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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The chairman of the Republican Party and a leading GOP senator called on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to give up his post Sunday , following the publication of remarks he made about President Obama 's race in 2008 . A new book quotes Reid , D-Nevada , as saying privately in 2008 that Obama could be successful as a black candidate in part because of his `` light-skinned '' appearance and speaking patterns `` with no Negro dialect , unless he wanted to have one . '' The remarks were `` embarrassing and racially insensitive , '' said Sen. John Cornyn , R-Texas , head of the GOP 's Senate campaign arm , in a statement to CNN . GOP Chairman Michael Steele , on NBC 's `` Meet the Press , '' said : `` Racism and racist conversations have no place today in America . '' Steele also was on the defensive for a remark he made last week that members of both parties have called a racial slur . In an interview with Fox News , Steele used the phrase `` honest injun . '' The Congressional Black Caucus has accepted Reid 's apology and is dismissing calls for him to step down as majority leader . Rep. Barbara Lee , chairwoman of the caucus , issued the following statement : `` I have had an opportunity to speak with Senator Reid and he apologized for his unfortunate remarks concerning the president , and he understands the gravity of such remarks . There are too many issues like the economy , job creation and energy for these regrettable comments to distract us from the work that must be done on behalf of the American people . '' Democrats also rejected the calls for Reid 's dismissal . Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia , chairman of the Democratic Party , said `` the case is closed '' following Reid 's round of apologies . Douglas Wilder of Virginia , who 20 years ago became the nation 's first elected African-American governor , also rejected calls for Reid 's ouster . `` I think that what Reid was giving was a personal opinion , which was n't affecting the laws or the operation of the dispensation of justice in our country , '' Wilder told CNN 's `` State of the Union . '' But he said he believes the incident `` illustrates the need for more open discussion about race . '' Reid 's office made clear he has no plans to step down . Democrats rejected the calls for Reid 's dismissal , and Reid 's office made clear he has no plans to step down . `` Sen. Reid will stay in his position as majority leader and will run for re-election , '' his spokesman said . `` As the leader in the fight to pass the Voting Rights Act and legislation banning hate crimes , Sen. Reid has a long record of addressing issues that are important to the African-American community . His Republican critics who are looking to politicize the issue ca n't say the same . '' Reid 's controversial quote is in the book `` Game Change , '' due in stores Monday . The authors write that `` Reid was convinced , in fact , that Obama 's race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination . '' In a statement to CNN , Reid said , `` I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words . '' `` I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans , especially African-Americans for my improper comments . I was a proud and enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama during the campaign and have worked as hard as I can to advance President Obama 's legislative agenda , '' Reid said . In his defense , he pointed to his efforts to integrate the Las Vegas strip and the gaming industry , among other legislation favored by African-American voters . `` I have worked hard to advance issues important to the African-American community , '' he said . And the senate leader called Obama on Saturday afternoon to apologize for the remarks . In a statement issued after the call , Obama said , `` As far as I am concerned , the book is closed . '' `` Harry Reid called me today and apologized for an unfortunate comment reported today , '' the president said . `` I accepted Harry 's apology without question because I 've known him for years , I 've seen the passionate leadership he 's shown on issues of social justice and I know what 's in his heart . '' An aide to the senator told CNN that Reid also offered apologies to several prominent African-American political figures , including House Democrats Jim Clyburn of South Carolina and Barbara Lee of California ; the Rev. Al Sharpton ; CNN political contributor and Democratic strategist Donna Brazile ; NAACP chairman Julian Bond ; and the head of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights , Wade Henderson . Steele , the GOP 's first African-American chairman , was asked about the remarks on both `` Meet the Press '' and `` Fox News Sunday . '' He told NBC on Sunday he believes Reid is out of touch with `` how African-Americans generally feel '' about sensitive issues . Steele was asked by NBC whether he believes the situation is similar to one involving former Sen. Trent Lott , who lost his post as Senate majority leader in 2002 after saying that the nation would have been better off if one-time segregationist candidate Strom Thurmond had been elected president . `` Oh , yeah . There is a big double standard here , '' Steele said on NBC . Steele added : `` When Democrats get caught saying racist things , you know , an apology is enough . '' Steele said that if a Republican senator had made the same remark Reid did , Steele himself and the Democratic Party `` would be screaming for his head very much as they were with Trent Lott . '' Cornyn , in his statement , also accused Democrats of following a `` double standard , '' and noted that they had pushed Lott to step down . `` As we await his explanation , Sen. Reid should do the right thing , follow the example that he himself set in 2002 , and step down as majority leader , '' Cornyn said . Kaine shot back against those arguments . `` Anybody looking at Trent Lott 's statements praising somebody who had been a pro-segregation candidate for president will see that there is no comparison between those comments and those of Sen. Reid , '' Kaine told NBC . The comments `` were in the context of praising the senator and acknowledging that the senator could be a great president , but they were still insensitive , '' Kaine said . Asked whether Reid should resign , he said , `` Absolutely not . ... We 're moving on . '' Nevada state Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford , who is African-American , affirmed his support for Reid in a statement Saturday . `` While I am disappointed in Sen. Reid 's comment and choice of words , I accept his apology , '' said Horsford , a Democrat . `` I have known Sen. Reid for many years and he has consistently been supportive of advancing the interests of the African-American community as he has for all Nevadans and all Americans . '' Steele , meanwhile , was asked about his remark in a Fox News interview last week that the GOP platform `` is one of the best political documents that 's been written in the last 25 years , ` honest injun ' on that . '' `` Fox News Sunday '' host Chris Wallace noted that lawmakers from both parties have called that a racial slur . `` Well , if it is , I apologize for it . It 's not an intent to be a racial slur . I was n't intending to say a racial slur at all , '' Steele said . CNN 's Dana Bash , Mark Preston and Rebecca Sinderbrand contributed to this report . | NEW : Congressional Black Caucus rejects calls for Reid to step down . Michael Steele calls for Reid to step down , accuses Dems of `` double standard '' GOP chair says Senate majority leader 's language `` harkens back to the 1950s and '60s '' New book quotes Reid discussing `` light-skinned '' Obama 's lack of `` Negro dialect '' | [[1004, 1034], [1068, 1129], [71, 163], [71, 163], [251, 284]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Singer Carrie Underwood has gotten engaged to hockey player beau Mike Fisher , her spokesperson confirmed to CNN . `` I 'm happy to confirm that Carrie Underwood is engaged to Mike Fisher , and the couple could n't be happier , '' said Jessie Schmidt . `` No wedding date has been set at this time . '' Fisher plays for the Ottawa Senators hockey team in Canada . During an appearance on Ellen Degeneres ' talk show in November , Underwood joked with the host that the relationship -- then almost a year long -- was the longest she had ever had . `` I joke and say my dogs are the longest relationship ever , '' Underwood said . The couple have been enjoying a long distance relationship and Underwood demurred at the idea of living together . `` No , call me old-fashioned , '' Underwood said during her interview with Ellen . `` He 's there . I 'm here . We 're both doing our thing and it 's good . The next guy I move in with will be my hubby . '' Underwood , who has risen from being a former winner of `` American Idol '' to a country music superstar , has been linked in the past with Dallas Cowboys football player Tony Romo and `` Gossip Girl '' actor Chace Crawford . | Country singer Carrie Underwood engaged to hockey player Mike Fisher . The pair have been enjoying a long distance relationship as he lives in Canada . In November , Underwood said the almost yearlong relationship was her longest to date . | [[0, 15], [19, 95], [137, 206], [648, 720], [383, 429], [449, 546], [484, 527], [531, 565]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Protesters called on the worldwide community to take action against Uganda Thursday as the African nation considers stricter laws against homosexuality . They compared Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to some of the world 's most notorious dictators . `` In the last five years we have seen Idi Amin return to Uganda and his name is Yoweri Museveni , '' Ugandan human rights campaigner Michael Senyonjo told CNN . `` He ... is bringing in a bill in an attempt to criminalize being gay , '' the activist said . `` That is not right . We can not allow fascism to return to Uganda . He should leave power and go because he is not taking the country anywhere but to disaster , '' he added . Under proposed new laws currently being considered by the Ugandan parliament , those who test positive for HIV , the virus that causes AIDS , could face the death penalty . In addition , those convicted of having gay sex would be sentenced to life in prison , while anyone found guilty of engaging in homosexual relations on more than one occasion would be executed . The proposals could become law before the end of the year . Museveni has not publicly stated his support for the bill . Homosexuality is already illegal in Uganda under laws passed in the colonial era , but the new legislation is intended to provide prosecutors with more power . It has the blessing of various religious leaders , with one leading Muslim cleric -- Sheikh Ramathan Shaban Mubajje -- calling for all known homosexuals in the country to be rounded up and left on an island until they die . Thursday 's protest at the Ugandan High Commission -- or embassy -- in London is one of several planned demonstrations around the world , and OutRage , another gay rights organization , is backing the calls for action to be taken . `` President Museveni is fast becoming the Robert Mugabe of Uganda and that 's a threat to the civil rights of every Ugandan person -- gay or straight , '' OutRage spokesman Peter Tatchell told CNN , referring to the authoritarian president of Zimbabwe . `` There 's a huge ground swell of public opinion that this bill goes way too far . Even people who say they 're against homosexuality say this bill is excessive and a threat to the human rights of all Ugandans . `` Uganda should drop this law and abide by international human rights legislation , '' Tatchell said . | Homosexuality illegal in Uganda but lawmakers considering tougher laws . Proposals include life sentences , death penalty as punishments for gay sex . Tatchell : Proposals `` threaten civil rights of every Ugandan person -- gay or straight '' | [[123, 189], [724, 800], [1212, 1265], [803, 808], [859, 896], [911, 981], [1828, 1849], [1858, 1978], [2167, 2178], [2218, 2295]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Every year , beginning with the January birthday celebrations for the Rev. Martin Luther King and moving through Black History Month in February , Americans and others revisit the history , role and significance of the black freedom movement in the United States . But there is a frequent tendency to misrepresent the lessons of that movement and apply them to other social movements overseas in a way that misses the mark . This has been happening increasingly with the historical lessons that are being misapplied to the Palestinian freedom movement . It has become almost a cliché , yet people , including Irish rocker Bono , continue to wield King 's name when they bemoan the alleged absence of his like among the Palestinians . It seems no matter what Palestinian activists do , they are condemned as terrorists . Whether they are engaged in armed struggle or nonviolent direct action , it does not matter : Palestinian activists are often portrayed as extremists who threaten life and property . The obvious exceptions are those Palestinians who are prepared to accept whatever terms the United States insists upon for the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict . The recent arrests of Palestinian human rights activists Jamal Juma ' , Abdallah Abu Rahma , Ibrahim Amirah and Mohammed Othman are prime examples . Juma ' and Othman were imprisoned without charge , Amirah faces charges of incitement , organizing illegal demonstrations , and stone-throwing , and Abu Rahma is confronted with a charge of `` illegal weapons possession , '' apparently because a protest sign he created included a spent tear gas canister . In fact , they were imprisoned -LRB- Juma ' was released on January 12 and Othman on January 13 after he was held nearly four months -RRB- not for firing missiles or ambushing Israeli troops , but for protesting what the International Court of Justice has called the illegal Israeli separation wall that carves up the West Bank and places Palestinian communities in an existence that recalls South African apartheid . The systematic detention of such leaders has been condemned by Amnesty International , but the U.S. public is unlikely to get even a hint that the Israeli government is furthering its efforts to smash dissent in the occupied territories . These recent crackdowns make even more ironic the hope expressed by Bono last month in The New York Times `` that people in places filled with rage and despair , places like the Palestinian territories , will in the days ahead find among them their Gandhi , their King , their Aung San Suu Kyi . '' As a commenter on his column noted , these people exist today and have existed within the Palestinian movement . They are just in jail ... or dead . Bassem Abu Rahme , for example , was killed by a teargas canister fired at close range by an Israeli soldier on April 17 while taking part in one of the weekly nonviolent protests that are regularly met with tear gas , billy clubs , rubber bullets and the threat of arrest . I believe that Bassem , like many others , was following in Gandhi 's path . While it is certainly true that some of the protests by Palestinians are violent , the same could be said of the anti-colonial protests that took place on the Indian subcontinent against the British at the time of Gandhi . Gandhi certainly preached nonviolent direct action , yet there were others within the independence movement that advocated forceful courses of action . Nevertheless , smearing or repressing all protests in the name of moving against those who use violence is disingenuous , a point well understood when viewing other freedom struggles , whether the Indian independence movement or the black freedom struggle in the United States . In fact , this repression becomes a means not of suppressing violence , but of suppressing all resistance to injustice . This is experienced today by the Palestinian movement . Its objectives are caricatured and maligned by Israel in order to make the repression easier . In this period -- from King 's birthday through the celebrations and discussions that take place during Black History Month -- it is useful to recall similar treatment King and other freedom fighters endured , and reflect on the true lessons from his life and struggles that are relevant to the Palestinian struggle and its hopes for a lasting peace . Despite King 's acceptance now in mainstream circles , he was first and foremost a troublemaker in the cause of justice . While King believed in peace , he was more importantly a person of action , and one completely intolerant of injustice . In that sense he was a thorn in the side of the powers that be and the status quo . King did not achieve credibility by simply preaching peace and good will , and certainly not by being passive or submissive in the face of oppression . He gained credibility because he was a person who was prepared to challenge the unjust laws and practices of his period , laws and practices that were summarized in the notion of Jim Crow segregation . Even though Jim Crow was the law in much of the United States , King and countless others were prepared to break the law and , thereby , threaten the stability of this country . He was branded a communist , a malcontent and a criminal , all with the aim of discrediting him . And , when that was not enough , and his following did not disappear into the night , he was harassed and faced repeated death threats , ultimately leading to his murder . The condemnation of Palestinian activists as terrorists , no matter their approach , shares a great deal in common with the manner in which King and African-American freedom fighters -LRB- and their allies -RRB- were demonized and repressed . It was the basic cause that needed to be destroyed by the oppressor and not just the individuals . The same is true today as Palestinian activists , including those who have consciously and openly repudiated armed struggle , are sidelined so that the Israeli government can claim , with a straight face , that it has no Palestinian partner with which it can discuss peace . The `` partners '' are there in Palestine . When we celebrate the courage and vision of freedom fighters such as King or Fannie Lou Hamer and the countless others who are remembered during Black History Month , we should think of those Palestinian Kings and Fannie Lou Hamers whose nonviolent struggle for freedom , justice and equality continues . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bill Fletcher Jr. . | Bill Fletcher says it is common to mistakenly bemoan lack of peaceful Palestinians . He says Israel portrays nonviolent protests in West Bank as extremist . Amnesty International has denounced crackdowns on nonviolent protest , he says . Fletcher : Israel denies nonviolent activists so it can claim it has no partner for peace . | [[942, 963], [968, 997], [2081, 2165], [5895, 5934], [5995, 6072], [6080, 6143]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- `` How I Met Your Mother '' has me a little confused . I 've watched the show since the beginning and think it is one of the best sitcoms , evah . It 's laugh-out-loud funny and unpredictable -LRB- Who can forget Slapsgiving or Robin 's Canadian pop single , `` Let 's Go To The Mall '' ? -RRB- , and gets the late 20-something experience like no other show . Not to mention that Neil Patrick Harris as Barney is one of the funniest characters of all time . But , I digress . The premise of the show has been that Ted is narrating to his children how he met their mother . Only , fours years in , we still have no idea who she is . Earlier this year , the show 's executive producer PROMISED that in episode 100 , airing this coming Monday , we would finally be introduced to this elusive mother . At the same time , it was leaked that Rachel Bilson was cast for a recurring role on the show . It made so much sense : Ted and Rachel , Rachel and Ted . They 're both brunette and would look adorable together . But now new casting news is messing everything up . I just read that two other ladies of note are getting roles on the show . First up is former pro-wrestler Stacy Keibler , who will also be in the 100th episode . And Carrie Underwood just confirmed that she will be on the show this spring . So , uh , who is the mother ? My instinct tells me that Bilson is too obvious a choice , considering this is a show that 's kept us guessing for four years . The Frisky : 13 super annoying ways people abuse Facebook and Twitter . Remember how , after watching Ted and Robin 's romance begin to blossom , we got to the last second of the season premiere and Ted said , `` And that 's how I met your Aunt Robin . '' I just know we 're in for a twist here . TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | `` How I Met Your Mother '' executives promise to introduce mother character . Rachel Bilson , Stacy Keibler and Carrie Underwood all cast in 100th episode . Instinct tells writer that Bilson is too obvious a choice . | [[690, 765], [1181, 1207], [1214, 1249], [1359, 1415]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The retired general who took charge of relief efforts in New Orleans , Louisiana , after Hurricane Katrina said Thursday that the U.S. military should have arrived in earthquake-devastated Haiti 24 hours earlier . `` The good Samaritans who moved early on the first day are to be applauded . They made a difference , '' said Lt. Gen. Russel Honore , a CNN contributor . `` What we 've got to do now is get the heavy equipment in . I thought the U.S. military could have been there a day earlier . They 're on the ground now , and they have a brigade en route , and that 's going to make a big difference , '' he said . Honore , best known for his management of the recovery efforts after the hurricane that killed about 2,000 people on the Gulf Coast , said `` time is of the essence '' in helping quake survivors . Repairing the seaport at Port-au-Prince and keeping the airport open are key to bringing in equipment , food , water and medicine , Honore said . Regarding the airport , he said , `` You need to put the right commander there who 's going to be a battle captain and keep those aircraft flowing . You come in , you drop off what you have , you put the sick and wounded on and then move out . No one is standing any time on the airfield . You can be in and out in a half hour . '' Speaking at the House Democratic Caucus Retreat later Thursday , Obama acknowledged the scrutiny focused on U.S. response . `` This is a time when the world looks to us and they say -- given our capacity , given our unique capacity to project power around the world -- that we have to project that not just for our own interests but for the interests of the world as a whole , '' he said . `` And my national security team understands that I will not put up with any excuses for us not doing the very best in this time of tragedy . '' State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley defended the pace of the rescue . `` We are 40 hours into the crisis . In that time , we have reopened the airport and brought it up to 24/7 operations . We continue to look at the port facility , which will be critical to be able to bring in substantial amounts of aid , and we 're trying to figure out a strategy for how to function , '' he said . `` We now have multiple search and rescue units on the ground . They 're already at work , '' Crowley added . `` Logistics matter . You have an airport with a single runway . So we have things that are queued up . You 're going to see a significant increase in the flow , but there is a capacity issue , '' he said . Airlines such as American , Delta , Jet Blue and United were helping provide assistance to the country in the form of free miles for its program members and seats for aid organizations . American was operating humanitarian flights , with three American Eagle aircraft flying 30,000 pounds of supplies into Haiti on Thursday . Three more such flights were planned Friday . American is also partnering with the American Red Cross by offering one-time awards of 250 or 500 bonus miles for donations . In the afternoon , the Federal Aviation Administration announced that Haiti had suspended flights into the Port-au-Prince airport because ramp space -- where aircraft are parked , unloaded , loaded , refueled or boarded -- was overcrowded . There also was no fuel , FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said . Several U.S. military units planned to depart from the United States for Haiti during the day , but it was unclear whether all would be able to do so . Among those apparently delayed was a battalion of more than 100 soldiers from the XVIII Airborne Corps based at Fort Bragg , North Carolina . They had planned to fly out Thursday afternoon . Paratroopers from the U.S. Army 's 82nd Airborne Division , also based at Fort Bragg , were on their way to Haiti , said Rajiv Shah , coordinator for U.S. assistance to the stricken area . He also is administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development . The 82nd was deployed to New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina . The first of about 3,500 paratroopers were to board C-17 aircraft from Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina and arrive in Haiti before nightfall . On Friday , another 800 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne were to deploy . In all , the U.S. military has 329 people in Haiti , including a group that arrived Tuesday night to help open the airfield in Port-au-Prince , the commander of U.S. Southern Command said Thursday . The Southern Command , based in Miami , Florida , is leading the Department of Defense 's quake response . `` We 're working feverishly and aggressively to support and provide life-sustaining capability to the citizens of Haiti , '' Air Force Gen. Douglas Fraser said . `` They 've suffered a great deal . '' Offshore , four U.S. Coast Guard cutters and a destroyer were providing support , including helicopter support , he said . A disaster relief assessment team was surveying the area , and a battalion of paratroopers along with a command-and-control element from the 82nd Airborne arrived Thursday , he said . The aircraft carrier Carl Vinson is to arrive in Haiti on Friday morning , carrying 19 helicopters and 30 pallets of relief goods , he said . The carrier will help relief workers get around Haiti 's decimated infrastructure `` to get good where they need to be , '' Fraser said . Within four days , 700 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne will be in Haiti , he said . Those numbers will swell considerably . On Tuesday , three more ships will arrive , carrying 2,200 Marines and heavy equipment , he said . By Saturday , 5,000 to 6,000 men and women dedicated to supporting the relief effort will be in Haiti , he said . And a week from Friday , the USNS Comfort , a hospital ship , is slated to arrive , he said . `` We are aggressively pursuing every action we can to provide relief to Haiti . '' The ship is staffed by a crew of 64 and 560 hospital personnel . Rear Adm. Steve Branham , commander of the 7th Coast Guard District headquartered in Miami , said four Coast Guard cutters were in the area , each of them at least 210 feet in length and capable of carrying helicopters . Two more cutters capable of providing heavy-lift capability were en route , he said . Coast Guard aircraft were used Wednesday to move nine critically injured people from the U.S. Embassy in the capital to hospitals in Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , he said . State Department Counselor Cheryl Mills said U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Ken Merten met Thursday with Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive to coordinate aid efforts . Responding to questions as to whether the United States was in charge in Haiti because of the lack of Haitian government capacity , Mills said , `` We have no intention of supplanting the leadership of Haiti . We actually see our role as ensuring that the leadership of Haiti is able to provide the leadership that the Haitian people properly expect them to provide . '' The United States is providing support to the approximately 45,000 Americans in Haiti , only 300 of whom have expressed an interest in leaving the country , Mills said . Obama has promised $ 100 million in immediate American relief aid to Haiti , an amount the president said will grow . `` This is one of those moments that calls out for American leadership , '' he said at the White House . `` One of the largest relief efforts in our recent history '' is now en route to Haiti . The 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Tuesday afternoon was centered about 10 miles -LRB- 15 km -RRB- southwest of Port-au-Prince , Haiti 's capital , which bore the brunt of the destruction . The port was demolished by the earthquake , which left huge chunks of concrete that blocked the road to truck and other traffic , CNN 's Chris Lawrence reported . Those trying to transfer supplies from ships to people who need them will face major hurdles , he said . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States is providing security help to the the United Nations , which was `` equally devastated by the collapse of its headquarters '' for its peacekeeping force in Haiti . As many as 150 of its personnel are missing . She said a contingent of 2,000 Marines will assist international peacekeepers helping to police Haiti , which has no army . Because the U.S. Embassy is one of the few structures that remains intact , it has become a point of support , providing medical assistance for Americans and Haitians who are able to reach it , Mills said . The United States has been trying to contact U.S. citizens in Haiti to see what they need , Mills said . Embassy families and nonessential personnel have been ordered to leave . CNN State Department Producer Elise Labott contributed to this story . | NEW : Airlines offer miles for donations , seats on planes for aid organizations . NEW : Obama says he will not put up with U.S. not doing `` the very best in this time of tragedy '' Haiti suspends flights into Port-au-Prince airport because ramp space is overcrowded . Several U.S. military units plan to go to Haiti , but it 's unclear whether all will be able to . | [[2566, 2752], [2971, 2974], [2994, 3063], [1721, 1855], [3064, 3080], [3083, 3212], [3365, 3458], [3465, 3516]] |
Fort Lauderdale , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- She walked to the cameras and could barely look up . With her lip quivering , Sherry Jarvis apologized to the family of 15-year-old Michael Brewer , who is clinging to life in a hospital burn unit . Jarvis is the mother of two boys who , along with three other youths , are accused in the burning of Brewer . Detectives say witnesses saw Brewer , consumed in flames , run about a hundred yards , tear off his shirt and jump into a swimming pool . Brewer 's screams can be heard on a 911 call from the October 12 incident . Doctors say he was burned on about 65 percent of his body . `` I 'd just like to express how horribly sorry we are , '' Jarvis said in a public statement she and her family made Wednesday . Accompanied by her husband and two daughters , Jarvis spoke slowly as she addressed a gathering of reporters . `` This is a horrible incident that should have never had occurred . '' said Jarvis , her voice full of sorrow and shock . Her sons , ages 13 and 15 , face charges that could send them to prison for a long time . Authorities in Broward County , Florida , believe that Brewer was attacked in a chain of events that began when he did not pay one of the five boys $ 40 for a video game . That boy stole Brewer 's father 's bicycle , and when Brewer told police , the youth was arrested , then released , authorities said . The next day , the group of five teens allegedly surrounded Brewer and , according to eyewitnesses , yelled , `` He 's a snitch . He 's a snitch '' before one of them poured alcohol over him , another sparked a lighter , and Brewer was ablaze . All of the boys had been friends since elementary school , authorities said . They did sleepovers at one another 's homes , and their families knew each other . `` We pray for Michael 's recovery every day , that he gets stronger , which we know in our hearts that he will , '' Sherry Jarvis said . But doctors are unsure about his recovery . Brewer remains on a ventilator . A machine is breathing for him . Each day , a team of doctors spends about four hours changing his bandages . He remains heavily sedated and is going through a very difficult period right now , according to doctors . `` The swelling has come way down , and you can recognize facial expressions now , '' said Dr. Nicholas Namias , medical director of the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital Burn Center in Miami . `` We 're still dealing with the respiratory failure . We 're dealing with infection now and the need to supply the massive amount of nutrition that this person needs to survive , '' Namias told CNN . `` People are writing horror stories ... but people just ca n't imagine the kind of sickness we 're talking about . He is by no means well ... but the expectation is survival , '' he said . Because he is sedated and on the ventilator , Brewer has been unable to communicate with detectives . Earlier this week , prosecutors were granted extra time to build their cases against the five teens , four 15-year-olds and the 13-year-old . Prosecutors have until November 12 to charge the five as adults , or they will be charged as juveniles and released pending trial later . The 13-year-old can not face adult charges under Florida law , but that would change if Brewer died . Prosecutors want to interview Brewer about the incident , but doctors say that is unlikely to happen before next week . Brewer 's family was not represented at the Jarvis family 's public apology . The victim 's parents could not be reached for comment . After making her apology , Jarvis said the family would not take questions from the gathered reporters . `` I do n't have the words to express any more . I ca n't answer any more questions because of the criminal case that 's still pending , '' she said . The Jarvis family has received death threats , according to family members and their attorney . They have n't stayed at their home since the incident , they say , adding that people have been throwing garbage and even dead animals on their property . On Wednesday , with their attorney at their side , they simply wanted to say to Michael Brewer and his family that they are sorry . Detectives have returned to the Brewer house , after two dolls were found in the swimming pool . The male and female dolls had been melted together , head to feet . `` At this point , we 're thinking it 's a sick joke , said Jim Leljedal , a spokesman for the Broward County Sheriff 's Office . `` It 's being classified as criminal mischief , but we 'd like to know who 's responsible , '' he said . | Five teenagers are accused in the burning of a Florida boy . Mother of 2 suspects apologizes , says crime `` should have never had occurred '' Doctors say victim , burned on about 65 percent of his body , is on ventilator , expected to live . Because he is sedated and on ventilator , victim has n't communicated with detectives . | [[1614, 1633], [123, 191], [869, 937], [877, 899], [905, 937], [938, 940], [165, 191], [198, 243], [568, 627], [580, 627], [1977, 2009], [2120, 2122], [2204, 2226], [2781, 2808], [2832, 2867], [1977, 2009], [2120, 2146], [2832, 2867], [2868, 2925]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A controversial Muslim group planning to stage an anti-war march through a town that receives British war dead will be banned in the UK from Thursday . British Home Secretary Alan Johnson prepared an order Tuesday proscribing Al-Muhajiroun , also known as Islam4UK . `` Proscription is a tough but necessary power to tackle terrorism and is not a course we take lightly , '' Johnson said in a statement . Al-Muhajiroun is already banned under two other names in the Terrorism Act 2000 -- Al-Ghurabaa and The Saved Sect . Johnson said the ban would now also apply to `` a number '' of the other names the group goes by . The proscription does not need approval by Parliament , because it is considered an amendment to the act , said the Home Office spokeswoman , who did not give her name in line with policy . `` We are clear that an organization should not be able to circumvent proscription by simply changing its name , '' Johnson said . The ban would prevent Al-Muhajiroun from having meetings or raising money , and it would make attending a meeting or being a member of the group a crime . The group 's leader , controversial British Muslim cleric Anjem Choudary , had threatened to stage a march in the town of Wootton Bassett as a protest against the war in Afghanistan . Choudary said Sunday , after news of Johnson 's plans , that the Home Office could not shut him down . `` We 're not going to stop because the government bans an organization , '' he told CNN by phone . `` If that means setting up another platform under another label , then so be it . '' A ban `` will just make the use of those names ... illegal . But Muslims everywhere are obliged to work collectively to establish the Islamic state and sharia law in the UK or wherever they are -- those things ca n't change , '' he added . The bodies of British war dead are traditionally brought to Wootton Bassett , near a Royal Air Force base , when they are returned to the country . Relatives and friends line the streets of the town along with local residents as hearses carry the flag-draped British remains , in scenes of public mourning widely reported by British media . Choudary 's proposal to march empty coffins through the streets drew fury and outrage . The Home Office had said the march would be illegal if the group were banned , but the decision to proscribe the group was not caused only by its plans for the march , the Home Office said . Choudary has never announced a date for his march and area police said he had not contacted them about it , as march organizers are required to do beforehand . The Terrorism Act 2000 gives the home secretary the power to ban groups if the punishment is `` proportionate and based on evidence that a group is concerned in terrorism as defined in the Terrorism Act 2000 , '' according to the Home Office . According to the law , groups can be banned if they commit or participate in terrorism ; prepare for terrorism ; or promote or encourage terrorism . The home secretary can also take into account factors such as specific threats posed to the United Kingdom or British nationals overseas , and the extent of the group 's presence in the United Kingdom . | Ban on Al-Muhajiroun , also known as Islam4UK , will take effect Thursday . Islamist group proposed to march through town where war dead brought home . Group is already banned under two other names in the Terrorism Act 2000 -- Al-Ghurabaa and The Saved Sect . The group 's leader Anjem Choudary said the ban would not stop them . | [[36, 115], [109, 115], [121, 146], [1132, 1151], [1196, 1315], [1845, 1920], [1923, 1950], [441, 465], [473, 520], [441, 454], [458, 520], [1132, 1151], [1196, 1315], [1420, 1490]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An oil tanker bound for the United States was hijacked off Somalia with a crew of 28 aboard , maritime authorities said . The M/V Maran Centaurus was commandeered about 600 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles , on its way to New Orleans , Louisiana , according to the Maritime Security Center . The crew consists of 16 Filipinos , nine Greeks , two Ukrainians and a Romanian , said the security agency , which is run by the European naval force . The 300,000-ton tanker , which started out from Jeddah , Saudi Arabia , was seized Sunday . It had changed course westward , toward Harardhere or Hobyo , along Somali 's central-western coast . Somali pirates have turned high-seas kidnappings into a lucrative business . Pirates have captured more than 50 ships this year off Somalia and are currently holding 12 , including the fishing vessel Alakrana , Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacon said recently . Attacks in the region have significantly increased this year , according to the International Maritime Bureau , which monitors shipping crimes . But successful attacks have gone down as a result of a strong presence of international monitors . The first nine months of this year have seen more pirate attacks than all of last year , the bureau reported on October 21 . From January 1 through September 30 , pirates worldwide mounted 306 attacks , compared with 293 in all of 2008 , it said . More than half of this year 's attacks were carried out by suspected Somali pirates off the east coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden , a major shipping route between Yemen and Somalia . | M/V Maran Centaurus commandeered about 600 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles . 300,000-ton tanker , which started out from Jeddah , Saudi Arabia , was seized Sunday . The crew consists of 16 Filipinos , nine Greeks , two Ukrainians and a Romanian . | [[141, 234], [473, 495], [504, 527], [473, 495], [545, 564], [321, 400], [357, 368], [403, 472]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A representative at the Virginia mosque of five Americans arrested in Pakistan said it plans to conduct an inquiry into the circumstances that led to the arrests . The men were arrested by Pakistani police this week amid suspicion that they were plotting terrorist attacks and planned to go to Afghanistan , a development that shocked members of the ICNA Center , the mosque the five attended . At a news conference Friday , friends of the five and members of the mosque expressed their surprise over the arrests , defending the activities at the mosque as positive and describing the five as `` wholesome , regular kids . '' Attorney Ashraf Nubani said he believes the incident is isolated , but said the mosque is conducting an inquiry into the matter . While members of the mosque did n't comment on the reports and charges emerging from Pakistan , they described a tight-knit , patriotic congregation that focused on community service . They were grateful for the actions of law enforcement and expressed profound empathy for the families of the people held . A Pakistani police interrogation report , dated Thursday , shined more light on the Wednesday arrests of the five Americans at a home in Sargodha , a town about 120 miles south of Islamabad . The men will be transferred to Lahore , Pakistan , for security reasons , Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Friday . A sixth man -- the father of one of the five -- was arrested afterward , police said . Read the interrogation report -LRB- PDF -RRB- . The report carries profile detail about the men and shows pictures of Internet sites , laptops , mobile phones , an iPod , and an external hard drive seized by police . `` They had deep interest in the religion and they were of the opinion that a jihad must be waged against the infidels for the atrocities committed by them against Muslims around the world , '' said the report , which refers to the five as college students . The report focused on one of the suspects -- identified as Ahmed Abdullah Minni , a 20-year-old American born in Virginia . It said he regularly goes online to watch attacks on the U.S. military in Afghanistan and that he left comments praising the actions . That caught the attention of militants , and he was eventually contacted by a person named Saifullah , the report said . After contact had been made , a Yahoo! e-mail account was set up so the men and militants could communicate , the report said . E-mails were never sent from the account , but people would leave messages in the draft sections of the e-mail account and delete them after reading them , the Pakistani police report said . `` This mode of communication enabled them to pass on messages without fear of interception by the FBI , '' it said . The report said the suspects made a plan with Saifullah to go from Pakistan to Afghanistan . They gathered in Karachi and left for Hyderabad on December 1 . They tried to hook up with two militant groups -- Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa -- but neither group showed interest . `` They went to the madrassa -LSB- a Muslim school -RSB- of Jaish-e-Mohammad where they informed them about their desire for jihad . However , the management of the madrassa refused to keep them , and advised them to go to Jamat-ud-Dawa Lahore . Interestingly , the Jamat also refused to keep them as they could not provide a surety . Thus , they came along with their friend Umar Farooq to Sargodha , '' the report said . The FBI said Pakistan authorities detained the men -- four of whom it said were found to have American passports -- on Wednesday , `` after they came to the attention of police . '' An FBI statement did not give further details and did not identify the men . Officials said the six men include three Pakistani-Americans , an Ethiopian-American , an Egyptian-American and an Eritrean-American . Along with Minni , there were snapshots and brief profiles of only four others -- Umar Farooq , Aman Hassan Yemer , Waqar Hussain Khan , and Ramy Zamzam -- all from the Washington area . The sixth man was Khalid Farouk , father of Umar , the report said . Mustafa Abu Maryam , a volunteer youth coordinator , said he never saw `` extreme behavior '' from the suspects , noting that youth group discussions never broached on politics or conflict . `` Our main focus is to be a positive force of good in our young men 's lives . To be a deterrent of wrong groups and gangs and all other negative influences out there , to be a positive model for these kids , '' Abu Maryam said . Mahdi Bray , executive director of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation , said the incident is a `` wake-up call '' to the many negative influences youth face and touched on what he said were harmful messages sweeping across cyberspace . `` We are determined not to let religious extremists exploit the vulnerability of the emotions of our children through slick , seductive and destructive propaganda on the Internet . We are sending a message loud and clear that those days are over where we will not respond in kind on the Internet to vile propaganda that misrepresents the Islamic faith , '' Bray said . Subira Farouk , the wife of Khalid and mother of Umar , said on Thursday that she and her husband had traveled to Pakistan to arrange a marriage for Umar , and to her surprise , her son had arrived in the country shortly afterward . | Members of the mosque describe five students as `` wholesome , regular kids . '' Americans arrested in Pakistan planned to go to Afghanistan , interrogation report says . Pakistani officials : 5 arrested Wednesday , sixth man -- father of one of the 5 -- arrested later . Pakistani police say men were planning terrorist acts , official says . | [[455, 500], [600, 652], [266, 270], [307, 335], [1094, 1133], [1136, 1150], [1094, 1133], [1153, 1217], [2785, 2877], [2801, 2877], [73, 108], [1405, 1449], [1453, 1475], [266, 302]] |
Charlotte , North Carolina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Laura Zych never liked birds . Ben Bostic feared drowning . They faced their fears when US Airways Flight 1549 hit a flock of geese and crash-landed in the Hudson River . They were strangers on January 15 , 2009 , when they boarded the fateful flight that would become known as the `` Miracle on the Hudson . '' A year later , they 're in love . `` The first time people meet you , they want to hear the sensational part '' of the crash , says Ben , 39 . He prefers to talk about something different : `` I met this wonderful girl because of what we went through that day . '' Laura , 31 , looks at him , batting her model-like lashes , and smiles . `` We do n't dwell on what happened to us in the crash , '' she says . `` It 's more so on the experiences and lessons that we 've taken from it . '' ` Is this really happening ? ' A buyer for Belk department stores , Laura was in New York for the fashion market . With the nation in the thick of recession , she scooped up bargains for herself . She carried her trendy purchases through the airport that day on her return home to Charlotte , North Carolina . Wearing a sweater dress , tights and boots , the woman with stylish sandy brown curls was getting a bite to eat when a group of guys asked if she was a model . `` No , '' she said . `` But I am in the fashion industry . '' She was traveling with five Belk co-workers . Waiting to board , she fired off e-mails and thought little of the flight home or those around her . Ben -- who was in New York for a quick business trip for Lending Tree -- caught a glimpse of the 5-foot , 10-inch knockout near the gate . Later , when they boarded , he noticed her again , coming down the aisle . `` The first thought I had was it 'll be cool if she sits beside me . '' He was in 20A , a window seat on the left side of the plane . She sat down three rows in front of him , in 17D , on the aisle . It was one of those fleeting moments every single person knows : You see an intriguing stranger , hope for the best , then move on . Ben picked up a book and began reading . Laura , who did n't notice Ben , thumbed through a Glamour magazine . At the helm of the Airbus A320 was Chesley `` Sully '' Sullenberger , a 57-year-old former Air Force fighter jet pilot . He 'd been flying for four decades , for US Airways since 1980 . His expertise was about to mean everything . About 90 seconds into the flight , the plane -- traveling at 250 mph and carrying 150 passengers and five crew -- struck a flock of geese . Some passengers described hearing a series of loud thumps . `` One lady screamed , '' Ben recalls . He looked out the window . `` The whole back of the engine was pretty much engulfed in flames , just shooting out of the back , '' he says . He thought : `` This is n't good . '' The plane banked to the left . The smell of burning geese , feathers and flames wafted through the cabin . With neither engine working , a silence fell over the jet as it glided through the skies . People began whispering . Some thought they were going back to LaGuardia . Sullenberger came over the speaker system . `` Brace for impact , '' he said . `` The most harrowing thing I 'd ever heard in my life , '' Ben recalls . `` I thought for a second : Is this really it ? Am I going to die ? '' Three rows in front of him , Laura thought about calling her family . She decided against it . If I die , what a depressing message that would be to leave on a message machine , she thought . And what would she say if they did answer ? `` Guess what ? In 60 seconds , you 're not going to be talking to me any more . '' She crouched down , prepared for impact . `` Is this really happening ? '' Fear of birds and drowning . Laura grew up on a farm in Minnesota and had lived in Fargo , North Dakota , for the past 12 years . She 'd jumped at the chance to take on a bigger role with Belk in Charlotte . But her focus on career meant there was n't much time for relationships while jet-setting around for work . Ben was a Carolina native , and he also poured his energy into work . The software developer at Lending Tree was divorced with no children . Nearing 40 , he found his career rewarding , yet felt something was missing . Both had fears that stemmed from their youths . Her bird phobia was rooted in days on the farm , where her grandmother kept chickens . Once , a bird pooped on Laura 's shoulder , sending her into tears . As she got older , her disdain for birds grew . When she traveled to New York on business , the abundance of pigeons sometimes terrified her . Ben 's fear -- of drowning -- went back to an experience he had when he was 8 . On a beach outing with his family , his raft drifted out from shore and then flipped over . He scrambled to try to get back on , but kept falling back into the sea . He never relished the water again . ` We connected ' As the plane glided silently through the air , Ben peeked out the window every once in a while . He could see they were headed straight toward water . `` Just make it quick so I do n't have to suffer , '' he thought . The Airbus splashed into the frigid waters of the Hudson River . The clank of seatbelts unbuckling rattled inside the plane . Water lapped at Laura 's leather boots . She grabbed her wallet and her cell phone with a GPS tracking device . It 'll be easier for rescuers to find my body and identify me , she thought . She exited to the left and onto a wing . While bobbing up and down there , she called her father . `` Dad , this is Laura . I 've been in a plane crash . '' When things calmed down and she knew she would be rescued , she found comic relief in what brought the plane down . `` You do realize my fear of birds is justified , '' she told her parents . `` OK , we 'll give you that one , '' they responded . Inside the plane , a bottleneck of passengers blocked some exits . A flight attendant in first class waved passengers to the front . Ben climbed over the seats . At the door , he looked out and saw water all around . Clutching tight to his seat cushion , he jumped into a raft . With survivors packed in like sardines , he worried the raft might tip . Later , safe on shore , Ben 's colleagues who were also on the flight saluted life and told him : You know what we 'd be doing tonight if we were single ! Ben thought about the woman with the long legs and curly hair . He wondered what happened to her . From Facebook friends to dating . A bottle of Maker 's Mark bourbon helped ease Ben 's charter flight home to Charlotte that night . In the media blitz that followed , Laura noticed Ben for the first time on television . They became Facebook friends . Flight 1549 survivors -- whose stories were compiled in the book `` Miracle on the Hudson , '' published late last year -- formed support groups . They considered `` Sully '' their hero , each other family . Six months after the crash , when about 20 survivors and their families gathered at a home near Charlotte , Ben and Laura met in person for the first time . `` I was checking you out on the plane , '' he told her . They went clubbing with a third survivor that night . Then the two stayed up talking until 6 in the morning . They shared secrets , their views on life 's opportunities . `` We connected , '' Laura says . They took it slow at first . Neither was looking for a relationship . `` We were family , '' Ben says , `` and we did n't want to ruin that aspect of it . '' Eventually , sparks lit . Despite their bond , the last year has had its difficulties . They wonder why they survived when , a month later , all 50 people aboard a Buffalo commuter jet died . Both have sought counseling . They take anti-anxiety medication to ease air travel . Ben never sits at a window seat . Weeks after the flight , the airline returned salvaged personal belongings to survivors . Laura received a white envelope , labeled with a number . Inside was her waterlogged Glamour magazine . `` It put me back in that seat , '' she says , tears in her eyes . Four other boxes of returned items sit unopened in a spare bedroom . She does n't know whether to throw them out or save them . `` Things in there must not be that important , '' she says . `` All the priorities were reset after January 15 . '' Her relationship with Ben , she says , is another `` positive outcome '' from that day . `` We kind of pick each other up if we start to slip , '' Ben says . `` What 's better than smiling and laughing and love ? '' They 're speaking about their relationship , Laura says , because too much news dwells on the negative . Their message is the opposite . `` Think about how you want to write today 's page , '' Ben says . `` Live , laugh , love and dance like tomorrow 's not guaranteed . '' | Laura Zych and Ben Bostic had never met before the `` Miracle on Hudson '' flight . They began dating after meeting in person six months after the plane crash . Their motto : Live in the moment , laugh , love . All 155 people aboard US Airways Flight 1549 survived the January 15 , 2009 , crash . | [[6912, 6938], [6941, 7002], [7020, 7068]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Shah Rukh Khan , the Bollywood superstar , has become more than a little accustomed to being adored by millions . `` I do n't want to be anonymous ... I 'm very honest about that . I love being recognized , I love people liking me , I love the fact that people scream when I go out . I think I 'll miss all that when it 's taken away , '' he told CNN . But earlier this year comments by Khan , the owner of the Indian Premier League cricket team Kolkata Knight Riders , caused a storm of controversy and attention he did n't want . Khan questioned the lack of Pakistani players in this year 's competition , and Indian Hindu nationalist party Shiv Sena interpreted the comments as inflammatory . Threats were made to boycott his latest film and some activists made some threats against him and his family 's safety . `` It just went onto a political agenda platform , onto an activist platform . I 'm not on the same playing field . I 'm an actor , I 'm not a politician , '' he said . `` This was my point of view ... it was n't as if I was saying something new . I did n't know it would cause so much trouble , and especially when a film was releasing , you do n't want that kind of trouble . It just went completely through the roof . '' Khan is keen to keep his roles as an actor , cricket team boss and icon for millions as far from the political realm as possible . His face is one of the most salable in India with his image used in a raft of adverts and supporting products . Yet his recent film `` My Name is Khan '' did touch upon religious sensitivities , striking a chord among cinema goers in Muslim countries across the world . In the film Khan , himself a Muslim , plays an autistic Muslim immigrant in American soon after the terrorists attack on September 11 , 2001 . `` I really thought the film was about humanity . It 's not about Islam , it could have been about any religion to be honest , '' he said . `` But I simply thought we made a film about humanity . I knew it would do well but I did n't know it would this well because it is a very niche sort of a subject . '' | Bollywood superstar is also owner of Kolkata Knight Riders cricket team . Comments over lack of Pakistani players in this year 's competition causes controversy . Latest film , `` My Name is Khan '' touches upon religious and social sensitivities . | [[376, 410], [413, 451], [489, 532], [551, 624], [1526, 1583]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama will sign sweeping health care reform legislation into law at the White House on Tuesday , according to two Democratic officials familiar with the planning . Obama also will hit the road to sell the measure to a still-skeptical public , giving a speech Thursday in Iowa City , Iowa , White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said . Obama launched his grass-roots drive for health care reform in Iowa City in May 2007 , according to Gibbs . The bill , which constitutes the biggest expansion of federal health care guarantees in more than four decades , passed the House of Representatives late Sunday night with no Republican support . It was approved by the Senate in December . A separate compromise package of changes also passed the House on Sunday and still needs to be approved by the Senate . The officials noted that the Senate can not begin debate on the package before Obama signs the underlying bill into law . Passage of the bill was a huge boost for Obama , who made health care reform a domestic priority . Aides said Monday that Obama exchanged handshakes , hugs and `` high-fives '' with staffers when the outcome of the House vote became apparent . `` I have n't seen the president so happy about anything other than his family since I 've known him , '' said senior adviser David Axelrod , adding that Obama 's jubilation Sunday night exceeded his election victory in November 2008 . `` He was excited that night , but not like last night . '' Republicans promised to continue fighting the reforms , with 11 state attorneys general -- all Republican -- planning lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the bill 's mandate for people to buy health insurance and requirements for states to comply with its provisions . Senior Republicans in Congress warned that voters will judge Democrats harshly in November 's midterm elections , with Sen. John McCain of Arizona saying the Democratic-passed bill killed any chance of bipartisan support on legislation for the rest of the year . `` There will be no cooperation for the rest of this year , '' McCain said in an interview with KFYI radio in Arizona . `` They have poisoned the well in what they have done and how they have done it . '' Highlights of what 's in the bill . White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs , however , said the administration expects to win any lawsuits filed against the bill , and he challenged McCain and other Republicans to campaign for the November election against benefits of the health care bill such as tax credits for small businesses and an end to insurance company practices such as denying coverage for pre-existing conditions . The overall $ 940 billion plan is projected to extend insurance coverage to roughly 32 million additional Americans . 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 . Lifetime coverage limits will be banned , and insurers will be barred from denying coverage based on gender or pre-existing conditions . The compromise package would add to the bill 's total cost partly by expanding insurance subsidies for middle - and lower-income families . The measure would scale back the bill 's taxes on expensive insurance plans . House Democrats are expected to celebrate passage of the bill at a news conference with reform advocates Tuesday afternoon . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , who spearheaded her husband 's failed health reform effort in the 1990s , said earlier in the day that Obama 's success was an example of the president 's tenacity . `` If you ever doubt the resolve of President Obama to stay with a job , look at what we got done for the United States last night when it came to passing quality affordable health care for everyone , '' Clinton said during a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee . Was it all worth it for Obama ? Observers warn , however , that the road ahead for health care reform in the Senate may be rocky . Democratic leaders are using a legislative maneuver called reconciliation , which will allow the compromise plan to clear the Senate with a simple majority of 51 votes . But according to Senate rules , members are still allowed to offer unlimited amendments and challenges . In one of the first of many attempts Republicans say they will make to try to amend or kill the package , GOP aides went to Senate Parliamentarian Alan Frumin on Monday to argue that the compromise bill violates rules of the reconciliation process because of the way it affects Social Security . For that reason , GOP aides said they argued , the bill should not even be allowed to be debated . However , Frumin , according to a senior Republican and a Democratic aide , informed both parties he disagreed with the GOP assessment , and would not block the bill from reaching the Senate floor . `` There 's hope that -LSB- the vote -RSB- would be done within a short period of time , like a week or so , '' said Tim McBride , a health economist and associate dean of public health at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis , Missouri . `` But the Senate is complicated and does n't have the discipline that the House does . '' Once the package hits the Senate floor , the chamber 's rules stipulate that there must be 20 hours of debate . But that 20 hours may prove to be more of a suggestion than an indicator of what will happen , according to Cheryl Block , a law professor at Washington University 's School of Law . `` It could get all messy and could go on forever if -LSB- Republicans -RSB- threw up amendment after amendment , '' Block said . `` Theoretically , it should only take 20 hours , but it will likely take longer because Republicans have things up their sleeve . '' If any provision in the package of changes is rejected or changed , the entire package would then have to go back to the House for another vote . iReport : Share your views on health care reform . House Democrats unhappy with the Senate bill have been continually reassured that the compromise package will be approved by the more conservative Senate . Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nevada , presented a letter to House Democrats on Saturday stating that their Senate counterparts `` believe that health insurance reform can not wait and must not be obstructed . '' So far , two of the 59 senators in the Democratic caucus , Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas , have said they will oppose the compromise package . CNN 's Ed Henry , Ed Hornick , Josh Levs , Alan Silverleib and Tom Cohen contributed to this report . | Obama to travel to Iowa to continue sales pitch to still-skeptical public . President to sign bill on Tuesday ; House Dems , reform advocates plan celebration . Package of changes to bill still needs Senate approval ; GOP could delay it there . $ 940 billion health care reform bill heads to president 's desk to be signed into law . | [[204, 209], [215, 280], [204, 209], [283, 320], [30, 134], [3319, 3443], [3319, 3334], [3348, 3443], [726, 766], [803, 845], [30, 134], [2685, 2715], [2729, 2802]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A British doctors group called Wednesday for a ban on all smoking in cars , saying the secondhand smoke inside a vehicle can cause severe health problems for children and adults . The Royal College of Physicians made the recommendation in a new report on how secondhand smoke , also called passive smoking , affects children . The report found that , for children , secondhand smoke annually causes more than 20,000 cases of lower respiratory tract infection , 120,000 cases of middle ear disease , at least 22,000 cases of wheezing and asthma , 200 cases of bacterial meningitis , and 40 sudden infant deaths . These cases generate more than 300,000 doctor visits each year and about 9,500 hospital admissions , costing the National Health Service about # 23.3 million -LRB- $ 34.9 million -RRB- each year , the report said . The findings were based on studies funded by Cancer Research UK and carried out by the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies . England 's chief medical officer , Liam Donaldson , said the report will contribute to the the government 's review of existing smoking legislation in England later this year . Smoking was made illegal in all public spaces in the United Kingdom in 2007 . `` This is a serious public health concern , '' Donaldson said . Health effects on children from secondhand smoke are `` entirely avoidable , '' the report says . It laid out a series of policy recommendations to reduce those effects , including the ban on smoking in cars . `` Smoke-free legislation should be extended much more widely to include public places frequented by children and young people , and to prohibit all smoking in cars and other vehicles , '' the report urged . The report also urged a hike in tobacco prices , more effective health warnings , more generic packaging for tobacco products , and tailored stop-smoking services . `` This report is n't just about protecting children from passive smoking , it 's about taking smoking completely out of children 's lives , '' said John Britton , chairman of the Royal College of Physicians ' Tobacco Advisory Group . Smokers ' lobby group Forest said the proposals `` go way beyond what is acceptable in a free society '' and are a first step to banning smoking in homes . `` We would n't encourage people to smoke around children , but adults should be allowed to use their common sense and act accordingly , '' said Simon Clark , director of Forest . `` We do n't need laws to regulate every aspect of our behavior . '' Clark said the report 's claims are a `` huge exaggeration . '' `` Unfortunately the anti-smoking industry is n't interested in compromise . It just wants to bully smokers until they quit , '' Clark said . | British doctors group calls for ban on all smoking in cars . Secondhand smoke in vehicle can cause health problems for children and adults . Smokers ' lobby group attacks proposals : are first step to banning smoking in homes . | [[54, 109], [1408, 1519], [1432, 1519], [1582, 1703], [9, 32], [112, 215], [295, 341], [344, 362], [2128, 2253], [2128, 2149], [2237, 2283]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Mississippi lesbian Tuesday won a judge 's backing for her contention that her First Amendment rights were violated when her high school refused to allow her to attend her prom with her girlfriend . But U.S. District Judge Glen H. Davidson refused to order the Itawamba County School District in Fulton , Mississippi , to hold the dance it had canceled over the matter . In his 12-page order , Davidson also ruled that Itawamba Agricultural High School 's denial of 18-year-old Constance McMillen 's request to wear a tuxedo to her prom was a violation of her rights . `` The record shows Constance has been openly gay since eighth grade and she intended to communicate a message by wearing a tuxedo and to express her identity through attending prom with a same-sex date , '' Davidson wrote . `` The court finds this expression and communication of her viewpoint is the type of speech that falls squarely within the purview of the First Amendment . '' When school officials told McMillen she could neither take her girlfriend to the prom nor wear a tuxedo to the event , the senior went to the American Civil Liberties Union , which demanded the school change its policy . In response , the school district canceled the prom altogether . Davidson denied a motion for an injunction filed by McMillen against the school district 's superintendent , the school 's principal and its assistant principal asking the court to order that the April 2 prom be reinstated , saying that parents were planning a private event to be held on that date for all students , including McMillen . Requiring school officials `` to step back into a sponsorship role at this late date would only confuse and confound the community on the issue , '' he said . Read the judge 's opinion -LRB- PDF -RRB- . Both sides in the dispute were happy with the outcome . `` It vindicates Constance 's rights , '' said Christine Sun , senior counsel with the ACLU 's lesbian , gay , bisexual and transgender project . `` It sets a legal precedent for gay and lesbian students all over the country that they have the right to bring a same-sex date to the prom and also to wear gender-nonconforming clothes to the prom . We were looking for a ruling that what the school did was violate her rights , '' Sun said . School board attorney Michele Floyd said the school district was also pleased with the decision . She said the parent-sponsored event , which may be called a ball instead of a prom , is to be held in Tupelo , 19 miles away . But ACLU 's Sun said McMillen had not received an invitation . `` We have n't heard anything about this private prom other than what this school district has told us , '' she said . `` It remains to be seen whether she will be able to attend the private prom . '' McMillen 's case is going forward on a damages claim and the ACLU 's request for attorneys ' fees , she said . `` She got what she wanted , and now it 's just a question of what the damages might be in her case . '' `` 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 last week 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 . '' At the center of the lawsuit is a February 5 memorandum from the school to students that said prom dates must be of the opposite sex . 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 . | ACLU , school board attorney both say they 're pleased with the decision . Judge wo n't order school district to hold a prom that it had canceled . Cancellation came after openly lesbian student asked to attend with girlfriend . School board attorney says parent-sponsored event will take place April 2 in Tupelo . | [[1802, 1857], [2298, 2395], [2339, 2362], [2376, 2395], [224, 323], [340, 391], [1209, 1259], [1492, 1598], [2396, 2515], [2396, 2399], [2405, 2431], [2481, 2504]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British Airways carried out its threat Wednesday and stripped striking cabin crew members of their travel perks . Staff who joined the strike last weekend will now lose benefits including free and heavily discounted travel , BA said . `` Letters are going out to staff who took industrial action concerning staff travel , '' a statement from the airline said . `` Our cabin crew knew that if they took part in the strike they would lose their staff travel permanently . `` Staff travel offers heavily discounted travel to airline employees . This is a non-contractual perk that the company can withdraw at its discretion . '' BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh had threatened last week to take away the travel perks , which may have been one reason why some union staff agreed to work despite the strike last weekend . Are you worried about the strike ? The airline said Wednesday it is expanding its flight schedules this weekend ahead of a second round of strikes because more staff are willing to cross the picket lines . The planned four-day walkout follows the one last weekend by crews dissatisfied with pay , benefits and staffing levels . BA will be able to run a full operation from London 's Gatwick Airport and London City Airport this weekend because so many cabin crew members will be working as normal , the airline said in a statement late Tuesday . At London 's Heathrow Airport , BA will be able to run up to 55 percent of its short-haul flights and up to 70 percent of its long-haul flights , the airline said . `` As a result of the numbers of crew wanting to work , we are increasing significantly our flying schedule and will be operating a full schedule at Gatwick and London City airports , '' Walsh said in a statement . `` I would like to thank all our customers for their patience and support . I apologize to those whose flights will regrettably have to be canceled at Heathrow because of Unite 's continuing action . '' Unite is the union representing 95 percent of BA 's 15,000 cabin crew members . Passengers booked on flights that have been canceled by the strike will be offered seats on flights with BA or other airlines , or will be offered a full refund , the airline said . British Airways advised passengers to regularly check its Web site , www.ba.com , to see whether their flight is still operating . Passengers should contact British Airways or their travel agent instead of going to the airport if their flight has been canceled , BA advised . Advice for passengers . British Airways and Unite have been at odds for more than a year over changes the airline wants to make to cabin crew pay and work practices . BA says the changes will save the company more than 60 million pounds -LRB- $ 90 million -RRB- a year . Unite has said the plans , which call for longer work hours and less staffing , will damage customer service and the BA brand . In addition , stock analysts said BA has made clear it sees the action not only as a matter of money but who will run the airline -- management or the union . | BA carries out threat to strip striking cabin crew members of travel perks . Staff who joined strike at weekend lose benefits such as free and discounted travel . Striking workers oppose BA reorganization they say will mean staff cuts . Airline says more flight schedules this weekend ahead of second round of strikes . | [[0, 6], [36, 84], [9, 32], [89, 149], [662, 748], [9, 32], [89, 149], [150, 199], [205, 258], [150, 190], [196, 258], [887, 998], [951, 1057], [1619, 1670]] |
Video analytics company Visible Measures - the one we work with to put out our monthly top 10 webisodes chart - curates a list of video called the `` 100 Million Club . '' It includes all the web videos that have exceeded 100 million views . Lady Gaga has long been a staple of the chart , but now she 's essentially in a club all her own : She 's the first franchise to reach one billion views . Gaga 's music videos hold three spots in the 65-video 100 Million Club - one for `` Poker Face '' -LRB- 374,606,128 -RRB- , one for `` Just Dance '' -LRB- 272,941,674 -RRB- and one for `` Bad Romance '' -LRB- 360,020,327 -RRB- . Add them up and you get just over one billion views . She wo n't occupy the club alone for long , though ; the Twilight saga is close behind with 980 million and Soulja Boy is at 860 million . Gaga is primarily a hit on Vevo and YouTube ; 25 % of Vevo 's visitors only have eyes for her . The pop star has attracted Internet attention elsewhere , too . A Facebook group of more than 100,000 people initiated National Lady Gaga Day about a month ago , and her latest Internet hit is her `` Telephone '' music video with Beyoncé . The point is , you ca n't escape Gaga on the Internet . She 's everywhere right now . We welcome speculation as to exactly why the web loves her so , so let us know in the comments if you have any ideas . © 2010 MASHABLE.com . All rights reserved . | Visible Measures curates a list called the `` 100 Million Club '' Lady Gaga is the first franchise to reach one billion views . `` Poker Face '' had 374,606,128 views ; `` Just Dance '' had 272,941,674 . | [[341, 396]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The World Motor Sport Council -LRB- WMSC -RRB- of the FIA , motor sport 's governing body , has fined McLaren -- the team at the center of the `` spygate '' scandal -- $ 100m and stripped it of its constructors ' championship points for the season . And McLaren faces further penalties when the WMSC reconvenes in December 2007 . McLaren must submit a full technical report on its 2008 car . If the WMSC considers that its design was influenced by confidential Ferrari data , then sanctions may be imposed on the team for the 2008 season . McLaren team chief Ron Dennis arrives for the hearing in Paris . In an official press statement , the FIA stated : `` The WMSC has stripped Vodafone McLaren Mercedes of all constructor points in the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship and the team can score no points for the remainder of the season . `` Furthermore , the team will pay a fine equal to $ 100m , less the FOM -LSB- Formula One Management -RSB- income lost as a result of the points deduction . `` However , due to the exceptional circumstances in which the FIA gave the team 's drivers an immunity in return for providing evidence , there is no penalty in regard to drivers ' points . '' Should McLaren 's drivers , Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton , win in any of the remaining races of the 2007 season no representatives of McLaren will be allowed on the podium . The WMSC is expected to announce the reasons for its decisions on September 14 . In July the WMSC ruled that McLaren was in breach of Article 151c of the FIA International Sporting Code but recommended that no punitive measures were taken until a hearing of the FIA 's International Court of Appeal on September 13 . However , in the light of new evidence -- the source and nature of which remain undisclosed -- the WMSC is to reconvene in place of the Court of Appeal hearing . The murky story began in June of this year , when Ferrari sacked its performance director Nigel Stepney and initiated court proceedings against him in Modena , Italy . It then emerged that a 780-page document containing confidential technical data about Ferrari 's F1 car had been found in the possession of McLaren 's chief designer Mike Coughlan . Coughlan 's wife , Trudy Coughlan , had taken the document for duplication at a copy shop near McLaren 's Woking headquarters . An employee of the copy shop , suspicious that confidential data was being copied , blew the whistle to Ferrari . Ferrari suspected the source of the leak was Nigel Stepney , a friend and former colleague of Coughlan 's -LRB- the pair had worked together at Lotus in the late 1980s -RRB- . Stepney had been the team 's chief mechanic , but in February took his new role as the team 's performance director -- which did not require him to attend grands prix -- when he expressed his disquiet at the Ferrari 's reorganization following the departure of technical director Ross Brawn . Ferrari filed a formal complaint against Stepney in Modena , Italy where the district attorney initiated a criminal investigation . Ferrari issued the following press statement : . `` Ferrari announces it has recently presented a case against Nigel Stepney and an engineer from the Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes team with the Modena Tribunal , concerning the theft of technical information . Furthermore , legal action has been instigated in England and a search warrant has been issued concerning the engineer . This produced a positive outcome . '' McLaren promptly dismissed Mike Coughlan , its chief designer . It then emerged that Coughlan and Stepney had met with Honda F1 boss , Nick Fry , in June this year to discuss employment possibilities . However Honda were cleared of any wrongdoing by the FIA who were satisfied that no confidential material had been offered to or received by Honda . Coughlan and his wife appeared in the High Court in London for a preliminary hearing on July 10 . Ferrari dropped the case in consideration of the Coughlan 's full disclosure and promise of future cooperation . The furore seemed to cool down after the WMSC 's verdict . Ferrari remained unhappy that McLaren had emerged from the scandal without penalty but the WMSC did not have sufficient evidence to enforce such a penalty . But now the FIA is in possession of new evidence . Rumors have centered on emails between McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa and reigning world champion Fernando Alonso . On August 31 Max Mosley the FIA president wrote letters to all three McLaren drivers -- de la Rosa , Alonso and Lewis Hamilton -- in which he stated : `` The FIA has subsequently been made aware of an allegation that one or more McLaren drivers may be in possession , or that such drivers have recently been in possession , of written evidence relevant to this investigation . '' The letter continued : `` I can confirm , given the importance of this issue , that any information you may make available in response to this letter will not result in any proceedings against you under the International Sporting Code or the Formula One regulations . However , in the event that it later comes to light that you have withheld any potentially relevant information , serious consequences could follow . '' Five days later the WMSC announced it was to reconvene `` following the emergence of new evidence '' , in place of the Court of Appeal hearing . Other rumors had emerged regarding a mysterious white powder said to have been found on the fuel caps of the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa in practice leading up to the Monaco Grand Prix . Stepney has denied involvement in these sabotage claims or in the espionage case in general . Further drama overshadowed Alonso and Hamilton 's one-two on the podium at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday . Modena 's public prosecutor , Giuseppe Tibis , issued a legal notice -- known as an ` avviso di garanzia ' -- that six McLaren employees were under criminal investigation . The six included McLaren supremo Ron Dennis , managing directors Martin Whitmarsh and Jonathan Neale , technical director Jonathan Neale and designer Rob Taylor as well as Mike Coughlan . This outcome has put a dark shadow McLaren 's return to winning ways . The team , dominant in the late 1990s , had struggled with reliability for some years . But the team is not taking the decision lying down . Martin Whitmarsh , COO of the McLaren Group said : `` We believe we have got the grounds for an appeal , but of course we are going to wait for the findings of the FIA . '' E-mail to a friend . | McLaren fined $ 100m and docked of all world championship points for 2007 . McLaren ordered to submit details of its 2008 car to the FIA for scrutiny . McLaren to launch appeal , subject to content of FIA statement . McLaren drivers allowed to keep their championship points . | [[9, 22], [215, 276], [641, 671], [674, 688], [692, 881], [366, 427], [6496, 6546]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The images of Neda Agha Soltan 's death on the streets of Tehran transformed her into an icon for Iran 's opposition movement . But very few know of Ramin Ramezani , who was killed five days before Neda during last year 's post-election demonstrations in the Iranian capital . `` I always say Neda is the miracle of the century , '' Ramin 's mother Zahra Ramezani told CNN by phone . `` Neda was destined to be known to everyone . If Ramin is n't known to everyone , that 's OK . '' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's landslide re-election on June 12 , 2009 , had sparked the biggest protests in Iran since the 1979 revolution . The following Monday , hundreds of thousands marched to Tehran 's Azadi square , calling the vote a sham . Ramin was among the crowd . Watch YouTube video of the chaos that day . Ramin was on leave from military duty , back in Tehran to celebrate his 22nd birthday , just six days away . His parents told CNN that he had voted for Mir Hossein Moussavi , the opposition candidate who had energized young Iranians with promises of a freer society , more rights for women , and better relations with the West . Around 6 p.m. that day , Ramin called his parents and told them not to worry , they said . He said he 'd be home later that evening . An hour later , just blocks away from Azadi square , violence erupted at a base for the Basij , Iran 's pro-government militia . Protesters surrounded the building , shattered its windows with rocks , and set fire to several rooms . Amateur video from the scene showed several armed members of the Basij on the rooftop apparently firing shots . It was here , Ramin 's parents said , that their son was killed . A single bullet entered the right side of his chest , tore through both his lungs and killed him within minutes , his parents said . There was no way to know who fired the shot . It is widely believed that Ramin and several others who were killed on June 15 were the first casualties of the opposition movement 's protests . When Ramin did n't show up at home , the Ramezanis stayed up all night trying to reach him . Zahra Ramezani said she called Ramin 's cell phone every hour but no one answered . The following day they received a brief call from a man who did not identify himself . `` He said , ` If you want your son 's remains , ' and as soon as he said ` remains ' there was chaos in our home , '' said Zahra Ramezani . `` We were all hitting ourselves , screaming and shouting . '' For Ramin 's parents the nightmare was just beginning . Over the course of a week , they said they searched for Ramin 's remains in five hospitals . They pleaded with officials at two courthouses and the interior ministry to help them find their son 's body . Authorities said they would investigate . Finally , at a prison morgue , a prison official showed Ramin 's father the picture of his son 's remains on a computer screen . `` For about one hour I lost myself , '' Mehdi Ramezani said . `` I was hitting myself in the face and the head , asking , ` Why is my son 's naked remains on this monitor ? ' '' Mehdi Ramezani said an official at the prison morgue warned him to keep quiet about his son 's death . `` They made me promise them not to cause a big commotion during his funeral , '' Mehdi Ramezani said . `` They said it would n't be good for your future and the future of your children . '' Calls to Iran 's judiciary and security officials seeking comment were not returned . Until now , Zahra and Mehdi Ramezani have never spoken to the international media . But after keeping silent for more than nine months , they still do n't know any more about how their son died . `` They still have n't told us anything , '' Zahra Ramezani said . `` They said , ` We did n't shoot him . ' Then who shot him ? '' Human rights groups say around 80 people were killed during Iran 's 2009 post-election protests , while Iran 's government puts the number at about half of that . While Iran has charged prison officials with torturing to death some of those detained after the demonstrations , no one has been charged in any of the deaths during the protests . Authorities in Iran have told CNN they are investigating the deaths , but the Ramezanis say they are losing hope . Every Friday morning the Ramezanis visit Tehran 's main cemetery where their son 's gravesite sits just steps away from Neda Agha Soltan 's . Ramin 's parents say they do n't want the attention Neda is getting . All they want is someone to tell them who killed these two young Iranians and why . `` A good and ideal government is for everyone , even those who oppose it , '' said Zahra Ramezani . `` If they consider themselves servants of Iran , then they owe us something . '' | Parents of slain protester wants to know who killed their son . They have not spoken to the international media until now , fearing their safety . Iranian authorities have said they are investigating . | [[3490, 3499], [3502, 3573], [2760, 2801], [4162, 4229]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Africa 's most active volcano , Mount Nyamuragira in the Democratic Republic of Congo , erupted early Saturday , spewing lava off its southern flank , the Congolese Wildlife Authority reported . Rangers in Virunga National Park reported hearing a loud explosion at 3:45 a.m. and then seeing lava flowing from the crater of the 10,033-foot volcano . `` I first thought -LRB- it -RRB- was the sound of war . I thought there was fighting again near our park station , '' said Innocent Mburanumwe , warden for the southern sector of Virunga National Park . `` Then I saw the mountain was on fire with sparks flying . We could see that we were not in immediate danger here at Rumangabo , but there are many people who live to the south of the volcano , where the lava is heading as I speak . '' Nyamuragira is 15 miles -LRB- 25 kilometers -RRB- north of the city of Goma and its 600,000 residents , but Mburanumwe said in a blog posting that lava flows from the mountain were unlikely to threaten human populations . Lava flows from another park volcano , Nyiragongo , destroyed parts of Goma in 2002 . The wildlife authority said the Nyamuragira eruption was likely to destroy habitat for 40 chimpanzees on the volcano 's lower slopes . Virunga National Park is also home to 200 endangered mountain gorillas , but they live on the slopes of the Mikena volcano to the east of Nyamuragira . The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History calls Nyamuragira the continent 's most active volcano , with 42 eruptions since 1885 . Its most recent eruption ended in December 2006 . | Lava flowing down southern flank of Mount Nyamuragira , park rangers report . Nyamuragira is in Virunga National Park . Park 's mountain gorillas not in danger , but lava threaten chimp habitat . | [[132, 167], [214, 246], [298, 367], [1117, 1251], [1145, 1251]] |
-LRB- PEOPLE.com -RRB- -- Saturday was the big day for `` Bachelor '' and `` Dancing with the Stars '' contestant Melissa Rycroft , who tied the knot with her fiancé , insurance agent Tye Strickland , in Mexico on Saturday , PEOPLE has learned . The couple , who met three years ago in their hometown Dallas , got engaged in June , less than four months after Rycroft was jilted on national television by `` Bachelor '' star Jason Mesnick . `` I 'm really happy for her , '' Mesnick told PEOPLE . `` This whole journey took her to a place where things looked like they were down for her . But then she ended up with the person she was meant to be with . That 's what life 's all about . I could n't be happier for her . '' Indeed , after what looked like a downer season of `` The Bachelor '' , it turns out that Mesnick and his top three choices on the dating show all found love in 2009 . After splitting with Rycroft , Mesnick began dating runner-up Molly Malaney . The two became engaged last October in New Zealand . Then second runner-up , Jillian Harris , starred on `` The Bachelorette . '' She and Chicago , Illinois software consultant Ed Swiderski got engaged on the season finale last May and are now living together in Chicago . Rycroft , 26 , and Strickland , 28 , were previously a couple but split shortly before she left to be a contestant on `` The Bachelor '' last year . The couple rekindled in January , Rycroft told PEOPLE . `` Tye and I picked right back up , '' Rycroft said shortly after getting engaged . `` He 's my best friend . '' Rycroft wore an Alfred Angelo gown at the south-of-the-border nuptials , which was attended by family and close friends . `` We want to have it be as fun and relaxing as possible for our families , '' Rycroft said last summer as she and Strickland planned for the big day . `` I just want it to be fun and a day everyone will remember . Tye is my true love . '' © 2010 People and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | `` The Bachelor '' contestant got engaged four months after being jilted on national television . Rycroft married insurance agent Tye Strickland in Mexico on Saturday . Rycroft and Strickland earlier ended their relationship when she left for `` The Bachelor '' | [[360, 430], [90, 129], [136, 165], [1242, 1276], [1279, 1313], [1242, 1271], [1308, 1390]] |
LOS ANGELES -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Since he opened his first restaurant in the heart of Beverly Hills in the early eighties , Wolfgang Puck has gone on to become a household name in the U.S. Puck says L.A. has perfect weather , `` fabulous light and very little rain '' His chain of airport restaurants stretch across the states while his brand adorns everything from pizzas to non-stick pans . He lives in Los Angeles with his second wife and their two young children . CNN : What first drew you to L.A. ? Wolfgang Puck : I came to the U.S. when I was 24 . I spent a month in New York and a year in Indianapolis but I always dreamt about the beaches in California . I had a blue 1967 Cadillac . In 1974 I packed my suitcases , put them in a trailer and drove straight to L.A. . It took me five days to drive from Indianapolis . Watch Wolfgang Puck take CNN on a tour of L.A. '' CNN : What has kept you here all these years ? Wolfgang Puck : In L.A. you live in a big city , but you feel like you 're in the countryside . For example , I can be at home in the swimming pool and be five minutes from everything . It has the perfect weather -- the movie industry started here because of the fabulous light and very little rain . See pictures of Wolfgang Puck 's Los Angeles . CNN : Does everyone in L.A. want to be an actor ? Wolfgang Puck : It 's a city of dreams . It 's nice to dream but a lot of people forget it 's very difficult . They think you become Cate Blanchett or Jack Nicholson just like that , but these people paid their dues . They forget how much time it took them to get there and how good they really are . CNN : You are the official caterer to the Oscars . It must an exciting event to be part of . Wolfgang Puck : When we cater the Governor 's Ball , we have 300 people in the kitchen and 600 in the dining room . It goes very fast and it 's done the right way . I remember Michael Caine came to Spago -LRB- Puck 's flagship Beverly Hills eaterie -RRB- the Monday after the awards with his family and said could he get the same dish that he ate at the awards , which means we really nailed it . CNN : How has the city inspired your cooking ? Wolfgang Puck : For me , cooking is an expression of the land where you are and the culture of that place . L.A. is a melting pot of many different cultures and we have fabulous ingredients here . If you go to San Diego , San Francisco you can get the best vegetables , the best fruits , sea food -- all these wonderful ingredients . CNN : How does L.A. compare with New York ? Wolfgang Puck : New Yorkers think they have everything , all the best art and music . But really L.A. is a better place . Some of the most famous artists in the world work right here . CNN : You 're a big fan of modern art . How did that start ? Wolfgang Puck : I got interested in contemporary art because I worked in a restaurant right across the street from a gallery where they made prints for people like David Hockney . The artists came for lunch at the restaurant so I used to talk to them . Hockney made the first cover of my cook book ; I had Andy Warhol do the label for our wine . I feel that painting is in some way like cooking -- if you add a little more blue , a little less blue it does n't matter . The same thing with cooking : a little of this , a little bit more of that . As long as the end result is beautiful , that 's what counts . CNN : If L.A. was personified , what would they be like ? Wolfgang Puck : A person who enjoys themselves . They do a great job at work but also can have a good time . To me that 's what life is all about . | Puck arrived in L.A. in a blue 1967 Cadillac , driving five days from the Midwest . The city 's melting pot of cultures has helped inspire his cuisine . Many of Hollywood 's biggest names come to dine in his restaurants . | [[663, 691], [775, 824], [2117, 2157], [2266, 2314], [2962, 3006]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The death of Marie Osmond 's 18-year-old son has been classified as a suicide , police said Sunday . A family spokesman on Saturday said that Michael Blosil had died . Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman Karen Rayner told CNN she could not release further information because the death is a Los Angeles County coroner 's case . The coroner 's office said the case was on `` security hold '' and nothing further would be released Sunday . In a statement issued Saturday through a spokesman , Osmond said : `` My family and I are devastated and in deep shock by the tragic loss of our dear Michael and ask that everyone respect our privacy during this difficult time . '' Osmond 's Web site describes her as `` the proud mother of eight beautiful children who are always her greatest treasures . '' Marie Osmond and her brother Donny hosted the national television variety show `` The Donny & Marie Show '' from 1976 to 1981 . Afterward , she had acting and singing careers . She recently competed in a season of `` Dancing With the Stars . '' In 2001 , she wrote `` Behind the Smile , '' about her experience with postpartum depression . CNN 's Lynn Lamanivong contributed to this report . | Michael Blosil was 18 years old , one of Osmond 's eight children . `` My family and I are devastated and in deep shock , '' entertainer says in statement . Family spokesman announced Blosil 's death Saturday . | [[463, 477], [516, 527], [531, 691], [120, 186], [466, 513]] |
ONBOARD AN AIR FORCE C-17 OVER HAITI -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bypassing the gridlock of Haiti 's main airport and congestion of roadways in the earthquake-ravaged country , the U.S. military delivered badly needed food and water on Monday by parachute . A C-17 cargo plane left Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina shortly after noon , and three hours later dropped 40 pallets -- or `` bundles '' as the Air Force refers to them as -- holding bottled water and Meals , Ready-to-Eat , or MREs , on a field just north of the Port-au-Prince airport in Haiti . It was the first airdrop of humanitarian supplies by the U.S. military into Haiti since the deadly earthquake there nearly a week ago . `` There are so many relief agencies funneling through the airport that it has kind of created a bottleneck , '' U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Leon Strickland told CNN en route to the drop point . `` We 're going to put things directly out of the air onto the ground and open up another distribution point north of the -LSB- Port-au-Prince -RSB- airfield . '' The mission came just three days after Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters at the Pentagon that he thought such airdrops would pose serious problems , especially with crowd control . See complete coverage of quake in Haiti . `` It seems to me that , without having any structure on the ground in terms of distribution , that an airdrop is simply going to lead to riots as people try and go after that stuff . So without any structure for distribution or to provide security when things become available , then it seems to me that 's a formula for contributing to chaos rather than -- rather than preventing it , '' Gates said . Strickland , commander of the airdrop mission , said safety of the Haitians was still a consideration , but the military had taken steps to insure control over the distribution . iReport : People continue looking for loved ones in Haiti . `` We are obviously concerned about the welfare of the people on the ground , '' he said , adding , `` I 'm confident that our members on the ground have created a secure environment for us to conduct airdrop operations . '' This first flight carried a total of 9,600 bottles of water and 42,000 MRE packets . One MRE is usually considered one meal for a U.S. soldier in combat , but there is enough food in an MRE packet to make a small meal for two people . Most of the food in an MRE can be eaten straight from the plastic vacuum-packed pouch . But if water is added to a chemical heater , a hot meal results . Each pallet was rigged with a large parachute as well as special corrugated cardboard padding that would minimize damage to the water and food when the load hit the ground . One of the supervisors on the rigging crew at the Army 's Fort Bragg , which is adjacent to Pope Air Force Base , said they wanted to make sure as much of the aid , especially the water , survived the airdrop , but they predicted as many as 1-in-10 of the bottles would break on impact . The MREs are much less susceptible to damage during airdrops . Get latest developments on situation in Haiti . As the C-17 approached Haiti , the pilot dropped to 600 feet above the ground and opened the huge rear ramp . When a computer in the cockpit calculated that the plane was over the drop zone , a signal was given , the pilot pitched the plane upward and the huge straps and gate that held the cargo in place were released . Within seconds , gravity pulled all 40 pallets out of the plane and the parachutes automatically deployed . In less than a minute the food and water was on the ground , ready to be unpacked and distributed . Maj. Jeff `` Ratdog '' Daniels , the pilot of the C-17 , said the U.S. military teams waiting for the airdrop on the ground reported all 40 parachutes opened properly and all the bundles landed on target in the planned drop zone . CNN 's Impact Your World . While this airdrop is a first for the military effort in Haiti , the Air Force is well-practiced in this type of mission . Almost daily , Air Force cargo planes drop food and water into remote areas of Afghanistan for U.S. troops fighting there . Several of the young military personnel CNN spoke to were pleased to be taking part this part of the huge humanitarian mission . Complete coverage on Haiti . Even though she joined the military while the United States was embroiled in two wars , Pvt. Caitlyn Lopez of the 18th Airborne Corps said `` this is what I joined the Army for . '' She was among dozens of soldiers at Fort Bragg who hand-packed and rigged the bundles of humanitarian aid that were dropped Monday . The military planned to use Monday 's flight as a test to see if airdrops would be a practical and effective way to continue to deliver aid . The decision on whether to do more airdrops not immediately made , but just after returning to Pope AFB , Strickland said of the mission , `` It was a success . '' | 40 pallets with bottled water and Meals , Ready-to-Eat , dropped on a field just north airport . First airdrop of humanitarian supplies by the U.S. military into Haiti since quake . Mission was success says U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Leon Strickland . | [[167, 247], [335, 371], [392, 408], [395, 486], [882, 1038], [879, 884], [953, 1038], [2144, 2228], [4032, 4123], [552, 687], [4570, 4586], [4592, 4613], [4895, 4916]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bleill lost both his legs above the knees when a bomb exploded under his Humvee while on patrol in Iraq on October 15 , 2006 . He has 32 pins in his hip and a 6-inch screw holding his pelvis together . Joshua Bleill , pictured here with his girlfriend , is walking again with the aid of prosthetics outfitted with Bluetooth . Now , he 's starting to walk again with the help of prosthetic legs outfitted with Bluetooth technology more commonly associated with hands-free cell phones . `` They 're the latest and greatest , '' Bleill said , referring to his groundbreaking artificial legs . Bleill , 30 , is one of two Iraq war veterans , both double leg amputees , to use the Bluetooth prosthetics . Computer chips in each leg send signals to motors in the artificial joints so the knees and ankles move in a coordinated fashion . Bleill 's set of prosthetics have Bluetooth receivers strapped to the ankle area . The Bluetooth device on each leg tells the other leg what it 's doing , how it 's moving , whether walking , standing or climbing steps , for example . `` They mimic each other , so for stride length , for amount of force coming up , going uphill , downhill and such , they can vary speed and then to stop them again , '' Bleill told CNN from Walter Reed Army Medical Center , where he 's undergoing rehab . `` I will put resistance with my own thigh muscles to slow them down , so I can stop walking , which is always nice . '' Watch Bleill demonstrate his legs '' Bluetooth is the name for short-range wireless technology that can connect computers to printers , MP3 players to speakers and -- perhaps the most well-known use -- cell phones to ear pieces . Older models of computer-controlled legs have to be `` programmed '' via wire by laptop computers before the amputee can use them . Those legs required more movement from the amputee 's remaining thigh muscle to generate motion in the prosthetic leg . Because of built-in motors , the Bluetooth legs allow Bleill to walk longer before he tires . `` We 've compared walking several laps in both sets of legs and one , your legs come out burning and tired and these , you know , you sometimes are not even breaking a sweat yet . '' Bleill says the technology also means he spends less time in a wheelchair . The Marine uses canes to walk with them . He 's hoping to get to the point where he can use one cane regularly , and eventually lose the cane altogether . `` I can walk without canes , but it 's not real pretty , '' he said . This new generation of prosthetic technology was originally conceived to help amputees who had lost only one leg . But it 's working for Bleill and Army Lt.Col . Gregory Gadson , who is also using the Bluetooth devices in his legs . What they are experiencing will help future amputees . `` We are the first ever to try this , so it 's learning day-to-day . The -LSB- prosthetics -RSB- company comes down on a regular basis and checks in with us , '' Bleill said . Gadson , a former linebacker at West Point , said they are breaking new ground for amputees . `` I think we are kind of pioneering and hopefully blazing a trail for others to try the technology also , '' he said . But the technology is not without some problems . `` It 's only going to react to how I move , '' Bleill said . `` Unfortunately , sometimes I do n't know those reactions , I do n't know what I 'm doing to make it react . So sometimes the leg kicks harder than I want it to , or farther , and then I start perpetuating , and I start moving faster than I really want to . '' Aside from the Bluetooth technology , Bleill 's legs have one other thing in common with a cell phone . They need to be charged overnight . Currently , there are no spare batteries available . What are his long-range plans ? He just wants to make it back to his home state of Indiana and work for a charity or even help the NFL 's Indianapolis Colts . `` They do a lot for the community , '' he said . He added he simply wants `` to give back . '' `` To , you know , just carry on a normal life . Go home , see my girlfriend , see my family . '' E-mail to a friend . | 2 wounded Iraq veterans are using prosthetics outfitted with Bluetooth . Their artificial legs communicate via Bluetooth to coordinate movements . Both vets are testing the legs for what could become more widespread use . | [[342, 380], [433, 484], [342, 380], [433, 484], [720, 754], [2722, 2736], [2751, 2792]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- India racked up a massive first-innings lead of 347 runs over South Africa on the third day of the second cricket Test in Kolkata as V.V.S. Laxman and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni contributed centuries . The pair put on an unbroken 259 for the seventh wicket , with Laxman unbeaten on 143 and Dhoni on 132 when the declaration came at 643-6 in the final hour of Tuesday 's play . Their efforts meant that four Indians had passed three figures , following Virender Sehwag 's 165 on Monday and Sachin Tendulkar 's 106 , while four South African bowlers conceded more than 100 runs each . South Africa , who will return to the No. 1 Test ranking above India with a draw , reached 6-0 at stumps as only five balls of a scheduled 10 overs were able to be bowled due to bad light . India , who trail 1-0 in the two-match series , resumed the day on 342-5 with Laxman on nine and nightwatchman Amit Mishra on one . They extended their partnership to 48 before paceman Morne Morkel picked up his second wicket as Mishra was caught at second slip by Jacques Kallis , who had earlier dropped the batsman as did captain Graeme Smith . Laxman was dropped by J.P. Duminy on 48 , and India reached lunch at 431-6 before piling on 117 runs in the two hours after the interval . Laxman completed his 15th Test century and Dhoni his fourth in only the second time that four Indian batsmen had reached three figures in the same innings . Meanwhile , New Zealand piled up 553-7 before declaring on the second day of the one-off Test against tourists Bangladesh in Hamilton . Martin Guptill -LRB- 189 -RRB- and Brendon McCullum -LRB- 185 -RRB- extended their sixth-wicket partnership to a national record of 339 . Guptill scored his maiden Test ton while wicketkeeper McCullum celebrated his 50th appearance in the five-day game with his highest score . Seamer Rubel Hossain took both of their scalps in the middle session and ended with his first five-wicket bag , conceding 166 runs . Bangladesh reached 87-1 at stumps in their first innings , with opener Tamim Iqbal unbeaten on 56 after facing just 48 balls . He put on 79 for the first wicket with Imrul Kayes , who made 28 before edging spinner Daniel Vettori to Ross Taylor at slip . | India rack up a massive first-innings lead of 347 runs over South Africa in Kolkata . V.V.S. Laxman -LRB- 143 -RRB- and Mahendra Dhoni -LRB- 132 -RRB- add unbroken 259 for the seventh wicket . India declare at 643-6 on day three of second Test and South Africa reach 6-0 . New Zealand declare on 553-7 on second day of one-off Test against Bangladesh . | [[19, 93], [223, 277], [330, 398], [605, 617], [688, 743], [1439, 1448], [1451, 1574]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a major upset , Evan Lysacek of the United States edged out defending gold medalist Russian Evgeni Plushenko to win the men 's figure skating gold medal . It was the first time since the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary -- where Brian Boitano won for the United States -- that any nation other than Russia has won the men 's gold medal in the event . In a first for Japan on the men 's podium , Daisuke Takahashi of Japan took the bronze . Lysacek , who placed fourth at the Turin Games in 2006 , won after the free skate program with a total score of 257.67 , which bettered Plushenko 's score of 256.36 . Takahashi 's score of 247.23 came just a little more than half a point better than fourth place finisher Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland . Lysacek 's triumph brought to six the number of golds and 18 the number of total medals the United States has , the most of any nation so far . Earlier , Lindsey Vonn crashed out in the slalom section , opening the door for Maria Riesch of Germany to take the gold medal in the super-combined at the Vancouver Winter Olympics . The poster girl of the Winter Games led after the downhill section of the two-discipline event , but chasing down Riesch 's combined target time of two minutes 10.08 seconds came unstuck halfway down her slalom run at Whistler Creekside . Vonn 's teammate Julia Mancuso added to her silver in the downhill behind Vonn 24 hours previously with another second-placed finish , but over a second behind Riesch . Sweden 's Anja Paerson , who suffered a crashing fall in the downhill on Wednesday , was rewarded for her brave decision to compete with a bronze medal after a fine slalom run . Vonn 's downhill time of one minute 24.16 seconds left her 0.33 seconds clear of her great friend Riesch , with Mancuso of the United States in third place , and she seemingly had a second gold in two days firmly in her grasp . But the 25-year-old from Minnesota admitted after the downhill section that the shin injury which troubled her in the build-up to the Games was a problem and may present difficulties as she bids for gold in three other disciplines . `` It 's not good . It 's really hurting and I 'm just struggling with it , '' Vonn said . `` But there 's nothing really I can do . I just have to try to do therapy and try to tough it out today and then tomorrow will be a good day off . '' Riesch , who was a disappointing eighth on her Olympic debut in the downhill , looked much more assured in her second event and was always set to be the major challenger to Vonn as she has been throughout the World Cup season . Hosts Canada gained their third gold of the Games as Christine Nesbitt powered to victory in the women 's 1,000 speed skating event at the Richmond Oval . Nesbitt had just 0.02 seconds in hand over Annette Gerritsen of the Netherlands with another Dutch skater Laurine Van Riessen taking bronze . In other early action on day seven , Norway 's Tora Berger upset the favorites to claim her country 's 100th gold in the Winter Olympics with victory in the women 's 15k individual biathlon . Berger missed just one shot to beat Kazakhstan 's Elena Khrustaleva by 20.7 seconds . And the 101st gold was not long coming in the later men 's 20km individual event as Emile Hegle Svendsen claimed victory ahead of legendary compatriot Ole Einar Bjoerndalen , who was winning his 10th Olympic medal , including five golds . Bjoerndalen tied for silver with Belarus competitor Sergey Novikov , 9.5 seconds behind Svendsen . In women 's snowboarding , the half-pipe crown went to Torah Bright of Australia ahead of American pair Hanna Teter and Kelly Clark after a thrilling competition which set new standards . | NEW : American Evan Lysacek breaks Russia 's five Winter Olympic Game-streak . Lindsey Vonn fails in her bid to win second gold of Winter Games in super-combined event . Vonn said after her downhill run that she was being troubled by a shin injury . Christine Nesbitt wins Canada 's third gold of Games by claiming 1,000 m speed skating crown . | [[1982, 1997], [2004, 2045], [1982, 1997], [2046, 2059], [2609, 2687], [2662, 2763]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- We 're just going to put it out there : Behind closed doors , whites talk differently about blacks . At least that 's what two sociologists found after conducting a study of college students across the country . One of the researchers , Joe Feagin , said that 's why it comes as no surprise to him that a powerful politician such as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would talk about Barack Obama 's skin color and use the term `` Negro dialect '' in what he considered a private conversation . Speaking not of Reid but of his conclusions drawn from his research , Feagin said , `` Most whites have sharply reduced the blatantly racist stuff they do in public , while they still do huge amounts in private . '' `` It 's just social correctness in the front stage . The scale of this is gigantic on the backstage , which is why the notion of a post-racial America is laughable , '' said Feagin , a professor at Texas A&M University . `` And I think most whites know it because they 've been to Thanksgiving dinner with Uncle Jim and have heard the n-word jokes . '' Feagin and Leslie Picca of the University of Dayton compiled their research in a book called `` Two-Faced Racism '' published in 2007 . They surveyed 626 white students at 28 colleges and universities across the country . They asked the students to keep diaries and record any racial events they came across during the course of a day . The students recorded 9,000 accounts , of which 7,500 were `` blatantly racist '' events ranging from private jokes and conversations to violent incidents , Feagin said . About 100 accounts stood up against racism , he said . The majority of racial events were directed at African-Americans , but Latinos and Asians also came under attack . Feagin and Picca also surveyed African-American students , but that research is still being compiled . `` In these 7,500 blatant accounts , most of them are accounts of what we call backstage racism -- that is they 're doing these performances and skits with friends and relatives , '' Feagin said . Does it surprise him that someone with such political clout as Reid would use a term such as `` Negro dialect '' ? `` No , '' Feagin said , `` not after looking at our student diaries . '' He said Reid `` felt safe making '' the comment about Obama because he was in a private setting . `` It 's a great teaching moment , '' Feagin said . `` It shows the difference between the front stage and the backstage . He thought he was saying that in the backstage , and now it 's been brought out in the public for all to see and discuss . '' The controversy is centered on remarks published in the book `` Game Change '' by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann . The book cites Reid as saying privately in 2008 that Obama could succeed as a black candidate partly because of his `` light-skinned '' appearance and speaking patterns `` with no Negro dialect , unless he wanted to have one . '' Reid , D-Nevada , apologized to the president after excerpts from the book were released , and Obama said he considered the issue closed . Your take : iReporters sound off on the issue . `` This is a good man who 's always been on the right side of history , '' Obama said Monday in a sit-down interview with CNN political contributor Roland Martin . `` For him to have used some inartful language in trying to praise me , and for people to try to make hay out of that , makes absolutely no sense . '' Reid has received the support of the Congressional Black Caucus . On Monday , he said numerous prominent African-American officials , including NAACP Chairman Julian Bond and Attorney General Eric Holder , called to offer their support . Sen. John Cornyn , R-Texas , head of the GOP 's Senate campaign arm , has called for Reid to give up his leadership post after the `` embarrassing and racially insensitive '' remarks . Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele also called for Reid to step down . Duke University political science professor Kerry Haynie said he does n't dispute that attitudes toward race may be viewed differently in private than in public . But he said he does n't feel that came into play with Reid 's remarks . `` Many of us who work in areas of race and politics asked these same kinds of questions , about whether Obama is different for whites than other black politicians , '' Haynie said . `` I do n't think Sen. Reid was expressing sentiments he would not have expressed publicly . '' Boyce Watkins , an associate professor at Syracuse University , said the country should n't let this moment pass . `` The takeaway is that there is a teachable moment , but we ca n't allow politicians to do all the teaching , '' Watkins told CNN 's `` American Morning . '' `` If you watched President Obama 's interview with Roland Martin , the conversation tends to be let 's sweep this under the rug and throw the baby out with the bath water and move on . `` But the truth is that they are trying to get health care passed , and that 's good , I respect that , but I want to have the conversation on race . '' Added Dawn Turner Trice , a columnist and blogger with the Chicago Tribune : `` For me , it 's that we have to continue to talk about this . We ca n't only talk about it when we have these national flare-ups . This takes time and nuanced conversations . ... `` The country is changing . In a couple decades , we will have a country with a very different racial makeup . And we will have to have these conversations , and it 's to our peril if we do n't . '' Feagin , the sociologist , said he agrees . He said Democrats and Obama should come forward to talk openly about the national climate on race . `` We ca n't keep ducking this racism stuff , '' he said . CNN 's Matt Cherry contributed to this report . | Sociologists find whites talk differently about African-Americans in private . `` The scale of this is gigantic , '' says Joe Feagin of Texas A&M University . Feagin : Senate Majority Harry Reid 's comments not surprising , hopes nation will learn from it . Syracuse University associate prof says politicians should n't `` sweep this under the rug '' | [[81, 119], [3960, 4122], [4022, 4122], [231, 253], [269, 448], [322, 385], [434, 513], [4474, 4487], [4538, 4588], [5691, 5733]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With the people of Haiti hungry , desperate and frustrated nearly a week after a powerful earthquake , sporadic violence and looting are erupting in the badly damaged capital . CNN 's Anderson Cooper witnessed a group of young men breaking into a supply store in the city 's commercial district and taking away boxes of candles Monday afternoon . They were followed by several hundred others , including women who used sacks to carry away items . Two Haitian police officers and the store owner tried to barricade the property . Police fired shots into the air to try to disperse the crowd , according to Cooper . Fights broke out among looters . Cooper saw one man beaten until one of his arms bled . A boy collapsed onto the street in a pool of blood , Cooper said , describing the situation as `` a frenzy of looting . '' Anderson Cooper in the midst of looting chaos . Reports of looting have escalated in the days since Tuesday 's 7.0-magnitude earthquake leveled Port-au-Prince , leaving the capital in chaos as emergency aid workers and authorities scramble to help . `` People are actually stealing this , then will sell it later , and then they 'll use that money for their families , '' Cooper reported . Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he wanted to increase the U.N. peacekeeping force in Haiti with 1,500 additional police and 2,000 peacekepping troops to better respond to the quake 's aftermath . Ban says he has submitted his request to the U.N. Security Council . The U.S. military considers the security situation `` stable , '' Rear Adm. Mike Rogers , director of intelligence for the Joint Chiefs of Staff , told reporters Monday . Rogers said that means meant the United States can carry out operations -- including search and rescue , distribution of aid , moving people in and out of the capital and flying aircraft . Nothing suggests `` widespread disorder '' and panic , Rogers said , citing the well-publicized incidents of unrest as `` isolated events . '' No official death toll has been declared , but estimates range from 100,000 to 150,000 in Port-au-Prince alone . The buildings have crumbled to rubble , leaving hundreds of thousands of homeless survivors roaming the streets . iReport : Looking for loved ones . About 3 million people -- one-third of Haiti 's population -- were affected by the quake , the Red Cross said . About 10 million people most likely felt the shaking , the U.S. Geological Survey said . All of this has occurred in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere , where infrastructure is weak and many people were already living in poverty . In several sections of Port-au-Prince , people could be seen scavenging in the streets , pushing each other away to pick up whatever they could find in the collapsed homes . They rummaged through plastic bags lying amid mountains of debris . Other survivors clutched tightly to their finds as they walked through the streets . For business owners , the growing violence is troubling because there are fewer police officers on duty after the earthquake . Many officers are injured or dead . The police who are on duty are armed with automatic weapons , and they have fired shots in the air to scare off looters . Even before the earthquake , robberies and home invasions organized by gangs were frequent in Haiti , according to the U.S. Department of State 's Overseas Security Advisory Council . Adding to Haiti 's frustration is the difficulty in transporting critical aid and supplies to survivors . Shortly after the earthquake , international aid groups responded quickly , trying to get food and medical supplies into Haiti to prevent the situation from going from `` dire to absolutely catastrophic . '' `` I think people need to understand that out in Port-au-Prince , it looks ... like Tokyo probably did after World War II . It 's flat . It looks like atomic bomb went off . The streets are completely blocked , '' said Kenneth Merten , the U.S. ambassador to Haiti . He added , `` There are rescue efforts going on . It 's just difficult to physically get there . '' | Incidents of looting are becoming more widespread across Port-au-Prince . U.N. officials hope to send more troops , officers to help respond . Haiti 's police force is limited after earthquake killed or injured many officers . CNN 's Anderson Cooper said looters plan on selling items later . | [[122, 195], [892, 979], [1234, 1386], [3076, 3111], [1094, 1103], [1133, 1156]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Katie Piper had everything going for her -- a blossoming career , a wonderful life and a beautiful face . But that all changed after a horrific acid attack in March 2008 destroyed everything as she knew it . The young model and television presenter , who was 24 years old at the time , was leaving her apartment in a London suburb when she was attacked by a stranger waiting for her with a cup of sulfuric acid . Stefan Sylvestre threw the cup of corrosive liquid on Piper , burning the skin on her face , neck , chest and hands . She was also left blinded in one eye . Sylvestre was asked by Piper 's former boyfriend , Danny Lynch , to throw the acid on her face because she ended their short relationship . To make matters worse , two days before the attack , Piper was raped by Lynch in a London hotel room after ending the partnership . `` It was n't a random attack and there was a motive if you like , '' Piper told CNN 's Becky Anderson on Connect the World . Meanwhile Piper 's parents were called by the police to tell them what had happened . `` I can remember going ` not her face , please not her face ' , '' Piper 's mother Diane wrote on The Katie Piper Foundation web site . `` I knew if anything happened to her face as far as she was concerned it would be the end of everything . '' Piper spent nearly two months in hospital and was placed in an induced coma for 10 days . The attack also severely damaged Piper 's throat and she was forced to be fed through a tube in her stomach . Today , Piper now wears a special plastic pressure mask for 23 hours a day , in an effort to flatten her scars . `` You can see looking at me that it physically changed my appearance , but it goes a lot deeper than that . '' `` It changed my life as I know it -- it changed my career , it changed my relationships with people . Lynch was found guilty of inciting the acid attack in October 2008 and subsequently convicted on the rape charge in April 2009 . He was given two life sentences , and will serve at least 16 years in jail . Sylvestre received a 12-year sentence for throwing the acid . With her attackers behind bars , Piper is determined to get her life back on track and rebuild what she can . `` Time was a great healer and I 've managed to not get my old life back , but I can rebuild . And I think I 've stayed focused and determined . '' `` It was an attack with the intent to destroy me , and I decided that it would n't destroy me and that I would still have a life . I try to stay positive . '' Piper has told her story around the world and has started the Katie Piper Foundation to help raise money for burns victims across the UK . Since the attack Piper has made remarkable progress . Surgeons took the drastic measure to remove the skin from Piper 's entire face and use a skin substitute called Matriderm to re-build the foundations before grafting skin from her back and buttock onto her face -- it 's the first operation of its kind to be done in one operation , according to Piper 's Web site . Piper plans to continue her work raising money for burn victims and to help spread the message that there is life after difficult challenges . `` I think it 's important to try and set yourself many goals -- try to take each day as it comes , '' Piper said . `` I think there 's a lot of strength that can be gathered from support . '' | A cup of acid was thrown onto Katie Piper 's face in March 2008 . She received severe burns to her face , chest , neck and hands . Highly corrosive sulfuric acid was used in the attack . Piper is slowly getting her life back on track after nearly two years of recovery . | [[151, 243], [244, 284], [322, 448], [449, 508], [449, 465], [511, 566]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ivo Josipovic won the runoff election Sunday for Croatia 's presidency , a spokesman for the election commission told CNN . Social Democratic Party candidate Josipovic won 60.3 percent of the vote , or about 1.3 million of the nearly 2.3 million votes cast , said spokesman Hrvoje Sadaric of the Croatian State Election Commission . Milan Bandic , an independent and eight-year mayor of the Croatian capital of Zagreb , garnered 39.71 percent of the vote , or just over 880,000 votes . He was once a member of Josipovic 's party , Sadaric said . Slightly more than half of voting eligible Croatians voted in the runoff and more than 99 percent of votes had been counted , Sadaric said . Josipovic , 52 , a law professor and classical music composer , had earlier garnered the most votes in the first round of voting . His campaign focused on cleaning up corruption in government . | Ivo Josipovic of Social Democratic Party beats Milan Bandic , says commission . Josipovic won 60.3 percent of the vote , says Croatian State Election Commission . Milan Bandic , eight-year mayor of capital , Zagreb , garnered 39.71 percent , commission says . | [[143, 215], [143, 215], [352, 364], [439, 504]] |
Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iraq has ordered former employees of the private military contractor once known as Blackwater to leave the country , its interior minister announced Wednesday . Contractors who once worked for Blackwater , now known as Xe , have seven days to leave Iraq , Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani told the state television network al-Iraqiya . The move follows a January declaration by Iraq 's government that former Blackwater employees were no longer welcome in the country . Blackwater became the target of widespread Iraqi outrage after its contractors were involved in the September 2007 shooting in Baghdad 's Nisoor Square that left 17 civilians dead . That outrage was renewed in December , when a U.S. judge dismissed manslaughter charges against five guards involved in the shootings on constitutional grounds . The company 's last contracts in Iraq have been transferred to other companies . But Iraqi authorities say about 250 former Blackwater employees remain behind , some working for other security firms . `` I do n't think the Iraqi government is willing to have any Blackwater member , even if they are working in other companies , '' government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told CNN in January . `` We do n't like to see them here working in any company . '' Blackwater had about 1,000 contractors working in Iraq at the height of its involvement , guarding diplomatic convoys and supply vehicles around the country after the U.S. invasion in 2003 . At least 10 of its employees were killed , including four whose burned and mutilated bodies were dragged through the streets of Fallujah after an ambush in 2004 . CNN 's Jomana Karadsheh and Suzanne Simons contributed to this report . | Former Blackwater -LRB- now known as Xe -RRB- employees must leave Iraq , Iraqi officials say . They have seven days to leave Iraq , says Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani . Blackwater became target of Iraqi outrage after 2007 shooting left 17 civilians dead . | [[0, 7], [34, 102], [71, 148], [195, 237], [258, 287], [151, 194], [195, 237], [258, 287], [290, 370], [505, 561], [632, 656], [662, 686]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prague has not been nicknamed `` Zlata Praha '' or `` Golden Prague '' for no good reason . The well-deserved eponym is a tribute to this city that mixes architecture , history , art and beauty like no other . While not forgetting its more somber communist past , Prague has been one of the first East European cities to get a luxurious makeover . Designer shopping malls , exclusive restaurants and trendy nightclubs abound . But it is the mystical atmosphere of a Prague of past eras that leaves many visitors craving to come back . Largely untouched by the ravages of WWII , Prague is arguably the only European city with so many century-old buildings left intact for people to enjoy . All more impressive than the others , these are the historical sites you should not miss in Prague . Wenceslas Square : In 1348 , King Charles IV of Bohemia -LRB- now the Czech Republic -RRB- founded the town of Prague . The King built several open areas for markets , including Wenceslas Square , previously known as the Horse Market . Named after Saint Wenceslas , the patron saint of the Czech state , the square is the largest in the city and was at the center of much of Prague 's history , including the Nazi occupation , the Soviet invasion , and the Velvet Revolution . In 1969 , Prague student Jan Palach set himself on fire in Wenceslas Square to protest the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia . And in 1989 , during the Velvet Revolution that overthrew the Communist regime , hundreds of thousands of demonstrators gathered here to protest . Today the square has become one of the trendiest and busiest in the country . Lining Wenceslas Square are fashion stores , cafes , bars and kiosks . Above the square is Prague 's Museum of Natural History , which was shot at by Communist troops when they mistook it for the Parliament building . Prague Castle : Kings , Roman Emperors and Presidents have lived in this legendary castle that overlooks the city . The castle is the largest medieval castle complex in Europe and arguable Prague 's prime tourist attraction . First built in the 9th century , Prague Castle has survived wars , fires and opposing political powers . The castle complex consists of the Saint Virtus Cathedral , viewing towers , a monastery , museums and art galleries . The Czech crown jewels are also held here . After Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993 , the castle became the seat of the President of the new Czech Republic . Charles Bridge : This magnificent 14th century gothic bridge over Prague 's Vltava river is lined with a series of large stone statues that represent important religious figures and icons . Its construction started in 1357 under King Charles IV and finished in the beginning of the 15th century . Until the 19th century , the bridge was the only way to cross between the Old Town and adjacent areas , also known as the `` Lesser Town . '' During the day , thousands of people traverse the bridge to watch the views of the city and enjoy the numerous street performers . Dancing House : A masterpiece of modern architecture , Dancing House was named after dancing duo Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers . Dancing House is also sometimes nicknamed `` Drunk House '' for its wavy curves . The building was constructed between 1992 and 1996 by Czech architect Vlado Milunc and world-renowned Canadian architect Frank Gehry . The top floor houses one of the city 's most exclusive restaurants , Celeste . Old Town Square : Located in the heart of the Old Town , this square included Prague 's gothic Church of Our Lady before Tyn , the main church of this part of the city since the 14th century . The church 's towers are 80 meters high and topped by small golden spires . Another fixture of the Old Town Square is the baroque-style St. Nicholas Church . In the center of the square is a large statue of Jan Hus , a Catholic priest who was burned at the stake by the Roman Catholic Church for heresy in 1415 . But the most popular attraction for visitors of the square is the famous Astronomical Clock . Astronomical Clock : Built in 1410 , the Astronomical Clock still functions and provides accurate data on a number of astrological events , such as the relative positions of the sun , moon and major planets . Each hour , the clock bells and a series of moving wooden puppets come out . Below the Astronomical Clock are 12 medallions with the signs of the zodiac , added by painter Josef Manes in 1865 . Prague Cathedral : Saint Vitus 's Cathedral is another one of Prague 's Gothic masterpieces . The Cathedral , set in the walls of the Prague Castle , was commissioned by King Charles IV and work on it began in 1344 . It took nearly six centuries to complete . Today it is the seat of the Archbishop of Prague and contains the tombs of many of the Bohemian Kings . The interior features stained-glass windows from different eras . One of the cathedral 's chambers was used to crown several Kings and it is said the room can only be opened with seven golden keys given to different members of parliament . Vyshehrad : The old fortress of Vyshehrad and its surrounding parks is the place where the city of Prague was originally founded and around which the city was built . It is a great place to get a sense of the history of the city . Its thick walls house the National Cemetery , where many of Prague 's most illustrious citizens are buried , including Czech composer Antonín Leopold Dvorak and writer Karel Capek . | `` Golden City '' is a well-deserved eponym for a city that mixes history and beauty like no other . Largely untouched by WWII , Prague 's many century-old buildings have been left intact . CNN takes you through the top historical sights not to be missed in Prague . | [[111, 161], [152, 161], [167, 228], [647, 707], [746, 808]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A top United Nations official acknowledged Friday that the earthquake relief operation in Haiti was not progressing fast enough . `` You ca n't snap your fingers and make it happen just by magic , '' U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes said . But he promised , `` We will do it , slowly and surely . '' In an interview with CNN 's Christiane Amanpour , Holmes said , `` We have blockages at different points or bottlenecks of different points . The airport , coming in -- not as many planes as we 'd like to get in there because of the landing blockages . It 's happening , but it 's happening not as fast as we would like . '' Referring to the slow pace of aid deliveries , Holmes added , `` We 've got to unload it , get it into warehouses , then get it into trucks , then get it to distribution points , and then start to distribute it . '' `` There 's a huge effort going in from huge numbers of countries and aid organizations , but it 's not so visible on the ground because you ca n't quite get it there . '' Get the latest developments in Haiti . Holmes said it was key to dig out survivors from ruined buildings as soon as possible . `` There are something like 27 search-and-rescue teams now either on the ground or on their way , and that 's beginning to make a difference , '' he said . `` Of course , with every day that passes , we know that the chances of finding somebody alive diminish , but that effort must continue , and we must continue to try and look after the injured . '' Impact Your World . New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly , who was in Haiti just before the earthquake and served there in the mid-1990s , also emphasized the importance of saving the lives of people who are trapped and injured . `` I think there 's still an opportunity even though it 's almost 72 hours . I think that 's got to be job number one , '' Kelly told Amanpour . As far as aid distribution is concerned , Kelly said it was essential to move supplies from the airport into Port-au-Prince as fast as possible . `` It 's about five miles for the most part , but it 's a tough five miles . The roads are not good . Perhaps the helicopters from the USS Carl Vinson are going to be used to do precisely that . '' The USS Carl Vinson , an U.S. Navy aircraft carrier , has recently arrived off the coast of Haiti with a fleet of 19 helicopters and several tons of aid . Holmes expressed concern about the losses faced by the Haitian National Police during the earthquake . He said 300 officers died when the main police commissariat collapsed . `` It 's not surprising they have n't been able to recover from the blow . But the prime minister , the president , are functioning now , and the ministry of interior . '' He said so far it has been reasonably calm in Haiti . But the U.N. has thousands of police and soldiers in the country , and they will be able to maintain law and order with the help of American troops if necessary , Holmes said . `` It 's really a peaceful country . I think it 's gotten a bad reputation for certain outbreaks that did happen , '' Kelly said . `` The people are in desperate straits . But I think everyone will be surprised at just how peaceful and orderly it will be . '' | U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes : Hard to get aid in . Problems include : Roadblocks , bottlenecks . Key : Dig out survivors quickly . New York City Police Chief : 300 Haitian police die in quake . | [[216, 271], [332, 379], [382, 393], [397, 473], [396, 473], [1084, 1171], [1096, 1157], [1096, 1098], [1107, 1171], [1546, 1589], [1596, 1635], [2438, 2509], [2510, 2581], [2518, 2581]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- All but one of the families who lost relatives in Baghdad 's Nusoor Square killings have agreed to settle their claims against the security contractor formerly known as Blackwater , one of the survivors said Sunday . Hassan Salman , who was wounded in the 2007 shootings , told CNN that 16 of the 17 families of the dead agreed to $ 100,000 lawsuit settlements from Xe , as Blackwater now calls itself . Those wounded were offered between $ 20,000 and $ 50,000 apiece , Salman said . Blackwater guards protecting a U.S. State Department convoy opened fire in Nusoor Square , in western Baghdad , in October 2007 , killing 17 people and wounding more than two dozen . Blackwater denied any wrongdoing , arguing its contractors used necessary force to protect a State Department convoy that had come under fire from insurgents . Iraq called the killings unprovoked and an act of `` premeditated murder . '' The incident led the Iraqi government to slap limits on security contractors hired by Xe and other firms operating in the country . Xe announced it was settling the lawsuit last week to allow the company , which is also under new management , to move ahead `` free of the costs and distraction of ongoing litigation . '' One of the guards who took part in the shooting pleaded guilty to a voluntary manslaughter charge in a U.S. court 2008 . Five others were charged with manslaughter , but those cases were dismissed in late December when a federal judge found prosecutors wrongly used the men 's own statements against them . CNN 's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report . | Families of slain offered $ 100,000 to settle lawsuit , survivor of shooting says . Blackwater guards protecting a convoy opened fire in Baghdad in October 2007 . Seventeen people were killed ; security firm said guards came under fire . Guard pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter ; charges dismissed against five others . | [[201, 235], [236, 249], [292, 387], [503, 591], [615, 630], [503, 562], [633, 685], [503, 562], [633, 685], [1245, 1262], [1284, 1307]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- William Ward Warren was 15 when his dad dropped him off at Dallas Love Field to see President John F. Kennedy arrive in the city , on the same day JFK was assassinated . Students in Dallas , Texas , had November 22 , 1963 , off from school in recognition of the visit . Warren decided to take along his 8mm camera . The result was `` the best home movie known to exist of the Kennedy arrival , '' according to Gary Mack , curator of the The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza . The color film offers new glimpses of the president and Mrs. Kennedy , wearing a pink Chanel suit , coming down the steps from Air Force One and greeting well-wishers . The Kennedys can then be seen from the side as they walk past the camera smiling . Vice President Lyndon Johnson is seen close up as he greets people standing on the tarmac . `` I was very excited , '' says Warren , now 61 . `` It had rained the night before and cleared off that next day , which was an interesting event , and it was a very positive day . It was cool and yet the sun was shining bright , and there was lots of excitement . '' Warren donated the 8mm color home movie to the museum , Mack said in a news release . According to the news release , the only color images of President Kennedy in Dallas were made by amateurs , except for a brief film by a White House photographer . The museum is on the sixth and seventh floors of what was known in 1963 as the Texas School Book Depository . The Warren Commission determined that Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy from that location . | Boy , 15 , took color 8mm film of Kennedy 's arrival at airport in Dallas , Texas . President and Mrs. Kennedy can be seen walking through crowd on November 22 , 1963 . Film was donated to Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas by filmmaker , now 61 . | [[103, 147], [289, 334], [865, 890], [1110, 1163]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Philippine authorities on Sunday raised the alert status of the country 's most active volcano to level 4 and established an extended danger zone around it , saying an eruption is imminent . The status change at the Mayon volcano `` means that a hazardous explosive eruption is possible within days , '' according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology . Earlier Sunday , the institute said the central Philippine volcano continues `` to exhibit a high level of activity , '' adding that 222 volcanic quakes and tremors have been recorded in recent days . One was `` an explosion-type earthquake '' that launched a cloud of ash about 1,640 feet -LRB- 500 meters -RRB- into the air , according to an institute statement . The institute recommended extending already-established danger zones of nearly five miles -LRB- 8 kilometers -RRB- south of the summit and 4.3 miles -LRB- 7 kilometers -RRB- north of the summit . In addition , `` areas just outside of this extended danger zone should prepare for evacuation in the event explosive eruptions intensify , '' the institute said . More than 30,000 people fled their homes last week ahead of an expected eruption , and authorities were attempting to evacuate about 50,000 people living around the 8,077-foot volcano . People in surrounding Albay province have flocked to town centers to catch a glimpse of glowing lava cascading down the slopes of Mayon since the mountain began oozing fiery lava and belching clouds of ash last week . The volcano , about 310 -LRB- 500 kilometers -RRB- south of the Philippine capital of Manila , has erupted 49 times since its first documented eruption in 1616 . The Philippines is situated in the so-called Ring of Fire , an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions . In 1814 , Mayon had its most violent eruption , killing more than 1,200 people . Its last major eruption was in 1993 . Since then , it has remained restless , emitting ash and spewing lava . | `` Hazardous explosive eruption is possible within days , '' Philippine authorities say . More than 220 volcanic quakes and tremors have been recorded in recent days . More than 30,000 people fled their homes last week ahead of an expected eruption . Last major eruption of Mayon volcano was in 1993 . | [[210, 392], [263, 317], [511, 593], [1119, 1199], [1938, 1975]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Federal agents seized 2,880 rounds of ammunition found inside an SUV that was being driven from Brownsville , Texas , to Mexico , U.S. Customs and Border Protection said . A 19-year-old Mexican was attempting to drive the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer across the bridge that links Brownsville with Matamoros , Tamaulipas state , when he was stopped for a secondary inspection , the release said . The ammunition , which included 13 armor-piercing rounds and five assault-rifle magazines , was hidden inside 18 plastic bags found inside the SUV , the release said . | Ammo found in SUV being driven from Brownsville , Texas , to Mexico . 19-year-old Mexican was driving the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer . Ammunition includes 13 armor-piercing rounds and five assault-rifle magazines . | [[57, 87], [74, 87], [93, 136], [191, 285], [413, 427], [436, 502]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As Haitians struggle to recover from the devastation of Tuesday 's 7.0-magnitude earthquake , mental health experts caution that the most severe psychological effects wo n't take form until individuals ' situations stabilize . Feelings of confusion , fear , agitation , grief and anger that surround a large-scale traumatic event such as the Haiti earthquake give way to more pronounced psychological disorders once people 's basic human needs are taken care of , experts say . `` Once the initial resources are in , when actually most people are going to start feel out of danger , is when the psychological aftereffects are going to hit people , '' said Dr. Daniella David , professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of Miami 's Miller School of Medicine . `` People need to ask for help when that happens . '' In the immediate short-term period after a large-scale traumatic event , people are concerned primarily with self-preservation and taking care of family and friends , said Dr. Sandro Galea , chair of the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia University 's Mailman School of Public Health . These people experience acute stress and anxiety , which is taken up by trying to fulfill the immediate physical needs . There is a normal and immediate stress response that comes with an event that causes damage to homes and infrastructure and loss of family members , David said . Haiti has the potential for higher rates of mental illness and a slower recovery after this episode because the population is already strained from weak social and economic supports , Galea said . In those conditions , they may already be predisposed to developing mental illness irrespective of the earthquake itself , he said . View or add to CNN 's database of missing persons in Haiti . The stress of the disaster situation , combined with the potential predisposition toward stress disorders , could lead to an extreme emotional reaction , but that does not mean these factors predict any kind of violent or other extreme behavior , said Joan Cook , assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale University , in an e-mail . `` I 'd say that if the rate of psychological problems turns out similar to previous severe natural disasters in other economically disadvantaged countries , as many as 50 percent or more could suffer in the short-term from clinically significant distress , '' she said . When disaster victims have information about their situation , they tend to make rational decisions and tend to the immediate needs of themselves and those close to them , Galea said . There is little evidence of widespread panic in those cases , he said , but there is a danger of misinformation . `` People can accept uncertainty , as long as they are brought into the uncertainty and told what central authorities do know , and also what central authorities do n't know , '' he said . `` It 's critically important that there is information that comes out centrally from a single source . '' To assist at the early stage , the most important thing to do immediately after a disaster -- for example , at this moment in Haiti -- is to try to help with basic needs such as shelter and food , David said . In terms of psychological support , studies of natural disasters show that people should be moved to safety and informed that the immediate danger is over , something that has unfortunately been difficult to do in Haiti , she said . About a month after a disaster occurs , once the immediate physical needs are addressed , symptoms of mental illness begin to coalesce into specific conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression , Galea said . PTSD in particular can last years after the event in a substantial portion of people , he said . The response varies . Some people may become fearful and develop panic attacks , while others experience sadness that turns into depression , and still others have an acute stress reaction that leads to PTSD or another stress disorder , David said . The high rates of mental illness in a population that has experienced a traumatic event go down over time , depending on how various problems in the area are resolved , Galea said . `` The extent to which we are able to assist people in rebuilding their lives becomes a tremendously important driver of whether or not the psychopathology that is caused by the trauma will go on to become severe , and how long it lasts , '' Galea said . In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 , researchers found that stressors such as not having a job , not having access to insurance and not being able to get paid contributed to the symptoms of mental illness , Galea said . `` Rebuilding lives , rebuilding social supports , rebuilding financial and practical supports will go a long way to minimizing the health consequences of the event that has passed , '' he said . Health.com : How will Haitians cope with psychological aftershocks ? A population that has gone through something like an earthquake of this magnitude will typically have about 10 percent of people with PTSD and 10 percent with depression , based on studies of Hurricane Katrina , 9/11 , and other events , he said . But among those who lose their homes and loved ones in an event like this , the rates can be more like 40 to 50 percent . The life expectancy in Haiti is just 61 years , according to the World Bank , well under the average life span of 78 years for an individual in the United States . About 56 percent of Haitians live on less than $ 1 per day , according to the World Bank . There is some research to suggest that fatalism -- feeling that you are powerless against life 's external control -- is also related to long-term emotional consequences of disaster , Cook said . Studies by psychologist Fran Norris at Dartmouth University have shown that adult disaster survivors who feel uncared for by others or who lack the capacity to manage stress are also at risk for PTSD , Cook said . Recent events such as Hurricane Katrina have offered extraordinary insights into human response to natural disasters , experts said . Retired Army Lt. Gen. Russell Honoré , who led relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina , said Thursday that a lack of information `` created a lot of anxiety for people because they did n't know what was going on . '' `` We need to correct that , and as soon as we can , start pushing information to people , because rumors can cause the victims to make bad decisions , '' he said . | After initial shock of tragedy wanes , other mental issues arise , experts say . World Bank : Life expectancy in Haiti is 61 years ; U.S. is 78 . Expert : The Haitian population is already strained from weak social and economic supports . There is a danger of rumors spreading , leading people to make bad decisions . | [[357, 429], [483, 496], [602, 664], [1415, 1514], [4463, 4508], [4511, 4678], [4903, 4958], [5593, 5765], [6113, 6127], [5329, 5374], [5329, 5357], [5377, 5404], [1523, 1548], [1558, 1596], [1523, 1537], [1541, 1596], [2673, 2710], [6376, 6383], [6387, 6393], [6402, 6431], [6434, 6492], [6387, 6389], [6396, 6431], [6434, 6492]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Air accident investigators are to resume the search for the flight data recorders from an Air France airliner that mysteriously crashed off Brazil six months ago , according to media reports Sunday . Flight 447 went down in stormy weather in the Atlantic Ocean while flying from Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris , France in June . Investigators have not yet established the cause of the crash which killed all 228 passengers , and large parts of the plane -- including both flight recorders -- have never been found , despite an extensive search operation that included a French navy submarine . Jean-Paul Troadec , director of the Investigation and Analysis Bureau , told reporters that a new search , approximately 1,000 kilometers -LRB- 600 miles -RRB- off Brazil 's northeast coast , will begin in February , according to Agence France-Presse . The new underwater sweeps will last a maximum three months and involve sonar and robot submarines , he said . Troadec was in Rio de Janeiro to speak to the relatives of the 58 Brazilians who were on board , AFP said . `` We tried to convince the families that we are conducting the investigation with the full intention of getting to the truth , '' he said . Troadec added that an upcoming report about the fatal crash contained `` no surprises '' but did set out `` new details , notably in terms of safety recommendations . '' Tests have already brought into question the performance of pitot tubes , which are used to measure the pressure exerted on the plane as it flies through the air , and are part of a system used to determine air speed . Flight 447 sent out 24 automated error messages before it crashed that suggested the plane may have been flying too fast or too slow through the thunderstorms , officials have said . The European Aviation Safety Agency -LRB- EASA -RRB- issued a directive in late August requiring airlines to replace pitot tubes manufactured by Thales Avionics on Airbus A330s and A340s . It said airlines should replace them with other Thales tubes and those manufactured by Goodrich . | Flight 447 went down in the Atlantic Ocean on June 1 , killing 228 people . Investigators have not yet established the cause of the crash . New underwater sweeps will last a maximum three months , investigators say . | [[106, 128], [134, 180], [219, 312], [433, 442], [449, 474], [381, 407], [420, 442], [381, 394], [404, 442], [899, 957]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of America 's top World War II fighter pilots , an African-American who took on Nazis abroad and racism at home , was laid to rest Friday at Arlington National Cemetery . Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Lee A. Archer , one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen , died last month in New York at the age of 90 . Archer , who once shot down three German fighters in the span of only a few minutes , went on to become a corporate executive and venture capitalist . His life came to be seen as an example of the potential of any individual , regardless of skin color or background , if given a fair opportunity . Lee Andrew Archer Jr. was born in 1919 in Yonkers , New York . An aviation enthusiast from childhood , he left New York University in 1941 to join the Army . Despite passing a pilot 's test , he was assigned as a communications specialist in Camp Wheeler , Georgia . But several months later , after the United States declared war on the Axis powers , Archer was selected to join a training program for potential black pilots at Alabama 's Tuskegee Army Air Field . Archer graduated first in the program in July 1943 and , after receiving his commission as a second lieutenant , was deployed to Italy as part of the 332nd Fighter Group . On October 12 , 1944 , while piloting a P-51 Mustang , Archer downed three Luftwaffe fighters in the sky over Nazi-occupied Hungary . He also was credited with shooting down a fighter over Germany earlier in the year . U.S. military officials could not confirm a fifth downing by Archer in summer 1944 . If they had been able to do so , he would have become the only Tuskegee Airman to be officially designated as an ace . By the end of World War II , Archer had flown 169 combat missions , providing cover and escorting U.S. bombers in over 11 countries , according to the Air Force . He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross . Archer remained in the military through 1970 , witnessing its desegregation during the Truman administration and serving in several capacities . Among other things , he became a diplomatic officer at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and was chief of headquarters at the U.S. Air Force Southern Command in Panama . He received special citations for his service from Presidents Eisenhower , Kennedy and Johnson . After retiring from the military , Archer became an executive at General Foods and started Archer Asset Management , a venture capital firm . Archer 's wife , Ina , died in 1996 . He is survived by three sons . | Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Lee A. Archer died last month in New York . Archer shot down three German fighters in span of only minutes . He received Distinguished Flying Cross , witnessed military 's desegregation . After the military , Archer worked at General Foods and started venture capital company . | [[194, 215], [272, 318], [319, 325], [337, 402], [1255, 1275], [1278, 1307], [1310, 1369], [1389, 1391], [1397, 1473], [1841, 1888], [1889, 1895], [1936, 1997], [319, 325], [405, 469], [2309, 2341], [2344, 2387]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The head of a humanitarian aid group and a few of his colleagues survived 50 hours beneath the rubble of a hotel , with the help of a few things he keeps in his bag for his two young children . `` We had one Tootsie Pop and we did share that , '' said Rick Santos , president and CEO of IMA World Health . He also had a bit of gum . While the supplies helped , Santos said , `` I think we made it because we talked to each other , we helped each other , and we had this hope that we would be rescued at some point . '' Two of his colleagues did not survive . Santos and five colleagues had been walking through the lobby of the Hotel Montana last Tuesday when he saw one of the chandeliers swing . `` And before it even made its way down , just everything crashed and collapsed on top of us , '' he told CNN 's `` American Morning '' on Monday . `` Immediately we were looking around talking to each other , trying to see if everyone was OK . Unfortunately two of my colleagues were pinned down by rubble and were injured . So we did what we could to help ease their pain at that moment . '' Santos had some over-the-counter pain medicine and gave it to them . I 'm alive ! Messages from Haiti . `` My biggest fear initially was that there was n't going to be enough air for the six of us , '' he said . Then , when it became clear there was enough air , `` We started talking about what we need to do . And , you know , from the size of the earthquake , from what we heard and what we felt and how fast the building fell , we knew it was a big quake . '' The next morning , they could hear sledgehammers pounding as rescuers were checking to see if there were survivors . The trapped group screamed and banged on the walls , and rescuers heard them . The rescuers asked how many there were ; Santos answered eight -- six in his group , and two other men trapped in an elevator shaft . `` They said , ` Are you well ? ' And we said , ` No , we 're hurt . ' And that was it . Then it really was n't until we were rescued , till 7 p.m. the next night , that actually somebody came . We heard nothing . In fact , the second night was really dark for us . I think we were just -- we were just shattered that nobody came back and said anything to us . '' The group used their cell phones to illuminate the space . Santos said only one of his colleagues could move , and she looked for air spaces and light . `` Every time we might have heard a voice or something like a saw or something , we would scream and yell , but there was no response , '' Santos said . Then , on Thursday , came a voice . `` We all started to scream and shout at the top of our lungs . And we heard a voice come back to us saying , you know , ` Hello , we 're here . We 're going to rescue you . ' '' It took four hours to get the group out . Rescuers had to cut through layers of concrete , pull the trapped people out by their feet and squeeze them through a hole in the concrete only about 2 feet wide . `` I 'm just amazed that we actually survived , '' said Santos . He added that he is grieving for his two colleagues who died . While Santos is relieved to be reunited with his family in the United States , his thoughts are with the people of Haiti . The whole time he and the others were down there , Santos said , `` As much as we were praying for ourselves , we were also praying for the people of Haiti and of Port-au-Prince . Because we knew how bad this was going to be , just from the way the building fell , and the aftershocks , which were just tremendous . '' IMA World Health provides health care services and supplies in poor countries including Haiti . `` It 's going to take years , if not decades , to really , really help that country , '' he said . | Rick Santos and 5 colleagues were pinned under rubble by Tuesday quake . Wednesday morning , they heard searchers and talked to them , but then nothing . Rescuers finally came back and got them out on Thursday night . Two of Santos ' colleagues died in the debris of collapsed Hotel Montana . | [[0, 38], [83, 154], [601, 704], [1598, 1614], [1617, 1714], [2855, 2863], [2904, 2931], [561, 600], [3117, 3135], [3140, 3146]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Alexander Haig , who managed the Nixon administration during the Watergate crisis and served a controversial stint as secretary of state under President Reagan , died on Saturday . He was 85 . Haig died at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore , Maryland , after he was admitted there on January 28 , spokesman Gary Stephenson said . `` He served his country well . For that he should be remembered , '' said William Bennett , who was secretary of education during the Reagan administration . `` He carried himself well . He carried himself with dignity and honor . '' The White House issued a statement mourning Haig , saying he `` exemplified our finest warrior-diplomat tradition of those who dedicate their lives to public service . '' A top official in the administrations of three presidents -- Richard Nixon , Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan -- Haig served as Nixon 's chief of staff during the Watergate political crisis , a scandal that dogged the administration in the 1970s . `` There was a time during the Watergate crisis when President Nixon was nearly incapacitated , '' said political analyst and CNN contributor David Gergen , who worked with Haig during the Nixon and Reagan administrations . `` He had a hard time focusing , so obviously obsessed with the scandal and the gathering storms around him . I watched Al Haig keep the government moving . I thought it was a great act of statesmanship and service to the country . '' Haig became secretary of state during the Reagan administration and drew controversy for his much-criticized remark on television after the president was shot and wounded by John Hinckley in March 1981 . `` As of now , I am in control here in the White House , '' Haig said as Vice President George H.W. Bush was headed to Washington from Texas . Haig said he was n't bypassing the rules ; he was just trying to manage the crisis until the vice president arrived . However , he was highly criticized for his behavior , and many observers believe it doomed his political ambitions . Born December 2 , 1924 , in Bala Cynwyd , Pennsylvania , a suburb of Philadelphia , Alexander Meigs Haig Jr. was raised by his mother after he lost his father at age 10 . He attended the University of Notre Dame for two years before transferring to the U.S. Military Academy in 1944 . After his graduation in 1947 , he served in Japan and later served on Gen. Douglas MacArthur 's staff in Japan during the Korean War . He also served in Vietnam , where he earned the distinguished service cross for heroism in combat . He also won the Purple Heart and Silver Star twice . Haig served as supreme allied commander of NATO forces in Europe for five years . There was an assassination attempt on him in Brussels in 1979 as he was being driven to NATO headquarters . A public official known for his loyalty , Haig had hawkish foreign policy views , and Gergen said he could be tough and `` combustible . '' `` He was first and foremost a soldier , '' Gergen said . Haig was assistant to National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger in the Nixon White House and was involved in the Paris peace agreements that brought an end to the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War . He was long rumored to be Deep Throat , the Washington Post 's inside source on the Watergate break-in and cover-up that eventually destroyed Nixon 's presidency . W. Mark Felt , then a high-ranking FBI official , declared in 2005 that he was the source . `` Great tensions '' in the Reagan administration simmered over his stances , and Gergen said , `` There was a sense in the White House that he was grabbing too much power . `` He wanted to be the , quote , vicar of foreign policy , and there was a lot of pushback from the White House on that . He felt that he had been guaranteed by Ronald Reagan a role as a strong secretary of state and the reins of power would be in his hands . He resented the White House staff trying to manage him , '' Gergen said . `` My own sense is that he has been underappreciated , '' he said . TIME : Read why Haig left the Reagan White House . As secretary of state , Haig tried shuttle diplomacy to head off war between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands in 1982 , but he failed . He opposed Reagan 's handling of Iran and disagreed with the president 's plan on aid to the contra rebels in Nicaragua . He eventually left the Reagan administration after 18 months and made a run for president in 1988 , pulling out before the New Hampshire primary . He backed Bob Dole instead of George H.W. Bush when he dropped out . Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton announced Haig 's death to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington on Saturday and called him a patriot . | Haig worked under Presidents Nixon , Ford , Reagan . He was highly decorated soldier who served during Korean and Vietnam wars . As secretary of state , Haig wrongly declared `` I am in control here '' after Reagan was shot . He unsuccessfully sought the 1988 Republican presidential nomination . | [[2474, 2476], [2482, 2499], [0, 26], [116, 189], [1472, 1535], [4372, 4374], [4437, 4469]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On June 17 , 1964 , President Lyndon Johnson explained to The New York Times reporter James `` Scotty '' Reston why he had to stay the course in Vietnam by stabilizing the South Vietnamese government so that it could fight communism . Johnson rejected calls for withdrawal that were being made by liberal Democrats as well as the proposal for neutralization promoted by France 's Charles de Gaulle . `` So the only thing you 've got left , '' Johnson said , `` is try to make this thing more efficient and more effective and hold as strong as you can and keep this government as stable as you can and try to improve it as you can and that we 're doing day and night . '' During his recent speech at West Point , President Obama rejected the lessons that these kinds of stories tell us about Afghanistan . The president , saying that the comparison with Vietnam relies on a `` false reading of history , '' pointed to three differences . The first is that the U.S. is now part of a broad international coalition . The second is that in Vietnam the U.S. faced a `` broad-based popular insurgency '' whereas today , according to most polls , a large number of Afghans support foreign assistance . Last , Obama added , is that today Americans are responding to a very real threat that began with the vicious attack on 9/11 . Clearly , Obama feels defensive about this analogy and hopes to undercut liberal critics who are frustrated and disappointed with his decision . In trying to separate himself from the experience of Johnson , however , Obama did not give an accurate account of what many commentators have been saying recently , and he downplayed crucial aspects of the 1960s that do in fact offer warnings for today . Mark Twain once said that history does not repeat itself , but it rhymes . Most of those who have compared Afghanistan to Vietnam do not say that the situations were exactly the same politically or strategically . Nor is it inevitable that the surge in Afghanistan will be unsuccessful . The point of the comparison is that it is impossible to ignore the fact that Obama faces similar challenges , as did Johnson when the `` Americanization '' of Vietnam began in the spring of 1965 . Both presidents entered the war despite the fact that many top advisers in the White House and in Congress were strongly warning against escalation . In 1964 , Johnson heard from voices ranging from Idaho liberal Frank Church to Georgia hawk Richard Russell that Vietnam was not critical to fighting communism and that the war was unwinnable . Their warnings proved to be accurate . Going into this decision , Obama heard comparable criticism as well . Both presidents also expanded the war just as they were trying to shape a broad domestic agenda . Johnson was much further ahead of the game when he increased the number of ground troops in the war that he inherited . The war devastated Johnson 's domestic efforts . Obama faces the same threat . Both wars have been justified as wars of necessity . With Vietnam , proponents warned that the fall of Southeast Asia to communism would vastly strengthen the Soviet Union and China . In an era when American schoolchildren were being taught to duck and cover under their desks in case of nuclear war , this warning about Vietnam also made the war seem essential . Today , the necessity stems from the claim that failure would resurrect the dangers we faced before 9/11 . And both presidents escalated wars where the path to victory and the potential costs -- in terms of human capital and budgetary obligations -- were unclear . Despite the fact that Johnson confronted a very different kind of enemy , the risk today is enormously high . In Afghanistan , the U.S. is dealing with a war front that is notoriously treacherous , as the Soviets learned in the 1980s and the U.S. has learned since 2001 . The U.S. is also depending on a highly corrupt and undependable government in Afghanistan . While the promise of withdrawal in July 2011 might be accurate , presidential assurances of benchmarks and end games historically do n't come true . The one constant in warfare is that it is unpredictable and difficult to control . One day after Obama 's speech , Defense Secretary Robert Gates indicated that the deadline was not firm . And the administration might very well be handcuffing itself to a strategy of more warfare as it keeps offering grave warnings about what a victory by the Taliban would mean . These warnings will make it difficult in the long run for the administration to contain the operation or to withdraw forces unless it is absolutely clear that the Taliban has been defeated . Democrats could find themselves feeling like their predecessors in the 1950s who were under political pressure to abide by the containment arguments outlined by President Harry Truman with the Truman Doctrine in 1947 -- first with Korea in 1950 and then with Vietnam . Obama should not be so defensive about the comparisons with Vietnam . Rather , he should use Johnson 's experience to help guide him as he makes crucial decisions in the months ahead and attempts to navigate the challenges of the wartime presidency . In a conversation with a few of his closest advisers , Johnson said in 1964 that `` It 's damned easy to get in a war but it 's gon na be awfully hard to ever extricate yourself if you get in . '' In 1965 , Johnson made the mistake of excluding those who were trying to warn him about the dangers of the war . Let 's hope that this time around Obama does not repeat this error . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer . | Zelizer : Some Vietnam-Afghanistan comparisons have merit . It is impossible to ignore the challenges Obama faces in Afghanistan , he says . Zelizer : Obama should use lessons of Vietnam as a guide . | [[1824, 1829], [1834, 1870], [2065, 2136]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Coalition forces can attain `` success '' in Afghanistan , but U.S. officials should wait until December 2010 before they can measure the progress of the troop surge , a top U.S. commander told a Senate committee Wednesday . Gen. David Petraeus , head of U.S. Central Command , predicted the surge will be met by an increase in violence in spring 2010 and a rise in `` security incidents '' in the summer . Turmoil within the Afghan government over the 18 months of the troop increase is also expected as corruption is rooted out , Petraeus said . That , combined with an expected backlash in the spring and summer , Petraeus cautioned , means officials and the public should wait until December 2010 to evaluate the progress of the U.S. military strategy . `` While certainly different and in some ways tougher than Iraq , Afghanistan is no more hopeless than Iraq was when I took command there in February 2007 , '' Petraeus told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee . `` Indeed the level of violence and number of violent civilian deaths in Iraq were vastly higher than we have seen in Afghanistan , but achieving progress in Afghanistan will be hard and the progress there likely will be slower in developing than progress was achieved in Iraq . '' Petraeus ' appearance before legislators was the latest by top U.S. officials on Capitol Hill this week . Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan , testified before the Senate and House counterparts of the Armed Services Committee on Tuesday , joined by Karl Eikenberry , the U.S. ambassador in Kabul , who also testified Wednesday . Jacob Lew , deputy secretary of state for management and resources also testified Wednesday . McChrystal told CNN on Wednesday that U.S. , Afghan and NATO forces need to cut off the Taliban insurgency from the Afghan people by establishing `` security zones '' that will gradually expand to encompass more and more territory . `` At the end of the day , the insurgency needs access to the population to be effective , '' McChrystal said in an interview with CNN 's Christiane Amanpour . `` They need to be able to coerce the population , to tax the population , to recruit from the population , and to prevent the government from extending its governance into those areas . '' If Taliban fighters are forced to keep their distance from the Afghan population , then `` over time , they become irrelevant , and they , in fact , are defeated , '' McChrystal said . The generals and diplomats were called to testify before the congressional committees about President Obama 's new plan for the Afghan war , which involves the deployment of another 30,000 U.S. troops and a July 2011 date for the beginning of an American withdrawal . Part of stabilizing Afghanistan and fighting the Taliban will include supporting legitimate economies among Afghans , thwarting the chance that some would join the insurgency as a means of making a living , Eikenberry testified . About 80 percent of the Afghan people derive their income from agriculture and the United States plans to support agriculture among civilians while keeping farmers from growing heroin in the poppy fields , which can be lucrative for the Taliban , said Eikenberry . Also critical is a partnership with Pakistan , Eikenberry , Petraeus and Lew agreed . Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee , Sen. John Kerry , D-Massachusetts , articulated that fighting the insurgency in Afghanistan includes addressing the problem of militants who have sought shelter across the border in Pakistan . Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden , who has been at large since the September 11 attacks in 2001 , is widely believed to be hiding along the rugged border between Afghanistan and Pakistan . While the withdrawal is set to begin July 2011 , Kerry said the United States will maintain `` engagement '' with the region and talks with Afghanistan 's neighbor , Pakistan . And Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday said that the country will need help financing their own military and police forces for the next 10 to 15 years . Worried about billions of dollars in costs and the longevity of the commitment to Afghanistan , Sen. Richard Lugar , R-Indiana , asked Petraeus to explain whether 15 years would be necessary and how much money it could cost . If Afghanistan attained the `` aspirational '' goal of 400,000 army and police members , it could cost about $ 10 billion a year to support , Petraeus said . `` There 's no question as President Karzai was highlighting yesterday that Afghanistan will require substantial international funding for years to come in a whole host of different areas , not the least of which is their security forces , '' Petraeus said . `` But I would submit that it is a lot cheaper to maintain a certain number of Afghan forces than it is to maintain the number of U.S. and coalition forces required to compensate for their absence . '' | NEW : Gen. Stanley McChrystal talks with CNN 's Christiane Amanpour about insurgency . Gen. David Petraeus : Full evaluations of progress should wait until December 2010 . Petraeus : Progress `` likely will be slower '' to come in Afghanistan than it was in Iraq . Karzai 's `` aspirational '' goals would cost U.S. about $ 10 billion a year , Petraeus says . | [[2067, 2135], [89, 195], [647, 665], [668, 730], [688, 787], [1186, 1258], [562, 577], [4441, 4482], [4496, 4511]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The case of a 13-year-old Arizona girl strip-searched by school officials looking for ibuprofen pain-reliever will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court this week . The Supreme Court has a mixed record when it comes to students ' rights . The justices in January accepted the Safford school district case for review , and will decide whether a campus setting gives school administrators greater discretion to control students suspected of illegal activity than police are allowed in cases involving adults in general public spaces . The case is centered around Savana Redding , now 19 , who in 2003 was an eighth-grade honors student at Safford Middle School , about 127 miles from Tucson , Arizona . Redding was strip-searched by school officials after a fellow student accused her of providing prescription-strength ibuprofen pills . The school has a zero-tolerance policy for all prescription and over-the-counter medication , including the ibuprofen , without prior written permission . `` In this case , the United States Supreme Court will decide how easy it is for school officials to strip search your child , '' Adam Wolf , an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who is representing Redding , told CNN Radio on Sunday . Wolf told CNN Radio his client was traumatized by the search . `` School officials undoubtedly have difficult jobs , but sometimes they overreact -- and this was just a clear overreaction , '' he said . Redding was pulled from class by a male vice principal , escorted to an office , where she denied the accusations . A search of Redding 's backpack found nothing . Then , although she never had prior disciplinary problems , a strip search was conducted with the help of a school nurse and Wilson 's assistant , both females . According to court records , she was ordered to strip to her underwear and her bra was pulled out . Again , no drugs were found . In an affidavit , Redding said , `` The strip search was the most humiliating experience I have ever had . I held my head down so that they could not see that I was about to cry . '' At issue is whether school administrators are constitutionally barred from conducting searches of students investigated for possessing or dealing drugs that are banned on campus . A federal appeals court found the search `` traumatizing '' and illegal . Some parents say older children deserve the same constitutional rights as adults , but educators counter a school setting has always been treated differently by courts , and a ruling against them could jeopardize campus safety . While a federal magistrate and a three-panel appeals court found the search was reasonable , the full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Redding last year . `` Common sense informs us , '' wrote the court , `` that directing a 13-year-old girl to remove her clothes , partially revealing her breasts and pelvic area , for allegedly possessing ibuprofen ... was excessively intrusive . '' The court said the school went too far in its effort to create a drug - and crime-free classroom . `` The overzealousness of school administrators in efforts to protect students has the tragic impact of traumatizing those they claim to serve . And all this to find prescription-strength ibuprofen . '' In its appeal to the Supreme Court , the school district said restrictions on conducting student searches would cast a `` roadblock to the kind of swift and effective response that is too often needed to protect the very safety of students , particularly from the threats posed by drugs and weapons . '' School officials said the court was `` wholly uninformed about a disturbing new trend '' -- the abuse of over-the-counter medication by teenagers . The high court has a mixed record over the years on students ' rights . In a famous 1969 ruling , the justices said students do not `` shed their constitutional rights ... at the schoolhouse gate . '' But decisions in the 1980s gave administrators greater discretion , including one case that said officials need not be required to have a warrant to search a student 's locker . Such a search was permitted if there were `` reasonable '' grounds for believing it would turn up evidence and when the search was not `` excessively intrusive . '' Opinions in 1995 and 2001 allowed schools to conduct random drug testing of high school athletes , and those participating in other extracurricular activities . And in a well-publicized 2007 ruling from Alaska , the Supreme Court upheld the suspension of a student who displayed a large `` Bong Hits 4 Jesus '' banner at an off-campus , but school-sponsored , event . The decision did not endorse a broader argument that students in general have limited free-speech rights when they interfere with a school 's vaguely defined `` educational mission . '' The court could now be asked to clarify the extent of student rights involving searches , and the discretion of officials regarding those they have responsibility over . The case is Safford United School District No. 1 v. Redding -LRB- 08-479 -RRB- . | The justices in January accepted the Safford school district case for review . Justices will decide if campus gives administrators greater discretion . Administrators strip-searched honor student , 13 , looking for ibuprofen . The court could now be asked to clarify the extent of student rights involving searches . | [[255, 331], [255, 278], [338, 504], [31, 63], [64, 92], [76, 128], [717, 786], [717, 724], [729, 734], [735, 851], [2808, 2809], [2815, 2865], [4840, 4927]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A California doctor has been accused of negligence in the case of a woman who gave birth to octuplets in January 2009 , according to a complaint filed by the state medical board . Michael Kamrava , an obstetrician/gynecologist in Beverly Hills , is accused of gross negligence and repeated negligent acts in the treatment of a patient named in the complaint only by her initials , N.S. Octuplet mom Nadya Suleman has identified Kamrava as her doctor in interviews . Suleman has six children in addition to the octuplets -- all conceived through in-vitro fertilization . In filing the complaint in December , the medical board 's executive director , Barbara Johnston , says Kamrava , while his patient was undergoing in-vitro , transferred a number of embryos that was `` far in excess of -LSB- American Society for Reproductive Medicine -RSB- recommendations and beyond the reasonable judgment of any treating physician . '' The society recommends no more than two embryos for women under 35 years old and no more than five for women over 40 , for whom it is harder to get pregnant , according to guidelines published on its Web site . Suleman was 33 when she gave birth to the octuplets . The reproductive society expelled Kamrava from the group in September . Additionally , the complaint says Kamrava should have referred his patient to a mental health physician after she repeatedly returned to him for additional in-vitro treatments shortly after each of her pregnancies . '' -LSB- Kamrava -RSB- failed to exercise appropriate judgment and question whether there would be harm to her living children and any future offspring should she continue to conceive , '' the complaint says . Efforts to reach Kamrava on Monday were unsuccessful . No hearing date has been set in the case . | California medical board files complaint against Dr. Michael Kamrava . Kamrava is obstetrician/gynecologist who provided in-vitro fertilization to Nadya Suleman . Suleman had octuplets in 2009 ; she had already had six children via in-vitro . | [[177, 223], [110, 117], [122, 161], [510, 563], [1201, 1234]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Minutes after Bill Clinton 's doctor divulged that the former president underwent a stenting procedure to restore blood flow through a coronary artery , CNN 's Larry King made a similar announcement . `` A month ago , maybe five weeks ago , I had the same procedure at Cedar-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles that Bill Clinton had today , '' the 76-year-old talk show host told viewers of his program , `` Larry King Live . '' King noted that he suffered a heart attack in February 1987 and underwent a quintuple bypass five months later . He described his experience with heart disease in his 1989 book , `` Mr. King , You 're Having a Heart Attack . '' Recently , he said Thursday , he began feeling symptoms that turned out to have been related to his heart . `` I felt some strange feelings in my shoulder , where I had the original heart attack , '' said King . He said he went to the hospital and underwent the procedure a few days later . Stents are tiny balloons that are threaded into a patient 's heart vessels where they are inflated , pushing plaque against the vessel wall and increasing blood flow . `` I did it on a Monday morning , was out on Tuesday and back here on ` Larry King Live ' on Tuesday night , '' King said . `` So I can report to the waiting public that I never felt better . They got it open , they put the stents in . I share a bond with the former president and I feel very good . I only did n't make it public because I just like to keep things private . But I feel terrific , '' he said . | King said he suffered a heart attack in 1987 and underwent a quintuple bypass months later . Recent symptoms sent him back to get stenting procedure about a month ago . Since the procedure says King , `` I can report to the waiting public that I never felt better '' | [[442, 554], [458, 501], [442, 446], [458, 460], [506, 554], [33, 121], [70, 169], [1256, 1293], [1275, 1320]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Despite the rise of the Web and its freewheeling second-by-second ferment , government efforts at control and censorship remain rife across the Middle East and North Africa , a new report said Thursday . `` In the Middle East and North Africa , the Internet has offered many people access to information and the outside world that would have been unimaginable a few years ago , '' according to the International Press Institute 's latest report : the IPI Press Review 2009 Focus on the Middle East and North Africa . `` However , government control of the media remains tight in almost all -LSB- Middle East and North Africa -RSB- countries , and censorship and self-censorship are prevalent throughout the region . '' The Internet has emerged as a challenge to officialdom and its pronouncements and reaction from activists . Journalists say government efforts to stem the flow of information are futile . Communication on the popular social media sites , where people are attempting to elude the strictures of their governments , is playing a cat-and-mouse game with widespread independent reporting in places like Iran and Egypt . But , said Anthony Mills , managing editor of the World Press Freedom Review based in Vienna , Austria , `` Overall , things are getting worse . '' In Iran , authorities cracked down on journalists after protests surfaced when President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner in the June 12 presidential election , a victory that many in Iran say was fixed . `` Dozens of journalists have been detained without trial , and several sentenced to long prison sentences , '' the report said . `` As demonstrators took to the streets , a news blackout was imposed on the foreign media . And yet , through social media networks like Facebook , YouTube and Twitter , news of a violent government crackdown seeped out . '' With the rise of the Internet , censorship efforts have emerged in Iran and other places across the region . Iran `` also cracked down on online media following the disputed June elections , and arrested online activists in an effort to stop the spread of dissenting information and opinions , '' according to the report . Egypt , for example , uses a law designed to combat terror for arresting and detaining bloggers . But Abdul Rahman al-Rashed , general manager of the TV network Al-Arabiya , said the resistance to the flood of Internet information from government and other sectors of society is like trying to stop the Nile River from flowing . They ca n't halt it . `` A lot of information is getting through to the average person , in Cairo , in Jeddah and Dubai . Censorship will not stop the free flow of information , in my opinion , '' he said . Al-Rashed said the business needs of the telecommunications companies , the integral role the Internet plays in business , and the demand from citizens ca n't be thwarted . He said there might be remote regions where censorship can work because there is n't access to the Internet in such places . Octavia Nasr , CNN senior editor for the Middle East who monitors social media sites , said young people are boldly circumventing the official media censorship across the Middle East with Twitter , Facebook and alternatives . `` People are taking matters into their own hands , '' Nasr said . `` Traditional media is not necessarily a driving force . '' Azza Matar , translator at the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information in Cairo , Egypt , said governments want the Arab world to use the Internet for fun and not interfere with government and serious issues , but people are circumventing the officials with new media . `` We 're trying to express ourselves and expose the lies , '' she said . People from different countries prefer different kinds of new media , she said . As for Iranians , who are gearing up for a day of protests Thursday against the regime on the Islamic Revolution 's anniversary , she said Iranians prefer Twitter because it ca n't be blocked and `` is faster than blogs in conveying messages for masses . '' Neziha Rejiba , vice president of the Tunis-based Observatory for the Freedom of Press , Publishing and Creation and editor at Kalima Radio , said that theoretically , the whole world is getting its information online , but in the Middle East , censorship remains a reality , with cyberpolice blocking sites or even , as in the case of Syria , the Internet itself . There is a dynamic in the Middle East between censorship and self-censorship . `` When journalists sit down to write a piece , they have to keep in mind the reaction to what they 're writing . They 're either scared of sanctions or revenge . '' Bahrain 's Foreign Minister Khalid Al Khalifa said the Internet `` has revolutionized the world '' and `` has helped foster creativity , innovation and freedom . '' There have been complaints there about the recent blocking of Web sites in Bahrain . While Al Khalifa said regulating different kinds of censorship internationally is impractical , he said in the Middle East , censorship takes forms he has mixed feelings about . `` Censorship can be taken too far to silence dissent and opposing views , but it can also be used as a tool to prevent potentially destructive and damaging ideas and behavior . There is increasing concern about harmful content on the Internet from violence , inciting racial hatred and terrorist activity , to sexual content and pornography , which justifies censorship on moral grounds , '' Al Khalifa said . As for other aspects of the Middle East and its media , the report reveals several relative silver linings when it comes to press freedom : the environment in Lebanon , Israel and the United Arab Emirates . Lebanon has a `` far and more diverse and vibrant media than any other Arab country , '' but the institute found that `` most of Lebanon 's media outlets are unduly influenced in their journalism content by powerful political figures to whom they are financially and politically beholden . '' Mills said the media in Lebanon can be characterized as `` partly free '' because there 's a lot they do n't talk about , such as criticism of military intelligence and the head of state , for example . According to the report , `` Israel has one of the most open media environments in the Middle East '' for Israeli journalists with a wide range of opinions and commentary . At the same time , Israeli security policy prevents Israeli journalists from traveling into the Palestinian territories without special permission , and Palestinian journalists are prevented from entering Israel . The report said both Israeli soldiers and Palestinian security forces interfere with the work of Palestinian journalists , and that journalists in Gaza have to resort to self-censorship . Freedom of speech and press in the United Arab Emirates gets `` some of the highest marks in the Arab world , '' but it `` still has a long way to go . '' The report cited a `` number of taboo topics that journalists in the United Arab Emirates are not supposed to touch and indeed , most of the media do not , '' such as criticism of the ruling family . Across the Middle East , criticism of royal families and words perceived as insults to Islam have been criminalized . In Iraq , violence there has dropped and so has the number of journalists ' deaths , but `` the U.S. military continues to imprison journalists without charge '' and local security forces have been responsible for beating journalists . There is concern about the rise of proposed legislation stifling media freedom . In Syria , which has `` one of the world 's worst records on media freedom , '' the media outlets are owned or controlled by the government . Political unrest elsewhere , the report said , is accompanied by media crackdowns , such as in Yemen , where there has been an insurgency in the north and civil unrest in the south . Elections in Algeria and Tunisia have also led to press freedom violations . Governments have controlled `` moral content '' as well , the report said . `` In Saudi Arabia , several people involved in the production of a television show about sexual attitudes were sentenced to flogging and jail terms . In Sudan , journalist Lubna Hussein was sentenced to a flogging for wearing trousers . Following international uproar , the punishment was reduced to a fine , which was then paid by a pro-government journalists ' association . '' | International Press Institute 's latest report notes rise of Web as news tool . Governments seek to control news , sometimes by jailing journalists , report says . News still gets out via Internet , social media , despite governments ' efforts . | [[194, 222], [397, 463], [95, 191], [846, 912], [1301, 1308], [1311, 1374], [2167, 2195], [7760, 7831], [943, 967], [982, 1048]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Heightening its warnings as anticipated anti-government protests approach , Iran 's government says it will arrest protesters and hold them until April if they disrupt state-sanctioned marches to commemorate the overthrow of the Shah of Iran . Iran is this week celebrating the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution , culminating on February 11 -- a day that marked the end of the country 's Western-backed monarchy and the start of an Islamic republic . A coalition of Iranian reformist groups is urging opponents of the regime to stage non-violent protests on Thursday , on the official anniversary of the Shah 's ouster . The so-called Green Movement has been protesting for social justice , freedom and democracy in demonstrations throughout the country since the disputed June president election . Those arrested for causing `` instability , '' disrupting public order and carrying `` extremist signs '' linked to the Green Movement will be jailed until at least April 9 , the end of the Persian holiday , of Norooz , according to government-run Fars news agency . The holiday marks the start of spring . `` Given the security plans that the police have taken into consideration for tomorrow 's glorious marches ; these ceremonies will be held in complete security and calm , '' Fars quoted an unidentified , informed source as saying Wednesday . `` But if some try to misuse the vast participation and presence of the people ; the police will deal with them firmly and resolutely . '' Anti-government demonstrations began after the disputed June 12 presidential vote , which re-elected hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over main opposition candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi . Police arrested 4,000 people in the post-election crackdown . At least seven people were killed and hundreds were arrested , witnesses said , as they took to the streets of December 27 during the Shiite Muslim holy period of Ashura . The Iranian government has denied that its security forces killed anyone and has blamed reformists for the violence . On Tuesday , an Iranian court sentenced one person to death and eight others to prison for their parts in anti-government demonstrations in December , the semi-official Fars news agency reported . The nine defendants were tried last week over their roles in protests during Ashura , Fars said , quoting the Tehran judiciary 's public relations office . There are now 10 people sentenced to death and awaiting appeal in connection with the protests . Two men have been executed for participating in anti-government demonstrations , but a lawyer for one of them told CNN her client was already in jail when the protests broke out . | Protesters to be arrested and held until April if they disrupt state-sanctioned marches . Iran is this week celebrating the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution . Marches are to commemorate the overthrow of the Shah of Iran . Reformist groups are urging opponents of the regime to stage non-violent protests . | [[95, 170], [174, 262], [871, 932], [947, 999], [263, 339], [174, 262], [479, 552]] |
-LRB- CNET -RRB- -- Would you like to let AT&T know when your iPhone has dropped a call ? Well , now there is an app for that . AT&T on Monday released a new application called `` Mark the Spot , '' which lets iPhone users submit complaints about dropped calls , poor service coverage , and less-than-perfect voice quality . The application is free and available in the iTunes App Store . It uses GPS technology in the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS to pin point where the user is when experiencing the problems . For first generation iPhones , it uses cell tower-triangulation to get a fix on problem areas . Once the application is launched , users have several complaint options . They will see a screen that has buttons that let them report a dropped call , poor voice quality , or poor service coverage . AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel said AT&T plans to use the data collected to identify trends and prioritize the company 's network investments . `` We think this is a great way to get customer feedback to improve our network , '' Siegel said . `` We are always looking for ways to make it easy for customers to share their experiences . And this app lets customers report issues . It logs the time and location and automatically forwards the information to our network planning team . '' iPhone owners have been complaining about AT&T 's network since the Apple iPhone went on sale in the summer of 2007 . Complaints mounted after the 3G version of the phone was released a year later in 2008 . And as more iPhone users come onto the network , more people , particularly in densely populated urban areas , such as New York City and San Francisco , have experienced problems with dropped calls and congested data networks . AT&T executives have not said that AT&T has a problem with its network . But executives , such as AT&T Chief Technology Officer John Donovan , have said that the company has seen a surge in data traffic attributed to iPhone users , who typically consume more wireless bandwidth than other AT&T wireless customers . AT&T has been upgrading its network to keep up with demand . But problems persist . And AT&T 's network recently got a poor ranking in terms of customer satisfaction in a Consumer Reports survey . Verizon Wireless , AT&T 's chief rival , has taken advantage of AT&T 's struggles with a series of advertisements that point out AT&T 's lack of 3G network coverage in certain parts of the country . Verizon is running advertisements that mock the Apple `` There 's an app for that , '' catch phrase with one that says , `` There 's a map for that . '' AT&T fired back with a lawsuit and an advertisements of its own featuring actor Luke Wilson , who points out AT&T 's strengths while taking a few shots at Verizon Wireless . AT&T recently dropped its lawsuit against Verizon . And Verizon , which had been suing AT&T over claims that it has the fastest 3G wireless network , also dropped its lawsuit against AT&T . Siegel said that the new `` Mark the Spot '' application was not prompted by the bad publicity around its network issues nor was it prompted by the current ad wars going on between AT&T and Verizon . Instead , he said that the application was simply a part of AT&T 's ongoing commitment to listening to customers . `` We are always looking at ways to get customer feedback in as timely a manner as possible , '' he said . `` That 's why we pay attention to Twitter , Facebook and blog . One of the great values of these social networking tools is that it 's a great way to get instant feedback . And it helps us identify problems . '' The `` Mark the Spot '' application can be downloaded onto all iPhones running version 3.0 or later of Apple 's operating system or it can be access using iTunes and synchronized to the iPhone via a PC or Mac . Siegel said that AT&T is testing the `` Mark the Spot '' app for other devices . And he said AT&T hopes to offer applications on other smartphones in the future . No date has been announced yet . And Siegel did n't specify which devices might get the new application , but considering that AT&T sells a lot of Research in Motion 's BlackBerry devices , it 's likely it will create an application for that device . The app could be offered through AT&T 's own application storefront or through RIM 's BlackBerry App World . © 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. . All rights reserved . CNET , CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. . Used by permission . | ` Mark the Spot ' app lets iPhone users submit complaints about poor coverage . AT&T says app part of company 's commitment to listening to customers . GPS technology used in app for iPhone 3G or 3GS to pinpoint area of problem . | [[128, 193], [196, 198], [205, 324], [1140, 1183], [3164, 3268], [389, 447], [433, 511]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man sees a 75-year-old man stuck on railroad tracks and pulls him to safety . An off-duty emergency worker pulls a woman from a van after it crashes into an icy pond . An NBA star saves a woman from drowning . A postal worker helps a mother whose baby is unconscious . A father goes into a house engulfed in flames to save two of his children , then returns to save the family 's pet . These are examples of everyday people who , when confronted with a life-or-death situation , jumped in to do what they could -- and became rescuers and heroes . CNN.com takes a look at some of the stories of heroic acts that happened throughout the country in the past 12 months . Do you know someone who 's an everyday hero ? Tell us about them on CNN iReport . NBA player saves woman from drowning . Donté Greene is used to being looked up to . He is a 6-foot-11 player for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA . But on Memorial Day he became a lifesaver . Greene and some friends were on a boat in the American River near Discovery Park in Sacramento , California . Greene told CNN affiliate KCRA that he heard some yelling and then a splash . A woman had been pulling a ladder onto her boat , and she was thrown into the water when the driver pulled away . Greene saw the woman flailing in the water and dived in . `` I honestly do n't even think I was thinking -- I was just reacting , '' he told KCRA . `` I was pretty confident in my swimming abilities . '' Read the story at the KCRA web site . Off-duty EMT makes icy pond rescue . Tony Gerdom , an emergency medical worker from Iowa , was driving off-duty on December 7 when the van in front of him suddenly swerved off the icy road and fell into a pond . The cold weather had frozen the locks and windows on the van , trapping driver Kathy Van Steenvik . Gerdom took a tire iron and smashed the van 's passenger side window to free the driver . A second man , Brian Ford , held onto him with a rope while Gerdom descended into the pond . Each man shrugged off his hero label . `` I 'm just the lucky idiot that jumped in first , '' Gerdom told CNN affiliate WHO in Des Moines , Iowa . `` No matter how cold the water was , it 's this overwhelming feeling that I helped save a life . It 's tremendous , '' Ford said . All three were treated at a hospital for minor hypothermia . Read the story at the WHO web site . Postman delivers CPR to save baby . In Sacramento , California , Robert Sweeney had just about finished delivering the mail on December 11 , 2008 , when he heard a panicked mother 's cry for help . Her baby , 19-month-old Kelly Jimenez , appeared lifeless . Sweeney took the child , placed her on the grass in front of the woman 's home and performed CPR while neighbors called 911 . Sweeney revived the child before paramedics arrived , CNN affiliate KCRA reported . Sweeney told KCRA that the emotion of the moment did n't hit him until he got back in his truck to go home . That 's when he started crying . `` You do n't ever think you would be in a situation like that , '' he said . Read the story at the KCRA web site . Father saves children , family dog from burning home . A Michigan father jumped through flames to save his two youngest sons when an electrical fire set their house ablaze December 7 . Investigators told CNN affiliate WZZM in Grand Rapids , Michigan , that sparks from an electrical outlet set a living room curtain on fire . After climbing up pitch-black stairs to rescue his 4-year-old and 2-year-old boys , Jonathan Brito went back in the house and pulled out Punchy , the family 's dog , who was unconscious . Brito performed CPR and revived the dog , Brito 's wife , Charlene Hernandez , told the station . `` He got the dog to breathe , '' she said . '' -LSB- Punchy -RSB- coughed up some smoke and took off running . '' Brito and Hernandez 's other two children were at school when the fire started . The couple , who both work night-shift jobs , lost their clothes , furniture and some Christmas presents . `` Thank goodness everybody got out of the house safely , '' Brito said . `` If I 've got to jump through fire to save my kids ' lives , that 's what I 'm going to do . '' Read the story at the WZZM web site . Men honored for saving driver from tanker fire . Truck driver Ronald Tobias , 73 , of Syracuse , Indiana , was trapped after his propane tanker truck flipped on its side and exploded . But rather than running from the flames , two people headed toward them . Lonnie Hood , 30 , from Acton , Indiana , and Robert Skaggs , 49 , from Fortville , Indiana , each decided they had to try to help save Tobias on October 22 . Hood was working on a nearby construction job and ran over . Skaggs was in his car on Interstate 465 when he saw flames behind him , stopped , and put his car in reverse . `` I just jumped off -LSB- a second-story roof -RSB- and ran to it . I do n't know , I was kind of feeling something telling me to get over there , '' Hood told CNN affiliate WRTV of Indianapolis . `` I just kicked -LSB- the window -RSB- real hard and it went right in , and I just grabbed him up , me and another guy , and pulled him up to higher ground . '' Added Skaggs , `` For some reason , I just jerked the car off to the side , threw it in reverse and took off backwards toward it . '' For their actions , they were awarded the Governor 's Heroism Award by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels . Read the story at the WRTV web site . Bomb suspect hailed for railroad track rescue . Michael Woodson had already made news in Brevard County , Florida , as a bombing suspect when he rushed to help a man about to be run over by a train in April . Woodson , 21 , had been accused of filling a liquor bottle with black powder and setting it off at Brevard Community College to get out of class . But in April he saved Michael Chergosky , 75 , who was trying to cross railroad tracks in a motorized scooter . Chergosky 's scooter had become stuck in gravel , and Woodson ran over to pull the man to safety as a train approached , reported CNN affiliate WFTV in Orlando , Florida . `` As soon as I got to him I grabbed him out by the back of his collar , pulled him out of his wheelchair . -LSB- The train -RSB- missed him by four or five inches , '' Woodson told the station . Several witnesses saw the rescue , and police said there 's no doubt Woodson saved Chergosky , the station reported . Read more about the rescue at the WFTV web site . The station reported later that Woodson was sentenced to probation , 15 weekends of work at a sheriff 's work farm and banned from the school in a plea deal . The heroic deed was not mentioned in court , the station said . Woodson said he never intended for the device to blow up , that it was just supposed to let off some smoke . The judge , who could have sentenced him to 15 years in prison , told Woodson he was lucky no one was injured . `` I hope that each and every day when you are standing out there in the sun you contemplate where your life could have gone if something else had happened , '' the judge said . Read more about the case at the WFTV web site . | Heroic acts occurred across the country as reported by CNN 's affiliates . Among them : A postal worker helps a mother whose baby is unconscious . Off-duty emergency worker pulls a woman from a van after it crashes into an icy pond . Man sees 75-year-old stuck on train tracks and pulls him to safety . | [[568, 626], [615, 626], [632, 687], [231, 289], [99, 188], [159, 188], [1505, 1541], [1636, 1659], [1698, 1716], [19, 72], [0, 15], [77, 98], [5093, 5094], [5142, 5152], [5156, 5174], [5972, 6036]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Somali suspect in the hijacking of the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama in the Indian Ocean last April has been charged with involvement in two additional hijackings , authorities said Tuesday . One of the hijacked vessels is still being held hostage , federal prosecutors said in announcing a 10-count indictment filed against Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse . The vessels are identified in court documents as `` Ship-1 '' and `` Ship-2 . '' Under the indictment , Muse faces charges including piracy ; seizing a ship by force ; kidnapping and hostage taking , along with charges of possessing a machine gun in the commission of other offenses . If convicted , he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison . He was to be arraigned on the additional charges Tuesday afternoon in federal court , authorities said . Muse is accused of participating in the two hijackings before the Maersk Alabama was hijacked April 8 , prosecutors said in a statement . Ship-1 was seized by pirates in March in the Indian Ocean , according to the indictment and a criminal complaint . Authorities say Muse and others `` known and unknown '' boarded the vessel while armed with guns , threatened its captain and took control , holding the ship 's captain and crew hostage . While on the ship , prosecutors said , Muse aimed a gun at one of the hostages and threatened to kill him . He also showed a hostage what appeared to be an improvised explosive device , the statement said . `` Muse placed the IED in the vicinity of the hostage , and indicated that if the authorities came the IED would explode and the hostage would be killed . '' In April , Muse and the others left Ship-1 on a small boat , called `` the skiff , '' prosecutors said . When the skiff returned , the ship and the skiff `` were made to rendezvous '' with another ship , Ship-2 . `` The captain of Ship-1 was ordered to pull Ship-1 up to Ship-2 . Ship-1 was then attached to Ship-2 , '' according to the statement . `` Muse and others held hostage , on board Ship-2 , both the captain and the crew of Ship-1 and the captain and crew of Ship-2 . '' On April 8 , Muse and three others left Ship-2 and boarded the Maersk Alabama , the indictment said . Prosecutors allege the four fired shots at the Maersk Alabama before boarding it . The captain and crew of Ship-2 are still being held hostage , according to the documents . The indictment does not say what happened to Ship-1 , its captain or crew . The Maersk Alabama was attacked about 350 miles off the Somali coast , authorities have previously said . Muse allegedly demanded that the ship be stopped , then he and others allegedly took a life boat and held the captain of the ship -- Capt. Richard Phillips -- hostage on it . The USS Bainbridge came to the assistance of the vessel , and in radio communications , Muse and the others threatened to kill Phillips if they were not guaranteed safe passage away from the scene , authorities have said . On April 12 , Muse boarded the Bainbridge and demanded safe passage for himself and the others in exchange for Phillips ' release , according to a criminal complaint . While he was away from the lifeboat , Navy SEALs shot and killed the three remaining pirates , authorities said . Muse was taken into custody . `` Piracy on the high seas is a threat against the community of nations , '' Preet Bharara , U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York , said in the statement Tuesday . `` Today 's indictment alleges criminal conduct that extends beyond the attack against the captain and crew of the American-flagged Maersk Alabama . Modern-day pirates who wreak havoc off faraway coasts will be met with modern-day justice in the United States . '' The investigation is continuing , Bharara said . A federal judge ruled in April that Muse could be tried as an adult . His father in Somalia told defense attorneys he was born November 20 , 1993 , meaning he would have been 15 at the time of the hijackings . However , the prosecution argued otherwise , saying Muse made statements suggesting he was older . | Alleged Somali pirate prosecuted in hijackings of two other ships . New charges filed against Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse . Other ships not identified ; pirates still hold one . Snipers killed three pirates who had hijacked Maersk Alabama in April . | [[0, 24], [117, 190], [832, 912], [317, 379], [220, 256], [263, 275], [220, 247], [251, 275], [2119, 2129], [2132, 2153], [2170, 2196], [3143, 3178], [3181, 3191], [3201, 3235]] |
Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four militants armed with guns and grenades stormed a mosque in Rawalpindi frequented by military personnel , killing dozens of people Friday -- most of them children , the military said . The attack is the latest to shake the garrison city since this year 's launch of strong military offensives against Taliban insurgents in the Swat Valley and South Waziristan . Rawalpindi is the headquarters of the Pakistani army . Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said Friday 's assault killed 36 people and wounded 75 . Among the dead were 17 children , according to the military 's Web site . Also killed were an army general and eight other military officials , six of them of senior rank . The remaining fatalities were adults . `` As soon as the mosque 's security staff checked me , there was a blast and then a finger hit me , then there was another , '' Ishtiaq , a driver for a military officer , told GEO TV . Ishtiaq , who uses only one name , was attending midday prayers . Rawalpindi is near Islamabad , and the mosque is near national army headquarters . It is located inside a walled residential compound where many military families have homes . A witness told GEO TV there were up to 300 worshippers at the mosque at the time of the attack . The militants hurled grenades before opening fire , Rawalpindi Police Chief Aslam Tareen told CNN . He said all the militants died , but he does n't know how . `` These are not militants , '' Abbas said . `` These are terrorists who killed innocent worshippers . '' Retired Gen. Muhammad Yousaf was killed in the attack , said Col. Baseer Haider , a military spokesman . He said Yousaf was a former vice chief of army staff who was second in command during the administration of President Pervez Musharraf . Abbas said two of the attackers were suicide bombers who blew themselves up inside the Parade Lane mosque ; the other two were shot and killed by security forces outside the mosque . Several explosions were heard inside the mosque around 1:30 p.m. -LRB- 3:30 a.m. ET -RRB- , followed by gunfire , Abbas said . The militants entered the compound by climbing over a wall , Tareen said . This is the first attack in Rawalpindi since a suicide bomber targeted a bank on November 2 . On October 10 , militants stormed army headquarters in Rawalpindi , taking several people hostage before security forces killed them . CNN 's Reza Sayah contributed to this report . | Armed militants attack mosque during midday prayers in Rawalpindi , killing dozens . Mosque is frequented by retired and serving military officials . November 2 attack in Rawalpindi saw suicide bomber target a bank . | [[12, 36], [84, 114], [12, 36], [150, 181], [461, 465], [466, 539], [1496, 1506], [1511, 1540], [92, 147], [2216, 2264]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- You can find hundreds of gifts for your friends and family -- and help save the world . We 've sought out eye-catching and adorable presents with proceeds that go to charity . Here 's where to shop for a change . Help elephants , bear cubs and seals through the International Fund for Animal Welfare 's Gifts for Animals . One-stop shop WorldofGood.com . More than 15,000 eco - and socially conscious goods are available -LRB- some from as low as $ 2.50 -RRB- on WorldofGood.com . Shop by gift category , or , if you 'd like , `` purchase impact , '' be it eco - , animal - , or people-friendly . Each product is vetted and comes with a short description so you can see exactly where your money is going . Fair-trade lip balms , organic soaps and bath fizzers are all under $ 15 and make excellent stocking stuffers . Not just a pretty package PangeaOrganics.com . Pangea Organics ' gift packages come stocked with bar soaps , shower gels , and lotions and arrive in a stylish -LRB- really , skip the wrapping paper ! -RRB- recycled box inlaid with spruce seeds -- soak them , plant -- and in two weeks a baby Spruce tree will appear , along with , we assume , softer skin . Holiday gift sets start at $ 30 at PangeaOrganics.com . Buy a gift , fund a business GlobalGoodsPartners.org , BuildaNest.com . At online boutique Nest , BuildaNest.com , the $ 30 you spend on patchwork Guatemalan tote will go toward ... creating more Guatemalan totes ! The site sells original apparel , jewelry , home and paper goods made by more than 75 exclusive artists and designers and gives microcredit loans to women in developing countries , enabling them to start and maintain a business selling their own products -- which are then offered on the site itself . Another likeminded organization , GlobalGoodsPartners.org , sells handwoven bracelets made by native tribes in Argentina and traditionally patterned silk scarves made by women in Cambodia . Global Goods Partners is dedicated to alleviating poverty and promoting social justice and funds women-led market initiatives in local communities in 18 countries . For pets HoorayfortheUnderdog.com . Already have the perfect present for Fido ? Attach a card from Hooray for the Underdog , a line by photographers Janet Healey and Joe Grisham -- a husband-and-wife team who sell stylish greeting cards featuring pictures of dogs and cats up for adoption in shelters . Ten percent of proceeds -LRB- $ 3 for cards -RRB- go to animal welfare groups and shelters . For animal lovers AnimalGift.org . The animal lovers in your life may have already overdosed on cute cards -LRB- and books and toys and screensavers -RRB- , but they might not have saved their very own elephant . The International Fund for Animal Welfare 's Gifts for Animals program helps protect pachyderms , as well as bear cubs and seals , and also provides funds for urgent pet care and animal rescue . Each gift comes with a full-color pamphlet telling your animal 's story , and there 's no leash required . Donations start at $ 25 . Guilt-free indulgence Lush Cosmetics Charity Box , $ 20.45 ; Lush.com . Lush 's hand and body lotion is made with fair-trade cocoa-butter , and proceeds -- 100 percent after taxes -- go to the organization featured on the lid of each pot . WaterCan , TreePeople , Amazon Conservation Team and International Fund for Animal Welfare are only a few . Celebrate the season of light with Jimmy Belasco all-natural candles -LRB- $ 34 -RRB- . They 're made of soybeans , vegetable oil and fragrance -- nothing else -- but the best part of this fragrant treat are the wrapping options . Choose from a wide selection of boxes decorated with cityscapes , calming landscapes , pop art patterns , and holiday themes . Five dollars from the sale of each candle goes to a good cause : You select one from a list of Jimmy 's staffers ' 10 favorites -LRB- with more options on the way -RRB- . Buying in bulk ? CharityNavigator.com . Good Cards -LRB- CharityNavigator.com -RRB- are the gift certificates of the philanthropy world . You set the price ; recipients pick the charity . Perfect for those bosses , co-workers and clients you 're stumped on . Last minute OxfamAmericaUnwrapped.com , UniversalGiving.org . Click , click , done . Two organizations simplify making a difference around the world . Oxfam 's gift site , OxfamAmericaUnwrapped.com , offers to more than 57 charitable donations , including a pair of sheep -LRB- $ 90 -RRB- that allow women to generate their own income by making textiles , a small business fund to help get entrepreneurs started -LRB- $ 100 -RRB- , and a veterinarian 's field kit -LRB- $ 35 -RRB- . Products are organized by price , with 28 options under $ 50 , and recipients receive a card explaining what the donation will provide . UniversalGiving.org coordinates donations to more than 200 aid organizations , including East Meets West , Helen Keller International , and more . For those big-ticket items BiddingforGood.com , eBayGivingWorks.com . You know those auctions your kids always have in elementary school or the ones your office frequently puts together , where you bid for signed memorabilia , electronic items and original prints ? Think of BiddingforGood as one giant elementary school auction : Type in the item you 're looking for -LRB- we got seven hits for the Nintendo Wii -RRB- and bid to win . Check the `` Cool Picks '' section for really original ideas : Tickets to two shows at New York City fashion week , a CSI set pass , and tickets to the 2009 U.S. Open golf championship . Each purchase benefits the auctioneer 's charity of choice . Still have n't found what you 're looking for ? Try eBayGivingWorks.com to find auctions from high-profile groups . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! | There are plenty of gifts you can buy that will help fund charities . Support small businesses in developing countries through BuildaNest.com . CharityNavigator.com 's Good Cards are the gift certificates of the philanthropy world . Visit WorldofGood.com for eco - and socially conscious stocking stuffers . | [[171, 179], [185, 200], [3982, 4079], [380, 505]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A group of Heath Ledger fans have taken their reverence for the late `` The Dark Knight '' star to a whole new level . Heath Ledger fans launched a petition calling for studios to remove the Joker from future Batman movies . Followers of the actor , who electrified audiences with his chilling reinvention of the Joker in the second Batman blockbuster , are calling for the character to be retired from the movies permanently . Ledger supporters at new Web site , The Ultimate Joker , launched a petition last week calling for studios to remove the Joker from any future Batman movies . The petition currently has 2,431 supporters . `` We think Heath deserves this honor , '' the site 's team leader , Fer Barbella , told CNN from Buenos Aires , Argentina . `` He is the ultimate Joker . `` We are Batman fans from the comics and from the movies , '' he said , `` After we saw ` The Dark Knight , ' we thought this Joker was really the best . It deserves to be withdrawn from any Batman sequels . `` When Michael Jordan retired , they withdrew the number 23 jersey as an honor . It 's the same thing with Heath . '' Barbella said he thinks any new performance just wo n't be able to top Ledger 's . `` He upgraded the character in a thrilling way , '' he said . `` Although a lot of actors would love the chance to play the Joker , as Batman fans and now Heath Ledger fans , we think no one could ever perform it as well as he did . '' The Web site is the brainchild of Barbella , 34 ; Nico Pimentel , 33 ; and Natalia Rodoni , 33 , all advertising creatives in Buenos Aires . The trio say that if they collect enough names , they may go to the studio to present their petition . `` As soon as we start seeing that we have more than 50,000 names on our Web site , perhaps we will go to the Warner Brothers gate and do a bit of activism , '' Pimentel said . The huge buzz around Ledger 's performance as the Joker last year stemmed from his update of the iconic character played by camp comedian Cesar Romero and as a hateful clown by Jack Nicholson . Ledger 's Joker was a very different proposition from those that had come before : In a ripped , stained suit , with clown makeup smeared across a scarred , twisted mouth , his Joker was a nihilistic , sociopathic prankster . `` Why so serious ? '' he sneered in a performance that received rave reviews from critics globally . Do you agree that Heath Ledger 's Joker should be the last one ever ? The actor was found dead after overdosing on prescription drugs at his apartment in New York on January 22 , 2008 , shortly after concluding work on `` The Dark Knight . '' Ledger has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the Joker , having been awarded a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor . Barbella says that the Web site and petition are their award : `` The Academy gives an Oscar , '' he said . `` This is a new award from the people . A user-generated award . '' | Heath Ledger fans are calling for The Joker to be removed from future Batman films . They launched a petition at new Web site , The Ultimate Joker , last week . Ledger 's Joker in Christopher Nolan 's `` The Dark Knight '' received rave reviews . Ledger who died in 2008 has been nominated for an Oscar for the role . | [[155, 260], [182, 260], [261, 283], [390, 419], [530, 622], [979, 1032], [155, 260], [464, 492], [500, 512], [521, 570], [530, 622], [1893, 2006], [2350, 2363], [2369, 2403], [2658, 2730]] |
Caracas , Venezuela -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Residents of the Venezuelan capital on Monday began to experience water rationing as part of a government preservation measure during a drought . The rolling cuts to water service will affect the capital of Caracas and some nearby areas for periods of up to 48 hours , the state-owned water utility Hidrocapital announced . The rationing will continue through the first quarter of 2010 , the government said . President Hugo Chavez has urged citizens to take extra steps to reduce water use , including a suggestion last week that taking a shower should take only three minutes . The government says that weather phenomena are behind the drought , while critics of Chavez say that years of lack of infrastructure investment and planning left the country flat-footed when it came to offsetting the drought . Drought conditions have reduced reservoir volume to critical levels , officials say . The level of the Camatagua Reservoir , which supplies Caracas with about half of its water , has been on a downward trend since 2007 , according to data from Hidrocapital . However , it 's not as low as during the early 2000s . Some water-rationing measures were taken at the time , too , according to Hidrocapital . In Miranda State , which sits adjacent the capital , the Lagartijo Reservoir is at the lowest level ever recorded . `` There will be programmed interruptions in service , with the goal of recuperating the levels of the principal reservoirs that flow to the city and that were affected by the scarce rains this year , '' Hidrocapital President Alejandro Hitcher said at a news conference announcing the rationing . Even schools will have to deal with the water shortages , the government said . Only hospitals will be equipped with water around the clock . Critics , including the municipal agency that distributes Hidrocapital 's water to the city , say that poor infrastructure has made it difficult for water pressure to reach some of the poorest parts of the city , according to local reports . The government says that the El Nino phenomenon -- unusually warm waters in the equatorial Pacific that affects weather around the globe -- is behind the dry conditions . Venezuela 's National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology also pointed a finger at something called quasi-biennial oscillation , which affects winds in the stratosphere . `` This other phenomenon , '' the institute said in a statement , `` has a relationship with the rains , and is capable of modifying or changing the magnitude and impacts of the effects that El Nino has brought . '' Journalist Maria Carolina Gonzalez contributed to this report for CNN . | Rolling cuts to water service will affect Caracas , nearby areas for up to 48 hours . Drought conditions have reduced reservoir volume to critical levels , officials say . Only hospitals will be equipped with water around the clock . | [[185, 305], [846, 913], [916, 931], [1249, 1265], [1302, 1353], [1743, 1804]] |
Beirut , Lebanon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Air traffic controllers in Lebanon were telling the pilot of an Ethiopian Airlines flight to change course shortly before it crashed into the sea , the country 's transportation minister told CNN Tuesday . An international search team was combing Lebanon 's Mediterranean coastline for signs of life Tuesday amid fears that all 90 people aboard the Addis Ababa-bound airliner perished in the accident , authorities said . Lebanese Transportation Minister Ghazi al-Aridi said Tuesday it was too early to determine whether pilot error had caused the crash . He said the plane 's flight data and cockpit voice recorders would need to be recovered to determine why Flight 409 disappeared from radar screens shortly after taking off from Beirut 's Rafik Hariri International Airport at about 2:30 a.m. local time . The control tower lost contact with the plane before it made a course correction Monday , al-Aridi said . In a statement , Ethiopian Airlines said the pilot of the flight had more than 20 years of experience flying various aircraft with the airline 's network . The plane had been declared safe and fit to fly following a regular maintenance service on December 25 , 2009 , the airline said . The Lebanese military reported Tuesday that 14 bodies had been found -- nine fewer than an earlier count . Confusion early in the search led to double-counting , they said . No survivors have been found . The search included aircraft from the United States , Britain , France and Cyprus . The U.S. military sent the USS Ramage -- a guided missile destroyer -- and Navy P-3 aircraft in response to Lebanese requests for assistance , according to U.S. defense officials . `` We do n't believe that there is any indication for sabotage or foul play , '' Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said Monday . The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is also sending an investigator because the plane was made by a U.S. manufacturer . The Boeing 737-800 had eight crew members and 82 passengers -- 51 Lebanese nationals , 23 Ethiopians , two Britons and citizens from Canada , Iraq , Russia , Syria , Turkey and France -- when it went down , the airline said . The plane crashed about 3.5 kilometers -LRB- 2 miles -RRB- west of the town of Na'ameh which is 15 kilometers -LRB- 9 miles -RRB- south of Beirut . Government-owned Ethiopian Airlines is one of the largest carriers in Africa , serving Europe and three other continents . The airline has experienced two fatal crashes since 1980 . In November 1996 , a flight bound for Ivory Coast was hijacked by three men who demanded that the pilot fly to Australia . The pilot crashed while attempting an emergency landing near the Comoros Islands off Africa . About 130 of the 172 people aboard died , according to published reports . And in September 1988 , a flight struck a flock of birds during takeoff . During the crash landing that followed , 31 of the 105 people aboard died . CNN 's Nada Husseini and Cal Perry contributed to this report . | Search teams comb Lebanese coast following Ethiopian Airlines plane crash . Pilot was told to change course prior to crash , transport minister says . Just 14 bodies found so far ; plane was carrying 90 crew and passengers . Plane disappeared from radar shortly after takeoff from Beirut on Monday . | [[242, 335], [97, 181], [184, 241], [360, 436], [1239, 1301], [1278, 1307], [1311, 1345], [600, 813], [600, 652], [680, 832], [697, 845]] |
Rome , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Vatican did not know about an American priest believed to have molested up to 200 boys until 20 years after civil authorities investigated and then dropped the case , its top spokesman said Thursday . Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi issued the statement in response to a New York Times story alleging that top Vatican officials , including the future Pope Benedict XVI , failed to discipline or defrock the now-deceased Rev. Lawrence C. Murphy of Wisconsin , despite warnings from several American bishops . But Jeff Anderson , a lawyer who obtained the internal church paperwork the newspaper based its story on , said it `` shows a direct line from the victims through the bishops and directly to the man who is now pope . '' Lombardi rejected the accusation . `` During the mid-1970s , some of Father Murphy 's victims reported his abuse to civil authorities , who investigated him at that time , '' Lombardi said . `` However , according to news reports , that investigation was dropped . '' The Vatican 's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , the office led by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger , who would later become pope , `` was not informed of the matter until some 20 years later , '' Lombardi said . The office is in charge of deciding whether accused priests should be given canonical trials and defrocked . `` The case of Lawrence Murphy has been well-documented since the mid-1970s , when allegations were first reported to civil authorities , although criminal charges were not filed , '' the Archdiocese of Milwaukee said in a statement Thursday . `` Murphy 's actions were criminal , and we sincerely apologize to those who have been harmed . The Archdiocese of Milwaukee continues to reach out to victims-survivors who were harmed by Lawrence Murphy and encourages them to report any abuse they suffered . '' Anderson , a lawyer representing five men who are suing the archdiocese , obtained correspondence from Milwaukee to Ratzinger as part of the lawsuit , along with other internal church documents related to the case . The documents , dating to 1974 , include letters between bishops and the Vatican , victims ' affidavits , the handwritten notes of an expert on sexual disorders who interviewed Murphy and minutes of a final Vatican meeting on the case . Murphy began as a teacher for St. John 's School for the Deaf in St. Francis , Wisconsin , in 1950 , and was promoted to run the school in 1963 in spite of the fact that students had warned church officials of molestation , according to the documents , which CNN has seen . Many of Murphy 's victims were hearing-impaired . Ratzinger failed to respond to two letters about the case in 1996 from Milwaukee 's then-archbishop , Rembert G. Weakland . After eight months , Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone , who at the time was second in command of the doctrinal office and now is the Vatican 's secretary of state , told Wisconsin bishops to begin a secret canonical trial , the documents show . Lombardi said that church rules did not mean a priest would automatically be punished but that punishment , if warranted , could include being defrocked . `` In such cases , the Code of Canon Law does not envision automatic penalties but recommends that a judgment be made not excluding even the greatest ecclesiastical penalty of dismissal from the clerical state , '' he said . `` In light of the facts that Father Murphy was elderly and in very poor health , and that he was living in seclusion and no allegations of abuse had been reported in over 20 years , the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith suggested that the Archbishop of Milwaukee give consideration to addressing the situation by , for example , restricting Father Murphy 's public ministry and requiring that Father Murphy accept full responsibility for the gravity of his acts , '' the statement said , noting that Murphy died four months later . Three successive archbishops in Wisconsin were told of the abuse , but none reported it to criminal or civil authorities , according to Anderson , the lawyer . Lombardi , however , said that neither canon law nor Vatican norms prohibit the reporting of such cases to law enforcement . But `` he did not address why that had never happened in this case , '' the Times said . The Archdiocese of Milwaukee said abuse was reported in fall 1973 to Milwaukee police , who turned the report over to St. Francis police , but no charges were filed . Murphy was removed in May 1974 as director of the St. John 's School for the Deaf but remained as fundraiser and alumni director until summer 1974 , when he was removed from any role at the school , according to a chronology posted on the archdiocese Web site . In August 1974 , a series of newspaper articles in the Milwaukee Sentinel reported on Murphy 's removal and the allegations , the chronology said . In September , he relocated to a family home in the Diocese of Superior . A district attorney reviewed the allegations against Murphy in fall 1974 , according to the archdiocese . A civil lawsuit was filed in 1975 against the archdiocese relating to Murphy but was resolved the following year , the chronology said . Murphy 's request for retirement was accepted in January 1993 , but restrictions against him were reinstated that year and reinforced twice . The bishops warned the Vatican , according to the newspaper , that failure to act on the matter could result in embarrassment to the Church . `` The tragic case of Father Lawrence Murphy , a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee , involved particularly vulnerable victims who suffered terribly , '' Lombardi said in the statement . `` By sexually abusing children who were hearing-impaired , Father Murphy violated the law and , more importantly , the sacred trust that his victims had placed in him . `` In the late 1990s , after over two decades had passed since the abuse had been reported to diocesan officials and the police , the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was presented for the first time with the question of how to treat the Murphy case canonically , '' the statement said . At the time , there was no procedure in place for reporting church abuse to the doctrinal office , according to Vatican sources . The office was informed of the matter , Lombardi said , because it involved abuse at confession , which is a violation of the Sacrament of Penance . St. John 's School for the Deaf closed in 1983 , the archdiocese said in its statement . `` Most importantly , today , no priest with any substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor serves in public ministry in any way in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee . '' CNN 's Diana Magnay contributed to this report . | American priest believed to have molested up to 200 boys . Authorities investigated Wisconsin priest and then dropped case . Newspaper says officials , including future Pope Benedict XVI , failed to discipline priest . | [[63, 107], [63, 81], [91, 174], [63, 81], [91, 174], [891, 908], [915, 944], [1007, 1039], [316, 503]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It has the curves of a Lamborghini , looks like something an astronaut might take into space and weighs only 10.3 ounces . Amazon 's Kindle e-reader is wireless and can hold about 200 books , plus newspapers and magazines . Amazon.com 's electronic Kindle reader -- a device meant to remove the paper from the page and make reading both more convenient and eco-friendly -- is celebrating its first birthday . Released in November 2007 , the Kindle has sold more than a quarter million units . Its texts account for 10 percent of Amazon 's book sales despite the fact that 200,000 titles -- a tiny fraction of the books offered on the site -- are available in digital form . While exact sales figures are hard to come by , recent estimates have put the Kindle 's sales on par with other high-profile mobile devices in their first year . Amazon.com says that the Kindle is currently sold out due to heavy demand . So what has spurred its success ? After all , electronic books have been around , in small numbers , for about a decade . Even Jeff Bezos , Amazon 's founder and CEO , has admitted that the book is `` elegantly suited to its purpose . It 's hard to improve on . '' One thing that 's helped the Kindle is marketing . Where other readers failed to connect with consumers , the Kindle has excelled . The media-savvy Bezos has hardly been publicity shy , gaining his electronic toy a level of exposure most CEOs could n't begin to fathom . `` You ca n't discount the prominence of having Amazon behind this , '' says Paul Reynolds , technology editor at Consumer Reports . `` Jeff Bezos is respected for what he 's done with Amazon , and if he feels this is a future product in media , people are willing to trust him . '' Second , the gadget has been heralded by Oprah Winfrey , whose influence in the publishing world is immense . It 's also been embraced by some prominent writers , including Nobel laureate Toni Morrison and best-selling thriller author James Patterson . Third , with more and more consumers accustomed to reading text on their cell phones and BlackBerrys , the world finally may be ready for an electronic version of a book . `` I checked it out on Amazon and thought it was an intriguing idea , a great way to have a lot of books that do n't take up a lot of space , '' says Emily Branch of Florida , who was moved to buy a Kindle after seeing the hosts of `` The View '' chatting about it . `` I figured if I did n't like it I could return it within 30 days , '' Branch says . `` There was n't a chance of that happening once I got it in my hands though . '' One clutter-killing Kindle can hold about 200 books . And while other e-readers such as Sony 's Reader must connect through a USB port to upload content , the Kindle is a wireless device , thanks to Whispernet , which is powered by Sprint 's high-speed data network . `` I think the Whispernet is what sets the Kindle apart from all the other e-readers on the market , '' says Leslie Nicoll of Portland , Maine , who co-authored `` The Amazon Kindle F.A.Q. '' book after her tech-loving teenage daughter urged her to get a Kindle . Like Branch , Nicoll says she likes the Kindle 's low-impact effect on her bookshelves . `` I do n't have to worry about giving it to someone else , reselling it on Amazon or finding a place to store it in my house , '' she says . `` For the enjoyment and convenience , it has given me in the past seven months , I consider that it has paid for itself already . '' Readers can visit Amazon 's online store and upload a new book right to their Kindle . Subscribers also can have electronic versions of The New York Times and other newspapers and magazines delivered automatically to their Kindles in time for reading with their morning cup of coffee . `` The large and tightly interacting collection of Kindle features , that go far beyond those of any other previous e-Book attempt , will cause the Kindle to be the first e-Book to succeed , '' wrote one reviewer on an Amazon discussion board . But not everything in Kindle world is roses and gumdrops . There 's a difference between modest early success and making a centuries-old print format obsolete . The Kindle sells for $ 359 , a steep price for the average reader in the current economic climate . `` I 'm not going to pay $ 360 for that . I can get books for free , '' says Nikki Johnson , a college student in Atlanta , Georgia , speaking for traditionalists who are wary of giving up their bound paper volumes . `` There 's nothing like reading a nice paperback , '' she says . `` There 's nothing like holding or carrying a book , having that tangible quality and it being more than just a piece of data . '' So in an unforgiving economy and in a stubbornly old-fashioned medium , will the Kindle ever expand from a tech novelty to a mainstream accessory ? It might be too soon to tell . Blockbuster writers such as J.K. Rowling , author of the `` Harry Potter '' series , have said they 'll never allow their books to appear on the market in electronic form . Yet future , better versions of e-readers may seduce younger consumers who grew up on PSPs and iPhones . A next-generation model of the Kindle is due in 2009 . Early reports indicate the new device will be thinner and will have fixed some current design bugs , such as poorly placed buttons that cause readers to turn pages accidentally . `` I think it 's certainly a ways away from hitting the mainstream ... because of the price and the experience a reader gets from long-form reading , '' says Reynolds of Consumer Reports . `` Whether these ... are successful , stand-alone devices remains to be seen . From what I 've seen and heard , I think the technology is here to stay . '' | Amazon.com 's electronic Kindle reader celebrates its first birthday . Device holds about 200 digital books and can reduce bookshelf clutter . Sales have been steady , but the device so far remains mostly a tech novelty . Oprah Winfrey has praised it , but J.K. Rowling vows no e-versions of `` Harry Potter '' | [[243, 281], [380, 388], [392, 427], [142, 167], [184, 242], [2610, 2663], [4786, 4861], [1750, 1756], [1759, 1804], [4893, 4933], [4969, 5065]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former first lady Barbara Bush will spend the night in a Houston , Texas , hospital Tuesday night after falling ill , according to a family spokeswoman . Former first lady Barbara Bush has been admitted to a Houston , Texas , hospital . Spokeswoman Jean Becker said Bush , 83 , was admitted to Methodist Hospital for testing after complaining of stomach pain for several days . She arrived at the emergency room at about 5:30 p.m. Central Time . After feeling ill , Bush called her husband , former President George H.W. Bush , at his office urging him to take her to the hospital . The former president 's Secret Service detail drove them both to the hospital , Becker said . Jim McGrath , a spokesman for Bush 's husband said all of the tests were negative . `` She 's fine , '' McGrath said . Bush has been diagnosed with the thyroid condition Graves ' Disease . It was not known whether the condition had any relation to her hospitalization on Tuesday . Bush , the mother of President George W. Bush , was first lady during her husband 's term as president from January 1989 to January 1993 . Born in New York in 1925 , Bush , born Barbara Pierce , married her husband in 1945 . She is the great-great-great niece of Franklin Pierce , who served as president from 1853 to 1857 . She and the former president split their time between Houston and Kennebunkport , Maine . | NEW : Former first lady will spend the night in a Houston , Texas , hospital . NEW : `` She 's fine , '' spokesman for Barbara Bush 's husband says . Family spokeswoman : She complained recently about stomach pains . Tests Tuesday night came back negative , ex-president 's spokesman says . | [[0, 15], [37, 116], [173, 255], [696, 707], [710, 779], [783, 794], [797, 799], [0, 15], [137, 172], [256, 279], [292, 396], [696, 707], [710, 779]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Supreme Court declined to intervene Monday in a dispute over a public school 's refusal to allow an instrument-only version of `` Ave Maria '' at a graduation ceremony . Officials feared the piece would be an endorsement of religion in that limited public forum . Without comment , the justices rejected the appeal of Kathryn Nurre , who was a high school senior in Everett , Washington , in 2006 . By tradition , graduating members of the school 's wind ensemble could choose a piece from their repertoire to play at the June ceremony . They chose an arrangement of Franz Biebl 's well-known `` Ave Maria , '' which had been performed previously in choir recitals . School district officials said they feared complaints similar to those that followed the previous year 's choir performance of a vocal piece that included references to God , heaven and angels . `` Ave Maria '' was banned even though the performance would have contained no lyrics . The school district told principals to approve only musical selections that were `` purely secular in nature . '' Nurre and others sued , saying their free speech rights were being violated , and said their choice of the piece was made on purely artistic , not religious , grounds . They also cited previous examples where a limited use of religious imagery in a public setting was considered acceptable . Such examples are Ten Commandments monuments in city parks and opening legislative sessions with a prayer . Justice Samuel Alito publicly dissented with the high court 's rejection of the appeal . `` When a public school purports to allow students to express themselves , it must respect the students ' free speech rights , '' he said . `` School administrators may not behave like puppet masters who create the illusion that students are engaging in personal expression when in fact the school administration is pulling the strings . '' The high court declined to explore whether those attending a graduation ceremony constituted a `` captive audience '' that might feel forced to hear a religious message with which they may disagree . The case is Nurre v. Whitehead -LRB- 09-671 -RRB- . In other Supreme Court action : . • The justices agreed to decide whether a district attorney 's office can be held liable after a former death row inmate in Louisiana said prosecutors withheld key evidence leading to his conviction . At issue is a federal law that can place the burden on the state with a `` failure to train '' standard when one of its prosecutors unconstitutionally withholds exculpatory evidence from a criminal defendant . Then-New Orleans-area District Attorney Harry Connick Sr. claimed his office should not be held fully responsible after one of his staff attorneys violated long-standing , accepted procedures on handling evidence in criminal trials . The defendant , John Thompson , was freed from state prison after 18 years behind bars for the murder of a hotel executive . He came within weeks of execution before being granted a new trial . He was then acquitted in 2003 and won a $ 14 million judgment against the state . Oral arguments in the appeal will be heard in the fall . The case is Connick v. Thompson -LRB- 09-571 -RRB- . • In another case , current and former Chinese Muslim detainees at the military prison in Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , lost another round at the high court . The justices are staying out of the latest dispute about the prisoners ' demand of a 30-day notice before any proposed transfer from the detention center . The men , known as Uyghurs , wanted advance notice of which country they were being sent to , fearing they could be sent to a place where they would be tortured , imprisoned or harassed about their religious beliefs . The U.S. government , which says the prisoners are no longer considered `` enemy combatants '' or a national security threat , reiterated they would not be sent to places where they might face torture or continued imprisonment . Many of the Uyghurs released so far have been sent to the Pacific nation of Palau , with others going to Bermuda or Albania . The justices had previously agreed to hear the Uyghurs ' broader constitutional claims over their years-long detention , but the case was tossed out as moot , since most of the men have been freed or are in the process of being freed . The case is Kiyemba v. Obama -LRB- 09-581 -RRB- . • The justices also rejected a separate appeal of a Massachusetts law that keeps demonstrators away from abortion clinics . Anti-abortion activists said the restriction violates their rights of free speech and assembly . The law sets a `` protest-free zone '' of 35 feet outside clinic entrances , including driveways . Officials call it an acceptable balance between the right of access for patients and the right of expression for those opposed to the medical procedure . Some protesters said they have been forced onto streets to make their beliefs known and have nearly been hit by cars . That case is McMullen v. Coakley -LRB- 09-592 -RRB- . | In 2006 , school district disallowed instrument-only version of well-known song . District cited complaints about performance of other piece that included religious references . High school senior and others sued , saying free speech rights were being violated . Court rejects appeal without comment ; Samuel Alito publicly dissents . | [[95, 203], [1098, 1119], [1129, 1173], [1098, 1114], [1122, 1173], [4537, 4633], [4566, 4633], [316, 365], [1498, 1586]] |
Concepcion , Chile -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There are days working for CNN when you feel like you are in the final scene of the film `` Hotel Rwanda , '' hurtling toward an uncertain salvation from a disaster of epic proportions . Fear and frustration are softened by exhaustion . Your heart races , but every other sound is like white noise . You plunge ahead , but also long to return to the comfort of your own life with its own particular frustrations and joys . That 's how it felt pulling out of Concepcion , Chile , where an earthquake sent people gliding across the floors of their own homes , tossed some buildings into pieces and set off frantic unrest among people living without food , water or safety . We had been on an odyssey just to get to the epicenter of this disaster . We had left behind a documentary project on the Haiti disaster to fly to Miami , Florida , where we turned around and went through Panama ; Lima , Peru ; Sao Paolo , Brazil ; and Buenos Aires and Bariloche , Argentina , before driving through Patagonia into Chile . But we could n't stay long in Chile without jeopardizing that project . Full coverage of the Chilean earthquake . Even as this new disaster unfolds , there are still thousands living on Haiti 's streets in a crisis of uncommon proportions . A documentary on Haiti 's children needs to air while the public is still focused . Meanwhile , CNN was getting more teams on the ground to help those already here amid tough conditions . Our team of nine journalists and four drivers had arrived in Concepcion to join a few others , but we 'd all been stymied by the lack of generators or fuel to power them in a place with no electricity . We had a mountain of snack food and water , but until we found ways to get electricity , each attempt at making television was a challenge . Then some of our local drivers confused the cans of extra diesel fuel and gasoline and filled the wrong fuel in the tanks . They spent half a day sucking it out of the vehicles , but then threw out the empty jugs we needed to get refills -- if fuel ever reappeared . It was a comedy of errors that ended up with three of four cars temporarily inoperable . It was cold with no place to stay , no way to power our cameras or equipment . The CNN logistics folks hustled , getting new people in with fresh supplies and gas . Our Haiti project was looming . We 'd have to leave soon . But how ? No fuel means no cars , and this whole region of Chile was at a standstill . The only thing moving was the earth , in constant aftershocks . And we were a 12-hour drive from Santiago , where the only big airport was closed . We hopped aboard one of the cars that still had fuel and headed to a small airport outside town . Concepcion , city of chaos . It was n't easy : Whenever you leave a story , a reporter feels enormous guilt . After all , you 'd come to tell people what 's happening , to hold the authorities accountable , to record history in the making . This town was in crisis , and we were leaving . As we drove , dozens of people rode around on bicycles dangling fuel cans from one hand , aimlessly searching for ways to power cars and light homes . We dodged barricades put up by residents to discourage looters and around piles of bricks from homes newly damaged from aftershocks . The air smelt like smoke and concrete . Military vehicles and sirens made the only noise . We expected the tiny airport , which was officially closed , to be empty , but it was abuzz with the displaced . We were not the only ones hoping to leave . Hundreds of people carrying luggage had slept outside the darkened terminal hoping some aircraft would soon land and leave . The Chilean Air Force was offering rides , so we made our way to Santiago where the Peruvian president had a few police planes offering trips out of the disaster zone to Lima . We boarded the small airplane through the back ramp and saw that this aircraft was meant for cargo , not people . The gray metal `` seats '' ran along the sides of a curved plane that forced you to curve your back to sit . No big deal , we figured . It 's just three hours . World 's biggest quakes since 1900 . But on these planes it 's not . They have small gas tanks and have to stop to refuel twice . It was cold -- bitter cold -- on the `` seats . '' But everyone was so grateful no one whined , not even the eight or nine children wrapped in jackets much too big for them and tucked into their parents ' arms . We , too , threw on more and more layers -- mostly dirty clothes , as we 'd been on the road for two weeks . We huddled together . Two hours in , the children onboard needed to pee in a plane with no bathrooms . Plastic bags appeared . There was no way to sit comfortably , and it was soon the middle of the night . The refueling happened in tiny mountain towns that looked like the surface of the moon . Each time we landed , we 'd check e-mail on our quickly dying Blackberries . Another aftershock had hit , this time a strong 6.3 . An e-mail went out from the main coordinating team in Chile , asking each reporting team to check in ASAP . Then , a tsunami warning . Finally , confirmation they are all OK . That was a relief , but word followed of another producer stranded someplace trying to find fuel and a generator to bring to our colleagues in Concepcion . How nerve-wracking . Then , word that someone has found a way to go help them . We pressed on . Everything on this trip evolved in 12-hour clips , and our trip was no different . We arrived in Lima at 4 a.m. , cold and exhausted . Some women kissed the ground , crossed themselves or cried . Rose 's family is at least from Lima , so it 's a familiar place to one of us , but it 's many hours from home -- and many miles from the last big story . | Soledad O'Brien and her team go from one earthquake zone to another . They give a behind-the-scenes look at what it 's like to cover a major disaster . They experience guilt as they have to leave Chile and the story of its troubles . Exiting Chile proves to be as arduous as getting into the earthquake-ravaged nation . | [[2812, 2845]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré was highly praised for his leadership of recovery efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 , so he 's well-versed in what works and what does n't in disaster management . The general told CNN last week that the U.S. military should have responded sooner to the earthquake in Haiti because `` time is of the essence '' in helping quake survivors . CNN 's Nicole Dow talked to Gen. Honoré Wednesday about his assessment of the situation in Haiti since he made those remarks . CNN : There are reports of looting in Haiti . Is it looting , or an attempt at survival ? Gen. Russel Honoré : In the first days after a disaster , people are generally scavenging for food . They are trying to find food where they can . People are going into survival mode . Due to challenges and logistical issues , they use the food they have and what they can get their hands on . I would use the word `` looting '' lightly -- these people are surviving . It 's reminiscent of what was seen during Katrina in the convention center . They survived because they found food in the surrounding areas . CNN : With the potential for violence running high , how can civilians protect themselves ? Honoré : People should stay in their family groups and be with people they trust . During a disaster , in the case of not having enough communication , some of the information coming out is speculation and rumor . The role of the military is to provide a sense of order and try to keep people from becoming too excited when food and water are distributed . They also assure that help is on the way . What people are missing is information . You have someone sitting on a sidewalk with a baby , someone who is elderly , disabled , or pregnant , probably wondering what to do . Their house is in rubble , they have members of their family who need to go to the hospital or special care . Where can they go to be cared for ? Or to help care for themselves in a humane manner ? This is a humanitarian matter of global proportions . CNN : Previously , you 've mentioned `` adapt and overcome . '' How difficult is it to achieve this in Haiti ? Honoré : You need the U.S. military . One airfield ? Let 's build two more . We adapt and overcome . USAID said , we have one airfield , how are we going to use it ? They do n't look at possibilities of building another one . Building another airfield is something that should have been considered the first day . You can take a road and create another airfield . We have a capability to airdrop teams in with equipment to create airfields . USAID said airdrops are unsafe , and it 's disorderly to do airdrops . They were concerned that some would get food and others would n't . They started to drop five days after event -- the first drop of MREs -LRB- meals ready to eat -RRB- . CNN : So why did the U.S. wait before starting to drop supplies ? Honoré : If you do n't have enough trucks , the optimal system is to use helicopters . But we do n't have enough on the ground to get the job done . Ospreys , Marine planes , we have not seen them in use . There are some in Afghanistan , but not many there . They fly like a plane , land like a helicopter and can also carry a lot of cargo . They can lift things and set them down . We spent 20 years developing that aircraft . We do n't have enough helicopters -- between the Coast Guard and the military , there are 60 helicopters in use now . Four days after Katrina , there were 200 helicopters flying in . I do n't know if the flow of supplies can keep up with demand , unless we evacuate the injured , elderly , pregnant women , babies , and the disabled . Hospitals will be overflowing with people who have injuries , there will be infections that will need treatment . It is wishful thinking to add more hospitals . We need to think how these airplanes can leave with patients to the U.S. and other countries to be distributed to hospitals to stabilize them . I am hoping that the State Department and the White House will start pushing for a U.N. resolution to start an evacuation plan for Haiti . It will need billions of dollars to sustain its people and to start its recovery . CNN : How did the Israelis immediately set up a working hospital ? Honoré : Our military is fully deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan . The president did n't sign mobilization of reserves until Sunday . We are making right decisions , but making them too slowly to have an immediate impact on the ground . We decided -LSB- Tuesday -RSB- to open another airfield , they should have done that days ago . CNN : You led the Joint Task Force for Hurricane Katrina . Can you draw some parallels between Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti ? Honoré : In my book , `` Survival , '' there 's a chapter that talks about dealing with the poor . I think sometimes we talk security , because as a culture , we are afraid of poor people in large groups . In Haiti , right after the earthquake , there were doctors who left . One said , `` We do n't have any security so we left . '' That , in and of itself , is indicative of my Katrina experience . People start talking security . And the slower we go , the more there 's the possibility of that happening . We have to work on establishing the community government officials in Haiti so they can start communicating with their people . We have to get food and water there to local government officials to distribute it . The local government officials should be authorized to hire young men . The local economy will crank up if we pay people in Haiti to do the cleanup and to run the distribution centers . There 's no need to send Americans there to distribute food and water when you have able-bodied people there who can do that . CNN : What are the top five points to keep in mind in the aftermath of natural disaster ? Honoré : 1 -RRB- Improve communications . 2 -RRB- Get food and water in . 3 -RRB- Take care of the health and needs of people . 4 -RRB- Evacuate people , particularly those who are pregnant , disabled , injured , babies , those who can not take care of themselves . 5 -RRB- Establish who 's in charge . The president of Haiti -LSB- Rene Preval -RSB- is in charge . It 's different when the president and his government are victims . They are going to need help . Someone needs to be the face of the operation to help the president keep people alive . You must have communication to establish a way of giving information to the people in their communities . You have to be your own first responder in a disaster like Haiti , and the Haitian people did that . These situations have a tendency to get worse before getting better unless you start evacuating vulnerable people . Also , you have to take a risk -LSB- about security -RSB- during the search-and-rescue phase . In that phase of the operation , search-and-rescue takes priority over security . | Gen. Russel Honoré says Haitians should be paid to clean up , do distribution . Says our culture is afraid of poor people in large groups so we focus on security . Honoré says supplies ca n't meet demand ; U.N. should start an evacuation plan for Haiti . General : They should have started to build second airfield the first day . | [[4844, 4878], [4881, 4901], [4904, 4950], [5146, 5177], [4072, 4129], [2400, 2487], [2426, 2487], [2488, 2491], [2512, 2537]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three people died Thursday when a medical helicopter crashed in western Tennessee , the Federal Aviation Administration said . The helicopter had dropped off a patient in Jackson , Tennessee , and was returning to Brownsville , Tennessee , about 30 miles west of Jackson , when the crash was reported , said FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford . Tennessee Emergency Management Agency spokesman Jeremy Heidt said the crash occurred shortly after 6 a.m. Three people were initially reported to be on board the helicopter , Lunsford said . All three were believed to be fatalities , as the aircraft -- a Eurocopter AS350 -- was burned , he said . Investigators were en route to the scene of the crash , a field near Brownsville , Lunsford said . CNN affiliate WMC-TV said the helicopter was operated by Hospital Wing . The organization identifies itself on its Web site as the Memphis Medical Center 's air ambulance service . Hospital Wing said in a statement , reported by WMC-TV , that the crash occurred just east of Brownsville , and that three crew members and no patients were on board . The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating , the statement said . `` Nothing like this has ever happened in our history , '' Allen Burnette , Hospital Wing 's director and chief operating officer , said in the statement . `` A weather report said there were thunderstorms in the area , but that they had passed , Lunsford said . `` The big weather system moving through had stopped a few moments before . '' Officials believe the helicopter was operating under a visual flight rules plan and not communicating with air traffic controllers , he said . Visual Flight Rules , or VFR , mean a flight is conducted under visual conditions . `` There are operating guidelines in any aviation operation , but ultimately the pilot is responsible for -LRB- the -RRB- safety of -LRB- the -RRB- aircraft and deciding whether to go forward or not , '' Lunsford said . Hospital Wing was founded in 1985 , the group 's statement said , and is a nonprofit air medical transport service with direct alliances with the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare , Baptist Memorial Hospital , The MED , St. Francis Hospital in Memphis and Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis , Arkansas . CNN 's Carolina Sanchez contributed to this report . | Helicopter dropped off a patient in Jackson , Tennessee , and was returning to Brownsville . Three crew members , no patients were on board . Officials think copter was using visual flight rules , not communicating controllers . | [[146, 197], [146, 160], [210, 256], [1052, 1102], [1539, 1669], [1682, 1710], [1713, 1765]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of people were evacuated Sunday amid flood concerns after a long-dormant volcano erupted beneath a glacier in south Iceland . It was the first time since 1821 that the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier has erupted . More than 600 people were evacuated as scientists monitored a fissure in the volcano from which lava was erupting . The fissure measured about 1,640 to 3,281 feet -LRB- 500 to 1,000 meters -RRB- . Despite the remote location of the eruption , if the fissure `` develops further towards the glacier , the melting floodwater ... will create dangerous floods in a populated area in south Iceland , '' said Gudrun Johannesdottir , a project manager for Iceland 's Joint Rescue and Coordination Center . The country 's civil protection agency did not immediately record any injuries or damage . Eyjafjallajokull is about 100 miles -LRB- 160 kilometers -RRB- east of the capital , Reykjavik . | NEW : Scientists concerned eruption could melt part of glacier , flood populated areas . First time since 1821 that the volcano under Eyjafjallajokull glacier has erupted . Eyjafjallajokull is about 100 miles east of Reykjavik . | [[0, 15], [19, 108], [551, 645], [86, 153], [154, 252], [192, 252], [843, 925]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 15-year-old schoolboy is planning to make history as the youngest person to ski to the North Pole . Parker Liautaud , who attends the prestigious Eton College in southern England , will begin his two-week odyssey on March 31 . Led by experienced adventurer Doug Stoup , Parker hopes to raise awareness among young people about environment issues . `` The idea is to inspire , inform and engage young people on the issue of climate change and bring to light what 's been happening in the arctic region in particular , '' Liautaud , who was born in California , told CNN . `` The best way to do this is to show what is happening right now through direct and live coverage . '' `` The Arctic ocean is in a state of emergency , '' Stoup said on his Web site , www.iceaxe.tv . `` Scientists are reporting this Arctic Season to be been one of the warmest in recorded history . `` As a veteran polar adventurer , I have seen huge differences in the state of the Arctic Ocean over the last decade . I have witnessed less multi-year ice . '' Parker 's expedition will include a large social media component , with Parker rallying young people around the world to become catalysts for change . Twice a day , he will update his location on Facebook via Google Earth . This will show the progress being made , as well as possible ice shifts that occur throughout the day . Parker 's Facebook followers can join the expedition by following his progress and approximating when he will arrive at the summit . | Parker Liautaud hopes to become the youngest person to ski to the North Pole . Liautaud hopes to raise awareness about environment among young people . The 15-year old will be led by experienced adventurer and environmentalist Doug Stoup . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [46, 137], [386, 494], [265, 305]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There are `` compelling reasons '' to believe the Israeli government was responsible for forging British passports used in a plot to kill a Hamas leader in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year , British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Tuesday . `` Such misuse of British passports is intolerable , '' Miliband said , adding that the fact that Israel was an ally of the United Kingdom `` only adds insult to injury . '' The passports were `` copied from genuine British passports '' in a `` highly sophisticated operation , '' indicating a government was behind it , Miliband told the House of Commons . Britain 's Serious Organised Crime Agency concluded that the 12 British people whose passports were cloned where `` wholly innocent victims of identity theft , '' the foreign secretary said . The UK expelled an Israeli diplomat and changed the advice it gives its citizens about traveling to Israel as a result of the scandal , Miliband said . He did not name the diplomat or say what rank the envoy held . `` The UK had absolutely no advance knowledge of what happened in Dubai nor any involvement whatsoever in the killing '' of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh , he said . Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman complained that the Israelis `` have not been given any evidence pointing to Israel 's involvement in the affair . '' `` We attribute great importance to our relations with Great Britain , '' he said . `` We maintain several different and sensitive dialogues with the UK , and we regret the British decision . '' French authorities also have opened an investigation into the alleged use of forged documents , the Paris prosecutor 's office said Tuesday . Suspects in the killing allegedly used four doctored French passports , the prosecutor said in a written statement . `` Further investigation has revealed that these four passports were actually false as the photos did not correspond to the names appearing in each document , '' the statement said . Al-Mabhouh , a founding member of Hamas ' military wing , was found dead January 20 in his Dubai hotel room . Police believe he was killed the night before , allegedly by the secretive Israeli foreign intelligence unit Mossad . Two sources told CNN earlier this month that the number of identified suspects in al-Mabhouh 's death was up to 27 . Of them , 26 were carrying European or Australian passports , authorities have said . The sources -- an official familiar with the investigation and a police source -- did not say which nation issued the passport used by the 27th suspect . The 27 suspects are believed to have acquired false passports to travel to Dubai for the killing , then scattered to several far-flung locations afterward . But Lt. Gen. Dahi Khalfan Tamim , Dubai police chief , has said not all the suspects had fraudulent passports -- `` We know some of the names are real . '' Interpol , the international police agency , has issued `` red notices '' to help search for the suspects . The notices are not international arrest warrants , but are a way of alerting police forces around the world that the suspects are wanted by United Arab Emirates authorities . Interpol expands search for suspects . Interpol Secretary-General Ronald K. Noble said investigators have established `` clear '' links through passport records , video surveillance , DNA analysis , witness interviews and hotel , credit card , phone and transport records , according to a statement . Police have said toxicology results show al-Mabhouh was injected with succinylcholine , a drug used to relax muscles during surgery or as an anesthetic , before he was suffocated . Signs indicated that al-Mabhouh resisted as he was being suffocated , police said . Al-Mabhouh 's family members were told earlier that police had found blood on a pillow . Authorities have also said the killers left some of al-Mabhouh 's medication next to him in an apparent effort to make the death appear natural . But `` the medication left next to him in the room has nothing to do with the killing , '' Tamim has said . Tamim told CNN last month that he is `` 100 percent sure '' Mossad was responsible . `` The Mossad needs to be ashamed of its actions , '' he said . `` They sent 26 , 27 persons to assassinate one man who was involved in the capturing and killing of two Israeli soldiers . '' Dubai police : Mossad should be ` ashamed ' Hamas has said al-Mabhouh was behind the 1989 deaths of the Israeli soldiers . Israel has a stated policy on security matters of neither confirming nor denying involvement . Lieberman , however , told Israel Army Radio earlier this month , `` There is certainly no reason to think that the Mossad and not some other intelligence agency of another country operated there . '' The total of 27 suspects does not include two Palestinians arrested in Jordan and returned to Dubai . Tamim said one is not believed to be directly involved in al-Mabhouh 's death , but `` he is wanted by one of the Palestinian factions in the Palestinian territories and he is sentenced to death and that 's why we will extradite him . '' He declined to discuss anything about the other Palestinian . CNN 's Guy Azriel in Jerusalem and Niki Cook in Paris , France , contributed to this report . | Miliband : Passports copied in a `` highly sophisticated operation '' British government source said an Israeli official had been expelled from UK . Mahmoud al-Mabhouh , founding member of Hamas ' military wing , found dead Jan. 20 in Dubai . Dubai Police believe he was killed by secretive Israeli foreign intelligence unit Mossad . | [[467, 568], [1711, 1780], [843, 878], [2011, 2021], [2026, 2066], [2011, 2021], [2062, 2120], [2121, 2229]] |
OAKLAND , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fifth-grader Christopher Rodriguez sat down Thursday at his piano for his weekly lesson , arched his fingers over the keys and began to play . 10-year-old Christopher Rodriguez was hit by a stray bullet , paralyzing him for life , doctors say . Across the street from Harmony Road Music School in north Oakland , California , Jared Adams , 24 , allegedly raised his gun at a Chevron gas station attendant during a holdup and fired . A bullet ripped through the walls of Christopher 's classroom striking him in his side , piercing his kidney and spleen and lodging in his spine . The bullet barely missed the 10-year-old 's heart . He will likely be paralyzed for life from the waist down , doctors say . `` This is probably the worst thing that 's ever happened to me in my life . I love my son greatly , '' the boy 's father , Richard Rodriguez , said Friday at a news conference . Watch Christopher 's dad describe the ordeal '' Christopher loved music . He had recently taken up African drumming , spent hours listening to classical music and played basketball . `` I feel like half his life was taken from him ; his inability , probably , to walk -- ever , '' Rodriguez said , his voice breaking . Christopher 's mother , Jennifer Rodriguez , had been waiting outside in her SUV for her son 's lesson to end . She not only heard the shots but came close to being hit herself . At least two bullets from Adams ' gun struck her vehicle , police said . On the phone and distracted , she at first dismissed the noises as someone throwing rocks at her SUV . But when she realized it was gunfire , she dashed into her son 's class . Christopher was on the floor , his classmates and instructor hovering over him . `` I ca n't feel my legs ! I ca n't feel my legs ! '' Christopher cried . As emergency workers rushed the boy to the hospital , police were chasing Adams , who was speeding away . Adams rammed his vehicle into a car carrying a woman and her two children and then slammed into a parked car , police said . The woman and children escaped without injury , according to authorities . Adams was charged Monday with attempted murder , robbery , evading a police officer , driving recklessly and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm , Oakland Police Department spokesman Roland Holmgren told CNN . He 's being held without bail , according to Holmgren . CNN was not immediately able to determine whether he had a lawyer . Authorities found a ski mask , loaded gun and cash at the scene . Adams has prior convictions for driving under the influence and gun possession , records show . He pleaded no contest to felony evading arrest in 2006 for fleeing an Emeryville police officer and had run from or physically resisted a California Highway Patrol officer and police in Albany and Berkeley , the San Francisco Chronicle reported . Adams once complained in court that young people raised in the city like himself never got opportunities , the paper also reported . Adams has been told about Christopher , said Holmgren . `` It does n't matter whether it 's your first day on the street as an officer or a veteran , to see a child doing something as innocent as taking a piano lesson and have this happen to him , it affects your soul , '' said Holmgren . Meanwhile , doctors delivered tragic news about Christopher 's future . `` He 's going to face years of rehabilitation , '' said Dr. James Betts , chief of surgery at Children 's Hospital Oakland . `` We are all hoping there will be some degree of recovery . We feel like the injury is permanent , and the paralysis is permanent . '' -LSB- It will be -RSB- a challenging life for this young boy . '' Christopher 's friends and fellow music lovers plan to help him . Harmony Road Music School will hold a benefit concert for the Rodriguez family February 10 at 2 p.m. at Chapel of the Chimes , a place of worship near the school . `` The family is going to have to , essentially , make a home for a disabled child now , '' said school owner Jim Callahan . `` They 'll have to change the stairs in their home , make all sorts of expensive adjustments . '' Callahan met with instructors at Harmony Road Monday . They are talking about the incident with the students old enough to understand what happened . Classes have not stopped . `` Music has a healing quality all its own , '' said Callahan . `` We will not be terrorized by this . '' E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Dan Simon and Ashley Fantz contributed to this report . | Christopher Rodriguez , 10 , was hit by a bullet during his piano lesson last week . Police : Suspect allegedly robbing a gas station near music school . The boy , who loves classical music , will likely be paralyzed for life , his doctors say . Rodriguez 's father : `` I feel like half his life was taken from him '' | [[183, 242], [183, 216], [245, 268], [285, 350], [385, 460], [183, 216], [245, 268], [271, 284], [672, 723], [731, 744], [3308, 3317], [3320, 3379], [1107, 1154]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jeff Kohnstamm had a bit of an unusual childhood . He grew up in a virtual museum . Even now when he wanders around the lobby at Oregon 's iconic Timberline Lodge , Kohnstamm , 47 , sometimes flashes back to being a kid on a tricycle , winding his way around original furniture designed by Depression-era artisans . For Kohnstamm , whose family has operated the federally owned property for a half century , the Mount Hood ski lodge has become a living scrapbook of his life . From birth until college he divided his days between school in neighboring Portland and Timberline -- with its rustic stone masonry , massive wooden beams , paintings , wood marquetry , custom wrought iron accoutrements and linoleum murals . `` There are museum aspects of this place , and I suppose the government could say , ` let 's make it into a museum and have ropes and glass and charge admission , ' but we 'd rather it be a ski lodge than a museum . '' Since its birth in the late 1930s as a New Deal project to create hundreds of jobs for Portland workers , craftsmen and artisans , Timberline has dug out its own place in American culture . But it also bills itself as America 's only year-round ski area . ` Heeeeere 's Johnny ! ' And , if the photos strike you as familiar , it may be because Timberline has built a respectable resume as a location for films such as `` Bend of the River , '' starring Jimmy Stewart , `` All the Young Men , '' starring Sydney Poitier and the horror classic `` The Shining '' with Jack Nicholson . In a way , you could say the Timberline played the starring role in that 1980 film . The lodge stood as the haunted Overlook Hotel , but only in exterior shots . All interior scenes were shot elsewhere , said Kohnstamm , who helped the film crew during the shoot . `` I did some work outside for the crew 's helicopter shots , '' he said . `` We 'd have to make sure that the place looked desolate and that no one was around . I remember hiding in the trees so they could get the shots . '' Growing up at the lodge for Kohnstamm meant making fast friends with children of guests who vacationed there every year . It was the place where he enjoyed his first legal beer on his 21st birthday -- in the lodge 's Ram 's Head Bar with its breathtaking view of the Cascade Mountains . The site for hundreds of guests ' weddings over the years , Timberline was where Kohnstamm 's own younger brother chose to tie the knot . It was where his late father announced the Christmas Eve arrival of Santa and a pair of authentic reindeer for guests ' wide-eyed children . `` I still kinda think it was really Santa Claus , '' he laughs . `` Why not ? '' Night skiing . But as one might expect , so much about growing up at Timberline revolved around skiing . Kohnstamm learned to ski at age 3 . Later , he says , to get them away from the TV , `` my mom would make us go out and ski for at least an hour before we could watch football . '' `` At one point during adolescence we convinced Dad that it would be a good idea to ski all night long on New Year 's , '' he said . `` It got kind of crazy for a while there . We had all these people skiing and sleeping and whatever all over the place . '' Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places , Timberline came uncomfortably close to being destroyed before Kohnstamm 's father began operating it in 1955 . Four previous operators had n't had much success running the lodge , and in 1953 , the U.S. Forest Service thought of Timberline as more of a headache than anything else , Kohnstamm said . Options at the time included either burning it or dismantling it until Kohnstamm 's father , R.L. Kohnstamm , entered the picture . The family 's permit to operate Timberline expires in 2038 . ` You 've really got something big here ' Local snowboarding entrepreneur John Ingersoll remembers R.L. Kohnstamm , who passed away in 2006 , as a visionary . Ingersoll founded High Cascade Snowboard Camp in 1989 , when most U.S. ski areas were shunning the relatively new sport . `` It was one of those memories that you 'll never forget , '' Ingersoll said , remembering a day on a snowfield in the early 90s . `` R.L. stopped me and he looked me in the eye and made sure that I got it . He said snowboarding was going to be really big . ` You 've really got something here , John , ' he told me . '' Today , Ingersoll says Mount Hood 's snowboarding camps gross millions of dollars each year . Last summer High Cascade 's 22-foot halfpipe hosted several U.S. Olympic team members , including 2010 gold medallist Shaun White . Although White stayed at Timberline during his visit last summer , many guests come with no intention of boarding or skiing or hiking , said Sarah Munro , author of `` Timberline Lodge : The History , Art , and Craft of an American Icon . '' `` The artwork has made Timberline its own destination apart from the mountain , '' she said . `` It retains the feel of the 1930s -- that early period of auto-recreation and being in hotels with big lobbies when all the guests came together at dinner . It 's sort of a living museum . '' Strolling around the lodge offers guests one surprise after another : wooden stair post newels carved in the shape of bears , owls and other animals ; wrought iron fireplace andirons forged from train rails ; lamps , iron-fashioned door handles and specially designed seat cushions . The main lounge is dominated by an amazing three-story stone chimney with six fireplaces . `` Much of the building 's massive beams are held together with unique joints and big wooden pins that lock the things together , '' said Gary Larsen , the U.S. Forest Service administrator . `` I 've always enjoyed that and the interaction between the black wrought iron and the natural wood . '' Old stimulus , new stimulus . Ironically , the New Deal project which cost about $ 1 million in 1937 is benefiting from $ 4.25 million in 2009 federal stimulus . Adjusted for inflation , $ 1 million in 1937 equals more than $ 15 million now , according to federal calculations . $ 4.25 million now , equals about $ 282,000 in 1937 . The new stimulus funds are earmarked for painting , replacement of a water main and improvements for disabled guests , Kohnstamm said . It 's unclear how many jobs will be created by the stimulus funds , but Kohnstamm guesses about a hundred jobs and ten different projects . `` The building is old and it faces huge environmental pressures being at that elevation in that kind of weather , '' said Jeff Jaqua , Timberline 's newly retired archeologist with the U.S. Forest Service . `` Things like electrical wiring , plumbing , water lines , sewer lines -- unseen components of the lodge -- really need a lot of attention , ' Jaqua said . `` The Forest Service is trying to address that . '' Jaqua , Larsen , Munro , Ingersoll and Kohnstamm have written about their love for the hotel in an upcoming book `` Timberline Lodge : A Love Story -- Diamond Jubilee Edition , '' due out this fall . It was n't until Jaqua began caring for Timberline 's treasures 20 years ago that he really began to understand the bond that many guests form during their visits . `` Everybody owns it , '' he said . `` That was the big surprise to me . I did n't expect the general public to be so in love with it . '' | Oregon 's Timberline ski lodge , setting for `` The Shining , '' showcases Depression-era art . Jeff Kohnstamm describes growing up among paintings , carvings , amazing architecture . Mount Hood embraced snowboarding early ; Shaun White , Hannah Teter train there . U.S. built it for $ 1 million in 1930s ; it 's getting $ 4.25 million in '09 stimulus funds . | [[5849, 5869], [5876, 5906], [5836, 5846], [5849, 5869], [5907, 5967], [5968, 5990], [5993, 6012], [6049, 6084]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rescue workers pulled a woman out of rubble near Haiti 's national cathedral Tuesday , a week after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck . The rescue crews believe two other people may be alive under wreckage nearby , in part because of a text message the crews believe was sent from under the rubble , a CNN crew reported . Men carried the woman , Ena Zizi , who is in her 70s , from the rubble on a wooden board as she grasped its edges . They took her to a nearby clinic , although it does n't have the operating facilities needed to treat her , the CNN crew reported . Zizi 's right femur was fractured and she was in shock , the crew reported . iReport : Search list of the missing and the found . Her son , Maxime Janvier , told CNN that he never gave up hope that she 'd be found . `` We were praying a lot for that to happen , '' he said . U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday that about 90 victims have been saved by 43 international rescue teams , made up of some 1,700 people , in the days after the quake . Full coverage l Twitter updates . The earthquake struck the afternoon of January 12 . Its epicenter was just south of Port-au-Prince . | Ena Zizi , in her 70s , lasted seven days in rubble near national cathedral . Zizi taken to clinic , though it does n't have the operating facilities needed to treat her . Woman 's son : We never gave up hope that she 'd be found . Rescue crews believe two other people may be alive under wreckage nearby . | [[376, 379], [388, 396], [403, 416], [524, 585], [742, 749], [769, 827], [178, 290]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Schalke moved to within a point of German Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen after winning 2-0 away to fellow title hopefuls Werder Bremen on Saturday night . Kevin Kuranyi and Jan Moravek scored in the second half to put Schalke a point above third-placed Bayern Munich , who earlier crushed lowly Bochum 5-1 to cap a memorable week . Former Germany striker Kuranyi put Schalke ahead two minutes after halftime and midfielder Moravek ensured Bremen 's first league defeat since the opening day of the season with his 72nd-minute goal . Bremen could also have closed to within a point of Leverkusen , who were held 2-2 at bottom club Hertha Berlin on Friday night , but ended the night two points adrift of Bayern . Louis Van Gaal 's Bayern , runners-up to Wolfsburg last season , briefly reached their highest league position since he took over as coach in the summer as Mario Gomez continued his recent scoring run with the opening goal at Bochum and strike partner Ivica Olic netted twice . Bayern , who crushed Italian giants Juventus 4-1 in midweek to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League , moved to within two points of leaders Bayer Leverkusen , . Olic set up Gomez 's 23rd-minute header for the opening goal , and Mergim Mavraj put through his own net 10 minutes later as the Germany international tried to repay the favor to the Croatian . Olic got on the scoresheet two minutes before halftime from Bastian Schweinsteiger 's cross and made it 4-0 four minutes after the break with a header from Holger Badstuber 's delivery . Danijel Pranjic extended the lead five minutes later after fullback Phillip Lahm surged into the box and squared the ball to him , while Christian Fuchs scored a consolation free-kick for Bochum in the 76th minute . Fifth-placed Hamburg joined Bremen on 28 points , winning 4-0 at Nuremberg to end a run of seven games without a win . All the goals came in the second half as Eljero Elia 's 47th-minute strike opened the floodgates , and he helped set up Marcell Jansen for the second on the hour mark . Tunay Torun made it 3-0 six minutes later with a fierce rising effort after cutting in from the left , and Elia wrapped it up on 74 from Jansen 's pass . Sixth-placed Hoffenheim failed to keep pace with the teams above them , drawing 1-1 at home to Eintracht Frankfurt , and have now won just once in five league outings . Sejad Salihovic opened the scoring for the hosts in the ninth minute with a penalty after Selim Teber fouled Vedad Ibisevic , but Pirmin Schwegler equalized for Frankfurt on 61 when his long-range effort hit Luis Gustavo and ballooned over goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand and into the net . Borussia Moenchengladbach triumphed 5-3 at home to Hannover , who conceded three own-goals and had a player sent off in an incredible mid-table clash . Defender Karim Haggui twice put into his own net -- the first an lucky rebound from goalkeeper Florian Fromlowitz 's attempted clearance in the 15th minute to open the scoring , and he also contributed the game 's eighth goal with his second faux-pas . Constant Djakpa also conceded at the wrong end to give the hosts a 3-1 lead in the 59th minute , while Hannover 's Didier Ya Konen scored in each half before being dismissed for his second yellow card on 84 . Cologne edged away from the relegation zone with a 0-0 draw at Freiburg as Germany international striker Lukas Podolski -- who has not scored in the Bundesliga since September 13 -- hit the woodwork twice for the visitors . | Schalke move to within a point of German Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen . Kevin Kuranyi and Jan Moravek score in second half of 2-0 win at Werder Bremen . Fourth-placed Bremen suffer first league defeat since the opening day of the season . Bayern Munich claim third place , two points behind Leverkusen , after crushing Bochum 5-1 . | [[19, 79], [97, 135], [179, 290], [356, 454], [423, 556], [423, 556], [264, 290], [305, 355], [1014, 1020], [1135, 1172]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The annals of late-night television talk shows are full of failure . George Lopez says he believes late-night talk is ready for more diversity . Joey Bishop , Dick Cavett and Pat Sajak all tried to challenge the legendary Johnny Carson 's supremacy ; all fell short . Joan Rivers lasted less than eight months as host of a Fox show ; Chevy Chase lasted less than eight weeks on his Fox entry . Even in recent years , when late-night shows are all over cable , few make a dent in the ratings or in the public consciousness . So does comedian and former sitcom star George Lopez believe he can overcome those challenges and put on a talk show people will talk about ? To paraphrase a slogan Lopez heard plenty last year , when he traveled the campaign trail as one of Barack Obama 's supporters : yes ... he ... does . `` I believe that that audience is more diverse , less represented than it 's ever been , '' he said in a phone interview , noting that -- though it 's been 20 years since the African-American performer Arsenio Hall launched his late-night show -- late night remains the preserve of generally white male comedians . `` It 's not even about black and white anymore , because so many people are from mixed backgrounds and mixed ethnicities , and it 's just a great time to be able to pull all that together . '' Lopez , whose show will air on TBS beginning in November , is no stranger to talk shows . He was on Johnny Carson 's `` Tonight '' show , and he admires David Letterman and Bill Maher , among others . But he thinks a Lopez show will bring some fresh energy to late night . -LRB- TBS , like CNN , is a unit of Time Warner . -RRB- . The comedian says he already has big plans to make his show distinctive , from its more open setting to Lopez 's determination to make the audience a key part of the show . He talked about some of his hopes with CNN last week . The following is an edited version of that interview : . CNN : So I see you 're doing a late-night talk show . George Lopez : Yes , brother . Change has come to the White House , change has come to late night ! CNN : How did this come about ? Lopez : Well ... when I was doing `` The George Lopez Show '' -- probably into like the 30th episode , -LSB- and -RSB- we ended up doing 120 shows , -LSB- a production company executive -RSB- said , `` Hey , would you consider a talk show ? '' And I 'm like , `` Dude , I got a gig . '' He said , `` It 's not going to last forever . When it 's over ... -LSB- So -RSB- let me put this bug in your ear , five years early . '' I kinda never considered it , although ... I 've been on every show . And what 's appealing to me now ... is that I believe that that audience is more diverse , less represented than it 's ever been . ... I can take a little more liberties than if this show were on network TV , where everybody 's afraid to say something wrong because you might piss off an advertiser . -LSB- And -RSB- I believe the fact that a Mexican-American guy hosting his own late-night talk show is appealing to advertisers . I look at that as a positive . Look , Anderson Cooper is at the Mexican border -- I wish my show were on tonight so I could talk about it . CNN : Does it intimidate you getting a late-night talk show ? Lord knows there have been a zillion late-night talk shows , and many of them end up in TV graveyards . Lopez : I think it goes case by case , Todd . I mean , Chevy Chase probably was n't the right person for that format ... I think the visibility of my -LSB- sitcom -RSB- and the success and popularity of my standup , and being a little edgier and a little different and not milquetoast by any means and not Anglo white male , and being unafraid and seeing the change -LSB- will help -RSB- . ... I think it helped me to campaign with Barack Obama for a year . ... I know what 's out there , and I know that that audience is not served , and cable TV is a great place to attract those people . CNN : The press release mentions a `` street-party atmosphere . '' Have you had a chance to work through that a little bit and decide what that means ? Lopez : Absolutely . We shot a production pilot ... -LSB- and -RSB- what we did was we created an amphitheater outside at Warner Bros. , right where they shoot `` ER '' where the ambulance entrance is . We built a set there , and I used Shakira 's band led by -LSB- her musical director -RSB- Tim Mitchell . ... We did n't use seats , we used kind of an amphitheater feel , and since we shot it out on the street , it did have a different feel . ... With a younger audience and the music , -LSB- it -RSB- made it more exciting and a little different with me as host than I think than what 's on late night now . CNN : You mentioned having Shakira 's band . Is that going to be a regular feature ? Is there going to be a sidekick ? Lopez : I 'm not going to do a sidekick , but I 'll use audience members , so I 'll have potentially 360 sidekicks if I see somebody who 's really interesting . One of the aspects we used in the pilot was having audience members actually ask questions from their seat -- not from a preset microphone , but from their seat . ... That 's a part of it that I think is different and fun , and I do n't want there to feel like you 're at a movie , where you 're just watching a show . I want you to feel like you can potentially be part of it . Like I told somebody before , if you go to a flea market or a swap meet , you 'll find anything you want , but if you go to a store that 's a high-end department store , you 're only going to find what they have . So being a poor guy growing up , and getting stuff from thrift shops growing up , I 'd like to think that this will be the flea market of late-night talk shows , that you can probably find anything there . | George Lopez beginning late-night talk show in November . Comedian believes it 's time for more diversity in late-night concept . Lopez was star of `` George Lopez Show , '' active in Barack Obama 's campaign . He says he 's not using a sidekick , but will look more toward audience interaction . | [[1346, 1351], [1381, 1402], [1971, 2015], [88, 163], [106, 163], [744, 811], [2170, 2209], [1781, 1849], [4862, 4893], [5015, 5033], [5055, 5082]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police are seeking a pair of suspects in a Sunday church service shooting in Richmond , California , that left two teenagers injured , though authorities are still looking for a motive in what they say was a targeted operation . Police believe they have identified at least two of the three hooded men who entered New Gethsemane Church of God in Christ about 12:30 p.m. Sunday . Amid a congregation of about 100 , one of them opened fire . `` We 're hoping we can make an arrest sometime in the near future , '' Richmond police spokeswoman Sgt. Bisa French told CNN . Police are withholding the suspects ' names . French said they 're in their late teens or early 20s and live in Richmond , about 12 miles north of Oakland . Church officials say the two congregants injured on Sunday , age 14 and 19 , are brothers . `` We 're not sure if those two victims were targeted , but someone definitely in that general area where the victims were was targeted , '' French said . The victims are expected to make full recoveries , police said . Officials at the church said they are determined to continue operating as normal . Hours after the shooting , a Sunday Bible study was held as planned , with about 15 people attending . `` I 'm sure there 's some fear and shock , but we 're not running , '' said Ezekiel Wallace , the church deacon . `` We are going to be doing what we always do : Pray and have church . '' `` We 're not scared , but we 're sort of mystified because this is God 's church , '' said Earl Young , a church member since 1967 . `` We refuse to let the devil make us run and hide because that 's probably what they want us to do . '' CNN 's Dan Gilgoff and Nick Valencia contributed to this report . | Police think they identified two of three gunmen who opened fire at Richmond , California church . Two teens shot at New Gethsemane Church of God in Christ . They are expected to make full recoveries . Police have no motive for the church attack . | [[19, 104], [248, 320], [19, 104], [96, 104], [125, 151], [991, 1039]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The fashion brand created by Alexander McQueen is to survive despite the designer 's suicide last week , the label 's majority stakeholder Gucci Group has confirmed . `` I believe strongly in the Alexander McQueen brand and its future , '' Gucci Group CEO Robert Polet said in a statement carried on the Web site of Gucci parent PPR . The future of McQueen 's 11-store , 180 employee fashion house had been uncertain following the 40-year-old 's death , with industry experts speculating it was not successful enough to endure without its figurehead . PPR on Thursday revealed a company-wide net profit rise of 6.9 percent to $ 984.6 million -LRB- $ 1,328 million -RRB- but a 4 percent revenue fall to $ 16.52 billion . It did not break down figures to reveal McQueen 's turnover , but reports speculate the brand is running at a loss despite heavy celebrity endorsements . The Times of London reported on Thursday that the label had struggled to make a profit and analysis of recent accounts showed it had liabilities of more than # 32 million -LRB- $ 49 million -RRB- . PPR boss Francois-Henri Pinault said in a statement : `` Lee Alexander -LSB- McQueen -RSB- was a pure genius and a poet who was imaginative and original . His art went beyond the fashion world . The Alexander McQueen trademark will live on . This is the best tribute that we could offer to Lee . '' McQueen 's death last week shocked the world of fashion , with many in the industry paying tribute to a man they described as a unique talent capable of becoming a major name . A coroner on Wednesday said McQueen hanged himself in his wardrobe and left a suicide note . McQueen , who had dressed stars from Sarah Jessica Parker and Nicole Kidman to Rihanna and Sandra Bullock , killed himself nine days after the death of his mother . He expressed his devastation at her death on his Twitter account days before he died . McQueen was born in 1970 in London 's East End , the son of a taxi driver and trained in London 's Savile Row , going on to study fashion at college before making his name with his own extravagant designs . French luxury brand Gucci Group acquired a 51 percent stake in McQueen in 2001 . | Gucci Group says McQueen label to survive despite his death . Alexander McQueen , 40 , found dead at London home last week . Reports say McQueen 's label has struggled to make profits . | [[9, 32], [83, 138], [139, 202], [1303, 1349], [1407, 1462], [822, 909], [910, 1035]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Higher temperatures are bringing some relief to the Southeast and should remain in place despite stormy weather expected for the coming weekend , weather forecasters said Tuesday . After the stretch of unusually cold weather that gripped the region , severe storms will affect the Gulf Coast of Louisiana , Mississippi , Alabama and most of Florida on Friday evening and Saturday , the National Weather Service said . Cold Arctic air will remain to the north . In Atlanta , Georgia -- where ice from a snowfall last week remains on the ground in some places and weekend temperatures did n't climb out of the 20s -- forecasters predicted a daytime high of 37 degrees Tuesday after a high of 44 on Monday . A gradual warming is predicted through Friday , when the high could reach 58 . But overnight lows are n't expected to edge above freezing until Friday night . Several Florida cities have had early morning record lows in the past two days , the weather service said . `` Temperatures over the weekend and early Monday morning plunged to levels not seen in 20 years over south Florida in the wake of the arctic cold front which blasted through the region early Saturday , '' it said . `` Temperatures remained at or below 50 degrees for more than 48 consecutive hours , finally rising above 50 during the late morning to midday hours Monday . Although no records are kept of consecutive number of hours at or below 50 degrees , it is likely that this streak is among the longest on record . '' Key West , which has weather records dating to 1873 , recorded its second-lowest temperature of 42 degrees Monday at 4:55 a.m. Its record low was 41 degrees , set January 13 , 1981 , and January 12 , 1886 . In northern Florida , Tuesday 's high was expected to reach 54 degrees in the state capital , Tallahassee , and temperatures were forecast to increase during the week . Early morning readings Wednesday will be in the high 20s , the weather service said . That is far better than the low of 16 degrees in the city early Monday . The cold weather has damaged Florida 's citrus crops , which ca n't tolerate prolonged temperatures of 28 degrees or below . Florida produces three-quarters of the United States ' orange crop . Some groves in the northern part of the growing area suffered substantial frost damage Saturday night and Sunday morning , Andrew Meadows , spokesman for Florida Citrus Mutual , said Monday . It will take about five weeks to quantify the losses , he said . But the frigid air was welcome to peach growers in central Texas . According to Jamey Vogel , who owns Vogel Orchard in Stonewall , Texas , just east of Fredericksburg , `` Peach trees need chilling hours , which are hours below 45 degrees , and we have been getting a lot of those this year . '' `` We absolutely welcome it , '' he told CNN affiliate KXAN in Austin . He said he has 9,500 peach trees in his 90-acre family orchard . The trees , which are dormant this time of year , need cold , wet weather to produce a crop . Share your cold weather stories , photos . On the West Coast , a storm was rolling into the area between Seattle and San Francisco , with the brunt heading into Northern California , according to CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano . Two to 3 inches of snow was possible in the Sierras , forecasters said . | Southeast should see higher temperatures this week , storms this weekend , forecasters say . In Atlanta , Georgia , warming is predicted through Friday , when high could reach 58 . In Florida , Tuesday 's high was expected to reach 54 in Tallahassee , the state capital . On West Coast , a storm was rolling into the area between Seattle and San Francisco . | [[116, 162], [165, 199], [1835, 1891], [3313, 3331], [724, 769], [777, 802], [1835, 1891], [1723, 1742], [1745, 1814], [3073, 3090], [3093, 3160]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistan cricket legend Imran Khan has described how the unfolding crisis in Haiti revived harrowing memories of a similar earthquake in his own region . The devastating 7.6 magnitude quake struck northern Pakistan and the divided Kashmir region in October 2005 , claiming the lives of almost 80,000 people , according to official estimates , and leaving millions homeless . Khan , who is now a prominent politician and campaigner for social issues in Pakistan , told CNN Thursday that he was left numbed by the scenes which greeted him as he traveled to some of the worst-affected areas in the aftermath . `` It was one of the most traumatic experiences I 've ever had . Just watching human suffering , he said . `` It was the children that really disturbed me ... their crushed limbs . `` There were so many people needing attention . I remember seeing makeshift hospitals where they were amputating . That was difficult to take . `` Families were torn apart as parents lost their children and children were orphaned . Whole families were caught inside buildings , while few escaped . '' Khan recalled being overwhelmed by the sight of an entire town being reduced to rubble . `` We arrived in the town of Balakot and it was totally flattened . You do n't know what to do or say . So many people needing help at one time and you do n't have the infrastructure , you do n't have the hospitals to help . '' Desperation grips Haitian capital . Balakot was one of the worst-hit places , with one in 10 of about 20,000 residents killed , according to the local government of the Mansehra district , where the town of is located . Thousands more were injured . Pakistani authorities later planned to move the town in the country 's North West Frontier Province to a completely new location , owing to its current position on a volatile fault line . The destruction of Balakot brought home to Khan how much people had lost . `` Their livelihoods disappeared overnight , '' he said . `` They had nothing , no business , money , food . `` From what I 've seen on television it 's similar to what is happening now in Haiti . Clearly they -LRB- Haiti -RRB- wo n't have the resources to cope with it , so it will require a real outside effort . '' While acknowledging the importance of the international aid effort , Khan pointed to role ordinary Pakistanis played in 2005 . `` It was incredible . The government was incapacitated but there were little charities and groups forming all over the area trying to help . `` I was in an earthquake-hit area on the second day and I 'll never forget seeing a three-mile queue of people trying to get to what was a largely remote area to help with whatever they could put in their cars . `` The government was paralyzed but people came forward , from rich to poor , young to old . '' He also pointed to the success volunteer networks had in adopting villages and towns , taking responsibility for providing basic shelter , food and medicine . `` Everyone took responsibility , '' recalled Khan . `` Each group would look after a specific issue until the local population was able to get back on its feet . `` It 's so important that the aid effort continues months after the disaster . '' | Earthquake struck northern Pakistan , divided Kashmir region in 2005 , claiming 80,000 lives . Imran Khan recalled being overwhelmed by the sight of an entire town being reduced to rubble . Khan : `` Their livelihoods disappeared overnight . They had nothing , no business , money , food '' The politician and former cricketer said Haitians must be supported in the longer term . | [[173, 280], [173, 208], [283, 325], [394, 398], [482, 537], [1109, 1171], [1157, 1197], [1939, 1981], [2000, 2047]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Peggy Bourland ca n't eat . When she lies down to sleep , she fights the urge to go outside and curl up on the cold , hard ground . `` Ken ca n't eat right now . He ca n't sleep in our bed , '' she said , her husband 's military dog tags around her neck . `` I wo n't have what he can not have . '' Last Tuesday , from his room at the Hotel Montana near Port-au-Prince , Haiti , U.S. Air Force Maj. Ken Bourland sent an e-mail to his wife telling her that he was fine and had just settled in for what was going to be an exciting time taking a disaster preparedness course . It was 4:51 p.m. ET . Less than 10 minutes later , an earthquake leveled much of the Haitian capital , including the Hotel Montana . `` I had just clicked off the e-mail and was trying to find some cartoons for the kids to watch , '' she said . `` And then I saw this breaking news . An earthquake . I thought , ` Did California get hit again ? ' Then I saw Haiti . '' Bourland popped her laptop open and fired off an e-mail : `` Please tell me you 're OK . '' No response . View or add to CNN 's database of missing persons in Haiti . Crews have spent the past six days searching mounds of rubble , 30 feet high in places , that was the Hotel Montana , popular with tourists and visiting officials . Some United Nations employees who lived there remain unaccounted for , the U.N. said Sunday , and Alain Joyandet , the French minister of cooperation , said approximately 200 French tourists staying there had not been heard from . There is reason to hope . On Friday , a woman trapped in the hotel 's collapsed bar was rescued . In the past few days , students from South Florida 's Lynn University , who were in Haiti on a humanitarian mission to feed the poor , were freed from the Montana 's rubble . Six others with the university are reportedly still missing . Peggy Bourland gets two calls a day at her suburban South Florida home -- one at night , one in the morning -- from the family 's assigned military liaison . There 's nothing to say , really . She 's told to be optimistic . She tries . After the second call , when she has tucked the couple 's sons , 16-month-old Andrew and 3-year-old Charley into bed , she allows herself to cry . `` I do n't do it in front of them . '' She finds it overwhelming to return to thoughts about the Sunday before Ken Bourland left . It was Charley 's birthday , and another military family came over . `` Ken sang to him and we all said , ` Daddy 's going on another trip . ' '' The Bourlands ' fifth wedding anniversary will be in March . Their first date -- set up by her boss and his sister -- was one with hours of talk and lost time . She liked the fact that he asked questions about every conceivable scenario that might arise from a decision . He analyzed , where she just went with it . He prepared for the small and big things . He had been mulling for weeks , exhausting Google , over what kind of television to buy . Ken 's steady demeanor has rubbed off on Chance , his stepson . Peggy 's son was 9 when she introduced him to Ken . The helicopter pilot endeared himself quickly with camping and a mutual zest for video games and remote control cars . Now 13 , Chance understands what 's going on . `` I let him talk when he wants to , '' she said . `` But sometimes there 's nothing to say . You just wait and continue to wait , hoping for something good . '' | Peggy Bourland 's husband , U.S. Air Force Maj. Ken Bourland , missing in Haiti . Major sent wife an e-mail about 10 minutes before Tuesday 's 7.0 earthquake . Earthquake leveled the hotel where Bourland was staying . Wife hopes to get good news to share with their children . | [[418, 457], [962, 970], [998, 1017], [3346, 3359], [3383, 3410]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South Africa looks back , 20 years after Nelson Mandela 's historic release . Plus , Desmond Tutu reflects on the day his dream became a reality , and picturing Mandela - a South African cartoonist and his drawing tribute . Remembering the Release . South Africa celebrates the 20th anniversary of Nelson Mandela 's release from apartheid prison . Our Nkepile Mabuse has more on the defining moment and how it changed the course of a nation . Prison Home . On multiple occasions , Nelson Mandela turned down early release , unwilling to renounce the cause he held so dear . It was an incredible sacrifice , but what was it like ? Nkepile Mabuse toured the prison house where Mandela spent the end of his sentence . Desmond Tutu Interview . It was the walk to freedom that ushered in democracy . Nelson Mandela 's release from prison made the fight worthwhile for many anti-apartheid activists . Nkepile Mabuse sat down with one of the movement 's leaders -- Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu . He shared his thoughts on Mandela 's release , including his own initial reaction to the news . Mandela Cartoons . A different look on Nelson Mandela . This time , caricatures , as we go inside the commemorative art exhibit from South African cartoonist Zapiro . | In South Africa as the country looks back , 20 years after Nelson Mandela 's historic release . Nkepile Mabuse tours the prison house where Mandela spent the end of his sentence . Desmond Tutu shares thoughts on Mandela 's release , recalls own initial reaction to the news . | [[19, 42], [45, 96], [269, 366], [649, 733], [671, 687], [694, 733], [97, 101], [104, 136], [1007, 1102], [1007, 1009], [1054, 1079]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Transportation Security Administration is upgrading security clearances for 10,000 of its airport personnel , giving them access to `` secret '' intelligence to help them better detect threats and stop terrorists , the agency said Friday . To date , the agency has granted access to secret-level classified information to 744 front-line supervisors , managers and behavior-detection officers . It now hopes to be able to give that clearance to all 10,000 supervisory personnel in the next two years , it said . The change does not involve airport screeners , the people responsible for inspecting people and luggage at airport checkpoints . `` It 's a natural progression , '' TSA spokeswoman Sterling Payne said . `` It 's the next step in professionalizing our work force . What this will do is give them a leg up and a little more detail than what they 're getting in the -LSB- current -RSB- briefing . '' The change will empower the employees and make sure they have up-to-date and accurate information about intelligence threats , she said . The majority of the agency 's headquarters managers already have secret - or higher-level clearances for classified information . James Carafano , a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation , said it is a good idea to increase the number of aviation security officials with access to intelligence . The move could decrease the chance that information will be leaked because employees who are given clearance are trained to treat the information appropriately , he said . Officers also must undergo additional background checks before receiving the upgraded status , the agency said . The Transportation Security Administration said personnel granted security clearances are educated about their responsibility to protect classified information , sign a non-disclosure agreement and take annual refresher training . Under the federal government 's system of classifying information , `` secret '' clearance is above `` restricted '' and `` confidential '' but below `` top secret . '' Randall Larsen , director of the Institute for Homeland Security , was enthusiastic about the expanded base of people with access to `` secret '' intelligence , saying it is particularly needed by behavior detection officers , who look for travelers exhibiting unusual behavior . `` Just think , if we had pulled that Christmas bomber aside and spoken to him for just a few minutes , he would have never gotten on that plane , '' Larsen said . But support for the move is n't universal . `` Our members are screaming because the problem is , as it always has been , that -LSB- airline pilots -RSB- are being left behind , '' said David Mackett , president of the Airline Pilots Security Alliance . `` I 'd much rather have the critical information get to the flight crews '' and flight attendants , he said . Mackett said airport security personnel `` see passengers for several seconds , and yet they 're not sharing -LSB- information -RSB- with air crews who see them for several hours . '' He also said the TSA has `` a very high turnover rate '' compared with that of flight crews , so sensitive information will migrate away from the government . Mike Karn , security chairman for the Coalition of Airline Pilots Association , agreed that flight crews should receive `` secret '' information , saying terrorists have proved that they can still get on aircraft . `` You have to strengthen them all the way up to that last line of defense , '' Karn said . | TSA says access to `` secret '' intelligence will help them better detect threats . Change does not apply to airport security screeners . New clearances will be above `` confidential '' but below `` top secret '' | [[167, 246], [545, 590], [1905, 1970], [1973, 2070]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A possible merger between the two of the largest companies in the concert business has raised protests from singer Bruce Springsteen and prompted a congressman to call for a federal anti-trust investigation . A possible merger between Ticketmaster and Live Nation has drawn interest . Ticketmaster , which has long dominated ticket sales , is reportedly in merger talks with Live Nation , the world 's largest concert promoter , which just recently began selling its own tickets . Live Nation did not respond to a CNN inquiry , while Ticketmaster 's spokesman said `` we can not comment on rumor or speculation . '' `` Being two public companies , they ca n't really comment on it right now , but it seems very real to me , '' said Ray Waddell , Billboard magazine 's concert tour reporter . iReport : What do you think of the possible merger ? `` You 're talking about a hugely powerful entity if these two combine forces , '' Waddell said . `` They 're locking up a whole lot of the revenue streams for live music , and that is really the most consistent and profitable part of the music business right now . '' Ticketmaster , long a target of fan and artist criticism , drew Springsteen 's ire this week when it routed some of his fans trying to buy tickets to his show in New Jersey to a `` secondary site '' where they were charged far more than face value . Tickets on that site -- which Ticketmaster owns -- cost between $ 200 and $ 5,000 , while face value starts at $ 54 . Springsteen , in a message posted on his Web site , accused Ticketmaster of `` in effect ` scalping ' '' the tickets . Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff apologized to Springsteen in a letter Wednesday , saying it would n't happen again . New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell , who said he was `` deluged this week by calls from angry music fans , '' sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission chairman asking that the FTC look into Ticketmaster 's practices . After reports that Ticketmaster and Live Nation might merge , Pascrell sent another letter to the House Judiciary Committee calling for a probe . `` There is an incredible potential for abuse when one company controls the primary and secondary market for concert tickets , '' Pascrell wrote . `` That potential will surely be magnified exponentially should one company be able to control every aspect of recording , record sales , licensing , venue ownership and ticket sales . '' Springsteen 's Web message asked his fans to `` make it known to your representatives '' if they opposed a merger . `` The one thing that would make the current ticket situation even worse for the fan than it is now would be Ticketmaster and Live Nation coming up with a single system , thereby returning us to a near monopoly situation in music ticketing , '' said the message , signed by Springsteen and his agent . Waddell , who has covered the friction between Ticketmaster , artists and fans , said combining the two companies could mean some fan-friendly changes , including rolling all fees into one ticket price to eliminate `` sticker shock '' when fans look at their credit card bill . Ticketmaster 's practice of stacking `` convenience fees '' onto purchases inflated ticket prices and drew fan resentment . Ticketmaster pioneered online ticket sales , a modern convenience that did away with long lines at the box office . `` What Ticketmaster has done to ticketing , they 've really revolutionized it as far as the old days , when you had to camp out for a high-demand show , '' Waddell said . Waddell said he does n't expect ticket prices would `` just blow up '' after a merger . `` Traditionally , when there 's competition taken out of the marketplace it really does n't do a lot for lowering prices , but both these companies are very sensitive to the market and what the fans can pay , '' he said . A combined company , though , would control `` everything before , during and after a concert takes place over the course of an entire tour , and that 's pretty sizable , '' he said . | Ticketmaster , Live Nation reportedly in merger talks . Two companies have huge share of concert business . Bruce Springsteen mad about Ticketmaster snafu ; congressman hears from citizens . | [[228, 303], [1960, 2019], [2022, 2105], [2647, 2649], [2657, 2694], [0, 15], [85, 151], [1133, 1145], [1192, 1257], [1735, 1771], [1778, 1841]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities hunting the killer of a police officer in Northern Ireland last week say they have seized a gun and ammunition . Two people in masks prepare to throw petrol bombs in Lurgan , Northern Ireland . They were found Saturday in Craigavon , the town where Stephen Carroll , 48 , was shot dead on Monday , a police statement said Sunday . Authorities also arrested two more people in connection with the killing of Carroll -- a 37-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman . That brings the total in custody to five , police told CNN . And they arrested another person over the killing of two soldiers just days before Carroll was killed . A total of four people are now in custody in the killing of soldiers Cengiz `` Pat '' Azimkar , 21 , and Mark Quinsey , 23 , at the Massereene barracks March 7 . The Massereene barracks killings were the first fatal attack on British troops in the province for more than 12 years . Carroll was the first police officer killed in political violence since 1998 . The shootings have raised fears that the province could plunge back to the sectarian violence that claimed the lives of 3,600 people over three decades before the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 . The Continuity IRA , a republican splinter group that does not accept the Good Friday Agreement , said it had killed Carroll , while the Real IRA , another splinter group , said it had killed the soldiers , Britain 's Press Association reported . Northern Ireland 's top police officer , Hugh Orde , insisted Sunday that the militant groups that want the province to leave the United Kingdom and become part of Ireland are `` small ... disrupted , infiltrated and disorganized . '' `` The current wisdom is that they number around 300 in a population of 1.75 million , '' he wrote in Britain 's News of the World newspaper . But , he said : `` In the past 18 months or so there have been at least 25 attempts by dissident terrorists to kill officers on and off duty . '' Rioting flared near Belfast , the capital of Northern Ireland , after an earlier round of arrests Saturday . Police said petrol bombs were hurled at police in Lurgan , west of Belfast . There were no arrests or injuries reported , despite gangs of youths on the streets , authorities said . One of the men arrested in connection with the killing of the soldiers , Colin Duffy , 41 , is from Lurgan . He was among three whose arrests were announced Saturday . A fourth man was arrested Saturday night , said the police spokeswoman , who declined to be named in line with policy . She released no details about the man or the location of the arrest . The two British soldiers were shot dead a week ago at a base in Massereene , in Antrim , as they were preparing to ship out for duty in Afghanistan . The soldiers had packed their bags and changed into their uniforms , authorities said . Two masked gunmen with automatic rifles shot them as the soldiers picked up a pizza delivery at the barracks , authorities said . Two other soldiers and the two pizza delivery men were seriously wounded . Politicians from across the political spectrum have condemned the killings , with Sinn Fein deputy leader Martin McGuinness calling the killers `` traitors to the island of Ireland . '' Sinn Fein is a predominantly Catholic party that wants Northern Ireland to leave the United Kingdom and become part of the Republic of Ireland . The party is widely thought to be linked to the Irish Republican Army . Danny Kennedy , deputy leader of the loyalist Ulster Unionist Party , which wants Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom , also condemned the attack as `` wicked and murderous . '' | Authorities hunting killer of policeman in N. Ireland seize gun , ammunition . 3 more arrests over killings of two soldiers and officer . Petrol bombs hurled at police after earlier arrests of six men . Two republican groups have reportedly claimed responsibility for the killings . | [[19, 99], [0, 15], [100, 143], [362, 373], [379, 445], [554, 644], [658, 733], [1985, 2012], [2049, 2093], [2094, 2170], [2106, 2150]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Barack Obama 's victory Tuesday over John McCain capped an unprecedented rise in American politics . Barack Obama , addressing supporters after his victory , was an unlikely nominee not that long ago . The obscure state legislator with , as he put it , `` a funny name '' propelled himself onto the national stage at the Democratic National Convention four years ago with a speech so electrifying that commentators declared he would become America 's first black president . Election Day showed that , in this case at least , you can believe the hype . But Obama did not win the White House on hype , any more than he won it on hope . He won it with an organization that even opponents called brilliant . He won it with a clear strategy that was stuck to with remarkably little internal drama . He won it with unparalleled fundraising and an overwhelming ground game . And he won it after facing various challenges and turning them to his advantage . Turning points . Winning Iowa : Obama 's victory in the Iowa caucuses knocked almost all of his Democratic competitors out in the first nominating contest , and it pushed the `` inevitable '' Democratic nominee , Hillary Clinton , back on her heels . He 'd built an organization strong enough to haul supporters out of their homes on a frigid January night to debate , harangue and cajole their neighbors into backing him . Tens of thousands of new voters became the key to his Iowa win and revealed the outline of a general election plan : Create a wide coalition to bring new voters to the polls in record numbers . Ted Kennedy : Within weeks of Iowa , all of Obama 's Democratic competitors had dropped out of the race except for Clinton , who split the races with him in the run-up to Super Tuesday . It was then that Ted Kennedy , head of the only Democratic family to outrank the Clintons , came out for Obama , comparing the Illinois senator to his assassinated brother , President John F. Kennedy . The move was deeply symbolic , not just for the public but also the party . The Obama-Clinton battle then hinged on who could sway more superdelegates -- the party leaders who could decide the winner if the primary voters could not -- and few superdelegates had the stature of Ted Kennedy . Addressing race : Race was always going to be a factor in Obama 's campaign , even if he hoped his candidacy would transcend it . Clips of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright , his longtime pastor , making hateful remarks hit the Internet and television and put Obama on defense . He responded with a speech in March hailed by commentators as among the most thoughtful ever delivered on race by an American politician . When Wright went further , so did Obama -- condemning him outright and later quitting his church . All this time , black voters were rallying behind Obama , switching their allegiance from Clinton in such large numbers that party elders , such as civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis of Georgia , had to do the same . Fundraising : Flush with cash from a nationwide network of small and large contributors , Obama announced in June he would opt out of public financing -- the first presidential candidate to pay for his campaign with donations rather than government money since the system began in 1976 . McCain hammered Obama for reneging on a promise to stick with public financing , but the issue failed to resonate with voters . Obama kept raising and spending record amounts of money , using it to send staff across the country -- even to dozens of states Democrats had n't won in years -- and to swamp the airwaves with advertising . Working with Clinton : The long and bitter primary battle turned many Clinton supporters off Obama . A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll a month after Obama sealed the nomination found that nearly 50 percent of Clinton 's supporters did not plan to vote for Obama in November . McCain tried to exploit the Democrats ' divisions and attract Clinton supporters to his side , but the former rivals came together to stop that . Obama and Clinton worked behind the scenes to create a show of public unity , epitomized by Clinton dramatically marching onto the convention floor in Denver to call for the party to nominate Obama by acclamation . The debates : Obama won all three debates in the eyes of the public , polling for CNN suggested , even if he came up with few , if any , memorable promises or knockout blows . The debates showed the classic Obama -- thoughtful , deliberate and steady . Critically , Obama made no gaffes , rounding out a campaign that was remarkably free of them . Barack Obama may have looked an unlikely candidate and an even unlikelier victor only a year ago . But his campaign had a different look . It started small but with big ideas and worked , inexorably , to make them reality . Like any candidate , Obama faced challenges , but he always seemed to take the path that would make him stronger . And , by the end , the campaign and the support was so large , so well organized and so powerful that nothing could prevent Obama 's march to victory . CNN 's Richard Allen Greene , Rebecca Sinderbrand and Laura Haring contributed to this report . | Barack Obama seemed unlikely to be Democrat nominee a year ago . Well-planned and well-executed campaign helped fortunes soar . Fund-raising , support of Kennedy clan important in his success . | [[131, 143], [188, 231], [4611, 4709]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The members of the band Naturally 7 are experts at blowing their own horns -- and they do it without a trumpet or trombone in sight . Naturally 7 engages in `` vocal play '' in performance , emulating the sounds of musical instruments . In fact , you wo n't see a single instrument when they hit the stage . They are the instruments . `` People are always imitating instruments , '' said first baritone and arranger Roger Thomas . `` People are driving ; they hear their favorite song ; it gets to the guitar solo part . ... They do n't stop singing . They actually start imitating the instrument they hear . We just decided to be crazy enough to bring -LSB- that idea -RSB- to the stage . '' The septet even came up with a name for it : `` vocal play , '' a total reliance on the human voice to mimic a range of instruments and sounds , including the harmonica , bass guitar , trumpet and DJ scratches . Watch the band do its thing '' Warren Thomas takes beatboxing to a whole new level with his imitation of a drum kit , complete with snare . -LRB- He also impersonates a mean guitar . -RRB- Rod Eldridge has never played a real trumpet before , though you would n't think that if you saw him duplicate the sound of one , lips pursed , his hands in front of him , pressing on imaginary valves . `` To produce the sound , I have to visualize that I 'm holding that instrument or whatever in my hand , '' he said . Only one Naturally 7 member has ever played the instrument he imitates , and that 's Armand `` Hops '' Hutton , who uses his incredibly deep voice -- you have to step closer when he speaks -- to portray a thumping bass guitar . The group initially formed a decade ago in New York as an a cappella group -LRB- oh , yeah , they sing , too -RRB- . But to make themselves stand out , Naturally 7 decided to be both a singing group and a band . The concept caught on when video of them performing on a Paris subway -- to hilariously mixed reactions from Parisian commuters -- hit YouTube . It has racked up almost 3 million views . And standing ovations became a regular part of the group 's experience touring as the opening act for crooner Michael Bublé in 2007 and 2008 . The musicians are about to embark on their own tour of Asia , Australia and Europe . With a recent performance of their aptly named song `` Wall of Sound '' on `` The Tonight Show with Jay Leno '' and a new album in the works , they hope to boost Naturally 7 's profile in the United States over the next year . Naturally 7 -- which also includes Jamal Reed , Dwight Stewart and Garfield Buckley -- spoke to CNN about the challenges of becoming instruments . The following is an edited version of the interview . CNN : Traveling and sound checks must be very easy for you . Roger Thomas : We do n't have to lug around instruments with all the traveling we do , and that does make that part easier . The sound check part of actually becoming the band , where we 're actually the singers and the instruments , that probably takes a longer time . CNN : How so ? Thomas : I often call our sound man `` Octopus Hands '' because he 's just got to do so many different things . We switch from being the backgrounds to being the lead vocals and then going back to doing a trombone . And these have different sounds and settings , so it 's a lot of work on the performance side if we 're using microphones . CNN : Are your `` instruments '' ever out of tune ? Rod Eldridge : Every now and then . It is the voice , and if you 're suffering and you have a cold , its not like you can have a guy come in and -LSB- say -RSB- , `` Oh , let me change my guitar string out . '' It 's a human thing . Every now and then , you 're not as perfect as you would like , but you are always working at it . CNN : Are you continually adding new instruments ? Thomas : We definitely are . When we hear something that 's brand new , we 'll just try to get really close to that sound . There are a couple of things we ca n't do , like a piano . Piano is like a percussive and a string instrument at the same time , so we leave pianos alone . CNN : Who has the hardest job here , do you think ? Thomas : I think we all think we have the hardest job . -LRB- laughs -RRB- Probably Warren . He has to keep up that drum flow for songs that go for five or six minutes and shows that go for almost two hours . That 's a pretty difficult job . CNN : You were the opening act for Michael Bublé for a while . That must have been a great way to introduce you to a whole new audience . Armand `` Hops '' Hutton : Yeah , it was great . We started off with him in Rotterdam , and I do n't think we were supposed to keep going after Europe , but the marriage between his set and our set was just so perfect that he kept saying , `` I want to introduce you to my fans here , my fans there . '' We 've been to Australia and Canada ... all over the world . CNN : How do people respond when you perform ? Thomas : Shock , usually . On the Bublé tour , it would take people usually by the third song to actually get it . By then you can see them bouncing around , hitting each other , going , `` This really is all voice ! '' CNN : Are you working on a new album ? Thomas : We are working in the studio right now , getting ready for what will probably be our first world release . We do n't know what we are going to call it yet , but we do know one thing : It will be all vocal . | Naturally 7 is a seven-man band that sounds like musical instruments . Video of group on YouTube received 3 million page views . Touring with Michael Bublé helped band make new fans . | [[162, 173], [219, 264], [2028, 2069], [4427, 4483], [4504, 4511], [4516, 4558]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The body of Luis Francisco Cuellar Carvajal , governor of the department of Caqueta , Colombia , was discovered Tuesday not far from where he was kidnapped the night before , government spokesperson Wilmer Rua said . Cuellar Carvajal 's throat was slit , Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said in an address to the nation Tuesday night . The governor 's body was found by Colombian troops in an area close to his home , where he was kidnapped Monday night , he said . One of his bodyguards was killed in the high-profile abduction , and two other officers were injured . The kidnapping was carried out by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , or FARC by its Spanish initials , Colombian Defense Minister Gabriel Silva said earlier Tuesday . Uribe had ordered the military to find and rescue Cuellar Carvajal from the rebel group . The Marxist insurgent group has been fighting the Colombian government for more than 45 years . This is the fifth time the governor has been kidnapped , Rua said . This time , he was taken late at night , about two hours before his 69th birthday . Uribe said that members of the FARC kidnapped Cuellar Carvajal at about 10 p.m. Monday . Authorities ordered the city on lockdown in an attempt to keep the kidnappers from carrying out their plan , Uribe said . Instead , the the guerrillas burned the vehicle that authorities believe was used in the kidnapping , and then slit the governor 's throat to avoid leaving evidence that may have been traced from a firearm to the killers , Uribe said . The president offered a $ 1 billion peso reward -LRB- U.S. $ 485,000 -RRB- for information leading to the arrests of those responsible . | Governor 's body is found by Colombian troops in an area close to his home . Luis Francisco Cuellar Carvajal was governor of the department or state of Caqueta . Authorities suspect FARC leftist Colombian rebels responsible for the kidnapping . It was fifth time governor had been kidnapped ; one of his bodyguards was killed . | [[356, 435], [589, 675], [486, 548], [952, 1006], [960, 1006], [1009, 1012]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five-time gold medal speed skater Eric Heiden was hanging out in a Team USA locker room Saturday , watching TV as a much younger phenom named Apolo Ohno broke his 30-year Olympic record . That record , for the most decorated American man in Winter Olympics history , stood since 1980 , when Heiden shot to fame at the Winter Games in Lake Placid , New York . To hear Heiden tell it , watching the 27-year-old Ohno eclipse his record did n't matter much . `` Apolo and I could n't have cared less , '' said Heiden , now 51 . `` All of us at this level do n't really look at medal records as very important . We 're very proud of what we are doing and what we 've done as athletes -- and if you happen to win a medal all of us consider that to be a great thing . '' The difference between Ohno 's medals and Heiden 's is that Heiden won his all during the same Winter Olympics , an unprecedented feat that astonished Olympic fans around the world . Fast forward 30 years and Heiden 's passion for athletic competition and camaraderie has n't faded . Now an orthopedic surgeon , he treats and helps train the 2010 men 's speed skating team , including Ohno . `` Apolo is very dedicated and focused in his pursuit of the sport , '' said Heiden . `` But he needs to understand that when an event is coming up he needs to really start backing off some of those outside interests so he can put in the time and effort to be a world-class skater . '' With a smile in his voice , Heiden offers an example of Ohno 's recent appearance on ABC 's `` Dancing with the Stars . '' `` He 's more of a celebrity personality than most of the skaters , '' said Heiden . Heiden 's fairly familiar with celebrity . Those five medals in Lake Placid got his boyish Wisconsin face plastered on newspapers and TVs worldwide . Although Heiden said he is n't recognized much anymore , once in a while his name `` will fire a synapse in many people 's minds . '' Living a quiet life in Park City , Utah , with his wife , who is also an orthopedic surgeon , and two children , Heiden advises some of the world 's fastest men on skates , including Ohno 's friend and fellow Olympian Shani Davis . Helping Davis , who won speed skating gold Wednesday night in the 1000m long track , requires `` making sure that all his needs are taken care of , '' said Heiden . `` Sometimes that can be very demanding and very hard . '' Davis accepts little training guidance from others . One of the younger skaters on the U.S. team , 19-year-old J.R. Celski won his first Olympic medal Saturday with a bronze in the men 's 1500m short track . What 's remarkable , according to Heiden , was that Celski had been badly injured in competition just five months earlier . Celski , who crashed into the boards during trials in September slicing a deep gash into his left thigh , has made a near complete recovery , said Heiden . He said Celski 's race on Saturday answered important questions about his mental recovery . `` Physically , we were sure he was good , but we were n't sure about his confidence level before the race . '' Celski said he 'd met Heiden before his injury , but it was while the doctor was treating Celski that they got to know each other well . `` He 's very humble and very down to earth , and I strive to be like that as well . It was great to get to know him and talk to him for who he was -- and not for what he did , '' said Celski . `` He was one of the hardest working guys in the sport , and that 's why he did so well . '' The cheese remedy : A second opinion . Would Dr. Heiden offer a second opinion about U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn 's much talked-about home remedy for a bruised shin ? She injured herself during practice just days before winning gold Wednesday in the alpine downhill . Vonn 's remedy : wrapping her shin with a soft Austrian cheese . `` We like to practice evidence-based medicine , '' he said jokingly . `` I do n't think anybody is going to take that remedy home and practice it on their patients . '' The closest thing to a home remedy for Heiden was the random newspaper , moleskin or felt he and fellow skaters would use to pad their skate boots to make them fit better . `` You 're always trying to work with what you 've got , '' he said . `` But I 've never gone as crazy as telling somebody to do a cheese wrap . '' Let 's remember that before he became a doctor Heiden set four Olympic records and a world record at Lake Placid . Shortly after his history-making feat , Heiden launched a second career racing bicycles , eventually competing in the Tour de France . This year , Heiden enjoyed Vancouver 's opening ceremonies with other Olympic veterans , some of whom also gained fame on ice : figure skaters Kristi Yamaguchi and Scott Hamilton . Each Olympian , he said , knows what the other has gone through to reach their athletic dreams . `` We enjoy the limelight , '' said Heiden . `` We were recognized for what we did . And when you go back for each Olympics you sort of get your ego stroked again . '' Much has changed about long track speed skating in the past 30 years , but Heiden said no single development has done more to push athletes faster around the icy oval than the clap skate . Unlike traditional skates with blades well-fixed at the bottom of the boots , the blades on clap skates are hinged at the balls of the feet , shaving a precious 2 seconds off a skater 's time with each lap . `` I 'm jealous , I wish I 'd had a chance to try those things . '' Has anything else changed in the sport over the years ? Yes , he said , most speed skaters now perform in warmer indoor venues . Laughing he describes the effects of brutally cold temperatures on the male anatomy . `` Oh boy , these guys have no clue how cold it can be out on an open rink . '' | Eric Heiden won five gold medals in speed skating at the 1980 Winter Olympics . Heiden : Apolo Ohno needs to focus more on skating when events near . The way Shani Davis trains can be `` very demanding and very hard '' `` When you go back for each Olympics you sort of get your ego stroked again , '' said the skating icon . | [[2351, 2362], [2368, 2405], [4967, 4996], [4997, 5037]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Torrential rainfall unleashed flooding and spawned a rare tornado warning in California on Tuesday as a series of storms moved through , with more expected Wednesday and Thursday . Weather-related problems also affected Northern California , where Fresno 's Yosemite International Airport lost the ability to send passengers through security because of a power outage . Landings and takeoffs were not affected , because a backup system kicked in , said Vikkie Calderon , airport spokeswoman . However , the backup system for the lobby did not kick in . Airlines were remotely checking passengers in Tuesday afternoon , but the outage prevented security screenings until power was restored , Calderon said . By midafternoon , security screenings had resumed . In Southern California , a possible tornado was reported in Huntington Beach by the Orange County emergency manager , the National Weather Service reported . Boats in the nearby harbor and some buildings in the area were damaged , and a vehicle was flipped . As of Tuesday afternoon , about 50 people were in the process of being evacuated from homes in the San Pedro area of Los Angeles because of severe flooding , according to Los Angeles Police Department Officer Gregory Baek . About 20 vehicle rescues took place in the same area , he said . Video from CNN affiliate KCAL showed flooding in Long Beach , where a boater was using a raft to navigate flooded streets lined by cars with water up over their headlights . Watch and read KCAL 's reports . A rare tornado warning was issued Tuesday afternoon for southeastern Orange County , including the cities of Mission Viejo and San Clemente , and northwestern San Diego County , including the cities of Oceanside and Carlsbad . The National Weather Service said radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado . A 93 mph wind gust was reported by lifeguards at the Newport Beach pier , the weather service said . Gusts of 72 mph and 73 mph were also measured . Are you there ? Send us your stories and images . Piers in Orange County were closed because of high surf , according to the Orange County Fire Authority . There were some reports of damage and flooding , but no known injuries , officials said . Forecasters warned the rainfall could trigger slides in recent burn areas and also warned about damaging winds . Some areas received as much as 3 inches of rain on Monday and could see an additional 2 inches Tuesday , the weather service said . Even stronger storms , with heavy rain and powerful winds , are forecast to hit the region Wednesday and Thursday . Wind and rain prompted power outages Monday in Southern California , according to Southern California Edison . CNN 's Sara Pratley , Chad Myers , Rosalina Nieves and Lynn Lamanivong contributed to this report . | Warning issued for southeastern Orange County , northwestern San Diego County . Fresno 's Yosemite International Airport suffers power outage . 50 people evacuated because of Los Angeles flooding . | [[1533, 1674], [1679, 1708], [1711, 1759], [267, 388], [1063, 1165], [1063, 1071], [1099, 1192], [1063, 1078], [1195, 1260]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 42 people were killed and 120 injured by flash flooding and mudslides on the Portuguese island of Madeira , the local civil protection agency said Sunday . An unknown number of people are still missing , the authorities told CNN . About 250 people were evacuated to military bases and other safe locations , said Pedro Barbosa of the civil protection agency . `` We have some parts where we ca n't go because the bridges are down , '' Barbosa told CNN earlier in the day , saying the numbers of victims may rise as more information comes in . He said all the damage occurred in just a few hours Saturday morning due to `` very concentrated , very intense '' rains that sparked flooding and mudslides . The mudslides and flooding damaged roads and homes in the capital , Funchal , and in Ribeira Brava , which are both on the southern portion of the Atlantic island . Floodwaters overturned cars and knocked down trees . Search-and-rescue teams have been reinforced , according to the Civil Protection Agency . Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates said `` the situation is under control '' and the government is offering its support to regional authorities . President Cavaco Silva expressed his condolences in a televised statement and promised to do everything to help . Madeira , an autonomous region of Portugal , is a popular resort destination . There have been no reports of any dead or missing tourists . Barbosa said Saturday 's heavy rains were the worst in Madeira since 1993 , when a storm killed eight people . Madeira is one of the Madeira Islands , an archipelago about 600 miles -LRB- 1,000 kilometers -RRB- southwest of the Portuguese mainland . CNN 's Al Goodman , Per Nyberg and Umaro Djau contributed to this report . | NEW : Death toll rises to 42 after mudslides , flooding strike Madeira ; 120 injured . Washed-out bridges keep rescuers from reaching some parts of island . Hundreds of residents were evacuated to military bases and other safe locations . | [[0, 15], [28, 49], [54, 133], [670, 691], [697, 729], [388, 457], [259, 333]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The man believed to be the suicide bomber who killed seven CIA employees and contractors last month appears in a newly released video , in which he vows revenge for the killing of a Taliban leader . The video shows Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi , whom a former U.S. intelligence official identified as the suicide bomber . Al-Balawi 's brother told CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson that the man in the video , who uses the alias Abu Dajana Al-Khorasani , was his sibling . In the tape , which aired Saturday on the Arabic satellite news channel Al-Jazeera , al-Balawi says his message is for the CIA and Jordanian intelligence . The December 30 bombing at a U.S. base in Khost , in southeastern Afghanistan , killed seven CIA operatives and a Jordanian army captain . Al-Balawi was a Jordanian doctor whom Jordanian authorities had recruited as a counterterrorism intelligence source , a Jordanian official told CNN this week . Jordanian and U.S. intelligence agencies apparently believed al-Balawi had been rehabilitated from his extremist views and were using him to hunt Ayman al-Zawahiri , al Qaeda 's No. 2 figure , a former U.S. intelligence official said . Al-Balawi says in the video that his faith can not be sold to bidders , an apparent message to Jordanian and U.S. officials that they had failed to win his allegiance . It puts into question how well the CIA and other intelligence agencies can penetrate al Qaeda . Gen. David Petraeus , head of U.S. Central Command , told CNN 's Christiane Amanpour that local officials are better at `` human intelligence '' than foreign agents . `` That 's not to say that you ca n't have some real breakthroughs , '' Petraeus said during the interview , to be aired Sunday . `` It 's not to say you ca n't develop sources , you ca n't put people in there and so forth . '' Al-Balawi mentions Baitullah Mehsud , the leader of the Taliban in Pakistan who was killed in a missile strike last August . `` We will never forget the blood of our leader Baitullah Mehsud , may God have mercy on his soul , '' he says in Arabic , according to a CNN translation . `` It will remain that we take revenge -LRB- for his death -RRB- in America and outside America . It is a trust on every person who left everything for the sake of God , whom Baitullah Mehsud supported . '' Al Qaeda 's commander of operations in Afghanistan , Mustafa Abu Yazid , said this week that the attack avenged Mehsud 's death . Mehsud was the leader of Tehrik-i Taliban Pakistan -LRB- TTP -RRB- . It was TTP that released the video , according to IntelCenter , a think tank that specializes in tracking terrorist groups . At one point , the video shows the date of December 20 , 2009 . That is five days before Nigerian passenger Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab allegedly tried to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight to Detroit , Michigan . The Yemen-based group al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has claimed responsibility for the Christmas Day plot . It is impossible to know whether the date on the video is accurate , or whether al-Balawi was aware of AbdulMutallab 's alleged plans . If al-Balawi did know about the plot , it could indicate a greater degree of communication between TTP and al Qaeda than previously thought . In an analysis of the video , IntelCenter said there is a connection between the two groups . But IntelCenter also pointed out al-Balawi appears in the video next to TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud , and that it was TTP that released the video . `` The TTP and al Qaeda have a close relationship , and in all likelihood al Qaeda was involved at some level in the operation , '' IntelCenter said in an analysis of the video . `` However , the release of the video with TTP Emir Hakimullah Mehsud firmly places the attack under the TTP banner . '' Of the seven CIA operatives who were killed in the December 30 attack were two members of the private security firm Xe , formerly known as Blackwater . The Jordanian military officer who was killed was Army Capt. Sharif Ali bin Zeid , a cousin of Jordan 's King Abdullah II . It was one of the worst attacks ever on America 's intelligence community . CNN 's Nic Robertson and Amir Ahmed contributed to this report . | Alleged suicide bomber vowed to avenge Taliban leader in newly released video . Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi thought to be bomber who killed 7 CIA operatives . The Jordanian grew up a loner , wanted to go to medical school , mother says . Al-Balawi mentions Baitullah Mehsud , Taliban leader in Pakistan , killed last year . | [[19, 26], [36, 152], [0, 15], [119, 152], [130, 152], [164, 217], [2354, 2404], [2427, 2483], [19, 26], [36, 152], [671, 718], [751, 809], [3824, 3851], [3856, 3893], [1866, 1901], [1918, 1941], [1946, 1990]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The pilots ' union of Lufthansa began a strike Monday after a last-ditch effort at negotiations over pay and job security failed , a spokeswoman for the airline told CNN . The four-day work stoppage by the pilots ' union of one of the world 's largest airlines threatened to disrupt travel on more than two dozen partner airlines later on Monday . Lufthansa and the pilot 's union , Vereinigung Cockpit , met over the weekend as a last-ditch effort to avoid the strike . More than 4,000 pilots walked off the job at midnight Monday -LRB- 6 p.m. Sunday ET -RRB- through Thursday over protracted contract negotiations centering around pay and job security . The action by Lufthansa pilots signaled growing labor unrest across Europe . The industrial action by the pilots started the same day that British Airways cabin staff were expected to announce the outcome of its strike vote . On Wednesday in Greece , a mass public and private sector strike is being planned to protest the government 's austerity plan . Lufthansa had already canceled two-thirds of its scheduled flights Monday to Thursday ahead of the strike . The bulk of the disruptions are expected to begin later Monday since most German airports prohibit flights overnight . Still , passengers at Frankfurt Airport on Sunday were already feeling inconvenienced . `` It makes me angry because for me , normally I would -LRB- leave -RRB- on Monday morning , '' said one passenger . `` Now I have to go Sunday evening and my family 's at home and I have to -LRB- return -RRB- tomorrow night with the train . So it 's uncomfortable . '' `` It 's inconvenient and it 's not justified at all , '' another passenger said . Company officials admitted it would have a `` heavy influence '' on its international operations , which includes flights to 80 countries worldwide . Send your views and experiences to CNN iReport . In 2008 , Lufthansa was the number two international carrier by passengers with 42.2 million , according to the International Air Transport Association . The threatened walkout came as the airline industry is digging out of the worst one-year drop-off in flights , according to IATA . In 2009 , revenues dropped nearly 15 percent worldwide after generating a record $ 535 billion the previous year . Passenger travel fell a record 3.5 percent and freight fell more than 10 percent , according to IATA figures . Lufthansa officials said at a news conference last Thursday it would cost the airline about $ 33 million a day . Many of Lufthansa 's pilots have been working without a contract since March and more than 90 percent of the union 's members voted to strike , said Jorg Handwerg , a pilot and representative for the union . The union sought a 6.4 percent pay increase . The union is also concerned with the airline 's recent buying spree of small regional carriers , such as BMI and Austrian Airlines which , it says , is cannibalizing flights away from union-flown routes . `` We fly less hours and have less potential for -LRB- performance-related bonuses -RRB- , '' Handwerg said . `` We want to have the opportunity to grow , but instead it shrinks . '' In a statement , Lufthansa said : `` In addition to demands on job security , however , the union also insisted on a greater say on fundamental entrepreneurial issues , equating to intervention in business management at the airline . That demand can not be accepted . '' The airline is allowing passengers to rebook flights for tickets purchased before February 18 and plans to give German domestic passengers rail vouchers . But one Lufthansa passenger said she is having trouble reaching a compromise with the airline . `` I spent several hours on the phone with Lufthansa to try and figure out what I can do , but now I 've been told that I ca n't even get a refund , '' said Ruth Winblad , who is supposed to fly Monday from Gothenburg , Sweden , to Rome , Italy . Lufthansa is one of the largest carriers on Star Alliance , a network of 26 airlines that share ticketing and routes for international travel . Travelers on Star Alliance flights are advised to check their tickets for Lufthansa flights and contact their carrier about any potential changes , said Markus Ruediger , Star Alliance spokesman . Star Alliance member airlines are : Adria , Air Canada , Air China , Air New Zealand , ANA , Asiana Airlines , Austrian , Blue 1 , BMI , Brussels Airlines , Continental Airlines , Croatia Airlines , Egypt Air , Lot Polish Airlines , Lufthansa , Scandinavian Airlines , Shanghai Airlines , Singapore Airlines , South African Airways , Spanair , Swiss , Tap Portugal , Thai Airlines , Turkish Airlines , United Airlines and U.S. Airways . Partner airlines were preparing for the strike . `` Some of our codeshare flights with Lufthansa may be affected during the period of the strike . We are in contact with Lufthansa and will be informed of the affected flights as soon as details are made available , '' said Nicholas Ionides , Singapore Airlines spokesman . `` Should there be customers traveling on affected Lufthansa-operated codeshare flights , they will be contacted and re-accommodated on the best next available schedule . '' A spokeswoman for Continental Airlines told CNN on Sunday that the airline will offer passengers refunds or rebook their travel if they are affected . CNN 's Kevin Voigt , Stefan Simons , Phil Han and Greg Morrison contributed to this report . | NEW : Estimated 4,000 pilots at German airline Lufthansa begin four-day strike . The pilots union says strike focuses on pay and conditions issues . The company says the union is trying to interfere in management decisions . Lufthansa flies to 80 countries with its main hub being Frankfurt , Germany . | [[191, 366], [490, 579], [675, 751], [588, 674], [3250, 3259], [3331, 3395], [1765, 1793], [1802, 1846]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jennifer Tonge is not a lunatic . She is a member of the British House of Lords , appointed to that eminent body in 2005 after a career in politics and medicine . On February 11 , she was asked a question by www.thejc.com , the online version of Britain 's Jewish Chronicle . Tonge serves as patron of an online journal based in Gaza , the Palestine Telegraph . The previous week , the Palestine Telegraph accused the Israeli medical teams doing humanitarian work in Haiti of harvesting organs from earthquake victims . TheJC.com asked Tonge for comment . Tonge first commended the Israeli teams for their work in Haiti . She then added these words : . `` To prevent allegations such as these -- which have already been posted on YouTube -- going any further , the IDF and the Israeli Medical Association should establish an independent inquiry immediately to clear the names of the team in Haiti . '' The YouTube video to which Tonge refers can be seen here . It 's the work of a solo crank , and hardly seems to require an `` independent inquiry '' to refute . The statement to TheJC.com was not Lady Tonge 's first entry into Middle East analysis . She has expressed herself often on the subject of Israel and Israel 's supporters , and in vivid terms . In a speech to a meeting during her Liberal Democratic Party 's annual conference in 2006 , Tonge declared : `` The pro-Israeli lobby has got its grips on the Western world , its financial grips . I think they 've probably got a grip on our party . '' -LRB- That grip was not too tight to prevent Tonge 's party from collectively denouncing Israel for attacking Hezbollah after Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers . -RRB- . On February 14 , Lady Tonge was removed from her position as health critic for the Liberal Democratic Party in the House of Lords . But Tonge 's comments did not originate in the ether . They could be footnoted to a respectable newspaper in Sweden . In the summer of 2009 , the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet published a story about a recent mass indictment in New Jersey . On July 23 , the U.S. attorney for New Jersey announced the arrest of 44 people for a range of criminal enterprises involving bank fraud , rigging of bids on public projects , trafficking in counterfeit goods , etc. . The accused represented the gorgeous mosaic of New Jersey politics , with last names like `` Suarez , '' `` Catrillo , '' `` Cardwell , '' and `` Khalil . '' Some of the names were Jewish . One of the Jewish names , Levy Izhak Rosenbaum , was accused of the lurid crime of trafficking in the purchase and sale of human organs . Rosenbaum was said to have offered sums of $ 10,000 to entice poor people in Israel and Eastern Europe to sell kidneys to him , which he would then remarket for $ 160,000 to transplant patients in the United States . Aftonbladet transformed this story of illegal commerce into a story of Jewish predation . The paper gave space to a freelance writer -- Donald Bostrom -- to charge that the Israeli army regularly harvested organs from the bodies of slain Palestinians . After briefly acknowledging that the vast majority of the world 's illegally harvested organs come from China , Pakistan , and the Philippines , Bostrom then hurled this astounding charge : . `` Palestinians also harbor strong suspicions that young men have been seized , and made to serve as organ reserve , just as in China and Pakistan , before being killed . '' Jewish vampirism is an ancient fantasy , dating back to the Middle Ages . Yet it remains current in the contemporary Middle East . A Syrian film company created a multipart TV drama out of the story in 2003 . The drama was broadcast worldwide on Hezbollah 's al-Manar satellite network . Iranian state TV broadcast a drama in 2004 in which the plot turns on an Israeli plan to steal Palestinian children 's eyes . It 's a winding road from medieval folktales to Hezbollah TV to the New Jersey mob to a Swedish daily to the British House of Lords . But it 's a road traveled by more and more people . On February 11 , Tel Aviv 's Reut Institute presented a paper to the Israeli cabinet warning of `` delegitimization '' aimed at the Jewish state . As reported by Ha'aretz , the paper warns : . `` The ` delegitimizers ' cooperate with organizations engaging in legitimate criticism of Israel 's policy in the territories such as Amnesty -LSB- International -RSB- and Human Rights Watch , blurring the line between legitimate censure and delegitimization . ... The network 's activists are not mostly Palestinian , Arab or Muslim . Many of them are European and North American left-wing activists , '' who portray Israel as a pariah state and deny its right to exist . In the United States , where pro-Israel feeling runs stronger and the activist left is weaker , the delegitimization project focuses less on Israel itself , and more on Israel 's supporters . The central text for this project is a book called `` The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy '' co-authored by Profs. Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer , which argues that `` the Israel lobby '' maneuvered the United States into the Iraq war on Israel 's behalf . Walt and Mearsheimer present their argument in delicate language , but it 's the same case argued by Prof. Juan Cole of the University of Michigan , again not a crank , but a past president of the Middle East Studies Association . In a 2004 blog post , Cole wrote of a `` one-two punch secretly planned by the pro-Likud faction in the Department of Defense . First , Iraq would be taken out by the United States , and then Iran . David Wurmser , a key member of the group , also wanted Syria included . These pro-Likud intellectuals concluded that 9/11 would give them carte blanche to use the Pentagon as Israel 's Gurkha regiment , fighting elective wars on behalf of Tel Aviv -LRB- not wars that really needed to be fought , but wars that the Likud coalition thought it would be nice to see fought so as to increase Israel 's ability to annex land and act aggressively , especially if someone else 's boys did the dying -RRB- . '' Hard to miss here the echo of another ancient myth , memorably enunciated by a character in John Buchan 's 1915 spy novel , `` The Thirty-Nine Steps . '' '' -LSB- If -RSB- you 're on the biggest kind of job and are bound to get to the real boss , 10 to one you are brought up against a little white-faced Jew in a bath-chair with an eye like a rattlesnake . Yes , Sir , he is the man who is ruling the world just now . '' Walt returned to his theme in a blog post this week in Foreign Policy : . `` Israeli leaders from across the political spectrum became cheerleaders for the invasion , and they played a prominent role in helping to sell the war here in the United States . '' This debate came home to the blogosphere last week , when New Republic literary editor Leon Wieseltier published a long article denouncing uber-blogger Andrew Sullivan as either an anti-Jewish bigot or else `` moronically insensitive . '' Sullivan -- a former editor of the magazine for which his once-intimate friend Wieseltier writes -- has over the past few months abruptly switched from passionate champion of Israel to strident criticism of Israel and its supporters . Many rallied to Sullivan 's defense on the specific complaint at issue , myself included . But one wishes that people who do not share the malignant feelings of a Tonge would take care not to use the same malignant language . It 's possible to hate Israel without hating Jews . It 's even possible to hate Jews without hating Israel , as is said of a famously nasty British media personality : `` He managed the impressive feat of being intensely anti-Semitic without becoming even slightly pro-Arab . '' But these interesting theoretical potentialities exist mainly on the blackboard . In real life , it becomes very difficult to separate hatred of the Jewish state from hatred of the Jews who live in that state . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Frum . | David Frum says Israel is facing a delegitimization campaign . He says some critics engage in wild charges without any foundation . Frum says he defended Andrew Sullivan against charges of anti-Semitism . But he says in other cases , hatred of Israel and of Jews go hand-in-hand . | [[4168, 4217], [7562, 7594], [7622, 7675], [7871, 7883], [7886, 7974]] |
Boston , Massachusetts -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a stunning upset that reshaped the U.S. political landscape , Republican Scott Brown won Tuesday 's special election in Massachusetts for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by liberal Democrat Ted Kennedy . Brown defeated Democrat Martha Coakley , the state attorney general . Brown 's victory made real the once unthinkable prospect of a Republican filling the seat held by Kennedy , known as the liberal lion , for almost 47 years until his death due to brain cancer last August . Before Kennedy won the seat for the first time in 1962 , his older brother John held it for nearly eight years until his election as U.S. president in 1960 . `` This really does change everything , you know that ? '' said Mitt Romney , the former GOP governor of Massachusetts who introduced Brown at his victory rally . Share your thoughts on the election results . Voters across Massachusetts braved winter cold and snow for an election with high stakes -- the domestic agenda of President Obama , including his top domestic priority , health care reform . Brown 's victory strips Democrats of their 60-seat Senate super-majority , needed to overcome GOP filibusters against future Senate action on a broad range of White House priorities . Senate Democrats needed all 60 votes in their caucus to pass the health care bill , and the loss of one seat now imperils generating that support again for a compromise measure worked out with the House . `` Forty one , forty one , '' chanted the crowd at Brown 's rally , referring to his new status as the Senate 's 41st Republican . Brown , a state senator until now , heralded his victory as the start of more election surprises in 2010 . No Republican had won a U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts since 1972 , and Democrats control the governorship , both houses of the state legislature , and the state 's entire congressional delegation . `` When there 's trouble in Massachusetts , rest assured there 's trouble everywhere , and they know it , '' Brown said of the Democratic Party . Republican leaders sounded a similar theme , saying Americans were fed up with what they called Democratic arrogance in Washington . `` Americans are investing their hopes in good Republican candidates to reverse a year-long Democrat trend of ignoring the American people on the issues of health care , spending and the growth of government , '' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , said in a statement . The seat vacated by Kennedy 's death is currently held by his former aide and longtime friend Paul Kirk , who was appointed on an interim basis . Obama called Brown and Coakley on Tuesday night , and a White House statement said the president `` told Sen. Brown that he looks forward to working with him on the urgent economic challenges facing Massachusetts families and struggling families across our nation . '' Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin said last week that certifying Tuesday 's election results could take more than two weeks -- potentially enough time to allow congressional Democrats to pass a final health care bill before Brown is seated . But multiple Democratic sources said that is unlikely . Even if House and Senate Democrats could reach a deal to meld their bills and pass them in the next couple of weeks , there would be a huge outcry from not only Republicans , but also an increasingly distrustful public if they appeared to be rushing it through . Galvin had predicted as many 2.2 million of the state 's 4.5 million registered voters would vote -- at least double the turnout from December 's primary . In one sign of high interest , more than 100,000 absentee ballots were requested ahead of the election , according to Brian McNiff , Galvin 's spokesman . Coakley was initially expected to easily win the race to replace Kennedy , who made health care reform the centerpiece of his Senate career . Until recently , Brown was underfunded and unknown statewide . Waging a nationally backed campaign that included driving his pickup around the state , Brown surged in the weeks preceding Tuesday 's vote and led in all the final polls . In a sign of the high stakes involved , the Coakley campaign held an afternoon news conference Tuesday to complain that voters in three places received ballots already marked for Brown . McNiff confirmed that the secretary of state 's offices received two reports of voters saying they received pre-marked ballots . The suspect ballots were invalidated and the voters received new ballots , McNiff said . Kevin Conroy , the Coakley campaign manager , said the `` disturbing incidents '' raised questions about the integrity of the election . In response , the Brown campaign issued a statement criticizing Coakley 's team . `` Reports that the Coakley campaign is making reckless accusations regarding the integrity of today 's election is a reminder that they are a desperate campaign , '' Daniel B. Winslow , the counsel for the Brown campaign , said in the statement . Obama had been `` surprised and frustrated '' by the race , White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday . Obama and former President Bill Clinton hit the campaign trail in the final week in an attempt to save Coakley 's campaign , which observers say was hampered by complacency and missteps . Obama crushed Sen. John McCain in Massachusetts in 2008 , beating the GOP presidential nominee by 26 points . `` If you were fired up in the last election , I need you more fired up in this election , '' Obama urged a crowd at a Coakley campaign rally on Sunday . Vicki Kennedy , the late senator 's widow , called on state Democrats to turn out to save her husband 's legacy . `` We need your help . We need your support . We need you to get out there and vote on Tuesday , '' Kennedy said . `` We need you to bring your neighbors . We need you to bring your friends . '' Brown , who has trumpeted his 30 years of service in the National Guard , hewed to traditional GOP themes in his victory speech . He promised to back tax cuts and be tough on terrorists , and to oppose Obama 's health care overhaul effort . `` People do not want a trillion dollar health-care plan that is being forced on the American people , '' Brown said . Brown said his victory defied `` the odds and experts '' who predicted that the Senate seat held by Democrats for more than 50 years would not change hands . Instead , independent voters who outnumber registered Democrats and Republicans combined in Massachusetts strongly supported Brown . `` Tonight , the independent majority has delivered a great victory , '' Brown said , later adding : `` What happened here in Massachusetts can happen all over America . '' Facing the possibility of Coakley 's defeat , Democrats were trying to figure out whether they could pass a health care overhaul without that crucial 60th Senate vote . But top White House aides publicly insisted they were not engaging in any talk of contingency plans because they thought Coakley would win . Two Democratic sources in close contact with the White House told CNN on Monday that they 'd urged the administration , in the event of a Brown victory , to push House Democrats to pass the Senate 's health care bill as currently written . Doing so would prevent the plan from having to be taken up by the Senate again . `` I think the Senate bill clearly is better than nothing , '' House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Maryland , said Tuesday . A third option would be for Democrats to revisit the idea of trying to push health care through the Senate with only 51 votes -- a simple majority . But to do that Democrats would have to use a process known as reconciliation , which presents technical and procedural issues that would delay the process for a long time . A number of Democrats are eager to put the health care debate behind them and move on to economic issues such as job creation as soon as possible this election year . Senate Democrats could also try again to get moderate GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine to vote for a compromise health reform plan . Multiple Democratic sources , however , have said they think that is unlikely now . CNN 's Jim Acosta , Dana Bash , Kevin Bohn , Ed Henry , John King , Suzanne Malveaux , Shawna Shepherd , Jessica Yellin , Kevin Bohn , Alan Silverleib and Tom Cohen contributed to this report . | Republican Scott Brown upsets Martha Coakley to fill Ted Kennedy 's seat . Win leaves Democrats without crucial 60th Senate vote needed for health care overhaul . Brown 's platform includes backing tax cuts , being tough on terrorists . | [[107, 203], [252, 290], [382, 427], [1087, 1159], [1162, 1270], [6779, 6901], [6039, 6067], [6039, 6041], [6072, 6094]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Manny Pacquiao has put failed talks of a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jnr behind him as he turns his focus to a bout with Joshua Clottey at the Cowboys Stadium . The Filipino will defend his World Boxing Organization -LRB- WBO -RRB- welterweight title against Ghanaian Clottey on March 13 at the $ 1.2 billion home of the Dallas Cowboys football team . Pacquiao had been scheduled to face unbeaten American Mayweather on the date before the proposed super-fight collapsed when the Filipino rejected requests from his opponent to have unprecedented random blood testing . But the 31-year-old confirmed that he is now fully focused on his new opponent , not any possible fight with Mayweather . It 's going to be a good fight , '' Pacquiao said at a press conference to promote the fight . `` Clottey , he is a good fighter , a top fighter , and he is bigger than me . I have to prepare hard for this fight and train hard and focus . '' When asked about Mayweather , Pacquiao 's trainer Freddie Roach said things had moved on but revealed his fighter would be ready to take on the American on the right terms . `` Life goes on without Mayweather . He would n't agree to a limit of 14 days before the fight . We did our best to appease him but he would n't go along with it , '' Roach explained . `` Mayweather 's people agreed to it but Mayweather would n't go along with it . I do n't think he wants to fight Manny . It was a smoke screen for him to say no . `` I want to beat this guy 's ass , believe me , but he wo n't give us the opportunity . We will fight him any day of the week . But he does n't make the rules . '' Any Pacquiao-Mayweather fight would have been staged in Las Vegas and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones added that the breakdown in talks benefited him . `` It did . This gave us an opening . We were very aggressive and we were pretty quick to make a deal , '' Jones said . `` We 're going to make this one of the most interesting fights to view that there 's ever been . We 're going to have some fun with it . '' | Manny Pacquiao has put failed talks of his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jnr behind him as he turns his focus to a bout with Joshua Clottey . The World Boxing Organization -LRB- WBO -RRB- welterweight fight will be staged at $ 1.2 billion home of the Dallas Cowboys on March 13 . Pacquiao 's trainer Freddie Roach said his fighter has `` moved on '' but would be ready to take on Mayweather on the right terms . | [[19, 91], [103, 108], [42, 102], [106, 179], [593, 710], [180, 332], [953, 980], [983, 1066], [953, 980], [983, 1002], [1046, 1126]] |
African football federation president Issa Hayatou has exclusively told CNN that Togo were not disqualified from the Africa Cup of Nations but were granted permission to leave . The Togo squad flew back home from Angola on January 9 after three of their travelling party were killed and two players seriously injured by a machine-gun attack which occurred as their bus crossed the border into the northern , oil-rich state of Cabinda two days earlier . It had initially been first thought that Togo had been disqualified after they failed to show for their first group game against Ghana on Monday . But Confederation of African Football -LRB- CAF -RRB- president Hayatou has since confirmed to CNN that they had not been expelled from the tournament but were granted special dispensation . `` Togo was n't disqualified - I want to tell you that Togo was n't disqualified . Togo left the competition following the tragic events that the delegation went through , '' Hayatou told CNN . `` Because of what happened the Togolese delegation did n't have the morale or the conscience for them to participate in the tournament . `` We tried to convince them to stay and that life continues after all and that we share their sorrow and suffering . `` We completely understand what happened . The players wanted to stay but the government for their reasons did n't want the Togolese to stay so they left . `` CAF did everything possible to make sure that the Togo team stayed here for the Africa Cup of Nations . We acted and they left . `` Contrary to whatever you are saying they did n't get disqualified . They are the ones who decided to leave which we consented to . There is a difference . `` We would have wished them to stay . We would have wished them stay . We have done everything to possible so that Togo stays . `` They could n't stay . The players wanted to stay but the political authorities did n't want the delegation to stay . '' Group B has now been reduced to three teams : Ghana , Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso . Angolan authorities have arrested two people involved in the attack , state media reported , while goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale remains in a stable condition in a South African hospital but needs a ventilator as he recovers from being shot . Hayatou also defended CAF 's handling of the incident and , in particular , criticism about the amount of time they took to respond . He added : `` When we were told that Togo was attacked we immediately stopped our meeting that we were organizing . We are in Luanda and they were attacked far away ! `` We organized ourselves to go see them and this was done quickly for us to help our Togolese brothers . But people who say that we acted very late . I think that it is not right for the press to say so . `` On behalf of the federation , we managed that incident , not just the incident but the tragedy , with lots of tact and lots of honesty , and lots of courage . `` The incident happened ; everyone should have taken his own responsibility . '' | CAF president Issa Hayatou has exclusively told CNN that Togo were not disqualified from the Africa Cup of Nations . Hayatou insisted Togo had not been expelled from the tournament in Angola but were granted dispensation . Togo flew home on January 9 after three of their travelling party were killed and two players seriously injured by a machine-gun attack . | [[0, 138], [604, 681], [692, 790], [604, 671], [682, 750], [794, 840], [822, 873], [963, 984], [0, 138], [81, 85], [143, 177], [604, 681], [692, 790], [604, 671], [682, 750], [822, 873], [178, 270], [233, 282], [287, 340], [320, 340], [347, 368]] |
Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The head of U.S. forces in Afghanistan , General Stanley McChrystal , expressed regret Monday after more than two dozen civilians were killed in a NATO airstrike . Twenty-seven civilians died and 14 others were wounded in the incident Sunday in the central Daikondi province , according to the Afghan Interior Ministry . Ground forces at the scene found women and children among the casualties , the Afghan government and NATO 's International Security Assistance Force -LRB- ISAF -RRB- said in a joint statement . The U.S military told CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr they `` accept '' the Afghan government 's death toll . ISAF said it had ordered an immediate investigation into the incident , while the Afghan cabinet called the attack `` unjustifiable . '' `` We are extremely saddened by the tragic loss of innocent lives , '' said McChrystal , who spoke to President Hamid Karzai Sunday evening to express his sorrow and regret over the incident . `` I have made it clear to our forces that we are here to protect the Afghan people , and inadvertently killing or injuring civilians undermines their trust and confidence in our mission . We will re-double our efforts to regain that trust . '' Commanders ordered the daylight NATO airstrike because they had specific intelligence that a group of Taliban in vehicles was heading towards coalition forces on the ground , according to a senior U.S. military official . `` Air assets picked up the movement of the vehicles and after an extensive overhead monitoring , the ground force commander ordered the strike , '' said the official , who declined to be identified because of ongoing investigations . The source would not discuss what activities the convoy took that led to suspicions it contained insurgents other than its location . The convoy of three vehicles was traveling to Kandahar province when it was struck , said Zemeri Bashary , the spokesman for the interior ministry . NATO confirmed its forces fired on the vehicles , believing that they were carrying insurgents . In a statement published in Pashtun and Dari , the Afghan cabinet said it condemned `` the repeated killing of civilians by NATO . '' An English version of the statement did not include that sentence . Civilian casualties at the hands of U.S. and NATO troops have strained relations between Afghanistan and the United States . In the last two weeks alone , more than 50 Afghan civilians are believed to have been killed in more than half a dozen U.S. and NATO military operations . The coalition is also investigating reports that several Afghan policemen were accidentally killed in an airstrike in eastern Afghanistan on February 18 . McChrystal has made avoiding civilian casualties a top priority , and he has apologized to the Afghan government for recent incidents . The numbers have dropped in recent months since McChrystal took over as U.S. commander . The U.S. military official said McChrystal is updating a directive issued to troops last summer aimed at reducing civilian casualties . The official said the intent now is to `` make it more precise and understandable by the most junior member of the force . '' Some forces have complained the directive has led to overly restrictive rules on conducting operations . Meanwhile , an influential Afghan tribal leader was among 14 people killed in a suicide attack on a meeting of tribal elders on Monday in Nangarhar province 's Khogyani district , Afghan police said according to Agence France-Presse . Haji Zaman Ghamsharik was credited with bringing relative stability to Nangarhar compared to other provinces in Afghanistan 's volatile eastern border region . Elsewhere , an insurgent rocket struck a car in Kapisa province Monday and killed one civilian , officials said . Five others were wounded in the attack . Earlier , Afghan officials had blamed the attack on a NATO ground-to-ground missile but later corrected the account . CNN 's Ben Wedeman contributed to this report . | U.S. commander in Afghanistan expresses regret over NATO airstrike . Gen. McChrystal says `` extremely saddened by tragic loss of innocent lives '' 27 civilians died , 14 wounded in attack , Afghan Interior Ministry says . Afghanistan calls attack `` unjustifiable '' ; ISAF launches investigation . | [[8, 35], [109, 168], [886, 896], [903, 1002], [8, 35], [109, 168], [810, 875], [8, 35], [109, 168], [133, 202], [203, 230], [235, 313], [203, 225], [316, 359], [3823, 3863], [673, 742], [751, 806]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After the gloom of December 's postal strikes , Britain 's Royal Mail has started the new year in the right tune with the launch of 10 stamps which feature iconic album covers . And who better than guitar shaman Jimmy Page to give it the official stamp of approval ? The Led Zeppelin guitarist launched the new set of stamps in London which went on sale Thursday . The special New Year stamps feature classic album sleeves from the last four decades . One of the 10 selected albums was Led Zeppelin 's 32 million-selling album , `` IV , '' which Page helped design . It shows a painting of an unknown faggot-bearing man which is said to have been found by Robert Plant in a Reading junk shop . It is not known who the painter was . `` Almost 40 years after the album came out , nobody knows the old man who featured on the cover , nor the artist who painted him , '' said Page in a media statement released by Royal Mail . `` That sort of sums up what we wanted to achieve with the album cover , which has remained both anonymous and enigmatic at the same time , '' he added . It was after extensive research into lists and polls and trawling through thousands of album covers that the final list of 10 was agreed upon , the Royal Mail said . They added that key factors in choosing the covers were the art and album design and not necessarily the music . `` For decades , the album sleeve has been the canvas for some of the most imaginative graphic artists in the world , and this issue celebrates this unique art form and some of its greatest examples , '' said Juliette Edgar , Head of Special Stamps at Royal Mail in the statement . Other chosen album covers include The Rolling Stones ' 1969 album `` Let It Bleed , '' which features a cake on the cover baked by a then unknown Delia Smith , Pennie Smith 's photography for The Clash 's `` London Calling '' and a bent chrome pipe on the cover of Mike Oldfield 's `` Tubular Bells . '' | Led Zeppelin 's Jimmy Page launches 10 iconic album covers stamps for the Royal Mail . One of the 10 selected albums was Led Zeppelin 's `` IV '' which Page helped design . Final list of 10 emerged after trawling through thousands of album covers . | [[19, 64], [67, 160], [151, 160], [167, 196], [286, 353], [471, 545], [556, 558], [570, 585], [151, 160], [167, 196], [1096, 1098], [1153, 1188], [1170, 1237]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A spectator died Sunday after she was struck by a tire from a crashing dragster during the NHRA Arizona Nationals near Phoenix , Arizona . The car flipped in the first-round race and caught fire , said Alia Maisonet , spokeswoman for the Gila River Indian reservation in Chandler , Arizona , where the racetrack is located . During the accident , a wheel flew off the car and struck the woman in the stands , she said . Coverage from CNN affiliate KPHO . She was airlifted to a local hospital , where she died . The dragster was driven by Top Fuel driver Antron Brown . He went to a hospital as a precaution , but was released , the National Hot Rod Association said . `` The entire NHRA community is deeply saddened by today 's incident and sends its thoughts and prayers to the woman 's family and friends , '' the group said on its Web site . The accident is under investigation . | Car flipped in first-round race of NHRA Arizona Nationals and caught fire . Wheel flew off car and struck woman in the stands . She was airlifted to a local hospital , where she died . | [[158, 197], [158, 165], [202, 213], [0, 5], [19, 145], [344, 363], [366, 390], [344, 363], [366, 373], [395, 425], [474, 511], [495, 511], [520, 530]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The number of people worldwide without access to a toilet -- no public restroom , no outhouse , no latrine , no smallest room -- is a whopping 2.6 billion . That 's four out of ten people . The bucket toilet is the only thing on offer for millions of black South Africans . According to the World Toilet Organization , 2.2 million people , predominantly children , die every year from diarrhea -- more than from malaria , from AIDS , from TB . That number dwarfs any casualties related to violent conflict . These figures are intrinsically related . The underestimation of fecal contamination is staggering , sobering -- and unfortunately , silencing . Singaporean social-entrepreneur Jack Sim founded the non-profit World Toilet Organization -LRB- `` the other WTO '' -RRB- in 2001 , as a support network for all existing organizations . It now includes 151 members from 53 countries , which meet once a year to network , discuss sanitation issues and work together toward `` eliminating the toilet taboo and delivering sustainable sanitation . '' Goal number one : Making sanitation speakable . `` What we do n't discuss , we ca n't improve , '' insists Sim . This year , the World Toilet Summit & Expo 2008 was held from November 4-6 in Macau under the theme `` Driving Sustainable Sanitation through Market-Based Initiatives . '' Indeed , not only is sanitation a good idea , it 's a good investment . Biosolids can be composted into fertilizer , sewage can be processed into methane biogas , and even simple latrines in India are producing compost and fertilizer . `` Globally , if universal sanitation were achieved by 2015 , it would cost $ 95 billion , but it would save $ 660 billion , '' writes Rose George in her newly released book `` The Big Necessity . '' Real-world examples follow : `` When Peru had a cholera outbreak in 1991 , it cost $ 1 billion to contain but could have been prevented with $ 100 million of better sanitation measures . '' Or even more alarming : `` Pakistan , for example , spends 47 times more on its military budget than on water and sanitation , though it loses 120,000 people to diarrhea a year . '' So while 2.6 billion people have no toilet , how many millions of us simply `` flush and forget '' ? Eco-sanitation , or the problem of dealing efficiently and ecologically with sewer systems , wastewater , treatment and purification , is no less a serious one . In the UK alone , the sewage system emits some 28.8 million tons of carbon dioxide a year . As sewers become overloaded with urban development , drought strikes various regions of the earth , and potable water becomes increasingly scarce , even the flush toilet is now put into question . Today , those who care are looking at innovative toilet and waste-disposal solutions from India , China and other parts of the developing world , where attitudes and habits are still evolving and open to change . Do n't forget , World Toilet Day is November 19 . | 2.6 billion people have no access to toilet ; 2.2 die annually from diarrhea . World Toilet Organization includes 151 members from 53 countries . Rose George : Universal sanitation by 2015 would cost $ 95bn , save $ 660bn . Flush toilet , sewer systems also pose problem to ecological sanitation . | [[338, 381], [384, 412], [2113, 2157], [2170, 2203], [858, 903], [1603, 1648], [1649, 1677], [1680, 1711], [2262, 2394], [2397, 2423], [2664, 2692], [2697, 2712], [2664, 2685], [2689, 2712]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- They share a deep sorrow : an idealistic American who tried to protect the Kurds of Iraq , a Canadian general who refused to follow orders in Rwanda , a French priest who fought for the soul of Cambodia . CNN 's Christiane Amanpour traveled to the killing fields of Europe , Africa and Asia for `` Scream Bloody Murder . '' Each one tried to focus the world 's attention on the world 's most heinous crime : genocide . Each time , they were shunned , ignored or told it was someone else 's problem . To understand why , CNN 's Christiane Amanpour traveled to the killing fields of Europe , Africa and Asia for a two-hour documentary , `` Scream Bloody Murder . '' Having reported on mass atrocities around the world , this time Amanpour traced the personal accounts of those who tried to stop the slaughter . The yearlong CNN investigation found that instead of using a U.N. treaty outlawing genocide as a springboard to action , political leaders have invoked reason after reason to make intervention seem unnecessary , pointless and even counter-productive . Map : See the locations featured in the documentary '' December marks the 60th anniversary of the U.N. 's Genocide Convention , when -- in the aftermath of the Holocaust -- the nations of the world pledged to prevent and punish future attempts to eliminate ethnic , religious and national groups . Read the 1948 Genocide Convention -LRB- pdf -RRB- . `` The Genocide Convention should have stopped genocide , but it did n't , '' said Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel . Intervention is a daunting challenge , he believes , because of a tendency to minimize accounts from refugees and victims . `` It 's better not to believe , because if you believe , you do n't sleep nights . And how can you eat ? How can you drink a glass of wine when you know ? '' See images from locations in the documentary '' 1970s : Cambodia . Father François Ponchaud was a Catholic missionary in Cambodia when the Khmer Rouge guerillas -- communist revolutionaries -- seized power in 1975 . They expelled all foreigners from the country . But working from France , Ponchaud gathered refugee accounts and monitored radio broadcasts to document the slave labor , torture and executions the Khmer Rouge were using to kill one-fourth of Cambodia 's population . He published his findings in a major French newspaper and wrote a book , `` Year Zero . '' But even so , Ponchaud tells Amanpour , `` No one believed us . '' Watch a behind-the-scenes look at the making of ` Scream Bloody Murder ' '' 1980s : Iraq . CNN found that intervention is often weighed against political and economic costs . Declassified U.S. government documents show that while Saddam Hussein was gassing Iraqi Kurds , the U.S. opposed punishing Iraq with a trade embargo because it was cultivating Iraq as an ally against Iran and as a market for U.S. farm exports . According to Peter Galbraith , then an idealistic Senate staffer determined to stop Hussein from committing genocide , the Reagan administration `` got carried away with their own propaganda . They began to believe that Saddam Hussein could be a reliable partner . '' Read once-secret U.S. documents . 1990s : Bosnia . Even extensive news coverage may not lead to intervention . During the violent breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s , the media reported on the Bosnian Serbs ' ethnic cleansing of Muslims : the siege of Sarajevo , the concentration camps , the use of rape as a weapon of war . It was like watching `` a color remake of the black-and-white scenes we 'd seen in World War II , '' said U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke , whose Jewish grandfather fled Germany when Adolf Hitler came to power . Holbrooke was an early advocate for a U.S.-led military operation against the Bosnian Serbs . `` I took a stand that I believed was correct , '' he told Amanpour . `` I did n't think it was so controversial . '' But it would take three years -- and the massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the town of Srebrenica -- for Holbrooke to make his case within the Clinton administration . 1994 : Rwanda . In Rwanda , where Hutu soldiers and militias massacred their Tutsi countrymen , the Clinton administration tried to avoid characterizing the ethnic slaughter as genocide . According to an internal memo , the State Department worried that under the 1948 Genocide Convention , using the term `` genocide '' could force the U.S. `` to actually ` do something . ' '' The head of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Rwanda , Canadian Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire , begged for additional troops . Instead of reinforcements , Dallaire got an order to withdraw completely . He would not leave Rwanda . `` I refused a legal order , '' he told Amanpour , `` but it was immoral . '' His tiny U.N. force was not enough to stop the slaughter of more than 800,000 people . 2003 : Darfur . Some human rights advocates consider Darfur , the western region of Sudan , to be the scene of the first genocide of the 21st century . The atrocities in Darfur grow out of a civil war between rebels from Sudan 's African tribes and the country 's Arab-led government . In 2003 , when the rebels attacked government outposts in Darfur , a U.N. human rights monitor warned that in the `` escalating conflict , '' Sudan 's government may be `` engaged in ... ethnic cleansing aimed at eliminating African tribes from Darfur . '' At the time , world attention was on Iraq , where the United States was fighting to overthrow Saddam Hussein . The early warning on Darfur `` disappeared into a big hole , '' according to Mukesh Kapila , then the U.N. 's top official in Sudan . Even when the U.N. Security Council put Darfur on its agenda , it took more than three years to authorize a robust peacekeeping force . `` There was no lack of information , '' says activist Eric Reeves . `` There was a lack of will to stop genocide . '' In July , the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court accused Sudan 's president of genocide , war crimes and crimes against humanity , charges Sudan denies . Read the ICC prosecutor 's charges -LRB- pdf -RRB- . How will history judge the world 's response to Darfur ? `` It will applaud the young people ... who believe in solidarity , '' says Wiesel . `` It will certainly criticize the leaders of the world . '' And the next time somebody screams bloody murder to stop a genocide , will anyone listen ? CNN 's Christiane Amanpour , Andy Segal , Jennifer Hyde and Ken Shiffman contributed to this report . | December marks the 60th anniversary of the U.N. 's Genocide Convention . A few strong voices have since tried to focus the world 's attention on genocide . Each time they were shunned , ignored or told it was someone else 's problem . CNN 's Christiane Amanpour traveled to the world 's killing fields to understand why . | [[1135, 1205], [343, 424], [438, 447], [450, 469], [438, 447], [450, 454], [470, 477], [438, 447], [450, 454], [481, 518], [224, 315], [519, 663], [683, 734]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A head-banging parrot who became a YouTube sensation has demonstrated that an ability to appreciate music and keep a rhythm is not unique to humans , scientists say . Alex , an African grey parrot , was one of 14 birds which displayed an ability to keep time with a tune . Snowball the cockatoo , who appears to bop his head , tap his claws and squawk enthusiastically to the Back Street Boys ' `` Everybody '' is one of several birds apparently capable of dancing to a beat , according to two studies published in the latest edition of the journal Current Biology . In a study lead by Adena Schachner of Harvard University , researchers examined more than 1,000 YouTube videos of dancing animals and found 14 types of parrot species and one elephant genuinely capable of keeping time . The video of Snowball has been viewed more than two million times since it was posted in 2007 . Another video of Snowball shows him dancing to Queen 's `` Another One Bites the Dust . '' Watch Snowball the dancing parrot '' Schachner analyzed the videos frame-by-frame , comparing the animals ' movements with the speed of the music and the alignment of individual beats . The group also studied another bird , Alex , an African grey parrot , which had exhibited similar abilities to Snowball , nodding its head appreciatively to a series of drum tracks . `` Our analyses showed that these birds ' movements were more lined up with the musical beat than we 'd expect by chance , '' says Schachner . `` We found strong evidence that they were synchronizing with the beat , something that has not been seen before in other species . '' Aniruddh Patel of The Neurosciences Institute in San Diego , who led another study of Snowball 's performance , said that the bird had demonstrated an ability to adjust the tempo of his dancing to stay synchronized to the beat . Scientists had previously thought that `` moving to a musical beat might be a uniquely human ability because animals are not commonly seen moving rhythmically in the wild , '' Patel said . Schachner said there was no evidence to suggest that animals such as apes , dogs or cats could recognize music , despite their extensive experience of humans . That leads researchers to believe that an ability to process musical sounds may be linked to an ability to mimic sounds -- something that each of the parrots studied by researchers was able to do excellently , she said . Other `` vocal-learning species '' include dolphins , elephants , seals and walruses . `` A natural question about these results is whether they generalize to other parrots , or more broadly , to other vocal-learning species , '' Schachner said . Researchers believe a possible link between vocal mimicry and an ability to hear music may explain the development of music in human societies . `` The question of why music is found in every known human culture is a longstanding puzzle . Many argue that it is an adaptive behaviour that helped our species to evolve . But equally plausible is the possibility that it emerged as a by-product of other abilities -- such as vocal learning , '' music psychologist Lauren Stewart of Goldsmiths , University of London told CNN . `` Parrots and humans both have the ability to imitate sounds that they hear , unlike our closer simian relatives . Once a species has the neural machinery in place for coupling the perception and production of vocal sounds , it may be only a small step to use the same circuits for synchronizing movements to a beat . '' | Scientists : Dancing parrots prove ability to recognize music not unique to humans . YouTube hit Snowball the cockatoo dances to Back Street Boys , Queen . Ability to keep time apparently linked to vocal mimicry , scientists believe . Other animals capable of mimicry include dolphins , elephants , seals , walruses . | [[0, 15], [54, 166], [1640, 1698], [1752, 1798], [2311, 2337], [2686, 2758], [2439, 2525]] |
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