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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I 'm not an auto mechanic , I 'm an Army wife , a mother and -- when time permits -- a journalist . So when my car needs work , I take it to someone with oil on his hands and years of experience looking under hoods . The same is true for plumbing problems , legal issues and medical care . I do n't assume that I know better than the experts . When necessary , I get a second opinion but , ultimately , I always yield to the advice of those who know more than me . With that in mind , I am thrilled that President Obama has decided to listen to his experts -- the military commanders and strategists -- and is committing more troops to Afghanistan . But as an Army wife at Fort Bragg whose husband has already done three tours of duty in Afghanistan , I ca n't help but close my eyes , grit my teeth and brace myself for the hard days ahead . As happy as I am that the president has finally made a move after months of deliberating , I know that this announcement is likely bad news for me . Deployments are awful -- just awful . There is no bright side and no silver lining . For most of us in the military community the luster of sacrificing for our country wore off a deployment or two ago and we are now coasting on the fumes of commitment and shared sacrifice . Many of us who are married to the military are n't even sure why we are willing to endure yet another deployment . We just are . Our spouses see the fight firsthand and are reminded daily of why this battle must be won . They get pep talks at work and enjoy the camaraderie of their fellow soldiers . We at home just hear the gripes of war-weary Americans and see the news reports of waning support . We do n't experience the victories , we only see our children developing emotional problems , our marriages falling apart , our careers sidelined , our dependence on antidepressants climbing , even our houses crumbling from years of neglected repairs . That 's why a troop surge in Afghanistan brings mixed feelings . More troops there means more casualties -- a word I do n't take lightly . Casualties are people , people with names and faces that I know . I see their wheelchairs at my kids ' schools and I 've dropped flowers on their freshly dug graves . A troop surge may mean that even more of my friends will be widows and more of their children will be fatherless . It certainly means more Little League teams in my community will be missing a coach , more families here will know each other only on Skype and more pets will be abandoned . It may very well mean that I will spend more years being both mother and father , and that I 'll have more conversations with my children about why their daddy is always gone when so many daddies never leave . These are not things to celebrate . But right now , after just hearing our president give an inspiring speech , I 'm going to consider that this plan may mean that my friends who are in Afghanistan now will finally have what they need to stay safe . Maybe it will mean that if and when my husband has to go back there , he will be in a better and safer situation . And , more than anything else , maybe it will mean that our nation will succeed in Afghanistan and that all of these years that my husband and I have lost together , all of these friends we 've buried , all of these injuries he and others have nursed -- will have been worth it . I am not a strategist . I do not know what will take us to victory in Afghanistan . I can not say if sending 30,000 more troops is the right or the wrong decision . All I know is that the president consulted the experts and then he sought second , third , fourth -- and who knows how many more -- opinions , and this is the solution he has reached . I commend him for making a definitive plan . I will pray for his wisdom and for the strength and safety of the troops who will be going into harm 's way , just as I pray for those who are already there . I will also pray for all the families back home who are about to send their soldier or Marine into the fight . Theirs is a battle I know . For many of them , their war is just starting . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Rebekah Sanderlin . | Sanderlin glad Obama listened to experts , knows days ahead may be hard for other Army wives . Sanderlin : `` There is no bright side and no silver lining '' to deployments . Army wife hopes deployments will mean troops will get what they need to stay safe . | [[504, 621], [771, 772], [823, 861], [3574, 3609], [1049, 1095], [2880, 2994]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Americans are split over whether China represents a military threat to the United States -- but there is no doubt in the public 's mind that the country poses an economic threat , according to a new national poll . According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday , 51 percent of the public consider China a military threat , with 47 percent disagreeing . That 4-point margin is within the poll 's 4.5 percent sampling error . The poll 's release coincides with U.S. President Barack Obama 's first visit to China to bolster relations . At a town hall meeting on Monday he made the case to Chinese students that the two countries ' philosophical differences should not get in the way of a robust relationship . According to the survey , two-thirds see China as a source of unfair competition for U.S. companies , while only a quarter are more likely to view China as a huge potential market for U.S. goods . `` That may be why 71 percent of Americans consider China an economic threat to the U.S. , '' says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland . `` Americans tend to view foreign countries as competition , and China is no exception . '' Only a quarter of those questioned in the poll say that China has a good track record on human rights . Sixty-eight percent suggested that China is doing a bad job respecting the human rights of its citizens . The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted November 13-15 , with 1,014 adult Americans questioned by telephone . CNN 's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report . | 71 percent of Americans polled consider China an economic threat . More than 1,000 adult Americans were questioned by telephone . Poll coincides with Obama 's visit to China . | [[960, 1048], [1478, 1525]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- To hear Spc. Alexis Hutchinson tell it , the Army forced her to make an agonizing choice between serving her country and taking care of her son . The Army , however , takes issue with the soldier 's story and Hutchinson could now be facing serious charges for desertion . When her unit deployed to Afghanistan earlier in November , Hutchinson was missing from the plane . Her lawyer said she refused to go because there was no one to take care of her 10-month-old son , Kamani , and she feared he would be placed in foster care . The Army said the young mother had plenty of time to sort out family issues and has been confined to her post at Fort Stewart , Georgia , while an investigation unfolds . Before shipping overseas , every soldier must sign military Form D-A 53-05 , which states that failure to maintain a family care plan could result in disciplinary action . Hutchinson had agreed to such a plan and her mother , Angelique Hughes , took in Kamani in a month before Hutchinson 's deployment date . But after a week with the infant , Hughes , who cares for ailing relatives and runs a day-care out of her home , said she felt so overwhelmed that she backed out . `` It was that hard , because he 's a very busy baby , '' Hughes told CNN affiliate WTOC in Savannah , Georgia . `` You have to keep an eye on him 24 hours a day . '' Hutchinson 's attorney , Rai Sue Sussman , said the soldier informed the Army that her family care plan had fallen through and that there was no one to take care of Kamani . Fort Stewart spokesman Kevin Larson said Hutchinson 's unit had known for months about its pending deployment and that it was n't until the last minute that Hutchinson notified the Army of her child-care woes . Like all soldiers who face similar circumstances , Hutchinson received a 30-day extension back in August and September , Larson said . That 's `` plenty of time , '' he said , `` to work out another care plan . '' On the eve of her unit 's departure , Hutchinson was ordered to be on the plane . `` That 's when it put her in this horrible situation of having to choose between abandoning her child or disobeying her superiors , '' Sussman said . `` The sense I got from her and the reason I think why she was scared enough to not go and get on her plane was because they would take her child from her . '' Less than 24 hours after her fellow soldiers took off from Hunter Army Airfield , Hutchinson turned herself in and was arrested by military police . No charges have been filed . More than 30,000 single mothers have served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars , according to a new report compiled by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America . Former Air Force JAG Officer Michelle McCleur said Hutchinson is not likely to win a legal battle with the Army . `` When soldiers are ordered to deploy , and single soldiers included , they have to have a family care plan in place ... and they need to implement that , '' she said . CNN 's Brian Todd and Campbell Brown contributed to this report . | Spc. Alexis Hutchinson refuses deployment orders to stay with son . Hutchinson claims plans for mother to take care of her child fell through . Army says Hutchinson had plenty of time to come up with alternate plans . | [[1361, 1383], [1404, 1509], [1409, 1534], [549, 674]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Beatles first appeared on `` The Ed Sullivan Show '' 44 years ago . It 's also been 44 years since the Beatles held the five top positions of the Billboard pop chart , a feat never achieved before -- or since . Ringo Starr wishes peace and love to everyone following Larry King singing `` Happy Birthday '' to him . But no time has passed since one of the Beatles , Ringo Starr , was playing up on stage . The drummer 's 68th birthday Monday coincided with his 10th `` Ringo Starr and his All Stars '' tour . In honor of the day , he asked people to take a moment at noon for peace and love . Thousands joined him in Chicago to do just that . He also celebrated his birthday on `` Larry King Live , '' talking with King about Beatlemania , his new album and the tour . The following is an edited version of the interview : . KING : How did you come up with the idea -LSB- of peace and love -RSB- ? RINGO STARR : Oh it came in a dream -- flaming pie . It 's just -- I just thought it would be a nice thing when , you know , because it 's my birthday and I 'm on tour , everybody is saying what do you want for your birthday ? So I thought well , why not at noon does n't everybody go `` peace and love '' ? Watch people celebrate Starr 's birthday in London '' KING : That was something the Beatles were always concerned with , were n't they , those kind of themes ? STARR : Well , yes . It was part of our generation , of the '60s -- middle '60s , of course and , you know , with flower power and peace and love and that -- I 'm just keeping it rolling . That 's what I 'm doing . KING : Why do you perform ? STARR : I perform because that 's what I do . When I was 13 , the dream was to be a drummer . I did n't want to be a guitarist or anything else . I wanted to be a drummer . That happened . I started playing with local musicians and I always wanted to play with the best musicians around . I ended up in the biggest band in the world with the best musicians . I 'm still doing it now . The dream unfolds all the time . I love to play . I love to perform . It 's a lot of fun , and it just happens to be what I do . KING : But it 's never a grind ? STARR : No . Hotels are a grind . The traveling 's always a grind . The good things that come out of that is that for ... two hours and 15 minutes a night , you get a chance to just have a great time . KING : How is the all-star band picked ? STARR : I picked them because the first rule is that you have to have had a hit in the '60s , which I had , '70s , which I had , '80s or '90s . We 're the best 1-800-band that goes live . You know , Colin Hay from Men at Work , Edgar Winter , Billy Squier , Gary Wright -LSB- with -RSB- `` Dream Weaver , '' Hamish -LSB- Stuart -RSB- from the Average White Band . Everybody on stage has had hits . The thing is , for the summer collectively , we all get together and support each other . I play on all their songs . They play on mine . Some of them I do from the front . I have this other drummer , Greg Bissonette , who is great . He does those and then I get up and play the drums . I win both ways . KING : Your latest CD is `` Liverpool 8 , '' and it is probably -- not probably , it 's definitely the most personal of your albums . Why did you do it ? STARR : You 're a writer , I write with friends . People are talking about the actual title track , `` Liverpool 8 , '' which was about my life . The first verse , I was a sailor first ; I was in the Merchant Navy . I worked in a factory and then I joined Rory Storm and that 's when I went professional as a musician , and we played this holiday camp called Butlin 's Holiday Camp , and then we went to Hamburg and we ended up in -LSB- New York 's -RSB- Shea -LSB- Stadium -RSB- . It 's like a mini autobiography . I think that 's what people are getting to . KING : How did you get to be a Beatle ? STARR : I got it because I 'm an incredible musician , and I knew the boys , and they gave me -- I was playing with Rory . They gave me a call and said , do you want to join the band . I said , sure . That 's how it happened . KING : Did you like that band right off ? STARR : No . I liked that band before I was in it . It was the only band I used to go and see in Liverpool . We became friends before that , before I joined . We were all playing in the same venues . Actually , Rory Storm and the Beatles played in Germany together . It was n't like I was some stranger they called up . KING : Did you like the other drummer ? STARR : The other drummer was the other drummer , you know . A lot of water has gone under the bridge . They , for their reasons , decided they wanted a change , and I am the result . KING : How fortunate for everyone . You and Paul McCartney are the two still alive . You were with us last year in Vegas in an extraordinary show . This may be difficult . What was it like to be a Beatle ? STARR : Well , it 's difficult , because what was it like ? I mean , it was incredible . It was hard , because when we started we were a club band and then it got bigger and bigger . Because we were four brothers together , we supported each other . But you can not not say that it was n't crazy days and reckless nights . That 's what it was . You know , in the end , you know , the one big image that we had , the whole floor of the Plaza -LSB- Hotel -RSB- in New York and the four of us were hanging out in the bathroom trying to get away from the pressure . KING : Do you still listen to the Beatles ? STARR : Yes , of course I do , some great tracks . My iPod is on shuffle . I have Beatle tracks in it . So they come up and , you know , the music is still , you know -- I love the music . KING : Why or how do you explain their long lasting ? STARR : Because they were great songs and , you know , we were incredible musicians who gave those songs incredible life . KING : Do you think the Beatles would be a success today ? STARR : Sure . KING : Great music is great music . STARR : Hey , I mean , the kids of today do n't know us really , but they know the music . You know , they 're still listening to it and saying wow ! You talk to any new band , most of them have actually had a listen to what we did . KING : Anything you want to do , Ringo , you have n't done ? STARR : No , I 'm sort of doing enough . It 's good . And I 'm privileged and blessed that I can do what I want to do , when I want to do it . KING : And it 's still -- when you 're on that stage , hitting those drums and the band is going -- . STARR : Love it . | Ringo Starr 's 68th birthday on Monday prompted him to ask for peace and love . Starr was in Chicago on his 10th `` Ringo Starr and his All Stars '' tour . King says Starr 's new CD `` Liverpool 8 '' is the most personal of his albums . `` It was incredible , '' Starr says of his Beatles days . | [[234, 308], [532, 551], [554, 615], [429, 531], [4968, 4987]] |
Editor 's note : Junot Díaz 's novel `` The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao '' won the Pulitzer Prize in 2008 . -LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- It was n't that I could n't write . I wrote every day . I actually worked really hard at writing . At my desk by 7 a.m. , would work a full eight and more . Scribbled at the dinner table , in bed , on the toilet , on the No. 6 train , at Shea Stadium . I did everything I could . But none of it worked . My novel , which I had started with such hope shortly after publishing my first book of stories , would n't budge past the 75-page mark . Nothing I wrote past page 75 made any kind of sense . Nothing . Which would have been fine if the first 75 pages had n't been pretty damn cool . But they were cool , showed a lot of promise . Would also have been fine if I could have just jumped to something else . But I could n't . All the other novels I tried sucked worse than the stalled one , and even more disturbing , I seemed to have lost the ability to write short stories . It was like I had somehow slipped into a No-Writing Twilight Zone and I could n't find an exit . Like I 'd been chained to the sinking ship of those 75 pages and there was no key and no patching the hole in the hull . I wrote and I wrote and I wrote , but nothing I produced was worth a damn . Want to talk about stubborn ? I kept at it for five straight years . Five damn years . Every day failing for five years ? I 'm a pretty stubborn , pretty hard-hearted character , but those five years of fail did a number on my psyche . On me . Five years , 60 months ? It just about wiped me out . By the end of that fifth year , perhaps in an attempt to save myself , to escape my despair , I started becoming convinced that I had written all I had to write , that I was a minor league Ralph Ellison , a Pop Warner Edward Rivera , that maybe it was time , for the sake of my mental health , for me to move on to another profession , and if the inspiration struck again some time in the future ... well , great . But I knew I could n't go on much more the way I was going . I just could n't . I was living with my fiancée at the time -LRB- over now , another terrible story -RRB- and was so depressed and self-loathing I could barely function . I finally broached the topic with her of , maybe , you know , doing something else . My fiancée was so desperate to see me happy -LRB- and perhaps more than a little convinced by my fear that maybe the thread had run out on my talent -RRB- that she told me to make a list of what else I could do besides writing . I 'm not a list person like she was , but I wrote one . It took a month to pencil down three things . -LRB- I really do n't have many other skills . -RRB- I stared at that list for about another month . Waiting , hoping , praying for the book , for my writing , for my talent to catch fire . A last-second reprieve . But nada . So I put the manuscript away . All the hundreds of failed pages , boxed and hidden in a closet . I think I cried as I did it . Five years of my life and the dream that I had of myself , all down the tubes because I could n't pull off something other people seemed to pull off with relative ease : a novel . By then I was n't even interested in a Great American Novel . I would have been elated with the eminently forgettable New Jersey novel . Oprah.com : The real meaning of your `` true calling '' So I became a normal . A square . I did n't go to bookstores or read the Sunday book section of the Times . I stopped hanging out with my writer friends . The bouts of rage and despair , the fights with my fiancée ended . I slipped into my new morose half-life . Started preparing for my next stage , back to school in September . -LRB- I wo n't even tell you what I was thinking of doing , too embarrassing . -RRB- While I waited for September to come around , I spent long hours in my writing room , sprawled on the floor , with the list on my chest , waiting for the promise of those words to leak through the paper into me . Maybe I would have gone through with it . Hard to know . But if the world is what it is so are our hearts . One night in August , unable to sleep , sickened that I was giving up , but even more frightened by the thought of having to return to the writing , I dug out the manuscript . I figured if I could find one good thing in the pages I would go back to it . Just one good thing . Like flipping a coin , I 'd let the pages decide . Spent the whole night reading everything I had written , and guess what ? It was still terrible . In fact with the new distance the lameness was even worse than I 'd thought . That 's when I should have put everything in the box . When I should have turned my back and trudged into my new life . I did n't have the heart to go on . But I guess I did . While my fiancée slept , I separated the 75 pages that were worthy from the mountain of loss , sat at my desk , and despite every part of me shrieking no no no no , I jumped back down the rabbit hole again . There were no sudden miracles . It took two more years of heartbreak , of being utterly , dismayingly lost before the novel I had dreamed about for all those years finally started revealing itself . And another three years after that before I could look up from my desk and say the word I 'd wanted to say for more than a decade : done . Oprah.com : 4 writers answer `` What makes you you ? '' That 's my tale in a nutshell . Not the tale of how I came to write my novel but rather of how I became a writer . Because , in truth , I did n't become a writer the first time I put pen to paper or when I finished my first book -LRB- easy -RRB- or my second one -LRB- hard -RRB- . You see , in my view a writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily , because she has amazing talent , because everything she does is golden . In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope , even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise , you keep writing anyway . Was n't until that night when I was faced with all those lousy pages that I realized , really realized , what it was exactly that I am . Oprah.com : 11 ways to find your calling . By Junot Diaz from O , The Oprah Magazine , November . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2010 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved . | Junot Diaz almost quit writing years before he won a Pulitzer Prize . He had 75 good pages but could n't write anything else he liked . After putting away hundreds of filled pages , he tried to think of other professions . Says a writer is someone who ca n't stop writing -- even though no hope , no promise . | [[442, 487], [530, 537], [540, 579], [4812, 4834], [4837, 4921], [1905, 1940], [5974, 5999]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There 's a lot of head-scratching at the CIA over an article in Vanity Fair magazine that dubs Erik Prince , the founder of the notorious private military contractor Blackwater , a `` tycoon , contractor , soldier , spy . '' In the piece , he comes across as so entrenched with the CIA that the agency needs him to perform the most sensitive secret missions , including those involving hunting down and taking out al Qaeda operatives . It 's true that Prince , as the sole owner of one of the most well-connected private military contractors in modern history , is in a position of enormous trust within the government . So why is it that he 's lashing out publicly at that same government ? Prince , a 40-year-old former Navy SEAL , inherited what he called a sizable amount of money when his father died in the late '90s . He 's used that money to help climb to the top of an industry that has mushroomed since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 . He built Blackwater , now operating under the name Xe , from the ground up , into a sprawling complex with enough tanks , planes and ammunition to launch a small war of its own . When President Obama addressed the nation and talked about his Afghanistan strategy , he did n't talk about the shadow army already employed there . There are more private contractors in Afghanistan on the U.S. payroll than there are U.S. troops . While Prince is a huge beneficiary of U.S. contract dollars , he has long been frustrated by two things . First , he does n't like the reputation his company has gained , with his men painted as ruthless cowboys -- which some are , but some are n't . Second , he believes some people in the government just do n't appreciate him the way they should . Prince uses the Vanity Fair article to re-air a lot of his complaints , but the story contains a great deal of classified information , with details about covert programs that involved him . So does that mean that when convenient , he uses that information to help express his frustration ? Prince unabashedly criticizes parts of the government he does n't like . And some current and former government sources question whether that 's a smart move . They ask whether , as a man who benefits financially from those contracts , he should really go public with his criticisms of the same government that signs his checks . Although the CIA has never publicly confirmed Prince 's involvement -- it has become common knowledge in the industry he disclosed details of that relationship to me , among many other things , in the book I wrote on him that was published earlier this year . A lot of those details came up again in this latest article , but Prince went even further this time . The Vanity Fair article reports that Prince is `` privately and secretly doing the CIA 's bidding , helping to craft , fund and execute operations ranging from inserting personnel into `` denied areas , '' places U.S. intelligence has trouble penetrating , to assembling hit teams targeting al Qaeda members and their allies . '' Some former CIA officials are , quite frankly , annoyed . Not only do they believe that Prince is overplaying any role he may have had or still has with the agency , but they believe he is exploiting it for personal gain . Few of the sources I talked with wanted their names associated with Prince or his company , but when asked about the Vanity Fair article , CIA spokesman Paul Gimigliano told me the agency has never `` talked about what role contractors may or may not have played in ... initiatives over the years . But what no one should forget or overlook is the fact that this agency has the talent , tools , and authorities to go after terrorists , and has done so successfully . '' In other words : We can do our own jobs just fine , thank you very much , Mr. Prince . Another source with former ties to the CIA was outraged by the article , saying that Prince was putting a target on the backs of his own men by alluding to a close relationship between Blackwater and the agency . He fears that all around the world , Blackwater contractors would be perceived as agents of the CIA . A government official who also thought that the article exaggerated Prince 's role in the CIA put it this way : . `` Blackwater has good people . They do hard work , sharing the burdens of service overseas . But they 're not well-served by strange tales , the kind of stuff you saw in Vanity Fair about miraculous penetrations of hard intelligence targets or private assassination squads with their fingers on the trigger . `` That should all be shelved under fiction , the kind of stories that end with the alarm clock going off and mom calling you down to breakfast , '' the official said . What the article does n't say is just how much of a PR headache Prince has become . One of the lessons that has come with the marriage between private and military is that for a private business , PR can be crucial to your survival ; for a covert operation , it can be deadly . Striking a balance between the two has been the source of much hand-wringing in Washington . But no matter how you feel about private military contracting , it is here to stay . All of the major U.S. agencies -- the State Department , the Department of Defense , the CIA -- do business with Prince , and all are dependent on contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan . I flew with Prince to Afghanistan shortly after the shootings in a Baghdad traffic circle in September of 2007 that killed 17 people . Blackwater guards were accused . Four pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial ; a fifth struck a deal with prosecutors . Prince 's frustration was obvious . He felt like he had given everything to his country and that his country had let him down in countless ways ; namely by not defending him publicly when his company came under fire after the shootings . Prince says he does what he does for love of country , but of course , he does n't do it for free . His companies have received well over a billion dollars in the process . I asked his spokesperson to comment on concerns that Prince might be jeopardizing agency programs by going public with the details -- after all , he does have a security clearance . The response was this : `` Truth is he is a quiet hero , a great patriot and American . We need more men like him . '' Quiet ? Really ? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Suzanne Simons . | CIA dealing with revelations by Erik Prince , founder of military contractor Blackwater . He paints himself in magazine article as entrenched in sensitive CIA secret missions . Suzanne Simons says many are annoyed Prince complains about government that pays him well . She says military contractors have more people in Afghanistan than U.S. troops there . | [[244, 256], [259, 304], [2732, 2926], [4157, 4178], [4188, 4266], [2199, 2344]] |
NAIROBI , Kenya -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Heavy rains triggered by El Nino weather patterns could potentially prove devastating for east African nations that have been water-starved for months , the United Nations has warned . A Turkana boy holds an empty cup in a village in northwestern Kenya . Kenya , Somalia , Tanzania and Uganda are facing mudslides , crop destruction , waterborne diseases and disrupted road networks , the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Friday . Djibouti , Eritrea and Ethiopia could also be affected . The effects of flooding are expected to be exacerbated because so much greenery has disappeared in the drought . `` More than 23 million people in pastoral , agricultural and suburban communities , as well as internally displaced people and refugees in the region , are reeling from the impact of water and food shortages , pasture scarcity , conflict and insecurity , '' said John Holmes , the under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs who is coordinating emergency relief operations . `` While we can not prevent these climatic shocks , we certainly can mitigate their disastrous effects through forward planning and the right funding from the donor community , '' he said . Uganda , hit by El Nino a decade ago , is planning to apply some of the lessons learned this time around , said Fred Opolot , a government spokesman . `` The government has allocated funds and resources to areas that will be affected , '' he said . `` Our disaster preparedness department is using press briefings , among other ways , to inform the public . '' Though the department is not very well-funded , he said , the government is working with groups such as the United Nations and international aid agencies to prepare for floods . `` It is a multifaceted effort ... we want to ensure citizens are sensitized to the dangers of El Nino and things such as bridges are in good condition . '' The rainy season begins in the Horn of Africa in mid-October and runs through the end of the year . Meteorologists have forecasted that this year 's rains will be more intense than usual because of the El Nino phenomenon , caused by a rise in temperature in the Pacific and Indian oceans . Aid agencies are already buckling under the weight of helping millions of people who have suffered through months of failed crops , drought and erratic rains caused by climate change . In Somalia , 450,000 people in the Juba and Shabelle river basins could suffer , the United Nations estimates . In neighboring Kenya , some 750,000 people -- 150,000 of whom are refugees -- could be affected . The Turkana , a pastoral tribe in northeastern Kenya , is already reeling from a severe drought that has left scores of people dead and remains of skeletal cows strewn across the flat , arid land . The remote region has no access to resources , making it especially vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods . CNN 's Moni Basu and Faith Karimi contributed to this report . | U.N. humanitarian agency : East African nations facing flooding , mudslides . Warning comes after months of drought in region which has decimated greenery . Rainy season in Horn of Africa usually begins in mid-October , runs to end of year . Kenya , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda , Djibouti , Eritrea , Ethiopia set to be affected . | [[0, 7], [10, 31], [68, 145], [290, 417], [552, 575], [589, 664], [2293, 2302], [2307, 2379], [2617, 2628], [2672, 2712], [1932, 1992], [1932, 1948], [1997, 2031], [495, 503], [506, 551], [2519, 2539], [2542, 2593], [2597, 2616]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Film director Roman Polanski has been released from custody in Switzerland and placed under house arrest , Swiss justice authorities said Friday . Polanski was released `` pending extradition '' to the United States , the Swiss Department of Justice and Police said in a statement . Polanski faces a sex-offense charge from the 1970s that involves a girl who was 13 . He is under house arrest at his chalet in Gstaad , Switzerland , the department said . His house has been fitted with an electronic monitoring system that will trigger an alarm if Polanski leaves the premises or removes a bracelet that tracks his movements , the statement said . A judge ruled last week that Polanski could be freed -- under house arrest -- if he posted bail of 4.5 million Swiss francs -LRB- $ 4.5 million -RRB- . He was moved to an undisclosed location Thursday because of security concerns , Swiss federal police spokesman Falco Galli said . The Oscar-winning director was arrested in Switzerland in September on a U.S. arrest warrant stemming from a 1977 sex case . Polanski , 76 , pleaded guilty in August 1977 to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl five months earlier . He was 43 at the time . Los Angeles , California , prosecutors dropped other charges in exchange for his guilty plea . But Polanski fled the United States before he was sentenced , after he learned that the judge might not go along with the short jail term he expected to get in exchange for his agreement to plead guilty . Polanski remained free , mostly living in France , before his arrest in Switzerland . Los Angeles authorities said they sought his arrest when they learned that he would be traveling to Switzerland for a film festival in September . The victim came forward long ago and made her identity public , saying she was disturbed by how the criminal case had been handled . Samantha Geimer , now 45 and a married mother of three , called in January for the case to be tossed out . Polanski agreed to pay Geimer $ 500,000 to settle a damage claim she filed against him nearly 12 years after the crime , according to court papers released October 2 . Polanski still owed the money -- plus $ 100,000 in interest -- three years after the 1993 settlement , according to the documents . Geimer sought money for damages suffered when Polanski had sex with her . She claimed that Polanski plied her with alcohol and Quaaludes during a photo shoot at the Hollywood Hills home of actor Jack Nicholson . It 's not clear whether Polanski completed paying the debt to Geimer , although the court papers document efforts by her lawyers to garnish residuals and other payments owed to Polanski by the Screen Actors Guild , movie studios and other Hollywood businesses . Among Polanski 's film credits are `` The Pianist , '' `` Chinatown , '' `` Repulsion , '' `` Rosemary 's Baby , '' `` The Ninth Gate '' and `` Tess . '' | NEW : Roman Polanski 's house , ankle fitted with monitoring system . Director under house arrest as he fights extradition to U.S. on sex charge . In 1977 , Polanski pleaded guilty to having sex with 13-year-old girl . He fled to Europe before sentencing ; victim wants case dropped . | [[474, 536], [500, 536], [542, 563], [0, 15], [98, 123], [343, 352], [358, 386], [1074, 1082], [1090, 1188], [1954, 1985]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British boxer Amir Khan has retained his WBA light-welterweight title after winning the much-hyped `` battle of the faiths '' by stopping challenger Dmitriy Salita in the first round on Saturday night . Khan , a devout Muslim , knocked down his Jewish opponent three times before the referee stopped after just one minute and 16 seconds . Salita , an American citizen who was born in Ukraine and is nicknamed `` Star of David '' , was unable to follow up his bold claims made in the build-up to the fight , which took place in Newcastle in the north-east of England . The 22-year-old Khan was successful in his first defense of the belt that he won in defeating Andreas Kotelnik in July . He is trained by American Freddie Roach , who also guides Filipino star Manny Pacquiao , considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world . `` It was very explosive . The fight was just what we asked for , what Freddie asked me to do . We had too much power for this guy , '' a delighted Khan told reporters after the fight . `` I 'm a growing young man and developing as a man . Freddie said to take it easy , pick the right shots and you 'll take this guy out and we did . `` Freddie is a great trainer , he 's like a father figure to me and to have him in my corner means a lot . Everyone knows I 'm a hard-working fighter and if you put the hard work in you 're going to get the benefits . `` After the first shot I could see his legs buckling and I just had to take my time . I knew he was going . '' Roach has helped the Olympic silver medal winner to rebuild his career after a humiliating defeat by unknown Colombian Breidis Prescott last year . `` It was a blessing in disguise what happened against Prescott , I got beat and came back stronger , '' Khan said . Roach was equally impressed with his young charge . `` I would give him an A + . I said if you hurt him , finish him . We 've been working on that power and the fight was really over after that first punch , '' he said . | British boxer Amir Khan retains his WBA light-welterweight title in his first defense . Khan , a devout Muslim , destroys Jewish opponent Dmitriy Salita in the first round . He knocked down the Ukraine-born American three times in the opening minute . | [[0, 15], [33, 221], [587, 655], [0, 15], [33, 221], [222, 226], [247, 340], [365, 386], [391, 410]] |
Durham , North Carolina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- To define someone as a looter is not simply to describe him , or her , through an act , it is to make a moral judgment . It is to characterize the person as lawless and criminal . It connotes someone who is without self-restraint ; an animal ; wanton and depraved . It is a description that is void of empathy for someone who is consciously or subconsciously viewed as `` the other . '' Tragically , it fits into the stereotype that many have about people of African descent , be they African-Americans or Haitian-Americans . The news media have to stop describing starving Haitians who are simply trying to survive the earthquake and aftershocks that took their homes , their loved ones , and all their possessions by this highly derogatory term . It 's a lesson they should have learned covering the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina . I remember the news accounts then that described black residents of New Orleans as `` looters , '' but used benign words to describe white residents engaged in the same action : taking things . Academics have found repeated instances of this in media content analyses after disasters . One example , widely disseminated on the web post-Katrina , juxtaposed an Associated Press photo that showed a young black man wading through chest-high water `` after looting a grocery store '' -LRB- said the caption -RRB- , with an AFP/Getty photo of a white woman in the same position , although the caption this time described her `` finding '' food `` from a local grocery store . '' It is time to put this practice to rest . Put yourself in the position of the average Haitian in Port-au-Prince . One minute you were going about your business , the next minute the earth shook and literally your world crumbled all around you . But you were one of the lucky ones , you survived the earthquake . Injured ? Yes . But alive . Your first thought is to cry out for your family , especially your kids . But most of your family is buried under a rubble pile somewhere . You had four children but only one survived the earthquake . You have spent the last few days , along with your fellow survivors , digging through the rubble trying to find them . It is now a week after the earthquake , and you have eaten little or nothing . You are hungry and thirsty , and while you hear rumors of aid coming , you have not seen any evidence of it . You have not heard from the president and indeed you 've heard rumors that his wife is dead . Perhaps he left the country ; you would too , if you could . There is no police presence at all . No governmental authority to provide support . There are no markets . The only money you have are the few gourdes -LRB- Haitian dollars -RRB- that you have in your pockets . The rest of your money is in the safe place you always kept it -- but it is now buried with your food . The banks are not open . There is no one to borrow from ; they are all in the same boat as you . There are no functioning institutions . You have family in the United States and they are desperately trying to get you some help . They have contacted all of the big aid agencies , but those agencies have issues of their own . Some have lost staff members . They are doing the best they can , but they have no idea that you exist and you have no way of finding them . The roads are impassable , and they ca n't get clearance from whoever is in charge of the airport to land their planes , which bring much needed supplies . They 're afraid to go anywhere without security because they 've heard that the people are becoming restless . Indeed , though you do not know this , the U.S. military is also worried that citizens will get violent and start stealing . The United Nations is waiting for more troops , and the doctors have stopped treating patients because of those same fears : violence , looting . Under normal circumstances you would not think of taking food without paying for it . You are what other Haitians would call `` bien eleve '' not `` mal eleve . '' By that they mean you were well-raised , with manners and dignity . Haitians put a strong premium on dignity . To take something for which you have not paid does not only offend your sense of legality but also your sense of personhood . It is undignified . But not only are you starving , so is your only surviving child . You would prefer to pay , but whom ? What would you pay with ? You 'd prefer to wait , but for whom ? How long can you afford to wait ? You feel that your desperate state is evidence that you have been abandoned by your family , your country , the international community , and Bondié -LRB- God -RRB- . -LRB- The Creole word for God literally means `` good God . '' -RRB- . So you take . You take just enough for a couple of days and a couple of family members . You take and you run to feed those for whom the only measure of fortune is survival in Haiti , post-earthquake . You take and you run . Are you a looter ? Try as we might to prevent it , the answer to that question is inevitably racialized . We can not separate the word looting from its racial implications or the supposed crime of looting from its racial origins . In the throes of the civil rights movement in the United States , many states made looting a crime . Almost all of these states were southern states that had a history of criminalizing behavior that they associated more with African-Americans than with whites . Even so , the criminal law , for all of its shortcomings , is often more sophisticated than we are . It recognizes that context matters . It has been developed with concepts -- such as necessity and justification -- to identify the circumstances under which a person who would normally be held culpable can be held either less culpable or not at all culpable . Taking food is different than taking a television . It is past time for our news media to develop similar sophistication . It is time to stop characterizing black people trying to survive in dire circumstances as looters . Are they takers ? Yes . Are they looters ? Let 's wait for a criminal conviction first . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Guy-Uriel Charles . | Guy-Uriel Charles says calling some Haiti quake victims looters advances a racial stereotype . He says even after Katrina criticism , media are quick to buy into this characterization . He describes the desperate circumstances that might lead a victim to take food . Charles : Reasons for taking matter , especially in a disaster . | [[5098, 5202], [5949, 5951], [5960, 6048]] |
Long Beach , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Moments after marine explorer Sylvia Earle finished her passionate plea to preserve vast stretches of the world 's oceans at last year 's TED conference , a foundation executive walked up to her and pledged a million dollars for the cause . It was one of nearly 400 offers of support Earle received after revealing the wish she wanted to be granted as a winner of the TED Prize , given by the nonprofit organization whose motto is `` Ideas worth spreading . '' It grants the winners $ 100,000 and organizational support but the impact of the prize is typically magnified by the backing of the influential audience attending the conferences . On Wednesday , British celebrity chef and nutrition advocate Jamie Oliver will reveal his wish as the winner of the 2010 prize . `` Every year we 're looking around for someone who can inspire the world to do something big and interesting , '' says Chris Anderson , who runs TED with the title of curator . `` The issue of obesity , both in the US and worldwide , is a big deal , a shocking problem in a world where you 've got a lot of people starving and a lot of people killing themselves by overeating ... or eating the wrong things . We were interested in finding an inspirational figure who could address that . '' Past TED prizes have gone to former President Bill Clinton , rock star and philanthropist Bono and biologist E.O. Wilson . Since 2005 , TED has granted wishes to three people a year and continues to work with past winners on achieving their wishes . But this year , the only winner will be Oliver , who has built an empire of cooking shows , cookbooks and restaurants . Oliver , the 34-year-old son of the owners of a pub/restaurant in Essex , England , came to public attention when he starred in a BBC television series , `` The Naked Chef . '' He has followed that up with many other series , including one on nutrition in America due to launch this spring on ABC . The chef branched out into advocacy with a `` Feed Me Better '' campaign for improved school lunches in the U.K. . He presented a petition with more than 270,000 signatures to the prime minister 's residence at 10 Downing Street in 2005 , and officials promised to spend an added 280 million pounds -LRB- $ 437 million -RRB- to improve school food quality . TED Prize winners typically keep their wishes secret until the conference . Anderson told CNN last week that he did not know what Oliver 's wish is . `` The whole idea is that the winner can actually wish for anything . We 're taking a bit of a gamble here , for all we know he could wish for a hot tub full of models . '' The suspense is `` part of the magical nature of the prize ... that moment of unveiling is special and it excites people . '' Oliver 's not tipping his hand about his wish , saying -- through a spokesman -- `` I humbly but passionately hope that my wish and my speech will inspire everyone in the room -- and watching on the Internet -- to take action on an issue that affects the whole world . '' TED began in the 1980s as a conference in California focusing on technology , entertainment and design but has since expanded to include virtually any subject and conferences in other locations . Speakers , dressed informally , prowl a big stage -- there 's no lectern -- and present their views as a clock ticks away the 18 minutes each is allotted . This year 's conference in Long Beach , California , with 1,500 people attending in person and 500 watching a simulcast at the TEDActive conference in Palm Springs , features Bill Gates , Sheryl Crow , Sarah Silverman , James Cameron , David Byrne and Eve Ensler , among a roster of speakers in fields such as technology , science , philosophy , art , music and design . Anderson , who built and eventually sold a magazine publishing empire in the 1980s and 1990s , first attended a TED conference in 1998 and was intrigued that many people said it was the highlight of their year . He acquired TED in 2001 and hosted his first conference in 2003 . Three years later , TED began posting videos of its talks on the Web . They have been viewed more than 200 million times and many have now been given subtitles in 70 languages , through the work of volunteer translators . With the TED Prize , the organization goes beyond simply spreading ideas . `` Whenever I 've been to TED , I 've been struck by how towards the end of the conference , you had a room full of influential connected people absolutely burning with the possibility of inspiration , and it felt like something could be done with that , '' Anderson said . After a brainstorming session with participants , the idea of a TED Prize emerged , `` a prize that instead of looking back , it looked forward . You brought someone to the conference and instead of just honoring them , you granted them a wish , a chance to make a difference in the world , a wish without restrictions . '' Amy Novogratz , director of the TED Prize , said the year after biologist E.O. Wilson wished for a database to document every species on earth , the organization helped launch the `` Encyclopedia of Life . '' `` Bono , the humanitarian rock star , won in 2005 , '' Novogratz said , `` and wished for a million Americans to sign up to say that they care about poverty in Africa . With Bono and his organization we launched one.org , and he delivered a petition to the G8 that summer with almost 2 million signatures . '' Sylvia Earle , the marine biologist , has led dozens of expeditions , including an all-female team that lived for weeks underwater in 1970 . She also walked on the sea floor untethered at a lower depth than any other woman . In her talk last year , she pointed out that in the past 50 years , 90 percent of the big fish in the oceans have been consumed and nearly half of the ocean 's coral reefs have disappeared . Less than one percent of the ocean is protected from destructive fishing , and Earle believes the seas will go into irreversible decline unless a much larger portion - some experts say as much as 30 percent - is protected . Earle said the world needs to act swiftly to protect what she calls `` the blue heart of the planet that basically keeps us alive . '' She told CNN in an interview that a major public awareness campaign will be launched this year and that plans are underway for a conference at sea to get `` influential people to use their talents and intellect to come up with new ways to address these problems . '' Earle attributes these initiatives to the involvement of TED . `` It allows us to tap into individuals and organizations all over the world that I would n't be able to do as an individual , '' she said . `` They create this awareness and they frame the issues in such a way that people get it and they 're inspired to help . And that is a true gift . That 's the real prize . '' | TED is an organization with the motto `` Ideas worth spreading '' Its TED Prize has gone to Bono , Bill Clinton , E.O. Wilson , among others . Winner Jamie Oliver will announce his secret `` wish to change the world '' at TED2010 at approximately 8:50 pm ET Wednesday , Feb 10 , live on CNN.com . Oliver is a celebrity chef who has crusaded for improved school nutrition in the U.K. | [[477, 500], [1306, 1428], [685, 697], [700, 813]] |
Austin , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The former accountant for Andrew Joseph `` Joe '' Stack III -- who officials say flew his plane into a Texas building housing an Internal Revenue Service office -- says Stack had never threatened him , a spokesman for the accountant said . CPA Bill Ross was mentioned in a 3,000-word message on a Web site registered to Stack , which railed against the government , particularly the IRS . The online message believed to have been written by Stack criticizes accountant Ross for `` representing himself and not me . '' Ross had not heard from Stack since October , when his client `` disengaged '' services in a letter , spokesman Chad Wilbanks told CNN . According to Ross , Stack had not expressed any threats toward the accountant or the IRS , Wilbanks said . `` Mr. Stack contacted my firm to help with his personal taxes in 2008 . He failed to provide me with all his income and other information resulting in an IRS audit , '' Ross said in a written statement Saturday . `` Unfortunately , Mr. Stack ignored the audit and my advice which only complicated his situation , at which time our firm disengaged our services with Mr. Stack whom we have not been in contact with since October 2009 . '' Ross did not provide any further details in the statement on his work with Stack . Wilbanks said Ross , who has worked as a CPA for at least 30 years , thinks Stack located him in the phone book . They only met four times and did not have a personal relationship , Wilbanks said . The FBI has taken over the investigation into the crash , and Ross has spoken to investigators , Wilbanks said . While Ross does not fear for his safety , he has `` taken precautions , '' though those steps were not detailed by Wilbanks . The online message , in a hit to the IRS , states , `` I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different . `` I am finally ready to stop this insanity . Well , Mr. Big Brother IRS man , let 's try something different ; take my pound of flesh and sleep well . '' Read the apparent suicide note -LRB- PDF -RRB- . The seven-story building attacked in northwest Austin held offices for nearly 200 IRS workers . Two people were killed and two others were hospitalized when Stacks crashed his plane into the building Thursday , federal officials said . One of the injured , Shane Hill , announced his release from the hospital Saturday . `` I am very grateful to the first responders who were there to assist me , and to those who have cared for me in San Antonio , '' Hill said in a written statement . `` I am so blessed to be home today , and I ask for your courtesy and our privacy as my family and I focus on making a quick and full recovery . '' Though the remains of two people found in the IRS building have been identified , their identities will not be revealed until after a forensic examination , said Ralph Diaz , special agent in charge of the FBI 's San Antonio field office . Watch one of crash victim 's sons say he 's `` still a little shocked '' Agents were looking into whether the seats of the plane were removed to accommodate a fuel drum in an effort to cause maximum damage , an official familiar with the investigation said Friday . The official , who could not speak on the record because of the ongoing investigation , said the Piper Cherokee PA-28 had several seats removed and a fuel drum was missing from the airport Stack took off from . The single-engine plane has a fuel tank capacity of 38 gallons and is equipped with four seats , according to the Web site risingup.com . Authorities say Stack also torched his $ 230,000 home in Austin on Thursday morning before embarking on his fatal flight . Stack 's wife , Sheryl Stack , expressed her `` sincere sympathy to the victims and their families '' in a statement read by family friend Rayford Walker on Friday . Like Ross , friends and former colleagues said they had no inkling of the rage apparently building inside Stack . `` He hid that very well , '' said Billy Eli , in whose band Stack played bass until a few years ago . `` Obviously he was in some serious distress and had some real despair . I never saw that . '' CNN 's Tracy Sabo contributed to this report . | CPA met Andrew Joseph `` Joe '' Stack III only four times , spokesman says . The online message criticized Bill Ross for `` representing himself and not me '' Ross had not heard from Stack since October , when his client `` disengaged '' services in a letter . One of the injured , Shane Hill , announced his hospital release Saturday : `` I am very grateful '' | [[236, 273], [1431, 1455], [274, 339], [423, 514], [552, 595], [603, 613], [615, 651], [1162, 1171], [1180, 1230], [2407, 2418], [2421, 2431], [2400, 2418], [2434, 2484]] |
Dallas , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two men were arrested and charged Sunday in connection with a string of deliberately set church fires in east Texas , authorities said . Jason Robert Bourque , 19 , and Daniel George McAllister , 21 , were charged with one count of arson each in a February 8 fire set at the Dover Baptist Church in Tyler , Texas , according to the state Department of Public Safety . Authorities say they believe the men are connected to nine other church fires that have been set in the area since January 1 . Bourque and McAllister also are suspects in the attempted break-ins at three separate churches earlier this month , said Steve McCraw , director of the public safety department . A federal law enforcement source told CNN that multiple pieces of evidence have been linked to one of the suspects through DNA and that many of the fires were ignited the same way . `` East Texans can rest easier tonight , '' McCraw said at a news conference announcing the arrests . He called the arsons `` despicable and cowardly acts . '' A call to a tip hot line led to the arrests , according to the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives , which was offering a $ 25,000 reward for information about the fires . Investigators were first made aware of the suspects about two weeks ago and had been trying to build a case against them since then , ATF Special Agent Thomas Crowley said . Authorities have been interviewing them since their arrest but there 's still no information on motive , Crowley said . Authorities on February 12 released sketches of three people sought in connection with the fires . On Sunday , officials said that those `` persons of interest '' are not related to this weekend 's arrests . An 11th church arson in Temple , Texas , is not related to the other 10 , said Robert Champion of the ATF in Dallas , Texas . Earlier this month , authorities said they were trying to determine whether the Temple fire was connected to the others . CNN 's Ed Lavandera contributed to this report . | NEW : Call to a tip hot line led to the arrests , ATF says . NEW : Source : Evidence linked to one of the suspects through DNA . Two men charged with arson in connection with one Texas church fire . Men are suspects in nine other church fires in east Texas , authorities say . | [[1050, 1093], [1050, 1074], [1096, 1166], [708, 889], [750, 834], [0, 6], [9, 30], [34, 55], [171, 227], [230, 297], [9, 30], [60, 149], [402, 473], [418, 479], [453, 528]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Portugal declared three days of national mourning Monday amid fears the death toll from devastating floods and mudslides on the island of Madeira could rise above 42 . Search teams have been working to find more victims after floodwaters caused by heavy rains swamped the capital Funchal , unleashing a torrent of mud that swept away homes , roads and trees . At least 120 people were injured . Rescuers were trying to drain a two-story undergound car park at a shopping center where many people are thought to have become trapped . Rescuers feared were that when rains started on Saturday many people may have rushed to retrieve their cars , but ended up trapped in the car park , CNN 's Portuguese affiliate , RTP state TV , reported . Flags were flying at half staff on government buildings in Lisbon in respect of the victims . European Commission President Jose Manuel Durao Barroso was due there later Monday to give a news conference describing what assistance the European Union can offer to Portugal . Madeira-born footballer Cristiano Ronaldo also paid tribute to the victims as his team Real Madrid played Villarreal on Sunday . He lifted his jersey after scoring a goal to reveal a white T-shirt with `` Madeira '' written on it . Ronaldo wrote on his blog later that he was `` incredulous , shocked and dismayed '' by the disaster , and offered his assistance . The mayor of Funchal , Miguel Alburquerque , has warned it was `` very probable '' the toll will rise . `` Our main concern is for the damaged and flooded homes , the cars buried and swept away by water , where we fear we will find new bodies , '' he told the Jornal de Madeira newspaper , according to Agence France-Presse . Rescuers were still hunting for other people believed missing in the deluge as efforts to clear up got under way . Authorities said about 250 people had been evacuated to military bases and other safe locations . Pedro Barbosa of the Civil Protection Agency told CNN 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 Funchal , and in Ribeira Brava , which are both on the southern portion of the Atlantic island . 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 contributed to this report . | Portugal announces three days of mourning to victims of floods on island of Madeira . Madeira-born footballer Cristiano Ronaldo also paid tribute to victims . At least 42 people killed , 120 injured in disaster . Hundreds of residents were evacuated to military bases and other safe locations . | [[19, 164], [1030, 1071], [1077, 1128], [379, 413], [1835, 1932], [1847, 1932]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On the same day he was released from a hospital after undergoing a heart procedure , former President Clinton told reporters he has no plans to slow down . `` I have to keep working -- that 's what my life is for , '' he said outside his home in Chappaqua , New York , on Friday . `` You know I was given a good mind , a strong body , a wonderful life and it would be wrong for me not to work . '' `` I even did a couple of miles -LSB- walking -RSB- on the treadmill today , '' he said . On Thursday , Clinton , 63 , underwent a procedure at New York-Presbyterian Hospital 's Columbia campus to implant two stents in a clogged coronary artery . Clinton has `` no evidence of heart attack or damage to his heart , '' and his prognosis is excellent after undergoing the procedure , according to Dr. Allan Schwartz , the hospital 's chief of cardiology . Schwartz said the procedure was `` part of the natural history '' of Clinton 's treatment after his 2004 quadruple bypass surgery and `` not a result of either his lifestyle or diet , both of which have been excellent . '' Have you gone through heart surgery ? Share your story . Clinton called the procedure `` kind of a repair job '' and said he 's `` actually doing very well . '' He said he began feeling tired around Christmas and traveled several times in recent weeks to Europe and Haiti . `` I did n't really notice it until about four days ago when I felt a little bit of pain in my chest , and I thought I had to check it out , '' he said . Earlier Friday , Clinton , the U.N. special envoy for Haiti , issued a statement marking the passing of one month since a massive earthquake devastated the impoverished nation . He also has visited the island nation twice since the earthquake , a fact he noted on Friday . `` I will continue to work with the Haitian government and people , international donors and multilateral organizations , the Haitian Diaspora , NGOs -LSB- nongovernmental organizations -RSB- , and the international business community to fulfill unmet needs , '' Clinton said in the statement , released Friday . `` Haiti still has a chance to escape the chains of the past and the ruins of the earthquake , '' he said . `` But we all will have to do what we can today . '' Clinton said he had helped collect 200,000 donations for Haiti through his partnership with former President George W. Bush -- the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund -- and through the Clinton Foundation Haiti Relief Fund , calling those efforts `` especially impressive . '' He said he has helped allocate $ 7 million in relief . The 7.0-magnitude quake of January 12 leveled most of Port-au-Prince , Haiti 's capital , killing more than 212,000 people and injuring 300,000 , according to Haitian government estimates . It left more than a million homeless . Clinton underwent a procedure called angioplasty , the hospital said , in which a balloon catheter is threaded through an artery to the blocked vessel in the heart . When inflated , the balloon opens the vessel and restores blood flow . Many times , a scaffolding-like structure called a stent is left in place to keep the artery open . How stents open arteries . President Obama called Clinton on Thursday evening and wished him a speedy recovery so he can continue his work on Haiti and other humanitarian efforts , a senior administration official said . Schwartz said Clinton began experiencing `` pressure or constriction '' in his chest several days ago , episodes he described as `` brief in nature but repetitive . '' An initial electrocardiogram and blood test showed no evidence of heart attack , Schwartz said . Subsequent pictures of Clinton 's arteries revealed that one of the bypass grafts from his 2004 surgery was `` completely blocked , '' prompting the stent procedure , which took about an hour , Schwartz said . Schwartz said Clinton was up and walking about two hours after the surgery . Clinton 's daughter , Chelsea , and his wife , Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , were with him at the hospital Thursday night , Schwartz said . Hillary Clinton was scheduled to leave Friday on a planned trip to the Middle East , but her departure has been delayed until Saturday , a senior U.S. official said . Bill Clinton has maintained an active schedule since leaving the White House in 2001 , devoting much of his time to global philanthropic interests and speeches . Friends have expressed concerns that his `` frenetic pace '' was taking a toll on his health , sources told CNN . Clinton maintained that frenetic schedule all the way up to the surgery , said Terry McAuliffe , a longtime Clinton friend and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee . In fact , as doctors were wheeling Clinton into the operating room , Clinton 's phone had to be taken out of his hand , said McAuliffe . `` He was on a conference call dealing with Haiti , '' McAuliffe told CNN Friday morning . `` And I guarantee as soon as he gets back today he 's going to be back on the phone . He 's passionate about helping the folks down there . '' In addition to his trips to Haiti , Clinton attended the World Economic Forum in Davos , Switzerland , in January . David Gergen , CNN senior political analyst , said Clinton was exhausted and had a cold after returning from his second trip to Haiti earlier this month . But Schwartz stressed Thursday that Clinton 's lifestyle has nothing to do with his hospitalization . `` He has really toed the line in terms of both diet and exercise , '' Schwartz said , adding that he told Clinton he could be back in the office Monday . Dr. Spencer King , who has not treated Clinton , rejected as outdated suggestions that the former president needs to slow down . `` This is kind of a '50s concept , '' he said Thursday . `` Now we 've got a lot of fantastic ways to prevent progression of heart disease -- medications , things that can be done . The outlook for people is totally different . '' `` If he slows down , he slows down , '' said King , president of St. Joseph 's Heart and Vascular Institute in Atlanta , Georgia . But he added , `` It would be very hard to show any data that would tell you he 'll have more trouble if he hangs it up . '' Clinton 's 2004 surgery was performed at the same hospital where he was admitted Thursday . Doctors in 2005 operated again on Clinton to remove scar tissue and fluid that had built up after his bypass surgery . Schwartz said Thursday that the type of bypass graft used in Clinton 's 2004 surgery `` has a 10 -LSB- percent -RSB- to 20 percent failure rate after five or six years . '' King said Thursday 's stent procedure may not be the end of Clinton 's heart woes . `` The problem there is that that vein graft is developing disease , and sometimes it goes on and develops more , '' he said . `` There 's a substantial chance over the next three , four , five years that it could close up again . '' CNN 's John King , Ed Henry , Jessica Yellin , Elise Labott and Tom Watkins contributed to this report . | NEW : `` I have to keep working -- that 's what my life is for , '' former President Clinton says . Clinton out of New York hospital after cardiac procedure . Angioplasty-stent procedure opens one of Clinton 's blocked coronary arteries . Busy schedule not a factor in heart trouble , doctor says . | [[113, 183], [187, 233], [40, 110], [516, 527], [530, 537], [545, 619], [2827, 2875], [5356, 5453]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Several weeks ago , President Obama announced that $ 8 billion in government-loan guarantees would be made available to Southern Co. to begin construction of two nuclear reactors in Georgia . If built , it would be the first nuclear power plant constructed in the United States in almost 30 years . More importantly , this would be the first of what is expected to be many such projects initiated in coming years . I am a big believer in the necessity for energy independence . I accept that we will all have to make some compromises in achieving that goal . I am willing to consider that nuclear power may have to be one piece of the plan we put together for how to break ourselves free from our dependence on foreign oil . I would submit , however , that before we start building reactors we need to address another urgent matter . We need to make current reactors secure . Roughly 18 months ago I started work on a project that ultimately lead to the writing of my recently published book , `` Willful Neglect , '' on homeland security in the United States . I examined security at a wide range of potential targets inside the United States , including chemical plants , liquefied natural gas facilities , biological research laboratories and nuclear power plants . This was not a theoretical study . I did my homework up front , but after that , I went out on the street and I did what my 20 years in the CIA had trained me to do . I looked at all these targets in the same way as an adversary would . What I found was deeply disturbing . Eight years after 9/11 , we had done little or nothing to enhance security in most areas . Nuclear power plants were no exception . Security at nuclear power plants is in the hands of private security companies hired to protect the facilities by the power companies that own them . Before 9/11 , the Nuclear Regulatory Commission mandated that there would be five to 10 private security guards on duty at each site per shift . After 9/11 that number was increased . On average , there are now a total of 20 such security personnel on duty at any one time to guard a nuclear power plant . That is 20 individuals to secure the entire perimeter and interior of what may be a vast facility . These guards are grossly underpaid . In many cases , they make less than the janitors at the facilities in question . They train with their weapons no more than two to three times a year . Some of them are prior military and have combat experience . Many others are hired off the street and given less than a week 's worth of training before they begin to stand post . Much of that week of training is consumed with administrative matters , which have nothing to do with learning how to repel a terrorist attack . Morale among the guards at nuclear power plants is chronically low . I was told by many individuals during my research that it was common to hear discussions among guards about where they would hide if there were an attack . These guard forces are typically trained to respond to a limited number of scenarios . These scenarios are always designed around attacks by very small numbers and are artificially constrained so as to not allow these attackers to use many weapons , such as rocket launchers and machine guns , commonly in use by terrorist groups today . Even so , the guard forces are defeated at least half the time . These deficiencies have been pointed out for years by any number of watchdog organizations . Likewise , detailed recommendations have been put forth regarding how to improve the situation and increase the size and ability of power plant guard forces . These include requiring them to demonstrate the capacity to repel attacks by teams of terrorists using the weapons and tactics commonly in use around the world today . These have been largely ignored . An interest in nuclear power plants by al Qaeda or another terrorist group is not theoretical . Among the targets considered for the 9/11 attacks were nuclear power plants . Yemeni security forces recently captured a suspected member of al Qaeda , a New Jersey native named Sharif Mobley . Between 2002 and 2008 , he worked at several U.S. nuclear power plants . It does not take a counterterrorism expert to imagine what al Qaeda might be able to do with the knowledge supplied by an individual who had spent the better part of six years inside nuclear facilities . The stakes here are enormous . A team of terrorists , which was able to seize control of a nuclear power plant , could cause it to melt down with relatively basic knowledge of the plant 's operation . A full-scale meltdown of a major reactor would be catastrophic . Such an incident at the Indian Point Plant in New York state , for instance , would likely render large parts of the metropolitan New York City area uninhabitable for decades and likely kill tens of thousands . We have neglected this issue for too long . It needs to be addressed , and the decision to push the building of reactors simply adds urgency . Before we move ahead with any new nuclear power plants , let 's attend to unfinished business and fix security at the ones we have . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Charles S. Faddis . | Obama administration is backing expansion of nuclear power . Charles Faddis says U.S. should first make existing plants secure . He says security forces are n't well-trained or numerous enough to counter threats . Faddis : A terrorist attack at a nuclear plant could have dire consequences . | [[853, 894], [5033, 5047], [5131, 5155]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sherlock Holmes the movie has already made more than $ 300 million at the box office worldwide and British tourism officials are hoping it means money for them too . Britain 's tourism board has been promoting films for the past 15 years , so they know just how lucrative a movie like `` Sherlock Homes '' can be . `` To give you an example of a typical blockbuster film , it is normally seen by about 120 million people in the first three weeks of opening , '' Visit Britain official Laurence Bresh told CNN . `` Even if a small percentage of those come to visit Britain as a result of this particular film , that 's going to have a huge boost in some of those tourism attractions featured in our promotion . '' As much of `` Sherlock Holmes '' is set in London this means big business for museum officials and gift shop operators . The Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221b Baker Street is the address where the fictional detective lived , according to the stories by Conan Doyle . Nearby , a nine-foot statue of Holmes greets visitors at the Baker Street Underground station . Inside the museum , visitors can check out Holmes ' study , sit in his armchair by the fireside , examine his calabash pipe and observe his chemistry equipment . `` I think Hollywood has put its magic touch on the legend , and they 've put , as it were , a magnifying glass over the character and of course things you could say are slightly exaggerated , but that 's the wont of Hollywood and that 's what makes these blockbusters successful , '' John Riley , Assistant Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Museum said . `` So any new perspective , any new angle always just helps to perpetuate the legend of Sherlock Holmes . And that indirectly will obviously benefit the museum . '' About 70,000 visitors a year stop by the Victorian lodging house , though officials are expecting a spike of interest fueled by the new movie . While thousands of tourists flock to visit the museum , many of its visitors are unaware that Sherlock Holmes was actually not real person . `` A few people do think he is a real character , particularly with the tour of his house on ` Baker Street ' adding fuel to the fire so to speak , '' Mark Di-Toro from Visit Britain said . `` That is just testament to Doyle 's brilliant writing with his true to nature locations in the books meaning tourist can really relate and visit all the fantastic locations . '' A. Pawlowski and Phil Han contributed to this report . | New movie `` Sherlock Holmes '' inspires guides to places of interest to fans of the detective . British tourism officials hope the movie will bring more tourists to London . Many are unaware that Holmes was a fictional character . The movie has already made more than $ 300 million worldwide . | [[1863, 1932], [1933, 1986], [1989, 2073], [52, 73], [79, 120], [9, 32], [66, 120]] |
Miami , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 15-year-old boy who was burned over 65 percent of his body in October , allegedly by a group of teenagers he knew , has been readmitted to a Miami hospital after he had trouble breathing , a hospital spokeswoman said Monday . Michael Brewer `` had complications with his breathing and is now back in the ICU , '' said Lorraine Nelson , spokeswoman for Jackson Memorial Hospital . Brewer was admitted to Jackson Memorial 's Holtz Children 's Hospital on Sunday night and is in serious condition , she said . It was not known whether Brewer 's condition was related to his severe burns . He was released from Jackson Memorial 's burn unit December 22 , more than two months after the October 12 incident . `` He had been doing very well . He had been going to physical therapy and doing well , but things happen , '' Nelson told CNN . At the time he was discharged from the burn unit , Dr. Louis Pizano , associate director of the burn center , told reporters , `` From what happened in the beginning , we would have predicted probably six months , at least , in the hospital . And it is miraculous . '' Brewer had three skin graft surgeries during his stay in the burn unit and was on a ventilator for almost the entire first month . Three teenagers have been charged as adults with attempted murder in connection with the incident . Detectives said eyewitnesses told them that 16-year-old Jesus Mendez used a lighter to set fire to Brewer after Denver Jarvis , 15 , allegedly poured alcohol over him , and that Matthew Bent , also 15 , allegedly encouraged the attack . Detectives said Mendez admitted that he set Brewer on fire and that he made a `` bad decision , '' according to an arrest transcript . The three face a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison if convicted . Two other boys who were allegedly involved , a 13-year-old and 15-year-old , have not been charged in the attack . A court-appointed psychologist who examined two of the five boys allegedly involved in the attack told CNN they are competent to proceed and assist their attorney . Detectives believe that Brewer owed Bent $ 40 for a video game . When Brewer did not pay , police said , Bent stole Brewer 's father 's bicycle , then was arrested when Brewer reported him to the police . The next day , police believe , the group sought out Brewer . Witnesses reported the group called him `` a snitch '' as they set him on fire . Witnesses have said Brewer jumped into a pool to put out the flames . | Michael Brewer had trouble breathing `` and is now back in the ICU , '' hospital says . No word on whether his condition is related to burns on 65 percent of his body . He was burned October 12 , released from hospital burn unit December 22 after skin grafts . Three teens charged as adults with attempted murder in connection with burning . | [[0, 5], [8, 31], [133, 223], [263, 317], [263, 280], [322, 344], [32, 52], [57, 106], [544, 622], [561, 622], [32, 52], [57, 106], [623, 685], [1139, 1209], [1270, 1369]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The possibility of engine fires has prompted General Motors to recall nearly 1.5 million passenger sedans manufactured between 1997 and 2003 , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Monday . The recall involves certain GM vehicles in which oil apparently can leak and ignite . The recall covers certain mid - and full-size passenger sedans under GM 's Chevrolet , Buick , Oldsmobile and Pontiac brands . The affected vehicles have naturally aspirated 3.8 liter V6 engines -- that is , engines that use atmospheric pressure rather than a mechanical blower to bring in air for combustion -- according to documents that GM filed with federal regulators last week . On Friday , the federal government acknowledged the filing and agreed to the plan . The problem involves a potential for oil to leak on the exhaust manifold during hard braking . When a car operates under normal conditions , the manifold can get very hot . Oil that runs below the manifold 's heat shield could ignite and spread to plastic channels that hold spark plug wires . As a solution , the company recommends a change in the bracket that holds spark plug wires , which will be done free of charge . Owners and dealers affected by the recall will be notified by letter next month with details . The vehicles involved are : • 1997-2003 Buick Regals . • 1998-2003 Chevrolet Luminas , Monte Carlos and Impalas . • 1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigues . • 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix . GM issued a recall on a similar engine in 2008 , according to the company 's filing with the government . That problem was traced to a faulty gasket on the engine rocker cover . | Recall involves certain Chevrolet , Buick , Oldsmobile and Pontiac sedans . Problem involves potential for oil to leak on the exhaust manifold , then igniting . General Motors to send details to owners next month . | [[0, 15], [19, 124], [232, 317], [318, 444], [232, 317], [252, 271], [281, 304], [787, 881], [824, 881], [960, 1020], [1210, 1304]] |
TOKYO , Japan -- Three-time grand prix winner Norifumi Abe of Japan has been killed in a street crash when his 500cc scooter collided with a truck making an illegal U-turn , police have revealed on Monday . Abe won two grand prix in Japan and another in Brazil during the 1990s . The 32-year-old ploughed into the truck while it was turning in the Tokyo suburb of Kawasaki . In 1994 , while racing in his home championship , Abe had a chance to race at the 1994 Japanese Grand Prix as a ` wild card ' . He was challenging strongly for a remarkable victory until three corners from the finish when he fell off . His impressed Kenny Roberts ' Yamaha team sufficiently to be offered two more rides in the 500cc championship that year . Abe finished sixth in both and was given a full-time 500cc ride for the 1995 season . He took his first podium finish in 1995 , and his first win and fifth overall a year later . He moved to the D'Antin team in 1999 , won at Rio that year , and won again at Suzuka a year later , amidst two seasons on less competitive machinery , in which his solid finishing ensured that his 100 per cent record of top 10 championship finishes continued . Abe was less happy under MotoGP regulations but when he was moved to Yamaha 's returning World Superbike squad for 2005 , despite having less support than Noriyuki Haga and Andrew Pitt , he finished in the championship top 10 . In 2006 he did not make a podium and this year he competed in the All-Japan Superbike Championship , again on a Yamaha . E-mail to a friend . | Three-time 500cc winner Norifumi Abe has been killed in a road accident . The 32-year-old 's scooter was in collision with a truck in Kawasaki , Japan . Abe won two grand prix races in his native Japan and another one in Brazil . | [[0, 5], [8, 146], [0, 5], [8, 146], [326, 374], [0, 5], [8, 146], [207, 279]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -- Dr. Andre Berger sees himself as a pioneer . Where others in the medical community believe injections of human growth hormone should be given to adults in only rare cases , Berger believes it is a crucial part of keeping people young and vital . Dr. Andre Berger says the patients requesting HGH from him are getting younger and younger . Berger , who has been practicing anti-aging and holistic medicine for 30 years , says he is now prescribing injections of HGH to about one out of every four people he treats at his Rejuvalife Vitality Institute in Beverly Hills . `` People come here for generally two reasons ; they want to look better , and they want to feel better , '' Berger says . While Berger says most of his patients are middle-aged , he 's now getting calls from Hollywood 30-somethings wanting HGH and rap artists inquiring about illegal steroids , something he does not offer . `` They feel that part of being a rap star is looking buff and having big muscles , etc. , so anything they can do to bring themselves to look like that is going to enhance the whole image , '' he says . HGH has been used since the 1950s to help children with growth problems , but it stayed under the radar for other uses until 1990 , when Dr. Daniel Rudman reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that men taking a six-month course of HGH reduced their body fat by 14.4 percent while increasing lean muscle mass by 8.8 percent . The study included just a dozen men , but it inspired a flood of anti-aging literature touting the benefits of growth hormone , along with countless Web sites selling HGH creams and sprays . Endocrinologists say those products , though , are worthless -- the body can use HGH only when it 's injected to treat patients with HGH , Berger says they must be diagnosed with a deficiency of HGH , which happens naturally as the body ages . `` It 's a very important hormone , but it 's not something to be taken in isolation , '' he says . Berger says he prescribes HGH to restore normal levels of the hormone and makes it part of a broader long-term treatment program including diet , nutritional supplements , exercise and other hormone replacement . Dennis Pelino , a 60-year-old Beverly Hills entrepreneur , says five years ago , he was having trouble keeping up with the younger people he was doing business with , so he started treatments , which included HGH injections . `` My skin tone got a lot better . I just felt better , '' he says . `` My eyes got a lot brighter . My hearing , I swear , got better . '' Pelino says HGH injections , along with a healthy diet , exercise , and supplements has made him feel 10 years younger . `` I can keep up with people who are a lot younger than me , '' he says . `` I am not trying to set records , I am just trying to stay in the game , I am doing business here . '' But critics argue that doctors are taking huge risks by administering HGH because it has n't been studied extensively long-term and says many of the same benefits can be found in diet and exercise alone . `` There are serious side effects associated with using growth hormone for these individuals including an elevated risk of cancer , diabetes , '' says Dr. Jay Olshansky of the University of Illinois at Chicago . Olshansky , who has studied anti-aging for over 20 years , contends that many of the claims are just false and says that only in the rarest of cases can HGH be prescribed legally . `` It can be prescribed in adults for only two things ; muscle-wasting associated with HIV/AIDS , which is extremely rare , and for adult growth hormone deficiency , '' he says . Still , celebrities including Sylvester Stallone and Suzanne Somers who have openly supported the use of HGH , have attracted those just seeking a new lease on life . Marketers for HGH therapies claim it 's become a $ 2 billion-a-year business , thanks in large part to aging baby boomers willing to pay big bucks to emulate the stars whose looks never seem to fade . The Albany-Times Union recently reported , citing unnamed sources , that rapper 50 Cent and singer Mary J. Blige were among celebrity customers allegedly identified in a New York probe of doctors and pharmacists who illegally prescribe steroids or HGH . The Times-Union report did not suggest there was evidence Blige or 50 cent took the drugs . Blige denies taking any performance enhancing drugs , and 50 Cent has not commented . Neither star is accused of breaking the law . E-mail to a friend . | Doctor says more 30-somethings want steroids and HGH . HGH first used to help children with growth problems . Critics say there are health dangers . | [[1127, 1198], [3081, 3210]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sarah Palin 's most ardent supporters in `` real America '' love to suggest that those of us who do n't buy into her shtick fail to grasp why they love her , citing her realness , plain-spokenness and whatever else they can conjure up . Folks , nice try , but as a native Texan , I 've seen many politicians and wannabes over the years who had charm , wit , charisma and a twinkle in their eye . Anyone who has listened to the best football coaches the Lone Star State has to offer will tell you that they can persuade a mother and father to send their boy to hell to fetch a glass of ice water and bring him home a better man . They could teach a politician or two how to connect with average Americans . You want a media darling politician with substance ? Try the late Gov. Ann Richards , a woman who could cut you deep and beam ear-to-ear with her motherly smile . But unlike Palin , she had a host of strong ideas in her head that actually made sense and appealed to a cross-section of folks . Former Rep. Charlie Wilson , who died this week , was a smooth-talking Texan who loved to party hard . But when it came to politics , he knew how to get things done . The media loved him because he could sit with you and enjoy a beer over barbecue , give them a hilarious quote or two , and explain foreign policy better than Henry Kissinger . Why have n't I cottoned to Palin ? Because she portrays herself as a straight-talking politician who wants to lead a movement in the `` Lower 48th '' -- but is nothing more than a political celebrity willing to cash every check she can grab . What truly exposed her for me ? It was the ridiculous way she reacted in opposing ways last week to two political heavyweights who used the word `` retard . '' When it was reported that President Obama 's chief of staff , Rahm Emanuel , told a group of liberals that they were `` f ----- g retards '' for threatening to run ads against fellow Democrats who were n't jumping on the health care reform bandwagon , Palin demanded his resignation . As the mother of a child with Down syndrome , Palin has often used her bully pulpit to demand respect for the mentally challenged . Nothing wrong with that . It is an issue that is close to her heart , and she should be a fierce advocate for them . Yet when one of her biggest supporters , conservative radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh , also castigated liberals by calling them `` retards , '' Palin provided him cover , even trying to explain away his comments . In an interview with Fox News Channel 's Chris Wallace , she said Limbaugh was using satire , while Emanuel was blasting those who disagree with him . But anyone who can read or listen could hear Limbaugh calling folks he disagrees with the same . Palin even went further , agreeing with Limbaugh that liberals are `` kooks . '' So Emanuel and Limbaugh used the word `` retard '' to describe folks they disagree with , but only Rahm was wrong ? Yep , that 's how it is in Palin 's world . The advocate for the mentally challenged was quick to pounce on someone she disagrees with politically but defended her patron saint , Rush . Sarah , when you hold yourself up as a fierce protector of the mentally challenged , politics should n't enter into the equation . Either you criticize everyone who uses a word that you consider a slur , or you come across as a crass politician who is afraid to offend your chief booster . Maybe you ought to listen to your spokeswoman , Meghan Stapleton , who thought you cared about the mentally challenged when she sent this e-mail to HotAir.com about Limbaugh 's comment : `` Gov. Palin believes crude and demeaning name-calling at the expense of others is disrespectful . '' But knowing that would n't sit well with Rush , you backed off and gave him cover . If you were true to your cause , you would have demanded an on-air apology from Limbaugh and scolded him for using the word . Instead , you showed your true colors . Sarah , I have n't bought into your fake `` I 'm - a-real-American '' persona . You slam the president for using teleprompters , but write crib notes on your hand to remember basic beliefs that should be easy to regurgitate . You decry the `` lamestream '' media , but you bask in its glory and have joined its payroll as a Fox News contributor , even having the network build a studio in your home . Talk about media elite . You give a speech riddled with falsehoods about the president and national security , and then try to shrug them off as the `` lamestream '' media attacking you . You do n't fool me , even as your legion of fans considers you the second coming of President Reagan . You quit on the people who elected you to become a political celebrity , which your presidential running mate blasted then-Sen . Barack Obama for doing . You had the opportunity to show everyone that you 're willing to take on anyone who crosses the line against those who are mentally challenged , and you failed . Please , make as much money as you can . Paraphrasing comedian Martin Lawrence , ride this train until the wheels fall off . But please , cut the crap . You 're a crass politician with no true conviction . Your actions have shown that . The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Roland Martin . | Roland Martin : Sarah Palin 's falsity shown by her different reactions to use of `` retard '' Martin : President Obama 's chief of staff uses word , and Palin demands his resignation . Rush Limbaugh calls liberals `` retards , '' and Palin defends him , Martin writes . Martin : She slams teleprompters but uses crib notes ; she hates media but works for Fox . | [[2017, 2049], [1705, 1731], [1736, 1761], [2340, 2387], [2395, 2414], [2415, 2441], [2765, 2770], [2791, 2842], [2846, 2914], [4058, 4104]] |
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Miami area seems to be enjoyed most by people who live somewhere else . Garcia 's offers freshly caught fish and a great view from a deck overlooking the Miami River . More often than not snowbirds , the yearly visitors who winter in South Florida , and other tourists appear to take over . But there are plenty of places that are beloved by locals and wo n't cost you a fortune . A good first stop is Lincoln Road , the pedestrian boulevard that runs almost the width of Miami Beach . A farmers ' market each Sunday is a weekly meeting point for many locals , and although the area has lost some of its identity to chains , there are plenty of unique restaurants and shops to sample . Start your stroll on Lincoln with coffee at David 's Café -LRB- 1654 Meridian Ave. -RRB- . From a large open window facing the street , the cafe keeps the Cuban coffee flowing 24/7 to a wide mix of Miamians who line up for their caffeine fix . Not too much English is spoken here though , so practice the following : cafecito -LRB- a shot of sugary Cuban coffee -RRB- , cortadito -LRB- sugary Cuban coffee cut with milk -RRB- and café con leche -LRB- a Latin latte -RRB- . A block west of David 's is The Frieze -LRB- 1626 Michigan Ave. -RRB- , which devoted regulars will swear serves the best ice cream in the world . A taste of one of the many flavors of ice cream or sorbet -- made from fresh local fruits -- may make you a convert as well . Flavors such as wasabi or tamarind have to be tried to be believed . Whether it 's the best in the world is open for debate , but for sure The Frieze serves the best scoops in Miami . At Segafredo 's , on the West end of Lincoln -LRB- 1040 Lincoln Road -RRB- , the real attraction is people watching . It 's the place to see and be seen in Miami Beach . Customers spending hundreds of dollars on champagne and cocktails or a few bucks on coffee and simple snacks enjoy the same great view of local characters on parade and the beautiful people who act as if Lincoln Road were their own personal catwalk . North of Lincoln Road , on the Biscayne Bay side of Miami Beach is Joe Allen restaurant -LRB- 1787 Purdy Ave. -RRB- , a bastion of good food and service that a crowd of mostly local clientele has kept going for nearly a decade . The restaurant has locations in other cities , but walking into the low-key Miami Beach dining room you would swear you stumbled onto a well-kept secret . Joe Allen 's serves really fresh comfort food : steaming plates of mussels in an Asian broth , homemade pastas , great burgers and a killer meatloaf . This is not the place for celebrity sightings and the latest trendy food , but you will eat well and not break the bank . Many Miami restaurants boast they serve the freshest fish in town , but few have their own fishing fleet to back up the claim . Garcia 's Seafood Grille and Fish Market -LRB- 398 N.W. N. River Drive , Miami -RRB- offers its own freshly caught fish and a great view from a deck overlooking the Miami River . It 's a trick to get there , and the restaurant is one of the few bright spots in a still run-down area of downtown Miami , so go with good directions . As you lunch on a mahi-mahi sandwich with a beer served in an ice-cold mug and watch the boats go by , the trip to Garcia 's will seem well worth the effort . It would n't be Miami , of course , without the beach , and every local has his or her own preferred strip of sand . The beach at Collins Avenue and 87th Terrace is a favorite for people who want to relax with the Sunday paper and a fold-out chair . The water and sand seem cleaner than most other beaches and the area is a favorite for kite surfers . If you are n't already a local , you soon will feel like one after a few hours there with the sand between your toes . | Miamians line up for Cuban coffee at David 's Cafe . Joe Allen serves fresh comfort food on the Biscayne Bay side of Miami Beach . Garcia 's Seafood Grille and Fish Market offers its own freshly caught fish . | [[816, 858], [861, 931], [923, 931], [936, 968], [2076, 2097], [2100, 2191], [111, 206], [2934, 3039]] |
LEONE , American Samoa -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Taitasi Fitiao was holding her six-year-old daughter 's hand when a tsunami wave crashed onto their coastal village in American Samoa . A man stands on the remains of what was once a tourist resort in Samoa 's capital of Apia . `` I held her hand . The wave got us and that 's when her hand just left mine and I could hear her say , ` Mom , please . ' And then I saw her , I saw her floating away . And I knew right then that she was gone , she was taken from us . '' Taitasi Fitiao ran to her daughter 's school after an 8.0-magnitude earthquake rocked the small cluster of Samoan islands early Tuesday , triggering a tsunami . The teacher had let the students go home after the temblor struck . Fitiao had felt some relief when she briefly united with her daughter , but then the wave came . `` I ca n't believe she 's gone . She 's only six years old , '' she said of her youngest child , Valjorefa Uputaua Fitiao . The villagers of Leone -- one of the largest towns in American Samoa with a population of more than 2,000 -- searched for Valjorefa . They found her about one day after the waves took her from her mother . `` When they found her , she still had her backpack on and school uniform , '' Fitiao said . The Fitiao family plan to bury her with her gray-and-black backpack because she loved school so much . Watch a family mourns the loss of their daughter '' At the family home on Thursday , Valjorefa 's backpack was drying on a clothing line and some crayons and a notebook with her school work were on the ground . They plan to bury her in the front yard , as is the custom here . `` We really miss our daughter , '' said her father , Faataui Fitiao . Ten people , including Valjorefa , died in Leone . Villagers and the U.S. Army reserves are looking for one person still missing : a six-year-old boy , whose family wants to bury him in the front yard , too . Samoa 's prime minister talks about the devastation '' At least 168 people are confirmed dead in the aftermath of Tuesday 's quake and tsunami . They include 22 people killed in American Samoa , 139 in Samoa and seven in Tonga , according to officials on the islands . Watch the tsunami take over a street '' | CNN visits a destroyed fishing village '' A second quake , a 5.5-magnitude temblor struck near the Samoan islands at 6:13 p.m. Wednesday evening -LRB- 1:13 a.m. Thursday ET -RRB- , according to the U.S. Geological Survey , while a 6.3-magnitude quake rattled Tonga on Friday . U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the disaster at an event Wednesday in Washington . `` To aid in the response , '' he said , `` I 've declared this a major disaster to speed the deployment of resources and FEMA ... is working closely with emergency responders on the ground , and the Coast Guard is working to provide immediate help to those in need . `` We also stand ready to help our friends in neighboring Samoa and throughout the region , and we 'll continue to monitor this situation closely as we keep the many people who have been touched by this tragedy in our thoughts and in our prayers , '' Obama said . | Latest death toll from Tuesday 's quake , tsunami stands at 168 . Taitasi Fitiao loses her six-year-old daughter in the tsunami . Ten people died in Leone from the tragedy . The Fitiao family will bury their daughter in the front yard , as is the custom here . | [[1975, 2064], [870, 895], [1711, 1743], [1746, 1761], [1574, 1613], [1574, 1583], [1619, 1639]] |
Seattle , Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The plastic Ziploc bag thrown in the trash in Seattle , Washington , spent a week traveling 300 miles to an Oregon landfill . The old Apple iBook that was recycled is a month into its journey . And a pair of worn Asics running shoes is still logging miles even after being dropped in a bin for used shoes . Those are just some of the trails of trash exposed in a high-tech trash study . `` Normally , you think about the trash for minutes while you take it out to the can , '' says Ethan O'Connor , `` and this trash we are going to be watching on our Web browsers for weeks . '' O'Connor and Shannon Cheng are volunteers in a study tracking their trash -- and giving them the opportunity to reflect on what they use and discard . The tracking devices are about the size of small cell phones and allow for near-real-time tracking of thousands of pieces of garbage . The tracking is not part of some top-secret government program to spy on garbage , but rather the brainchild of MIT researchers who wanted to learn if society could more efficiently dispose of what it throws out . `` The idea with this tagging exercise is to bring an invisible system to life , '' said Assaf Biderman , associate director of MIT 's SENSEable City Lab . `` By knowing how long it stays in the system , where it goes , we are hoping to create an increased awareness in the public . '' Before that increased awareness could be created , however , the scientists needed to devise a way to track pieces of trash , some for hundreds of miles and for up to six months . Researchers are doing most of the tracking via volunteers in Seattle . They plan to expand the program to other cities and compare the attitudes that people in different regions have about garbage . Working with the telecommunications company Qualcomm , the MIT researchers created a device -- or , as the researchers call them , `` traces '' -- that could track a piece of trash using both GPS and cell phone towers . The researchers then asked volunteers to supply items they were already planning to get rid of and put the tracking `` traces '' on the items . The volunteers then threw the material out as they usually would . Just getting the trace on the piece of trash presented its own challenges . Some needed to be taped or sewn into the garbage ; others were stuck to the trash with a sticky aerosol spray . The researchers stipulated that the trace not alter how the garbage traveled through the waste system or call attention to the item . `` The thing about trash is that each object is very different , '' Biderman said . `` Different sizes , different textures , different constraints . '' O'Connor and Cheng live on a houseboat , where space is at a premium . Participating in the study has allowed the couple to think of larger-picture issues about the trash they produce . But it 's not just the trash 's owners who are tracking the tems . Waste Management Inc. , a waste removal and recycling company , is helping fund the study in the hope that it will show that the trash they dispose of goes where it should . Officials say they are also looking for ways to better deal with garbage . `` It could make a huge difference , '' Waste Management spokeswoman Rita Smith said . `` We want to do everything we can to get our materials to their destinations as efficiently as possible ; not only because of the economic cost , but also because of the environmental cost . There 's no point in hauling material around in circles . '' Researchers are still compiling data as the trash makes its journey . Even though the study has not been completed , the MIT group sees its efforts as a step toward better informing Americans about trash . `` Can we create a situation of minimum waste ? '' Biderman said . `` In a certain way , it 's about telling people about what they throw away , making people more aware about waste , and perhaps changing their behavior . '' Participating in the study has already altered O'Connor 's outlook . `` The disposal is one part of it , the using is another , '' he said . `` No one 's saying we are bad people for using stuff , but the reality is each one of us gets one-six-billionth of what the Earth can produce , and what we have is much more than that . '' | Trash study tracks how pieces of garbage may travel hundreds of miles . MIT researchers hope study will help people better understand impact of garbage they produce . `` Can we create a situation of minimum waste ? '' researcher says . | [[1406, 1454], [1467, 1566], [1018, 1033], [1038, 1119], [1340, 1402], [2852, 2876], [3740, 3786]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Serving a 26-year prison sentence for the murder of her roommate , American Amanda Knox said Sunday she is scared , but determined to prove she is innocent , according to an Italian lawmaker who visited her cell . Knox , 22 , seemed very pleased by the visit , which included members of the Italy USA Foundation , said Catia Polidori , a member of the foundation and a member of the Italian Parliament . Knox is also grateful for the foundation 's interest in her case , Polidori said . `` In my opinion , in spite of the imprisonment , she seemed to be serene , '' Polidori told CNN . While Knox is aware of the seriousness of her situation , Polidori said , she is `` resolute '' about proving her innocence . Knox was convicted earlier this month of murdering British exchange student Meredith Kercher while the two roomed together in Perugia , Italy , in November 2007 . During her trial , Knox read a statement to jurors , insisting she is not a killer . She is appealing her conviction , although her case might not reach a court docket for at least a year . Knox told the visitors she trusts in the Italian justice system to resolve her case , Polidori said . However , she said she was scared , and that `` she is often afraid to open -LSB- the -RSB- newspaper or watch TV , '' because media reports tend to undermine her confidence , Polidori said . The Italy USA Foundation `` was established to honor the friendship between Italians and Americans , '' according to its Web site . `` The Foundation is an independent institution that intends to play a bipartisan role on both sides of the Atlantic and whose sole purpose is to promote friendship between Italy and the United States of America . '' The foundation 's president , Rocco Girlanda , said in a statement on the Web site the delegation visited Knox in her cell in Perugia to check on her condition because of the intense U.S. interest in her case . The delegation brought Knox some English-language books as a Christmas gift , which made her `` really happy , '' Polidori told CNN . Prosecutors said Kercher died during a sex game in which Knox taunted Kercher while Knox 's then-boyfriend , Raffale Sollecito , and another man , Rudy Guede , sexually assaulted her . Among the evidence against Knox was a knife found in Sollecito 's house with Knox 's DNA on the handle and Kercher 's on the blade . Knox 's attorneys attempted to cast doubt on those findings , saying the knife did not match Kercher 's wounds or a knife imprint left on a bedsheet . They also claimed the DNA sample was too small to be conclusive . Sollecito was also convicted in Kercher 's death and sentenced to 25 years . Guede was convicted earlier in a separate fast-track trial and is appealing his conviction . The verdict against Knox drew criticism from some who questioned the process . Kercher 's family , however , has said they were satisfied with the jurors ' decision . Knox said she misses her family , Polidori said . Her mother , Edda Mellas , told CNN 's Larry King earlier this month that her daughter was `` completely crushed , devastated '' by the verdict against her , but she is ready to fight her conviction . Kurt Knox , Amanda Knox 's father , told CNN she had been a victim of `` character assassination . '' But he said the Italian appeals process is more flexible than in the American courts , noting the appeals court could open the case for a further evaluation of evidence and new information . `` There are many Italians who have told us that , you know , worst-case scenario , the first level rarely works correctly , '' Mellas told CNN , referring to the jury trial . '' ` They 'll get it right in appeals , she will get out of there . ' They will not , you know , put away this innocent young girl for a crime she did n't commit . '' | Delegation from Italy USA Foundation visited Amanda Knox in Italian prison . Knox seemed `` serene , '' denies guilt in roommate 's murder , one visitor says . Delegation took her English-language books as Christmas gift . Knox 's father has said he believes she 'll be freed on appeal . | [[268, 277], [286, 330], [556, 559], [567, 579], [894, 910], [913, 917], [947, 978], [1938, 2013]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The House voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to repeal the antitrust exemption currently granted to health insurance companies . The vote was 406-19 to repeal the exemption , which has been in place since the end of World War II . The 19 who voted against the repeal are Republicans . Liberal Democrats have said a repeal would help inject competition into the health care industry while reducing consumer costs . White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Tuesday that President Obama strongly supports the repeal . `` At its core , health reform is all about ensuring that American families and businesses have more choices , benefit from more competition and have greater control over their own health care , '' Gibbs said . Read the bill . `` Repealing this exemption is an important part of that effort . Gibbs said the president is not seeking repeal of the exemption in lieu of broader changes to the insurance market . `` This is a complementary step along the way , '' he said . The debate in the House on Wednesday included a colorful moment between Rep. Anthony Weiner , D-New York , and Republicans . `` You guys have chutzpah , '' Weiner told Republicans during the debate . `` The Republican Party is a wholly owned subsidiary of the insurance industry , '' he said , drawing the objections of Republicans , who asked that his words be stricken from the record . Weiner then asked for unanimous consent to replace his words and said , `` Every single Republican I have ever met in my entire life is a wholly owned subsidiary of the insurance industry . '' The Republicans objected again , prompting Weiner to rescind his words . The House version of the health care bill passed last year would have removed the antitrust exemption , while the Senate 's version would not . Advocates of an exemption repeal say the exemption has allowed health insurance companies to essentially divide the country into geographic zones . They argue the companies benefit from what amounts to local monopolies . Industry defenders , in turn , point out that insurers are still subject to state regulations . They say the impact of an exemption repeal is overblown . CNN Fact Check : Would exemption repeal lower premiums ? Administration officials and their allies in Congress have taken an increasingly tough stance against the unpopular insurance industry . Among other things , Obama 's latest proposal for health care reform would give the federal government new authority to block excessive rate increases by health insurers . Specifically , Obama 's plan calls for the secretary of health and human services to work with a seven-member board made up of doctors , economists and consumer and insurance representatives to review premium increases . The board , to be known as the Health Insurance Rate Authority , would provide an annual report to recommend to states whether certain rate increases should be approved , although the secretary could overrule state insurance regulators . | House votes 406-19 to repeal exemption in place since end of World War II . Proponents say repeal will help inject competition into health care industry . They also say it will lower consumer costs . Opponents of bill say it will have little effect . | [[30, 114], [155, 198], [168, 171], [175, 256], [311, 439], [334, 439], [311, 439], [334, 439], [311, 328], [414, 439]] |
-LRB- EW.com -RRB- -- There 's no denying the power of the romantic comedy , even if `` Valentine 's Day , '' the movie , is as manufactured as the holiday itself . The all-star film grossed an estimated $ 52.4 million over three days and is likely to top $ 60 million by the time the Presidents Day holiday weekend is over . Its high-grossing debut -- the best ever for Presidents Day -- coupled with solid numbers from the other two new wide releases put 2010 's holiday frame into the record books with an estimated total gross of $ 193 million . `` Percy Jackson & The Olympians , '' based on the popular kids ' book series by author Rick Riordan , earned an estimated $ 31.1 million for the three days while the R-rated horror remake `` Wolfman , '' starring Benicio del Toro , grossed an estimated $ 30.6 million for a per-theater average of $ 9,497 . `` Avatar , '' in its ninth weekend of release , grossed another $ 22 million , falling only 4 percent from its previous weekend and putting its total cume close to $ 660 million . Last weekend 's winner , `` Dear John , '' dropped into fifth place for the frame . Losing 50 percent of its value , primarily off of `` Valentine 's Day '' competition , the film earned $ 15.3 million . Its total stands at $ 53 million . These strong numbers from female-driven films have Hollywood noticing that women are strong drivers of box office . Expect a rash of female-starring films to be green lit in the near future as the industry realizes -LRB- yet again -RRB- that women love going to the movies . What a revelation ! See full article at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2010 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | `` Valentine 's Day '' grossed an estimated $ 52.4 million over three days . The film is likely to top $ 60 million by the time the Presidents Day holiday weekend is over . In its 9th weekend of release , Avatar grossed another $ 22 million . | [[165, 234], [272, 325], [165, 182], [249, 280], [870, 872], [907, 935], [870, 904], [938, 1038]] |
Decatur , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Given all their country and people have been through , between political upheavals , human rights abuses , hurricanes , abject poverty and last week 's earthquake , `` If Haitians were constantly questioning their faith , they would all be atheists . '' These words came from the Rev. Eric Hill as he prepared to lead Haitian Mass Sunday at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Decatur , Georgia . Some of the 100 Haitian parishioners who gathered raised their hands to the heavens in praise , grateful their loved ones had been found . Others bowed their heads and clenched their hands for those lost , still missing and all who suffered . One woman wept out of guilt because she -- a U.S. citizen -- had been able to leave her devastated homeland a day after the quake , while so many were left behind . Their unshaken faith and devotion to God is the same sort that 's played out in other houses of worship , in living rooms and on the torn-up streets of Haiti . Are you in Haiti and safe ? Share your story , photos with CNN iReport . Carmella Delerme of Miami , Florida , said her mother clung to her Bible for days , reading psalms over and over again , as they waited for word on the whereabouts and condition of Delerme 's sister and other relatives . When her sister , who was in Haiti on a missionary trip with their Seventh-day Adventist Church , called late Thursday , Delerme said , `` I went straight to church and prayed and prayed and prayed . We continue to pray for those who are lost and still in need . '' On the streets of Port-au-Prince , with many of their churches crumbled , people have gathered to worship and sing Catholic and Protestant hymns . `` That 's the soundscape of the country right now , '' said Elizabeth McAlister , a professor of religion and anthropologist of Haiti who teaches at Wesleyan University in Connecticut . `` It 's the business of religion to create meaning out of chaos . ... Tragically , the business of religion is getting a lot of trade today . '' See complete coverage of Haiti earthquake . It 's often said that 80 percent of Haitians are Catholic , although other estimates range from 55 percent to 85 percent . McAlister , who puts her best estimate at 70 percent , said getting a proper census in Haiti to nail down numbers is impossible . But between Protestant denominations and Catholicism , it is without doubt a majority Christian country , she said . Weaved in , however , are the nuances that come with the country 's troubled history . Colonized by the French , the land then known as Saint-Domingue emerged as one of the wealthiest colonies of the 18th century . It 's flourishing sugar production and aggressive deforestation was achieved on the backs of half a million African slaves . They brought with them their own belief systems , rooted in West and Central African traditions . Haitian Vodou , often misunderstood and branded with stereotypes , has its own ceremonies and rituals meant to honor spirits , or loas . These spirits , seen as intermediaries with God and links to ancestors , can be called upon for help . And for practicing Christians , especially Catholics who can view saints as they would spirits , the two systems do not have to be mutually exclusive . Not everyone is necessarily practicing Vodou , commonly anglicized as Voodoo , but McAlister said the Afro-Creole Haitian traditions are usually kept alive and the ancestral spirits are inherited by at least one member of every family . Haitian-born Leslie Desmangles remembered being hurt as a boy by the words of Christian missionaries who misunderstood and demonized his peoples ' traditions . Theirs were sentiments much like those uttered last week by televangelist Pat Robertson who said the Haitian people are `` cursed '' because they `` swore a pact with the devil '' to get out from under French rule . Robertson 's comments were `` insensitive , theologically unsound and loaded with racial connotations , '' said Desmangles , a professor of religion and international studies at Trinity College in Connecticut . In the Decatur church Sunday , the priest reminded his congregants that theirs is an all-loving God , not a vindictive one . Their God , he said , is in the international outpouring of support from people who , one week ago , did n't know where Haiti was . Their God is a rock of stability when the earth trembles . Their God is the one who lifts them up `` to mend our broken bones , to brush us off and to bury the dead , '' Hill said . And during this first Sunday Mass after the earthquake , their God was in the music that moved them . To the distinctly Caribbean sounds of their band and choir , they sang hymns of praise to the one they believe stands with them . `` People continue to be God 's instruments , '' the pastor said , with the help of a Creole translator . `` God will work through all of us to bring new life to Haiti . '' As he spoke , a little girl , too young to understand the pain around her , did what she could . She planted kisses on the forehead of her anguished father , his face buried in his hands , before skipping off to make fish faces and giggle with other children . | Haitians would be atheists if they questioned faith , given all they 've seen , priest says . Instead belief in God remains unshaken , as seen in churches , homes and on streets . Haitian Vodou , often misunderstood , is part of people 's rich history . Their God is all-loving , not vindictive , priest says in answer to Pat Robertson . | [[847, 1006], [953, 1006], [1567, 1629], [1639, 1713], [4115, 4143], [4146, 4239]] |
PARKLAND , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Yorelle Haroush fled a million-dollar South Florida home this week , chased out , she said , by drywall made in China that 's emitting vapors that smell like rotten eggs . Amy Massachi hugs her pregnant niece , Yorelle Haroush , as she prepares to move this week . `` It 's making me sick . Physically , mentally and emotionally , making me sick , '' said the 18-year-old , who is pregnant with her first child . Haroush lives with her aunt Amy Massachi and her four siblings and cousins in the house . They believe a year 's worth of upper respiratory infections , antibiotics , bloody noses and sickness have been caused by the walls . Their doctor said they need to get out of the $ 1.2 million estate in Parkland , Florida , northwest of Fort Lauderdale . `` I said , ` you ca n't stay there anymore , because you 're sick every minute , ' '' the family 's longtime physician , Dr. Ross Nochimson , told CNN . `` They 're sick on a weekly basis . Earaches , sore throat . I give them something , and they 're sick again . '' Massachi and her family are among homeowners in more than a dozen states who allege Chinese drywall has emitted corrosive gases they believe have given them health problems . Homeowners also allege the gases corrode metal components including copper wiring , causing air conditioners and other household systems to fail . Read about homeowners ' allegations '' The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says most of the complaints have come from Florida , where the concerns emerged last year . But consumers also have filed complaints in Louisiana , Virginia , Wisconsin , Ohio , Alabama , Mississippi , California , Washington , Wyoming , Arizona , Tennessee and Washington , D.C. . The Florida Department of Health says complaints it received -- more than 330 as of Tuesday -- generally involve homes built between 2004 and 2007 . A study done for the Florida health department by private laboratory Unified Engineering Inc. found that samples of certain Chinese drywall gave off a sulfurous odor from `` volatile sulfur compounds '' when exposed to extreme heat and moisture . It also found that vapors `` in the residential atmosphere created a corrosive environment in the presence of moisture . '' The health effects of those vapors are still the subject of several scientific studies . Odors and corrosion are clearly evident in the Massachi house . The pungent , rotten-egg-like smell permeates the two-story home . Throughout the house , electrical outlets are open to reveal black corrosion on the copper wiring . The air conditioning unit 's air handler , inside the house , is blackened . `` This is disgusting . It 's so corroded . I ca n't even believe it , '' Amy Massachi said in a raspy voice . `` I ca n't breathe . Every morning , I wake up with sinus allergies , my voice is hoarse . Watch Massachi explain what 's happening in her house '' `` My mother , when I call her up on the phone , she says , ` Amy , what 's wrong with your voice ? ' and I say , ` allergies . ' '' ` What are you allergic to ? ' I do n't know . Well , now I know . I 'm allergic to my house . My house is making us sick . '' The doctor recommends they vacate their 18-month-old home . `` Before they bought this house , they were n't calling every week with allergies and sore throats and ear aches and coughing , '' Nochimson said . `` I do n't know what more I can do for them . '' Haroush , who after giving birth faces heart surgery for an unrelated condition , is moving in with her grandmother . `` I 'm graduating this year , and I 'm having a baby , and I do n't need to be thinking about anything else going wrong , and any more stress that is on me , '' she told CNN . Chinese drywall was imported into the U.S. during a different economic era , at the height of a housing boom . Prices were sky high , and the country was hit by two active hurricane seasons in 2004 and 2005 , increasing the demand for home repairs . Suppliers were forced to look elsewhere for their drywall supply . Drywall , made from gypsum , is regularly imported from Mexico and Canada , according to the U.S. Department of Commerce , but during this time frame , the U.S. looked to China to make up for the shortage . The Gypsum Association told CNN that enough drywall was imported from China to build 30,000 complete homes . Most of the Chinese drywall , they say , ended up in southwest Florida during the housing boom , where it was used in new housing developments . Some was also used in remodeling projects all over the country , so the number of homes affected is difficult to calculate . The Consumer Product Safety Commission hopes to have more answers in the coming months . They continue to test the Chinese drywall , including controlled tests in chambers and real-world air sampling tests in homes , to determine how the drywall interacts with other elements in an average house . `` We do n't deny there 's a problem , '' spokesman Joe Martyak said . But there has been no positive link to adverse health effects . `` We do n't know what it is that 's causing the sore throats or bleeding noses . We have to find out what 's causing the problem , '' he said . The Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are doing studies on the health effects , but those examinations are some time away from completion . The Consumer Product Safety Commission is having ongoing conversations with Chinese officials , who will be sending a representative to the United States to study the problem . `` They appreciate the seriousness of the issue here and trying to be cooperative , '' Martyak said . A handful of Chinese companies have been sued by homeowners and home builders . In the meantime , homeowners like Massachi face financial hardship . `` Now , because they have to move out for health reasons , they 're taking on a whole second -LRB- rent -RRB- payment , '' said Massachi 's attorney , Michael Ryan . Ryan said he 's had no luck trying to convince Massachi 's home lenders to suspend mortgage payments until the house can be made livable again . He told CNN his clients are `` having to make choices about their credit , and whether they are going to lose their home . But they 're always going to pick their health first . '' Massachi agrees . A good look at her blackened air conditioning coil was all she needed . She 's looking to rent a new place . `` That 's what I 'm breathing in ... I 'm a little freaked out now , honestly , '' she said , her raspy voice cracking with tears . `` It ca n't be good , if that 's what that looks like and it 's pumping throughout my entire house , '' she said . Eighteen months ago , Massachi says , she moved into her dream house , surrounded by family and friends . Now the dream is a nightmare . `` It 's worth nothing , '' she said of the home . `` It 's exclusive . It 's pricey , and now it 's worth nothing . '' | Florida family is `` sick on a weekly basis , '' physician says . Million-dollar home smells like rotten eggs . Chinese-made drywall has `` volatile sulfur compounds , '' study found . Dream home now worth nothing , owner says . | [[955, 988], [1485, 1522], [2427, 2493], [120, 128], [131, 179], [1903, 2105], [6850, 6871], [6874, 6876]] |
Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- NATO troops in Afghanistan launched their biggest offensive of the war early Saturday , attacking what they call the last Taliban stronghold in a war-scarred southern province . Military officials said the offensive -- dubbed Operation Moshtarak -- got under way at 2 a.m. -LRB- 4:30 p.m. ET Friday -RRB- . Moshtarak , a Dari word for `` together , '' symbolizes the fact that combined forces are serving alongside one another . `` Insurgents who do not accept the government 's offer to reintegrate and join the political process will be met with overwhelming force , '' the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command said in a statement . `` However , the strongest of measures will be taken to protect the civilian population . '' Some of about 15,000 troops from the United States , United Kingdom , Afghanistan and Canada attacked Taliban targets in and around Marjah , a city of 80,000 to 100,000 residents , where the Taliban has set up a shadow government , coalition military authorities said . By about 8 a.m. -LRB- 10 p.m. ET Friday -RRB- two firefights had erupted between the Taliban and U.S. Marines in Marjah . `` Marjah is the last enemy sanctuary in the Marine area of operations , '' said Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson , 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan commanding general . `` This operation is designed to reconnect the people of Marjah with the legitimate government of Afghanistan . We are fully partnered with the Afghan government for this operation , and we have the resources we need to be successful . '' The Afghan government described the offensive -- carried out in central Helmand with the Afghan National Army , Afghan National Police , ISAF Regional Command -LRB- South -RRB- , and the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team -- as `` clearing '' operations . The coalition said its troops expected to confront up to 1,000 entrenched Taliban fighters . It said they also expected foreign Taliban fighters to battle to the death but were prepared for local Taliban members in Marjah to try to escape . `` We will follow the enemies and bring them to justice , '' said Gen. Mohiyiden Ghori of the Afghan National Army . In the past few days , forces from Afghanistan , Britain and other nations conducted air and ground operations to prepare for the assault and dropped leaflets in and around Marjah warning residents not to allow the Taliban to enter their homes . The allies had been unusually vocal in describing their plans for the assault . `` I think there 's a certain strength in the Pashtunwali culture just from laying it out there in saying , ` Hey , we are coming . Deal with it , ' '' U.S. Marine Gen. Larry Nicholson said . Some of the 30,000 additional U.S. troops that President Obama sent to Afghanistan were taking part in the fight . More on Operation Moshtarak from Afghanistan Crossroads blog . The goal is to force the Taliban from Marjah to free the opium-rich province of Taliban influence and drug traffickers . It 's an example of a U.S. strategy to focus on population centers and separate the Taliban from Afghan civilians . `` It 's about the security of the population , not fighting down insurgent numbers , '' British Gen. Gordon Messenger has said . About 3,000 U.S. Marines were involved in the fight . The advance notice given to residents was expected to help avert civilian casualties , a problem that has hurt the military 's credibility among Afghans . They were also trying to get those Taliban who are n't hard-core to turn in themselves and their weapons . Reaching the battleground was expected to be a big challenge for NATO and Afghan troops . The tough terrain is hard for tanks to traverse . The town of Marjah is surrounded by roadside bombs , military officials said . They said the Taliban has had months to plant the bombs , most of them homemade mixes of ammonium nitrate , shrapnel fuel , salt or flour . Such bombs -- which are detonated remotely or by pressure plates -- have caused about 80 percent of the deaths in fighting in Helmand province , military officials said . `` This is possibly the largest IED threat NATO has ever faced , '' Nicholson has said . Massive armored vehicles , called assault breacher vehicles , were to lead the charge into Marjah , coalition authorities said before the offensive . The tank-like vehicles can destroy roadside bombs . Even with their help , though , military officials have increased staff at the hospital at Camp Bastion , in the capital of Helmand province , in anticipation that roadside bombs would cause casualties . Troops were expecting to encounter booby-trapped houses and fierce urban combat . | 15,000 multinational troops take part in effort to attack Taliban in Marjah . Nations prepared for assault , dropping leaflets to warn residents . Operation is part of U.S. strategy to focus on population centers . `` This is possibly the largest IED threat NATO has ever faced , '' U.S. general says . | [[784, 908], [2209, 2211], [2232, 2283], [2351, 2406], [3326, 3410], [3026, 3028], [3046, 3141], [4118, 4165]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Heidi Newfield goes into Sunday 's Academy of Country Music Awards with five nominations . It 's more than any other female , but she still considers herself the dark horse -- and in many ways , she is , especially since she 's up for top female vocalist against such heavyweights as Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift . Heidi Newfield says she considers herself an underdog at Sunday 's Academy of Country Music Awards . For 10 years , Newfield was the lead singer of the honky-tonk trio Trick Pony . Her soulful debut solo album , `` What Am I Waiting for , '' was released in August to stellar reviews -- many from critics who scoffed at the high-energy antics of her former band . If you spend any time with the petite blonde from Northern California , you 're struck by how many times she says , `` Please '' and `` Thank you . '' There 's a smile for everyone -- waiters , doormen , cameramen -- and she steers conversation away from herself to ask how others are doing . Newfield is a nice girl . But her life changed when a fellow musician told her to stop being so nice , as she revealed in the following interview with CNN : Watch Newfield talk about her nominations '' CNN : What went through your head when you received five nominations for this year 's Academy of Country Music Awards ? Heidi Newfield : I thought one or two would be so fabulous , that would be so great . And they kept calling my name , and you know , I wo n't lie -- I 'm going to tell on my husband -- the tears started flowing , and we were just really happy . All the hard work , all the time , and all the road -- and just the experience over time starts to play back in your mind , just like a movie.This is a really special time . CNN : Was it validation that leaving Trick Pony was the right thing to do ? Newfield : People tell you , `` You ca n't do this . '' You know in country music oftentimes it does not work when a front person leaves a group . In other genres -- pop , rock , hip-hop and rap -- people can leave all the time and do amazing things on their own . Beyonce , Justin Timberlake , Sting -- there 's a gazillion people . But in country , we have that tight-knit , almost family relationship with our fans , so when you change something up , they do n't always like that very much . CNN : Did you feel guilty about leaving Trick Pony ? Newfield : No , not an ounce of guilt . I left Trick Pony with my head held high . I felt like I left with total dignity and class , and I did n't leave anybody hanging . I fulfilled every obligation , no matter how hard it was -- and it was hard . There was a lot of drama , and they were n't exactly happy with me . I do n't mind saying this , but it was miserable the last several months . But my intuition was saying it 's time to make a change . So did I stay too long ? I do n't know . I mean , everything happens for a reason . Had I left three years ago , maybe I would n't have been the same person I am today . CNN : John Popper from Blues Traveler kind of gave you a kick in the pants . Newfield : Oh , I love Poppy ! We talk all the time , I kid you not . John was on a USO tour with us for 2 1/2 weeks , so we got to know each other really well . Every night , he would come on stage and do a -LSB- harmonica -RSB- number with me . On the last night of the tour , we were in Germany , and we were at this pub , and Poppy said to me , `` You love this , and it 's clear you 're a musician -- but you need to learn to stop being so nice . You need to speak your mind and step up and step up for yourself . '' His actual words were , `` When you learn to be a b -- , '' that 's what he told me . And I thought , `` Well , my philosophy is I do n't think you ever , ever , ever have to be a diva or a prima donna to make it to a certain level . '' I think you can always treat people with respect and be nice , and I always plan on doing that . But what he said was right . When you start to believe in yourself , that 's when there 's no limit to what you can do . CNN : Your debut solo album , `` What Am I Waiting for , '' shows a lot of growth . It 's much more introspective and mature , whereas Trick Pony 's music was brash and not as multidimensional . Newfield : When my producer Tony Brown and I first sat down to talk about making this album , one of the first things that came out of his mouth was , `` We have to show people who you really are . We need to cut songs , and you need to explore parts of your vocals that you never got a change to showcase . '' All the ACM nominations are validation that we are on the path to doing just that and being taken seriously as an artist -- as a singer , as a songwriter and as a musician . We made a record that made people say , `` Hey , this girl can sing . '' And that 's what I had always hoped . CNN : Still , it 's a building process , and in a lot of ways , you 're starting from scratch . Newfield : At this one fair that I went to , they had my name spelled H-e-d-y instead of H-e-i-d-i . Hedy Newfield . And I thought , `` Oh , that 's just great . '' And , of course , you go up to the promoter and say , `` Come on , hook a sister up here . '' So we 're fixing that . CNN : Of the five awards you 're up for at the ACMs , you have to be most thrilled about top female vocalist . -LSB- Newfield is up against Underwood , Swift , Lee Ann Womack and Miranda Lambert . -RRB- . Newfield : I 'm the biggest dark horse ever . I 'm the big underdog , but I like to be the underdog . I hope the makeup 's rockin ' . I hope I look good at that moment when they call out , `` Carrie Underwood . '' | Heidi Newfield is up for five Academy of Country Music Awards . Newfield pursuing solo career after being lead singer of Trick Pony . Singer does n't want to be a diva but takes advice about not being so nice . | [[44, 134], [1229, 1342], [5240, 5282], [465, 477], [480, 544], [1051, 1121], [3494, 3535]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The former judge who last year lost a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against a dry cleaners over a missing pair of pants wants his job back . Roy Pearson sued the owners of this dry cleaning business for $ 54 million over a missing pair of pants . Roy Pearson was not reappointed after his term expired as an administrative law judge in the District of Columbia . He filed a lawsuit Thursday in federal court accusing city government and others of an `` unlawful demotion and subsequent termination . '' Pearson was taken off the bench in May 2007 , during his unsuccessful $ 54 million lawsuit against a dry cleaning business , which he accused of failing to meet its promise of `` satisfaction guaranteed . '' As an administrative law judge , Pearson would hear cases involving zoning law and certain business disputes . A city panel that decides reappointments had notified Pearson during the controversial lost trousers trial that his status was under review . A source on that panel said at the time that any judge must meet certain standards of conduct `` on and off the bench . '' The source , who was among the members of the panel at the time of Pearson 's review , said `` a judge is a judge 24/7 ; whether or not they use good judgment in all aspects of their lives is what we can consider . '' The civil case , in which Pearson represented himself , sought punitive and compensatory damages against a small family-owned dry cleaners that once posted signs promising `` satisfaction guaranteed . '' A pair of trousers that hung by the witness stand was a featured part of the trial last summer . The owners testified that the pants belonged to Pearson , who denied under oath that they were his . The judge found in favor of the dry cleaners and disagreed with Pearson that the satisfaction promise was unconditional . Pearson petitioned the trial judge for a reconsideration , which was denied . He then filed an appeal with the D.C. Court of Appeals , which will hear his appeal later this year . In court documents made available Friday at U.S. District Court in Washington , Pearson , again acting as his own attorney , relies on what he considers Washington 's `` Whistleblower Protection '' law to try to establish illegal retaliation . The trial over the lost trousers generated a storm of criticism among fairness advocates , who accused Pearson of abusing the system . The latest litigation has begun to produce the same reaction . `` He lost his job because he proved he did not have the legal requirements to fill the job , namely a judicial temperament , '' said Darren McKinney of the American Tort Reform Association . Pearson did not return a message left at home . In his suit seeking to regain his job , he also seeks `` compensatory damages in an amount to be determined at trial , in excess of $ 75,000 from all defendants jointly and severally , '' as well as an unspecified amount of punitive damages `` to be determined at trial . '' Efforts to seek reaction from the individuals named in the lawsuit were unsuccessful . No initial hearing date has been set in the civil case assigned to U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan . E-mail to a friend . | Roy Pearson accuses the city government of an `` unlawful demotion '' and termination . He sought $ 54 million from a small family-owned dry cleaners over lost trousers . A judge found in favor of the dry cleaners . Pearson was taken off the bench in May 2007 . | [[422, 527], [0, 26], [61, 147], [169, 274], [249, 274], [531, 574], [577, 629], [1333, 1347], [1389, 1471], [1735, 1779], [531, 574], [577, 629]] |
-LRB- Sunset -RRB- -- From a low-key ski destination to a Hawaiian yurt retreat , we 've got the easy-going vacation for you . Alta , Wyoming . Skiing like you remember it : Mountains like Grand Targhee are a dying breed : No parking lot hassles , no mile-long schlep to the ticket window , no $ 20 hamburgers . Instead , drive right up to the ski lift , put on your boots , and drop into 2,500 acres of steeps , cruisers , and glades . The timbered Teewinot Lodge makes a homey slopeside basecamp . Bonus : Targhee 's 40th anniversary means $ 40 lift tickets and deep discounts on multi-night stays . From $ 129 ; 800/827 -4433 . -- Katie Arnold . Sunset.com : 15 great snowy getaways . Near Mendocino , California . Off the grid on the coast : At Glendeven Inn , just south of Mendocino in Little River , your cell signal obligingly vanishes when you pull in the drive , and there 's not a remote control in sight . Which means you 'll have all the time in the world to hike along the headlands of surrounding Van Damme State Park , scatter some corn for the inn 's chickens -LRB- it 's only fair -- you 'll be eating their eggs come morning -RRB- , and introduce yourself to the resident llamas . If you just want to hide out in your room -- for decor , think Down East meets Sea Ranch -- that 's fine too . Your breakfast basket will be delivered to your door , along with a newspaper ... which we encourage you to ignore . From $ 139 , including breakfast ; 707/937 -0083 . -- Christine Ryan . Sunset.com : 7 warming winter trips . Greer , Arizona . A yesteryear lodge in the woods : Along the Little Colorado River in Arizona 's White Mountains , tiny Greer is the kind of community where elk and deer outnumber human residents -- the perfect place to hide out . Greer Lodge 's 11 rooms , all knotty pine and log walls , have luxe touches and fluffy beds that make you want to curl up and get cozy , but they 're blissfully free of TVs and phones . Pry yourself out of your room to borrow the resort 's complimentary cross-country skis or snowshoes for treks through the snowy meadows and forest . From $ 89 ; two-night minimum on weekends ; 928/735 -7216 . -- Nora Burba Trulsson . Sunset.com : Top 10 winter weekends . Big Island , Hawaii . Hidden Hawaii : Way up at the northern point of the Big Island , past the fancy resorts everyone has heard of , there 's a lush and little-known area of former sugar towns . About a year ago , the Hawaii Island Retreat opened nine rooms in a green valley here . Now , its just-finished , solar-powered `` yurt village '' has put the hidden retreat firmly within reach for any budget . Seven sturdy tent bungalows stand next to a saltwater swimming pool , spa , shower house , and organic garden . The famed beaches of the Kohala Coast are a half-hour away , but what almost no one seems to know -LRB- yet -RRB- is that there are enough waterfalls , breezy beaches , and seafood joints to keep a person content right here . Yurts from $ 175 ; 808/889 -6336 . -- Jeanne Cooper . Mammoth Lakes , California . Warm up in a snowy mountain cabin : Reclaim winter 's quiet at Tamarack Lodge , where charming cabins with fireplaces and patchwork quilts hide out among the trees just outside Mammoth 's resorty core . By day , share 19 miles of groomed cross-country trails with just a few solitude-loving skiers . By night , return to the 1924 lodge for warm drinks and dessert in front of the massive river-rock fireplace . Lodge rooms from $ 79 , fireplace cabins from $ 169 ; 760/934 -2442 . -- Cameron Walker . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright 2004-2010 Sunset magazine . All rights reserved . | Five ideas if you 're in the mood for an easygoing vacation . Get off the grid on the coast in California or hide out in the woods in Arizona . Or , retreat to a solar-powered village away from the resorts in Hawaii . | [[82, 126], [2511, 2514], [2517, 2633]] |
Jerusalem -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers broke out Monday , a day after Israel announced it would include two West Bank religious shrines as part of a larger list of 150 Zionist heritage sites . About 100 protesters were throwing stones and burning tires in the West Bank city of Hebron , the Israeli military said . Palestinian eyewitnesses reported that several protesters had been injured by tear gas and rubber bullets . The clashes come in the wake of a special Sunday Cabinet meeting held at one of the `` national heritage '' sites where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined a plan to invest more than $ 100 million on national heritage infrastructure . `` People must be familiar with their homeland and its cultural and historical vistas , '' he said . `` This is what we will instill in this and coming generations , to the glory -- if I may say -- of the Jewish people . '' Included in the list of sites are Rachel 's Tomb in Palestinian city of Bethlehem and the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the city of Hebron . A top United Nations official said the inclusion of sites in the West Bank raised concerns because they were `` in occupied Palestinian territory . '' The Tomb of the Patriarchs -- known to Palestinians as Ibrahimi mosque -- is in Hebron , a West Bank city that houses about 500 Jews heavily guarded by Israeli soldiers , who live among about 170,000 Palestinians . The tomb is revered by Jews and Muslims as holy and has been a point of frequent conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians for years . In 1994 , an Israeli settler entered the tomb and opened fire on the Muslim worshippers , killing 29 before he was beaten to death . Rachel 's Tomb is known to Palestinians as the mosque of Bilal . The Palestinian reaction after the announcement was fast and furious . A statement by the Revolutionary Council of Fatah , the political faction in charge of the Palestinian Authority , called the Israeli plan a move to `` consolidate the occupation '' and an effort at `` judaizing '' Palestinian land . Dr. Hamdan Taha , an official at the Palestinian Authority 's Ministry of Tourism , said the the two sites were `` an integral part of Palestinian culture '' and that if the Israeli government persisted in its efforts , `` Palestinians will feel free to nominate sites inside the green line in their heritage list . '' Green line refers to the border before Israel occupied the West Bank . Nationalist and right wing parties in Israel praised the government move and called for the inclusion of more West Bank locations to the list of heritage sites . Robert H. Serry , the United Nations special coordinator for the Middle East peace process , also expressed concern . `` These sites are in occupied Palestinian territory and are of historical and religious significance not only to Judaism but also to Islam , and to Christianity as well , '' he said in a statement . `` I urge Israel not to take any steps on the ground which undermine trust or could prejudice negotiations , the resumption of which should be the highest shared priority of all who seek peace . '' Nationalist and right-wing parties in Israel praised the government move and called for the inclusion of more West Bank locations to the list of heritage sites . Mark Regev , a spokesman for Netanyahu , said no one could deny that the two West Bank locations were of historical and religious significance to the Jews . He said the danger of their inclusion on a list of sites to the peace process was overstated . | Sites include Rachel 's Tomb in Bethlehem and Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron . Tomb of the Patriarchs is known to Palestinians as Ibrahimi mosque . Tomb revered by Jews and Muslims as holy and has been a point of frequent conflict . Rachel 's Tomb is known to Palestinians as the mosque of Bilal . | [[929, 1065], [1217, 1243], [1291, 1303], [1229, 1243], [1247, 1287], [1432, 1479], [1432, 1440], [1475, 1571], [1705, 1769]] |
Mexico City , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On a visit to the border city of Ciudad Juarez , Mexico , President Felipe Calderon apologized to the families of 15 people killed in a massacre last month and promised residents that their input would form part of the strategy against drug-related violence . After meeting with the families , Calderon and local political and civic leaders presented a variety of ideas , critiques and proposals on how to stabilize a city that saw more than 2,500 killings last year and more than 230 so far this year . Juarez is one of the front lines in Calderon 's offensive against the country 's major drug trafficking organizations . The violence in Juarez is a result of a bloody turf war between the Juarez drug cartel and the Sinaloa cartel over lucrative smuggling routes into the United States . Many of the killings are between rival gangs , something that Calderon 's government hinted at in the aftermath of the January 31 massacre of a group of young partygoers that shocked the city . In this case , it turned out that mistaken identity was behind the incident and that the youths killed were innocent . On Thursday , Calderon apologized and gave his condolences to the victims ' families for suggesting that their children were somehow involved . The president also responded to criticism that the security strategy in Juarez was being imposed by politicians from afar with little understanding of their city . `` I come mostly to listen , '' Calderon said , adding `` we 're looking for solutions from Juarez because you are the ones living it . '' Representatives of different sectors of the city 's civil society -- security , human rights , religious -- took turns giving their proposals in front of Calderon and a tense crowd . Many speakers were interrupted by heckling or criticisms from the crowd . When Juarez Mayor Jose Reyes Ferriz addressed the measures his government has taken to secure the city , some in the crowd booed and responded that he resides on the other side of the border , in El Paso , Texas . Before the meeting , police forcibly removed some protesters that were lined up outside of the building where Calderon would speak . Several of the audience members interrupted the meetings by yelling protests against the way the young demonstrators were treated . Arturo Valenzuela , a doctor who represented the security sector , said that security operations in Juarez to date have failed . Calderon has dispatched thousands of soldiers and federal police officers to supplement local police forces . He recommended the appointment of one leader who would coordinate among local , state and federal agencies involved in securing the city . `` The way the operation is currently structured , it will never work , '' Valenzuela said . He also highlighted other security problems outside of the killings . Kidnappings increased 3,000 percent in 2009 , he said , and most business owners are extorted by organized crime . A speaker representing the human rights sector , Lorenza Patricia Galarza , said the military was responsible for 1,000 human rights violations and should be removed from Juarez . Calderon said he will not tolerate military abuses and challenged Galarza to present evidence of the abuses she cited . The military , at least for now , is not going anywhere , Calderon made clear . Violence in Juarez comes amid a backdrop of vastly increased numbers of homicides nationwide , as drug cartels battle each other and the Mexican government steps up its efforts to combat them . The government has not released official figures , but national media say 7,600 Mexicans lost their lives in the war on drugs in 2009 . Calderon said last year that 6,500 Mexicans died in drug violence in 2008 . Officials say more than 16,000 Mexicans have died since Calderon declared war on the drug cartels shortly after taking office in December 2006 . | Felipe Calderon meets with residents of Ciudad Juarez . The president of Mexico presents plan to stabilize city in wake of killings . Calderon apologizes , gives condolences to victims ' families for implicating their kids . Before meeting , police forcibly removed some protesters who were outside building . | [[443, 543], [98, 163], [1144, 1155], [1158, 1177], [1144, 1155], [1158, 1166], [1182, 1287], [2062, 2080], [2083, 2165]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dancers have put on a dazzling display atop extravagant floats at the legendary annual Rio Carnival . Thousands of revelers cheered as dancers shimmied and shook their colorful costumes through the streets of the Brazilian city . Seven-year-old Julia Lira took her place as the drum corps queen for the Viradouro School of Samba despite criticism that she was too young to fill a role normally reserved for voluptuous adult dancers . | Parade of color during annual Rio Carnival in Brazil . Dancers included seven-year-old Julia Lira , despite criticism that she was too young . | [[19, 120], [121, 142], [175, 248]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- This month on Inside the Middle East -- Zain Verjee hosts from Doha , Qatar . Art Treasures Revealed . Ancient art finds a modern home in Doha at the Museum of Islamic Art as it celebrates its first anniversary . From jewelry to textiles to ceramics and metal work , the galleries host an unparalleled collection of artifacts spanning the 7th to the 19th centuries , from Spain to China . The minimal Arabesque cubism design of the building was done by award-winning architect I.M. Pei , famed for his Pyramid at Paris ' Louvre Museum . Schams Elwazer takes us inside Doha 's cultural landmark . Campus Forum -- University students share their thoughts . In a region where 60 percent of the population is under 30-years-old , IME is going to universities to gauge the pulse on campuses and to speak to tomorrow 's business and industry leaders . On this edition we visit the Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar and ask design students about their passions , concerns , identity issues , and what it means to be young in the Middle East today . On campus we also catch up with an industry leader -- architect and humanitarian entrepreneur Cameron Sinclair of Architecture for Humanity and hear his message of global action to young design students . Your IME Diary . We report from on the ground in Mecca , Saudi Arabia where millions of Muslims gathered for the annual Hajj pilgrimage followed by the celebrations of Eid Al-Adha . Qatar launched the first annual World Innovation Summit for Education -LRB- WISE -RRB- , hoping to become the educational equivalent of the World Economic Forum , aiming to `` create a new international multi-disciplinary platform to shape education models of the 21st century . '' In the UAE , the Abu Dhabi Art exhibit brought famous names to its galleries while the Dubai World Championship brought golf stars to its greens . You can watch Inside the Middle East at the following times in December : . Wednesday 2 December : 0830 , 1430 , Saturday 5 December 0830 , 1700 , 2030 , Sunday 6 December 0530 , 1530 , Monday 7 December 0300 -LRB- all times GMT -RRB- . | Discover treasures from across the Islamic world at the Doha museum . Find out what is on the minds of university students in the Middle East . IME reports from Mecca as millions celebrate the Hajj and Eid Al-Adha . | [[122, 231], [1291, 1328], [1350, 1409], [1383, 1455]] |
Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tariq Aziz , a top lieutenant of executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein , remained hospitalized at a U.S. military hospital Sunday after falling ill in prison , the U.S. command in Iraq reported . He was taken to the hospital Thursday , though no details of his ailment were released . But 1st Lt. Elizabeth Feste , a U.S. military spokeswoman , told CNN his condition was improving and he was being closely monitored . Aziz was one of the best-known faces of Hussein 's government , serving as deputy prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and as foreign minister for part of that time . In March 2009 , he was sentenced to 15 years in prison in connection with the 1992 executions of 42 merchants . He was captured by U.S. forces in April 2003 , shortly after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Hussein . CNN 's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report . | Tariq Aziz remained hospitalized at a U.S. military hospital Sunday after falling ill in prison . He was taken to the hospital Thursday , though no details of his ailment were released . Aziz served as deputy PM from 1981 to 2003 and as foreign minister for part of that time . He was sentenced to 15 years in connection with the 1992 executions of 42 merchants . | [[0, 7], [10, 30], [106, 192], [231, 268], [278, 319], [454, 458], [518, 560], [617, 630], [633, 685]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities in Vietnam have arrested the former chief executive officer of Jetstar Pacific Airlines and are preventing two airline executives from leaving the country , Vietnamese and Australian officials said . The former chief executive , Luong Hoai Nam , faces prosecution for `` lack of responsibility causing serious consequences , '' said a spokeswoman for the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry , Nguyen Phuong Nga . Vietnamese authorities are investigating the airline 's chief operating officer , Daniela Marsilli , and its financial officer , Tristan Freeman , Jetstar Pacific said . They are not allowing Marsilli and Freeman to leave Vietnam , the airline said . Jetstar Pacific is partly owned by Qantas Airlines of Australia . The Australian Embassy in Hanoi is seeking details about why the employees are being prevented from leaving Vietnam , according to Australia 's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade . The airline suffered heavy financial losses , the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said , and investigators are trying to determine the responsibility of members of the airline 's executive board and managing board . Marsilli and Freeman are members of the airline 's managing board and must `` make themselves present in Vietnam to respond to the requests from Vietnam 's legal authorities in a timely manner , '' the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said . -- CNN 's Pamela Boykoff , Eugina Huang and Eunice Yoon contributed to this report . | Jetstar Pacific is partly owned by Qantas Airlines of Australia . Airline : Vietnamese authorities not allowing airline 's CEO , financial officer to leave . Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says ex-CEO faces prosecution . | [[687, 752], [0, 15], [123, 185], [138, 202], [436, 562], [606, 665], [814, 868], [231, 257], [277, 324], [356, 413], [985, 1033], [1358, 1411]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Utah man trapped for more than 26 hours in a crevice of a popular cave tourist attraction died as rescuers struggled to save him , authorities said Thursday . John Edward Jones , 26 , of Stansbury Park was stuck in the Nutty Putty Cave , which sits west of Utah Lake near Cedar Valley , according to the sheriff 's office of Utah County . The cave is 55 to 60 miles south of Salt Lake City . Sheriff 's officials said Jones entered the cave at around 6 p.m. Tuesday with a group of about 11 people and became stuck about 8:45 p.m. in a `` tightly confined '' feature inside Nutty Putty Cave called `` Bob 's Push . '' Utah County sheriff 's spokesman Sgt. Spencer Cannon told CNN affiliate KSL that Jones was trapped upside down in a crevice that was about 18 inches wide and about 10 inches high . The crevice is about 150 feet below the surface and about 700 feet from the cave entrance , according to the sheriff 's department . `` They had him to a level spot where he was n't heading downhill with his head below his feet , '' Cannon said . `` During the course of that , they have a raising system to hold him in position , and one of the devices of that system failed , and Mr. Jones actually fell back to the area where he had been stuck for so long . '' Shortly before midnight on Wednesday , rescuers got close enough to Jones to conclude that he was not breathing and he had no pulse . Rescue officials were meeting Thursday to determine how to recover Jones ' body . Rescuers had tried to reach Jones for more than 24 hours , but had problems navigating the treacherous terrain , Cannon said . `` Getting people to him is very difficult , '' Cannon told KSL before Jones died . `` It is a tightly confined space . When there is movement , it is literally millimeters at a time . '' There are narrow areas of the cave where visitors have to crawl on their bellies to get through , according to the attraction 's Web site . Up to 5,000 people visit each year , the site said . | John Edward Jones was stuck in cave crevice outside Salt Lake City . He was trapped in a space that was 18 inches wide , 10 inches deep . One of the rescue tools failed while trying to free him and Jones fell back . | [[19, 110], [180, 256], [753, 762], [768, 819], [1720, 1721], [1730, 1746], [1155, 1195]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As many of you already know -- because Tweets travel faster than airplanes -- Kevin Smith , the portly film director of the movie `` Clerks '' and the upcoming film `` Cop Out , '' was `` politely '' asked to disembark from his Southwest flight from Oakland to Burbank because he was too large to fit in the seat . Okay , let 's be frank : He was kicked off the flight . The reason he was given was that his size infringed upon the space of the person sitting next to him and it could cause a safety risk in case of an emergency . Does it surprise you that an airline that has charged a customer several hundred dollars for the service of transporting him from one place to another would subject said paying customer to the indignity of being told he 's too fat to fly ? I do n't think it does . Because this is what flying has become : barely one rung above bus travel . Southwest may have apologized to Smith , but what about the rest of us ? Scratch the surface of any frequent flier and you will find a raging cauldron of resentment -LRB- or endless angry tweets , like Smiths -RRB- , a bottomless pit of despair and rage with no hope of satisfaction because , after all , fliers have no choice but to accept every humiliation if they want to fly . Most of us do n't have our own planes -- or fly business class . Myself , I 'm old enough to remember when flying used to be fun -- but not quite old enough to remember when people used to `` dress '' to fly . But they did . It was an event to go on an airplane . Like going to a Broadway show . Pretty ladies with hats and smiling men in uniforms would bring you snacks , blankets and pillows . Beverages in real glasses . But at some point , the airlines started to lose money , started charging more and giving you less in return . The tragedy of 9/11 hastened the end of any kind of special treatment . Boarding became a cattle call -- complete with prodding with a stick -- where you had to basically undress before you could get on the plane , take off shoes , coats , sweaters , get `` wanded , '' step out of the line for frisking , and other debasements too horrible to mention . Soon they will be swabbing your hands for explosives . Really ! I know one woman whose underwire bra had security stumped . -LRB- I have to check a bag just for the hair products for my frizzy hair ; they do n't come in less than three ounces . -RRB- . By the time you get on the plane , you are like a refugee -- the tired , the poor , the huddled masses in middle seats . Flight attendants ca n't dote on you any more , they are too busy scanning the group for potential terrorists . No more meals -- bad as they were -- no more cutlery . If you 're lucky , something called a `` snack mix '' in a bag is thrown at you , making you beg for more water . And less and less room . If you drop something on the floor , you ca n't reach it without putting your face in the lap of the person sitting next to you . It makes you long for the fat days -LRB- you 'll pardon the expression -RRB- of People Express , that 1980 's no-frills airline that operated out of Newark . It seemed pretty terrible back then , but really it was just a preview -- every man for himself . Basically anything you got during the flight , you paid extra for . When they did the safety announcement at the beginning , I would wait for the day they 'd say , `` In case of an emergency , please pay two dollars and fifty cents to have an oxygen mask drop above your seat . '' -LRB- Ha ha ha , right ? Do n't give them any ideas . -RRB- . But you flew with them , because they were so cheap . Now I 'm wondering if that 's a good enough reason anymore . How much can a body take , even a skinny one like mine ? Kevin Smith , I feel your pain ! I cringe for the person who has to sheepishly ask for the seat belt extender because the one in the narrow little seat does n't make it around his body . The world is not built for fat people , and airplanes are not the place to look for gentle treatment . I will not be surprised when airlines start to weigh people 's luggage at the ticket counter , and then ask the traveler to get on the scale and be charged by the pound . It 's coming , you watch . Or they will have bench seats on the airplanes , measure people as they board , and seat them accordingly . If a fat person has to pay extra to fly -- Smith usually buys two seats on Southwest because they do n't have first class -- then this could be a precedent for more suffering in the world away from the tarmac . A fat person will have to pay extra for a larger size in clothing . Or pay more for an all-you-can-eat buffet . Or pay extra to use an elevator . But what do I know ? I was just turned down for health insurance because I have a history of anorexia . Well , that 's what they said . I know why they really turned me down : It 's because I 'm fat . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Cathy Ladman . | Cathy Ladman laments Kevin Smith 's getting bumped from a flight because of his size . She says such treatment is routine for fliers now , unlike the days when flying was fun . Indignities -- security measures , no food -- begin early and last till you 've landed , she says . Ladman : It 's only a matter of time till Smith 's treatment becomes routine even off the plane . | [[232, 337], [382, 414]] |
Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prominent Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo , who was arrested in 1989 for his role in the Tiananmen Square protest , faces trial Wednesday for allegedly `` inciting subversion '' in a more recent case . Liu , a former university lecturer and literary critic , faces a possible 15-year jail sentence , amid growing international outrage over his yearlong detention , according to media reports . The trial begins Wednesday at 9 a.m. local time -LRB- Tuesday 8 p.m. ET -RRB- . On Monday , the Times of London quoted Liu 's wife , Liu Xia , as saying , `` I have no hope whatsoever , I ca n't even attend the trial . '' She said she planned to wait outside the courthouse . `` I think he will be sentenced to more than ten years , '' she said . Liu , 53 , was detained on December 8 , 2008 , and held under `` residential surveillance '' as police investigated the case , according to the PEN American Center , a U.S. literary and human rights organization . On June 23 of this year , he was arrested and charged with inciting subversion of state power , the organization said . Liu is on the PEN board of directors . The case was turned over to the prosecutor 's office December 8 -- one year from the time Liu was detained . Liu co-authored Charter 08 , `` a declaration calling for political reform , greater human rights , and an end to one-party rule in China that has been signed by hundreds of individuals from all walks of life throughout the country , '' PEN says on its Web site . The group said Liu was arrested before the formal release of Charter 08 . `` Liu has been engaged in agitation activities , such as spreading of rumors and defaming of the government , aimed at subversion of the state and overthrowing the socialism system in recent years , '' according to a police statement reported by China 's state-run Xinhua news agency . The statement claimed Liu confessed to the charge during a preliminary police investigation . Liu served as an adviser to student leaders during the demonstrations at Tiananmen Square in 1989 . Along with three other intellectuals , he took part in hunger strikes there on June 2 of that year prior to the crackdown to show support for the flagging student protests . He was arrested two days after the Tiananmen crackdown and was released in 1991 . In May 1995 he was detained again for collecting signatures for a petition calling for human rights guarantees . The U.S. government has pressed for Liu 's release . `` The U.S. government is deeply disturbed by reports that Liu Xiaobo has been formally arrested and charged with serious crimes , '' said Richard Buangan , deputy spokesman at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing , following Liu 's latest arrest . `` We call on the government of China to release Mr. Liu and respect the rights of all Chinese citizens who peacefully express their desire for internationally recognized freedoms . '' | Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo faces trial Wednesday . Liu is being charged with `` inciting subversion '' Liu was also arrested in 1989 for his role in the Tiananmen Square protest . The U.S. government has pressed for Liu 's release . | [[35, 145], [0, 7], [10, 31], [148, 233], [987, 1010], [1013, 1015], [1033, 1080], [35, 145], [2443, 2495]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Peru 's ancient Inca ruins of Machu Picchu should reopen April 1 , more than two months after rain stranded hundreds of tourists at the popular spot , the government said . Heavy rain in January unleashed mudslides that cut off roads and blocked a rail line between Machu Picchu and the nearby city of Cusco . Water levels at the Vilcanota River have receded enough to allow repairs to the rail line , said Martin Perez , head of Peru 's Ministry of Exterior Commerce and Tourism . `` We expect that starting April 1 , we will start to receive the millions of tourists who always have come , '' he said Tuesday . Peruvian officials were forced to use helicopters to evacuate more than 1,000 stranded tourists last month . Authorities estimated that 10,000 people were affected by the rain and 2,000 homes were ruined near Machu Picchu . At least seven deaths were reported . | Peru 's ancient Inca ruins of Machu Picchu should reopen April 1 , tourism official says . Heavy rain in January unleashed mudslides that cut off roads and blocked a rail line . Peruvian officials evacuated more than 1,000 stranded tourists . | [[19, 61], [0, 15], [49, 83], [501, 587], [206, 233], [239, 252], [192, 233], [257, 328], [632, 740], [632, 650], [663, 740]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A week into the Haitian disaster , the desperate and dusty faces of both survivors and rescuers tell a plaintive story : We need more , more , more . And fast . The capital 's airport , the country 's roads and its ports were devastated by last week 's 7.0-magnitude earthquake , leaving Haiti 's crumpled infrastructure the chief obstacle to fresh supplies as well as food and water . `` The significant limiting factor in terms of our ability to move forward is a reality of the infrastructure in Haiti , '' U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters Tuesday . `` But to the credit of the United States military , we started the operation -LRB- at Port-au-Prince 's airport -RRB- with maybe 20 or so flights a day . They 're now up well over 100 . '' The goal , he said , is to double that number . Opening a second runway would help , he said . So , too , would lighting at the airport . Search list of missing and found . `` Last night , we could n't see to land the plane that was supposed to land , '' said Renzo Fricke , the chief of Haiti operations for the aid organization Doctors Without Borders . `` The night before we were supposed to receive two planes that could n't land . The night before it was the same . That 's our fourth plane that 's not able to land . '' Fricke told CNN 's Christiane Amanpour Tuesday that although the organization was `` facing huge problems '' in receiving supplies , the work went on . `` This morning we had to buy a saw in the market , in the city ... for our surgeons to do amputations , '' he said . `` We had to buy a saw because our materials -- the medical equipment is not coming as it should arrive . '' Fricke said that some equipment and other materials are coming into Haiti by road from the Dominican Republic , a route that Crowley cited as one of several that are slowly being opened to channel aid . The airport , the ports , U.S. Navy ships with helicopters and a U.S. Marine unit are all important to getting vital supplies into the country , Crowley said . High-resolution images of damage . Maj. Gen. Dan Allyn , the U.S. commander of the Haiti task force , told reporters that Haiti should see some `` initial operating capacity '' at its ports by the end of the week -- including the capability of bringing in fuel needed to take trucks into more remote areas . Additionally , he said that officials were looking into the possibility of opening an airstrip at the city of Jacmel `` to relieve some of the immediate pressure on Port-au-Prince airfield . '' Cassandra Nelson , spokeswoman for Mercy Corps , which has a long-standing program in Haiti , said that aid is clearly increasing daily , but much more needs to be done . `` Operations here have been an incredible challenge , and Mercy Corps has done emergency response for years and years and is very seasoned , '' she said . '' -LSB- But -RSB- we have to say this is probably one of the hardest ones we 've had . `` We are working out of an office . Right now our office is overflowing . It 's a place where we all sleep , we all eat granola bars , and we all do our work there . '' Full coverage | Twitter updates . A more-than-welcome sight arrives off Haiti Wednesday morning : the U.S. Naval Ship Comfort , a state-of-the-art hospital ship that saw duty during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 in New Orleans and the 2001 terror attacks in New York , among others . The ship , which can house up to 1,000 patients , brings with it more than 1,000 medical and support personnel . But on the ground , caregivers struggle to provide the kind of care their patients need . Dr. Robert Fuller of the International Medical Corps , a group of volunteer medical personnel , said that his group is hoping to have intensive-care units in `` a handful of days . '' `` Things are coming together , but it is certainly not the way it is back home , '' he said . `` Right now we have seven operating rooms up and running on the campus . We could really use 20 probably . At times we run so low on medications that it gets difficult to know whether we will continue to operate . '' Dr. Mark Hyman from Partners in Health , which also has a long-standing program in Haiti , said the military effort to get Haiti running again is working , but the need is simply unimaginable . `` Look , there 's hundreds of thousands of patients that are injured , '' he said . `` There 's hundreds of thousands of others that have been killed probably , that we have n't even accounted for , and there 's 150 nurses buried a few feet from here in the rubble of the nursing building . '' And even those military personnel on the ground were spread widely . Brig. Gen. Floriano Peixoto , force commander of the Brazilian troops who make up the U.N. command in Haiti , said his soldiers were there to do whatever is needed . `` We understand that the country deserves more in terms of humanitarian aid and security , but our forces are dedicated to different fronts , including aid , security , search or bodies , recovery of missing people , '' he said . `` It 's a large amount of tasks to be done . '' | Capital 's airport , country 's roads and ports were devastated by last week 's earthquake . Haiti 's crumpled infrastructure chief obstacle to fresh supplies as well as food and water . Some equipment and other materials coming into Haiti by road from Dominican Republic . Officials looking into the possibility of opening an airstrip at Haitian city of Jacmel . | [[180, 202], [205, 296], [180, 202], [299, 339], [180, 202], [299, 339], [405, 463], [480, 523], [1695, 1814], [2366, 2378], [2381, 2485]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British police said Wednesday they have arrested a BBC television presenter on suspicion of murder after he told viewers he carried out a so-called mercy killing on a former lover . Ray Gosling , 70 , a freelance broadcaster , admitted on a BBC show aired in central England that he had smothered the unnamed partner in hospital where he was being treated for AIDS . Assisting in another person 's death is illegal in England . Police in Nottinghamshire , 160 kilometers -LRB- 100 miles -RRB- north of London , confirmed they had made an arrest after the apparent confession on the BBC 's `` Inside Out '' show . Gosling made his admission in a taped segment of a 30-minute show about death , recounting how he smothered his partner to end his `` terrible , terrible pain . '' He told viewers : `` Maybe this is the time to share a secret that I have kept for quite a long time . I killed someone once . `` He was a young chap , he 'd been my lover and he got AIDS . `` In a hospital one hot afternoon , the doctor said ` There 's nothing we can do , ' and he was in terrible , terrible pain . `` I picked up the pillow and smothered him until he was dead . The doctor came back and I said ` He 's gone ' . Nothing more was ever said . '' Gosling , who has not revealed details of his former lover 's identity or the exact date of the incident , insisted he was not `` making a cause '' of assisted dying . In a BBC Radio interview he said : `` Sometimes doctors do it on their own . Sometimes people do it on their own . `` And if it happens to a lover or friend of yours , a husband , a wife , and I hope it does n't , but when it does sometimes you have to do brave things and you have to say - to use Nottingham language - bugger the law . '' | Ray Gosling admitted on a television show that he killed his former lover . Gosling says he had wanted to end the pain of young man with AIDS . Presenter says he is not trying to `` make a cause '' of assisted dying . | [[141, 217], [218, 234], [263, 280], [916, 939], [1275, 1282], [1382, 1442]] |
Princeton , New Jersey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The passage of health care will certainly rank as one of the major political achievements of recent decades . Legislation that will eventually extend health care coverage to more than 30 million more Americans , greatly expand the number of options that citizens have when purchasing health care , bring healthy citizens into the pool of the insured and thus lower costs and create important regulations on health care companies will be remembered as one of the biggest domestic policy changes since the Great Society of the 1960s . While most attention will focus on President Obama for pulling off a Herculean task that eluded many of our great presidents , U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi emerges from this battle as the real powerhouse in Washington . She has pursued a clear ideological agenda but through pragmatic political tactics . Like the late Sen. Ted Kennedy , she stands for something , yet knows how to round up votes . Since the 2008 election , Pelosi has been the most reliable leader Democrats have had . She has delivered on almost all of the legislation that the White House sent to Congress , even as her colleagues found themselves frustrated by a Senate that seemed incapable of governance . At three critical points in the health care debate , Pelosi delivered . First , she assembled a center-left coalition around the original House bill in November by pushing through a controversial amendment related to abortion that brought moderate Democrats on board with the legislation . Second , when many Democrats , including top presidential advisers such as Rahm Emanuel , contemplated breaking up the bill after the Massachusetts election , Pelosi stood firm and defended holistic reform . She `` kept the steel in the President 's back , '' Democrat Rep. Anna Eshoo told Politico . Finally , in the past week she displayed the kind of vote-gathering skills that have been displayed by legendary figures such as Speaker Sam Rayburn of Texas . From the start of Obama 's presidency , Pelosi has argued that Democrats should focus on maintaining partisan unity rather than on achieving bipartisan coalitions . She has implored her colleagues to act with confidence rather than out of fear . Her goal has always been to find ways to keep Democrats together rather than bringing Republicans on board . In an era where partisan polarization makes true bipartisanship impossible , this is the most effective and realistic approach for Democrats . Her philosophy echoes the beliefs of another powerful leader who said : `` Show me a nation without partisanship , and I 'll show you a tyranny . For all its faults , it is partisanship , based on core principles , that clarifies our debates , that prevents one party from straying too far from the mainstream and that constantly refreshes our politics with new ideas and new leaders . '' That was from a farewell statement by Republican Majority Leader Tom DeLay . Although Americans tend to focus on the presidency and give credit to the office for what does or does not happen , we often ignore the central role that Congress plays . During the 1930s and 1960s , legislators were essential to the success of the New Deal and Great Society , often pushing Presidents Roosevelt and Johnson in directions they were too scared to take . Rather than the cartoonish caricature that Republicans often use of Pelosi as a left coast , left-wing fanatic , she is something much more powerful -- and threatening to their party . When Kennedy died , many Democrats wondered who would take his place as the party 's deal-maker . Now they have their answer . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer . | After Democrats lost 60-vote Senate majority , some wanted to scale back health bill . Speaker Nancy Pelosi fought to keep the bill comprehensive , says Julian Zelizer . He says she combines strong ideology with ability to amass needed votes . Zelizer says Pelosi has emerged as powerful dealmaker for Democrats . | [[1561, 1634], [1637, 1703], [798, 882], [916, 919], [943, 976]] |
Decatur , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- LaShonda Durden had just given birth to her second child . She was two weeks back from maternity leave when her supervisor called her into her office . `` You need to be trying to find other employment , '' her manager said . A bereavement coordinator and chaplain at an Atlanta , Georgia-area hospice , Durden suddenly found herself coping with the grief of being unemployed . Sixteen months later , she 's still out of work . `` It 's a vicious cycle , '' she says . Durden is not alone . She is among the 16.5 percent unemployed African-Americans -- almost twice the rate of unemployment for whites . The figure was included in a new report released Wednesday on the state of black America by the National Urban League . The report presents other sobering statistics on the nation 's racial divide on economics , education , health , civic engagement and social justice . Among them : . The median household income for blacks stands at $ 34,218 ; for whites , it 's $ 55,530 . Less than half of blacks own a home compared to three quarters of white families . Blacks are more than three times as likely to live in poverty . In addition , black-owned businesses represent a paltry 5 percent of privately owned companies , and the study says more are needed to help spur job growth in minority communities . The Obama administration , the study suggests , has taken measures to improve the gap between whites and blacks , although it says more is needed . The report says legislation needs to focus on minority job training , tax incentives and extensions for unemployment benefits . Andrew Grant-Thomas , the deputy director of the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity , says he believes the statistics for unemployed black Americans is far greater than what 's being reported . The figures do n't include people not actively seeking employment or people with higher education degrees forced to take jobs for which they 're overqualified . `` The disparities are definitely huge and that number understates the size of the disparity , '' he says . `` You want to take that number and double it . '' `` This recession is even bigger than Katrina hitting New Orleans , '' he adds . `` Yes , everyone got hit , but not everyone was hit equally as hard -- and should n't we invest in those hit the hardest ? '' The faces of the statistics . On Tuesday , Durden went to Java DeLight Cafe , in a predominantly African-American suburb of Atlanta . She goes there to network and search for jobs via the Internet over its WiFi connection . The cafe is owned and operated by Patricia Setzer , an African-American who opened the establishment in 2008 . She says she can relate to many of her customers . Days after she opened her business , her husband was laid off . It took him eight months to find a new job . `` We literally just went without for awhile , '' she says . Setzer hopes her cafe can serve as a networking hub . She calls it `` the cultural meeting place . '' If her regular customers do n't return for weeks , she wonders if they 've succumbed to hard times : `` When they 're not here , I 'm thinking about them . '' `` We want people to come here and meet and enjoy themselves , '' Setzer says . To that end , she 's organizing a job club at her cafe -- a place to host unemployed Americans -LRB- of any ethnicity -RRB- and give them hands on training , from resume help to how to dress for interviews . Barbers and hair stylists will be on hand for those who need fresh cuts . As a business owner , Setzer is a minority in a minority : Just 5.2 percent of small businesses in the U.S. are black-owned . `` We 're all struggling , whether you 're white , black or green , '' says Setzer as she flips turkey patties . `` You 've just got to hold on . '' On this day , Diane Ridley Roberts , president of a management consulting firm , worked from her laptop inside the cafe . Unlike other businesses that are n't hiring , she says she 's having trouble finding qualified people . Ridley Roberts , an African-American , says there is no homogenous state of black America . `` To say we 're all in one boat is a little naive , I think , '' says the owner of Global Evaluation & Applied Research Solutions . But she adds that there are common experiences that only black Americans can fully relate . Even in 2010 , she says , she feels she has to doubly prove herself when she is awarded a contract . `` There are certain judgments , ideas and perceptions about me when I walk into the door as someone 's consultant , '' she says . `` It is what it is . '' An unexpected job interview . Sipping coffee at a table in the cafe , Durden talks about all manner of difficulty -- from her work as a hospice chaplain to her own layoff and struggle . She 's turned her joblessness into action : She volunteers monthly to help the homeless . It 's a reminder , she says , that her family `` could be worse off . '' `` And that 's the blessing for me -- just knowing that I am sustained , '' she says , `` that even if the bottom falls out , God still has us in His hands . '' She sends out her resume at least three days a week . She attends job fairs about every two weeks . Those get discouraging , she says , with 400 people jockeying for one position . She holds a sociology degree from Georgia State University and went on to seminary school . At this point , she 'll take anything to help her family . And that 's another part of the job hunt . She 's overqualified for many positions and often wonders : `` Do I dumb down my resume ? '' `` I have a passion to help people do better than they 're doing now , regardless of where they are in life , '' she says . `` I just love people . '' As for her African-American roots , she says , `` It means I expect to excel in what I do because I know who my foremothers and forefathers are . `` Being black in America right now , for me , it means hope . It means keeping that hope when some others may not be able to . '' Durden piqued the interest of one person in the cafe . Overhearing Durden 's story , Ridley Roberts asks if she has a resume . Durden pulls out her flash drive and downloads a copy . The two then leave the cafe . The impromptu job interview is Durden 's best lead in a while . That 's the life of the jobless : Networking and constantly searching , even on the fly . CNN 's Sarah Hoye contributed to this report . | National Urban League report focuses on state of black America . African-American unemployment is double rate of whites , report finds . Median household income for blacks stands at $ 34,218 ; for whites , it 's $ 55,530 . `` The disparities are definitely huge , '' expert says . | [[668, 760], [927, 984], [987, 997], [1000, 1016], [1995, 2033]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A sex tape allegedly showing former Sen. John Edwards survived a fire that torched a North Carolina courthouse on Thursday . Actually , the tape that was the subject of a February court hearing at the historic Chatham County Courthouse was not at the courthouse during the blaze , city officials said . The tape , said to show Edwards and his former mistress Rielle Hunter , had been moved to another facility , said Debora Henzey , community relations director for Chatham County . Seven fire departments responded to the blaze at the courthouse in downtown Pittsboro about 4:45 p.m. Thursday . It took firefighters hours to quell the blaze , which severely damaged the courthouse . In February , the courthouse was the scene of the legal battle over the sex tape , with Hunter suing for its return . At the hearing , Judge Abraham Penn Jones found former Edwards aide Andrew Young and his wife , Cheri , in civil contempt of court and ordered them to hand over the tape to the court . In court documents , the Youngs had said that the video showed `` Senator Edwards engaged in sexual activities with a woman who , from all indications , is not his wife and who the Youngs believe to be Ms. Hunter , based upon her appearance . '' In January , Edwards admitted that he had fathered a child with Hunter , a videographer who worked on his 2008 presidential campaign . Edwards had publicly denied paternity for more than a year . About a week after his admission , he confirmed reports that he had legally separated from his wife , Elizabeth . Those announcements came just before Andrew Young released an embarrassing book about the Edwardses and his campaign . CNN 's Jessica Jordan contributed to this report . | Tape was the subject of a February hearing at the Chatham County Courthouse . Chatham County Courthouse in North Carolina burned on Thursday . The tape , which allegedly shows John Edwards and Rielle Hunter , had been moved . | [[144, 152], [155, 297], [703, 714], [717, 797], [0, 15], [73, 143], [651, 660], [669, 702], [322, 330], [385, 428]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities are no longer able to watch a video of scenes at a Georgia nightclub in the case of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger because a digital video recorder system recorded over it , an attorney said Thursday . Roethlisberger , who has been the starting quarterback for the Steelers for six seasons , has been accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman at a Georgia nightspot this month . He has not been charged . Roethlisberger 's attorney has said , `` The facts show that there was no criminal activity . '' Police were hoping to use the recording to glean any details and insights about the sequence of events surrounding the alleged incident , which was said to have occurred in a restroom . Carl Cansino , the attorney representing the Capital City nightclub , said police were able to see a small portion of the recording , and the club manager said he saw the entire video . Cansino said the club manager said the club 's dance floor and entrance were in the recording during the night of the alleged assault , but he could n't discern anything out of the ordinary . Police talked to Roethlisberger , 28 , and the woman at the scene immediately after the incident was reported about 2:30 a.m. March 5 at the club in Milledgeville , Georgia , said Deputy Police Chief Richard Malone . The woman `` alleged that he is the perpetrator , '' Malone told reporters . Attorney Lee Parks said the woman said she is `` fully cooperating with law enforcement . '' The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the investigation is continuing and the file will be turned over to the local district attorney when it is over . `` There is a future interview scheduled at present , and she intends to keep that appointment , '' Parks said . CNN 's Carolina Sanchez contributed to this report . | Lawyer says DVR recorded over nightclub video . Ben Roethlisberger accused of sexually assaulting woman at Georgia nightclub . Quarterback denies allegation ; attorney : `` The facts show that there was no criminal activity '' Earlier request for his DNA has been dropped . | [[174, 222], [253, 267], [333, 438], [225, 252], [465, 558], [503, 558]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dennis Hopper took what may be his final bow Friday as his star was dedicated on Hollywood 's Walk of Fame . His lawyer and doctor told the judge overseeing his divorce this week that Hopper is dying of prostate cancer , but the 73-year-old actor was smiling broadly during the ceremony . `` I just want to thank you , '' Hopper told the crowd surrounding him . `` That 's all I can do . '' `` Easy Rider '' co-star Jack Nicholson stood behind Hopper as Hollywood star number 2,403 was revealed with Hopper 's name in front of the Egyptian Theater . Other stars on hand included director David Lynch and singers Johnny Mathis and Dwight Yoakam . With his 6-year-old daughter , Galen , by his side , Hopper waved and bowed to hundreds of fans lining a barricade along Hollywood Boulevard . Hopper 's doctor called him `` extremely weak '' and said he weighs barely 100 pounds in a court document filed this week , but he walked on his own during the 45 minutes he was at the ceremony . His forehead and right hand were bandaged , but not because of his illness . Hopper said he `` took a terrible fall '' and `` got pretty screwed up '' as photographers followed him outside his Venice , California , home Thursday . `` I want to thank the paparazzi , '' he said . `` I know you 've got a tough job , but sometimes you ought to be a little more sensitive . '' Hopper , who is undergoing radical chemotherapy for advanced , metastasized prostate cancer , is also divorcing his wife of 14 years , Victoria Hopper . iReporter captures the star ceremony . He is too weak and ill to be questioned by lawyers in the divorce , but attending Friday 's ceremony `` is a positive experience in every way , '' his doctor 's sworn statement said . The couple separated in January when he filed for divorce , claiming the stress of their relationship was threatening his life as he battled cancer . `` The presence of his estranged wife is hampering Mr. Hopper 's present cancer care as she introduces significant additional stress into his life , '' Dr. David Argus said . `` The less Mr. Hopper has to do with his estranged wife at this time , the more likely he is to have his life extended . '' Victoria Hopper 's lawyer did not immediately respond to calls for comment . The divorce case is set for an April 5 hearing in Los Angeles County Superior Court . iReport : Hopper surrounded by friends , family at ceremony . Hopper said the Starz cable network paid for his Hollywood star ceremony , which cost $ 25,000 . His last acting job was on `` Crash , '' the TV series based on the Oscar-winning movie of the same name . Hopper 's acting career has spanned almost six decades . In the '50s he had roles in several TV shows and films , including `` Rebel Without a Cause '' -LRB- 1955 -RRB- and `` Giant '' -LRB- 1956 -RRB- . He became a Hollywood sensation for `` Easy Rider , '' the 1969 film he directed and co-wrote in which he played a dissolute , countercultural biker . | Hopper is dying of prostate cancer , say documents in divorce case . He is too ill to testify , but doctor recommended he appear at star ceremony . Starz cable network pays for Hopper 's star on Hollywood Boulevard . | [[228, 262], [96, 152], [2454, 2526]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Britain 's Prince Charles left Afghanistan on Thursday after a previously unannounced two-day visit there , a spokesman said . The heir to the British throne spent a night at Camp Bastion , the main British base in Helmand province , before traveling to Lashkar Gah , the capital of the province . He also visited Kabul , the spokesman said . Prince Charles met Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the top U.S. general in Afghanistan , as well as Afghan senior government ministers and tribal and religious leaders to gain their perspective about reintroducing stability to the country , the spokesman said . President Hamid Karzai was on an overseas trip , so the prince was not able to see him , the spokesman said , although he said the two spoke on the phone before Prince Charles traveled there . No further details were immediately available . Prince Charles ' younger son , Prince Harry , 25 , served on the front line in Afghanistan and saw combat . He is training to become a pilot with the Army Air Corps . -- CNN 's Sarah Sultoon contributed to this report . | Heir to British throne spends night at military camp in Afghanistan . Prince Charles met U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal and Afghan officials . Prince also visited Kabul , but did not meet President Karzai . | [[146, 206], [362, 404], [317, 319], [325, 338]] |
Lagos , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Islamic court in northern Nigeria has prohibited a human rights group from using social networking Web sites to discuss amputations as punishment , court records show . The court in Kaduna city ordered the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria not to have forums on Twitter , Facebook or other sites discussing the 2000 punishment of Mallam Bello Jangebe , whose right hand was amputated for stealing . `` It 's the 10th anniversary of the amputation -- and we wanted to mark the anniversary by opening the discussion , '' said Shehu Sani , president of the Civil Rights Congress . `` We reject and condemn the ban , and plan to challenge it in a higher court . '' The group opened the discussion on some sites last week . Sani said the court was concerned that the forums would criticize Sharia law . `` But we just wanted to use it to get views , '' he said . Jangebe 's hand was cut off after he was convicted of stealing a cow , according to a report by Amnesty International . The decision by Kaduna court Monday came after the Association of Muslim Brotherhood group decried planned forums in a lawsuit last week . In its motion , the pro-Sharia group said the debate on social sites would mock the strict Islamic law as `` negative issues will be discussed . '' The page for a group on Facebook called `` The amputation of Malam Buba Bello Jangebe '' said it is `` dedicated to discussions and debate relating to court-ordered amputations in Nigeria . '' `` Recently , a pro-Sharia group successfully argued that forums on Facebook and Twitter would mock the Sharia system . The intention of this group is to stimulate rational debate about the moral , social and legal implications of such a court ruling on our right to free speech and freedom of association , '' the statement on the site says . The Facebook group , which has 16 members , called for a discussion on the matter to begin Wednesday . Only one comment has been posted under `` discussions , '' and it says that `` Islam is trying to shut down free speech worldwide . '' -- CNN 's Jonathan Pride contributed to this report . | In 2000 , Sharia court ordered man 's hand amputated for stealing a cow . Rights group was promoting discussion of amputation on 10th anniversary of case . Islamic court said discussions could lead to criticism of strict Islamic Sharia law . | [[367, 387], [407, 435], [437, 483], [491, 550], [1839, 1857], [1866, 1920], [756, 834], [766, 834]] |
JAMAICA PLAIN , Massachusetts -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lucy Valena is hooked on coffee . Lucy Valena went to Seattle to learn from the best baristas before opening her Boston espresso company . `` I had my first shot of espresso when I was 14 , '' she says . `` And it was pretty amazing for me . '' With the dream of opening a coffee house , Valena -- a 24-year-old artist -- went to Seattle , Washington , to learn at the aprons of the best . `` The first time I went into a cafe , I saw someone pour the leaf , the rosetta , on top of a latte , and I 'll never forget , I just saw that barista pour that rosetta and I said , ` I 'm not leaving this town until I learn how to do that . ' '' Valena returned to Boston , Massachusetts , and launched Voltage Coffee , a mobile espresso catering company , last fall . `` When I was in Seattle , I kind of was amazed by this kind of wired culture that they have going on there . People are just obsessed , '' Valena says . `` They just make this amazing coffee and are just really caffeinated and just getting stuff done . It 's a very exciting place to be . `` So when I moved back to Boston , I really wanted to kind of bring that energy back with me in a way . And Voltage Coffee is a way to bring that on the road and bring it into other peoples ' environments instead of bringing them into a separate place . It 's bringing the caffeine to the people , '' she says . Watch Valena talk about her enthusiasm for coffee '' Her corporate headquarters is her bedroom , and she wrote her business plan `` with all these Business Plan Writing for Dummies books , '' she says . Valena then took her plan to the Small Business Administration and was directed to Accion USA , a company specializing in microloans . Accion had just begun a partnership with the Boston Beer Company -- brewer of Samuel Adams beers -- to help small food and beverage businesses get funding and free advice . `` I love Lucy 's dedication to the quality of her product , '' says Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch . `` I 'm a big believer that a great product , and the passion that an entrepreneur brings to that , can carry a long way if you have a helping hand . `` Lucy stands out as an entrepreneur because she 's got a lot of energy , she 's got a huge amount of passion for coffee , for her product . And she does wonderful things about quality . `` She makes her own flavorings from scratch with fresh ingredients . So , that reminded me a lot of brewing and how we make our beer , and of course you know I believe that anything brewed is good . '' Valena started Voltage with $ 2,000 of her own cash and a $ 4,000 loan she got through the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program . That $ 6,000 `` covered the espresso machine , the grinders , my table , some membership costs , licensing ... and my costs for a few months with the commercial kitchen facility , '' she says . Now she 's focused on opening a storefront . But she has to incorporate , find a space and get a loan . `` I need to convince someone to give me 180 grand , '' she says . `` That 's a good chunk of change . '' Despite the economy , Valena remains undaunted : `` I 'm just going to keep working at it . I 'm not letting up . I 'm not letting up , Boston ! I do n't care ! '' | Lucy Valena traveled to Seattle to learn from the best baristas . She returned to Boston and launched a mobile espresso catering company last fall . Valena started with $ 2,000 of her own cash and a $ 4,000 loan from brewer . Beer maker helps small food and beverage businesses get funding , advice . | [[83, 187], [83, 87], [111, 187], [337, 343], [371, 386], [402, 438], [687, 728], [2622, 2636], [2641, 2677], [2950, 2953], [2992, 3004], [1819, 1847], [1851, 1893], [1859, 1923]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The number of girls being raped has increased sharply since fighting intensified in the Democratic Republic of Congo , a humanitarian group said Tuesday . A survey of children at refugee camps finds rapes of girls under age 17 are increasing . Also , the recent fighting between rebels and the Congo government has heightened the threat of children being recruited as soldiers , said World Vision . `` A silent war has been waged against women and children , '' said Sue Mbaya , the humanitarian group 's Africa advocacy director . `` Women and girls in the hundreds have been targets of opportunistic and brutal rape , while children are also being targeted for recruitment or re-recruitment as child soldiers . '' World Vision said they surveyed children at six refugee camps in the country , finding that 120 girls under the age of 17 reported being raped in October . That 's compared to five reported cases in April and June . Mbaya was scheduled to address the issue Tuesday during a report to the United Nations Security Council . The fighting , which began in August , prompted the U.N. Security Council to approve sending more than 3,000 troops in coming weeks to bolster the 17,000-strong peacekeeping force already there . A U.N. envoy has also been sent to Congo to conduct peace talks between the government and rebel leader Laurent Nkunda . The spiraling violence in eastern Congo has displaced an estimated 250,000 people -- many of whom have fled to refugee camps . The fighting is spurred by lingering tensions over the 1994 slaughter of ethnic Tutsis by majority Hutus in neighboring Rwanda . Nkunda has said his forces are fighting to defend Congolese Tutsis from Hutu militants who escaped to Congo . | Aid group says rape reports increase as fighting intensified . Group surveys girls under 17 at various refugee camps . Violence in eastern Congo has displaced an estimated 250,000 people . | [[0, 15], [51, 135], [138, 173], [174, 245], [735, 811], [1374, 1500], [1428, 1500]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Thursday that a `` new information curtain is descending across much of the world . '' In a speech on Internet freedom and security , Clinton also urged China to investigate a wave of cyber attacks against Google and other companies . The Internet and other technologies are critical to foreign policy , and those who engage in cyber attacks should face international condemnation , she said . `` In an interconnected world , an attack on one nation 's networks can be an attack on all , '' she said at The Newseum in Washington . Clinton made the comments as search-engine giant Google threatened to shut down its operations in China , five years after agreeing to allow some censorship in exchange for the right to work in that country 's massive emerging technology market . Google charges that Chinese hackers have targeted Google and up to 34 other companies . The Chinese government argues that the Google case is a business dispute and should not affect overall relations between the two countries . Clinton has said that Google 's allegations of censorship and online attacks by China raise `` very serious concerns , '' and her agency has said it will file a formal protest over the company 's complaints . Also this month , foreign correspondents in at least two Chinese bureaus of news organizations had their Google e-mail accounts attacked , with e-mails forwarded to a mysterious address , according to the Foreign Correspondents ' Club of China . Clinton warned that the latest information technology -- designed to open access to governments -- can also be used by some governments to `` crush dissent and deny human rights . '' `` In the last year , we 've seen a spike in threats to the free flow of information . China , Tunisia and Uzbekistan have stepped up their censorship of the Internet , '' she said . `` In Vietnam , access to popular social networking sites has suddenly disappeared . And last Friday in Egypt , 30 bloggers and activists were detained . '' A member of that group , having since been freed , was in the audience , Clinton said . `` So while it is clear that the spread of these technologies is transforming our world , it is still unclear how that transformation will affect the human rights and welfare of much of the world 's population , '' she said . `` The same networks that help organize movements for freedom also enable al Qaeda to spew hatred and incite violence against the innocent , '' Clinton said . Some governments also have `` co-opted '' the Internet to silence `` people of faith , '' Clinton said . `` Last year in Saudi Arabia , a man spent months in prison for blogging about Christianity , '' she said . Countries such as Vietnam and China have used similar tactics to `` restrict access to religious information . '' The State Department will convene a high-level meeting next month of firms that provide network services for talks on Internet freedom , she said . Citizens and businesses must be able to rely on the security of information networks , Clinton said . `` Our ability to bank online , use electronic commerce and safeguard billions of dollars in intellectual property are all at stake if we can not rely on the security of information networks , '' she said . Referring to social and economic development , Clinton said the Internet can serve as a `` great equalizer . '' By providing people with access to knowledge and potential markets , networks can create opportunity where none exist . `` Over the last year , I 've seen this first hand in Kenya , where farmers have seen their income grow by as much as 30 percent since they started using mobile banking technology , '' Clinton said . Information technology has been a great help in addressing the staggering problems in Haiti , she said , pointing to a young girl and two women who were pulled from the rubble after they sent a text message for help . The text message campaign to raise money for Haiti has raised more than $ 25 million for recovery efforts , Clinton said . Each texter was asked to donate $ 10 , and the State Department said Wednesday that it is believed to be the largest amount raised for the country through a mobile phone campaign . CNN 's Jill Dougherty and Doug Gross contributed to this report . | Hillary Clinton says a cyber attack on one nation is an attack on all . Secretary of State said there 's been a spike of threats to Internet freedom . Speech comes as Google considers leaving China because of censorship worries . Freedoms should include access to Internet , freedom of speech and worship , she said . | [[498, 557], [1717, 1736], [1739, 1803], [632, 706], [455, 465], [2994, 3004]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nearly 150,000 homes were without drinking water Monday after the worst floodwaters in 60 years swamped large areas of western England . Flooding has caused widespread disruption across the country with further regions braced for more floods . British military and rescue workers battled to save a major electricity substation on the outskirts of Gloucester , England , that serves about 500,000 homes . About 1,000 Royal Navy personnel were building an emergency barrier to keep the Walham substation from flooding . Their efforts have been successful so far , the Gloucestershire Constabulary Emergency Services said Monday evening . Some 50,000 homes were already without electricity before the substation was threatened . Two major rivers -- the Thames and the Severn -- are well above their normal levels and may burst their banks , according to authorities . Watch as Britons brace for more flooding '' Britain 's Environment Agency warned water levels could rise further to a `` critical level '' and issued nine severe flood warnings across the country . The worst affected areas are the counties of Gloucestershire , Herefordshire , Worcestershire and Oxfordshire , which had more than 5 inches -LRB- 12.5 cm -RRB- of rain in barely 24 hours . More rain is forecast , and the risk of flooding is increasing as floodwaters work their way into the river system . In the historic city of Gloucester , the River Severn is expected to burst its banks later Monday . The river is already nearly 15 feet -LRB- 5 meters -RRB- above its normal level for this time of year and close to breaching its banks . See residents walk through flooded streets and homes '' Electricity and water supplies in and around the city are already cut to many residents , after a water treatment plant and electricity sub-station were flooded . The city of Tewkesbury is also flooded -- video from the area showed dozens of cars and homes under several feet of water . Officials said it would be at least 48 hours before they could gain access to the Mythe Water Pumping Station in Tewkesbury to return water supply to 70,000 customers in Tewkesbury , Gloucester and Cheltenham . `` There is no doubt this unprecedented situation has been testing for each and every one of the emergency services and our partner agencies , '' said Gloucestershire Chief Constable Timothy Brain . `` I must pay tribute to the marathon effort being made to prevent the situation from worsening and to support those affected by the flooding , loss of power , loss of water and other consequences of this extreme situation , '' he said . Hundreds of people in the worst affected areas have been plucked to safety by helicopters of the Royal Air Force and boats . Further north in Evesham , the River Severn is more than twice its normal width . So far this month England has had nearly two-and-a-half-times its normal rainfall . Prime Minister Gordon Brown visited Gloucester -- and promised to mobilize resources from across the country . He also announced increased funding for flood and coastal defenses across the country . `` Like every advanced industrialized country , we are coming to terms with the issues surrounding climate change , '' he said . The prime minister described the flooding as unprecedented , and brushed aside criticism of his government for the quality of flood defenses and a slow response to the crisis . `` I think the emergency services have done a great job , '' he said . `` I am satisfied people are doing everything they can . '' The wet weather for much of June and July across England and Wales has also affected crops . Farmers are predicting low yields and higher prices -- with several crops due to be harvested in the next month . Insurance companies are expecting claims worth hundreds of millions of dollars because of flood damage . More than 2,000 people spent Sunday night in emergency accommodation and the Royal Air Force and coastguard helicopters airlifted hundreds to safety in one of Britain 's largest peacetime rescue operations . `` I 'm afraid to say that I do n't think we have seen the peak yet , '' John Harman , of the Environment Agency , told BBC radio . `` All this water that we have seen ... is now into the river system . Even though the rain has eased off a bit ... it 's the water in the rivers now that constitutes a threat . '' E-mail to a friend . | Flood waters in parts of England at 60-year highs . UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown pledges more funds to tackle floods . Tens of thousands of people without water and electricity . Environment Agency issues nine severe flood warnings . | [[9, 131], [9, 26], [98, 172], [2925, 2952], [2979, 3035], [3036, 3038], [3044, 3123], [9, 131], [1699, 1764], [1769, 1786], [1789, 1818], [1699, 1752], [1757, 1786], [1789, 1802], [945, 1039], [945, 967], [982, 994], [1044, 1098]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Friends and family planned a memorial service in Atlanta , Georgia , on Thursday for Thor Hesla , who died in Monday 's attack on a luxury hotel in Afghanistan . Friends describe Thor Hesla as a `` passionate believer '' and `` larger than life . '' Hesla , 45 , loved a game of ultimate Frisbee , a motorcycle ride and a great adventure . Friends say he found no adventure greater than helping people . He set off for another adventure in October , this time to Afghanistan to work with the U.S. Agency for International Development , or USAID , to help build civil society . `` Thor Hesla was a passionate believer in what is possible in the world , '' said a statement posted online by Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi , a friend of 20 years . The Taliban said it was behind the attack that killed him , carried out by suicide bombers and gunmen . Six other people were killed at Kabul 's Serena hotel that day . Six days after Hesla arrived in Afghanistan , he had e-mailed details of his new surroundings to his far-away friends . Despite the violence wracking the nation , Hesla described Kabul as a city with potential and `` astonishing beauty . '' He said he was struck by glimpses of `` desperately poor '' Afghans . `` I saw a man moving down the street who was , literally , wearing only rags yesterday , '' Hesla wrote . He expressed pride in his work and the American effort to rebuild Afghanistan , writing , `` You are forcibly reminded how good and inspirational Americans can be . '' Life in Kabul is n't easy . Diplomats and contractors in Afghanistan are under strict security and their travel is severely restricted . A witness to Monday 's attack said terrorists forced their way into the hotel gym and shot three or four people who were working out . Watch witness describe the attack '' Hesla 's friends said he joined the hotel 's gym and spa as a diversion from his limited daily routine . `` You 're always , always , always , reminded how great a blessing it is to come from a land which has never known -- since 1865 -- serious war , '' Hesla wrote his friends , referring to the Civil War . `` It 's really difficult to calculate how damaging all-out war can be on a society . '' `` He was very passionate about everything , '' said friend Stefan Tigges , according to CNN affiliate WGCL . `` He was very generous . He was very spirited , very kind . '' Tigges told the Atlanta TV station his friend was `` larger than life in every way in terms of his sense of humor , his intellect , his capacity to love , all these things . '' At Atlanta 's Emory University , Hesla studied English literature and played rugby . He also worked for the Atlanta Olympic Committee and various Democratic political campaigns , including the 2000 campaign for Democratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley . In countries such as Trinidad and Tobago ; Venezuela , St. Vincent and the Grenadines ; Antigua , Barbados and Aruba , Hesla tried to build bridges between feuding groups , and worked on political campaigns seeking to fight crime and corruption , create jobs and improve education , his friends said . For more than three years , Hesla had worked in war-ravaged Kosovo , where he helped reform economic systems . After taking time off to travel and write both a screenplay and a novel , he had set off for Afghanistan to work as a contractor for USAID in its `` capacity building '' program , helping government institutions , social organizations and universities with financial matters . `` We mourn the loss of our fellow employee , Thor Hesla , '' said Elizabeth Palmer of BearingPoint , Hesla 's employer . `` He was a loving son and brother and an important part of our BearingPoint family . His commitment to helping the people of Afghanistan was well known , and we will miss him terribly . '' Following Thursday 's services in Georgia , another is planned for Hesla in Washington D.C. , which friends said was his `` adopted home . '' E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Elise Labott contributed to this report . | Atlanta native Thor Hesla , 45 , died Monday in suicide bombing of Kabul hotel . In e-mail to friends , he said Afghan capital had `` astonishing beauty '' Memorials planned for U.S. contractor in D.C. and hometown of Atlanta . Taliban claims attack which killed seven at hotel frequented by Westerners . | [[104, 114], [121, 180], [926, 969], [972, 1045], [1089, 1163], [2073, 2099], [0, 15], [19, 75], [3833, 3924], [757, 798], [861, 925]] |
Las Vegas , Nevada -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For all the buzz about `` tablet computers '' in recent weeks , one fundamental question about this supposedly break-through computer category remains unanswered : . What exactly is a tablet ? Computer industry representatives here at the massive and hype-heavy Consumer Electronics Show ca n't seem to agree . Some say a computer just needs a touch-sensitive screen to be a tablet . Others say a person should be able to write on it with a pen . Still others say it 's screen size that 's important -- tablets must fit somewhere between phones and laptops . For Philip McKinney , vice president and chief technology officer at Hewlett-Packard , it 's partly the keyboard -- a tablet should have one of those . Break off the keyboard , leaving only a touch-screen device , he said , and the gadget falls into another buzz-worthy category : the slate . Others say the terms slate and tablet are synonymous . So what 's a confused consumer to do ? And how can anyone judge the many products here that claim to be from tabletland when there 's no consensus on what one is ? Simple . Just get over the name , said Steve Baker , vice-president of industry analysis at the NDP Group , a market research firm . Computer makers are introducing a shotgun spray of newish -- or at least newly named -- products in hopes that one will be a big recession-era hit with consumers , he said . None of these new devices , which he said are characterized only by their medium size , fix any obvious problem consumers have with their current computers , he said . Companies are releasing these new products without knowing exactly why consumers would want to use them , he said . `` That 's the problem , but the exciting part of it is that we really do n't know what the right product is for people -- what they want to do with this . '' Hot products . The tablet buzz at CES is somewhat overshadowed by a tablet that Apple is rumored to announce later this month . Still , the array of tablet-esque devices here is getting tons of attention from show attendees . The two most talked-about tablets at CES are Lenovo 's IdeaPad U1 , which the company refers to not as a tablet but as a `` hybrid-notebook ; '' and a yet-to-be named and largely unseen `` slate '' tablet from HP . Lenovo 's device looks like a smallish laptop on first glance . But the screen on the gadget pops off of a plastic shell and can be carried around separately from its keyboard . That 's the tablet part of the hybrid . When separated from its keyboard home , the slender touch-screen tablet -- which looks like a stretched-out iPhone -- is well suited for watching movies , browsing photos and reading books , said Michael Littler , who markets the device . The touch-sensitive screen , made possible by Microsoft 's Windows 7 , lets users spin photos and scroll through text with their fingers , which might seem more intuitive than a pushing a computer mouse . Watch CES attendees get acquainted with the dual laptop-tablet . That product will debut in six months and will cost less than $ 1,000 , Littler said . Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer briefly trotted out HP 's unnamed `` slate '' device during his opening keynote address at the show , stirring up lots of interest . The device was thin and flat , without a keyboard , and with a touch-sensitive screen . HP decided not to show off the unnamed product at CES , however . McKinney , the company 's CTO , said the HP slate has been in development for five years and will be sold to consumers sometime in 2010 . He would not discuss the product 's price or provide further specifics . Tablet origins . Part of the tablet confusion comes from the fact that the term is not new . In the 90s , Microsoft and others introduced tablet PCs with swivel-around screens and keyboards . Consumers could n't touch the screens with their fingers to control the tablets , but many had stylus pens that let people write on the screen . While popular in niche markets , those older-generation tablets never took off like expected , said Lance Ulanoff , editor in chief of PC Magazine . `` I think major companies are still a little hesitant to go all-in , '' he said . Why now ? The current resurgence of the tablet term -- and the mid-sized , touch-screen gadgets that go with it -- appears to have several precipitating factors . First , said Ulanoff , is the popularity of the iPhone . Apple 's smartphone showed people how helpful touch-screen technology can be . `` I think people got the idea that -- ` Well , what if -LSB- the iPhone -RSB- was bigger ? '' he said . Next is the recession . Consumer electronics sales were down considerably in 2009 . That gives computer companies an incentive to try some potentially wacky ideas in an effort to differentiate themselves from competitors , said Baker , the industry analyst . Technological advances are also pushing the idea . Windows 7 , which Microsoft released last year , incorporates touch-screen technology , and many people consider to be a cornerstone of the tablet experience . Also throw in a truckload of hype about Apple 's rumored tablet . Tech blogs have been drooling over the supposed announcement for months . And , while tablet makers here say they 've been working on the technology for years , several admitted the Apple tablet buzz does n't hurt their efforts . People expect everything Apple makes to be sexy and popular . And that could rub off on an entire category of devices . What 's in a name ? The flurry of newly named computer products , however , could have negative consequences for the tablet computer industry , said Ken Lee , vice-president of sales and marketing at viliv , another tablet maker exhibiting at CES . The industry is on the verge of confusing consumers so much that they wo n't know what products they do or do n't want , he said . Still , he added , it 's exciting to work in a time of experimentation . Viliv is focusing on a number of mid-size computing devices -- from its $ 500 N5 `` clamshell '' device , which looks like a sunglasses case when it 's closed and is small enough to fit in a coat pocket ; to a $ 550 S10 tablet with a swivel touch-screen and a keyboard ; and , finally , a soon-to-be-unveiled `` media slate , '' which has an 10-inch touch-screen and no keyboard . The names are important from a marketing perspective , he said . Viliv did n't call its `` media slate '' a tablet because that name sounds expensive , he said . The company did n't want to call it a plain old slate either , he said , because that sounded heavy , like slate rock , when the media slate is actually rather light . Slate also sounds industrial , he said , and he wants this media-consumption device to be fun . `` We tried to give it a little bit more of a casual , lighter feeling , '' he said . Other companies have introduced mid-sized , pseudo-tablet products under a host of names -- smartbooks , mini-notes , touch-screen netbooks , dual-book e-readers that also surf the Web . At its CES product office this week , Littler , from Lenovo , was commenting on this development when a woman abruptly joined the conversation . `` I just call it a computer , '' she said . | Tablet computers get buzz at CES , but people disagree about what they are . Most are characterized by their size : They are smaller than laptops and bigger than phones . HP says tablets have keyboards and `` slate '' computers only have touch-screens . Computer makers are trying out new categories to see what will stick with consumers . | [[1009, 1026], [1043, 1103], [1070, 1108], [1987, 1992], [1995, 2084]] |
Editor 's note : The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE , an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn , New York . VBS.TV is Vice 's broadband television network . The reports , which are produced solely by VICE , reflect a very transparent approach to journalism , where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process . We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers . Viewer discretion advised . London , England -LRB- VBS.TV -RRB- -- In previous episodes of The Vice Guide to Travel , we road-tripped through North Korea , shopped for dirty bombs in Bulgaria , and hunted mutant wild boars in Chernobyl . Little did we know that all of our harrowing journeys would leave us only semi-prepared for a recent trip to war-ravaged , godforsaken Liberia . Since 1989 , a series of brutal civil wars -- primarily fought by drug-addicted , prepubescent orphans -- has rendered Liberia one of the most dangerous countries in the world . Everyone has heard the stories of abject poverty , ubiquitous substance abuse and wanton violence taking place there , but we do n't really believe anything that we do n't see for ourselves . So , stomachs firmly knotted , off we went . We arrived in Liberia with a small crew of three and quickly rendezvoused with a local journalist who would be our fixer and guide . Our first shooting location was the West Point slum , home to 80,000 people living in conditions that redefine squalor . Miles of rotting garbage surround the slum , which has no sewage system . Pretty much everyone -- even the local government officials -- defecates and urinates in the open . Drugs , prostitution and armed robbery are the main industries . We got to know some of the residents of West Point , who told us their stories as they smoked heroin and cocaine and begged us for money . Next we visited a local brothel . The women who lived there talked with us about the U.N. soldiers who have sex with the child prostitutes and beat the older women , and then leave without paying . Watch episode 2 from the Vice Guide to Liberia on VBS.TV . But perhaps the most revelatory portions of our trip to Liberia came from meeting the major warlords of the nation 's civil wars . There 's a tradition in Liberian militias of taking on extravagant noms de guerre . Hence , our subjects were named General Bin Laden , General Rambo and General Butt Naked . The latter , in particular , was one of the most notorious Liberian warlords . He claims to have personally killed 20,000 people including babies , and to have sometimes cannibalized his victims . Today , General Butt Naked goes by his birth name , which is Joshua . During our time together , he told us that Liberia will surely implode into civil war again when the U.N. leaves next year . But in the meantime , Joshua wants to redeem himself . He offered us a glimpse of the Liberia that he wants to forge , and we found ourselves growing to like him . He took us to his church , where he rehabilitates child soldiers . We watched as he preached his way through Monrovia on a Sunday . Is there a chance that his mission will succeed , and further civil war can be averted in this desperate country ? That 's one of the many questions that we came away with upon our safe return from Liberia . Watch our documentary about our time there and see what you think . | Crew of three gets firsthand look at poverty , substance abuse in war-ravaged Liberia . Women at local brothel tell of beatings by U.N. soldiers , child prostitution . An ex-warlord who claims to have killed babies , cannibalized victims guides crew . | [[1040, 1137], [1277, 1325], [1943, 2007], [2052, 2072], [1943, 2007], [2079, 2106], [2551, 2617], [2551, 2553], [2632, 2668]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Tuesday off the Cayman Islands , the U.S. Geological Survey said . The 6.2-mile deep quake hit at 9:23 a.m. ET , 40 miles from George Town , Cayman Islands , the USGS reported . George Town , the capital , is on the western shore of Grand Cayman Island . There were no immediate reports of injuries in the three-island chain in the Caribbean . The British territory of the Cayman Islands is about 600 miles -LRB- 1,000 kilometers -RRB- west of Port-au-Prince , Haiti , which was devastated last week by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake . Tuesday 's quake struck about 32 miles -LRB- 52 kilometers -RRB- east-southeast of Bodden Town in the center of the southern coast of Grand Cayman Island . Are you in the Cayman Islands ? Share photos , video . It caused shaking at the Pedro St. James National Historic Site , about a 10-minute drive from Bodden Town , said Sonya Hydes , the gift shop manager . `` There was quite a bit of shaking , '' she said . Hydes said she called her husband after the shaking stopped to see if their house was affected . He told her that he felt the quake but that it did not damage their house . There are reports that the quake toppled power lines in Bodden Town , said Kafara Augustine , a news producer for Cayman 27 . Augustine said she felt the shaking from within her office in central George Town . She and her colleagues quickly evacuated the building , seeking safety in the streets , she said . The two-story building did not suffer any damage and from what she could see , everything else seemed unharmed during the quake , she said . The quake startled Davy Ebanks , general manager of the North Sound Club , a golf course on the Seven Mile Beach strip of western Grand Cayman Island . He said he was reading about the earthquake in Haiti on the Internet when he suddenly felt shaking . `` I just bolted , '' he said . `` It was rocking and rolling pretty good . '' The trembling knocked some picture frames off balance and sent some mannequins tumbling in the pro shop , but otherwise did little damage at the club , he said . About 215 miles -LRB- 346 kilometers -RRB- from the temblor in Cienfuegos , Cuba -- a city on the southern coast of the communist island -- residents said they felt nothing . The Caymans are about 167 -LRB- 268 kilometers -RRB- miles northwest of Jamaica and about 140 miles -LRB- 240 kilometers -RRB- south of Cuba , according to the CIA World Fact Book . CNN 's Mark Bixler and Shasta Darlington contributed to this report . | No immediate reports of injuries after earthquake off Cayman Islands . `` There was quite a bit of shaking , '' says shop manager in George Town , Cayman Islands . U.K. territory in Caribbean about 600 miles west of Port-au-Prince , Haiti . | [[308, 396], [948, 983], [973, 983], [986, 988], [397, 511]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Six Haitian orphans , at the airport and on their way to new lives in the United States , had their destination changed at the last moment . Now they are at an orphanage , under the custody of the Haitian government , while the details of their departure are sorted out . Sarah Thacker , a Minnesota woman who was in Haiti to bring home her newly adopted son , now finds herself facing allegations that the paperwork she held was forged . Thacker and two other women who helped her were not arrested , but are the subject of the incident that follows the arrests of 10 U.S. missionaries accused of taking a group of Haitian children out of the country without the proper paperwork . All 10 were charged with trying to take 33 children out of Haiti without any legal authorization after a magnitude-7 .0 earthquake devastated the country on January 12 . Eight of them have been released on bail and have returned to the United States . Thacker and the two other women were going to escort six Haitian orphans to the United States to new families , including Thacker 's adopted son , Reese . `` I can understand paranoia and absolutely , and I understand there was a story about people illegally taking children out of the country , but fear does n't justify these actions , '' Stephanie Anderson , a volunteer who was helping Thacker , told CNN . On Saturday , the three women were outside the Port-au-Prince airport waiting in line to transport the children in a private plane when , Anderson says , they were surrounded by an angry mob of men demanding to see their paperwork . `` They started screaming at us that they are Haitian children , and who do we think we are taking their kids from their country , and these missionaries ca n't be stealing kids , and they started swearing and yelling at us , '' Anderson , who is not a missionary , said . The police were called in and the women were detained for eight hours , they told CNN . Full coverage of the earthquake 's aftermath . The key document -- a permission signed by Haiti 's prime minister -- was suspected as a fake by police , something the women and U.S. officials deny . There is no chance the paperwork is fake , Thacker said . A representative from the U.S. Embassy was with them during their ordeal and , in the end , police did not arrest the women but decided that the children would at least be temporarily placed in government custody . `` I was scared . It was my job to protect those children and I did n't feel I could protect them when I was being harassed , '' said Maria O'Donovan , who lives in Haiti and works at the orphanage where Reese and the other five children lived . CNN made attempts to reach the Haitian prime minister without success . Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is backing Thacker 's efforts . `` They have filled out all the paperwork . This is a legitimate orphanage that has brought other children to America . And I feel like these little babies are just caught up in this international dispute , and it 's just not fair , '' she said . CNN 's Ismael Estrada contributed to this report . | Police suspected key document -- permission signed by Haiti 's PM -- was fake . Women , U.S. officials deny it is fake ; CNN 's attempts to Haitian PM unsuccessful . Case follows arrests of 10 U.S. missionaries . Missionaries charged with trying to take children out of Haiti without legal authorization . | [[314, 327], [403, 480], [2049, 2095], [2029, 2048], [2087, 2095], [2099, 2132], [2135, 2180], [2700, 2771], [2700, 2703], [2709, 2753], [567, 579], [585, 628], [608, 724], [608, 724], [725, 821], [1219, 1270]] |
UNITED NATIONS -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rapes targeting girls as young as seven are on the increase in Afghanistan where conditions for women are little better than under the Taliban , the U.N. and rights groups say . Conditions for women are little better than they were under the hardline Taliban regime , the U.N. says . In its annual report on human rights , the U.N. warned conditions were deteriorating in the war-ravaged country despite U.S.-led efforts after the 2001 removal from power of the hardline militia . `` Violence is tolerated or condoned within the family and community , within traditional and religious leadership circles , as well as the formal and informal justice system , '' said Navi Pillay , the U.N. high commissioner for human rights . The `` Afghan government has failed to adequately protect the rights of women despite constitutional guarantees . '' With a resurgent Taliban targeting NATO forces , government security forces and civilians , violence has been on the increase in Afghanistan . . The number of civilian casualties in 2008 totaled 2,118 -- the highest number recorded since the ouster of the Taliban in 2001 , the U.N. said , urging greater protecting for ordinary Afghans . Violence against women comes in the form of rape , `` honor killings , '' early and forced marriages , sexual abuse and slavery , the report says . `` The security is the big issue , '' said Suraya Pakzad , founder of the Voice of Women Organization , which promotes education and awareness of women 's rights and protects women and girls at risk in Afghanistan . `` Because of security we , unfortunately , day by day , we have to pull out of areas where last year we operated , we have our operations . We were able to work with the women , but this year we can not , '' she said . `` We have to leave the area because security is getting worse day by day . '' `` Rapes in the country have been growing tremendously , particularly child rapes within the ages of 9 , 8 , 7 , even lesser than that , '' said Wazhma Frogh , director of Global Rights Afghanistan . `` So these are the issues that are all born by this lack of security where women have no place in ... security decisions . '' Domestic violence against child brides is widespread , said Suraya Pakzad , the founder of the Voice of Women organization , who was married at age 14 and has six children . She said girls as young as 10 face `` violation '' by husbands 40 years their senior . `` By the end ... women , or girls , run away . '' But women without husbands , especially widows , may have it even worse in Afghanistan , the report says . Without a spouse , the women are reduced to begging to feed their children . Options outside the home are limited where the Taliban holds sway in Afghanistan . The Taliban 's interpretation of strict Islamic law , or sharia , has included banning girls from school and the workplace . Even in areas not overrun by the Taliban , women face risks outside the home . `` The assassination of the most prominent national female senior police officer , in Kandahar in September 2008 , underscores the tremendous risks faced by women in public life , '' the report says . | Afghan women 's rights are little better than under Taliban , report says . Rights group says girls as young as seven are regularly raped . United Nations calls for better protection for civilians . | [[97, 108], [115, 176], [212, 299], [34, 73], [1151, 1164], [1167, 1215], [1022, 1025], [1151, 1159], [1167, 1215]] |
Fine wine , fashion , long lunches and secular laws -- the answer to what France is all about depends on who you ask . As part of CNN 's special iList coverage of France , anchor Hala Gorani is hosting a panel on national identity in Paris as part of iList , CNN 's series looking at France . Hala will speak to some of the country 's leading minds about the future of France , the strength of French business , what makes the country competitive and which way its culture is headed . The high-profile panelists include Pierre-Henri Gourgeon , CEO of Air France and KLM , Dominique Senequier , CEO of AXA Private Equity , Claudie Haignere , a former astronaut and former Minister for European Affairs , and Ahmed el Kheiy , a journalist and TV presenter . Watch the panel discuss these issues on Saturday 20 February : 1930 GMT | 2030 CET | 1430 ET . The guests tackle the topics of diversity , tolerance and the role France should play in Europe . Some believe that France weathered the financial crisis better than any of its Continental neighbors , while others said that inefficient tax laws and rigidity in labor markets were holding the world 's fifth largest economy back . Has President Sarkozy put the country on a better track ? Are France 's socialist roots being dug up ? Are the French ready to elect their own Obama ? And what about cheese , bread and art ? Can France culturally maintain its pre-eminence ? | CNN asks experts about the meaning of French identity . How will France stay competitive in the global market ? Watch the panel discuss these issues on Saturday 20 : 1930 GMT , 2030 CET | 1430 ET . | [[756, 816]] |
West Vancouver , British Columbia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's more than two hours before snowboard practice begins , two hours before Robert Beck will take his first picture , and he is trudging up the steep icy slope that is one lip of the halfpipe . Temperatures are just above freezing on Cypress Mountain , and Beck , a Sports Illustrated photographer for 24 years , is steadily ambling up the hill to stake out his position near the top . The climb is just 160 meters , but try doing it with a 50 - or 60-pound pack on your back and a bad knee repaired just three weeks ago . It 's going to be worth it ; Beck knows precisely where he needs to be to get the perfect picture when the overwhelming gold medal favorite Shaun White performs . For the next nine hours Beck wo n't leave his spot -- he 's not allowed to come back down until the competition is over -- so he has a bag full of equipment and provisions . He carries three camera bodies , four lenses , several radios to remotely trigger cameras and a bunch of Cliff bars . -LRB- McDonald 's might sponsor these Games , but there 's no Golden Arches on the hill -RRB- . See 19 of Robert Beck 's amazing SI photos from the Winter Games . He knows where to be to get the shot he wants because Beck and his assistant , Kohjiro `` Kojo '' Kinno have been photographing White for months , learning his every move and tendency . For instance , Beck knows the best time to shoot a close-up of White is during his first practice run because the snowboarder does n't go as high then . They went to three World Cup events and the X Games , shooting White and his competitors in preparation for the Olympics . Then once in Vancouver it was off to every practice to test out different angles to shoot . `` We 're trying to frame it just right , '' Beck said on the drive from his hotel to the venue . `` On their tricks , snowboarders are spinning so fast . Sometimes you never see their faces . You do n't want to get pictures of rear ends or the bottom of the board . We want to get their faces if we can . '' Beck , who has more than 50 Sports Illustrated covers to his credit , is frustrated even before he climbs the hill . Kinno is an important part of the `` we '' he talks about . Kinno has been there for him for nearly seven years , handing him the right equipment , fixing things when they go wonky , running cards back to the work area and often being the voice of reason . But that wo n't happen today because officials would n't give Kinno a photographer 's armband . He 's not even allowed to shoot pictures from a lower area of the venue . It 's almost like a pitcher without his catcher , though the understated Kinno often is the one who shakes Beck off . And then there 's the eye roll . They have this way of disagreeing that only longtime friends can have . There 's often disagreement , Kinno says , but they always come to an understanding . On this Wednesday at the halfpipe , Kinno will have to stay in front of a laptop all day , trying patiently to wait for runners to bring him the cards from the cameras . At least he has company . John Birk , photographer Al Tielemans ' assistant , ca n't go with his photographer either . Tielemans will spot up on the other side of the pipe while photographer Bob Martin will be positioned at the bottom . Just before setting off for the hill , Beck gets a call from Steve Fine , SI 's director of photography . Fine has a request for Beck to get White at a certain angle . Beck 's sure he ca n't and tells Fine that he has a great shot in mind , looking up the pipe as White soars into action . Fine likes that but wants to have one with the crowd in the background . Beck and Kinno agree ; it 's not a clean shot from where Beck will be , but they can try and see what Fine says . You 'd think that Beck can call the shots , so to speak , and send in his favorites from the 1,400 images he will take this day , but that 's not the way it works . He lets the photo editors pick the ones they want . `` I do n't suggest anything to those guys , '' Beck said . `` I ca n't control it . I make the best pictures I can , send them , in and it 's out of my hands . ' He seems cool with that . He 's much more concerned with getting a shot that is different from other photogs . It 's difficult -- well , almost impossible really -- to be inventive with this assignment , though . There are going to be several other photographers in the same area , and dozens all over the pipe . He 'll try to nail it the best he can by using a different lens than others near him -LRB- maybe a 35 mm while lying down in the snow -RRB- and also through the use of a camera on a 12-foot stick he 'll hold up . There 's one big issue , though , with White . Beck says when he has used a remote-fired camera , he 's able to get other snowboarders in the frame perfectly , but White soars so high that much of the time he 's at the top of the frame , if he 's even in the picture . Beck 's assignment is not solely White ; it 's just that the 23-year-old budding legend is such a prohibitive favorite it makes sense to Beck that 's his main target . He 's shooting for the magazine , but he also hopes the Web site can use his photos . In fact , the Web is much more of a sure thing this time . Sports Illustrated 's deadlines are n't until the weekend , and the magazine wo n't arrive at subscribers ' homes until a week after the event , so Beck figures it 's unlikely this gig has cover potential . And with Lindsey Vonn such a compelling story , too , he 's not sure that he 'll even get one image in the magazine . Celebration photos always play well , but only the photographers at the bottom will have White right in front of them . Beck halfway wishes he could shoot those photos instead of Martin . `` We 're all basically competitive , '' he says wistfully . `` But you ca n't be both places . '' SI.com : Photos of White 's winning run . White did the expected and easily won gold . Back in the work area , Beck says not everything went well . Counting practice , each rider who made the final made nine runs . Beck says he solved a problem with one of the remote cameras in time to shoot the first practice session , but at some point he accidentally hit the focus . `` Everything looked like Mr. Magoo -LSB- took them -RSB- , '' he said . At least 75 percent of photography is problem solving , he said . -LRB- Two-and-half percent of photography is skill , he joked -RRB- . It 's knowing where to set up , knowing your equipment and knowing how to fix that equipment when it breaks . But while you 're fixing things , you 're missing pictures , and it 's frustrating . And then there 's just plain bad luck . Beck says that during one practice run a TV cameraman ran in front of him , snapping pictures on his phone . But these are the things you deal with , he says . He 's a little down at dinner afterward because he caught a glimpse of the some of the other photographers ' pictures . As he had predicted , a bunch of shots with White , his face one big smile , holding the U.S. flag . But later his mood changes when back at the hotel suite he logs onto the SI.com Web site . There is a picture , looking up the pipe of White , cast against a clear night sky , soaring through the air , on his way to a gold medal . As for the magazine , he 'll be waiting , just like the rest of us . | Robert Beck has been a photographer with Sports Illustrated for 24 years . His assignment at the Winter Olympics : Shoot events at Cypress Mountain . To prepare for shooting halfpipe , Beck and assistant went to several events beforehand . Beck took 1,400 pictures in one day , not sure if any will make the magazine . | [[3885, 3923], [5545, 5550], [5560, 5608]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho will be banned for the next three Italian Serie A games following a gesture he made during Saturday 's controversial 0-0 draw against Sampdoria . League leaders Inter had two players sent off , while Sampdoria also had a man dismissed in a fiery encounter at the San Siro . Is your boss a `` Special One ? '' Former Chelsea coach Mourinho was seen to cross his arms in the manner of being handcuffed -- a gesture aimed to suggest that Inter were being victimized by match officials -- after the first-half dismissals of defenders Ivan Cordoba and Walter Samuel . Mourinho , who has also been handed a $ 55,000 fine for the gesture , is now bannded from the touchline for the matches against Udinese , Genoa and Catania as Inter try to hold off the challenge of a rampant Roma side at the top of the table . To add to Inter 's problems , Esteban Cambiasso and Sulley Muntari were handed two-game bans for their behavior towards match officials after the game , joining Samuel and Cordoba on the suspended list . The controversy comes just 48 hours before Inter host Mourinho 's former club Chelsea in the last 16 of the Champions League -- the first time he has come face-to-face with the Londoners since his dismissal in September 2007 . | Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho will be banned for the next three Serie A games . It follows a ` handcuff ' gesture made during the 0-0 draw with Sampdoria . Leaders Inter had two players sent off in the first half of a stormy encounter . | [[0, 15], [19, 126], [79, 196], [614, 622], [684, 769], [79, 196], [360, 389], [431, 463], [222, 242]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World No. 2 Novak Djokovic suffered a shock defeat by sixth seed Mikhail Youzhny in the semifinals of the World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam on Saturday . The Serbian , who had not played since Thursday after being handed a walkover in his quarterfinal , lost 7-6 -LRB- 7-5 -RRB- 7-6 -LRB- 8-6 -RRB- to the Russian despite saving two match-points . Youzhny , who won the Dutch indoor tournament in 2007 , will play second seed Robin Soderling in Sunday 's final after the world No. 8 edged out sixth-ranked Nikolay Davydenko 7-6 -LRB- 7-3 -RRB- 6-4 . Youzhny will have the chance to avenge his compatriot 's defeat as he seeks to improve his 1-1 career record against Soderling . The signs are good for the world No. 20 , who also defeated Djokovic in the semifinals three years ago . The Muscovite will bid to win his sixth ATP Tour title , having won one in each of the past three seasons . Soderling has bounced back from a poor start to the season that saw the Swede lose in the first round of his first two tournaments in 2010 , including the Australian Open . `` This is a really tough tournament and it 's not easy to reach the final here , '' last year 's French Open finalist told the ATP Web site . `` I 'm playing better with every match , so I 'm very happy . I 've had a lot of tough matches with Nikolay in the past few years . He 's one of the best players in the world , so it means I am playing great tennis to beat him . My confidence is up and I 'm looking forward to the final . '' Meanwhile , second seed Fernando Verdasco reached the final of the SAP Open in San Jose in the United States after beating Uzbekistan 's Denis Istomin on Saturday . The Spaniard won 6-3 2-6 6-4 to set up a clash with the top seed Andy Roddick who overcame a first set loss and two tiebreakers to defeat fellow American Sam Querrey 2-6 , 7-6 -LRB- 5 -RRB- , 7-6 -LRB- 4 -RRB- . Top seed Elena Dementieva will play Lucie Safarova in Sunday 's Paris Indoor Open final on the women 's WTA Tour circuit . Russian world No. 7 Dementieva came from behind to beat young American Melanie Oudin 4-6 6-3 6-3 in the semifinals of the French hardcourt event , where she lost in the final last year to Amelie Mauresmo . Unseeded Czech Safarova upset Italy 's Flavia Pennetta , the second-ranked player in the field , as she also rallied from a set down to win 4-6 6-3 6-4 . World No. 46 Safarova lost to Nadia Petrova in the 2007 final . In Thailand , top seed Vera Zvonareva will seek home hope Tamarine Tanasugarn from winning her first Pattaya Open title on Sunday . The Russian is on course to defend her title following a 6-2 4-6 6-3 victory against fourth seed Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan , reaching her 21st career title . The 32-year-old Tanasugarn will have her 10th tilt at a WTA title after crushing Shvedova 's compatriot Sesil Karatantcheva , ranked 185th in the world , 6-2 6-0 in the other semifinal on Saturday . | NEW : Top two seeds Roddick and Verdasco reach final of SAP Open in San Jose . World No. 2 Djokovic suffers shock defeat in semifinals of World Tennis Tournament . Serbian beaten by Russian sixth seed Mikhail Youzhny in Rotterdam . Youzhny , ranked 20th , will play world No. 8 Robin Soderling in Sunday 's final . | [[1523, 1532], [1535, 1687], [1688, 1765], [0, 15], [29, 99], [0, 15], [29, 99], [370, 377], [426, 502], [724, 740], [752, 805]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Europeans faced fresh winter misery Friday as plunging temperatures threw transport networks -- including the Channel Tunnel train service -- into chaos and dwindling cold weather resources raised concerns in a snow-blanketed Britain and other countries . Eurostar , which operates trains between Britain and France , announced it was canceling up to 50 percent of services Friday as bad weather caused a repeat of problems that led to major disruptions and long lines of frustrated and angry travelers last month . With satellite images showing the UK covered in snow from top to toe -- a rare modern event in a country that has experienced two decades of relatively mild winters -- authorities lacking snow plows and salt supplies were struggling to clear roads . Britain 's weather forecasting Met Office is warning of continued icy conditions , drifting snow , severe frosts and dangerous wind chill factors across the country over the coming weekend , blaming the recent cold snap on freezing northerly blasts from the Arctic . It said icy conditions were expected to continue for the next two weeks . Forecasters were warning of similar conditions in France , Germany , Switzerland , Poland , the Czech Republic and parts of Italy in the days ahead . As temperatures plummeted to 30-year-lows of -22.3 Celsius -LRB- -8.1 Fahrenheit -RRB- in some parts of the UK , gas suppliers were reassuring users that there was no immediate likelihood that interruptions to fuel imposed on some businesses could spread to households . The National Grid , which handles supplies of natural gas across Britain , reported that is was expecting to cope with all-time record demand levels Friday after similar peaks a day earlier that called on 454 million cubic meters of gas . Despite the high demand -- and technical problems affecting gas flow from Norway -- National Grid spokeswoman Stephanie van Rosse said there was no danger of an interruption to supply . `` We 've got plenty coming in , '' she told CNN . `` It 's just a matter of balancing it . '' One of the companies whose gas was switched off was British Sugar , based in Peterborough , 130 kilometers -LRB- 80 miles -RRB- north of London . A spokesman there told CNN they had simply switched to using oil until the gas comes back on . `` It does n't affect our production , so it 's just business as usual , '' said the spokesman , who asked not to be named . `` It 's a bit of a non-story , really . We just switch and it 's no big problem . '' Main airports , including Heathrow , Gatwick and Luton , were continuing to advise passengers to contact airlines before setting out as weather added to disruptions already caused by increased security in the wake of last month 's failed U.S. plane bombing . Cold weather , blamed for 22 deaths countrywide , also shut schools across Britain and led to warnings of hazardous roads as grit and salt supplies wore thin , prompting local authorities to impose rationing . Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said Britain 's only two suppliers of salt were operating at capacity as authorities ' standard emergency provisions for six days of snowy weather ran dry . `` The two salt producers are working flat-out , 24 hours-a-day , and we have ordered more salt supplies from abroad , '' he told the BBC . `` But ... we will face some difficult decisions about where we are going to prioritize gritting of roads in this exceptionally severe and prolonged cold weather . '' CNN 's Melissa Gray and Barry Neild contributed to this story . | Eurostar cancels Channel Tunnel train services due to freezing temperatures . Temperatures plummet to 30-year lows in some parts of the UK . Fuel supplies say no interruptions to gas supplies imminent despite record demand . | [[36, 174], [292, 300], [354, 416], [9, 32], [79, 109], [1296, 1403], [1406, 1507], [1887, 1988]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In 1909 , Alice Ramsey blazed a path across America 's landscape and society . Millions of women have followed in her tracks , few more precisely than Emily Anderson exactly 100 years later . Anderson was the lead driver in a re-enactment last summer of Ramsey 's journey , when she became the first woman to drive an automobile from coast to coast . Both women drove a 1909 Maxwell DA from New York to San Francisco , California , but they traversed two very different Americas . `` It really was a tremendous effort by so many people to get us across the country , '' Anderson , an event planner from Seattle , Washington , said . `` It showed me the heart of America was open to us in a big way that I do n't think would normally be so open had we been in a modern-day vehicle . '' Antique car enthusiast Richard Anderson recruited his 34-year-old daughter to drive the 1909 Maxwell DA he and two friends built from parts they scavenged from around the globe , and hand-fabricated when necessary . `` It all came down to a lot of books and manuals and guessing and putting a puzzle back together again with no instructions , '' Emily Anderson said . They got the car built and running in time to launch the drive on June 9 at 1930 Broadway , the address where Ramsey 's journey began . Several of Ramsey 's descendants were on hand , including two who rode along for a few miles . Anderson 's Maxwell soon suffered the first of many breakdowns . `` That was a bit defeating , especially since it was our first day and we were pretty jazzed and motivated to get moving and get on the road , '' she said . Temporary repairs carried the car and crew about 1,800 miles to western Nebraska , where a master mechanic worked for more than five hours to fix the problem in a more permanent way . `` It was amazing to me that people would just stop their lives and do whatever they could to keep us moving , '' Anderson said . By Anderson 's side was Christie Catania , her close friend and co-pilot . Catania described the co-pilot 's job as `` navigation , waving , talking to people in the back seat ; I was also the blinker , the mirrors , comic relief ... '' Librarian-storyteller Sally Barnett rode in the back seat most of the way . `` I love old cars , and I had read about Alice Ramsey years ago . She 's one of my heroine-mentors , '' said Barnett , 67 , of Huntsville , Alabama . '' ... My part was to dress up as Alice and tell her story . '' The Maxwell 's fourth seat was reserved for sponsors , dignitaries and special guests along the way , Anderson said . When she was n't in the rear of the Maxwell , Barnett was riding in the back seat of other antique cars that fell into formation along the way , forming what enthusiast Leta Nichols of Orangevale , California , called `` a 3,000-mile parade . '' High-speed collisions with flying insects were a hallmark of the trip . `` You do n't realize how valuable a windshield is until you ride in a car without a windshield , Barnett quipped . `` We were really acting as human windshields and bug-catchers , '' Anderson recalled . `` A couple times a day we had a teeth-cleaning . '' But at least the 2009 group had well-mapped , paved roads to travel on , part of the reason they were able to cross the country in 30 days , half the time it took Ramsey , who followed the general path of what would become the Lincoln Highway . `` We traveled at a faster rate simply because we could , '' Anderson said . `` Alice only had 152 miles of paved roadway in 1909 , and those roads were primarily within the cities . ... Otherwise it was all wagon trails , and that 's some difficult terrain to cross . '' The social terrain was equally difficult . Ramsey `` fit a category of woman in the early-20th century , late-19th century who was interested in quietly demonstrating that women were as capable as men in many of the things that had been considered manly pursuits , '' said Drake Hokanson , author of the book `` Lincoln Highway : Main Street Across America . '' The first cross-country drive by a man , Horatio Nelson Jackson , had been accomplished just six years before Ramsey set out . `` I can only imagine that the world said , ` Here 's a woman with some gall . She can do this ; why ca n't other women ? ' '' Hokanson said . `` And , of course , a lot of women did hit the road . '' Ramsey overcame sexism , but she did n't have to contend with huge tractor-trailers passing at 70 mph , kicking up debris and creating a gale-force draft around the open car . `` I learned to turn my head when trucks go by so the sand would n't hit you too hard , '' Barnett recalled . Anderson 's Maxwell drove the final thousand miles with no first gear , which made crossing mountain ranges challenging . `` Hopefully you have a long downhill before the uphill so you can kind of take a big run at it , '' she said . `` And that 's what we would do , just kind of gun it and try to go as fast as we could up the hill . '' The expedition 's triumphal moment was the crossing of the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco -- something Ramsey could n't have done in 1909 because the bridge would n't be built for another 28 years . `` The toll booth operator came out with her iPhone to take our picture , '' Barnett said . The entire journey was filmed by Emily Anderson 's brother Bengt Anderson , a professional filmmaker in New York . A documentary is slated for release in 2010 . The tour ended with champagne at a picturesque park . `` I would just encourage everyone to slow down and take some of the back roads and enjoy the Lincoln Highway and all these different highways I did n't know existed until I was fortunate enough to be a part of this drive , '' Catania said . `` Embrace the pace . Half of the fun is the journey . '' | Emily Anderson recreates Alice Ramsey 's 1909 coast-to-coast auto odyssey . Both women made the journey from NYC to San Francisco in a 1909 Maxwell DA . Passing trucks kicked up debris and wind around the open car during 30-day trip . Anderson 's Maxwell suffered many breakdowns and lots of people helped along the way . | [[370, 435], [804, 926], [3253, 3299], [4368, 4374], [4397, 4400], [4472, 4489], [4472, 4479], [4494, 4543], [1403, 1467]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I was in the building at Fort Hood , Texas , in June where 43 people were shot this week . I was sent to Fort Hood along with CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr and videographer Phil Littleton . During our visit , we were in and out of several buildings . One of them is now a crime scene , a killing ground in the heart of one of America 's largest military installations . Col. Ben Danner was our public affairs escort . When I called him Thursday , Danner told me the shooting happened at the Soldier Readiness Center that we had visited during our trip . The purpose of our visit was to learn how Fort Hood was helping soldiers cope with stress and mental health problems . It was a high priority for the commanders there . I grabbed the tape and disks with the video from our trip and cued up the video of the center . It was just as I remembered -- a low , brick building . There was one main entrance . A sergeant/nurse was directing traffic as people constantly moved in and out . Once inside , the space was about the size of a basketball court . And there were lines , lines of soldiers everywhere . The lines to our right were about half a dozen soldiers deep . Those folks were standing . To the left , about 60 or so soldiers were waiting in another line . They got to sit in metal folding chairs . But as the line moved , they moved from chair to chair . I do n't think any of them got to sit in the same chair more than 30 seconds . The place looked like the Department of Motor Vehicles at lunchtime on the last Friday of the month . Only everybody was in Army camouflage fatigues . Beyond those lines were cubicles , each one with a least one line leading into it . All these soldiers were getting paperwork stamped or signed . Or they were undergoing routine medical examinations . One area was just for vaccinations . Everyone got poked with a needle at least once . Everything was done out in the open , with only cubicle walls to keep soldiers in one line from seeing what soldiers in the other line were going through . I was able to wander around and watch , while Barbara talked to the top officers and Phil took video of all the goings on . I remember the only place where someone could get privacy was way in the back , a few small offices with walls and a door that could be closed . I was told that 's where soldiers would be taken if a routine mental health exam indicated a more thorough one might be needed . What I do n't remember was a back door . There may have been one . I probably missed it . But the only door I remember is the one where the sergeant/nurse was directing traffic . And I 've been thinking about her as the details of the shootings emerged . The sergeant/nurse was a no-nonsense woman . She 'd greet everyone just as they walked in -LRB- first making sure they removed their hats -RRB- . If they had the right paperwork , she sent them to the first of what would be many lines . If they did n't have the right paperwork , she 'd turn them around and send them out to get it . And when the soldiers had gone through all the lines , there was to be no loitering by that door . She 'd send them on their way . I do n't remember her exact rank . But I know she was a nurse ; I asked her because she reminded me of my sister who is a nurse and also skilled at `` running the show . '' After we were done in June , I went to her and told her that while there were plenty of captains , majors and colonels around , I could tell this was her facility . I was grateful she let us take pictures inside there that day . She gave me a quick smile and went right back to work . As I write this , I worry about that sergeant/nurse . Since I do n't remember her name , I may never know if she was there when the horror erupted . If she was working , I 'm sure she would have stopped the gunman , asking him why he was there . If he was holding two guns , he may not have been able to remove his cap . She may not have had enough time to say something . I hope she did not become his first victim . Maybe she 's safe and sound , at home with her loved ones . But 43 others are not safe and sound . And all over the country , people with friends and family Army are worried about their loved ones . Was he or she in that building , stuck in line when the shooting began ? | CNN 's Larry Shaughnessy had assignment at Fort Hood in June . Visit focused on efforts to help soldiers cope with stress , mental health problems . Shaughnessy likens the Soldier Readiness Center to a busy DMV . Watch a CNN investigation on the shootings at Saturday 8 p.m. ET on CNN TV . | [[595, 619], [624, 713], [1484, 1585]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A British court has granted Tiger Woods an injunction prohibiting the publication of pictures of him taken or obtained in certain circumstances . The order prevents CNN saying what those circumstances are . The High Court in London issued the injunction Thursday afternoon , said the Schillings law firm , which is representing Woods . `` For the avoidance of doubt , this order is not to be taken as an admission that any such photographs exist , '' Schillings said in a letter sent to legal departments of British publications . `` Our client is not aware of any images and in any event he would not have consented to any such photographs being taken , nor would he have consented to the dissemination or exploitation of the same . '' The court document says anyone who violates the order may be held in contempt of court and may be fined , imprisoned or have assets seized . The 33-year-old golfer , who tops the sport 's world rankings , has been mired in controversy since he crashed his car outside his Florida mansion last month . The crash prompted authorities to cite him for careless driving and fine him $ 164 . Woods was not required to talk to police about the wreck and declined to speak with investigators on several occasions . In the week after the crash , Woods apologized for `` transgressions '' that let his family down . On the same day , gossip magazine US Weekly published a report alleging that Woods had an affair with a 24-year-old cocktail waitress named Jaimee Grubbs . `` I have let my family down , and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart . I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves , '' he said in a December 3 statement on his official Web site . US Weekly 's report followed a National Enquirer article before the crash that the athlete was having an affair with a New York nightclub hostess -- an assertion the hostess vigorously denied , according to The New York Post . | UK court prohibits publication of photos of Tiger Woods taken in certain circumstances . Tiger Woods ' petition does not acknowledge such photos exist . Golfer in spotlight after car crash , allegations of affairs . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 136], [9, 32], [146, 181], [404, 481]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An American missionary family living in Haiti has been providing virtually nonstop reports about the devastation from Tuesday 's earthquake and tracking down information on others serving there . `` There is no way to even begin to share the things we 've heard and seen since 5 p.m. yesterday , '' Tara Livesay wrote on the family 's blog Wednesday morning . `` To do so would take hours that we do n't have to give right now . Some of them feel wrong to tell . Like only God should know these personal horrible tragedies . '' Tara and Troy Livesay are country directors for World Wide Village , a Minnesota-based charitable organization providing Christian education , health care , nutrition and micro-enterprise opportunities to children and families in Haiti . `` Sometimes life in Haiti leaves you wondering ` Where are you God ? ' and other times we witness miracles with our own eyes , '' they write in their blog profile . Besides Troy and Tara , the household in Port-au-Prince is made up of daughter Paige , 15 , and `` the crew '' : Isaac , 8 , Hope , 7 , Noah , 5 , Phoebe Joy , 3 , Lydia Beth , 2 , Annie , also 2 , and Peanut the dog . Some of the children are adopted . Daughter Britt , 19 , lives in Texas with her husband , Chris . In addition , there 's Jeronne , the children 's nanny . -LRB- `` She is the MVP around here . We love her and think of her as family , '' the blog says . -RRB- . Finally , there 's Tipap , Troy 's assistant , security chief and all-around handyman , who lives at the World Wide Village Guest House . The Livesays see themselves and their efforts as `` a work in progress -- trying to make the love of Jesus known while learning to know Him better ourselves . '' That work since Tuesday evening has been consumed by gathering and reporting information about the quake and accounting for missing missionaries and other people . Troy Livesay 's reports came in the form of tweets that alternated between raw descriptions and expressions of hope : . '' ... covered in dust and debris ... we saw a few bodies that had been pulled out of the rubble laying dead in the sidewalk ... many others injured '' `` Church groups are singing throughout the city all through the night in prayer . It is a beautiful sound in the middle of a horrible tragedy . '' `` The worst damage is in Carrfour -LRB- South of Port , near the Palace -RRB- we are hearing that many two and three story buildings did not make it . '' `` Tipap made it home from Carrefour - saw many dead bodies and injured along the way - said most buildings w/more than one story are down . '' `` The Haitian people are out praying together -- aftershock happening right now . '' Share your images and accounts . On the blog , Tara Livesay 's writing is both pained and eloquent : . `` The few things we can confirm -- yes the four story Caribbean Market building is completely demolished , '' she posted . `` Yes it was open . Yes the National Palace collapsed . Yes Gov ' t buildings nearby the Palace collapsed . Yes St Josephs Boys home is completely collapsed . Yes countless countless - countless other houses , churches , hospitals , schools , and businesses have collapsed . There are buildings that suffered almost no damage . Right next door will be a pile of rubble . `` Thousands of people are currently trapped . To guess at a number would be like guessing at raindrops in the ocean . Precious lives hang in the balance . When pulled from the rubble there is no place to take them for care Haiti has an almost non existent medical care system for her people . `` I can not imagine what the next few weeks and months will be like . I am afraid for everyone . Never in my life have I seen people stronger than Haitian people . But I am afraid for them . For us . `` When the quake hit it took many seconds to even process what was happening . The house was rocking back and forth in a way that I can not even begin to describe . It felt fake . It felt like a movie . Things were crashing all over the house . It felt like the world was ending . I do not know why my house stands and my children all lie sleeping in their beds right now . It defies logic and my babies were spared while thousands of others were not . `` There are friends and co-workers that are missing . People whom no-one can account for . People we work with and love . There are more than I can name , but in particular we wait on one single friend who lived near the Hotel Montana -- which has reportedly collapsed . '' She concludes the post with an appeal : . `` The horror has only just begun and I beg you to get on your knees -- I truly mean ON YOUR KNEES and pray for the people of this country . The news might forget in a few days - but people will still be trapped alive and suffering . Pray . Pray . Pray . After that - PLEASE PRAY . '' | Wife blogs , husband tweets after earthquake strikes . Troy , Tara Livesay are missionary couple with houseful of children . Troy issues tweets from streets of Port-au-Prince . Tara addresses emotions of disaster , pleads for prayers . | [[1896, 1946], [1896, 1946], [2734, 2745], [2748, 2799], [4524, 4561], [4604, 4634]] |
Vancouver , British Columbia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The headline on the front page of The Province newspaper says it all Monday : `` Lost Weekend . '' For Canadians , who came into the Winter Olympics full of pride , the weekend was one that they want to forget but can not . The biggest loss came Sunday evening when Canada 's hockey team , full of NHL all-stars , lost to the United States , a team known for its youth and Olympics inexperience . `` O No Canada , '' read the headline in The Vancouver Sun . On the sports page , the newspaper said , `` Woe Canada , U.S. sticks stake in our hearts . '' The streets of Vancouver , a frenzy of activity on Friday and Saturday night , were far less crowded after the game ended about 7 p.m. local time Sunday . Where many sidewalks were so crowded the previous two days that pedestrians were forced to walk in the road , tying up traffic in the downtown core , cars traveled easily Sunday . It was a stark contrast to the prior Sunday , when fans spontaneously sang `` O Canada '' late into the night when many of them knew they had to work the next day and should be at home . `` Last week , you could really feel it on the streets , '' said Steve Milton , a writer for the Hamilton Spectator and the author of 15 books on winter sports . `` There was a real testosterone level in the air , and -LSB- Sunday -RSB- night , it was toxic . '' After the game , one Canadian hockey player downplayed the pressure his team might feel . `` You 're not trying to take 30 million people and put them on your shoulders , '' Corey Perry told the Montreal Gazette . Still , most observers feel that if Canada does n't medal in men 's hockey , its national winter sport , the Olympics will be a disaster . The country has mixed emotions after the loss to the U.S. , Milton said . In one sense , it does n't look like men 's hockey team will be the cavalry riding in over the hill at the last minute to save the Olympics . But this was a preliminary round loss , and people have some hope this team can right itself in the next round . They sense -- and demand -- a big change to the lineup . Milton 's e-mail inbox is filling at a much higher rate than normal , he said . It 's all about the hockey team , and everyone is playing coach . Most say it 's time to change goalies , taking out veteran Martin Brodeur and putting in Roberto Luongo for Tuesday 's play-in game against Germany . `` It blunts our unhappiness when we have someone to blame , '' Milton said . `` It almost makes us feel better to blame it on Brodeur . '' The somber mood was made worse by the news that the 55-year-old mother of Canada 's top figure skater , Joannie Rochette , died in Vancouver just a few days before she was her to see her daughter compete . Rochette is still scheduled to take part in Tuesday 's short program . Although much of Canada will be watching the hockey game against Germany , viewers will also tune in to see how Rochette does . Visiting the Games ? Send in an iReport . Part of the country 's embarrassment is over the Own the Podium program that Canadian officials trumpeted before the Games . The government poured $ 117 million into it in the past five years . Officials predicted huge success for the host nation , including topping the medal count . But with one week left in the Olympics , the United States has a leading 24 medals , but Canada has only nine . Writers are starting to call it Blown the Podium or Flown the Podium . `` I think we 'd be living in a fool 's paradise to say we could catch the Americans and win , '' Chris Rudge , CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee , said Monday morning . `` We 're not throwing in the towel . You never do that in a fight . '' Canadian officials say not to worry , things are going to improve . `` It was the ` U.S. Week ' last week . This week will be ours , '' said Michael Chambers , president of the Canadian Olympic Committee . | Newspaper : `` O No Canada '' after loss hockey loss to U.S. Olympic official : `` Fool 's paradise '' to think Canada can catch U.S. now . Many Canada fans call for replacement of veteran goalie Martin Brodeur . | [[314, 335], [362, 387], [506, 524], [527, 545], [549, 597], [3487, 3568]] |
Mexico City , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The reputed leader of the Zetas drug cartel in the Mexican state of Veracruz was killed in a gunbattle with federal authorities , the Mexican attorney general 's office has said . Braulio Arellano Dominguez , also known as `` El Gonzo , '' `` Zeta 20 '' or `` El Verdugo , '' was mortally wounded when federal police and sailors went to search a house in the city of Soledad de Doblado , the attorney general said in a release Tuesday . Arellano Dominguez opened fire with a .38 - caliber revolver and was wounded in the firefight , officials said . He died while being transported to a hospital . Three other suspects were arrested . Officials said they confiscated five cars , four motorcycles , a submachine gun , a hand grenade , four pistols , more than 150 rounds of ammunition , communication equipment , three bags containing unspecified powder and pills , 74,900 pesos -LRB- $ 5,655 -RRB- and $ 107 in U.S. currency . Veracruz is in southeastern Mexico on the Gulf of Mexico coast . Los Zetas , formed by former Mexican elite commando-type soldiers , consists mostly of ex-federal and local police . The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration considers the group among the most advanced and violent of Mexico 's drug cartels . Originally formed as the Gulf drug cartel 's enforcement wing , the Zetas increasingly have branched out on their own . More than 12,000 people have been killed since President Felipe Calderon declared war on the drug cartels after taking office in December 2006 . He has deployed thousands of military personnel and federal police in his battle against the drug traffickers . | Reputed leader of Los Zetas cartel in Mexico 's Veracruz state reportedly in gunbattle . Braulio Arellano Dominguez dies in firefight with authorities , attorney general says . Los Zetas considered one of Mexico 's most advanced and violent drug cartels . | [[0, 11], [14, 36], [108, 167], [0, 11], [14, 36], [108, 167], [168, 219], [1149, 1273]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- We had not been in Port-au-Prince in a month , not since those horrible days following the earthquake when the city looked like wreckage . The city seemed so upbeat when we arrived Saturday morning on one of the first flights in since commercial airlines resumed service . Musicians wearing Western Union T-shirts greeted us near the hanger that now passes as baggage claim . Next to our hotel , street vendors peddled souvenirs outside a tent city surrounding the presidential palace . But those optimistic signs were eclipsed Sunday night when a torrent of rain poured down on this wounded city where outdoor tent communities have sprouted up in every empty space . Then , just after 4:30 a.m. Monday , an aftershock of magnitude 4.75 shook and shook and finally gave a last forceful jerk before stopping . You could hear the wails on the street , the confused voices of people arguing over whether to stay outside or risk going back in . This one-two punch of natural forces reverberated through the most vulnerable communities . Full coverage of the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti . Ariana Manassero , 17 , raced into the main room of her home following the tremor . Her parents direct the Maison de Lumiere , but the girls ' home is unstable , so Ariana watches over the little ones at her house . They immediately started screaming . `` When is it going to end ? '' she asked before spending her day coddling some very traumatized children . Daphne , 4 , clung to Ariana , shaking , acting out , sobbing for no good reason . The big quake on January 12 had rattled a cinder block wall in her play yard , crushing her leg , which now has a cherry red cast . The aftershock left her completely undone . All day , staff members of Maison surveyed the damage to their community . A tent city they helped build across from their school had puddles of water sitting in the `` homes . '' Women ran up to the staff asking for food , new tarps and clean water for their children . The same scene unfolded in a nearby ravine whose inhabitants had attended a Sunday morning service at Maison . That day , women from the ravine had come escorting children who 'd been washed with soap and rain water . Singing and laughing had filled the air . By Monday , the heavy rain had soaked their tents where the `` roofs '' are made of scarves and sheets . The weather had become a great equalizer , reducing the people and the animals to the same conditions . In one alley , a father bundled a newborn with whatever he could find . In another , a dog cuddled her new puppies . Baby goats foraged for food in the garbage . Chicks picked at droppings . No one had eaten fresh food in a week , and the Maison staff brought baby formula and rice . People pushed aside the dogs , the goats and the chicks and neatly lined up . Sad stories floated around the crowd . A woman who had attended the services had died after the aftershock , her heart suddenly seizing . A missionary worried aloud about a newborn wrapped in plastic whose parents had no formula for the baby 's first five days . The situation only worsened early Tuesday . For the second time in as many days , an earthquake struck in the overnight hours . The magnitude 4.7 aftershock was centered about 20 miles west-southwest of Port-au-Prince . It hit at 1:26 a.m. Tuesday , the U.S. Geological Survey reported . A second smaller quake shook the area a few minutes later . No immediate reports of damage were made , but the aftershock sent frightened people once again out into the bug-filled night . When is this going to end ? It does n't seem like an answerable question . The rain swells the latrines and unearths the sewage . Aftershocks rattle nerves and rearrange piles of debris . People sleeping outside now feel threatened by the rains , but sleeping inside carries the threat of the seemingly never-ending aftershocks . In the food line , the crowd was so quiet for people who looked hungry and faced a long wait . Not much to say when a step forward is followed by a big leap back . | CNN 's Soledad O'Brien and her crew return to Port-au-Prince more than a month after quake . At first , they see signs of optimism among the people . A torrential rain and sharp aftershocks quickly squelch the new-found hope . Misery continues to stalk people who are weary of battling nature 's harsh realties . | [[533, 638], [2286, 2295], [2298, 2390]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The legendary New York restaurant Tavern on the Green will close its doors after serving a last supper and hosting a New Year 's party . The iconic spot on the western edge of Central Park will undergo major renovations under a new operator and may even retain its famous name , but to many patrons , this is indisputably the end of an era . Claudia Myers and Wayne Knowles , a semi-retired couple visiting from Norfolk , Virginia , were saddened by the news and decided to treat themselves to one last Tavern dinner . `` I came here years ago and had good memories , '' Knowles said . `` It 's the atmosphere and ambience '' Myers added . `` Everyone knows what Tavern on the Green is and where is it '' -- here , Myers paused -- `` except one cab driver . It 's just a neat place . It has history and it 's in the park . '' Ed Brown and his wife , Judy , also were in town for the holidays from Plantation , Florida , and were aware of the restaurant 's plans . `` It 's my first and last time at eating at Tavern on the Green , '' Brown said . `` At least I can now say I ate there . '' Rodney Shephard recently was making preparations for his last party , for 1,500 guests . It 's nothing the restaurant 's maitre d' for the past 23 years could n't handle , but he was n't looking forward to his last party on his last day of employment at the restaurant . `` I never thought this day would come '' said Shephard , 52 . `` Not like this . Not like the money-making machine that this place is . '' The restaurant served its first meal in 1936 , when Mayor Fiorello La Guardia presided over its opening as the city and the country were trying to dig out from the Great Depression . The restaurant almost died in 1974 when the operator shuttered the `` rustic little money-losing pub , '' as New York Times food writer Eric Asimov later described it . But Warner LeRoy immediately took over the Tavern 's lease and invested $ 10 million . He added two rooms to the existing four and installed scores of copper and brass chandeliers , Tiffany-style stained glass , bull 's - eye glass mirrors and ornate pastel-colored fixtures , and a 167-foot mural depicting Central Park . After its 1976 reopening , words like `` playful , '' `` dazzling '' and `` eclectic '' were used to describe the restaurant 's ambience and the menu . `` It was an over-the-top whimsical place , '' said longtime publicist Shelley Clark . Warner Leroy 's father , Mervyn LeRoy , was the producer of the `` Wizard of Oz , '' A black-and-white photograph hanging in the Tavern shows Warner as a child with Judy Garland on the set of the movie . Jennifer Oz LeRoy , in her recently published book `` Tavern on the Green 125 Recipes for Good Times , '' -- co-authored by her mother , Kay -- described the vision of the restaurant that her father wanted . `` When he walked into the courtyard of the run-down building , he imagined something wholly original and incredible : He would build a room in that space that would look like the inside of a wedding cake . '' she recalled . `` He was a brilliant showman and a brilliant restaurateur . He was bigger than life . '' said the Tavern 's chief operating officer , Michael Desiderio . `` He thought dining is like a great show , and when the curtain goes up everything must be perfect . '' Shephard , who started as a front desk manager , fondly recalled LeRoy and the sense of family that he brought to the establishment : `` It 's like a second home . I consider the employees like your brothers and sisters , and now it 's all going to be cut off . '' The restaurant became the destination for anniversaries , birthdays and family affairs , It served more than 500,000 people a year , an average of 1,400 dinners a night . Tourists eagerly descended upon the eatery for the crab cakes , wedge salad , salmon and parmesan-crusted chicken . Food critics were not so thrilled . Andrew Knowlton , restaurant editor for Bon Appetit magazine , said the restaurant has never been the greatest venue for foodies . `` When you 're serving 2,000 meals a deal , I do n't care if you 're -LSB- chef -RSB- Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Daniel Boulud , you just ca n't put out that much of a volume and have top quality food . '' The LeRoy family was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2009 after losing a bidding war for to another proprietor , Dean Poll , who also owns the Boathouse Restaurant in Central Park . Once the restaurant closes , its contents will be auctioned off by Guernsey 's auction house . As part of the 20-year license to operate the restaurant , Poll is expected to invest $ 25 million on renovations . While maintaining the Victorian historic features of the building , Poll 's plan is to incorporate green building technology as well as replacing the kitchen and electrical and plumbing systems . The renovations , which are expected to take four years , will be conducted in phases so the restaurant can remain open . Attorney Barry LePatner , who represents Poll , said the new revitalized restaurant will become a popular destination for tourists and New Yorkers alike . `` The new incarnation of Tavern on the Green will integrate modern respect with an iconic location and a sensibility that will warm to New Yorkers '' LePatner said . `` We want more New Yorkers as well as tourists . '' LePatner said that while the terms of the lease are still being negotiated with the city parks department and issues with labor unions are still unresolved , Poll 's vision is to create a new era . `` The game plan is to have one of the biggest creative moments in the history of the city , and bring Tavern on the Green back to its original , enhanced luster . '' One issue that is still left unresolved is the iconic name of the restaurant , which the current management estimates is valued at $ 19 million . The LeRoy family claims it trademarked the name in 1981 . U.S. District Court Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum is expected to make a ruling in January . In the meantime , LePatner said , the city has filed a trademark for `` Tavern in the Park '' but that Poll would like to retain the original name and that it should rest with the site . Warner LeRoy , who was fond of flamboyant bashes , probably would approve of the Tavern 's plan to say farewell on New Year 's Eve . Over the park , as fireworks light up the sky and as the last party-goers exit , they will gaze at the 750,000 tiny white light bulbs that envelop the restaurant and just hope the new owners remember to keep the lights on . | Legendary NYC restaurant Tavern on the Green to close its doors at end of year . Destination for 500,000 people a year for anniversary 's , birthdays , tourist visits . Warner LeRoy spent $ 10 million on chandeliers , stained glass , mirrors in 1970s . After bankruptcy , LeRoy family fighting with new lease-holders over Tavern name . | [[3605, 3691], [3694, 3735], [1885, 1897], [1944, 1967], [1968, 1970], [2012, 2178], [5721, 5797]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- He was talking about health care , but President Obama could have just as easily been summing up his entire first year when he made some blunt comments in a closed-door meeting with House Democrats last week . Democratic sources who were in the room say Obama , pressed by liberals angry about the reform package getting watered down , decided to quote Sen. Tom Harkin , D-Iowa , who said recently : `` What we 're building here is not a mansion , it 's a starter home . It 's a starter home , but it 's got a great foundation for expanding health care coverage to 31 million Americans . '' Obama 's point was that he believes the health bill -- if it can pass -LRB- and that 's in real doubt now -RRB- -- would be a dramatic step forward but is just the first draft . He hopes to come back later in his presidency to pass a second reform package that finishes the job . The same goes for other big Obama promises like energy reform to deal with climate change and financial regulatory reform to clean up Wall Street -- `` mansions '' that have not been built yet , even though a strong `` foundation '' has been put down to meet these promises in the future . But Republican Scott Brown 's stunning victory in Massachusetts on Tuesday suggests Obama may not even get the first draft of health care reform through Congress , because of a huge split in his own party : Angry liberals in the House are signaling they will not rush through what they consider to be the Senate 's weak version of reform before Brown gets seated in the Senate , while skittish conservative Democrats in the Senate , like Ben Nelson of Nebraska , may no longer be on board with any kind of reform , out of a fear of becoming the next Martha Coakley . The broader problem Obama has been facing , even before Massachusetts , is that securing a mere `` starter home '' on health care or any other major issue is a far cry from the sky-high expectations he set for his supporters one year ago , when they were shouting `` Yes We Can ! '' after a campaign in which he laid out plans for dramatic change . To be fair , the president warned in his inaugural address , one year ago Wednesday , that all of the nation 's problems would not be solved so quickly . `` They are serious , and they are many , '' he said then . `` They will not be met easily or in a short span of time . '' Nevertheless , most Americans skipped past that section of the speech , and focused instead on Obama 's promise to end the bitter partisan divide in Washington on the way to shaking up the system . That goodwill from the early days evaporated quickly , and the president 's approval ratings have dipped as disappointment has grown among the very independent voters who helped elect him in 2008 . That 's why he very deliberately tried to recalibrate expectations at a Washington church this Sunday as he delivered remarks celebrating the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. . `` There was a hope shared by many that life would be better from the moment that I swore that oath , '' Obama said . `` Of course , as we meet here today , one year later , we know the promise of that moment has not yet been fully fulfilled . Because of an era of greed and irresponsibility that sowed the seeds of its own demise , because of persistent economic troubles unaddressed through the generations , because of a banking crisis that brought the financial system to the brink of catastrophe , we are being tested -- in our own lives and as a nation -- as few have been tested before . '' Poll : 51 percent approve of Obama after first year . Channeling the outrage that fueled Brown 's upset victory in Massachusetts , House Republican Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia said the reason for the disconnect is that the president dropped the talk of unity too quickly and instead `` forged ahead with a narrow ideological agenda that has compromised his ability to create sustainable jobs and thereby fix our nation 's most pressing problems . '' In an op-ed on the new conservative Web site Daily Caller , Cantor charged his party has offered to work with the president but he has `` paid our proposals mere lip service when the cameras are on , only to rebuff our ideas in their entirety once the meeting ends . As a result , the history books may well look back on the beginning of the Obama presidency as the era of squandered opportunities . '' White House press secretary Robert Gibbs insists Republicans have not made serious overtures to meet the president halfway , perhaps hoping instead that Obama 's struggles will help the GOP in the November midterm elections . And Gibbs says the real reason for Obama 's problems stems from the fact that he made some tough decisions on unpopular -- but necessary -- government interventions to save the economy . `` Ensuring that the banks did n't collapse was not a popular decision , '' Gibbs said . `` The president strongly believes it was the right one . Ensuring that two domestic auto companies did n't go out of business -- not popular . Again , the president believed it was the right decision to make . '' Obama also frequently reminds the public that in addition to inheriting that financial crisis , he was also handed two unpopular wars , in Iraq and Afghanistan , and a continuing threat from al Qaeda , that have tested his mettle as commander in chief . All of that has weighed on Obama 's approval rating , especially the difficult decision to send more than 50,000 additional U.S. troops to escalate the war in Afghanistan . The terror incident on Christmas Day was a fresh reminder that national security is a wild card for any president . As each day in office passes , it will become harder and harder for Obama to continue pointing the finger of blame at former President George W. Bush for all of the `` inherited '' problems . And in a strange way , Tuesday 's election loss could help Obama refocus his agenda at the start of year two . A top Democratic strategist close to the White House said that it 's a lot better for the White House to take its lumps now and readjust priorities in the weeks ahead to avoid much larger losses in the midterm election -- rather than coasting along now and then getting hit with an awful surprise in November . But will Obama and his top aides dig in and refuse to move to the middle a bit ? Or will they acknowledge that Massachusetts is a wake-up call , as Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh and other moderate Democrats have suggested , and make some adjustments ? Then-President Clinton was briefly humiliated by the 1994 midterm election debacle caused in large part by his overreaching health care effort , but he quickly picked himself up off the canvas and started focusing on bite-sized initiatives that won Republican support and positioned him for an easy re-election victory in 1996 . Ron Pollack , head of the liberal health group Families USA , is pushing Obama to finish off health reform quickly before Democrats lose their 60-vote supermajority in the Senate . But Pollack also said he thinks on some of the other big issues after health reform , like climate change and Wall Street regulatory reform , `` they will have to get some Republican '' lawmakers on board , and the new political reality may force some compromise on both sides . But Pollack added that it 's `` way premature '' to suggest the Massachusetts race will bring a major shift to the political climate . He 's still confident that as the unemployment picture improves down the road , `` people will see the good in Obama 's policies '' on health and other matters , and his standing will improve . Of course , there 's also the possibility the public mood continues to sour on the economy and Obama 's other key initiatives like health care . Brown seemed to be warning in his victory speech Tuesday night that the anti-incumbent anger Obama rode into office could wind up blowing up in his face in November . `` What happened here in Massachusetts can happen all over America , '' Brown said to cheers . In fact , when Brown talked about scrapping the health reform effort and starting over because `` we can do better , '' the Republican crowd started a chant that had to send a tiny shiver down the spine of even the most confident White House staffer . `` Yes we can ! '' Brown 's supporters shouted . `` Yes we can ! '' | Obama stresses building foundation for future steps toward his agenda . Republican win in Massachusetts could create split among Democrats . Obama also faces gap between high hopes at his inauguration and reality now . One expert says it 's better for White House to take its lumps now , before midterm elections . | [[1101, 1190], [5982, 6292], [6068, 6105]] |
College Park , Maryland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In his hectic , noisy laboratory at the University of Maryland , Michael Pecht is wary when it comes to assessing whether Toyota 's suggested repair of sticky gas pedals will have any real impact . `` They are in a bit of a quandary , '' said Pecht , a professor at Maryland 's Clark School of Engineering . `` If they announce that electronics is a problem , they are probably going to be in a lot of trouble , because nobody 's going to drive the car . So at this stage , they do n't want to announce there is any electronic problem . '' But according to Pecht , who is an expert in failure analysis and has written a book on sudden acceleration in automobiles , complicated electronics -- not a mechanical issue with the gas pedal -- lie at the heart of Toyota 's problems . And three other independent safety analysts contacted by CNN also conclude that neither floor mats nor stuck gas pedals are an overwhelming issue . `` From what people have told me about their sudden acceleration incidents , most of them have have got nothing to do with the sticking pedal at all , '' said Antony Anderson , an electronics consultant in Newcastle-upon-Tyne , England . Anderson said electronic throttle controls , which largely have replaced mechanical accelerators , can malfunction in ways he compared to an occasionally disobedient child . `` We 've all had that type of experience , and I 'm afraid that is the sort of experience that can happen with any piece of electronics , with an electronic throttle , '' he said . And Sean Kane , who runs a company called Safety Research Strategies in Rehoboth , Massachusetts , said , `` Toyota 's explanations do not account for the share of unintended acceleration complaints that we have examined . '' Toyota officials dispute any assertion that the complicated array of electronics in its cars has an impact on the acceleration issues that have dominated headlines in the past weeks . `` After many years of exhaustive testing by us and by other organizations , we have found no evidence of an electronic problem in our electronic throttle control systems that could have led to unwanted acceleration , '' said John Hanson , Toyota 's spokesman on quality-control issues . But experts like Anderson say the tests conducted by Toyota are not adequate . `` Those tests do not reproduce what actually happens in everyday life , '' Anderson said . `` They are testing for certain conditions , for certain standards , but they test , for example , signals one at a time . They do n't do a whole lot of signals altogether . Whereas in a car , you 've got a great cacophony of electromagnetic interference going on all the time , and you really ca n't rely on testing of a single frequency at one time . '' As for the U.S. government 's testing of Toyota 's problems , the man in charge of the Center For Auto Safety , Clarence Ditlow , said that a 2007 test on a Lexus -- a Toyota brand -- by the National Highway Safety and Traffic Administration to find possible electronic interference was amateurish . `` They did n't do any real testing , '' he said . `` For all I know , they just took a garage door opener , pointed it at the engine compartment and snapped it , and that 's electronic interference to see whether or not anything happened . They closed the hood , and off they went . No problem . '' iReport : Prius owner stands by his car . Efforts to contact the NHTSA in snow-bound Washington were unsuccessful . But Toyota spokesman Hanson said , `` It 's very easy to look from outside and say , ` There is no problem with the pedal . ' But this is the problem and we are fixing it . '' Hanson said the company `` invited '' further testing and pointed out that NHTSA officials announced a `` fresh look '' into the whole area of electromagnetic testing , not simply limited to Toyota . | They say complicated electronics , not mechanical issue , are problem . Toyota officials say they 've found no evidence of electronic problems . Some say automaker 's tests are inadequate . | [[357, 400], [636, 776], [1976, 2014], [2048, 2143], [2265, 2339]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday will designate nine sites in three areas of the central Pacific as marine national monuments , White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Monday . The new designated areas make up the largest area of ocean set aside for marine conservation in the world . The new areas make up the largest area of ocean set aside for marine conservation in the world -- 195,280 square miles -- and , coupled with a 138,000-square mile designation in Hawaii two years go , mean that Bush will have protected more of the ocean than any other president . `` The president 's actions will prevent the destruction and extraction of natural resources from these beautiful and biologically diverse areas without conflicting with our military 's activities and freedom of navigation , which are vital to our national security , '' Perino said . `` And the public and future generations will benefit from the science and knowledge gained from these areas . '' Bush is using the 1906 Antiquities Act -- first used by President Theodore Roosevelt to set aside public lands such as the Grand Canyon as national monuments -- for the designation . Many of those lands later became national parks . Bill Chandler , vice president for government affairs for the non-profit Marine Conservation Biology Institute -LRB- MCBI -RRB- , said Bush is `` to be commended '' for his action . `` From a conservation history perspective , the message here is that Teddy Roosevelt laid the groundwork for our national park system when he withdrew a lot of public lands and called them national monuments , '' said Chandler . `` We see the president laying the foundation for a system of national marine preserves and parks , '' he said . `` We had lacked such a system for a long time . '' MCBI and the Environmental Defense Fund -LRB- EDF -RRB- partnered to identify eight of the nine sites the president will set aside on Tuesday . All but one of those eight remote areas already have Fish and Wildlife Service refuge areas at their cores . `` You have a core conservation mission already , '' Chandler said . `` This is just basically going to expand them . '' The MCBI/EDF-identified sites are Rose Atoll , Wake Island , Johnston Island , Palmyra Island , Kingman Reef , Baker Island , Howland Island and Jarvis Island . Rose Atoll , part of American Samoa , is the smallest atoll in the world , but more than 500 fish species swim in the waters around it , and it supports 97 percent of America Samoa 's seabird population . It is also the nesting ground for several threatened turtle species . The Pew Environmental Fund identified the ninth site -- the waters around the northern Marianas and the deepest ocean canyon in the world , the Mariana Trench , 11,033 meters -LRB- 36,201 feet -RRB- at its deepest . The new designations will expand protection to a 50 nautical mile area off the islands , where commercial fishing will be prohibited . Other uses of the area -- research or recreational fishing -- will be allowed but will require a permit . Bush has not gotten rave reviews for his conservation efforts on land -- according to the Audubon Society , he 's signed wilderness legislation covering a little more than 2 million acres , fewer than any other president except Richard Nixon . But Chandler said that Bush `` has really embraced ocean conservation as his own . '' `` Ocean protection ... is lagging 50 to 100 years behind land conservation , he said . `` This is precisely the kind of leadership that we need to get the message across that there are places in the ocean that are rich with diversity . '' `` Scientists already know this , '' he said . `` They have been calling for this for 10 or 15 years . '' The president can cut through the bureaucracy that makes protecting resources such a lengthy process , and the Antiquities Act is a strong tool for those efforts . With the Act , the president can make a designation by executive order , essentially `` writing the prescription for conservation '' for an area , Chandler said . | Bush designates 9 sites in 3 areas of central Pacific as marine national monuments . Sites include Wake , Johnston , Palmyra , Baker , Howland , Jarvis , Marianas Islands . Rose Atoll , Kingman Reef also designated ; New areas cover 195,280 square miles . New designations will expand protection to a 50 nautical mile area off the islands . | [[0, 15], [49, 152], [1886, 1945], [2176, 2336], [313, 431], [2828, 2898]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Saudi Prince and billionaire Al-Waleed bin Talal says he will build the world 's tallest building , planned to be over a kilometer -LRB- 3,281 feet -RRB- high . The tower will be built in the Saudi town of Jeddah and will be part of a larger project that will cost $ 26.7 billion , -LRB- 100 billion Saudi riyals -RRB- said the Prince 's firm , Kingdom Holding Company . The planned Kingdom City project will be taller than Burj Dubai tower which is the world 's tallest man-made structure . The project , entitled Kingdom City , will span 23 million square meters -LRB- 248 million square feet -RRB- and will include luxury homes , hotels and offices . The booming city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates has also joined the skyscraper race . While the ever-growing Burj Dubai is already the tallest man-made structure in the world , the Nakheel Tower is set to go even higher . Developers suggest the finished building will be at least 1 km tall . While in Europe , Paris is leading the skyscraper revolution -- plans for a 50-story building have been given the green light , which will make it the first skyscraper to be built in the city for 30 years . These buildings are part of a new generation of innovative , exciting skyscrapers set to appear all over the world over the next 10 years . View the future skyscrapers '' Some truly mind-blowing structures are being planned for the Middle East . Hot on its heels , the Burj Mubarak Al Kabir , proposed for the planned ` City of Silk ' in Kuwait , could also break the 1000-meter barrier . While they may be mere midgets compared to the mega structures of the Middle East , Russia Tower in Moscow and the Okhta Center Tower in St Petersburg promise to provide some stunning eye candy . Spiraling its way through the Chicago skyline , the Chicago Spire will have a striking corkscrew design , while a gleaming Freedom Tower is to be the highlight of the rebuilt World Trade Center . And proving the skyscraper renaissance is a global phenomenon there are stylish giants planned for Panama , Pakistan and South Korea . Anouk Lorie also contributed to this report . | A new generation of skyscrapers are being planned for cities around the world . Nakheel Tower and Kingdom City will reach over a kilometer in height . In Paris , a law limiting building height has been overturned to allow skyscrapers . In the U.S. the Chicago Spire and Freedom Tower have spectacular designs . | [[1243, 1334], [0, 6], [9, 183], [9, 32], [136, 196], [918, 987], [929, 987]] |
Tokyo , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Japanese government has ordered repairs to seats aboard planes operating in several countries after accusing the manufacturer of falsifying safety test results . Koito Industries Ltd. falsified fire - and shock-resistance test results in the design and manufacturing of its aircraft seats , the Japanese Transport Ministry said in a news release . The company also failed to obtain the necessary approval from transportation authorities for the material it used in the back of seats , near the food tray drop-down , the ministry said . The problem affects 150,000 seats . The ministry has ordered Koito to fix the seats and establish quality-control measures . The affected airlines operate in Japan , the United States , China and Singapore . The seats are mainly aboard Boeing and Airbus planes , The New York Times quoted Koito President Takashi Kakewaga as saying Monday in Tokyo . Several airlines , including Continental Airlines , Singapore Airlines and All Nippon Airways , have postponed introducing aircraft recently because of delays in getting seats from Koito , the newspaper said . Koito is Japan 's largest supplier of aircraft seats , manufacturing them for 32 carriers worldwide . Koito also manufactures and sells electrical equipment and is involved in housing construction . Toyota owns 20 percent of the shares of Koito Industries ' parent company . The aircraft seat problem follows troubles with Toyota automobiles that have tarnished the company 's image . On Tuesday , Toyota 's president apologized as he announced the global recall of more than 400,000 of the automaker 's 2010 hybrid models , including the popular Prius , for problems in their anti-lock braking systems . In addition , two problems involving gas pedals caused Toyota to recall 8.1 million vehicles worldwide since November . CNN 's Yoko Wakatsuki contributed to this report . | Airline seat manufacturer accused of false test results , use of unapproved materials . Problem affects 150,000 seats ; government has ordered seats be fixed . Koito Industries also ordered to establish quality-control measures . | [[80, 198], [199, 325], [0, 5], [8, 29], [33, 99], [573, 608], [609, 697], [609, 697]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Governors in three Eastern Seaboard states Friday called on National Guard troops to help evacuate people from flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida . Strong winds and rain from the powerful storm have left thousands without power . Ida lost momentum but not the ability to generate winds and rain as it made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast earlier this week , forecasters said . The National Weather Service had flood advisories in effect Friday for areas of coastal Pennsylvania , Delaware and New Jersey . At least 160 National Guard troops were deployed in sections of Virginia , Delaware and New Jersey to evacuate residents in high-water areas as well as provide cots , sandbags and potable water , according to the Pentagon 's National Guard Bureau . `` About 40 members of the Delaware National Guard have provided support to civilian emergency relief agencies in Kent and Sussex counties , '' the bureau said . The New Jersey National Guard sent 18 guardsmen with trucks to help with evacuations in the Cape May and Atlantic counties , where the governor Thursday declared a state of emergency due to flooding , Guard officials reported . Almost 100 guardsmen with high-water vehicles were helping firefighters in Portsmouth , Virginia . Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine declared a state of emergency , saying the remnants of Ida had combined with another storm to cause dangerous conditions in some areas . By early afternoon , at least 155,000 customers were without power in the state -- mostly in and around Norfolk , according to the Dominion Power Web site . `` With the National Weather Service indicating that eastern Virginia could experience flooding and storm surge comparable to the effects of a Category 1 hurricane , it 's critical that Virginians make the necessary preparations , '' Kaine said . `` While we will continue to monitor conditions , the commonwealth is preparing for a period of coastal flooding through at least Friday evening . '' | Strong winds and rain from the powerful storm have left thousands without power . Flood advisories were in effect Friday in Pennsylvania , Delaware and New Jersey . National Guard Bureau : At least 160 troops were deployed to assist in high-water areas . Dominion Power : By early afternoon , at least 155,000 in Virginia had no electricity . | [[130, 185], [186, 267], [294, 393], [1443, 1461], [1464, 1522], [415, 543], [544, 737], [1443, 1461], [1464, 1522], [1464, 1490], [1557, 1599]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Previously missing police records on the 1986 shooting death of the brother of Alabama professor Amy Bishop -- accused of gunning down her colleagues last week -- have been found , and investigators said Tuesday they back a state police report that deemed the shooting an accident . The Braintree , Massachusetts , police records show that police in 1986 believed they had probable cause to arrest Bishop on some charges in her brother 's death . However , no charges were filed in that case . Bishop is charged with capital murder and three counts of attempted murder in a Friday shooting at the University of Alabama in Huntsville , where she was a biology professor . She is eligible for the death penalty in Alabama . Authorities have said Bishop shot her brother , Seth , at the family 's Braintree home in December 1986 . A state police report on the 1986 incident was released to the news media over the weekend , but Braintree police said their records of the shooting were missing until Tuesday . Probable cause existed in 1986 for charges of assault with a dangerous weapon , carrying a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of ammunition , according to a statement issued Tuesday by the office of Norfolk County , Massachusetts , District Attorney William Keating . The statute of limitations has passed on those charges , as well as on a potential charge of `` wanton and reckless conduct , '' the lowest standard for manslaughter in Massachusetts , according to the statement . The recovered documents do n't contradict previously released information about the account of the siblings ' mother , who told police she witnessed the shooting and said it was accidental , according to the statement . The statement did not explain how the records came to be missing or when or how they were found . The December 6 , 1986 , shooting of Seth Bishop came under renewed scrutiny after Friday 's shooting at the University of Alabama in Huntsville . Authorities said Bishop , also known as Amy Bishop Anderson , was attending a faculty meeting in a university building when she shot six colleagues . She was arrested as she was leaving the building . On Saturday , Braintree Police Chief Paul Frazier told reporters that the department 's records pertaining to the 1986 shooting were missing . Braintree Mayor Joseph Sullivan announced Sunday a search for the documents had been started , which resulted in the find announced Tuesday . Describing the 1986 shooting on Saturday , Frazier said that Bishop had fled her home with a gun after she shot her brother and had unsuccessfully attempted to pull over a driver in a vehicle . The newly recovered documents do not refer to an incident involving a vehicle . Frazier also said that police spotted Bishop and arrested her nearby , but she eventually was released . `` I can not tell you what the thought process was behind our releasing her at the time , '' he said Saturday about the decades-old case . A 1987 state police report released over the weekend cited interviews between police and Bishop 's parents , in which her mother said the gun discharged accidentally . Braintree police told state police investigators that `` indications were that Amy Bishop had been attempting to manipulate the shotgun and had subsequently brought the gun downstairs in an attempt to gain assistance from her mother in disarming the weapon '' when it went off , shooting her brother in the chest . Read the report on the 1986 shooting . But Frazier said Saturday that Officer Ronald Solimini , who was involved in the case 23 years ago , said that Bishop had shot her brother during an argument . John Polio , who was Braintree police chief in 1986 , also said he recalled reports of an argument between the two . But neither the 1987 state police report nor the newly found documents detail a disagreement between the siblings . The state report references a disagreement between Bishop and her father , who was not home when the shooting occurred . In an uncovered December 6 , 1986 , record , then-police Lt. James Sullivan wrote that Bishop `` stated earlier there had been a family ` spat ' and she had gone to her room . -LRB- Unknown at this time how much earlier this family ` spat ' had been -RRB- . '' Police decided not to file charges , the December 6 , 1986 , report by Sullivan indicates , because `` with the current information it would appear to be an accidental shooting . '' | NEW : Massachusetts police department 's '86 records do n't dispute state report . Amy Bishop , accused of killing colleagues in Alabama Friday , shot brother in ' 86 , police say . Bishop was n't charged in 1986 shooting ; mother told police it was an accident . Bishop charged with killing three people , trying to kill three others on Friday . | [[231, 267], [302, 454], [1513, 1629], [0, 15], [56, 126], [98, 126], [130, 148], [741, 827], [763, 786], [796, 846], [3534, 3557], [3604, 3662], [476, 512], [1679, 1701], [3099, 3148], [513, 651]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The fashion world was Friday mourning the death of celebrated British designer Alexander McQueen as questions were raised over the future of his multi-million dollar luxury clothing brand . A day after McQueen was found dead in his London home , the 40-year-old 's flagship store in the city was closed , while flowers were laid in honor and a flag was flown at half mast over the shuttered doorway . A manager at the Alexander McQueen store in New York , where similar memorial scenes of flowers and candles were reported , said the shop would also be closed in light of the designer 's death . McQueen 's New York fans show support . Emerging from a modest background as the son of an east London taxi driver to become a household name , McQueen 's success has been hailed as a testament to his talent , but analysts say there are doubts his name will endure . Design brands have previously outlived their founders , with notable examples being the success of Frenchman Yves Saint Laurent 's empire despite his death in 2008 , and the survival of Gianni Versace 's label following his 1997 murder . Industry insiders say McQueen 's hands-on involvement in his business as the creative driving force behind the label 's bold and eccentric output will be difficult to sustain without the designer at the helm . Gucci Group , which acquired a 51 percent stake in the McQueen brand in 2001 , has yet to make a statement on the future of the label and its 11 stores worldwide which , according to the Financial Times , was not profitable until 2007 . The fashion house has not disclosed current figures for the brand which , the Times of London newspaper reported Gucci paid # 13.6 million -LRB- $ 21.2 million -RRB- for its stake in . Tim Gadoffre , CEO of luxury brand analyst Marival & Company , said McQueen 's death represented a `` disaster '' for the brand and said there would be substantial doubts over the label 's ability to survive its visionary founder 's death . Says Gadoffre , despite huge celebrity success , the McQueen brand had only just been consolidated as a going concern and the next decade would have been crucial in converting the designer 's name into a long-term franchise . `` It is too early to tell , but I 'm not convinced it is possible to project the business any further without him , '' he told CNN . Nevertheless , retailers were reporting a sharp rise in sales of McQueen items in the immediate wake of his death . A spokeswoman for the upscale Liberty of London department store told CNN it had seen a 14-fold increase in McQueen brand sales , with top sellers including his signature skull print scarf and main line collection . McQueen 's death reportedly occurred on the eve of the funeral of his mother , Joyce , with whom he was said to have a very close relationship . Tributes have poured in for McQueen , with many in the fashion and film industry hailing the `` enfant terrible '' for his diverse clothing creations and for dressing stars such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Nicole Kidman . `` His brilliant imagination knew no bounds as he conjured up collection after collection of extraordinary designs , '' said British Vogue Editor Alexandra Shulman , adding that his work `` influenced a whole generation of designers . '' `` His death is the hugest loss to anyone who knew him and for very many who did n't , '' she said in a statement on the magazine 's Web site . `` We are deeply shocked and saddened at the news of Alexander McQueen 's untimely death , '' said a statement on the London Fashion Week Web site . `` He was a unique talent and one of the world 's greatest designers . Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this sad time . '' Although McQueen was not showing a collection at the London Fashion Week , he was to unveil his ready-to-wear collection at the Paris fashion shows in March . His 2010 spring/summer collection featured alien-inspired makeup and prints , according to Vogue , and `` was lauded as his best by the fashion press . '' Dresses in that ready-to-wear line had exaggerated tiny waists and rounded hips , and models on the catwalk wore high club-like boots with them . Model Naomi Campbell said she was `` truly devastated '' by McQueen 's death . `` His talent had no boundaries and he was an inspiration to everyone who worked with him and knew him , '' she said in a statement released by her publicist . Designer Carolina Herrera called McQueen `` one of a - kind '' and said in a statement that he was `` one of the most talented designers of his generation . This is a big loss for the world . '' The designer was born as Lee Alexander McQueen in 1970 in London 's East End , the son of a taxi driver . He left school with few qualifications , but later studied fashion at London 's prestigious St. Martin 's College and worked on the famous Savile Row street of tailors at a company that made suits for Prince Charles . One anecdote that helped cement his bad-boy image claimed that he had once embroidered a suit for the Prince of Wales with a profanity sewn into the lining . His clothing line was purchased in 1991 by stylist Isabella Blow , who became a close friend . She committed suicide in 2007 , five years after his label was brought into the Gucci Group . | NEW : Fate of McQueen 's fashion brand uncertain after designer 's death . McQueen , 40 , found dead at London home on Thursday . McQueen had reputation for controversy , earning him title `` enfant terrible '' | [[65, 145], [133, 225], [226, 279], [282, 338]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- NBC host Jay Leno is going back to late nights after a low-rated experiment in prime time , the network announced Sunday . Leno 's prime-time talk show , which debuted in September , `` did n't meet affiliates ' needs , '' said Jeff Gaspin , chairman of NBC Universal Television Entertainment . The program will go off the air February 12 , when the 2010 Winter Olympics begin . The network is now negotiating with Leno and its current late-night hosts , Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Fallon , to decide who ends up with which time slot , Gaspin said . O'Brien took over NBC 's flagship `` Tonight Show '' when Leno moved to the 10 p.m. slot in September . Fallon took over O'Brien 's former show , `` Late Night . '' Gaspin said the plan now is for Leno to host a new , half-hour show at 11:35 p.m. ET , followed by `` Tonight '' with O'Brien at 12:05 a.m. Fallon 's show would move to the 1 a.m. hour , he said . Do you think NBC did the right thing ? The goal is to keep all three hosts , but nothing was a done deal as of Sunday , he said . Reports of the shakeup first emerged last week . Leno dismissed them on his show on Thursday night , telling his audience , `` It 's always been my experience NBC only cancels you when you 're in first place . '' Leno 's move to prime time was a risk for NBC , because it put a talk show up against scripted prime-time shows and ran it five days a week . Network spokeswoman Rebecca Marks said last week that Leno performed `` exactly as we anticipated on the network . '' But for NBC 's affiliates , Leno 's low ratings were taking viewers -- and the resulting ad dollars -- away from their late local newscasts . `` The 11 o'clock news hours were bleeding ratings , '' said Stuart Levine , an analyst for the entertainment trade paper Variety . While NBC appeared to be fine with Leno 's numbers , the affiliates `` kind of revolted and said we have to have better ratings , '' Levine said . Michael Fiorile , the chairman of NBC 's affiliate board , called the decision announced Sunday `` a great move for the affiliates , the network and , most importantly , the viewers . '' `` We admire their willingness to innovate , and their willingness to change course when it did n't work for us , '' Fiorile said in a written statement . For NBC , which had promised to give Leno a full year in the 10 p.m. time slot , `` It 's certainly a little bit of egg on the face , '' Levine said . Mediaweek analyst Marc Berman called the network 's gamble on Leno `` the biggest fiasco in the history of television . '' `` What they did n't realize was that the people who watched Leno in late night were not necessarily the same people who watched in prime time , so there was no reason to believe that his audience would follow him to prime time , '' Berman said . Meanwhile , the O'Brien-helmed `` Tonight '' lost about half its audience `` and actually really hurt late night , which is a big profit center for NBC , '' Berman said . Moving `` Tonight '' -- which has held its current slot for decades -- back a half-hour is likely to hurt the show , and Berman predicted that NBC will be unable to keep all three hosts . `` My guess is down the road , they will give back Leno the ` Tonight Show , ' leave it on at 11:35 p.m. , and Conan will move to Fox , '' he said . `` But if I was either one of those gentlemen , I would be looking elsewhere right now . '' CNN 's Doug Hyde contributed to this report . | NEW : Mediaweek analyst predicts at least one among Leno , O'Brien and Fallon will leave . NEW : Leno to host half-hour show starting at 11:35 p.m. ET ; O'Brien moving to 12:05 a.m. Leno 's 10 p.m. show to go off the air next month when Winter Olympics start . TV host moved to 10 p.m. slot in September ; ratings have been low . | [[788, 840], [3255, 3273], [3278, 3303], [339, 382], [390, 422], [591, 626], [644, 694]] |
Istanbul , Turkey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The man who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981 was released from prison in Turkey Monday , Turkey 's Anadolu news agency reported . Mehmet Ali Agca , now 52 , severely wounded the pontiff in Rome 's St. Peter 's Square on May 13 , 1981 . John Paul spent six hours on an operating table and survived . Four days later he announced from his hospital bed he had forgiven the attempted assassin and urged the faithful to pray for Agca . The pope spent more than three weeks in Gemelli hospital recovering . Agca was arrested a few minutes after the attack , tried , and sentenced to 19 years in prison . He has never explained why he tried to kill the pope . There has long been suspicion that he was working for an eastern European Communist government angry at the Polish-born pope 's vocal anti-Communism . But on a 2002 visit to Bulgaria -- a focus of much speculation -- the pope said he did not believe the Balkan state was behind the attempt on his life . The pope visited Agca in prison on December 27 , 1983 , and reportedly forgave him in person . Agca was granted clemency by the president of Italy in 2000 , to John Paul 's `` satisfaction , '' according to the Vatican . He was then transferred to his native Turkey , where he was re-arrested for the murder of a Turkish journalist in 1979 . Agca killed Abdi Ipekci in 1979 , Anadolu said . Ipekci was editor-in-chief of the daily Milliyet . Agca was due to be taken to a military facility to assess his fitness for military service after his release . In 2006 , a military hospital ruled that he was not fit for the obligatory military service due to a severe anti-social personality disorder , but the Ministry of National Defense did not approve the exemption , the Turkish news agency said . | Mehmet Ali Agca severely wounded the pope in 1981 attack . Pope John Paul II reportedly forgave Acga during a 1983 prison visit . Agca was granted clemency by Italy , but jailed again for another killing . | [[165, 180], [192, 261], [334, 349], [381, 423], [992, 1045], [992, 1000], [1052, 1086], [1087, 1146], [1240, 1243], [1260, 1333]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In the central plaza , there was once an orgy of music , street dancing and revelry unmatched by any other nation in the Americas , Haitians say . But where there was joy now sits a vast settlement of people left without loved ones , without homes , without life 's belongings . Haitians have celebrated Carnival through dictatorships , military coups and bloodshed . Popular belief was that if a government failed to deliver on Carnival , Haiti 's equivalent of Mardi Gras , it was sure to fall , said Marie Laurence Lassegue , Haiti 's minister of culture and information . But this year , the three-day festival has been canceled , another indication of the enormity of the earthquake 's devastation . Musicians fell silent , seamstresses stopped sewing costumes and ghostly skeletons of unfinished floats lay scattered on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince . A month after the devastating January 12 earthquake , the Champs de Mars plaza is home to the capital 's displaced , where thousands of people have eked out a tiny space in which to survive . Full coverage of the earthquake 's aftermath . `` This is the first time Carnival is not happening , '' said Roberto Martino , lead singer of popular Kompa band T-Vice . `` I do n't even think about music anymore . '' Less than a week ahead of Carnival 's start on Sunday , revelry is replaced with mourning . The nation 's foremost concert producer , Charles Jubert , died . So did members of four bands who were practicing inside a studio that collapsed . Other musicians lost legs , arms and hands . They will not be able to play again . `` I do n't think we have time to think of Carnival , '' Lassegue said . `` Maybe when we are finished crying . '' Carnival 's three days of deliverance and celebration has tremendous importance in the lives of Haitians , Lassegue said . `` But this year ? I do n't even remember when it is . '' Instead , the displaced are planning days of prayer . `` We 're living in a city that 's like a cemetery , '' said Ronide Baduel , a nurse who lost her home and all her belongings in the quake . Her brother died and suddenly , she found herself far from her middle-class existence , relegated to a makeshift tent and burlap bags she uses for pillows at night . `` I had four good walls around me . Now I have four sheets , '' she said . She goes to work with a big , black faux-leather purse containing toothpaste , soap and a change of underwear . There , she can bathe properly . `` We do n't know how many days , how many months , how long we will be this way , '' she said . `` I am always stressed . It 's like living in a jungle . How can I dance at Carnival ? '' Baduel and her tent community neighbors said the money that would have been spent on Carnival ought to be used to build housing . Nearby , the 44 members of Relax Band , who normally would be revving up their street performances in the days before Carnival , worried about their next meal . They played the Sunday before the earthquake , marching through the streets , getting ready for the big performance . Now , everything was gone , - including all their instruments that were crushed when band coordinator Ernst Beauvais ' house collapsed . A small stage emblazoned with the red and white logo of Relax Band now harbors a massive water bladder tank dropped off by an aid group and a few mattresses for slumber under the stars . `` It is one of the greatest tragedies to befall our country , '' Beauvais said , pointing to the rubble of his house . He said it was the street band 's 30th anniversary ; the musicians were looking forward to showcasing their new song . Almost every band in Haiti debuts new pieces at Carnival . On the outskirts of town , the skeletons of three floats sit like ghosts , reminders of what might have come next week . One of the floats belongs to T-Vice . Bandmates Roberto Martino and Eddy Viau would have been practicing with the rest of the band for their Carnival performance - -- it 's an honor to win top prize . `` If you have a good showing at Carnival , you 're set for the rest of the year , '' Martino said . This year , the band had planned a soccer-themed show with a song called `` The End of the Match . '' Instead it recently released `` Nou Pap Lage '' -LRB- We Wo n't Give Up '' -RRB- , dedicated to the victims of the earthquake . iReport : Looking for loved ones in Haiti . Martino tried to sing a few verses . `` There are so many things going through my head , '' he said . Overcome by emotion , he had to compose himself and start again . `` People are saying Haiti is finished , but no , no , no , we will rise up , '' he sang softly . `` We will strive . We will rebuild Haiti . We will stand united . '' `` Do n't be discouraged . There will be light at the end of the tunnel . My Haitian people . I will not let go . '' Proceeds from downloads of the song are going to the nonprofit organizations Sow A Seed and MedShare . Music , Martino said , was so essential to Haitian life . But he did n't know when this rare silence would end ; when he would be able to write lyrics , put them to melody . `` We 're all so traumatized , '' he said . Carnival , he said , was Haiti 's musical showcase . `` We 've lost our biggest tradition . Carnival was part of us . '' | Less than week ahead of Haiti 's Carnival celebration , revelry replaced with mourning . Haitians have celebrated Carnival through dictatorships , military coups and bloodshed . `` I do n't even remember when it is , '' Haiti official says about upcoming three-day festival . | [[1312, 1365], [1368, 1403], [321, 409], [1892, 1927]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Maj. Gen. Robert Harding said Friday that , `` with deep regret , '' he has withdrawn his name from nomination to lead the Transportation Security Administration . `` This was a great honor , and I felt that I could bring some leadership , vision and intelligence expertise to that position , '' he said in a statement . `` Ultimately , my goal was to improve the security of our nation 's transportation systems . However , I feel that the distractions caused by my work as a defense contractor would not be good for this administration nor for the Department of Homeland Security . '' The TSA is part of the Department of Homeland Security . White House Spokesman Nicholas Shapiro noted that Harding has more than 35 years of military and intelligence experience , and added , `` The President is disappointed in this outcome but remains confident in the solid team of professionals at TSA . '' At a hearing on Wednesday , Harding acknowledged `` making mistakes '' when a company he formed overbilled the government in 2004 . At issue is a contract that Harding 's company , Harding Security Associates , signed with the Defense Department in early 2004 to provide 40 interrogators and debriefers rapidly in Iraq . Within four months of his firm starting work on the contract , Harding said , the government decided to end the contract . `` I then faced 40 individuals who were now without work , '' the nominee said , adding that some of them he had lured away from other jobs , including the CIA . Harding said he told his employees `` that I would take care of them , and that I would negotiate and work with the government to provide severance payments . '' The total severance payments came to about $ 800,000 , Harding said . `` When I went to claim it from the DIA -LSB- Defense Intelligence Agency -RSB- , '' government auditors `` recognized that I did not have a policy on that , that I had not negotiated with the government for severance , I had not provided the government my plan for severance ... and therefore it was not allowed , that $ 800,000 . '' Harding said that government auditors subsequently admitted `` there were mistakes on both sides . '' The White House said it was `` disappointed '' at Harding 's withdrawal . `` By nominating General Harding , the president tapped an individual with more than 35 years of military and intelligence experience who is dedicated to improving the security of our nation , '' Shapiro said . Sen. Susan Collins , R-Maine , said she felt misled by a White House explanation of the events . The White House compared $ 2.4 million in disputed charges that included the $ 800,000 in severance payments to the $ 53 million potential value of the contract , instead of the $ 6 million value of the work . `` Of the $ 6 million that HSA was paid , $ 2.4 million was -LSB- in -RSB- question . That 's a pretty high percentage . The White House , in talking to me about this issue , compared it to $ 53 million , but that 's not what was at stake here at all , and I thought the White House 's comparison was pretty misleading , '' Collins said . An independent investigation concluded that no fraud was involved . Ultimately , HSA reached a settlement with the government , with HSA paying back $ 1.8 million of the disputed $ 2.4 million . Harding said he learned from his mistake . He said the mistake caused him to add an accounting operation and otherwise professionalize the business , eventually increasing it in size from 60 people in 2004 to about 400 people when he sold the business last year . Following the hearing , Collins said that Harding `` adequately addressed my concerns regarding '' the contracts . `` Before making a final determination , however , I want to review additional information in order to ensure that all relevant data regarding the nominee have been thoroughly examined , '' she said . Harding was Obama 's second nominee to head the agency . Sen. James DeMint , R-South Carolina , put a hold on the first nominee , Erroll Southers , after Southers declined to say whether he supported unionization of screeners . Southers eventually withdrew his name from consideration after another controversy erupted involving a decades-old personnel matter . | Robert Harding removes himself from consideration to lead TSA . Harding admitted `` making mistakes '' in prior dealings as defense contractor . Harding was Obama 's second nominee to head the agency . | [[85, 182], [4125, 4227], [916, 941], [944, 986], [944, 951], [966, 1001], [3897, 3932]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The father 's first comment , when he heard I was in his city to talk about a book I 'd written about kids , mental health issues and medication , came loudly and fast : `` When my daughter was 10 , my ex-wife and a psychiatrist called to try to get my permission to put her on Prozac . I refused , '' he said proudly . `` I was n't going to let them drug my kid . '' We spent quite a few hours together . By nighttime , as he drove me back from the last event , his mood was altered , his tone notably more somber . It had been a day of impassioned testimonials from parents of children with mental health issues , and even from one teenager , who called in to a radio show to describe how taking medication for his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder had helped him `` level the playing field '' with other kids and made it possible for him to attend college . `` I do n't know if we did the right thing by her , '' the dad said at last , thinking of his daughter as he looked out at the dark road ahead . His daughter 's life had never really come together . She had dropped out of college ; her future was unclear . She presented a happy face to her dad , but deep down , he felt , the truth of her life was n't so sunny . `` I do n't know how to read her , '' he said . `` I really do n't know what to do . '' We all know what the prevailing opinion is these days on children 's mental health in America : Kids with nothing truly wrong with them are being over-diagnosed and overmedicated by doctors , parents and schools , who are colluding to make them better behaved , more high-performing and more tractable to our society 's unnaturally high demands . This opinion used to be mine . It was the basic line of my argument at the beginning of my research , when the only information-gathering I 'd done on the topic consisted of reading and compiling the already-recycled reporting of others . But soon , the facts got in the way . Surveys and statistics showed that the story of over-diagnosis and overmedication was wrong ; 5 percent of children in America take psychotropic medication , while 5 to 20 percent are estimated to have mental health issues . The vast majority of those in need of help never get any care at all . The facts are incontrovertible : Kids ' mental health issues are real , they 're serious , and they often cause profound suffering . And they 're not new . Listening to parents gave me a very concrete answer to the question so many skeptics ask as to where all the kids with `` issues '' were a generation ago . We existed , many of the parents of kids who now are getting diagnosed told me . And no one noticed that we were suffering . And , they said , they were n't going to let the same not-noticing , or the same labeling with words like `` lazy '' or `` stupid '' or `` bad , '' happen to their kids today . Interviews with about 100 parents and doctors showed that rather than rushing to pathologize and medicate their kids , parents did all they could to avoid `` labeling '' their children and put off using medication -- if they used it at all -- until they really were desperate . What these interviews showed above all is that for parents and children -LRB- and grown children -RRB- dealing with mental health issues , life is complicated , unsure and filled with unanswered questions that ca n't be addressed by gross generalizations about the `` medicated child '' in our time . It 's very hard to get at any of that complexity -- and humanity -- when we typically talk about children 's mental health in the media . Journalism generally does n't lend itself to complicated messages ; we need eye-grabbing headlines and strong voices spouting easy-to-summarize arguments , opinions which , in the strangely evolving media world of today , have come to have far greater currency than fact . In another city , a mother told me that she 'd never attended college . She would have liked to have gone , she said , but she earned almost all Cs in high school , and no one had ever presented it to her as a possibility . `` I do n't think I was dumb , '' she said , `` I just could n't keep my mind focused on my work . '' At 48 , she wondered , was it too late to find out if she had the inattentive kind of ADHD ? She 'd become a model after high school instead . She 'd married a lawyer ; she lived in the kind of community where former high achievers made a second career of micromanaging their children 's lives . She wanted to be an involved mother , too , but when she spoke at school meetings , the high-power moms made her feel invisible . `` They talk right over me , '' she said . `` It 's like I do n't exist . '' Her husband was out of work . After so many decades , her own lack of a college degree still burned as a cause of embarrassment , worry and resentment . How could her parents , she mused aloud , not have encouraged her to try to at least try to get into college ? It is very easy to look at a woman like this and say , who cares ? She turned out OK -- more than OK , after all . But her voice was full of pain as she talked about the feelings of inferiority that still haunted her . Had n't she had the right to at least try to live up to her potential ? She was committed to making sure that her daughter would have every possible option . Behind the black-and-white shouting matches that now dominate discussions of children 's mental health in our country , there are stories like these . They are n't necessarily headline-making . But they 're powerful , and true . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Judith Warner . | Judith Warner says common view is modern parents over-medicate kids for mental health . But her research showed that most parents avoid meds , are sensitive to kids ' suffering . Kids ' mental health issues not new ; now better diagnosed , so seem newly prevalent , she says . Warner : Real-life stories reflect parents ' struggling to do right by kids , not just `` normalize '' them . | [[2884, 3097]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Supreme Court granted a temporary stay of execution late Wednesday for a condemned Texas inmate who is requesting DNA testing of evidence in his case . The order was handed down less than an hour before Henry `` Hank '' Skinner , 47 , was scheduled to be executed by injection for the New Year 's Eve 1993 killings of his live-in girlfriend and her two sons . The Supreme Court granted the temporary stay while it considers whether to take up Skinner 's broader appeal . It was not immediately clear when the court might consider the case , but there was no indication a decision would be made before Thursday . Skinner 's attorneys maintain that DNA testing of the evidence could establish his innocence and determine the real killer . `` This action suggests that the court believes there are important issues that require closer examination , '' defense attorney Robert Owen said of the temporary stay . `` We remain hopeful that the court will agree to hear Mr. Skinner 's case and ultimately allow him the chance to prove his innocence through DNA testing . '' Skinner heard the news while he was eating what was to be his last meal , according to Michelle Lyons , a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice . He expressed relief and surprise , saying , `` I had made up my mind I was going to die '' and `` I feel like I really won today , '' according to Lyons . Skinner said he is `` eager to get the DNA testing so I can prove my innocence and get the hell out of here , '' according to Lyons . Texas Gov. Rick Perry has received more than 8,000 letters from Skinner 's advocates urging a stay , according to the Innocence Project and Change.org , whose members and supporters have sent the letters through their Web sites . State Sen. Rodney Ellis and state Rep. Elliott Naishtat were among those who have called for a reprieve . `` It has come to my attention that there are numerous problems with Mr. Skinner 's case that raise serious questions regarding the fairness of his trial and whether or not he is guilty , '' Ellis wrote in a letter to Perry on Tuesday . Word about the case has spread as far as France , where demonstrations were planned Wednesday at the U.S. Embassy in Paris by supporters of Skinner 's French wife , Sandrine Ageorges . Since Skinner 's conviction in 1995 , he `` has tirelessly pursued access to the untested physical evidence , '' according to court documents filed with the Supreme Court in February . That evidence includes vaginal swabs and fingernail clippings from Skinner 's then-girlfriend Twila Busby , hairs found in her hand and two knives found at the scene , along with a dish towel and a windbreaker jacket , according to the filing . Skinner has never denied being in the home when Busby and her sons -- Elwin Caler , 22 , and Randy Busby , 20 , -- were killed . However , he maintains he was incapacitated because of the `` extreme quantities of alcohol and codeine '' that he had consumed earlier that evening , according to the documents . Prosecutors maintain forensic evidence gathered at the scene and witness statements point to Skinner . A female friend of Skinner 's who lived four blocks away testified at Skinner 's trial that he walked to her trailer and told her that he may have kicked Twila Busby to death , although evidence did not show she had been kicked . The neighbor has since recanted parts of her testimony . Authorities followed a blood trail from the crime scene to the female friend 's trailer and found Skinner in the closet , authorities said . He was `` wearing heavily blood-stained jeans and socks and bearing a gash on the palm of his right hand , '' according to the Texas attorney general 's summary of the case . In addition , authorities said cuts on Skinner 's hand came from the knife used to stab the men . Skinner said he cut it on glass . Some DNA testing was done , which implicated Skinner , but not on the items he now wants tested . `` DNA testing showed that blood on the shirt Skinner was wearing at the time of his arrest was Twila 's blood , and blood on Skinner 's jeans was a mixture of blood from Elwin and Twila , '' authorities said . However , Owen wrote in the Supreme Court filing , `` the victims ' injuries show that whoever murdered them must have possessed considerable strength , balance and coordination . '' Twila Busby was strangled so forcefully that her larynx and the hyoid bone in her throat were broken . She then was struck with an axe or pick handle 14 times , hard enough to drive fragments of her `` unusually thick skull '' into her brain , the court documents said . `` While attacking Ms. Busby , the perpetrator had to contend with the presence of her 6-foot-6-inch , 225-pound son , Elwin Caler , who blood spatter analysis showed was in the immediate vicinity of his mother as she was being beaten , '' the court filing said . `` Somehow , the murderer was able to change weapons and stab Caler several times before he could fend off the attack or flee . '' Randy Busby was then stabbed to death in the bedroom the two brothers shared , the documents said . Evidence presented at trial suggested that Twila Busby 's uncle , Robert Donnell -- who is now dead -- could have been the killer . At a New Year 's Eve party she attended for a short time on the last night of her life , Donnell stalked her , making crude sexual remarks , according to trial testimony . A friend who drove her home from the party testified she was `` fidgety and worried '' and that Donnell was no longer at the party when he returned . `` The defense presented evidence that Donnell was a hot-tempered ex-con who had sexually molested a girl , grabbed a pregnant woman by the throat and kept a knife in his car , '' according to Owen 's letter to Perry . An expert testified at trial that Skinner would have been too intoxicated to commit the crimes , and a review of the evidence suggests that Skinner might have been even more intoxicated than initially thought , Owen writes . Media outlets in Texas have been supportive of a reprieve for Skinner . `` Before sending a man to die , we need to be absolutely sure of his guilt , '' the Houston Chronicle wrote in an editorial Friday . Skinner 's wife , Ageorges , told Radio France Internationale in a Tuesday interview that she began writing to Skinner in 1996 and they began visiting in 2000 . `` I 'm convinced of his innocence not because I love him and he 's my husband , I 'm convinced of his innocence ... -LSB- because -RSB- there is scientific forensic evidence to prove that he was not even in a state to stand up at the time of the crime let alone murder three people that he loved , '' Ageorges told CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' on Wednesday night after the stay had been granted . `` There is absolutely no motive . '' Ageorges also said she finds it `` mind-boggling that evidence preserved from the crime scene 15 years later -- including the murder weapon , a rape kit , nail clippings from one of the victims , a male jacket that does n't fit his size at all with sweat , hair , DNA -- to this day is not tested . '' Recently , questions have swirled in Texas regarding the 2004 execution of Cameron Todd Willingham for a fire that killed his three daughters . On March 19 , Perry issued a posthumous pardon to the family of Timothy Cole , who was serving a 25-year sentence for aggravated sexual assault when he died in prison from an asthma attack . After his death , DNA tests established his innocence , and another man confessed to the crime . CNN 's William Mears , Ashley Hayes and Emily Probst contributed to this report . | U.S. Supreme Court issues stay of execution for Henry `` Hank '' Skinner . Skinner , 47 , was to be executed by lethal injection Wednesday . He was convicted of murdering his girlfriend and her two sons in 1993 in Pampa , Texas . Skinner 's attorneys say DNA testing of the evidence could establish his innocence . | [[0, 16], [30, 129], [394, 504], [186, 195], [237, 244], [269, 393], [186, 195], [237, 244], [269, 393], [2790, 2870], [105, 129], [134, 185], [646, 770], [676, 738], [681, 708], [743, 770]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama will welcome Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for an official state visit Tuesday . The two leaders will discuss a range of global , regional and bilateral issues , the White House said . Those discussions are likely to center on Afghanistan , climate change and nuclear energy cooperation . Singh has been quoted as saying that a Taliban victory in Afghanistan would be disastrous for Central and South Asia . Singh 's visit will be the first state visit hosted by the administration , the highest honor extended to a foreign dignitary . It will be Singh 's second visit to Washington ; he has also met with former President George W. Bush . Grammy - and Oscar-award-winning singer and actress Jennifer Hudson will entertain the black-tie crowd , several sources involved in the planning outside the administration said . Hudson , raised in Chicago like first lady Michelle Obama , sang the National Anthem at the Democratic National Convention in August 2008 at the request of the Obama campaign , when Obama became the Democratic presidential nominee . Singh arrived Sunday for his five-day visit . On Monday , he attended a luncheon hosted by the U.S.-India Business Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce . He addressed the Council on Foreign Relations later in the day . Obama will receive the prime minister at the White House on Tuesday , and Singh and his wife will be the guests at an official state dinner Tuesday night . On Wednesday , Singh will meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates and will later attend a reception for the Indian community hosted by Indian Ambassador to the United States Meera Shankar . Singh will leave Washington Thursday morning and fly to Port of Spain , Trinidad , to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit . Singh , 77 , is a Cambridge - and Oxford-educated economist who was governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1982 to 1985 and the nation 's finance minister from 1991 to 1996 . A member of the Congress Party , he is serving a second five-year term as prime minister . He was sworn in as prime minister in May 2004 and again this past May . He and his wife of 51 years , Gursharan Kaur , have three daughters . | Visit by Indian PM Manmohan Singh is first state visit for Obama administration . Singh to visit White House on Tuesday , attend state dinner Tuesday night . Wednesday he 'll meet with secretaries of state and defense . | [[30, 133], [461, 534], [30, 133], [1329, 1396], [1399, 1484], [1485, 1497], [1500, 1590]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An increase in the number of suicides among military personnel can be traced , in part , to a `` stressed and tired force '' made vulnerable by multiple deployments , a military leader said Wednesday . Long troop deployments in Iraq , above , and Afghanistan have been cited in the rise in military suicides . `` We must find ways to relieve some of this stress , '' said Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli , vice chief of staff of the Army , in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee . `` I think it is the cumulative effect of deployments from 12 to 15 months , '' he said , adding that the longer deployments are scheduled to continue until June . He cited long deployments , lengthy separations from family and the perceived stigma associated with seeking help as factors contributing to the suicides . Adm. Patrick M. Walsh , vice chief of naval operations , said suicides are the third leading cause of death in the Navy . `` We must eliminate the perceived stigma , shame and dishonor of asking for help , '' he said . Gen. James F. Amos , assistant commandant of the Marine Corps , said his branch of the service has incorporated education and training about suicide prevention `` at all levels . '' He said four of 55 mental health professionals deployed in the U.S. Central Command were recently embedded with Marines . He expressed optimism that that tactic would pay off , but he said he had no data to support his expectation . And Gen. William M. Fraser , vice chief of staff of the Air Force , said his branch , too , was taking steps `` to ensure airmen are as mentally prepared for deployment and redeployment as they are physically and professionally . '' Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-South Carolina , said the efforts have not sufficed . He noted that last year , for the first time , the suicide rate among military personnel has exceeded that of the civilian population . `` What 's going on ? '' he asked rhetorically . The panel members made clear that , whatever is going on , it is complex . Chiarelli said the Army tallied 133 confirmed suicides last year and is still investigating another seven possible ones . At least 70 percent of the suicides had `` some kind of relationship problem , '' he said . Often , the situation was worsened by something else , such as a financial or legal problem , he said . And it was n't just the trauma of war that appears to heighten the risk . The suicides were about evenly divided among those who had returned from deployment , those who were still deployed -- some on a third or fourth tour -- and those who had never been deployed , Chiarelli said . All of the military leaders said they had too few mental health professionals in their ranks . But Walsh said professionals are not the only people who must be trained to intervene , noting that it is often the shipmate or the battle buddy who seeks assistance for someone in need . And Navy counselors are now asking family members for feedback that often proves more illuminating than what the sailors themselves are willing to impart , he said . `` If I survey the family , I 'm going to get a different set of answers . '' One reason some service personnel are reluctant to seek help from their chain of command is because they fear they will then be passed over for promotions , the panel members said . In some cases , they pay out of their own pockets to seek help privately , Rubenstein said . And others call civilian hotlines , one of which reported getting three calls per day this year from active-duty military personnel . Representatives of all of the branches of the military said they have seen recent increases in suicides . At the Pentagon , Defense Secretary William Gates said he believes the 15-month deployments `` were a real strain '' on many , but expressed optimism that beneficial changes are in the works . `` All the services are are addressing this problem , but the Army in particular , I think , is really going after it in a very aggressive way , '' he said . But some suicides appear to defy all prevention efforts . Maj. Gen. David A. Rubenstein , deputy surgeon general of the Army , cited the case of a 33-year-old soldier who was living at home with his wife and three children . He suffered a traumatic brain injury more than two years ago and had been giving weekly motivational speeches to other soldiers in a clinic . For the past two years , the soldier also had been seeing a psychiatrist . The most recent visit occurred last Friday . On Monday , he saw his primary care doctor and his nurse case manager , and also had a life-skills appointment . `` On Tuesday , he apparently committed suicide , '' Rubenstein said . `` This soldier was treated , compliant and supported in every way , and yet he 's dead today . '' The suicide underscores that suicide is `` a complex , very difficult problem that causes all of us to scratch our heads and wonder : how do we stop the next one ? '' Last year , at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point , two cadets and two members of the staff and faculty killed themselves , said Brig. Gen. Michael S. Linnington , commandant of the cadets . He cited stress from broken relationships and , in one case , a pre-existing mental health condition that academy officials had not known about at the time of admission . None of the four had been deployed to a combat zone . Linnington called the spate of self-directed violence at the school `` troubling and unacceptable '' and said preventive measures there had been beefed up in recent months . | Army Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli : `` We must find ways to relieve some of this stress '' Admiral says suicides are the third leading cause of death in the Navy . `` Perceived stigma ... and dishonor of asking for help '' is cited as part of problem . Also blamed : Long deployments and lengthy separations from family . | [[340, 391], [394, 425], [862, 883], [919, 983], [770, 830], [984, 1065], [232, 339], [706, 731]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A crowd plunders buildings crumbled by last week 's earthquake , hauling off water , food , candles and anything else recoverable . Suddenly , a pickup truck hauling a half dozen armed policemen squeals to a halt . The mob scatters as the police officers in military style camouflage fire shots in the air and apprehend a few stragglers , some with a kick or a punch . Such scenes occurred with increased frequency Monday in Port-au-Prince , the devastated Haitian capital , as frustrated survivors resorted to scrounging and looting due to a lack of relief aid . The rising tension raised questions about the ability of the Haitian National Police to maintain order and its tactics in doing so . While the United States is sending thousands of troops to assist in relief efforts , U.S. officials say the Haitian police are responsible for security on the streets , with backing from U.N. peacekeepers . `` The first line of law and order here is , number one , the Haitian police , number two , the U.N. forces , '' U.S. Ambassador Kenneth Merten said Monday . `` The U.S. forces are standing by to provide security as needed . '' That seems to be an overwhelming task for the Haitian National Police -LRB- HNP -RRB- , a force of about 9,000 that is the impoverished Caribbean nation 's lone security apparatus . Latest updates | Full coverage . National Police Chief Mario Andresol told CNN Monday that the department has been severely affected by the earthquake , with thousands of officers injured , killed or unaccounted for . The Port-au-Prince force of 4,000 has dropped to about 1,500 , he said . Complicating matters even further , roughly another 4,000 `` bad guys '' are on the run , Andresol added , after the 95-year-old , badly overcrowded National Penitentiary in the capital collapsed and the inmates escaped . `` Today , we have double work , '' Andresol said , adding that the police department is bring in troops from other parts of the country . `` There are not enough , so we are trying . '' Bill Clinton , the former U.S. president who is the U.N. special envoy to Haiti , said Sunday that 40 percent of the Haitian police force has reported for duty since the January 12 temblor . It was unclear how many other police officers died and how many were struggling with the overwhelming hardships from such widespread destruction . First formed in 1995 , the civilian police force took over security from a disbanded military known for loyalty to dictators instead of the state , noted Brian Concannon Jr. , director of the non-profit Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti . A lack of money and other resources over the years , along with continued instability including a 2004 coup , has left the police force under-funded , under-trained and full of former soldiers prone to operating outside the law , Concannon said . For example , he cited summary executions of suspected criminals as a problem since the 2004 coup , along with police involvement in gangs or other criminal activity . In addition , a dysfunctional judicial system undermines the ability of the police force to deal with chronic crime problems in Port-au-Prince and elsewhere , according to Concannon . High-resolution photos of damage | Google map . Progress has occurred in recent years , as the government simultaneously tried to remove `` bad apples '' from the police force while expanding the number of policemen on the streets , Concannon said . `` Although the HNP 's efforts resulted in significantly increased levels of physical security and policing effectiveness , in many cases the HNP could not prevent or respond to gang-related and other societal violence due to an insufficient number of officers and inadequate equipment or training , '' said a 2008 report on Haiti by Concannon 's group . Now the earthquake will set back the reform effort . `` There 's no doubt the Haitian national police took a significant blow in this disaster , '' U.S. Assistant Secretary of State P.J. Crowley said Monday . U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told CNN on Monday that he would ask for an additional 2,000 U.N. troops and 1,500 U.N. police officers to bolster the 3,000 U.N. police and soldiers currently deployed in Port-au-Prince -- among the 9,000 U.N. troops in Haiti . According to Ban , the additional forces would `` help humanitarian assistance be delivered in a safe way . '' Concannon said Haitians coping with the disaster will be patient as long as they see aid arriving . He worried that excessive concerns about security was slowing the aid . `` I am afraid you 're going to have an escalating spiral where people who were willing to be patient lose their patience due to supplies being withheld for security reasons , '' Concannon said . `` And then that impatience escalates and brings increased security , which further cuts the flow of supplies . '' CNN 's Anderson Cooper and Jason Carroll contributed to this report . | U.S. ambassador : Haitian police represents `` first line of law and order , '' then U.N. forces . `` U.S. forces are standing by to provide security as needed , '' ambassador adds . National police chief says thousands of officers injured , killed or missing . Police department is bring in troops from other parts of Haiti , police chief adds . | [[716, 760], [801, 922], [923, 965], [968, 974], [1081, 1147], [1084, 1099], [1116, 1147], [1366, 1520], [3899, 3967], [1879, 1895], [1898, 1984]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Anger boiled over on the streets of Haiti 's capital Tuesday -- not just from residents who have gone a week without food and water , but from the people who are supposed to be providing it . Relief workers say help is not reaching many of the 2 million residents in Port-au-Prince who need aid , because those who are supposed to be coordinating the efforts are inept . `` It 's terrible , '' said Eric Klein , head of disaster-relief agency CAN-DO . `` There 's got to be coordination . '' Medical aid is particularly needed , Klein and others said . `` There are medical supplies just sitting at the frigging airport , '' Klein said while sitting in the cab of a 1,200-gallon water truck near the heavily damaged presidential palace . Klein and two Haitian businessmen had just delivered free water to a nearby town . iReport : Search list of the missing and the found . It 's not just water and food that are not making it to residents . A 20-member French medical and rescue team that arrived Sunday in Port-au-Prince finally reached their aid site at Sylvio Cator Stadium two days later . `` We did not have trucks or gasoline to get here , '' Bruno Besson , a co-team leader , said Tuesday . Full coverage l Twitter updates . The group had been ready since last Wednesday , one day after the earthquake , but had to sit at the airport in France for two days because there was no plane available to take them , said a frustrated Oustalet Jean-Philippe , the other co-leader for Secouristes Sans Frontieres . He blamed the United Nations . Others say the United States , which is spearheading the relief effort , is at fault . High-resolution images of damage . The Geneva , Switzerland-based Doctors Without Borders complained this weekend that U.S. air traffic controllers in charge of the Aeroport International Toussaint Louverture were diverting aircraft carrying medical supplies and other humanitarian aid . U.S. military flights were getting top priority , the doctors group said . Alain Joyandet , the French minister in charge of humanitarian aid , said Monday that the U.S. military build-up was hindering relief efforts . Some media reported that Joyandet admitted becoming involved in a tussle in the airport 's control tower over the flight plan for a French evacuation mission . U.S. officials said they would start giving priority to humanitarian flights over military landings and takeoffs , reports said . About 200 flights a day are taking off and landing at the one-runway airport each day , said Army Major Gen. Daniel B. Allyn , deputy commander of the joint task force providing relief . With the seaport closed by earthquake damage , hundreds of tons of aid sit waiting at the airport , the only port of entry . U.S. military helicopters routinely load the cargo at a grassy landing zone between the runway and a crowded tarmac and airlift it to at least eight distribution points throughout the city . Some aid workers say a lack of trucks and fuel makes it difficult to transport the cargo on land . Security is also a concern . The military will open two other airports within the next two days , Allyn said Tuesday . One will be about 25 miles from Port-au-Prince , while the other will be in the adjacent Dominican Republic . The U.S. military has 2,000 troops on the ground and will increase that level to 10,000 in the next few weeks , the general said . The military has distributed 400,000 bottles of water and 300,000 meals since the earthquake , Allyn added . But many aid workers -- or those who would like to help -- find themselves increasingly frustrated . Gueldie Laraque and nine other South Florida nurses took vacation time to travel to Haiti to help and arrived Sunday . Two days later , they still could n't find where to go . Three of them had finally gotten a ride from a friend of a friend Tuesday while they looked for a place that needed their services . `` We just get ca n't around , '' said Laraque , an ICU registered nurse . `` We 're getting very frustrated . '' Her colleague , Luzus Nortelus , also voiced her exasperation . `` We 're trying to find out what to do , '' she said . `` What do they need ? '' At Sylvio Cator Stadium , where hundreds of displaced Haitian families have set up camp , a team of Israeli doctors has treated about 500 patients in the past three days . The French medical team 's arrival was particularly welcomed . `` This is a dream come true , '' said Alan Schneider , director of the B'Nai B'rith World Center in Jerusalem . `` It 's been a harrowing three days . '' The Israeli team consists of two doctors and seven nurses . They were joined by the five doctors , four paramedics , 11 rescuers and four dogs on the French team . | Twenty-member French team that arrived Sunday reaches aid site two days later . French group co-leader cites frustration over lack of plane to take them to Haiti . Doctors Without Borders complains of U.S. military flights getting top priority . Earthquake damage closes seaport ; hundreds of tons of aid sit at airport . | [[1015, 1026], [1032, 1064], [984, 1026], [1065, 1136], [3643, 3761], [3700, 3708], [3714, 3761], [1415, 1456], [1275, 1284], [1459, 1525], [4066, 4079], [4104, 4129], [1962, 2009], [595, 661], [1275, 1284], [1358, 1406], [2663, 2702], [2705, 2755]] |
LONDON , England -- Evander Holyfield has raised the prospect of a rematch of his infamous world heavyweight title fight with Mike Tyson despite both men being into their 40s . Holyfield -LRB- right -RRB- grimaces after being bitten by Tyson in their 1997 fight . Holyfield took Tyson 's crown in an epic bout in 1996 , but it was their second fight a year later that is remembered for all the wrong reasons with Tyson disqualified for biting a chunk out of his opponent 's ear . Holyfield , 45 , has revealed he is considering an offer from 41-year-old Tyson 's camp to meet in the ring for a third time . `` There has been some talk between us , '' Holyfield told The Guardian newspaper on Thursday . `` Mike had Jeff Fenech , who 's been training him , call me a few months ago . Jeff says Mike wants to fight me again - but he needs to know if I would agree to it . `` I said , ` It all depends on what they are going to give us - because I 'm gon na catch a lot of flak if I say I 'm fighting Mike Tyson again . I 've already said I do n't want to fight Mike no more ' . `` Jeff says , ` What if Mike gets in proper shape ? ' I told him that 's OK but I ca n't be part of it if Mike 's going to pull out . Jeff said , ` The main thing Mike wants to know is if you would be willing to fight him again ? ' I said , ` Yeah , if the price is right , I probably would ' . '' Both fighters have made largely unsuccessful attempts at comebacks in recent years with Holyfield continuing his pursuit of an unlikely fifth title against the advice of boxing experts . He is believed to have held on to a large portion of his career earnings , but , by contrast , Tyson has suffered well-publicized financial problems . E-mail to a friend . | Evander Holyfield says he has held talks over a rematch with Mike Tyson . Tyson was disqualified for biting off a chunk of Holyfield 's ear in 1997 bout . Holyfiield had taken world heavyweight title from Tyson in 1996 . | [[0, 6], [9, 136], [480, 489], [492, 494], [497, 567], [607, 645], [214, 263], [413, 479], [264, 317]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Increased fighting in Afghanistan has caused a drop in morale among U.S. soldiers while the reduction in combat in Iraq has bolstered morale , according to a new U.S. Army report released Friday . The report summarizes two surveys of U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan taken earlier this year . New statistics from the Army also show suicides are up in the entire service . Produced every two years by the Army 's Mental Health Advisory Team , this latest report comes just over a week after a U.S. soldier went on a shooting rampage at a U.S. Army base in Texas and possibly just days or weeks from an announcement from the Obama administration to send more troops to Afghanistan , where fighting has gotten more intense in recent months . Authorities have not determined a motive for the shooting . The suspect , Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan , was scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan but had told his family that he wanted to get out of the military . `` Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to face stress from multiple deployments into combat but report being more prepared for the stresses of deployments , '' Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker , the Army Surgeon General told reporters Friday . Not surprisingly , the report showed that soldiers with multiple deployments , three or four tours of duty to Iraq or Afghanistan , had much lower morale and more mental health problems than those soldiers who have one or two combat deployments . Increased time at home , however , resulted in improved morale among troops sent back to the field . The updated survey of soldiers in Afghanistan found post-traumatic stress syndrome and depression in soldiers at the same levels of the survey in 2007 , but still about double that of the 2005 survey results : 21.4 percent in 2009 , 23.4 percent for 2007 and 10.4 percent in 2005 , according to the report . In Iraq , where the survey has been done every year , lower numbers were attributed to the decrease in combat action there . The 2009 numbers showed 13.3 percent of soldiers suffering from mental health problems , compared to 18.8 percent in 2007 and 22 percent in 2006 . Army officials said that with the push of more than 20,000 additional troops into the Afghan theater of battle over the last few months , there have been fewer mental health professionals in the field to help . Army officials said the ration was about one mental health professional for every 1,120 soldiers . To combat the falling morale and lack of mental health professionals in the field , Army officials said the service needs to more than double the number of mental health providers and hopes to have at least 65 more of those providers in the field by December , making the ratio one for every 700 soldiers . The mental health assessment teams also conducted interviews with soldiers and found a drop in unit morale in Afghanistan to about half of what it was in 2007 and 2005 , when about 10 percent surveyed gave top ratings to unit morale . In 2009 , that number was 5.7 percent . The report also showed soldiers are seeing more difficulty at home with an increasing number reporting they are getting or considering getting divorced , according to the report . The overall report was based on almost 4,000 soldiers who filled out anonymous surveys in Iraq and Afghanistan between December 2008 and June 2009 . In Iraq , 2,400 soldiers were randomly selected and the results were studied by a mental health assessment team in the combat zone . About 1,500 troops in Afghanistan took the survey , Army officials said . The survey was different from previous years when all types of soldiers were surveyed together . The 2009 survey questioned combat troops and support troops separately , though Army officials said there were few differences in the results . On Friday , the Army also released its latest suicide statistics . They show an increase in the number over this time last year . The Army reported 133 suspected suicides as of October ; there were 115 as of October 2008 . Of the 133 , 90 have been confirmed , and 43 are pending confirmation , according to an Army press release . Last year the Army totaled 140 suicides in its ranks , the highest the service has recorded . `` Stigma continues to be one of the most difficult challenges we confront , '' said Brig. Gen. Colleen McGuire , the director of the Suicide Prevention Task Force for the Army . `` The more we educate our Army community about the need to get help , the need to get it early , and that a full recovery is often possible , the less stigma we 'll see . '' The Army has implemented a number of suicide prevention programs over the past year , including training , a suicide prevention task force and a day off official duties to focus on suicide prevention . | Report summarizes 2 surveys of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan taken this year . Results attributed to increased fighting in Afghanistan , less in Iraq . Army hopes to increase number of mental health providers in the field . | [[227, 301], [290, 327], [118, 170], [118, 149], [173, 208], [702, 713], [716, 773], [1878, 1885], [1932, 2002], [2544, 2718]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- CNN is monitoring tweets and other messages from people in Haiti and reports from those who said they have been in touch with friends and family . CNN has not been able to able to verify this material . What people on the ground in Haiti are saying on Twitter : . `` Felt that , loud and clear . We 're in Cap Haitien . House -LRB- really the whole world -RRB- shook for about 30 seconds '' -- From Twitter user firesideint -LRB- Luke Renner -RRB- at 5:20 p.m. ET . Watch Luke 's interview with a Haitian student after quake . `` this s *** is still shaking ! major earthquake in haiti ! '' -- From Twitter user fredodupouxat 5:20 p.m. ET . `` Just experienced a MAJOR earthquake here in Port au Prince - walls were falling down . - we are ALL fine - pray for those in the slums '' -- From Twitter user troylivesay in Port-au-Prince , Haiti at 5:24 p.m. ET . `` words on the streets part of Hotel Montana Fell , exagone is cracked . houses in canape vert fell down #haiti #eq '' -- From Twitter user fredodupoux in Haiti at 6:05 p.m. ET . See CNN 's Twitter list of feeds pertaining to quake . `` In touch again with my friend , a new aftershock just happen , lot of emotions ... #Haiti #HaitiQuake '' -- From Twitter user InternetHaiti in Port-au-Prince , Haiti at 6:15 p.m. ET . `` Phones and internet are mostly out - we do n't have either at home - radio says the Palace fell down and buildings fell down all along Delmas '' -- From Twitter user troylivesay in Port-au-Prince , Haiti , at 7:28 p.m. ET . `` I ca n't imagine the devastation this has caused to such an overly stressed city - I think it will be suffering for quite some time '' -- From Twitter user troylivesay in Port-au-Prince , Haiti , at 7:31 p.m. ET . iReport.com : Are you there ? Send photos , stories . `` If anyone in Haiti is reading this , please go out and help in the streets , it 's very ug ; y out there if you have n't seen it #haiti '' -- From Twitter user fredodupoux in Haiti at 8:04 p.m. ET . `` In our area mostly exterior walls fallen - people afraid to re-enter their homes ... '' -- From Twitter user troylivesay in Port-au-Prince , Haiti , at 8:20 p.m. ET . `` Tipap made it home from Carrefour - saw many dead bodies and injured along the way - said most buidings w/more than one story are down '' -- From Twitter user troylivesay in Port-au-Prince , Haiti , at 8:22 p.m. ET . `` I 'm hearing singing and praying from from the carrefour feuilles area . . My prayers go out to the folks there '' -- From Twitter user RAMhaiti in Haiti at 9:26 p.m. ET . `` just saw a picture of the palace . . it is destroyed '' -- From Twitter user RAMhaiti in Haiti at 10:05 p.m. ET . `` I 'm told things are n't good at -LSB- Hotel -RSB- Montana . . an 8 story building behind me is rubble '' -- From Twitter user RAMhaiti in Haiti at 10:20 p.m. ET . CNN story commentors describing scene . `` its crazy . we can here people wailing and crying . we know a lot of big buildings have fallen . we watched the mountain above the orphanage split . i have never experienced anything like this before . all of the nannies and kids are sitting out in the middle of our compound . a neighbor has already come over for medical help . i do n't have words to express . '' -- Commentor relating details from sister-in-law in Jacmel , Haiti on the south coast at the Hands and Feet Mission/Children 's Village . `` Just got news that one of nannies , Francines school in Jacmel fell . She is injured but prayfor her . Many of her classmates are dead ! She is at her moms house next door tonight . We also heardthat thehospital in Petionville -LRB- PAP -RRB- also collasped . '' -- Commentor Drex Stuart of the Hands & Feet Mission in Jacmel , Haiti . `` My brother and I were able to speak to our mother right before the communication went down . The house had collapse and she was outside in the front yard on her cell phone . She described total destruction around her '' -- Commentor on CNN story . `` Hello I live in Santiago Dominican Republic , The haiti earthquake was felt as if the epicenter was located in Dom Rep. I was lying on my bed and everything started shaking , frames and loose items around my home fell all over the place . A building which serves as a hospital for children with severe burns collapsed and they are currently trying to remove debris and victims from the building . I also have friends who work and haiti and the last thing I heard is that the hotel located near petion ville where they stay at collapsed and are trying to rescue victims as well . '' -- Commentor on CNN story . | NEW : Tweets : `` an 8 story building behind me is rubble , '' `` the palace . . it is destroyed '' Mom `` described total destruction around her '' to family , CNN commentor writes . Tweet : `` many dead bodies and injured , '' collapsed buildings in Haiti . CNN monitoring message , tweets after quake in Haiti ; messages have not been vetted . | [[2605, 2626], [2748, 2790], [3912, 3957], [3912, 3957], [2944, 2988], [19, 106], [166, 221]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five people were rescued Sunday from the rubble of a grocery store , officials told CNN , 24 hours after the effort to reach them began . Three of the people trapped in the ruins of the Caribbean Supermarket -- a man , a 13-year-old girl and a 50-year-old American woman -- were rescued earlier in the day by a joint New York fire and police department search and rescue team . A Creole-speaking man and woman were rescued late Sunday night by a team from Miami , Florida , and a Turkish team . The man came out first , picking his head up off the stretcher carried by his rescuers and giving the thumbs-up sign . He said he had been eating peanut butter and jelly from the store to survive . The effort was dealt a temporary setback Sunday afternoon when the floor over rescuers ' heads -- described as a concrete slab -- buckled as they were working in a 3-foot-high area , said Lt. Charles McDermott , spokesman for Florida Task Force 2 . Debris rained down on the rescue workers as they ran outside of the building . They stood outside and embraced each other as they called roll to make sure everyone had escaped . Work was temporarily suspended as rescuers evaluated whether they should reinforce the floor or work in a different area , McDermott said . Rescue personnel worked throughout Saturday night and Sunday to free the people , Capt. Joe Zahralban of the Florida search team said , at times crawling through spaces that were so tight they could only take half a breath . Zahralban had the opportunity to tell the rescued American woman 's sister that she is alive . `` She dropped to her knees and thanked us , '' he said . The Florida rescuers also called the woman 's son , who lives in Pembroke Pines , Florida . `` After we told him , he went silent for a moment , '' Zahralban said . Get the latest developments on Haiti . The man and teenage girl found alive earlier in the day were taken to a U.N. hospital at Port-au-Prince 's airport , where the girl , about 13 , was treated for leg injuries and the man treated for undetermined injuries . They are believed to be Haitian nationals , officials said . As of Sunday , more than 60 people had been rescued alive by rescue teams from the United States and other nations , Tim Callaghan of the U.S. Agency for International Development -LRB- USAID -RRB- told reporters . Americans have rescued about 30 of those , he said . A U.N. search and rescue team freed one of its own , Jens Christensen of Denmark , from the rubble of the collapsed mission headquarters Sunday where at least 37 people have been confirmed dead . He told his rescuers that others were still alive , saying he had heard tapping nearby , but not since Friday . Those trapped in the supermarket had been living off the store 's inventory of food and water , authorities said . `` If I was going to be trapped for five days in the dark , '' Zahralban said , `` one of the best places to be is in a supermarket surrounded by food . '' Separately , other members of the New York team rescued a 55-year-old man trapped in the rubble of a four-story building in Port-au-Prince . They used a rescue camera to locate the man , and then a paramedic climbed into a narrow space with him and started an intravenous fluid line to combat the man 's dehydration as rescuers used jackhammers and cutting tools to free him . Full coverage of the earthquake in Haiti . The man had been trapped since Tuesday , the NYPD said in a statement . He was suffering from dehydration but otherwise not seriously injured . Other rescues took place as well . An Israel Defense Forces medical and rescue team said Sunday it had rescued a Haitian government worker Saturday after he was trapped for 125 hours in the rubble of a customs office . After the rescue , which lasted eight hours , he was taken in `` moderate condition '' to an IDF hospital . It was the first live rescue by IDF , according to a statement . Also Saturday , a team with Los Angeles County Search and Rescue answered the desperate , but futile , pleas of a mother who believed her young daughter was trapped alive beneath the rubble of a day care center in downtown Port-au-Prince . Despite the distinct sounds of tapping from within the crushed concrete , the rescue effort turned into a recovery operation eight hours after it began when crews failed to get further responses from whoever was trapped inside . Elsewhere in the capital , rescue crews responded to a text message from a 30-year-old woman beneath the ruins of the collapsed bank where she worked . Dogs picked up the scent of survivors within the rubble several times , but by early Sunday , rescue crews had n't seen or heard anything with high-tech cameras and listening devices . Also rescued Saturday : a 2-month-old baby in critical condition with injuries that included broken ribs . Rescue personnel worried she could contract a deadly case of pneumonia and doctors rushed her to the airport where she was evacuated to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Fort Lauderdale , Florida . CNN 's Anderson Cooper , Susan Candiotti , Rich Phillips and Mary Lucas contributed to this report . | Three people trapped in the ruins of the Caribbean Supermarket rescued earlier . Rescue of Creole-speaking man and woman late Sunday brings total to five . Unstable concrete slab had been standing between rescuers , those who were trapped . Other rescue efforts across the capital have been made . | [[189, 249], [180, 199], [307, 347], [42, 108], [420, 515], [846, 861], [865, 915]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 38 people have died in mudslides on the Portuguese island of Madeira , which was hit by heavy downpours overnight , an official told CNN on Saturday . Pedro Barbosa , the vice president of the Civil Protection Agency in Madeira , told CNN that an unknown number of people were missing -- perhaps dozens , he said . The mudslides and flooding caused substantial damage to roads and homes in the capital , Funchal , and in Ribeira Brava , which are both on the southern portion of the Atlantic island , which lies about 600 miles southwest of Portugal , Barbosa said . Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates and Interior Minister Rui Pereira arrived on the island on Saturday , according to CNN affiliate Radio e Televisao de Portugal -LRB- RTP -RRB- . Socrates told RTP that `` the situation is under control '' and the government is offering all its support to regional authorities . The country 's president , Cavaco Silva , expressed his condolences to the people of Madeira in a televised statement and promised to do everything to help `` during this difficult time . '' Pedro Ramos of Dr. Nelio Mendonca Hospital in Funchal , told CNN that 68 wounded people were hospitalized from the mudslides and flooding . Three were critical , he said . The vice president of Madeira 's regional government had tallied 68 victims with injuries , according to the official Lusa news agency . The floodwaters overturned cars and knocked down trees , Barbosa said . Authorities have evacuated hundreds of people to military and civil protection facilities in Funchal , he said . Search and rescue teams have been reinforced , but have n't been able to reach every area , according to the Civil Protection Agency . The Portuguese military has dispatched five teams to help with search and rescue efforts , it announced on its Web site . The military is also ready to shelter up to 130 people where 50 people are already staying , it said . Barbosa said weather conditions have substantially improved , with the rains winding down . Madeira , an autonomous region of Portugal , is a popular resort destination . There have been no reports of any dead or missing tourists . CNN 's Umaro Djau contributed to this report . | NEW : Portuguese military has dispatched five teams to help with search and rescue efforts . NEW : Weather has substantially improved , civil protection official says . Madeira hit by heavy downpours overnight , triggering mudslide that killed at least 38 . Unknown number of people , perhaps dozens , are missing , official tells CNN . | [[1733, 1821], [1958, 2042], [0, 15], [22, 96], [86, 98], [105, 141], [144, 178], [179, 192], [258, 330]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The highest-level talks between the United States and North Korea since President Barack Obama took office unfolded Wednesday in Pyongyang , with a virtual lock-down on information . The top U.S. envoy for North Korea , Stephen Bosworth , is on a three-day visit for meetings to determine whether North Korea will return to six-party talks on its nuclear program . The veteran diplomat is the first senior official from the Obama administration to hold direct talks with Pyongyang . The White House offered no new details about the talks , and North Koreanstate media only acknowledged Bosworth 's arrival in a one-line report . North Korea abandoned the six-party talks last April , declaring them `` dead , '' in anger over international criticism of its nuclear and missile tests . But the North also sent signals that it wanted to pursue bilateral talks with the United States instead of a multilateral dialogue . Meanwhile , the North also has cooled its tough rhetoric against the United States . Many are wondering what 's behind the North 's latest moves . `` The visit gives North Korea a lot of ` face , ' a sense of importance , '' said Wenran Jiang , political science professor at the University of Alberta in Canada . Some analysts say North Korea might just be trying to buy time . Earlier reports in Seoul claimed that North Korea is in the final stages of restoring its Yongbyon nuclear plant , which Pyongyang had begun to disable before walking away from the six-party talks in April . Given the secrecy of the North , those reports could not be verified . Analysts say North Korea is also desperate to break out of its diplomatic isolation and ease its economic pain , especially after the U.N. Security Council imposed tougher sanctions on the communist country in response to Pyongyang 's nuclear and missile tests earlier this year . Another reason for Pyongyang 's moves , analysts say , is neighboring China . When Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Pyongyang in October , China pledged much-needed economic , trade and military aid to its communist ally . During the three-day visit , President Kim Jong Il indicated that North Korea was willing to return to the stalled six-party talks -- on condition that there would be progress in direct talks between North Korea and the United States . China has hosted several rounds of the six-party talks , which bring together the United States , North and South Korea , Japan , Russia and China . The talks aim to negotiate a deal for North Korea to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for security guarantees and aid . In the end , Pyongyang wants direct talks with Washington that will eventually lead to diplomatic ties , a peace treaty and economic and trade relations . `` China can only act as a go-between , but in the end , the U.S. and North Korea will have to resolve critical issues between themselves , '' Jiang said . A U.S. State Department official said Bosworth would not carry any new proposals or new initiatives on his visit . `` Our goal here is , of course , the resumption of the six-party talks and to secure North Korea 's reaffirmation of the September 2005 joint agreement , '' State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said a few days before Bosworth 's trip . He added : `` The complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula ... will be the focus of Ambassador Bosworth 's trip to Pyongyang . '' Some observers point to a wide difference in the United States and North Korea 's negotiating positions . Selig Harrison , an expert on North Korea who has visited the North many times said , `` the U.S. side always says we do n't want to buy the same horse twice . Defense Secretary -LRB- Robert -RRB- Gates actually said that several months ago , meaning that we keep giving North Korea things to get results which we do n't get and we feel that we 've been cheated and we 're making the same deal over and over again . But actually the North Koreans feel that they 're the ones who do n't get what we have promised . '' Bridging their differences , observers say , will not be easy . `` If Bosworth can persuade the North Koreans to return to the six-party talks , all the better , '' said Zha Daojiong , a professor at Peking University in China . `` On the other hand , it will be understandable if he does not . In terms of negotiations , just about all the cards have been put on the table , '' he said . `` It is critically important to be patient with both North Korea and the United States . '' Some see the potential for progress . Koh Yu-hwan , an expert on North Korea at Dongguk University in Seoul , South Korea , said there might be options when it comes to North Korea 's nuclear weapons . `` It 's not that clear-cut , '' he said . `` The Korean War ended with an armistice . Technically the war is not yet over . The North wants nuclear weapons as a deterrent against the U.S. So , if the U.S. offers a security guarantee , pledges that it would n't try a ` regime change ' and sign a peace treaty with North Korea , the goal of denuclearization is still possible . '' Bosworth 's visit comes after meeting with U.S. allies . He stopped in Seoul on Monday to brief South Korean officials on his trip to the North . Bonnie Glaser , a North Korea analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington , noted that even the North 's renewed indication that it might return to the stalled six-party talks is not enough and there still is a long way to go to accomplish the denuclearization goal . After his visit to the North , Bosworth is expected to consult with the other six-party countries before returning to Washington . CNN 's Jaime FlorCruz contributed to this report . | Highest-level talks between U.S. and N. Korea since President Obama took office unfold in Pyongyang . U.S. envoy Stephen Bosworth will try to determine if North will return to six-party talks on its nuclear program . U.S. officials maintain Bosworth does not know in advance Pyongyang 's position . North Korea 's missile launches and nuke test in April brought U.N. Security Council condemnation . | [[91, 157], [286, 383]] |
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