will be able to vote . About 300,000 trained election staff -- mostly teachers , principals , and lawyers -- will be on hand at polling sites . There will be more than 494,000 local and international observers , according to the Independent High Electoral Commission . The number includes about 500 to 600 international observers , according to the United Nations . Voter turnout figures should be available shortly after polls close , and preliminary results are expected by Tuesday or Wednesday , the United Nations said . Results will start emerging for each province as soon as 30 percent of polling centers in that province are tallied . Counting will take place at the polling stations at the end of voting , under the gaze of observers . Ballots will be counted twice to ensure accuracy . The number of ballots cast will be reconciled with the number of ballots issued to each polling station , and in case of a significant discrepancy , the station will be audited . CNN 's Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report . | Explosion near Imam Ali Holy Shrine kills 3 on day before parliamentary elections . Seats in the 325-member parliament are up for grabs . Elections were supposed to be in January but were delayed by political disagreements . 18.9 million people are eligible to vote , and will choose from about 6,200 candidates . | [[0, 7], [10, 30], [34, 163], [545, 615], [563, 615], [1816, 1821], [1857, 1920], [1634, 1653], [1693, 1780], [1816, 1854], [2785, 2867]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Texas Rep. Randy Neugebauer says he was the Republican House member who called out `` baby killer '' during the chamber 's debate Sunday night on the health care reform bill . Neugebauer issued a statement Monday apologizing for the outburst . His statement said he called out , `` It 's a baby killer , '' in reference to the last-minute deal between Michigan Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak and the White House that secured the support of Stupak and other anti-abortion Democrats for the health care bill . `` Last night was the climax of weeks and months of debate on a health care bill that my constituents fear and do not support , '' Neugebauer 's statement said . `` In the heat and emotion of the debate , I exclaimed the phrase ` it 's a baby killer ' in reference to the agreement reached by the Democratic leadership . '' The interruption occurred as Stupak was delivering an emotional speech defending the deal with the White House that called for President Obama to issue an executive order guaranteeing that the bill would not change existing limits on federal funding for abortion . The phrase yelled by Neugebauer was initially believed to have been directed at Stupak personally . `` While I remain heartbroken over the passage of this bill and the tragic consequences it will have for the unborn , I deeply regret that my actions were mistakenly interpreted as a direct reference to Congressman Stupak himself , '' Neugebauer 's statement said . `` I have apologized to Mr. Stupak and also apologize to my colleagues for the manner in which I expressed my disappointment about the bill , '' the statement concluded . `` The House Chamber is a place of decorum and respect . The timing and tone of my comment last night was inappropriate . '' The incident evoked memories of Rep. Joe Wilson , a South Carolina Republican , who yelled `` you lie '' during Obama 's health care speech to a joint session of Congress in September . Wilson also apologized , and the House formally reprimanded him for the outburst . CNN 's Brianna Keilar contributed to this report . | Rep. Randy Neugebauer sorry `` my actions were mistakenly interpreted '' `` Baby killer '' outburst occurred as Stupak was speaking against a Republican motion . On Sunday , Stupak and other anti-abortion Democrats struck a deal with the president . Outburst comes six months after Rep. Joe Wilson 's `` you lie '' incident . | [[195, 262], [1331, 1434], [59, 86], [91, 194], [729, 805], [412, 427], [433, 523]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Not content to sit quietly at home eating their tofu cutlets , more and more vegetarians , it seems , are taking action , trying to get the carnivorous masses to change their ways . Of course , the meat-free have been trying to win people over to their cause since the time of Pythagoras . But lately , activists are trying more in-your-face tactics . For Lierre Keith , author of `` The Vegetarian Myth , '' the `` in-your-face '' part is quite literal . A former vegetarian who has publicly recanted , she was lecturing in San Francisco , California , last week , when three masked assailants shouted `` Go vegan ! '' and lobbed chili pepper-laced pies at her . Even in hard-core vegan circles -- which exclude using animal-based products for food , clothing , medicine or any other purpose -- such borderline-violent exploits are controversial . More common is the approach of folks like newly converted talk show host Ellen Degeneres , who has been sharing recipes for vegan nachos along with her philosophy . Still , recipes only go so far . And , more to the point , they do n't get as much media attention . For many vegan and vegetarian activists , getting coverage is an art . PETA . If you 've ever read about a particularly outrageous pro-vegetarian campaign , there 's a good chance that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals was behind it . The folks at PETA seem to be firm believers in the idea that `` all media attention is good media attention , '' and the more shocking or ridiculous the stunt , the more media outlets will pick up the story . PETA was laughed at when it tried to rebrand fish as `` sea kittens , '' in hopes that the more cuddly name would make seafood a less appealing mealtime choice . It was criticized for the suggestion that recently deceased Oscar G. Mayer should be buried with his company 's hot dog-shaped Wienermobile . After British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay cooked up horse meat on his show , PETA UK dumped a ton of manure outside his London restaurant . Plenty of ecological activists cringe at these kinds of prankish maneuvers , but they do get noticed . And that , apparently , is the point . Why else would PETA organize an army of zombies to protest outside of KFC restaurants ? Not content to oppose meat-eating in the real world , PETA also took a swipe at virtual carnivorousness : In response to the Nintendo DS game `` Cooking Mama , '' the group released its own bloody version . And , as anyone who 's seen its anti-fur posters knows , PETA is well aware that sex sells . The group got the granddaughter of Argentinean revolutionary Che Guevara to pose wearing nothing but a bandolier filled with carrots . Last , year PETA proposed a too-racy-for-TV `` vegetarians have better sex '' Super Bowl commercial , guaranteeing plenty of coverage when -- surprise ! -- NBC rejected the ad . PETA also brings its soft-core approach to the streets with its `` Lettuce Ladies '' campaign : young models , clad in a few strategically placed leaves , handing out veggie hot dogs . The group has enlisted Pamela Anderson and Elizabeth Berkley to pose for the Lettuce Ladies Web site -LRB- find it yourself -RRB- -- probably the best thing that 's happened to their careers in years . Is there tofu wresting ? Yes , there is tofu wrestling . Casa Diablo . PETA is not alone in combining feminine pulchritude and an anti-meat agenda . A couple of years back , Portland , Oregon , resident Johnny Diablo got a bunch of media attention when he opened Casa Diablo , the world 's first vegan strip club . Serving veggie burgers with a side of nudity -LRB- or maybe the other way around -RRB- might seem to be just a publicity stunt . -LRB- The fact that Diablo tried to put the club up for sale shortly after opening would seem to suggest that . -RRB- . But Mr. Diablo is an earnest vegan himself , and he 's apparently retained ownership of Casa Diablo , though reviews -- of both the cuisine and the more fleshy attractions -- are decidedly mixed . McVegan . As the most public face of our carnivorous culture , McDonald 's is a popular target of vegetarian activism . Back in 1985 , the London branch of Greenpeace declared October 16 World Anti-McDonald 's Day , and every year since , there have been protests and rallies all over the globe . The group Vegan Action , founded by Berkeley students in 1993 , has come up with a gentler -- and tastier -- way to combat the ubiquity of the golden arches . With its help , you can host your own `` McVegan '' event . There will be veggie burgers , there will be uniformed servers , and there will even be a costumed clown mascot -- Reggie McVeggie , `` Ronald 's kinder brother . '' The slogan : `` Billions and billions saved . '' Vegan Avengers . Even a green group like Friends of the Earth is n't safe from vegan wrath . Last year , the group hosted a comedy night at the Hammersmith Apollo in London , only to have the event crashed by masked activists wearing enormous artificial testicles . They called themselves the `` Vegan Avengers , '' and their crude slogan suggested that the middle-of-the-road members of FoE should grow a similar pair by supporting veganism . The Avengers have not been heard from since their single appearance . | For many vegan and vegetarian activists , getting media attention is an art . PETA seems to firmly believe that `` all media attention is good media attention '' Manure dumping , zombies , vegan strip club have been used to further the anti-meat cause . | [[1134, 1173], [1176, 1204], [1379, 1434], [1440, 1537], [3334, 3338], [3352, 3411]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rafael Nadal may be more used to serving aces than strutting his stuff on a film set but that has not stopped the former world number one from appearing with Colombian rock star Shakira in her new music video . The scenes of the two stars used to accompany the global release of the `` Gypsy '' single were filmed in Barcelona , Spain last month where the chemistry between the 23-year-old Spaniard and the Latin American singer were such that denials were released by both parties to quash rumors of a love match . Though Nadal is in no danger of winning an Oscar for his acting skills , his cameo appearance was just one in a long list of tennis stars who have flirted with the silver screen . Any come to mind ? Open Court sifted through the archives to find other famous examples of tennis stars caught on camera . Let us know if there are any we have missed by adding your comment at the bottom of the page . Anna Kournikova : . Given her status as a celebrity , which rather overshadowed her abilities as a tennis player , the former Wimbledon semifinalist and number one ranked doubles player , was inevitably going to turn her talents to acting . Rather in the Nadal mode , Kournikova does not have any lines to fluff when appearing with Spanish pop star Enrique Inglesias in a video to promote his 2001 single `` Escape '' . Having been `` seduced '' in a variety of role-play settings by Enrique , the pair later dated in real life . The single reached number 12 in the United States listings . John McEnroe : . The former bad boy of tennis , famous for his rants and run-ins with umpires , would appear to have all the ingredients for a director looking to add a star name to his film credits and with a bit of acting ability to boot . McEnroe , who was once married to the movie star Tatum O'Neal , has in fact appeared in six films , the latest Adam Sandler 's 2008 release `` You Do n't Mess with the Zohan '' where he predictably plays himself . The film did well at the box office and , considering his other cameo alongside Robert De Niro in `` Anger Management , '' the grand slam great could be set for further feature film parts . But whether he will follow soccer legend Eric Cantona in taking lead roles in critically acclaimed films may be open to question . Vijay Amritraj : . The Indian star 's handsome profile and suave personality lent itself to the movie world and sure enough a Hollywood producer spotted him as he gave a post match television interview . He was given an immediate screen test between the second and third rounds while playing at Wimbledon and landed more than just a walk-on part in the 13th Bond movie `` Octopussy . '' Rather predictably , Vijay 's role did have a tennis angle with the baddie Kamal Khan playing at the same club as him , where he was able to keep watch for 007 Roger Moore . Vijay also kills a kukri-wielding Gurkha with his racket , before getting his come-uppance from one of Bond 's enemies with a nasty knife . He dies muttering the immortal lines `` It was Kamal 's men . '' A later appearance in `` Star Trek IV : The Voyage Home '' marked the end of his film career , but Vijay made regular appearances on a popular television show on American network NBC to extend his acting career . Althea Gibson : . Any history of tennis or indeed sport in general , will point to the pivotal role which Althea Gibson played in breaking down barriers for the African-American community . As a forerunner for the likes of the Williams sisters four decades later , Gibson became the first black player to win Wimbledon in 1957 , before defending the title the year after to add to a career haul of five grand slam singles titles . Despite the success , Gibson had never profited from her triumphs as a lifelong amateur so on retirement in 1959 she took a career change that saw her release an album of songs and appear in `` The Horse Soldiers '' , a John Ford-directed western -- where she played a liberated slave who rides alongside John Wayne . William Holden also appeared in the film , but sadly it was Gibson 's first and last and she turned to playing professional golf to earn a living . Maria Sharapova : . Given her worldwide fame and celebrity , the Russian tennis icon would appear to be a Hollywood producer 's dream but her chance of celluloid glory was thwarted by -- a Hollywood producer . The 2004 feature `` Wimbledon '' starred Kirsten Dunst as Lizzie Bradbury , a single-minded American tennis star who finds love in the form of a less than dedicated British player Peter Colt -LRB- Paul Bettany -RRB- , who inspired by Bradbury does the impossible by winning the men 's singles . A very unlikely scenario but highly predictable for a feel good film . Sharapova was supposed to have played one of Bradbury 's hapless opponents , but according to the commentary on the DVD of the film , she was considered too much of a likeness to Dunst and did not get the part . A glut of players , Chris Evert , John McEnroe -LRB- inevitably -RRB- and Luke Jensen amongst others lend their faces to the film and CNN 's Open Court presenter Pat Cash advised on the action shots . But one ca n't help but think that an appearance by Sharapova may have boosted box office takings even more , although she did appear at the glitzy premiere in Hollywood in September , 2004 , towering over the diminutive Dunst . Bill Tilden : . Another infamous tennis star who is rated one of the all-time greats for his grand slam exploits , but attracted less than favorable headlines for his private life , was another to try his hand at entertainment without a tennis racket . The controversial life of tennis great Tilden . Tilden dominated the men 's game in the 1920s before turning professional and was still a force into his 40s , playing to big crowds against the likes of Donald Budge and Fred Perry . But away from tennis , Tilden 's great passion was movies and theater . He was a personal friend of screen icon Charlie Chaplin and ploughed much of his fortune into three Broadway plays , which he wrote and produced and also appeared in . All bombed spectacularly and Hollywood did not come calling . The Players -LRB- 1979 movie -RRB- . This makes our list because of the sheer numbers of star players , who have cameo roles or -- in the case of the great Pancho Gonzales -- starred in a major supporting role . Gonzales , who received a panning from critics for his pains , also has a credit in the more successful 1953 release `` Pat and Mike '' starring screen legends Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy . The corny plot of The Players -LRB- see `` Wimbledon '' above -RRB- has crooner Dean Martin 's son -LRB- Dean Paul Martin -RRB- play a rising young tennis star who falls for an older woman Nicole -LRB- Ali McGraw -RRB- . It is loaded with walk on parts for John McEnroe , his predecessor as the `` enfant terrible '' of tennis , Ilie Nastase , and the Argentine ace Guillermo Vilas . Tom Gullikson , John Lloyd , Dennis Ralston and Ion Tiriac also appear as well as legendary British tennis commentator Dan Maskell , but it proved a turkey . Roll credits . So that 's Open Court 's guide to the best and mostly worse in tennis acting careers , but while the sport remains a favorite among celebrities and rich Hollywood film moguls , the list is sure to grow and as we went to press reports from India say 11-time grand slam doubles champion Leander Paes is wanting to join the ranks of Bollywood after taking acting lessons for over a year . Judging by the efforts of his predecessors he might need them . | Tennis stars of past and present have turned their talents to land roles in films . American ace John McEnroe has appeared in the credits for no less than six features . 1957 Wimbledon champion starred alongside screen icon John Wayne in a western . Indian star Vijay Amritraj was talent spotted for a supporting part in Bond movie Octopussy . | [[657, 672], [677, 714], [1766, 1773], [1842, 1863]] |
Fargo , North Dakota -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Officials in North Dakota and Minnesota are catching their breath Monday , if only briefly , after the Red River crested over the weekend . Despite the river peaking at 36.99 feet -- 19 feet above flood level -- Sunday morning , the region will have to contend with high water for a while . `` It 'll be about a week , so we 're just going to continue to monitor things and kind of wait as that water very , very slowly goes down , '' said Robyn Litke , spokeswoman for Fargo , North Dakota . `` We are just continuing to maintain our dikes and just continuing the dike patrols . It is expected that we will stay well above major the major flood stage of 30 feet for about the next week or maybe a little bit longer . '' Overall , the situation in Fargo looked good , Mayor Dennis Walaker said Sunday . `` We 're standing tall , '' Walaker said . `` We have to stand tall for a few more days . '' Are you there ? Share your photos , videos and stories . Craig Fugate , director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency , was expected to tour Fargo on Monday to survey the area 's response to the high waters . When the river recedes to 30 feet , Fargo can begin removing dikes , a city official said . The waters were expected to begin their retreat late Sunday at a rate two to three times slower than it rose . The Red River flooding began last week when warmer weather and rain melted snow south of Fargo and its sister city of Moorhead , Minnesota , causing the river to swell . Upstream , snow and ice have yet to melt , pushing water back toward the two cities . Last year , the Red River crested at nearly 41 feet -- a record and about 4 feet higher than this year 's level . Water surrounded some homes near the river in Fargo , where 700,000 sandbags guarded the city from creeping waters . At least 10 people have been rescued from floodwaters in the area since Friday , according to the U.S. Coast Guard . Moorhead also was on alert , and the city was advising residents to monitor sandbag dikes . Between Moorhead and Fargo , more than 1 million sandbags were stacked to defend against the river 's rise . Between Saturday night and Sunday morning , teams in Cass County , North Dakota -- which includes Fargo -- rushed to three locations to reinforce sandbag dikes , said Capt. Grant Larson of the North Dakota Air National Guard . He said that 1,000 sandbags were stacked around a home threatened by flooding Sunday morning . `` This house would have been lost , '' Larson added . In the southern Plains , authorities said they linked four deaths to an early spring snowstorm that blanketed the region . Stacy Moore , 26 , died Saturday when her car veered off a slush-covered road in Unionville , Missouri , said Michael Weiseman , radio operator for the Missouri Highway Patrol . Moore was ejected when her vehicle flipped , Weiseman said Sunday . Weather-related vehicle crashes killed one in Kansas and two in Oklahoma , authorities said . Oklahoma police investigated 244 crashes , one that resulted in the death of a 7-year-old in Logan County on Saturday , the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management reported . On Sunday , a 77-year-old woman was killed when her car struck a tree after she lost control on an icy road , the department said . Parts of Arkansas and Oklahoma received at least 1 foot of snow . CNN Radio 's Shelby Erdman and CNN 's Aaron Cooper , Justin Lear , Dina Majoli , Khadijah Rentas and Reynolds Wolf contributed to this report . | Red River peaks at 19 feet above flood level over weekend . FEMA chief Craig Fugate will tour Fargo , North Dakota , to see area 's response to flooding . City expected to stay above major flood level for at least week , spokeswoman says . Sister city Moorhead , Minnesota , also on high alert for flooding . | [[139, 179], [994, 1006], [1063, 1099], [994, 1006], [1076, 1151], [620, 757], [635, 757], [267, 322], [1355, 1481]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A trendy California sushi restaurant says it 's closing after being accused of serving illegal whale meat . The company that owns Santa Monica 's The Hump restaurant had already apologized for the whale meat accusation earlier in the week . The restaurant 's Web site said : `` After 12 years doing business in Santa Monica , The Hump will be closing its doors effective March 20 , 2010 . The Hump hopes that by closing its doors , it will help bring awareness to the detrimental effect that illegal whaling has on the preservation of our ocean ecosystems and species . '' The investigation into the eatery began in October when two members of the team that made the documentary , `` The Cove '' visited The Hump , officials said . `` The Cove , '' which exposes the annual killing of dolphins at a Japanese fishing village , won the Academy Award for Best Documentary earlier in March . Armed with a hidden camera , two women from the documentary captured the waitress serving them whale and horse meat and identifying them as such , a federal criminal complaint said . A receipt from the restaurant at the end of the meal identified their selection as `` whale '' and `` horse '' with a cost of $ 85 written next to them . The women snuck pieces of the meat into a napkin and later sent them for examination to a researcher at Oregon State University . He identified the whale sample to be that of sei whale , prosecutors said . The meat from whales , considered an endangered species , can not be sold legally in the United States . The restaurant , located at the Santa Monica Airport , is known for its exotic fare . Its Web site asks diners to surrender themselves to its chefs for `` a culinary adventure ... unlike any that you have previously experienced . '' Prosecutors have also charged Typhoon Restaurant Inc. , the parent company of the restaurant , and one of its chefs -- Kiyoshiro Yamamoto , 45 -- with the illegal sale of a marine mammal product for an unauthorized purpose . The misdemeanor charge carries a federal prison sentence of up to a year and a fine of up to $ 200,000 for the company , federal authorities said . The Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act make it illegal , except under very limited circumstances , to hunt , kill or capture whales and also prohibit trade in the animals or any part of them . CNN 's Sonya Hamaski contributed to this report . | Sushi restaurant in California to voluntarily close its doors after whale meat accusations . The Hump restaurant issued apology for serving whale . It is illegal to sell whale meat in United States . | [[0, 3], [14, 40], [81, 151], [448, 473], [152, 284], [1475, 1495], [1533, 1579]] |
Mexico City , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five presumed drug gang members and one soldier were killed in shootouts Thursday and Friday after criminals blocked thoroughfares in two northern Mexico states to prevent military reinforcements from arriving , authorities said . The criminals used cars , transit buses and tractor-trailers to block roads and streets in the states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon in northeastern Mexico , said an official with the Nuevo Leon public security office . The official was briefed on the incidents but declined to be named because she is not allowed to speak for the department . Three gang members were killed Thursday in Tamaulipas and two died early Friday in the city of Monterrey , in Nuevo Leon , the official said . One soldier was killed and four wounded in the Tamaulipas confrontation , the security official said . Two of the road blocks happened Thursday and five more were set up before dawn Friday , the official said . All were cleared within a matter of hours . The area , which borders Texas , has seen bloody fighting between the Zetas and Gulf cartels after a recent gangland slaying . Hours-long gun battles are common , and U.S. officials were recently forced to temporarily close the consulate in the city of Reynosa . The trouble started January 18 when a Gulf cartel member killed top Zeta lieutenant Victor Mendoza . The Zetas demanded that the Gulf cartel turn over the killer , but the narco group refused . The Zetas , composed mostly of former elite military troops , had been the armed enforcers for the Gulf cartel since 2001 . The Zetas have become more independent in recent years , and the all-out war between the two cartels indicates the split is apparently permanent . Nuevo Leon public security chief Luis Carlos Trevino was quoted in published reports as saying that the military will continue ongoing operations against the criminals despite the road blocks and other obstacles . Soldiers carried out raids Thursday in the cities of El Carmen , Sabinas , Vallecillo and Paras . `` The organized crime groups have tried through different means and methods to turn the roads of the metropolitan Monterrey area upside down , looking to form blockades with civilian vehicles to prevent support troops going to the areas where these actions are taking place , '' Trevino said at a news conference Thursday . The drug gang members used tractor-trailers , buses and cars to close the Reynosa Highway and the road to Miguel Aleman , causing panic among residents and traffic chaos , the security chief said . The highway from Monterrey to Reynosa was closed for at least two hours in both directions when armed men forced at least six car drivers and a tractor-trailer driver to station their vehicles across the road . The gunmen also burned three cars and a pickup truck to close the Miguel de la Madrid Boulevard in Monterrey . In addition , gunmen stole several cars and trucks to use as roadblocks in both directions on the highway to Miguel Aleman , Trevino said . Mexico has been gripped in massive drug-related bloodshed since President Felipe Calderon declared war on the cartels shortly after coming into office in December 2006 . Much of the violence has centered around Ciudad Juarez , across the border from El Paso , Texas . Juarez drew attention in the United States last weekend when three people associated with the U.S. consulate in the city were gunned down . Two of the victims were U.S. citizens who lived in El Paso . Juarez Mayor Jose Reyes Ferriz said earlier this week authorities believe Saturday 's slayings were carried out by the Barrio Azteca drug gang . No motive has been revealed and no arrests have been made . About 200 U.S. federal , state and local authorities interviewed more than 100 Barrio Azteca members and associates in El Paso and southern New Mexico on Thursday , the Justice Department said . There are no official government tallies , but more than 16,000 people are estimated to have died in the drug wars . The vast majority of the deaths are among reputed criminals , with some police and military also being killed . Relatively few of the deaths are civilians . Even so , the United States and Canada have issued travel warnings , particularly along the border area . The Texas Department of Public Safety took the unprecedented step this year of recommending that students on spring break not go to border areas inside Mexico . News of the violence and the travel warnings apparently have had an effect . Mexicans say tourism along the border has declined this year , with one business owner in Tijuana telling CNN that his business has dropped 40 percent . | Five presumed drug gang members , soldier killed in shootouts . Criminals blocked roads with cars , buses to prevent military from arriving , authorities say . Area near Texas border site of bloody fighting between Zetas , Gulf cartels . | [[40, 71], [0, 36], [76, 200], [756, 782], [3549, 3649], [4022, 4081], [4089, 4113], [4119, 4133], [0, 36], [76, 200], [174, 249], [212, 249], [252, 263], [252, 270], [271, 424], [2203, 2288], [2376, 2495], [2498, 2545], [2910, 3018], [1011, 1019], [1028, 1041], [1011, 1019], [1036, 1137]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities have issued sketches of three people sought in connection with the spate of eastern Texas church fires . The Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives released the drawings Friday at a news conference in Tyler , Texas . We have a serial arsonist out there , '' said Robert Champion , special agent in charge of ATF 's Dallas , Texas , office . `` We need help from the public . '' There have been a total of 11 church fires so far this year , 10 of them found to be deliberately set . There is no clear theme linking the fires , which have struck churches of different denominations , including Baptist , Methodist and Church of Christ Scientist , on different days of the week and at different times of the day . While the churches are located in small towns , not all of them are in remote locations . Police patrols have been stepped up near churches , and in some cases church members are staying at their churches to protect them or patrolling around the churches themselves . `` I think maybe I would characterize the mood of our people as perplexed , '' Randy Daniels , mayor of Athens , Texas , told CNN earlier this week . Athens , a town of about 12,000 people , has had three of its church set on fire . In Tyler , Texas , the Tyland Baptist Church was among those set ablaze . Pastor David Mahfood told CNN on Wednesday there was nothing left from the January 16 fire -- `` not a Bible , not a hymnal . We 've got some bricks . That 's it . '' At another destroyed church , Russell United Methodist Church in Wills Point , Texas , members are trying to salvage what they can from the ashes . A large brass cross that hung over the church 's choir loft was recently found , church member Kay Crosby told CNN . `` It was kind of twisted , but we 're going to have it restored , '' she said . | Sketches of three people released by ATF . No clear theme linking fires , which have struck churches of different denominations . Patrols , by both police and residents , have been stepped up near east Texas churches . | [[19, 67], [528, 569], [537, 688], [847, 896]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Obama administration raised the stakes in the health care debate Monday , releasing a new blueprint that seeks to bridge the gap between measures passed by the Senate and House of Representatives last year . If enacted , the president 's sweeping compromise plan would constitute the biggest expansion of federal health care guarantees since the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid more than four decades ago . The White House said it would extend coverage to 31 million Americans . Among other things , the White House said it would expand Medicare prescription drug coverage , increase federal subsidies to help people buy insurance and give the federal government new authority to block excessive rate hikes by health insurance companies . It increases the threshold -- relative to the Senate bill -- under which a tax on high-end health insurance plans would kick in . As with both the House and Senate plans , it includes significant reductions in Medicare spending in part through changes in payments made under the Medicare Advantage program . President Obama 's plan does not include a government-run public health insurance option , an idea strongly backed by liberal Democrats but fiercely opposed by both Republicans and key Democratic moderates . It also eliminates a deeply unpopular provision in the Senate bill worked in by Sen. Ben Nelson , D-Nebraska , that would exempt his Midwestern state from paying increased Medicaid expenses . Administration officials said Obama 's measure would cut the deficit by $ 100 billion over the next 10 years . They estimate the total cost of the bill to be $ 950 billion in the next decade . The Senate bill would cost an estimated $ 871 billion , according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office , while the more expansive House plan has been estimated to cost more than $ 1 trillion . The release of Obama 's plan sets the stage for a critical televised health care summit Thursday with top congressional Republicans . The White House is trying to pressure GOP leaders to present a detailed alternative proposal in advance of the meeting . `` We view this as the opening bid for the health meeting '' on Thursday , White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer told reporters . `` We took our best shot at bridging the differences '' between the House and Senate bills . `` It is our hope the Republicans will come together around -LSB- their -RSB- plan and post it online '' before the meeting . President 's health care blueprint . Pfeiffer said Obama will come to Thursday 's meeting `` with an open mind . '' The president 's willing to back decent Republican ideas if the two sides can have an `` honest , open , substantive discussion '' in which `` both parties can get off their talking points , '' he said . GOP leaders have indicated they will attend the meeting but have urged Democrats to scrap the Senate and House bills completely . They characterized Obama 's proposal Monday as setting the stage for a meeting that will amount to little more than political posturing . `` The president has crippled the credibility of this week 's summit by proposing the same massive government takeover of health care based on a partisan bill the American people have already rejected , '' said House Minority Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio . `` This new Democrats-only backroom deal doubles down on the same failed approach that will drive up premiums , destroy jobs , raise taxes and slash Medicare benefits . This week 's summit clearly has all the makings of a Democratic infomercial . '' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , released a statement calling the plan `` disappointing that Democrats in Washington either are n't listening or are completely ignoring what Americans across the country have been saying . '' White House press secretary Robert Gibbs dismissed the GOP criticisms , arguing that Republican leaders had asked for this week 's meeting for months . `` If they 're not the party of no , Thursday 's the perfect venue to be the party of yes , '' Gibbs said . Highlights of Obama 's proposal . Under Obama 's plan : . • The health and human services secretary would work with a seven-member board of doctors , economists and consumer and insurance representatives to review premium hikes . This Health Insurance Rate Authority would provide an annual report to recommend to states whether certain rate increases should be approved , although the secretary could overrule state insurance regulators . • New health insurance subsidies would be provided to families of four making up to $ 88,000 annually , or 400 percent of the federal poverty level . Compared with the Senate bill , Obama 's proposal lowers premiums for families making between $ 44,000 and $ 66,000 , according to the White House . Compared with the House legislation , it lowers premiums for families making between $ 55,000 and $ 88,000 . • The Medicare prescription drug `` doughnut hole '' would be closed by 2020 . Under current law , Medicare stops covering drug costs after a plan and beneficiary have spent more than $ 2,830 on prescription drugs . It starts paying again after an individual 's out-of-pocket expenses exceed $ 4,550 . • A 40 percent tax would be imposed on insurance companies providing so-called `` Cadillac '' health plans valued at more than $ 27,000 for families . The tax would kick in starting in 2018 for all plans . In contrast , the Senate bill would apply the tax to plans valued at more than $ 23,000 for families . The House bill does not include the tax , which labor unions vehemently oppose . • The federal government would assist states by picking up 100 percent of the costs of expanded Medicaid coverage through 2017 . The federal government would cover 95 percent of costs for 2018 and 2019 , and 90 percent in the following years . • Health insurance exchanges would be created to make it easier for small businesses , the self-employed and unemployed to pool resources and purchase less expensive coverage . • Total out-of-pocket expenses would be limited , and insurance companies would be prevented from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions . Insurers would be barred from charging higher premiums based on a person 's gender or medical history . • Individuals under Obama 's plan would be required to purchase coverage or face a fine of up to $ 695 or 2.5 percent of income starting in 2016 , whichever is greater . The House bill , in contrast , would have imposed a fine of up to 2.5 percent of an individual 's income . The Senate plan would have required a person to buy coverage or face a fine of up to $ 750 or 2 percent of his or her income . All three plans include a hardship exemption for poorer Americans . • Companies with more than 50 employees under Obama 's plan would be required to pay a fee of $ 2,000 per worker if the company does not provide coverage and any of that company 's workers receives federal health care subsidies . The first 30 workers would be subtracted from the payment calculation . As with the individual requirement , this represents a compromise between the House and Senate plans . • Some $ 40 billion in tax credits would be established for small businesses to help them provide health care options for their employees . • States could choose whether to ban abortion coverage in plans offered in the health insurance exchanges . Individuals purchasing plans through the exchanges would have to pay for abortion coverage out of their own funds . The White House is following the Senate 's lead . The stricter House version banned abortion coverage in private policies available in the exchange to people receiving federal subsidies . • Illegal immigrants would not be allowed to buy health insurance in the health insurance exchanges . They would be exempted from the individual insurance mandate . As with abortion , the White House is adopting the Senate 's language . CNN 's Dana Bash , Lisa Desjardins , Kristi Keck , Suzanne Malveaux , Alan Silverleib and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report . | NEW : House GOP leader : Health care summit has `` all the makings of a Democratic infomercial '' Administration plan seeks to bridge gap between House , Senate bills . President Obama 's plan does n't include public option . Plan would seek to block excessive rate hikes by health insurance companies . | [[1880, 2013], [3509, 3586], [0, 26], [108, 179], [2279, 2368], [1084, 1172], [537, 540], [672, 775], [6202, 6256]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Several large circus tents previously used by Cirque du Soleil are on their way to Haiti to be used as a temporary headquarters for the Port-au-Prince government , according to the man donating them . The self-contained tents would replace government buildings destroyed a month ago by the devastating earthquake that killed at least 200,000 people , Nevada real estate developer Tom Schrade said Thursday . An urgent effort is under way to provide shelter for in Haiti , ahead of the rainy season expected to hit the island nation at the end of March . Much of the government is operating in small tents or cramped quarters in buildings that survived the January 12 earthquake . Schrade , who bought the tents after Cirque du Soleil retired them , said his wife got the idea to donate them while they were watching coverage of Haiti relief efforts . `` It seemed like a good thing to do , '' Schrade said . The tents have 33,000 square feet of interior floor space , including heating and air conditioning systems , interior and exterior lighting , toilets and 900 padded chairs , Schrade said . Thirteen steel shipping containers hold the 400,000 pounds of cargo , he said . `` Even the shipping containers can serve as apartments , '' Schrade said . After an aide to the Port-au-Prince mayor confirmed the government would welcome the tents , Schrade said he called Barron Hilton -- the son of Hilton hotel founder Conrad Hilton -- for help in getting them from storage in Reno , Nevada , to Haiti . The Conrad Hilton Foundation , already involved in Haiti relief projects , agreed to finance the shipment , he said . Gregory Anderson , the international project manager for the Hilton Foundation , confirmed its participation . The William J. Clinton Foundation -- the former U.S. president 's nonprofit group -- will coordinate getting the big tents to Port-au-Prince , he said . Full coverage of the earthquake 's aftermath . A convoy of tractor-trailer trucks left Reno Monday night with the tents bound for the port of Miami , Florida , he said . They 'll be loaded onto a ship chartered by the Clinton Foundation next week for the voyage to Port-au-Prince , he said . Technicians hired by Schrade will travel there to supervise the set up , he said . iReport : Looking for loved ones in Haiti . The tents , which initially cost about $ 5 million , were first used by Cirque du Soleil at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas a decade ago . They also spent time at a Myrtle Beach , South Carolina , theme park before Schrade bought them with the idea of using them at a Reno hotel , he said . The economic downturn derailed Schrade 's plan to use the tents at a hotel in Reno , he said . Cirque du Soleil is a Canadian-based traveling circus based on street performance art . | Tents previously used by Cirque du Soleil to be used as government headquarters . Government currently operating in small tents or cramped quarters . Nevada real estate developer Tom Schrade bought the tents to help in Haiti . Schrade said his wife got the idea to donate them while watching coverage of Haiti relief efforts . | [[102, 180], [573, 656], [699, 706], [768, 794], [773, 815], [786, 789], [795, 869]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Longtime `` American Idol '' judge Simon Cowell said he 'll be leaving the popular Fox talent show at the end of the season , the network announced Monday at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena , California . Cowell 's popular U.K. talent show , `` The X Factor , '' will be coming to the United States in the fall of 2011 with the acerbic critic in tow , according to Fox . `` I want to leave ` Idol ' this year bigger and better than it was in the past , '' Cowell said at the TCA tour Monday . Cowell will be both executive producer and judge on `` The X Factor . '' `` I 'm thrilled that we have put a date on the launch of the U.S. version of ` The X Factor , ' and delighted to be continuing to work with Fox , '' said Cowell in a statement . `` We have a fantastic relationship , a great team and are all very excited about this . '' iReport : Will you watch `` Idol '' without Simon ? Speculation has raged for weeks as to Cowell 's future . Though he 's well paid for his `` Idol '' work -- an estimated $ 36 million per season -- he has expressed a desire to focus on `` The X Factor . '' Cowell said at the press session that it 's taken some time to reach an agreement for his new duties , hence the buzz . -LRB- Indeed , he signed the last page of his `` contract '' on stage with Fox executives Peter Rice and Kevin Reilly . -RRB- . '' -LSB- I -RSB- did n't think it was right to do two shows in America at the same time , so -LSB- I -RSB- decided to leave one and start another , '' he said . He said he missed Paula Abdul , the former `` Idol '' judge who left the show in August , but would n't confirm or deny whether she would appear on `` X Factor '' in the U.S. Cowell and Abdul had a good-naturedly contentious relationship on `` Idol , '' with the tough-minded Brit often acting as bad cop to the `` Forever Your Girl '' singer 's good cop . Ellen DeGeneres , who 's taking over Abdul 's judging slot , joked about Cowell 's announcement on her talk show Monday -- getting in a dig at NBC 's late-night troubles as well . `` So this just happened , Simon Cowell just announced that he 's leaving ` Idol . ' This will be his last season . He announced he 's leaving on my first day . I 'm trying not to take it personally , '' she said . `` But seriously , I am going to be very , very sad to see him go , because I think he 's made the show what it is . He 's a huge part of that show but he wanted a change . I wish him all the luck in the world hosting ` The Tonight Show , ' '' said DeGeneres , referring to widespread speculation about how NBC will resolve its issues with its late-night talk shows . In reality , of course , Simon Cowell has not been part of that speculation . Since its premiere in 2002 , `` Idol '' has been an entertainment phenomenon , regularly ranking as TV 's top show , creating several musical stars and pulling in millions more viewers than its closest competition . Its new season premieres Tuesday . Cowell 's presence has been credited as a major reason . The British music executive was a judge on the British version of `` Idol , '' `` Pop Idol , '' and came to the United States when Fox imported the show . Unlike judges on many American talent shows , Cowell did n't sugar-coat his criticisms to contestants . With the show 's growing popularity -- by its fourth season it was the top show on television , a rank it has held ever since -- Cowell and fellow `` Idol '' players Abdul , judge Randy Jackson and amiable host Ryan Seacrest became stars in their own right . Though the show continues to dominate American TV , ratings have started sliding in `` Idol 's '' past two seasons . But Cowell told the TCA audience he had no doubt about the show 's future . It will `` continue to be the No. 1 show '' in the country , Cowell said . The show has given him `` the best days of my life . '' Asked who should replace him , he jokingly suggested Seacrest , with whom Cowell has also good-naturedly tangled . The Fox executives said they 're not going to rush to find Cowell 's replacement . CNN 's KJ Matthews contributed to this story . | Simon Cowell leaving `` American Idol '' after this season . Cowell 's `` The X Factor '' coming to U.S. in 2011 . Cowell 's acerbic commentary has been a big reason for `` Idol 's '' popularity . | [[0, 15], [54, 112], [72, 142], [2113, 2168], [305, 394]] |
Seoul , South Korea -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Obama administration 's first high-level direct talks with North Korea yielded no promise by Pyongyang to return to six-party negotiations aimed at ending its nuclear program , but Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday nonetheless called the meeting `` quite positive . '' In Washington , Clinton said she agreed with special envoy Stephen Bosworth that the talks were `` very useful , '' adding , `` It does remain to be seen whether and when the North Koreans will return to the six-party talks , but the bottom line is that these were exploratory talks , not negotiations . '' North Korea has refused to return to the talks conducted by the United States , Russia , China , South Korea and Japan , insisting that it wants to talk directly with the U.S. . In April , Pyongyang declared the talks `` dead '' in anger over international criticism of its nuclear and missile tests this year . Clinton previously said the United States was willing to meet bilaterally with North Korea but only within the framework of the six-party talks . She also has warned the United States will not normalize ties with Pyongyang or lift sanctions unless North Korea takes irreversible steps toward dismantling its nuclear program . Of his three-day visit , Bosworth said , `` My purpose ... was to facilitate the resumption of the six-party talks and to reaffirm the goal of fully implementing the September 2005 joint statement . '' Holding a news conference Thursday in Seoul after his visit to North Korea , Bosworth said , `` I communicated President Obama 's view that complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is a fundamental undertaking of the six-party process ... and that the absence of progress on denuclearization is an obstacle to improving our relations . '' As Obama `` has made it clear , the United States is prepared to work with allies , partners in the region to offer ... North Korea a different future , '' he said . Bosworth said he held talks with North Korean officials , but not President Kim Jong Il , because `` we did not ask '' for a meeting with the leader . He said they did not make plans for a future meeting . Many observers are wondering what 's behind the North 's latest moves , and some said Bosworth 's trip is a positive . `` The visit gives North Korea a lot of ` face , ' a sense of importance , '' said Wenran Jiang , political science professor at the University of Alberta in Canada . Some analysts said North Korea might be trying to buy time . Earlier reports in Seoul claimed that North Korea is in the final stages of restoring its Yongbyon nuclear plant , which Pyongyang had begun to disable before walking away from the six-party talks . Given the secrecy of the North , those reports could not be verified . Analysts said North Korea also is desperate to break out of its diplomatic isolation and ease its economic pain , especially after the U.N. Security Council imposed tougher sanctions on the country in response to Pyongyang 's nuclear and missile tests . A joint statement issued by the six-party nations in September 2005 said North Korea had `` committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs . '' CNN 's Jill Dougherty contributed to this report . | NEW : Hillary Clinton describes North Korean talks as `` very useful '' Envoy Stephen Bosworth is first Obama administration official to hold direct talks with North . North Korea abandoned six-party talks in April after criticism over nuclear tests . U.S. says it 's unclear if North will return to six-party talks . | [[224, 321], [325, 338], [341, 435], [810, 818], [821, 943], [438, 447], [451, 548], [450, 455], [468, 548]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The dominance of England 's Premier League has been built on its clubs ' ability to lure the world 's best players with high wages . Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes the UK 's tax rate rise will hurt the Premier League 's competitiveness . But that could all be about to change after last month 's decision by the British government to raise the level of top-rate income tax from 60 cents in every $ 1.50 to 75 cents . The rate rise , which takes effect from April of 2010 , will mean that some well-off people -- including Premier League footballers -- will pay half of any income over $ 226,000 in tax . And given the average basic salary for a Premier League player is $ 1.8 m , it will make a difference to a lot of players , not just the foreign superstars like Brazil 's Robinho and Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo . English premiership managers such as Arsenal 's Arsene Wenger believes the tax hike will hurt the Premier League 's ability to attract the best players while potentially driving out those players unhappy at paying out more in tax . Wenger was asked if the success of English sides was overly reliant on having the best foreign players . `` That time will soon be over because with the new taxation system , with the collapse of sterling , the domination of the Premier League on that front will go , that is for sure , '' he told the UK 's Sunday Times newspaper in a recent interview . Pete Hackleton , who works for accountancy firm Deloitte 's sports business group , believes Wenger could be proved right . `` An increase in the tax rate and the decline of the pound against the Euro over the last year to 18 months does put the Premier League at a disadvantage , '' he told CNN . `` I 'd say it will have a sizable impact upon the Premier League 's competitiveness against other countries . Clubs are going to have to think about how they react to it . '' The Premier League 's ability to remain the most marketable league in the world has been built on the ability to attract the best talent . But if that talent is unhappy at seeing half or less of their salaries , other leagues in countries with more generous tax bands may become more enticing . Spain 's top division , La Liga , is one of the Premier League 's biggest rivals in terms of the quality of its product , and it is likely to be best placed to capitalize should England drop the ball . The reason -- aside from the weather -- is the so-called `` Beckham Law . '' The country 's government introduced legislation four years ago which effectively caps non-Spanish nationals ' tax at 24 percent . David Beckham was among the first foreigners to take advantage of it while he was playing for Real Madrid . English clubs desperate to keep hold of their best players without breaking the bank undoubtedly have a challenge on their hands going into the off-season . But there is a little room for maneuver . One area is in a player 's image rights , which can be hugely lucrative . If a player is aligned to an image rights company , payments into those companies are income of the image rights company , and the player is not taxed on them . Additionally , the club does not need to make UK social security contributions on those payments . So will the tax rise , married to a falling pound , prompt an exodus of players from England ? `` I suspect some of the top players will want to continue to be paid what they 're paid at the moment and it 's up to clubs to decide if they can afford to pay that , '' continued Hackleton . `` And it 's a call for the players to make if they believe they can receive more money elsewhere . '' Highest-paid players and top rates of tax per country . Italy 43 per cent . Zlatan Ibrahimovic -LRB- Internazionale -RRB- , Ricardo Kaka -LRB- AC Milan -RRB- $ 12m each . Spain 43 percent -LRB- 24 percent for non-nationals -RRB- . Lionel Messi -LRB- Barcelona -RRB- $ 11.2 m . England 50 percent . John Terry , Frank Lampard -LRB- both Chelsea -RRB- $ 10.1 m each . USA 35 percent . David Beckham -LRB- Los Angeles Galaxy -RRB- $ 6.5 m . Argentina 35 per cent . Juan Roman Riquelme -LRB- Boca Juniors -RRB- $ 4.5 m . Russia 13 percent . Anatoliy Tymoshchuk -LRB- Zenit St Petersburg -RRB- $ 4m . Japan 50 percent . Naohiro Takahara -LRB- Urawa Red Diamonds -RRB- $ 1.74 m . Sources : Total Football Magazine , MLS Players Union , Futebol Finance . | Top rate of UK tax set to be 50 percent , the fourth highest in the developed world . The average Premier League footballer 's annual salary is $ 1.8 m -LRB- # 1.2 m -RRB- . Tax expert believes rate rise plus weakened pound will hurt Premier League . | [[648, 710], [658, 721], [169, 281], [199, 281], [870, 993], [1581, 1735], [1758, 1865]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If you 've ever had a group of friends who have meant the world to you , take a look at the old black-and-white photo that accompanies today 's column . If you 've ever yearned to freeze time , to make the finest moments of your life stand still in their tracks so you can savor them a little longer , while knowing somewhere inside that such a thing is impossible , take a look at the faces of those three men . Not so many years before that photo was snapped , the three of them were inseparable -- not only on a basketball court , but in the minds of hundreds of thousands , maybe millions , of admirers . Their names routinely appeared in the same sentences in newspaper sports sections from coast to coast . They inhabited the same column of agate-type box scores on winter morning after winter morning . If you were young enough -- and , as the 12-year-old statistics kid who counted up their field goals , rebounds and free throws for the local Columbus , Ohio , television station that did the live broadcasts of their college games , I was young enough -- you allowed yourself to believe that the three friends would always be together . It was n't to be . It almost never is , whether you are friends as famous as they were , or as anonymous as most of the rest of us are . Which is why I love that bittersweet photograph so much . It is an inadvertent record of a moment that signifies how all friends , eventually , must take different paths , that nothing beautiful is destined to endure uninterrupted . On the left in the photograph is Larry Siegfried of the Boston Celtics . In the center is Jerry Lucas of the Cincinnati Royals . On the right is John Havlicek of the Celtics . In 1960 , the three had been teammates on The Ohio State University basketball team that won the national collegiate championship . It was quite a squad ; the coach was Fred Taylor , the two other starters were Mel Nowell and Joe Roberts , and there was a sharpshooting forward who came off the bench , a rather intense young man by the name of Bobby Knight . The team was so smooth that , watching from the stands , you sensed they could read each others ' minds . If you had never before quite understood what it looked like and felt like to be a part of a seamless unit , you found out every evening just by seeing them play . But the thing you could never really know -- the secret that belonged only to them , as it does with any group of friends -- was what it was like to be inside of it . They were separate people , but they were one . Which is why the photograph of them taken barely three years later -- it was shot on October 17 , 1963 , in the Cincinnati Gardens -- is , in its low-key way , so mesmerizing . The friends , because of circumstance , have parted . The paths have split . This was to be the first game during which , as professionals , they competed against each other . The old team was history . At the opening tipoff , their goals were about to diverge . The photo was snapped by a then-young man named Ed Keys , who had been taken to the game by his father , sportswriter Tom Keys . Ed Keys sent it to me recently because he thought I would understand . Fifty winters ago -- the winter that Lucas and Havlicek and Siegfried and their Ohio State teammates won their national championship -- I somehow , as a junior high school student who was n't even that good at math , talked the local television play-by-play man , Jimmy Crum , into letting me sit with him and help with the statistics . I watched those friends on the court at every home game on their way to the championship ; I watched that magical basketball friendship form and grow and become so strong that their team became the finest in the country . What must it be like to be part of a friendship that is played out so publicly -- part of hardwood recollections woven into the fabric of the lives of strangers who will never meet you ? `` It 's probably something the rest of us can never fully comprehend , '' said Lee Caryer , a sports historian who wrote the book `` The Golden Age of Ohio State Basketball , '' and who knows every member of that championship team . `` But I can tell you that the bond between them is real , and that they wear it very well . It goes way beyond basketball . '' Most of us , if we are lucky enough when we are young to have friends whom we treasure , tend to lose track of some of them over time . Most of us have our own versions of that moment in the photograph : a moment when we suddenly know for sure that , despite our dreams and best intentions , the golden days when we first found each other have drifted off , and that we are on our way to somewhere else , somewhere different . But there always is the chance that we can recapture the memories . Later this month , in Columbus , the living members of that championship team will gather for a series of 50th anniversary celebrations . The three men in the photograph are all expected to be present . They started off as small-town Ohio boys who did n't even know that the others were alive : Jerry Lucas of Middletown , Larry Siegfried of Shelby , John Havlicek of Martins Ferry . They ended up as a part of each other . That 's the lesson for all of us , as this new year takes its first faltering steps , and , all across the country , new friendships form and old ones seem to splinter . That 's the lesson , full of hope and harmony : . The best friendships never truly die . We may go our separate ways , for a while . But the friendships not only lead the way home . The friendships are home . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene . | Three players on 1960 college championship team went on to the NBA . Bob Greene says the three seemingly inseparable players were parted . He says they plan to reunite at 50th anniversary reunion later this month . The best friendships endure even though friends get parted , Greene says . | [[1754, 1795], [1801, 1843], [2734, 2745], [2774, 2787], [4800, 4816], [4819, 4830], [4833, 4937], [5444, 5482]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's hard to imagine a video of lawyers debating points of constitutional law going viral on YouTube , but the audience for the Proposition 8 trial -- a lawsuit seeking to overturn California 's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage -- is potentially vast . Unfortunately , that audience will have to wait . U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker had decided to allow the proceedings to be taped , then aired on YouTube . But as the trial was set to begin Monday morning , the U.S. Supreme Court issued an order blocking its broadcast . Our camera-phobic high court is making a mistake . Public access should be encouraged , not thwarted , in court cases involving divisive issues -- all the more so when judicial power is invoked in an effort to invalidate the outcome of a vote . Although some Supreme Court justices might worry that cameras in the courtroom undermine the legitimacy of the judicial process , the reality is just the opposite . The Prop 8 trial is a case in point . People on both sides of the same-sex marriage issue are accustomed to a political process coarsened by ideological rhetoric and political posturing . If they can view the Prop 8 trial via YouTube , they will be surprised by what they see : a decision-making process devoid of politics , in which a thoughtful and unbiased judge asks hard questions of both sides ' lawyers in search of legal rules reflecting neutral principles , not political fiat . At a time when most Americans have lost confidence in the government 's ability to act in the general interest , the potentially huge audience for the Prop 8 trial would see that at least one branch of government tries to make decisions on the merits . Broadcasting the trial will confer legitimacy on the proceedings as nothing else can . Legitimacy matters . If , in the end , Judge Walker upholds Prop 8 , rejecting challenges to its constitutionality , opponents of the law will feel angry and aggrieved -- to put it mildly . But if they have viewed the trial online , they are less likely to feel victimized in a process that was politically rigged . Defenders of Prop 8 are against broadcasting the trial because they believe it would infringe on their right to a fair trial . They claim that release of videos on YouTube would expose participants to harassment . The concern about harassment is not trivial . Some financial contributors to the Prop 8 campaign were harassed following voter approval of the law in November 2008 . Much as I disagree with their position on same-sex marriage , harassment infringes their First Amendment right to participate in the political process . But the trial judge is sensitive to these issues and would be able to minimize the risk of harassment . Under the camera access procedures adopted by Judge Walker , the court would control the video cameras and can make sure that certain witnesses are not shown on camera , if necessary . In any case , most trial participants are people who , because of their prominence in the electoral campaign , have chosen to have a high public profile on same-sex marriage . They expect to be recognized and identified with this issue . They have , or should have , thick skins . Their First Amendment right to join the political fray must be balanced against the public 's First Amendment right to know what transpires in the courtroom . There is no secret justice in the American judicial system . Courts must be open to assure the parties receive a fair trial and to give the public the necessary confidence that the laws are applied justly . To be sure , the First Amendment does n't require public access to include television broadcast or online distribution . But when judges exercise their discretion to open their courtrooms to cameras , that choice should be upheld . Let 's hope the Supreme Court quickly rescinds its order blocking online distribution of the Prop 8 trial video . The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Peter Scheer . | Peter Scheer : Trial seeking to overturn California 's gay marriage ban should be taped . Scheer : YouTube viewers will see tough , fair arguments on merits of case . Discussion will be out in the open and free of political posturing , he writes . He believes the concerns of videotaping opponents can be addressed . | [[171, 254], [385, 412], [415, 419]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Friday marks the passage of one month since a magnitude-7 .0 earthquake devastated Haiti . As thousands of Haitians gathered in the center of Port-au-Prince to remember what was lost that day , Ann Veneman , executive director of UNICEF , spoke to CNN 's `` American Morning '' about the situation . `` We do n't know how many actually were orphaned by the earthquake . There are so many children in Haiti without parental supervision who need to be cared for , who need to be fed , clothed and so forth and protected , '' she said . Tracking down the actual numbers in Haiti can be tough given the circumstances . Fact check : One month after the earthquake , what numbers are available to tell the story of devastation and recovery ? • Human toll : The Haitian government says the quake claimed the lives of more than 212,000 people and injured more than 300,000 . The U.S. Agency for International Development estimates that 3 million people were affected by the quake and 700,000 in Port-au-Prince were displaced . • Aid agencies : The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that more than 400 agencies were registered with the Haitian government to do work in Haiti before the quake . Because some of the non-governmental organizations are small and work in remote , rural areas , their presence may not even be known to the Haitian government . • Aid given : According to the U.N. humanitarian affairs office , more than 2.3 million people have received food aid from the World Food Programme and their partners , and more than 10,300 mosquito nets , 23,000 family tents , 26,500 kitchen sets and 79,500 blankets have been distributed . • Sanitation : The World Health Organization estimated this week that less than 5 percent of the need for latrines has been meet . However , there has not been an increase in reported infectious diseases . More than 900,000 people have access to safe drinking water , but that still falls short of the goal of providing water to 1.1 million . • Children : About 5,000 schools were destroyed or damaged in the quake . According to the U.N. humanitarian affairs office , the Haitian government aims to have all schools open again before the end of March . Kathleen Strottman , executive director of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute , estimates that there were more than 900 orphans in the process of being adopted into American homes when the quake struck . Bottom line : One month after the most devastating earthquake in Haiti 's history , the available numbers show a nation with great needs . However , the numbers also show that aid is reaching a large percentage of the people . Got something that needs checking ? E-mail us at [email protected] . CNN Radio 's Steve Kastenbaum and CNN Weather Anchor Chad Myers contributed to this report . | More than 212,000 people believed killed in earthquake . Hundreds of aid agencies were registered to work in Haiti before quake struck . About 5,000 schools destroyed or damaged in quake . | [[770, 885], [1038, 1052], [1116, 1219], [1121, 1231], [2028, 2029], [2041, 2101], [2028, 2038], [2041, 2060], [2079, 2101]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There are few sports that are so dominated by a single person like the way the women 's pole vault is ruled by 26-year Russian Yelena Isinbayeva . Eyes on the prize : Yelena Isinbayeva has often complained about a lack of real competition in her event . Every time the world and Olympic champion competes it is expected that she will spring to new heights and push women 's pole-vaulting to new levels . She has broken the world record 16 times , almost equaling the feat of the great Sergey Bubka , who broke the men 's outdoor pole vault record 17 times between 1984 and 1994 . Since jumping to her first world record in 2003 and becoming the first woman to jump over 5-meters in 2005 she as also become something of a glamorous sporting celebrity . After setting five new world records in 2005 , it took almost three years for her to set a new mark of 5.04 m in July 2008 , a fallow period that made her pursuit of world records a personal matter . After setting her world record mark in July this year at a competition in Monte Carlo , she told press : `` I wanted to improve my personal best and that 's what I did . I see this world record as a personal one . '' A driven and focused competitor , she has also become famous for her coolness under pressure . Before her latest world record jump she was driving around the track in the back of a vintage car with sprinter Asafa Powell , while her fellow competitors had already started the competition . Not shy of media and publicity , her sporting achievements , athleticism and looks have made her a pin-up for women 's athletics and attracted a number of big-name sponsors . While her achievements can be allied to that of Bubka it has been noted that her media - and sponsor-friendly attitude makes her more akin to compatriot Maria Sharapova . Her celebrity status is a world away from her modest background . Born in Volgograd in 1982 it was only until a couple of years ago that she lived with her parents and younger sister in the city of her birth , before moving to Monte Carlo . She trained first of all as a gymnast until the age of 15 when her coach decided she was too tall . Commentators and fellow competitors have noted that her gymnastic training has helped give her an extra edge in the event . After defending her title in Beijing , her place in the sporting pantheon of great female athletes seems secure . While emulating Bubka , Isinbayeva has said before that closing the gap between the heights the men and women can jump is another of her personal challenges , and with her own talent and the help of Bubka 's former coach she may go a long way towards achieving that . | World and Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva dominates her sport . Has broken the world record 15 times since 2003 ; first woman to clear 5m . Media-friendly looks and talent have made her very bankable sports start . | [[86, 89], [94, 165], [273, 422], [651, 705], [599, 675], [706, 709], [718, 770], [1510, 1605], [1510, 1559], [1610, 1651]] |
-LRB- Mashable -RRB- -- We 've seen some major world events unfold on the social media stage in the past week , the biggest being Google 's threat to pull out of China and the Haiti earthquake . Google 's actions have brought attention back to the long-standing Internet censorship that blankets China , while the destruction in Haiti has mobilized hundreds of thousands to open their wallets and their hearts . Just like the Iran election crisis , those events are causing people to reassess the impact of social media on the world . It 's clear that social media has the power to impact world politics and the lives of billions , but some have overstated what social media can actually do . We need to understand what social media really is in order to use it effectively for social good . iReport : Looking for loved ones in Haiti . Let me explain by highlighting a few examples of social media 's impact on the world stage , and then concluding with how I view social media 's impact in the larger context of mobilization and world discussion . Iran election crisis . During summer 2009 , the world 's eyes were fixated on Iran . Questions were raised after Ahmadinejad was declared the winner over rival Mousavi in Iran 's Presidential elections . The abnormalities and potential tampering of the vote resulted in massive protests that engulfed the Islamic nation . Social media 's role in the Iran Election Crisis started with #CNNFail , but that was only the beginning of social media 's role . With the Iranian government clamping down on information and enforcing censorship , Twitter , Facebook , Flickr , and YouTube became the primary mediums for bringing information out of the conflicted nation and spreading notes between dissidents . Take a look at the Iran election social media timeline we built if you want to see its full impact . Key moments in the crisis , especially the death of Neda , were recorded and spread like wildfire , creating an outpouring of support for the protesters . Twitter 's role was so important in fact that the U.S. government got involved in scheduling Twitter 's downtime . In the end though , social media did n't topple any governments , although it has helped shift the political climate in Iran . In some cases the use of Twitter in Iran was overstated , yet the result is that the tipping point for Iran is close , thanks to social media . Haiti earthquake . After a magnitude 7.0 earthquake -LRB- and multiple aftershocks -RRB- devastated the nation of Haiti , social media became the medium in which everybody spread the word . Dramatic Haiti earthquake Twitter pictures swept across the Web , while tech giants mobilized . iReport : Earthquake rocks Haiti . The most impressive part of social media 's impact on Haiti has to be the charity text message campaign that has already raised more than $ 10 million for Haiti victim relief . Social media spread the word . Technology made it possible . It 's not all perfect , though : the money raised is small compared to the relief coming from world governments and donations face 90 day delays . Still , social media for social good is becoming more effective with each crisis . China-Google standoff . While we are still far from the conclusion of this messy affair , Google 's threat to pull out of China has already had a dramatic effect in both social media and political circles . Politically , China has been put under pressure . The U.S. government has thrown its support behind Google , though it 's doubtful that the Obama Administration will get involved in the end . More importantly though , social media is being used to lift China 's blanket of censorship . Social tools , while many are blocked by the Chinese , can get through China 's great firewall . We have the tools to undo censorship in China . Google 's efforts have re-ignited the debate over censorship , but they wo n't break the barrier . Social media 's global impact . In all three cases -- China , Haiti and Iran -- social media has had an impact , especially as the course of events evolved . Real-time communication platforms like Twitter and Facebook have spread the word about what 's happening within these nations , long before the mainstream media prints the story . These tools have also created a level awareness we 've never seen before . iReport : I 'm alive ! Messages from Haiti . We have to be realistic , though : New media is n't going to stop censorship , overthrow oppressive regimes or heal the people of Haiti alone . Social media has transformed communication , media , and the transmission of information , but it still takes people on the ground to pull people out of the rubble or to fight for freedom . Just as Paul Revere embarked on his midnight ride to warn that the British were coming , social media acts as both the first warning and the rallying cry for mobilization . In the end though , social media is just a collection of tools . It 's up to us , the people , to make the real impact on our world . © 2010 MASHABLE.com . All rights reserved . | Author : Social media has helped mobilize people in China , Haiti and Iran . After Haiti 's earthquake , aid groups solicit donations by text message . Social media 's ability to help people has been overstated in the past , author says . Ultimately , technology and social networks are tools people must use . | [[2411, 2511], [2514, 2581], [3950, 3968], [3995, 4028], [2713, 2772], [2777, 2889], [636, 692], [2248, 2303]] |
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