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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 47-year-old Virginia man was charged Monday with interfering with a flight crew during a flight last week in which he allegedly became intoxicated and unruly , leading authorities to scramble fighter jets and the pilot to make an emergency landing . The incident occurred Friday when Muhammad Abu Tahir , a Pakistani national and lawful permanent U.S. resident of Glen Allen , Virginia , was aboard AirTran Airways Flight 39 from Atlanta , Georgia , to San Francisco , California . During the flight , a flight attendant served Tahir , seated in coach , three airplane-serving-sized bottles of wine , then refused to serve him more , according to a two-page affidavit filed Monday by the FBI . He appealed to the senior flight attendant , who granted him a fourth , then a fifth bottle , both of which he downed quickly , it said . Tahir then went to a bathroom in the rear of the plane and closed the door , opening it a few minutes later and placing his shoes and socks outside the door , then retreating back inside , the affidavit said . `` A short time later , Tahir again opened the lavatory door revealing that he was shaving with no shirt on , '' it added . When a flight attendant knocked on the door and encouraged him to leave the bathroom so others could use it , Tahir refused `` and started yelling at the flight attendant that he was being disrespected , '' it said . Notified of the passenger 's behavior , the captain advised the senior flight attendant to enlist the help of a passenger to stand outside the lavatory in case help was needed , it said . But Tahir continued yelling and refused to obey the crew , at one point grabbing the senior flight attendant by her arms and hands , releasing her only after a passenger interceded , the affidavit said . By this time , a fire extinguisher had been carried to the rear of the plane for possible use against the man and a beverage cart was repositioned to contain Tahir , according to the affidavit . While Tahir remained inside the lavatory , the pilot made an emergency landing in Colorado Springs , Colorado , where police officers took Tahir to the El Paso County Jail , where he remained Monday . Tahir told the FBI that he felt he was being disrespected when the flight attendants denied his request for food , which was being served in business class , the affidavit said . The charges Tahir faces will be read Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Denver and a detention hearing and preliminary hearing are to be scheduled for later in the week . `` It is crucial that the flying public obey the commands of the flight crew , '' said U.S. Attorney David Gaouette . If convicted , Tahir faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $ 250,000 fine , or both , as well as restitution to the airline . The incident was the second in three days in which North American Aerospace Defense Command fighter jets were scrambled in response to a passenger deemed disruptive . On Wednesday , NORAD escorted a Hawaii-bound plane back to its origination city of Portland , Oregon , after a passenger gave a flight attendant a note that was interpreted as being threatening . The passenger , Joseph Hedlund Johnson , 56 , told the FBI he had n't intended to scare anyone with the note , which began , `` I thought I was going to die , '' and referenced the television show `` Gilligan 's Island . '' | 47-year-old Virginia man charged with interfering with a flight crew . Incident happened on AirTran Airways Flight 39 from Atlanta to San Francisco . Flight attendants say passenger had five servings of wine , locked himself in bathroom . | [[0, 15], [33, 121], [0, 15], [65, 126], [305, 323], [409, 460], [853, 907], [1991, 2031], [2034, 2089]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Democratic congressional leaders Wednesday demanded Republicans join them in condemning a spate of threats and vandalism that has followed Sunday 's vote on a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. health care system . More than 10 Democrats have reported trouble since the weekend vote , House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters . Windows have been smashed at Democratic offices in at least three states , and federal agents were investigating whether a cut gas line at the home of a Virginia congressman 's brother was related to the lawmaker 's yes vote . Democracy `` is not about violence , '' Hoyer said at a news conference with South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn , the No. 3 Democrat in the House of Representatives . `` Both of us believe that to remain silent in the face of such activity gives the impression of either condoning or sanctioning such actions , '' added Hoyer , D-Maryland . The top Republican in the House , Minority Leader John Boehner , told reporters that he has urged opponents to demonstrate legally . `` I 've made statements that I understand people are angry , but violence and threats are inappropriate and irresponsible , '' the Ohio congressman said . `` If people are angry , they ought to register to vote and get involved in a campaign . '' The white-hot rhetoric that dominated the last several months of debate on the historic health care bill culminated in unruly protests by the Tea Party movement at the Capitol over the weekend . Three African-American House Democrats , including civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis of Georgia , reported protesters shouted racial slurs at them and spit at one of them , while Rep. Barney Frank , D-Massachusetts , an openly gay House member , had anti-gay slurs yelled at him . One House member mentioned a map on the Facebook page of former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin during a Wednesday meeting on safety concerns , a Democratic source said . The map shows 20 House Democratic political targets believed to be vulnerable in the upcoming midterm elections -- some have already announced their retirements . Their home districts are marked with cross hairs . Mention of the map brought audible groans to the room , the source said . Republican House members encouraged protesters outside and inside the House gallery , some of whom carried messages like `` Vote no or else '' or `` If Brown wo n't stop it , a Browning will '' -- a reference to newly elected Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown accompanied by a silhouette of a pistol . Since the vote , an Alabama blogger has launched a `` window war '' against Democrats and has kept a tally of the recent incidents of damage , including ones in upstate New York , Arizona and Kansas . A message left for Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak , whose last-minute decision to support the bill helped give Democrats the votes it needed to pass , warned that `` there are millions of people across the country who wish you ill , and all of those thoughts projected on you will materialize into something that 's not very good for you . '' Clyburn , who is African-American , said he has received a fax in his office with a picture of a noose drawn on it and had threatening telephone calls at his home . iReport : ' A very dangerous time for Obama ' `` We 're giving aid and comfort to these people , and this stuff gets ratcheted up , '' Clyburn told CNN . `` We in this Congress have got to come together in a bipartisan way and tamp this foolishness down . It does n't make sense . That 's not what a democracy is all about . '' Hoyer told a news conference that `` a significant number , meaning over 10 '' lawmakers had reported either threats , vandalism or other incidents . Capitol police officials have briefed House Democrats on reporting suspicious or threatening activity and taking precautions to avoid `` subjecting themselves or their families to physical harm , '' he said . Rep. Louise Slaughter , D-New York , said her Niagara Falls district office had a brick thrown through one of its windows and a message that referred to `` snipers '' was left on one of her campaign offices . In a written statement , she said GOP leaders have been `` fanning the flames with coded rhetoric . '' And Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen blamed Republicans for encouraging heated rhetoric over the bill . `` There 's a real feeling that some of the comments from the Republican leaders and Republicans are not tamping down the fire , they are throwing fuel on the fire . And that is totally inappropriate , '' Van Hollen said . But Boehner , who compared the legislation 's passage to `` Armageddon , '' said Democrats had not complained to him that Republicans have n't been quick enough to condemn the threats and vandalism . Clyburn said his wife has forwarded the phone numbers from the calls to law enforcement agencies . Slaughter said federal agents and local authorities were investigating the threat and vandalism at her offices . And in Virginia , Albemarle County fire marshals and the FBI are looking into the slashing of a propane gas line outside the home of Rep. Tom Perriello 's brother , the congressman 's office said . A Perriello aide told CNN that a line to the propane tank on the brother 's gas grill had been severed after the brother 's home address was posted online by a Tea Party activist . Lee Catlin , a spokesman for the fire marshal 's office , said the incident `` did not involve an immediate threat to occupants of the residence '' but would disclose no details . The county joined the investigation late Tuesday after a request from the FBI , Caitlin said . `` Officials are taking the incident very seriously and conducting a vigorous investigation , '' he said . Conservative talk show host Glenn Beck told his radio audience Monday that Democrats who supported the bill would be remembered as `` an enemy of the republic '' and `` an enemy to the Constitution . '' But he urged viewers of his Fox News television show Wednesday to avoid violence , because `` radical '' supporters of the Obama administration are counting on such attacks to discredit their opposition , he said . `` Not only is it completely nuts and wrong , it 's exactly what they want , '' Beck said . He told viewers , `` They are begging for it . You are being set up . '' But in Kansas , Democrats in Wichita are seeking to raise money over a brick thrown through the window of the party headquarters . `` At first , we thought our office was just the object of a random act of bitter violence , but now we know that 's not the case , '' said the Sedgewick County Democratic Party 's Web site . `` This attack was instigated , encouraged and directed by an ultra-right wing blogger and similar events occurred all over the country . '' The Web site item asked for donations to `` help us get back to work . '' CNN 's Deirdre Walsh , Dana Bash , Lesa Jansen and Tom Cohen contributed to this report . | Steny Hoyer : Some House Democrats reported threats or other incidents . An aide to one Democrat said propane line on his brother 's gas grill had been severed . `` Violence and threats are unacceptable , '' House Minority Leader John Boehner says . | [[240, 307], [3660, 3749], [440, 587], [1950, 1976], [5008, 5023], [5026, 5170], [5206, 5291], [5237, 5342]] |
WARSAW , Poland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In Poland , it 's polite to bring flowers when you visit someone 's home , so there 's a flower shop on virtually every street corner in Warsaw . Crowds flock to Rynek Starego Miasta , Warsaw 's Old Town Market Place . But the city is now realizing flower power on a bigger scale . There are buds and blooms adding color all over the capital , from the quaint Old Town to the bustling city center to the massive concrete apartment blocks left over from the communist era . It 's Warsaw in bloom , in many ways : A city thriving , growing and blossoming six decades after much of it was destroyed during World War II and almost 20 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union brought many radical economic and social changes . Modern Warsaw is a mix of shiny new skyscrapers , tree-lined boulevards , ornate prewar buildings and somber concrete communist relics . Hamburger joints and pizzerias compete for customers with restaurants offering traditional Polish fare like pierogi . Expensive new cars share the road with crowded buses and trams . Traffic jams frustrate drivers throughout the day . But it 's the older Warsaw -- faithfully restored and full of churches , palaces and parks -- that seems to attract the most visitors . See more photos of Warsaw 's places and people '' To get a feel for the city that was known as the Paris of Eastern Europe before World War II , stroll down Nowy Świat Street , lined with restaurants , cafes , bookstores and small shops . It 's part of what 's known as Warsaw 's Królewski Trakt , or Royal Route . On a recent visit , the music of Frederic Chopin wafted down from an open window of one of the elegant apartments occupying the upper floors . The street is also home to a sweet Warsaw tradition . Blikle , one of the city 's best-known confectioners , has been serving up cakes and pastries since 1869 . It 's probably most famous for perfecting the Polish version of the donut : Fist-sized balls of sweet , fragrant yeast dough fried until they 're golden-brown and covered with icing . But it 's what 's inside that gives them their unique taste : A filling of preserves made from pureed rose petals and sugar . They 're best when they 're still warm , when it 's especially hard to eat just one . Bustling Nowy Świat Street flows into elegant Krakowskie Przedmieście Street as you near the Old Town , Stare Miasto . Follow the crowds to the Royal Castle and the column bearing the statue of Poland 's King Zygmunt III , first erected in 1644 . Cobblestone streets lead to the heart of the district : Rynek Starego Miasta , the Old Town Market Place , where visitors are surrounded by picturesque pastel blue , pink and yellow buildings capped by red-shingled roofs and where the mood is as merry as the colors . Sit down for lunch at an outdoor cafe , buy an amber necklace at one of the shops lining the square , have your caricature painted by artists displaying their work , or just feed the pigeons . No matter the activity , it 's a great place to relax and people watch . This historic center of Warsaw -- which Nazi troops almost completely destroyed in 1944 and which was carefully rebuilt after the war -- is designated as a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization . `` It is an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century , '' UNESCO says . To get away from the crowds , return to the Royal Route and head towards the Aleje Ujazdowskie , a grand boulevard lined with embassies . It 's here that you 'll find the entrances to Warsaw 's Łazienki Park , once the summer residence of Poland 's royalty . Today , it 's almost 200 acres of calm in the middle of the city and the perfect place for a stroll on wide alleyways surrounded by lush green trees and manicured lawns . The serene Pałac na Wyspie , Palace on the Isle , is one of several historic must-see sites in the park . Among the many other pleasures : Watching the playful red squirrels roaming in the grass and taking in the colorful plumage of the peacocks strolling the grounds . Nearby , another Warsaw tradition awaits . For decades , the statue of Frederic Chopin has drawn music lovers and pianists for outdoor concerts of the Polish composer 's works . They 're held each summer underneath the monument as crowds gather in the surrounding rose garden that also serves as an auditorium . But any stroll through Warsaw is also a walk through the city 's tragic history . `` In this spot , the Nazis shot to death 30 Poles , '' a stone tablet reads on Nowy Świat Street . There are many such plaques across the capital . Monuments pay tribute to the many thousands killed during the Warsaw Uprising -- a civilian struggle to free the city from German occupation in 1944 . Some of the buildings that survived World War II still have visible bullet holes in their façades . They 're all unforgettable reminders of the city 's painful past and how much it has overcome . `` Fall in love with Warsaw , '' the capital invites visitors in a slogan printed on posters all over town . It 's not hard to do . E-mail to a friend . | The historic center of Warsaw is designated as a World Heritage site . Statue of Frederic Chopin draws music lovers and pianists for outdoor concerts . Much of Warsaw was destroyed during World War II , then faithfully restored . Poland has been a member of the European Union since 2004 . | [[3065, 3095], [3195, 3315], [4200, 4211], [4214, 4334], [547, 650], [1137, 1159], [1163, 1182], [3089, 3095], [3135, 3152], [3065, 3095], [3163, 3198]] |
-LRB- Sunset -RRB- -- Yes , I admit this was n't the first time I 'd forgotten an important event . Let 's not get hung up on that . What 's important is that I quickly and admirably redeemed myself . For a refreshing walk , try a sliver of the Laguna Beach coastline , about 50 miles south of Los Angeles . Once the florist came to deliver the white dendrobium -LRB- I collect orchids -RRB- and I read the note -- `` Happy Anniversary . Love , J '' -- I immediately jumped into action : In less than an hour , I 'm driving my wife , Jan , to Laguna Beach , our favorite seaside village . It is a place blessedly stocked with eateries where a guy can get noteworthy huevos rancheros while his beloved browses chic shops along Ocean and Forest Avenues for bejeweled sandals during winter sales . Laguna Beach also happens to be where we spent a few days on our honeymoon years ago , so I have that going for me . Short of hiring a helicopter , there are only two ways to get to this gallery-filled artist colony , either along Orange County 's Coast Highway or down eucalyptus-laden Laguna Canyon Road , which curves like a riverbed , flowing down to the sea from the base of steep hills dotted with aerie bright-white homes that look like seagulls perched on precipices . As we roll into town just before sunset , we feel like we 're dropping into a box canyon with the Pacific Ocean as its only outlet , making the village feel cozy and isolated , particularly in the fall and winter months when the crowds thin out . A chilly breeze brings the faint smell of menthol -LRB- the canyon 's eucalyptus trees -RRB- and something sweet , like saltwater taffy , perhaps from one of the candy stores . Long sheets of purplish orange clouds scatter like flaming blankets across the sky , suffusing the ocean , the sky , even Jan 's face with a fireside glow . `` This is such a special treat , '' she says . `` I ca n't believe you thought of it . By the way , where are we staying ? '' Fortunately , I 'm prepared for this question . I 've been turning it over in my head from the moment we left home . I was thinking we could try to get a room at the hotel where we 'd spent three nights on our honeymoon , even though it was n't that great . But then my spousal guilt kicks in , so I decide to bite the bullet and go all out at Montage Laguna Beach resort and spa : California Craftsman architecture . Plein air art lining lobby walls . Feather-top beds . Soaking tubs for two . Views of Laguna 's beaches . Jaw-dropping room rates . That sort of thing . Beach romance . When we get up the next morning , the sun warming up the room , Jan and I both notice the quiet . With doors open wide to the Pacific , we hear the chest-thumping crash of the waves , the raspy bark of sea lions , the singsongy entreaty of a distant jogger calling his dog back from a run on the beach . I say we love the quiet , then I talk about the sounds . But it 's different . In summer , beach sounds can be cacophonous . In fall and winter , there 's mostly the wind and waves and sea life . We love the communal feel of the town at this time of year , when locals , who seem to hibernate during the hot months , suddenly reappear to reclaim their favorite eateries and bars . One morning we laze about Zinc Cafe on boutique-lined Ocean Avenue , reading the paper while digging into massive bowls of oatmeal mixed with dried cherries and nuts and surreptitiously listening to the breezy conversation around us -- like that of the young woman at the next table who 's trying to convince a friend to join her in a laughter-yoga workshop on the beach . `` At first you just feel really stupid going hee-hee-hee , haw-haw-haw , but then you really do start laughing and it ... it 's such a release , '' she says . `` What the heck is laughter yoga ? '' I lean over and whisper to Jan. . She raises her eyebrows , perplexed , and we both try hard not to laugh . Fishing for adventure . For exercise , we hike down from Coast Highway to Victoria Beach , a secluded cove hardly anyone goes to , particularly off-season . I take moody black-and-white photos of Jan on a sea-worn rock in front of an odd little castle turret on the beach , a tower built almost 80 years ago by an early inhabitant who was looking to camouflage spiraling stairs to his house -- long gone -- on the bluff above us . We do a lot of beach walking , particularly just before cocktail hour in the late afternoon . Strolling down Treasure Island beach , we come across couples cozy on their blankets , and chilled surf fishermen slapping their hands together while keeping a watchful eye on their poles . That night we enjoy dinner at Sapphire Laguna restaurant , where the old Pottery Shack , a local landmark , sat for 60 years . We huddle around a firepit on the patio , looking over the roofs of shops along the highway to where the sun is dipping into the dark ocean , and nosh on homemade rosemary and sea-salt potato chips while quaffing Chimay Blue dark ale . And while it is n't exactly my favorite adventure , in the spirit of the weekend I join Jan one afternoon while she pokes around the shops of Laguna Village , perched on a bluff above the ocean , trying not to act too annoyed when she insists I sniff herbal-scented candles or try on goofy-looking leather hats , the type worn by guys with walrus mustaches and jackets with fringe . In short , we do everything and nothing at all , which is really the best thing about Laguna at this time of year . And I think Jan appreciated my efforts . Which may explain why she seems completely unruffled when I confess that I had , indeed , forgotten our anniversary . `` Of course you did , '' she says as we head back home . `` Why do you think I sent the orchid ? '' A more cynical man might suspect that she 'd engineered the whole weekend herself . But what are the odds of that ? Getting there . Laguna Beach is 50 miles south of Los Angeles and 75 miles north of San Diego ; John Wayne-Orange County Airport is 15 miles away . For more area info , contact the Laguna Beach visitors bureau -LRB- 800/877 -1115 -RRB- . 3 romantic stays . Casa Laguna Inn & Spa Historical inn with suites and rooms , most with fireplaces . To make it extra romantic : The Togetherness spa treatment -LRB- from $ 250 -RRB- includes side-by-side massages , a soak in the ocean-view garden tub , and a bottle of bubbly with souvenir flutes . INFO : Rooms from $ 250 , including breakfast , wine , and cheese ; 800/233 -0449 . Montage Laguna Beach Five-star digs in Craftsman-style buildings with stunning ocean views . To make it extra romantic : The Montage excels at sparking romance . Food of Love -LRB- from $ 150 per person -RRB- is a four-course candlelit dinner staged in a poolside cabana , and there are couples ' plein air painting sessions -LRB- from $ 200 per person -RRB- . But we like the Sunrise Surfing for two -LRB- from $ 200 -RRB- , which comes with a private beach butler and the option of matching surfboards or bodyboards that you can keep . INFO : Rooms from $ 695 ; 888/715 -6700 . Surf & Sand Resort On the water and close to downtown shops and restaurants . Splashes restaurant -LRB- $ $ $ $ ; 1555 S. Coast Hwy. ; 949/376 -2779 -RRB- is a local favorite in winter for enjoying storm surf . To make it extra romantic : Splurge on having the room decorated with rose petals and white tea lights -LRB- from $ 150 -RRB- . INFO : Rooms from $ 275 ; 888/869 -7569 . Where to eat . Sapphire Laguna Delicious homemade-chorizo huevos rancheros and eclectic dishes like kalua pulled-pork quesadilla ; brunch Sat -- Sun . INFO : $ $ $ ; 1200 S. Coast Hwy. ; 949/715 -9888 . Studio California-French cuisine showcasing seasonal ingredients . INFO : $ $ $ $ ; closed Mon ; in Montage Laguna Beach resort , 30801 S. Coast Hwy. ; 949/715 -6420 . Zinc Cafe & Market Tasty pastries and generous portions of breakfast and lunch offerings . INFO : $ ; 350 Ocean Ave. ; 949/494 -6302 . What to do . Laguna Art Museum If the dozens of local art galleries overwhelm you , spend an afternoon at this museum . Its focus on California art is a good primer for further discovery . INFO : $ 10 ; 307 Cliff Dr. ; 949/494 -8971 . Laguna Village Beach - and art-themed kiosks . INFO : On S. Coast Hwy . near Legion St. Pure Light Make candles -LRB- from $ 14 -RRB- any day , or sign up for a workshop -LRB- from $ 10 -RRB- and create holiday cards or ornaments . INFO : 821 Laguna Canyon Rd. ; 949/376 -7200 . See sea lions Despite its name , Seal Rock -LRB- free ; Crescent Bay Beach , N. Coast Hwy . at Cliff Dr. -RRB- is the place to observe Laguna Beach 's sea lion colony ; they 're here year-round . Or you can go to Pacific Marine Mammal Center -LRB- free but donations welcome ; 20612 Laguna Canyon Rd. ; 949/494 -3050 -RRB- , where injured and ill sea lions are rehabilitated . Proceeds from the gift shop help care for the mammals . Treasure Island Crescent-shaped beach with fishing and tidepools . INFO : Free ; down a ramp at the southwest edge of Montage Laguna Beach resort . Victoria Beach Beautiful pocket beach near Casa Laguna Inn & Spa . INFO : Free ; down the narrow staircase -LRB- watch for other beachgoers -RRB- off Victoria Dr. at Sunset Terrace St. E-mail to a friend . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright 2004-2009 Sunset magazine . All rights reserved . | Laguna Beach , California , is about 50 miles south of Los Angeles . Crowds thin out in Laguna Beach in the fall and winter months . Art galleries , shops and secluded beach walks keep visitors entertained . | [[1412, 1423], [1438, 1446], [1449, 1484], [201, 222], [225, 267]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In the wake of the Christmas Day attempt to blow up a U.S. airliner , most Americans remain confident the Obama administration can protect the country from terrorism , according to a new national poll . A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Monday also indicates the vast majority of Americans believe that full-body scanners should be used in airports across the country . Nearly two-thirds of people questioned in the poll said they have a moderate or great deal of confidence in the administration to protect the public from future terrorist attacks , up 2 percentage points from August . Thirty-five percent said they have not much or no confidence , down 1 percentage point from August . Read the full poll results -LRB- PDF -RRB- . A number of Republicans have criticized President Obama over his handling of the attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam , Netherlands , to Detroit , Michigan . But according to the survey , 57 percent approve of the way Obama has responded , while 39 percent disapprove of how he handled the situation . `` Only a third of Republicans have a positive view of Obama on this matter , but the key for the administration is the 55 percent of independents who approve of how the president responded to the incident on Christmas Day , '' said Keating Holland , CNN 's polling director . The poll also indicates no increase in overall concern about terrorism . `` In October , about a third said they were worried that a family member would become a victim of terrorism , and that number is unchanged in the wake of the attempted attack in December , '' Holland said . `` The public seems to react calmly to individual incidents , possibly because most Americans believe that the government can not prevent every single terrorist plot from occurring . '' Six in 10 said terrorists always will find a way to launch an attack , no matter what the government does , he added -- identical to the number who felt that way during the Bush administration . The poll indicates a majority , 57 percent , think suspect Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab should be tried in military court and not a civilian criminal court . Forty-two percent back handling the case in civilian court . According to the survey , Americans also are split on whether heads should roll as a result of the attempted bombing of the airliner . Forty-six percent questioned feel that top officials in the federal agencies responsible for handling the issue of terrorism should be fired , while 51 percent said no . The poll indicates that nearly eight in 10 believe full-body scanners should be used in U.S. airports , while 15 percent said they would refuse to go through one of the machines if asked to do so . `` Most Americans do n't see full-body scanners as a health risk , and more than seven in 10 say they would be unconcerned if asked to go through one at an airport , '' Holland said . `` Women in particular seem to prefer the idea of a full-body scanner to being frisked by a security guard , even when the question makes clear that the guard doing the manual pat-down would also be a woman . '' The CNN/Opinion Research poll was conducted Friday through Sunday , with 1,021 adult Americans questioned by telephone . The survey 's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points . CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report . | Nearly two-thirds have moderate or great deal of confidence in president 's handling of terrorism . Majority in survey say full-body scanners should be used in airports . Poll indicates no increase in overall concern about terrorism . Findings come after Christmas Day attempt to blow up a U.S. jet . | [[100, 156], [411, 438], [462, 537], [992, 1041], [233, 277], [290, 338], [300, 410], [2045, 2087], [2566, 2743], [1383, 1391], [1397, 1455], [0, 26], [63, 97]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- R&B legend Teddy Pendergrass died Wednesday evening , his former publicist said . He was 59 . Pendergrass , known for smash love ballads such as `` Turn Off the Lights '' and `` Love TKO , '' died after a long illness , according to Lisa Barbaris , who described herself as a close friend and his last publicist . He died at a hospital in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , where he was born . His family did not reveal details about his illness , but said it was related to complications from a 1982 car accident , Barbaris said . `` His beloved family surrounded him . The world has lost one of its greatest voices and performers , '' a statement from Barbaris said . `` His family is devastated . He has three children and , even though it was expected , it still hurts , '' she said . Gallery : The amazing Teddy Pendergrass . The crooner , who many affectionately knew as just `` Teddy , '' started in music with a group called the Cadillacs in the late 1960s and was still with the group when it merged with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes , according to his official Web site . He started as a drummer , but soon began to sing lead after the group heard his powerful voice . In 1972 , Pendergrass 's baritone could be heard on the classic Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes song `` If You Do n't Know Me by Now . '' The song became a No. 1 hit across the country and led Pendergrass to many other hits and accolades . After going solo , Pendergrass received several Grammy nominations , Billboard 's 1977 Pop Album New Artist Award and an American Music Award for best R&B performer of 1978 , Barbaris said . In 1982 , Pendergrass was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed . But Pendergrass returned to the studio in 1984 in his wheelchair to record an album . Before his death , Pendergrass was working on a musical documenting his life , called `` I Am Who I Am . '' | Pendergrass was known for ballads such as `` Turn Off the Lights , '' and `` Love TKO '' In 1982 , Pendergrass was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed . His publicist said the singer died after a lengthy illness . He was 59 . | [[113, 124], [127, 196], [1629, 1636], [1639, 1681], [1667, 1681], [1687, 1707], [73, 100], [101, 112], [208, 236]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three days after a consumers ' group called for a meat boycott , the head of Argentina 's beef industry said Thursday prices will fall by week 's end . Gustavo Valsangiacomo , president of the Argentina Beef Industry Union , declined to say the boycott was responsible for the price drop . But he acknowledged that demand for beef is falling , the official Telam news agency said . `` There are a sum of factors , '' Valsangiacomo told Telam . `` I do n't want to take importance away from the boycott , but it will be analyzed by the end of the week . Nonetheless , we undoubtedly believe that prices reached a point that the public can not and does not want to accept . '' On Monday , an Argentinean consumer group called for a one-week beef boycott in an attempt to lower prices in a nation that eats more beef than anywhere else in the world . The price of beef has increased 40 percent to 50 percent since December , said the Association of Free Consumers , which called for the boycott . The group cited success in a similar recent boycott of tomatoes , which also had risen in price . Within a few days of the tomato boycott , prices dropped , the consumer organization said . Valsangiacomo said the beef industry had reached a particular point in which cattle growers have cheap feed but have tried to maximize their profits . `` There has to be an equilibrium between their costs and what consumers are paying , '' the industry chief said . Argentina -- a nation of nearly 41 million residents and 51 million head of cattle in 2007 , the latest year comparison figures are available -- has faced a crisis as cattle supplies have dipped to their lowest levels in 45 years , according to the Argentina Farm Federation . The Association of Free Consumers cites three possible reasons for the decline in cattle stock : a significant increase in the number of slaughtered livestock ; an acceleration in the cultivation of soy , with more than 10 million hectares -LRB- 24.7 million acres -RRB- converted from livestock to soy production ; and more Argentineans buying beef . Drought also has decreased the size of available pasture land . Argentineans eat more beef than any other nation in the world -- 68 kilograms -LRB- 150 lbs -RRB- per person annually , the Farm Federation said . Despite the high consumption , that 's a significant decrease from the 80 kilograms -LRB- 176 lbs -RRB- per person per year in the 1970s , the farmers ' group said . Argentinean beef is considered among the best in the world , and the nation is the third-largest exporter in the world , behind Brazil and Australia . But the drastic decline in beef cattle has led some Argentineans to worry the nation eventually could have to import beef to keep up with the high demand . | Consumer group called for one-week beef boycott to try to lower prices . Argentina Beef Industry Union president wo n't say if boycott responsible for likely price drop . Price of beef has risen 40 percent to 50 percent since December , group says . Industry chief tells news agency public demand for beef on decline . | [[36, 81], [706, 784], [965, 979], [988, 1012], [84, 170], [171, 192], [244, 308], [867, 938], [867, 884], [941, 979], [313, 360]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The debut album by New York rock band The Strokes has been named `` album of the decade '' by influential British music magazine , NME . Released in 2001 , `` Is This It '' topped the 100 Greatest Albums Of The Decade list compiled by a panel of musicians , producers , writers and record label bosses , according to NME.com . The Libertines ' 2002 debut `` Up the Bracket '' was runner-up , with Primal Scream 's `` XTRMNTR '' from 2000 in third spot . The Strokes formed in 1999 with a line-up that includes lead vocalist Julian Casablancas , guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond , Jr. , bassist Nikolai Fraiture , and drummer Fabrizio Moretti . Fans had to wait two years before `` Is This It '' was finally released to critical acclaim , with hits such as `` Last Night '' and `` Hard to Explain '' underlining their Velvet Underground-inspired garage rock sound . However , the album fared better among British fans , reaching number two in the charts compared to 33 in the United States . The band 's second album , `` Room On Fire '' , was released in 2003 and again reached number two in the British charts with singles including `` 12:51 '' and `` Reptilia . '' But their third album , `` First Impressions of Earth '' , gave the band its first number one success , when it snatched top spot in Britain in 2006 . It also reached the hitherto unknown heights of number four across the Atlantic . On hearing about the NME accolade , frontman Casablancas told the BBC : `` It 's totally crazy ! I thought it was great when I heard . `` But does it mean it 's a good musical decade or a bad musical decade ? I do n't know , I 'm such a bad judge of my own stuff . '' | `` Is This It '' topped the 100 Greatest Albums Of The Decade list compiled by a panel of musicians , producers , writers . Released in 2001 , `` Is This It '' was features hits such as `` Last Night '' and `` Hard to Explain . Libertines ' debut `` Up the Bracket '' second and Primal Scream 's `` XTRMNTR '' third . | [[173, 189], [192, 258], [243, 337], [173, 189], [192, 258], [363, 392], [412, 425]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto will take a one-pound advantage over Filipino Manny Pacquiao into Saturday night 's superfight in Las Vegas . Puerto Rico 's Cotto weighed in at 145 pounds in front a 5,000 strong crowd at the MGM Grand Arena , with Pacquiao tipping the scales at 144 pounds . Pacquiao is bidding for a world title at a fifth different weight and was backed by vociferous supporters ahead of the eagerly-anticipated bout . He looked relaxed and smiled as he stripped to his boxer shorts , while Cotto looked more intense . There was a brief , angry exchange between Pacquiao 's trainer Freddie Roach and the Cotto camp after the champion got off the scales but order was quickly restored and both fighters addressed the crowd in their native languages . Pacquiao , who is rated the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world by many boxing experts , has previously won recognized belts at fly , super-bantam , super-feather and lightweight during his remarkable career . It is his first fight since a stunning knockout of Britain 's Ricky Hatton sixth months ago at the same venue . Pacquiao , who 's won 49 fights , lost 3 and drawn 2 , is being lined up for a money spinning fight with American Floyd Mayweather , but first must get past the determined Cotto , who has held a world title every year since 2004 . Pacquiao is rated as favorite by Las Vegas oddsmakers , but Cotto has just one defeat in 35 fights with 27 knockouts . | Miguel Cotto has one-pound weight advantage over Manny Pacquiao for big fight in Las Vegas . Cotto is defending WBO Welterweight title against Filipino hero Pacquiao . Pacman is aiming for world title at fifth different weight class . | [[0, 15], [19, 167], [0, 15], [19, 167], [318, 383]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The raging wildfires that killed hundreds of Australians earlier this year could not kill Sam the Koala . The plight of Sam the Koala became a huge hit on video-sharing Web site YouTube . But an illness endemic in the country 's koala population did . Sam , the 4-year-old Koala who became famous after he was injured and rescued from the historic wildfires , died Thursday , an Australian wildlife shelter said . `` It is with great sadness today that TressCox Lawyers on behalf of the Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter announce that Sam the Koala has lost her latest fight for survival , '' the shelter said in a statement . `` Sam became a symbol of hope and determination across the nation for both survivors of the black Saturday bush fires and all those that fought and lent support throughout the community . '' Sam was catapulted into fame in February when a photograph surfaced showing a firefighter , marked with soot , holding her injured paw and pouring water into her mouth . As firefighters continued to battle the brush fires that killed more than 200 people and torched 2,000 homes , Sam was taken to Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter to heal from burns on her paws . Reporters flocked to the wildlife shelter to do update stories on Sam . One story by Australian local television revealed that Sam , short for Samantha , had quickly gained a boyfriend , a Koala named Bob . Her paws healed but soon she developed ovarian cysts associated with chlamydia , an ailment that affects 50 percent of Australia 's koala population , the shelter said . `` Sam had severe changes in her urinary and reproductive tract that was non-operable and unfortunately had to put Sam to sleep , '' the statement said . `` The changes were consistent with the Chlamydia infection . It was so severe that there was no possible way to be able to manage her pain . '' | Sam pictured in photograph being nursed by a firefighter during February fires . Sam taken to Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter to heal from burns on her paws . Paws healed but she developed ovarian cysts associated with chlamydia . | [[1004, 1006], [1113, 1194], [1402, 1417], [1422, 1454], [1441, 1480]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Venus Williams claimed the 42nd title of her glittering career as she successfully defended her Dubai Tennis Championship crown on Saturday . The American defeated fourth seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-3 7-5 in the final , having also won their only previous encounter at the 2008 Beijing Olympics . The victory lifted Williams into 11th place on the all-time list , moving her one title ahead of the recently-returned Justine Henin to make her the most successful player currently active on the WTA Tour . The former world No. 1 , seeded third in the absence of her top-ranked younger sister Serena and No. 2 Dinara Safina , won the opening set in controversial circumstances with the only break after using the Hawkeye system to challenge a line call on Azarenka 's second serve at 3-2 . The 29-year-old Williams romped to a 2-0 lead in the second set , but Australian Open quarterfinalist Azarenka leveled at 3-3 and games went with serve until 5-5 . Williams broke then with a forehand passing shot , highlighting the extra power she said had given her an edge . `` Obviously , my serve is a big advantage for me , '' she told the tournament 's official Web site . `` I think I get a lot of balls back . I think off the ground she 's very strong and consistent , but I think I 'm probably a little stronger than her , so that helps me to control the point . `` I think she does everything well , but there 's a few things , obviously the strength that helps me . '' The 20-year-old Azarenka has now lost five of her eight WTA Tour finals . `` It 's not about power . It 's more about precision that she was making it on the lines close to the lines , '' Azarenka said . `` Venus came off with some big shots , and , you know , I think overall the game was really good . `` Very high quality of tennis from both of us . Just , you know , a little bit of bad luck on a few balls . But I 'm proud of what I did today . '' Meanwhile , top seed Maria Sharapova claimed her 21st career title and her first of this year after thrashing Sophia Arvidsson 6-2 6-1 in the final of the Cellular South Cup in Memphis on Saturday . The Russian made short work of the 102-ranked Swede , who reached the final after coming through qualifying rounds but won the tournament four years ago . The 22-year-old Sharapova won her fifth consecutive match in straight sets , claiming her first title since triumphing in Tokyo in October last year as she continues her rehabilitation from long-term shoulder problems . | Venus Williams claims 42nd title of her career , defending Dubai Tennis Championship crown . American third seed defeats Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-3 7-5 in final . Victory lifted Williams into 11th place on the all-time list above Justine Henin . Maria Sharapova claims her first title of 2010 , beating Sophia Arvidsson in Memphis final . | [[0, 5], [19, 160], [161, 231], [324, 388], [1947, 1956], [1959, 2040], [1959, 1962], [2041, 2081]] |
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- With fuel prices still high enough to put a hole in your pocket , where does one turn ? BMW 's MINI division is the best average fuel-economy automaker . For some , it 's a vehicle that 's been engineered to sip , not guzzle . The question then : Which brand is more likely to ease you out of the gas station without feeling you 've been turned upside down and shaken ? Perhaps surprisingly , it 's not always the Asian-based carmakers that come up on top where fuel economy ratings are concerned . A look at the U.S. government 's official fuel economy ratings -LRB- published by the Department of Energy , the Office of Energy Efficiency and the Environmental Protection Agency -RRB- might not be light reading , but it does give a new sense of perspective on what is a very complex issue . One observation : Carmakers are , on the whole , doing a pretty good job of bringing choice to the market when it comes to fuel economy . AOL Autos : Best-selling fuel-efficient cars . There may , however , be two races to win : the most fuel-efficient car on the road and the automaker that `` on average '' is most likely to save you money at the pump . AOL Autos : Fuel-efficient used cars for sale . On a single car basis , the Toyota Prius comes out on top , its hybrid technology delivering 48 city miles on a gallon -LRB- like other hybrids , its fuel efficiency drops slightly on the highway , to 45 -RRB- . With fuel prices hitting hard , where are motorists more likely to find relief ? On a fleet basis , the best performing manufacturer is BMW 's MINI division , with three models averaging out at just over 27 mpg city/highway . But fitting a family any bigger than two or three in the MINI is n't possible ; Honda might be a more realistic choice , its 27 models average out at almost 24 mpg combined . Domestically , the winner in average fuel economy is Chevrolet , its 88 models average a combined 23.26 mpg combined city/highway , only slightly lower than Honda 's 23.81 mpg average . AOL Autos : Three cheap , fuel-efficient new cars . What 's more impressive is that Chevrolet 's numbers factor in a full line of trucks , not the case with Honda -LRB- its only offering in that category being the Ridgeline -RRB- . But as shoppers would be quick to point out , it 's not the fleet that we 're buying . It 's the individual car or truck . AOL Autos : Cars with 30 + MPG for $ 300 or less per month . By category , the 2008 Fuel Economy Guide singles out the leaders , and there it 's more than a little apparent that the traditional Asian and European brands are n't about to give up their leadership position . For two-seaters , it 's Mercedes ' Smart brand that delivers 33/41 mpg city/highway , followed by Mazda 's MX-5 and its 22/27 mpg rating . AOL Autos : 10 cars with the best gas mileage . MINI stands alone in the next size category -LRB- mini-subcompact -RRB- , with its two variations -LRB- manual and automatic -RRB- delivering 28/37 combined and 26/34 respectively . An interesting side note : the traditional argument that manual transmissions deliver higher fuel economy no longer holds true . Several carmakers boast higher fuel economy with the automatic transmission than with a manual -LRB- if available -RRB- . Toyota 's Yaris takes top honors in the subcompact category , posting 29/35 with an automatic transmission -LRB- 29/36 for the manual -RRB- . The compact category has the Honda Civic Hybrid at the top of the ratings , with its 40/45 mpg , followed by Toyota 's Corolla and its 28/37 mpg rating . A little bigger vehicle will still take you further , notably if it 's the industry leading Toyota Prius . In second place is the Nissan Versa and its 26/31 mpg rating . The federal government 's `` large car '' category has the Honda Accord at the top with 21/31 mpg -LRB- manual -RRB- and 22/31 mpg -LRB- automatic -RRB- . Honda once again takes top honors in the small station wagon category , the Fit coming in at 27/34 -LRB- automatic -RRB- and 28/34 -LRB- manual -RRB- . Volkswagen 's Passat came out on top in the midsize station wagon category with 20/28 mpg for the automatic and 20/29 with manual transmission . Where pickups are concerned , the differences between manufacturers are only slight , with Ford 's Ranger two-wheel-drive Ranger pickup tying with its Mazda cousin , the B2300 at 21/26 mpg city/highway , followed by Toyota 's Tacoma two-wheel-drive version delivering slightly less -- 19/25 mpg . In the standard pickup truck category , 15/20 mpg city/highway seems to be the standard , only the Dodge Dakota and Mitsubishi 's Raider -LRB- both two-wheel-drive -RRB- eking out a slightly higher 16 mpg city . GM apparently owns the cargo van category when it comes to fuel economy , its Chevy 1500/2500 and GMC version delivering 15/20 mpg . And the Mazda5 has similar bragging rights in the minivan category , with 21/27 mpg -LRB- automatic -RRB- and 22/28 mpg -LRB- manual -RRB- . The sport utility vehicle category has Ford Motor Co. taking top honors , not only with the Ford Escape Hybrid at 34/30 but its virtually identical hybrid cousins the Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner . The Jeep Compass and Patriot , both with manual transmission and two-wheel-drive , are rated at 23/28 mpg city/highway . So who 's the worst when it comes to earning the gas guzzler label ? Look to the so-called `` exotics . '' The average Lamborghini , for example , will average just over 11 mpg -LRB- combined city and highway -RRB- , only slightly outdoing the two-seater Bugatti Veyron 's 10 mpg . But people who buy those cars are n't nearly as likely to wince as the gas pump numbers go flying by . The lesson : Just about any way the numbers are sliced and diced , there are options for car buyers looking for fuel relief . And the differences may be surprising . Comparisons based on data available in the Model Year 2008 Fuel Economy Guide , published by the U.S. Department of Energy , the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency . Number of vehicles for each manufacturer includes variations in transmission , engine and trim , and fuel octane requirements . | Two fuel-efficient races to win : best car and best all-around automaker . Toyota Prius is No. 1 car -- hybrid technology gives 48 city miles on a gallon . `` Exotic '' cars like Lamborghini and Bugatti are worst fuel-economy automakers . Compact category has Honda Civic Hybrid , Toyota Corolla at top of ratings . | [[113, 178], [1028, 1044], [1047, 1104], [1047, 1104], [1127, 1173], [1222, 1243], [1246, 1279], [1282, 1346], [3630, 3671], [3411, 3505]] |
-LRB- Budget Travel -RRB- -- It 's every city 's favorite excuse for a party . Here are ten spectacular ways to ring in 2009 . Brilliant and colorful fireworks light up Australia 's Sydney Harbour Bridge last New Year 's Eve . Bangkok : A fresh tradition . If Times Square 's light show does n't cut it for you , head to the capital of Thailand , where a 52-foot-high Greeting Ball Tower signals the arrival of midnight . Outside of the giant CentralWorld shopping mall , about 500,000 revelers join hands to count down to the New Year . Earlier in the evening , events include seven concert performances by Thai stars . Grab a glass of Chang beer from an outdoor garden for about $ 1.50 . BudgetTravel.com : See slideshow of New Year 's hot spots . Details : handsbangkokcountdown.com or tourismthailand.org . Hot tip : Catch traditional Thai dance and folk music on the city 's historic parade ground , Sanam Luang . At midnight , fireworks explode over the banks of the Chao Phraya River . Berlin : The best and the wurst . Despite temperatures of around the freezing point , Berliners host an open-air New Year 's Eve bash , and the city claims that it is the largest such party in the world . Roughly one million merrymakers pack the nearly mile-and-a-quarter-long stretch between the Victory Column and the Brandenburg Gate . Colorful lasers illuminate the sky while music -- mostly pop and dance -- blares from giant speakers . Elsewhere in town , Germans are as law-abiding on Silvester -LRB- New Year 's Eve -RRB- as always , lighting their private fireworks in designated spaces under police watch . But they also cut loose with practical jokes , such as filling homemade doughnuts with mustard instead of the usual jelly . Details : silvester-berlin . de . Hot tip : If you need a breather , duck into one of the scattered party tents . Rest on free heated benches and munch on specialty sausages , such as bratwurst for around $ 3 . Or else head to Unter den Linden Boulevard , which presents a clearer , less claustrophobic view of the fireworks . Cape Town : Where the Second is best . A slave 's only day off in 18th-century South Africa was on January 2 , and so it 's on Tweede Nuwe Jaar -LRB- Second New Year -RRB- that Cape Town parties the hardest . Up to 2,800 minstrels paint their faces white and storm the streets for the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival . Expect crowds of more than 80,000 . Clad in bright colors , participants carry instruments -LRB- such as whistles -RRB- and umbrellas while parading from Keizersgracht Street past City Hall and into Rose Street . South African wares and local delicacies are hawked along the route , and troupes compete for titles like Best Dressed . Details : capetownminstrels.co.za and tourismcapetown.co.za . Hot tip : Pop into a café along the cobblestone streets of the Bo Kaap residential neighborhood . Watch from indoors as minstrels perform patterned dances past brightly painted houses . Edinburgh : Scottish night lights . The Scottish capital toasts every New Year with a four-day festival called Hogmanay -LRB- pronounced hog-muh-NAY -RRB- . On the Monday before New Years 2009 , a torchlight procession along Princes Street whisks a giant wicker lion to Calton Hill , where it 's torched . Then on New Year 's Eve , indie rockers like Glasvegas blast away in the streets , while more mainstream rockers like Paolo Nutini perform at the Princes Street Gardens . Nearby , there 's a ceilidh , a traditional Scottish party where locals dance gigs and reels to a piper 's beat . Details : edinburghshogmanay.org and visitscotland.com . Hot tip : Practice the traditional Scottish song `` Auld Lang Syne '' in advance . Everyone belts it out when the clock strikes 12 . Hong Kong : Reaching for the stars . The waterfront promenade Tsim Sha Tsui is a fine vantage point to take in the midnight pyrotechnics above the city 's tallest building , 2 IFC . For an even more memorable view , jump aboard the Shining Star Ferry for a two-hour cruise of Victoria Harbour . It departs from the Tsim Sha Tsui pier ; price has still not been set but will probably be around $ 20 per adult . Details : discoverhongkong.com . Hot tip : A carnival in Sha Tin Park will include roving street performances of music and puppetry . It 's a 15-minute tram ride from downtown -LRB- plus a roughly 7-minute walk -RRB- . Las Vegas : The glittering Strip . Vegas lives up to its rep as a party town on December 31 , with lunatic stunts , a massive light display , and performances by well known entertainers . The Strip hosts the free portion of America 's Party , an extravaganza with a fireworks display launching from various spots . On Fremont Street , folks pay $ 20 a head to see Tribute-Palooza , a set of eight bands that imitate major acts like U2 , Kiss , and Elton John . Details : For Fremont Street , see vegasexperience.com . For the Strip , see visitlasvegas.com . Hot tip : The Las Vegas Monorail runs until 3 a.m. ; a special one-day pass costs $ 12 . New Orleans : Gumbo and pigskin . As in years past , New Orleans puts its own twist on New York City 's ball drop . Its spotlit gumbo pot drops from the Jax Brewery at midnight . Its fall prompts a nightlong bar crawl in the historic French Quarter . This year , is the 75th anniversary of the Sugar Bowl , and the football matchup takes place on January 2 . Expect a football theme for most of the weekend 's events . For example , in Jackson Square after the gumbo pot drop , a light-and-sound display will synchronize the fight song of each team playing in the Bowl this year with the appearance of each team 's colors in the sky . Details : neworleansonline.com . Hot tip : Hop the ferry from Canal Street to Algiers Point -LRB- friendsoftheferry.org -RRB- , where you can get a comparatively peaceful view of fireworks . The free ferry departs every 30 minutes from 6:15 a.m. to 1:15 a.m. on New Year 's Eve . Reykjavík : Fantasy and flames . Icelandic law allows a firework free-for-all on New Year 's Eve , making for a raucous night in the capital city . Friends and neighbors sing folk songs at roughly half-a-dozen bonfires scattered across Reykjavík . Note that on this holiday , local bars and clubs open a little after midnight . Details : visitreykjavik.is . Hot tip : Temperatures typically dip to about 23 degrees Fahrenheit . The warmest way to enjoy the celebrations is to take a coach tour . Iceland Excursions ' Gray Line stops at the largest bonfires for $ 71 per adult . A midnight toast of sparkling wine is included , of course . Rio de Janeiro : Beach party . The two-and-a-half mile stretch of Copacabana Beach plays host to more than two million partygoers decked out in traditional white . Cariocas -LRB- as the locals call themselves -RRB- make offerings of red roses and white gladioli to Iemanjá , the goddess of the waters , before an all-night whirlwind of dancing and live concerts . Head to majestic Sugarloaf Mountain for a somewhat quieter vantage point for taking in the fireworks display . Details : rioconventionbureau.com.br . Hot tip : Looking for passion ? Wear a hint of red to send the right message . Sydney : First to cheer . Because of its location , Sydney is among the first major cities to greet the new year . The city will synch up its pyrotechnics with colorful lighting effects on the arches of the Sydney Harbour Bridge . Revelers gear up earlier in the day . Waterfront events attract crowds of Sydneysiders in T-shirts and shorts -- plus indigenous people in traditional garb . Between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. , aircraft will run hourly flyovers above Sydney Harbour Bridge . After 9 p.m. , 55 illuminated ships circuit Sydney Harbour , foreshadowing the barrage of light and sound to come . Details : sydneynewyearseve.com.au ; the site lists dozens of vantage points and other info . Hot tip : Lay down a blanket at North Head at Sydney Harbour National Park , a relatively uncrowded hangout for gazing at the fireworks . Additional reporting by Amy Cassell . Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2008 Newsweek Budget Travel , Inc. , all rights reserved . Note : This story was accurate when it was published . Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip . | 80,000 hard partiers jam streets of Cape Town , South Africa on January 2 . 12 Icelandic bonfires dot Reykjavík and bars open a little AFTER midnight . Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , offers all-night whirlwind of beach dancing , live concerts . Vegas has Tribute-Palooza : bands imitate U2 , Kiss , Elton John and others . | [[2376, 2411], [6029, 6077], [6078, 6148], [6119, 6177], [6178, 6257], [6206, 6257], [4759, 4770], [4776, 4828]] |
Miami , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five Florida men convicted of plotting terrorist acts with al Qaeda were sentenced Friday to long prison terms , the Department of Justice announced . Seven suspects were arrested in June 2006 for allegedly conspiring to blow up buildings , including the 110-story Sears Tower , the nation 's tallest building , in Chicago , Illinois ; the FBI 's Miami office and others . Five were convicted in May , their third trial after juries failed to reach a verdict on two previous attempts . The sixth was found not guilty . A seventh was found not guilty earlier . The suspected ringleader , Narseal Batiste , 35 , was sentenced to 13 1/2 years in prison plus 35 years of supervision after his release . He was the only defendant found guilty earlier this year of all four conspiracy charges , including conspiring to incite a rebellion against the United States , supplying materials to a terror organization and terrorists , and conspiring to destroy buildings with explosives . Another defendant , Patrick Abraham , 30 , was sentenced to 9 years , 4-and-a-half months in prison , to be followed by 15 years of supervision . He was convicted of two counts involving supplying materials to terrorists and terror groups , and of conspiring to destroy buildings with explosives . Stanley Grant Phanor , 34 , Burson Augustin , 24 , and Rotschild Augustine , 26 , were convicted of supplying materials to terrorists but acquitted of the other charges . Phanor got eight years , Augustin got six and Augustine seven . All will be supervised for 10 to 15 years after release . The sixth defendant , Naudimer Herrera , 25 , was acquitted on all four counts . The prosecution of the men `` helped make our community safer by rooting out nascent terrorists before they could carry out their threats , '' Acting U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman of the Southern District of Florida said in a statement announcing the sentences Friday . Lawyers for two of the men said they intended to appeal when the verdict was announced in May . The terror trial in Miami was the third held for the defendants , a group of homeless men initially known as the `` Liberty City 7 , '' for the Miami neighborhood where authorities say they operated . In the first trial , a mistrial was declared after nine days of deliberations in December 2007 , although a seventh defendant was acquitted . The jury in the second trial deadlocked in April 2008 after deliberating for 13 days . The first two juries could not determine whether the defendants were seriously plotting with al Qaeda -- as the prosecutors alleged -- or if they were simply struggling young men who were looking to con an FBI informant out of money , as the defense alleged . Authorities have said the men did not have explosives or weapons and that their plans appeared `` more aspirational than operational . '' The investigation began after an Arabic speaker contacted authorities and said Batiste approached him about waging `` jihad '' in the United States . Investigators then planted among the group an undercover informant , who claimed to be an al Qaeda member who helped plan the attack on the USS Cole in 2000 . A federal raid on the group 's Liberty City warehouse in 2006 revealed a receipt for purchase of a gun , as well as ammunition , marijuana , two credit cards , 10 euros , three machetes , two swords , an ax , uniforms and a flight suit . On a surveillance videotape played during trial , Batiste could be heard saying he was `` very grateful '' to Osama bin Laden and `` loved '' the al Qaeda leader 's work . He also said he respected bin Laden and wanted to meet him someday . In other excerpts , Batiste told the informant his people needed training , and they discussed going to Chicago because the city has underground trains and tunnels . CNN 's John Couwels contributed to this report . | Trial was the third for defendants , homeless men initially known as `` Liberty City 7 '' Seven suspects were arrested in June 2006 ; five were convicted in May . Suspected ringleader , Narseal Batiste , 35 , was sentenced to 13 1/2 years . | [[2051, 2114], [2128, 2181], [35, 102], [186, 311], [408, 434], [595, 619], [622, 637], [595, 619], [645, 733]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Texas inmate in a wheelchair , who escaped on foot from two armed guards as he was being transferred between prisons , is now on the U.S. Marshals ' list of the 15 most-wanted fugitives . Arcade Comeaux Jr. , 49 , `` produced a weapon and fired upon two correctional officers , took them hostage and forced them to drive to Baytown , Texas , '' the U.S. Marshals Service said in a statement . He then put the officers in the back of the van and took their weapons and one of their uniforms , the statement said . Comeaux was serving three life sentences for aggravated sexual assault and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon . He escaped Monday during transport from Huntsville , Texas , to Stiles , Texas . The 6-foot , 200-pound man was shackled and in a wheelchair , `` which he had claimed was needed for mobility , '' Michelle Lyons , director of public information for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville , said in a statement . About 45 minutes into the trip , as they were driving through Conroe , 40 minutes north of Houston , the prisoner pulled out a pistol and ordered the guards to drive south to Baytown , east of Houston . He fired once , but hit no one during the escape about 9 a.m. , officials said . Law enforcement officers found the unharmed officers an hour later . Comeaux was being transferred so he could be near John Sealy Hospital in Galveston for treatment of the supposed paralysis he had suffered during a reported stroke , officials said . At least $ 16,000 in reward money has been offered for information leading to Comeaux 's rearrest and a task force of more than 100 investigators is searching for him , focusing on the Houston area , where he grew up and has family . His escape has led the man who oversees Texas ' criminal justice system to call for a shakeup of the prison system . `` I just think enough 's enough , '' said Sen. John Whitmire , the Texas Democrat from Houston who is chairman of the state Senate 's Criminal Justice Committee . `` We need a complete shakeup of the leadership of our prison system and/or an outside review by third parties , '' he told CNN by phone Wednesday . `` We just ca n't have security breaches of this nature . '' Whitmire said the guards had failed to pat down Comeaux while he was in his wheelchair and before they began the trip . `` Sure enough , he has a firearm , '' he said . `` The question is , are there others -LRB- in the prison system -RRB- ? I think you have to assume that there are until you find out differently . '' So far this year , more than 900 cell phones have been confiscated from the 112 locations that house the state 's 158,000 prisoners . `` It 's pretty rampant , '' he said . `` I want the director to come forward and tell us what it 's going to take '' to solve the problem , he said . John Moriarty , inspector general of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice , said such lapses are highly unusual in the state 's penal system . `` We have no open gun investigations other than this one , '' he said . `` The last one was several years ago . '' Texas Department of Criminal Justice Executive Director Brad Livingston , who has been in the job since 2005 , did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment . | Arcade Comeaux Jr. was in wheelchair when he pulled gun on officers . Comeaux forced officers to drive him to Baytown , Texas , where he fled on foot . State senator calls for shakeup in state 's penal system . | [[1093, 1125], [2315, 2339], [37, 49], [56, 93], [209, 227], [321, 360], [328, 362], [1093, 1105], [1130, 1194], [1762, 1878], [1781, 1788], [1793, 1878], [2046, 2111]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on Thursday by talking about war and the limits of nonviolence . But he also praised the peacemakers of the past and said the world can and should still strive for peace . `` Let us reach for the world that ought to be , '' he told the 1,000-member audience at Oslo City Hall in Norway . `` Clear-eyed , we can understand that there will be war , and still strive for peace . '' The Nobel committee 's choice of Obama as this year 's laureate sparked debate , in part because he is a president waging two wars abroad . Obama said force is sometimes necessary , but said that is simply `` a recognition of history , the imperfections of man and the limits of reason . '' Read a transcript of Obama 's acceptance speech . Fareed Zakaria , author and host of CNN 's `` Fareed Zakaria : GPS , '' spoke to CNN about the speech . CNN : What message was President Obama trying to send the world in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech ? Fareed Zakaria : The speech reflected his basic philosophy , which is why it worked so well . I think Obama is somebody who is a realist-idealist . He tries to balance idealism with the realities in the world . He clearly believes in the idea of doing good in the world , but believes you have to be pragmatic and realizes the dangers of over-reaching . CNN : Will the focus on the Afghanistan war being `` just '' be well received by world leaders ? Zakaria : Most of the world supports the war in Afghanistan . The UN approved it , and over 50 countries are participating one way or another , so countries wo n't react negatively . Obama wanted to remind people , including those in his own party here in the U.S. , that the Afghanistan war has a morally legitimate basis and that there are occasions in history where force is necessary . CNN : Are there any potential pitfalls to spending so much of the speech defending the war on moral grounds ? Zakaria : The great danger of moral certitude is that you get distracted from the practical issue of whether things are working . Are we creating a stable government ? Are we being successful against the Taliban and al Qaeda ? From Woodrow Wilson to Vietnam , the question of whether a military action is morally legitimate can overshadow whether it works . CNN : Does the speech give us any window into how Obama might conduct U.S. foreign policy going forward ? Zakaria : The Afghanistan speech last week and the Nobel speech are the two clearest statements of his worldview . He is n't making a broad statement like President Bush , when he vowed to end tyranny in the world . Obama says the U.S. is a force for good , but is engaging with the world and is trying to avoid open-ended commitments . Obama wants the U.S. to play a world role that is progressive and idealistic , but remains aware of the practical limitations inherent in trying to operate in a messy world . | Fareed Zakaria : president 's speech shows he 's trying to balance idealism , world realities . He says he must ensure that moral case for war is matched by effective military mission . Nobel speech , Afghanistan speech are clearest statements of Obama 's worldview , he says . More about the speech on `` Fareed Zakaria GPS , '' Sunday , 1 and 5 p.m. ET . | [[1156, 1218], [2433, 2537]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The nickname was meant as a joke , a little needle from Marvel Comics mainstay Stan Lee to artist Jack Kirby . Jack Kirby drew himself surrounded by his creations , including Captain America and the Fantastic Four . But more than a decade after Kirby 's death , the name still fits : He is `` The King . '' Consider some of the heroes Kirby helped create , many of which now pervade pop culture : The Fantastic Four , the X-Men , the Hulk , Iron Man , Captain America . His distinctive action-packed style became the model for many comic-book artists . When he died in 1994 , artist Gary Panter did a two-page spread in The New Yorker as a tribute . Michael Chabon dedicated his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about two comic book creators , `` The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay , '' to Kirby . Not bad for a guy whose chosen medium was looked down upon for decades . `` Jack ... was a brilliant man and an incredibly hard-working man , '' said Mark Evanier , author of the new `` Kirby : King of Comics '' -LRB- Abrams -RRB- , a lavishly illustrated biography of the artist . `` He produced an incredible volume of work . '' Gallery : The work of Jack Kirby '' It 's not surprising that Marvel 's art -- and those it influenced -- would start to look distinctly Kirby-esque , Marvel artist Herb Trimpe said at a Kirby panel in February . `` Everyone was so influenced by him -- his work was so powerful and unique -- that it was inevitable . '' Kirby was born Jacob Kurtzberg in New York and grew up on Manhattan 's Lower East Side , where his adventures with gangs would later filter into many of his heroes . In particular , the rough-and-tumble Ben Grimm , also known as the Thing of the Fantastic Four , was a self-caricature , Evanier observes . After short stints at a newspaper syndicate and as an animator , he ended up at Marvel 's predecessor , Timely Comics , where he and partner Joe Simon created Captain America , a huge hit during World War II . With Captain America came some of Kirby 's comic book innovations , Evanier says . Comic books , which had started as reprints of newspaper comic strips , had adhered to that form 's look of repetitious boxes . Kirby and Simon used different-sized panels , varying shapes , even full pages . `` They kind of invented things that made comic books different than strips , '' Evanier said . They realized they `` had the whole page to play with . ... They 'd take three or four pages for a single action scene . '' Simon and Kirby went to Timely rival DC and then formed their own studio after serving in World War II . The popular genres then were crime and horror comics , and Simon-Kirby created a handful , including the dramatically named `` Justice Traps the Guilty . '' They also pioneered the romance genre , juxtaposing Kirby 's innately thrilling style with primly dressed women and men in neat suits and sweaters . But while competitors like E.C. Comics dangled severed heads on their covers , Kirby and Simon opted for a lower key . `` They kept it tamer , deliberately , '' Evanier said . `` Jack did n't like the gory stuff . '' Ironically , the one area in which Kirby was willing to draw blood , so to speak , was with war comics : The cover of a 1954 title , `` The Guys in the Foxhole , '' pictures a heavily bandaged soldier writing a letter home , with the obvious aftermath of a battle behind him . `` The Guys in the Foxhole '' was n't the kind of comic to be approved by the Comics Code Authority , the organization set up to placate authorities railing against the crime and horror comics , and soon it -- and dozens of other titles -- were out of business . Kirby bounced around for a few years . Then , back at the company soon to be named Marvel , he and Stan Lee created the Fantastic Four in 1961 . As Evanier writes , the heroic quartet `` had uncommon depth and personality '' for comic book personalities . That kind of humanity would become the mainstay of the Lee-Kirby work and what many still think of as a golden age of comics created by them and other Marvel talents , including Steve Ditko and John Romita . Heroes were born one after another : Thor -LRB- 1962 -RRB- , Spider-Man -LRB- 1962 -RRB- , Iron Man -LRB- 1963 -RRB- , the X-Men -LRB- 1963 -RRB- , Daredevil -LRB- 1964 -RRB- . In `` Kirby : King of Comics , '' Evanier notes that from 1962 to 1964 alone , Kirby drew more than 3,000 pages and 285 covers . He was a workhorse , and he was becoming famous , but he was n't becoming rich . `` Jack was not a good businessman , '' Evanier said . `` He did n't take a week off ; he was a Depression-era kid . And he was terrified of not having a weekly paycheck . '' When Evanier met Kirby in 1970 -- he served as Kirby 's assistant for two years -- `` he was as successful as you could be in comics , but he was n't particularly well-paid . '' Kirby left Marvel in 1970 , not long after the company was sold . -LRB- The garrulous Stan Lee , who was assumed by the new owners to be the company 's creative genius , stayed on . -RRB- Kirby went to DC for a few years , but the company `` did n't give him much better terms , '' Evanier said . But as new generations discovered comic books , they discovered Jack Kirby , defending him amid the corporate takeovers and boosting his spirits . He got some of his work back -- rights issues plagued him -- and he never lost his creative power . -LRB- However , with great power comes great responsibility : Kirby did n't drive a car , Evanier said , `` because with his mind going , he 'd run off the road . Most people 's minds go from A to B to C ; Jack 's mind went from A to K to W. '' -RRB- . Kirby was matter-of-fact about his talent ; he loved to draw , and he tried to treat his readers with respect . `` I do n't think the average reader believes in fairy tales , and I 've never given them fairy tales , '' Kirby once said . `` Yes , I 've given them fictionalized drama , but this is drama that is enacted by real people . '' Fourteen years after his death , his power continues to radiate . `` When I go to comics conventions , I walk around , and there 's Kirby everywhere , '' Evanier said . `` And I 'm constantly encountering people who tell me what Jack meant to them . '' Though he did n't leave his widow with a fortune , as he had hoped , he left a reputation as a good man and a great artist . He may even , Evanier says , have had a little bit of the superhero about him . `` He took the comic book to a different level , '' the author said . `` There was a very positive force of energy around him . '' E-mail to a friend . | Jack Kirby helped create many famed superheroes . Kirby 's energetic drawing style influenced generations of comic book artists . The incredibly prolific Kirby is now considered a towering figure in comic books . | [[326, 373], [376, 380], [489, 571], [1187, 1299], [1105, 1147]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three inmates who escaped from prison in Indiana last week then allegedly stole a truck , money and guns were captured Thursday in Nebraska after a high-speed car chase , authorities said . The three escapees , -LRB- from left -RRB- Jerry Sargent , Christopher Marshall and Bobby Cockerell , were captured in Nebraska . Nebraska State Patrol spokesman Mike Meyer said officers apprehended Christopher Marshall , Jerry Sargent and Bobby Cockerell in Alliance , Nebraska , after a nearly 60-mile chase with speeds reaching up to 100 mph . According to Meyer , law enforcement officers tried twice to spike the tires of the minivan the men were traveling in . They succeeded on the second try about five miles east of Alliance , but the suspects kept driving on flat tires until they were inside the city limits . The men started running when the vehicle stopped . Two were caught , but the third tried to carjack a vehicle at gunpoint before being arrested by an Alliance Police officer , according to Meyer . It is not yet known which escapee tried to take the vehicle at gunpoint . No shots were fired and no one was seriously injured , Meyer said . The three men broke out of the Branchville Correctional Facility near Tell City , Indiana , last week , authorities said . Tell City is about 80 miles west of Louisville , Kentucky . Police believe the three stole guns during a home-invasion robbery in Sanders , Kentucky , earlier this week . New arrest warrants charge them with possessing stolen firearms as well as felony possession of firearms , said George Huffman , spokesman for the federal Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives . Because they were convicted of violent crimes , he said , they are not allowed to possess firearms at all . Police suspect the three of stealing a truck from a town near the prison and robbing three brothers in Sanders , about 65 miles east of Louisville , early Monday . The brothers were attacked , bound and held in their home for about an hour and a half while their assailants made off with guns and money , according to the Kentucky State Police . One of the three brothers was hospitalized after the attack , while the other two were treated and released . CNN 's Melissa Roberts contributed to this report . | The men were captured in Alliance , Nebraska , after a car chase . Kentucky State police say men assaulted three brothers , took guns , cash and clothes . The suspects broke out of Branchville Correctional Facility near Tell City , Indiana . | [[109, 181], [209, 265], [299, 338], [339, 478], [0, 15], [83, 123], [1782, 1945], [1946, 1972], [2039, 2084], [2039, 2055], [2087, 2127], [19, 32], [37, 77], [1169, 1248]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 15-year-old boy remained in a psychiatric facility Tuesday after Monroe , New York , police arrested him in connection with a plot to attack his former high school on the anniversary of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting , police said . Police say the boy targeted Monroe-Woodbury High School , although he was no longer a student there . He was charged as a juvenile and faces two felony counts of criminal possession of a weapon , Monroe Police Chief Dominic Giudice said . Police withheld the name of the teen , who was arrested Monday after police executed a search warrant at his residence . There they found four bottles filled with gasoline , a torch , machete , black trench coat , three propane tanks , two computers , items that could be used as fuses and several other electronic devices , according to a Monroe Police Department press release issued Tuesday . The supplies were found in the garage , Giudice said , but the teen 's parents had been unaware of their son 's intentions until he told police what he had planned to do . Police also discovered the teen had actively been seeking a military assault-type weapon that could `` hold as many rounds as possible . '' The boy told police investigators he had been bullied by fellow students and had been told that he resembled Columbine shooter Eric Harris , the press release said . A detective on the case told Giudice that the teen appeared to be composed during the interview , as if he were just having another conversation . Police said the plot was planned for April 20 at Monroe-Woodbury High School , which is the anniversary of the Columbine shooting in Colorado , in which 12 students and a teacher were killed . The date also is Adolf Hitler 's birthday . `` He said that he had a lot of hatred toward a lot of the kids who attend that school , '' the press release said . The boy had attended the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District but recently began attending another school , police said . In a statement released by the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District today , superintendent Joseph DiLorenzo indicated that students had come forward with information that may have averted the alleged plot . `` We are working closely with law enforcement to do everything possible to keep our children safe , '' he said . | Monroe , New York , police say boy , 15 , had bomb materials . Police : `` He had a lot of hatred toward a lot of the kids '' at his former school . Police say boy had bottles of gasoline , a torch , black trench coat , other items . Teen had been told he resembled Columbine shooter , police say . | [[1785, 1832], [632, 768], [1219, 1226], [1296, 1357]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A body found Monday beside a North Carolina road is that of 5-year-old Shaniya Davis , who was reported missing a week ago , police said Tuesday . The official cause of death was undetermined as of Tuesday afternoon , Fayetteville police said in written statement . An announced afternoon media briefing was rescheduled for Wednesday morning . Earlier Tuesday , police said additional charges are expected in connection with the case and any charges will be made public as soon as they are filed . Shaniya 's mother , Antoinette Nicole Davis , has been charged with human trafficking and other offenses . Davis was `` prostituting her child , '' police spokeswoman Teresa Chance said after Davis ' arrest over the weekend . Another suspect , Mario Andrette McNeill , has been charged with kidnapping in the case . Shaniya 's father , Bradley Lockhart , made a tearful appeal before reporters Tuesday afternoon , asking that `` everybody makes it a point not to ignore , to look past a situation where a person , a child , or anybody might be in danger ... so that we do n't have another tragedy like Shaniya . '' He said authorities have given him limited information , but he was to meet with them later . `` It 's not the result I wanted , it 's not the result any father or family would want for their children , '' he said . `` But God has a greater calling for all of us . '' Shaniya 's mother reported her missing from their Fayetteville home in a mobile home park on November 10 . According to police , surveillance video taken that day from a hotel in Sanford shows Shaniya in the company of McNeill . `` The investigation at this point indicates that Shaniya Davis was alive at the time she left the Sanford hotel , '' police said in the statement Tuesday . The road where the body was found is near Sanford , which is about 30 miles northwest of Fayetteville . Shaniya 's half-sister , Cheyenne Lockhart , said on HLN 's `` Nancy Grace '' Monday that she found it difficult to believe Davis had treated her daughter so poorly . `` She seemed like the sweetest woman . She did n't come from much , but ... she had the sweetest voice , she had the sweetest personality , and especially toward me . I would never think that she would do anything like that , '' said Lockhart , who shared a father with Shaniya . Their father said Shaniya went to her mother 's home on October 9 . CNN 's Gabriel Falcon contributed to this report . | NEW : Grieving father , speaking to media , urges people not to ignore children in peril . Shaniya Davis , 5 , was reported missing last week . Mother Antoinette Nicole Davis faces human trafficking , other charges . Davis was `` prostituting her child , '' police spokeswoman says . | [[833, 850], [872, 928], [76, 105], [110, 141], [1400, 1506], [517, 534], [555, 623], [624, 659], [662, 742]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The suspect in the September attack on a woman that led to the discovery of 11 bodies at his Ohio home pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he raped and choked the woman . Bail for registered sex offender Anthony Sowell was set at $ 1 million on the rape charges . Bail had already been set at $ 5 million on five murder charges related to the grisly discovery of the bodies at his home in Cleveland . `` I do n't think a $ 1 million bond is unfair under the circumstances , '' Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John O'Donnell said at Friday 's hearing . Sowell was arraigned Friday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on multiple charges , -- including attempted murder , rape and kidnapping -- connected to the September 22 assault on the 36-year-old woman . Sowell said he could not afford a lawyer , and O'Donnell appointed one . The victim encountered Sowell while walking in his Cleveland neighborhood , and he took her back to his home , where he became violent and raped her , Cuyahoga County prosecutors said . `` While raping her , he strangled her with a cord until she lost consciousness , '' the prosecutors said in a written statement . `` When she regained consciousness , he led her out of the house . '' Police investigating that case searched Sowell 's home and yard , finding the 11 bodies . Sowell , 50 , is charged with five counts of aggravated murder , rape , felonious assault and kidnapping in connection with those deaths . He served 15 years in prison for a 1989 attempted rape . He was released in 2005 . Neighbors and police have told CNN that other women were seen at Sowell 's home from time to time , and that he would offer them beer and other alcohol . Police say he also might have offered them drugs . Neighbors on October 20 reported seeing a naked woman fall from the second floor of the home . Firefighters and police responded and later notified police . But the woman told officers she fell off the roof while she was at the home `` partying , '' and no charges were filed . CNN 's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report . | Bail for Anthony Sowell set at $ 1 million on rape charges . Bail already set at $ 5 million on charges related to discovery of bodies at his home . Sowell , 50 , is a registered sex offender . | [[196, 288], [289, 352], [333, 425], [196, 288]] |
Atlanta , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The only checks Chris Chelios should be concerned about are the ones he 's writing for his children 's college tuition , but instead he still has the next body check into the hockey boards on his mind . At 48 years old , Chelios is the oldest American and second oldest player ever to play professional hockey . The veteran of 26 seasons in the National Hockey League has won the Stanley Cup three times , once in Montreal , Quebec , and twice in Detroit , Michigan . Now , the Chicago , Illinois , native has been called up from the American Hockey League 's Chicago Wolves to the NHL 's Atlanta Thrashers . `` Hopefully I can provide a little bit of leadership with what I bring to the table , '' Chelios said . `` It is a black cloud over my head -- that 48 , '' he said . `` I got to go out on the ice and prove it . '' Chelios is 30 years older than his youngest teammate , Evander Kane . Six of his teammates were n't born when his NHL career began . Still , cracks about age do n't come up in the locker room . `` Most of the guys from my team have been pretty respectful that way , but I 'm so used to hearing it from the fans and from other teams that it does n't bother me , '' the defenseman said . Teammate Ron Hainsey said the jokes are minimal . `` You probably wo n't hear too many from these guys because he might start skating circles around guys here . '' Hainsey , like most of the Atlanta Thrashers , grew up watching Chelios play . `` He 's in as good of shape as anybody here , '' Hainsey said . `` It 's just simply incredible for his age . '' In his 9th NHL season , Hainsey has played in about 600 professional hockey games compared to Chelios ' 1,600 professional games . `` If there 's anybody who 's seen just about everything , he 's got to be the guy who 's it , '' Hainsey said . `` We 're going to soak up everything we can from him while he 's here . '' Chelios still plays hard , but he does n't play as many minutes as he did in his 20s . When he is on the ice , Hainsey said , Chelios seems to always be in the right place at the right time . `` I think I 'm a little smarter than the young guys , but they got their speed that makes up for the lack of smarts , '' Chelios said . Thrashers Head Coach John Anderson is just five years older than Chelios . `` He loves the game . He loves to play and it 's not about the money anymore . It 's about wanting to win and wanting to play , '' Anderson said . `` I was kidding our defense coach -LSB- Todd -RSB- Nelson , '' Anderson said . `` I said this is probably the last time in your whole career you 're going to get to coach somebody older than you . '' Chelios is married with four kids who live in the Detroit area . He has two daughters in high school , one son in college and another son heading to college soon . `` It 's been a pretty tough adjustment for me not being with them , '' Chelios said . Both of his sons play hockey . `` You know at some point I got to start watching them , '' he said . `` They 're sick of watching me . '' Chelios is four years away from reaching Gordie Howe 's record of playing in the NHL at age 52 , but says he wo n't break that record . `` He can have the record . He 's the greatest ever , '' Chelios said . `` The fact that I 've made it this far as an American , that says enough and I feel pretty good about that . '' While he looks at his time with the Thrashers as being his last shot at the NHL , he wo n't close the door on the possibility of another season . `` I think depending on what happens now , realistically , this could be it , '' he said . `` Who knows what could happen ? We get on a roll , things start going good , maybe I 'll get that urge to come back again . '' | Chris Chelios , 48 , is playing for the NHL 's Atlanta Thrashers . His hockey career began before some of his teammates were born . The veteran of 26 NHL seasons has won the Stanley Cup three times . He says younger players are faster , but he plays smarter . | [[931, 993], [349, 440], [2119, 2168]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A woman to woman talk between Oprah Winfrey and the former head of her South African girls school ended with the settlement of a defamation lawsuit against the talk show host , their lawyers said . Lerato Nomvuyo Mzamane sued Winfrey , contending she defamed Mzamane when talking about an abuse scandal at the school she ran in 2007 . The case was set for trial in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , starting March 29 . `` The two parties met woman to woman without their lawyers and are happy that they could resolve this dispute peacefully to their mutual satisfaction , '' the attorneys said in a joint statement Tuesday . Mzamane was immediately suspended and later fired after several students at Winfrey 's South African leadership academy complained about abuse . A dorm mother was later charged with abusing and assaulting students . The lawsuit contended that Winfrey 's statements at a private meeting with parents , which later became public , and at a news conference defamed the headmistress by implying she knew of the abuse and covered it up . Mzamane said the abuse complaints were never brought to her and that Winfrey never let her explain . `` Ms. Winfrey testified in her deposition that she did not intend the implications placed on her words by the plaintiff , '' the joint statement said . `` Ms. Mzamane testified in her deposition that she has no evidence that Ms. Winfrey knowingly made a false statement about her or entertained serious doubt about the truth of what she said . '' U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno ruled a week ago that Winfrey 's comments could potentially be interpreted by a jury to be defamatory . The decision cleared the path for a trial . The suit quoted Winfrey telling parents that `` any person that has caused harm '' to students would be let go . In the next sentence , Winfrey said she fired Mzamane because she had lost confidence in her ability to run the school . Winfrey also told the parents that when students brought their complaints to the headmistress , she `` had not taken them seriously , '' the suit said . The suit said one Winfrey quote cited suggested Mzamane , a native of the African kingdom of Lesotho , did not have a high-enough level of care for the students : . `` It was my intention by putting somebody in charge who was African , and was female , I believed that she would care as much for these girls as I do myself . I 'm sorry I was let down . '' Mzamane 's suit said the damage to her reputation resulted in her not being able to get another education job for a year . When Winfrey opened the school at the beginning of 2007 , she said she hoped it would provide opportunities to girls from poor backgrounds . She personally approved each of the students , many of whom were at the top of their classes . | The talk show host founded a girls leadership school in South Africa in 2007 . Lerato Nomvuyo Mzamane was suspended , later fired after student complaints of abuse . Mzamane claimed in lawsuit that Oprah Winfrey has defamed her . The two women meet without their lawyers and agree to settle lawsuit . | [[325, 335], [340, 353], [696, 784], [2572, 2627], [2630, 2712], [640, 647], [678, 751], [696, 784], [217, 252], [286, 335], [217, 239], [255, 335], [2449, 2518]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Thursday that the Pentagon will start to ease its enforcement of the `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' policy prohibiting homosexuals from serving openly in the military . Among other things , Gates said the Pentagon is raising the threshold for what constitutes an appropriate level of information necessary to launch a `` credible inquiry '' into allegations of homosexual behavior . The change , which will take effect in 30 days and apply to all current cases , is a reflection of `` common sense '' and `` common decency , '' Gates said . `` These changes reflect some of the insights we have gained over 17 years of implementing the current law , including the need for consistency , oversight and clear standards . '' President Obama and Adm. Mike Mullen , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , support a legislative repeal of `` do n't ask , do n't tell , '' which was first enacted in 1993 . Some senior members of the military , however , have expressed concern over the impact of the ban 's repeal on unit cohesion and morale , among other things . Is this the right move ? Share your thoughts . Last month , Gates announced the Pentagon had taken the first steps to prepare for a repeal of the policy . Laying the groundwork for such a change will take more than a year , he said . In the interim , he said , the Defense Department will start enforcing the policy `` in a fairer manner . '' Gates said Thursday that , moving ahead : . • The Pentagon will raise the level of the officer authorized to start a fact-finding inquiry or separation proceeding as a result of alleged homosexual conduct to a general or flag officer in the accused service member 's chain of command . • Only a lieutenant colonel , Navy commander or higher ranking officer will be authorized to conduct a fact-finding inquiry . • Only a general or flag officer in an accused service member 's chain of command will be authorized to initiate expulsion proceedings . • The Pentagon will revise what constitutes credible information to begin an inquiry or separation proceeding . For example , Gates , said , the Defense Department will specify that information given by third parties should be given under oath . The use of `` overheard statements '' and `` hearsay '' will be discouraged . • The Pentagon will revise what constitutes a `` reliable person '' upon which an inquiry can be initiated . According to Gates , `` special scrutiny '' will be given to `` third parties who may be motivated to harm a service member . '' • Certain categories of confidential information will no longer be used in discharge proceedings , including information provided to lawyers , clergy and psychotherapists . Information provided to a doctor as part of a service member 's medical treatment or to a medical official in the course of a public health inquiry also will not be used in discharge proceedings . Information given for either a security clearance investigation or in the course of seeking professional assistance for domestic or physical abuse also will be excluded . Last month , Gates told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that `` a guiding principle of our efforts -LSB- to change the policy on gays in the military -RSB- will be to minimize disruption and polarization within the ranks , with special attention paid to those serving on the front lines . '' Gates also said the Pentagon will ask the RAND Corp. to update a study it conducted in 1993 on the impact of allowing homosexuals to serve openly in the military . Since the `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' policy was implemented , more than 13,500 service members have been discharged , according to U.S. Rep. Jim Moran , D-Virginia . In 2009 , there were 428 discharges under the policy , the lowest rate of discharge since implementation , he said . The highest year was 2001 , with 1,227 discharges . Sixty-nine percent of Americans believe openly gay people should be allowed to serve in the military , according to a February 12-15 CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll . Twenty-seven percent are opposed to such a change , the survey found . In 1994 , shortly after the `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' policy was implemented , 53 percent of Americans believed openly gay people should be allowed to serve in the military , while 41 percent were opposed . CNN 's Alan Silverleib and Barbara Starr contributed to this report . | Change is reflection of `` common sense '' and `` common decency , '' Gates says . President Obama and Adm. Mike Mullen , support legislative repeal of `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' Policy forbidding gays to serve open in the military enacted in 1993 . | [[454, 531], [534, 593], [596, 611], [2455, 2473], [793, 829], [872, 906], [793, 829], [920, 931], [934, 936], [0, 20], [156, 239], [934, 936], [947, 970]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Delaware pediatrician pleaded not guilty Wednesday to 471 felony counts in the alleged child abuse of his patients , according to a spokeswoman for the state Department of Justice . Dr. Earl Bradley , 56 , was arrested in December on charges that include rape , sexual exploitation of a child , endangering child welfare and assault . Bradley , who had a practice in Lewes , Delaware , is accused of victimizing 103 children -- all girls except for one boy . Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden has said the charges are based on `` video and digital evidence '' seized from Bradley 's home and medical practice in December . Bradley also has medical licenses in Pennsylvania , New Jersey and Florida . Authorities have said they have contacted officials in those states . The next step in the proceedings is a case review May 17 , according to Kerry Angell , a spokeswoman for the Delaware Department of Justice . | Dr. Earl Bradley faces 471 felony counts , a state justice department spokeswoman said . Bradley , 56 , is accused of victimizing 103 children . Delaware AG said charges are based on seized `` video and digital evidence '' | [[0, 15], [43, 85], [0, 15], [138, 202], [356, 363], [396, 445], [480, 580], [564, 646]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Irish bishop resigned amid a Catholic church sex abuse scandal , apologizing in a statement Wednesday for any abuse that occurred in his diocese . Bishop John Magee of the diocese of Cloyne said he tendered his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI on March 9 . `` I have been informed today that it has been accepted , and as I depart , I want to offer once again my sincere apologies to any person who has been abused by any priest of the Diocese of Cloyne during my time as bishop or at any time , '' Magee said in a statement posted on the diocese Web site . `` To those whom I have failed in any way , or through any omission of mine have made suffer , I beg forgiveness and pardon . '' Child abuse by Catholic clergy in Ireland has become such a widespread scandal that the pope addressed it in an unprecedented pastoral letter to Irish Catholics . Benedict said he was `` truly sorry '' for the abuse . The pope addressed the crisis that has rocked the Irish Catholic Church in an 18-page pastoral letter , which was made public Saturday . Critics said the pope did not go far enough in the letter . The acceptance of Magee 's resignation came only days after the pope 's letter was published . The leader of Ireland 's Roman Catholics , Cardinal Sean Brady , wished Magee well in a statement , but said he had to focus on the victims of abuse . `` Foremost in my thoughts in these days are those who have suffered abuse by clergy and those who feel angry and let down by the often inadequate response of leaders in the Church , '' said Brady , who has himself come under fire for failing to report what he learned during an investigation into a priest who became one of Ireland 's most notorious child abusers . Brady was part of an internal Church investigation into Father Brendan Smyth in 1975 . He did not report his findings to the police and asked two teenagers who gave him evidence to sign oaths of secrecy . In the past five years , Ireland 's Catholic Church has had three separate outside investigations into child abuse -- both sexual and physical -- by priests , nuns , and staff at Catholic-run institutions such as schools and orphanages . Four bishops tendered their resignations in the wake of the most recent , the Murphy Report , which found a widespread tendency to cover up child abuse in the archdiocese of Dublin between 1975 and 2004 . Only one of those resignations has been accepted -- that of Bishop Donal Murray on December 17 . The resignation of Bishop Magee is not related to any of the recent statutory reports , said Patsy McGarry , religious affairs correspondent for the Irish Times newspaper . Instead , it is rooted in an internal church report on child protection practices in his Cloyne diocese in southern Ireland . In 2008 the Catholic Church 's own child protection watchdog , the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland conducted an audit of child protection practices in every diocese in Ireland , McGarry explained . It found those to be `` inadequate , and in some respects dangerous '' in Cloyne diocese . Its findings were published in December 2008 , prompting calls for Magee to resign . Magee did not resign , but he was effectively stripped of his authority in March 2009 , when Archbishop Dermot Clifford of the neighboring diocese of Cashel and Emly was appointed `` apostolic administrator '' of Cloyne diocese . The Murphy Commission -- which produced the report into the Dublin archdiocese -- is now investigating Cloyne diocese , McGarry said . It is expected to report later this year . Magee , 73 , had been bishop of Cloyne since March 1987 , according to the Irish Catholic Bishops Conference . Bishops normally retire at 75 . CNN 's Diana Magnay contributed to this report . | Vatican accepts Bishop John Magee 's resignation amid abuse scandal . Magee apologized for abuse commited by priests in his diocese . Magee , 73 , had been bishop of Cloyne since March 1987 . Five Irish bishops have tendered their resignations since December . | [[19, 84], [282, 334], [0, 15], [87, 137], [128, 137], [143, 168], [3606, 3611], [3614, 3661], [19, 84]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lionel Messi has replaced David Beckham as the best-paid player in world football , according to France Football magazine 's annual `` rich list '' . Beckham has topped the list for the last two years , but World Player of the Year Messi is now the highest earner . The Barcelona star has estimated annual earnings of $ 33 million -LRB- $ 44.1 m -RRB- with Beckham left trailing on $ 30.4 million -LRB- $ 40.64 m -RRB- . Beckham suffered World Cup heartbreak when rupturing his Achilles tendon while on loan at AC Milan from Los Angeles Galaxy , dashing his hopes of appearing in the finals for the fourth time with England . Blog : Is Messi better than Maradona ? He has suffered a slight drop in income compared to 2009 , partly due to the falling value of the dollar , but Beckham has been in the top two of the list for the past nine years to show his enduring appeal . Messi , in outstanding form for reigning Spanish and European champions with successive La Liga hat-tricks , boosted his earnings through bonuses as Barcelona did the treble last year under Pep Guardiola . According to France Football , Messi 's annual wage is made up of a $ 10 million -LRB- $ 13.36 m -RRB- basic salary , $ 4 million -LRB- $ 5.36 m -RRB- in bonuses and $ 19 million -LRB- $ 25.4 m -RRB- from endorsements and sponsorships , which include Adidas , Pepsi Cola and Gillette . Messi 's predecessor as World Player of the Year , Real Madrid 's Cristiano Ronaldo is a close third in the list on $ 30 million -LRB- $ 40.08 m -RRB- but there is a big gap to the fourth-placed player , Ronaldo 's teammate Kaka on $ 18.8 million -LRB- $ 25.11 m -RRB- . Thierry Henry , Ronaldinho , Carlos Tevez , Zlatan Ibrahimovic , Frank Lampard and Samuel Eto'o make up the rest of the top 10 . Inter Milan 's Jose Mourinho tops the manager 's rich list with $ 13 million -LRB- $ 17.36 m -RRB- ahead of Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini on $ 12 million -LRB- $ 16.02 m -RRB- . | Lionel Messi tops annual list of world 's best-piad footballers . Messi relegates David Beckham to second place with $ 44.1 million earnings . Inter Milan chief Jose Mourinho is richest manager in annual survey by France Football . | [[0, 15], [19, 100], [0, 15], [19, 100], [0, 15], [103, 163], [1785, 1929]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British citizens who travel to Israel should be aware that their passport details could be captured for `` improper uses , '' Britain 's Foreign Office warned Tuesday . It follows Britain 's expulsion of an Israeli diplomat and its accusation that the Israeli government was responsible for forging British passports used in an international murder plot . Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Tuesday that there are `` compelling reasons '' to believe Israel was behind it . Twelve suspects in the January murder of Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh , who was found dead in his Dubai hotel room , used British passports , the Dubai police have said . Miliband said the passports had been copied from `` genuine British passports '' in a `` highly sophisticated operation , '' indicating that a state intelligence service was responsible . The Foreign Office changed its official travel advice Tuesday for British citizens going to Israel , to warn them about the risk of their passport details being compromised . A British investigation `` found circumstantial evidence of Israeli involvement in the fraudulent use of British passports , '' the advice says . `` This has raised the possibility that your passport details could be captured for improper uses while your passport is out of your control . The risk applies in particular to passports without biometric security features . `` We recommend that you only hand your passport over to third parties , including Israeli officials , when absolutely necessary . '' Britain 's Serious Organised Crime Agency concluded that the 12 British people whose passports were cloned were `` wholly innocent victims of identity theft , '' the foreign secretary said . Israel has a stated policy on security matters of neither confirming nor denying involvement . Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said the British government would be giving its report on the passports to the Australian Federal Police , who are investigating how some of their country 's passports came to be used by the Dubai suspects . In an interview Tuesday with the Australian Broadcasting Company , Smith said Australia was not taking any action yet . `` We have an investigation underfoot , and we will await the results of that investigation by the Australian Federal Police , '' Smith said . He added : `` We 're treating this matter very seriously . Israel understands that , and when I receive the report -LRB- from the federal police -RRB- , we 'll make judgments which will be in Australia 's national interest . '' Dubai police had previously said three Australian passports were used in the murder plot , but Smith said there were four . He said there is nothing to indicate that the holders of the passports were anything but `` innocent victims '' in the crime . Al-Mabhouh , a founding member of Hamas ' military wing , was found dead January 20 in his Dubai hotel room . Police believe he was killed the night before , allegedly by the secretive Israeli foreign intelligence unit Mossad . A source close to the investigation said Wednesday that the total number of suspects had increased to 28 , from 27 , after Australia confirmed the use of a fourth passport . Six suspects used Irish passports , four used French documents , one had German papers and four had Australian papers . There is also one Palestinian suspect , police have said . Interpol expands search for suspects . Lt. Gen. Dahi Khalfan Tamim , Dubai police chief , has said not all the suspects had fraudulent passports . `` We know some of the names are real , '' he said . Interpol , the international police agency , has issued `` red notices '' to help search for the suspects . The notices are not international arrest warrants , but are a way of alerting police forces around the world that the suspects are wanted by United Arab Emirates authorities . | UK warns citizens who travel to Israel passports could be copied for `` improper uses '' Miliband : Passports used by Hamas leader 's killers were copied by Israel . Mahmoud al-Mabhouh , founding member of Hamas ' military wing , found dead Jan. 20 in Dubai . Dubai Police believe he was killed by secretive Israeli foreign intelligence unit Mossad . | [[9, 32], [74, 156], [940, 972], [975, 1028], [1195, 1337], [1230, 1292], [553, 586], [591, 629], [512, 584], [632, 654], [2832, 2842], [2847, 2887], [2832, 2842], [2883, 2941], [2942, 3050]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A December rampage that killed hundreds in the Democratic Republic of Congo went largely unreported because of lack of communications in the remote area , a United Nations official said Sunday . The Lord 's Resistance Army carried out the brutal campaign in northeastern Congo over four days , killing at least 321 , according to a report by Human Rights Watch . Rebels also abducted 250 others -- including at least 80 children -- when they attacked villages in Makombo area , the human rights group said Saturday . Alan Doss , a United Nations Special Representative for Congo , confirmed the massacre and said the world body was made aware of the attacks in December and confirmed some deaths in January . `` The area is remote , there 's no intelligence or communications , we had to cross check , '' Doss said . The United Nations can not corroborate the number of deaths reported by Human Rights Watch , but has confirmed more than 100 killed so far , he said . `` The area is the size of Spain , '' Doss said . `` It has no infrastructure ... we are working on efforts to get better communications to make it less isolated . '' The Lord 's Resistance Army was initially based in Uganda , but now works near the borders of Central African Republic , Sudan and Congo . It has been accused of killing , abducting and mutilating scores of people in the past . In the Congo attack , gangs tied up villagers -- including women and children -- and hacked them to death , Human Rights Watch said . They also crushed their skulls with axes and heavy wooden sticks , the report said . The anti-Ugandan government rebel group is led by self-declared prophet Joseph Kony . It claims its insurgency aims to replace the Ugandan government with a democracy based on the Ten Commandments . President Yoweri Museveni pushed it out of Uganda in 2005 . Five years ago , the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for senior rebel leaders for crimes in northern Uganda , but those indicted remain at large . The Makombo massacre is the deadliest documented attack by the LRA since rampages around Christmas 2008 left scores of Congolese dead . Dozens of other attacks against civilians have been carried out in other areas in recent months , Human Rights Watch said . | A rebel group in Congo killed at least 321 civilians , Human Rights Watch said . The Lord 's Resistance Army abducted 250 others including 80 children , the report said . LRA forces attacked at least 10 villages from December 14 to 17 , the report claimed . United Nations said it was made aware of the attacks in December . | [[214, 241], [313, 333], [214, 241], [336, 381], [889, 926], [1382, 1401], [1490, 1515], [2261, 2286], [214, 241], [336, 381], [382, 388], [394, 447], [1583, 1600], [214, 310], [214, 241], [336, 381], [451, 494], [497, 535], [536, 545], [627, 727]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World No. 2 Novak Djokovic stumbled at the opening hurdle at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami , but Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick cruised into the third round . Second seed Djokovic , who had a first-round bye , was surprisingly beaten 6-2 6-7 -LRB- 7-9 -RRB- 6-4 by Belgian Olivier Rochus on Friday . The world No. 59 could have won in straight sets after leveling at 6-6 in the tie-break , but held his nerve to break Djokovic in the final game of the decider to triumph . Serbian Djokovic , the 2007 champion , successfully defended his Dubai title last month but bowed out in the last-16 at Indian Wells two weeks ago . The reward for Rochus is a third-round clash with Brazilian 27th seed Tomaz Bellucci , who defeated American James Blake 3-6 6-1 6-2 . Nadal , the tournament 's last second seed to lose his opening match in 2006 , had no such problems this time as he beat another U.S. player , Taylor Dent , 6-4 6-3 . The Spanish fourth seed -- beaten in the semifinals at Indian Wells by Djokovic 's conqueror and eventual champion Ivan Ljubicic -- will next play Argentine wildcard David Nalbandian , who overcame Serbian 30th seed Viktor Troicki 6-3 4-6 6-4 . Sixth seed Roddick , last weekend 's losing finalist , gave home fans some cheer as he crushed Russia 's Igor Andreev 6-4 6-4 to set up a clash with Ukraine 's Sergiy Stakhovsky . Eight seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also progressed with a 6-4 6-3 win over Spain 's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez , and the Frenchman will next play German 28th seed Philip Kohlschreiber . World No. 1 Roger Federer begins his bid for a record-equaling 17th Masters 1000 tournament victory against Ecuador 's Nicolas Lapentti on Saturday , while third seed and defending champion Andy Murray takes on American Mardy Fish . In the women 's tournament , Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin made it a good day all-round for Belgium as the former world No. 1s progressed into the third round . Clijsters , the 14th seed but champion in Miami in 2005 , crushed 20-year-old Czech Petra Kvitova 6-1 6-1 to earn a third-round clash with Israel 's Shahar Peer . Henin , seeded 33rd after receiving a wildcard , beat Elena Dementieva for the second time in her comeback season , winning 6-3 6-2 against the Russian fifth seed . The Australian Open runner-up will next play Slovakian 26th seed Dominika Cibulkova . Second seed Caroline Wozniacki came from behind to defeat Bulgarian qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova 3-6 6-3 6-4 and set up a third-round tie with Russia 's Maria Kirilenko . The Dane had to come back from 3-1 down in the second set and 3-0 adrift in the decider . Fourth seed and defending champion Victoria Azarenka also progressed with Indian Wells winner and No. 7 Jelena Jankovic , No. 9 Samantha Stosur and Russia 's No. 11 Vera Zvonareva . | World No. 2 Novak Djokovic loses opening match at Sony Ericsson Open in Miami . Serbian upset by Belgium 's Olivier Rochus , but Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick go through . Former No. 1s Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin cruise through in the women 's tournament . Second seed Caroline Wozniacki comes from behind to seal third-round place . | [[0, 15], [29, 111], [118, 178], [179, 199], [230, 319], [1779, 1805], [1808, 1904], [2356, 2464], [2356, 2386], [2469, 2526]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Civil rights activist Dorothy Height , 98 , remained in `` very serious , but stable condition '' Saturday , her friend and spokeswoman said . A flurry of rumors about Height 's death appeared Saturday on the Internet , particularly on the social networking site Twitter , where her name was a trending topic . Wikipedia also briefly reported Height 's death . Height remains hospitalized , according to Alexis Herman , her friend and former secretary of labor under President Bill Clinton . Height was admitted to Howard University Hospital earlier this week . Further details about her condition were not immediately available . `` We are grateful for the professional care of her doctors , '' Herman said in a written statement . `` We especially thank everyone for your thoughts , prayers and support during this challenging time . '' Height , who turned 98 Wednesday , is chair and president emerita of the National Council of Negro Women . In the 1960s , she worked alongside civil rights pioneers , including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. , future U.S. Rep. John Lewis and A. Philip Randolph . She has been active in civil rights since the New Deal era , according to her biography on the National Council of Negro Women 's Web site . As a leader of the United Christian Youth Movement of North America beginning in 1933 , `` she worked to prevent lynching , desegregate the armed forces , reform the criminal justice system and for free access to public accommodations , '' the site says . She was elected president of the NCNW in 1957 and held the post until 1998 . CNN 's Lindy Royce contributed to this report . | Dorothy Height , 98 , remains hospitalized ; no information available on her condition . Wikipedia reported Saturday that she was dead ; rumors appeared on social networking site Twitter . Height has been active in civil rights since the New Deal era . | [[380, 407], [581, 649], [162, 236], [330, 339], [345, 379], [1122, 1180]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo killed at least 321 civilians and abducted 250 others -- including at least 80 children -- in a previously unreported rampage late last year , Human Rights Watch said in a report released Saturday . The Lord 's Resistance Army -LRB- LRA -RRB- carried out the brutal campaign in northeastern Congo over four days in December , the report said . LRA forces attacked at least 10 villages from December 14 to 17 , killing and abducting hundreds of civilians -- including women and children , according to Human Rights Watch . LRA combatants tied up villagers in the nation 's remote Makombo area and hacked them to death with machetes or crushed their skulls with axes and heavy wooden sticks , the report said . Most of those killed were adult men , but at least 13 women and 23 children were among the dead -- including a 3-year-old girl who was burned to death , according to Human Rights Watch . The LRA also killed those they abducted who walked too slowly or tried to escape , Human Rights Watch said . According to those who managed to escape , children captured by the LRA were forced to kill other children who had disobeyed the LRA 's rules , the report said . In numerous cases , children were ordered to surround the victim in a circle and take turns beating the child on the head with a large wooden stick until the child died , the report said . `` The Makombo massacre is one of the worst ever committed by the LRA in its bloody 23-year history , yet it has gone unreported for months , '' said Anneke Van Woudenberg , a senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch . `` The four-day rampage demonstrates that the LRA remains a serious threat to civilians and is not a spent force , as the Ugandan and Congolese governments claim . '' CNN could not independently confirm the massacre . Human Rights Watch said that the roughly 1,000 United Nations peacekeeping troops in LRA-affected parts of northeastern Congo are insufficient to protect civilians . The peacekeeping force is considering removing some troops from the area under pressure from the Congolese government , a move Human Rights Watch warned against on Saturday . The U.N. Security Council is planning to visit Congo in mid-April to discuss the peacekeeping force 's plans for withdrawal and the protection of civilians , Human Rights Watch said . The Congolese government denies that the LRA is still a serious threat in the country , which may have contributed to the absence of reports about the December massacre , Human Rights Watch said . `` We have been forgotten , '' an 80-year-old Congolese man whose son was killed during the massacre told Human Rights Watch . `` It 's as if we do n't exist . '' `` The government says the LRA are no longer a problem , but I know that 's not true , '' he said . `` I beg of you , please talk to others about what has happened to us . '' The LRA is led by self-declared mystic and prophet Joseph Kony , who claims his insurgency -- which began in 1986 -- is aimed at replacing Uganda 's government , led by President Yoweri Museveni , with a democracy based on the Bible 's Ten Commandments . After being pushed out of Uganda in 2005 , the LRA now operates in the remote border area between southern Sudan , Congo , and Central African Republic . In 2005 , the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for senior LRA leaders for crimes they committed in northern Uganda , but those indicted remain at large . The two commanders who perpetrated the December massacre report to one of those indicted leaders , according to Human Rights Watch . The Makombo massacre is the deadliest documented attack by the LRA since killing sprees around Christmas 2008 left scores of Congolese dead , but dozens of other attacks against civilians have been carried out in other areas in recent months , Human Rights Watch said . | A rebel group in Congo killed at least 321 civilians , Human Rights Watch said . The Lord 's Resistance Army abducted 250 others including 80 children , the report said . LRA forces attacked at least 10 villages from December 14 to 17 , the report claimed . CNN could not independently confirm reports of the massacre . | [[0, 15], [69, 98], [557, 590], [1048, 1073], [2367, 2392], [2564, 2589], [3887, 3912], [0, 15], [103, 156], [395, 412], [760, 777], [820, 904], [1218, 1235], [1407, 1424], [268, 392], [413, 476], [1817, 1867]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Public schools in Western states can continue teacher-led reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance , after a federal court ruled against a group of atheist parents . The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals , based in San Francisco , California , ruled 2-1 Thursday that the pledge does not represent a government endorsement of religion , prohibited by the Constitution . `` The Pledge of Allegiance serves to unite our vast nation through the proud recitation of some of the ideals upon which our republic was founded and for which we continue to strive : one Nation under God , '' wrote the majority . `` Millions of people daily recite these words when pledging allegiance to the United States of America . '' The ruling applies only to the 11 states and territories in the West covered by the 9th Circuit , but it reinforces other rulings from other courts upholding the pledge . The same appeals court also ruled separately Thursday , upholding the use of the words `` In God We Trust '' on U.S. money . The lawsuit was brought by several parents in the Sacramento , California , area who objected to the school policy . Among them is Michael Newdow , a prominent attorney and atheist , who had brought his long-standing dispute to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2004 . The justices had dismissed that earlier appeal on purely technical grounds , over questions he lacking standing as a custodial parent to bring the lawsuit on behalf of his school-age daughter . Newdow then recruited other parents into the current case . Newdow said he would appeal Thursday 's decision but acknowledged his dim prospects going forward . `` This was the appeal and this is the end of the road in terms of what you 're guaranteed , '' he said . Newdow said he 'll ask for a rehearing and , if that fails , will appeal to the Supreme Court . `` But they do n't have to take it , '' he said , referring to the nation 's high court , `` and the odds are pretty good that they wo n't . '' A woman identified only as Jan Roe was a key plaintiff , arguing she did not believe in God . She claimed the daily recitation interfered with her right to direct her child 's upbringing and that it indoctrinated her child with the belief that God exists . Children are not required to stand and repeat the pledge , but some parents said the social pressures to conform were an improper infringement of their rights . The plaintiffs now have the option of asking the Supreme Court to hear the case . The appeals court framed the issue as a dispute over whether was a traditional patriotic exercise or a blatant religious message . The same court in 2002 agreed with Newdow and other atheist parents . In dissent to Thursday 's ruling , Judge Stephen Reinhardt said the pledge was an overtly religious message . `` Carrying out such an indoctrination in a public school classroom unconstitutionally forces many young children either to profess a religious belief antithetical to their personal views or to declare themselves through their silence or nonparticipation to be protesting nonbelievers , thereby subjecting themselves to hostility and ridicule , '' he wrote . The Supreme Court previously has ruled the mere mention of God or religion by the government in a public setting does not necessarily mean a violation of the `` Establishment Clause '' of the Constitution , which ensures the separation of church and state . Examples that have met high court scrutiny include Ten Commandments or Chanukah menorah displays in a public park ; opening a legislative session with a prayer ; granting tax breaks for religious organizations ; and reimbursing transportation costs for parents whose end their children to parochial schools . The pledge was written in 1892 by Baptist minister and educator Francis Bellamy , who made no reference to religion in his version . It was originally worded : `` I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it stands , one nation , indivisible , with liberty and justice for all . '' It quickly became a part of public school programs . In 1954 , Congress added the words `` under God , '' at the urging of the Knights of Columbus and other groups . Another modification was to change `` my flag '' to `` the flag of the United States of America . '' `` This decision is a victory for common sense , '' Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson of the Knights of Columbus said in a news release . `` Today , the court got it absolutely right : Recitation of the pledge is a patriotic exercise , not a religious prayer . ... Every reasonable person knows that , and today 's decision is a breath of fresh air from a court system that has too often seemed to be almost allergic to public references to God . '' The case is Newdow v. Rio Linda Union School District -LRB- 05-17257 -RRB- . | NEW : Prominent attorney , an atheist , said prospects are dim , but he plans to appeal . Appeals court : Pledge does not represent a government endorsement of religion . Ruling covers only the 11 Western states and territories covered by the 9th Circuit . Dissenting justice in 2-1 ruling said the pledge is an overtly religious message . | [[1548, 1631], [1754, 1798], [1754, 1760], [1815, 1849], [192, 229], [270, 360], [737, 805], [797, 832], [192, 229], [270, 360], [2695, 2727], [2730, 2804]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin spoke Friday at a rally for her former running mate , Sen. John McCain , urging voters to support the senator in his re-election bid in Arizona . The rally , in Tucson , Arizona , was their first joint public appearance since McCain conceded the 2008 presidential election . McCain faces a primary challenge from former Rep. J.D. Hayworth and has come under criticism for being too moderate on a variety of issues , including immigration . Several leading Tea Party activists in Arizona have decided not to endorse McCain or Hayworth , criticizing both of their records while serving in Congress . But some national Tea Party members came out this week in support of Hayworth . While several said they were not upset with Palin 's endorsement of McCain , a few said they were disappointed . The enthusiastic crowd greeted Palin with shouts of `` Sarah , Sarah , '' as she , her husband , Todd , and McCain took the stage . `` Everybody here , supporting John McCain , we are all part of that Tea Party movement , '' Palin said . `` I think he 's gon na win this one , '' she said . `` Before there were protests on Main Street and marches on Capitol Hill , there was the maverick of the Senate , fighting for us . '' Palin railed against the health care legislation , saying that McCain fought against `` Obamacare . '' And McCain , speaking after Palin , said the bill will be repealed . `` It is historic that it is also the first time that on a pure partisan basis a major piece of legislation has been passed and it is going to be historic because it is going to be repealed and replaced , '' he said . `` And it is going to be done soon . '' Palin 's remarks at the rally were preceded by an op-ed piece in Friday 's Arizona Republic . She wrote that she respected McCain long before she was his running mate , a theme she reiterated in her public appearance . Read the full article . `` I admired his tireless crusade against the old pork-barrel-spending , earmarking-backroom-dealing ways of D.C. that make a whole lot of us pretty ill , '' she said . After a town hall meeting on Thursday night attended by about 120 people , Hayworth downplayed the significance of Palin 's visit . `` I think what we are seeing from the governor is a very understandable level of gratitude . After all , it was John who gave her entrée to the national stage . We all understand gratitude . That is fine , '' he said . The campaign appearance comes as Palin is being criticized for a fundraising appeal she posted on her Facebook page with what looked like crosshairs marking the districts of House members who voted for health care reform . She asked for donations to her political action committee to help defeat 17 congressmen who voted yes and who are running for re-election . In a Twitter message earlier in the week Palin said `` Do n't Retreat-Instead , RELOAD ! '' urging supporters to keep up the fight on the issue . The messages came as members of Congress were reporting threats in retaliation to their votes on health care reform . However , McCain told CNN 's `` John King , USA '' on Thursday that Palin 's language was not over the top . `` The rhetoric that we use in everyday language about political campaigns -- battleground states , it 's going to be a war -- all of those are things that we have used for years and years . They are in the crosshairs . '' From Arizona , Palin heads to Searchlight , Nevada , to be the keynote speaker Saturday for the kickoff rally of the Tea Party Express cross-country caravan to protest big government spending . CNN 's Kevin Bohn contributed to this report . | `` Everybody here ... we are all part of that Tea Party movement , '' Palin says . Sarah Palin , John McCain make first joint appearance since conceding 2008 election . McCain faces primary challenge from former Rep. J.D. Hayworth . Hayworth calls Palin appearance `` very understandable level of gratitude '' | [[1034, 1076], [1079, 1094], [212, 233], [246, 340], [341, 404], [2260, 2350], [2419, 2421], [2426, 2448]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tiger Woods ' popularity has plummeted -- but most Americans will still be rooting for him to win when he tees up at the Masters tournament in April , a new national poll suggests . Nearly 60 percent of those who answered a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey said they wanted the embattled golfer to win the event at Georgia 's Augusta National course , which would be his fifth victory there . Twenty percent said they did not want him to win and another 20 percent said they did not care . The Masters will be Woods ' first time back in professional golf since his November car crash outside his home and the media frenzy about his extramarital affairs . And even though Woods has taken a hiatus from playing , 52 percent of those polled said they think Woods will win the Masters , the first of the golf season 's four major tournaments which runs from April 5-11 . An overwhelming majority of those polled , 75 percent , thought it was appropriate for Woods to return at the Masters and that he did not have to wait longer . But still , a majority of those polled , 45 percent , had an unfavorable view of Woods . Forty-three percent had a favorable view . These numbers are in striking contrast to 2005 when about 85 percent of those polled had a favorable view of Woods . Woods ' public woes began with an early-morning crash November 27 outside his Orlando-area home , when he suffered minor injuries after striking a fire hydrant and a tree with his Cadillac SUV . Woods was not required to talk to police about the wreck and declined to talk with investigators on several occasions . Eventually , he was cited for careless driving . The accident occurred days after the tabloid National Enquirer named Woods as having an affair with a New York nightclub hostess . The woman has denied the allegation , but several others have come forward to claim that they had sexual relationships with Woods , who has two children with his wife , former model Elin Nordegren . In a carefully-managed March statement , delivered to a small , hand-picked crowd , Woods said he was in inpatient therapy for 45 days from the end of December to early February for `` issues , '' which he did not explain . The controversy prompted several major sponsors to suspend or drop their relationships with Woods , who also apologized to his business partners for his behavior . | Tiger Woods ' popularity has plummeted since media frenzy about his extramarital affairs . But a national poll suggests most Americans still want him to win Masters title . The world 's top golfer will make his first appearance this season at Augusta in April . Three-quarters of people polled thought it was the right time for him to return to action . | [[65, 167], [201, 227], [283, 375], [65, 167], [516, 609], [893, 926], [949, 1019]] |
Vacaville , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- You might think green eggs are only found in a Dr. Seuss classic . But at a small , family-run and highly regarded chicken farm on the outskirts of the San Francisco , they 're a relatively common sight . `` Is n't that beautiful ? '' said Soul Food Farm owner Alexis Koefed as she held one of the green gems . `` The thing about farm eggs is , once you 've had them you ca n't go back to the store and buy eggs again , '' she said . Chickens at the Soul Food Farm roam freely around the farm 's 50 acres . They enjoy vast fields of natural grass and generally live a stress-free life , feasting freely . It 's a philosophy unlike that of the industrial chicken farm , and Koefed and her loyal customers believe it produces better eggs and chicken . Soul Food Farm 's rise to popularity was n't limited to locals and the farmer 's market regulars . Instead , Koefed 's methods attracted the attention of many of the Bay Area 's top restaurants and their celebrity chefs , including Alice Waters of the nationally renowned Chez Panise in Berkeley . But an overnight fire in September 2009 raced down the rolling hills surrounding the farm nearly put an end to it . By the time it was extinguished , much of the farm and some 1,200 chicks had perished . With the existence of Soul Food Farm at stake , determined friends , neighbors and loyal customers of the Koefeds came to the rescue . `` It was so inspiring and heartwarming , Koefed said . `` It was a wonderful feeling to know that people cared about the farm as much as I did . '' Friend Bonnie Powell organized a fundraising effort of raffles , silent auctions , and dinners . She helped raise $ 30,000 to build new coops and replace the chicks killed in the fire . `` You ca n't hear something like that and just go , ` I 'm sorry . I 'm sorry that this thing you have worked so hard for is done and there 's nothing anyone can do about it , ' '' Powell said . Through the intrepid determination and loyal commitment of a true community , Soul Food Farm is back on the map . | Soul Food Farm is highly prized by customers , including fine restaurants . Chickens raised there feed in vast fields and live a relatively stress-free existence . A fire in September 2009 killed more than 1,200 chicks at the farm . Friends got together to raise more than $ 30,000 to help save the farm . | [[549, 553], [593, 626], [1094, 1158], [1206, 1217], [1240, 1293], [1675, 1742]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of the Web 's basic tenets is that small contributions from lots of people can amount to something powerful in the aggregate . Fans of the Japanese band Sour contributed images to a music video . Now , a growing group of writers , musicians , visual artists and videographers is turning this Wikipedia-era philosophy into online collaborative art . Twitter users are banding together to write an opera for London 's Royal Opera House . Bands like My Morning Jacket and Sour , out of Japan , are turning to fans to help film their music videos . Programmers are pulling quotes from online social networks to make automated poems . More than 50,000 animators are divvying up work on an upcoming animated film called `` Live Music , '' and amateur videographers are re-filming `` Star Wars '' in 15-second bites . This crowd-sourced creativity online is putting a new twist on traditional ideas of artistic ownership , online communication and art production . `` What 's exciting is that it 's being tested out by a lot of people who have access to -LSB- the technology -RSB- , '' said Mary Jane Jacob , executive director of exhibitions at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago . `` I think that we 're in a great communal workshop . '' In recent months , the collaborative projects have been showing the professionalism it takes to get noticed amid the clutter of content on the Internet , said Ze Frank , an online personality who orchestrated several early online art projects . Sign up for a CNN art project . Frank said people have been making collaborative online art `` since the beginning of the Web . '' But much of it was n't worth looking at . Some collaborative books proved to be too much work for even herds of people to tackle . Efforts to create massive drawings with thousands of contributors sometimes ended up looking like random scribbles , for example . But for some reason -- either because people are getting savvier with cameras or because the projects are getting more visibility -- things are starting to click , Frank said . Even if some of the latest collaborative efforts fail to produce masterworks , the real value is the process , he said . `` Even if the -LSB- Twitter-written -RSB- opera ends up sucking as a performance , the value may have already been played out in the theater of the creation of it , '' he said . Many of the projects aim to hit on universal themes . `` The little elements that are n't synchronized '' in the group art projects remind people that our differences are what make us interesting , said Matt Maloney , associate dean of the school of film and digital media at the Savannah College of Art and Design , referring to this music video , which features fans of the Japanese band Sour . `` The backgrounds change , the people move differently , the quality and temperature of the photography varies from component to component , '' he said . `` If that phenomenon did n't exist , if we were all the same and we were all uniform , this type of collaboration '' would not be powerful . Jacob , of the Art Institute of Chicago , said the projects speak to how people yearn to communicate and to be heard in these hyperconnected , digital times . `` It lets you ... meet other people , '' she said . `` We 're not talking eHarmony , but all these things , they 're interesting and they are of the moment . When people want to use -LSB- communication technologies -RSB- in a creative way , that 's really exciting . '' The online art collaborations grow out of a parlor-game tradition called `` exquisite corpse , '' she said . Around 1920 , famous surrealist artists gathered to draw portraits in pieces . They folded up large sheets of paper so that each artist could see only the edges of what had already been drawn . The pictures made sense only after the paper was unfolded . The online versions of this concept take the idea further because they involve people all over the world who often know nothing of each other , she said . For example , Darren Solomon 's site , inbflat.net , features 20 YouTube videos of musicians , many of whom do n't know each other , playing various melodies in the key of B flat . Visitors to the site can play the tunes in any order or combination they choose , meaning that each user in a sense becomes part of the artwork , Solomon said . Solomon , who once played bass with Ray Charles and now writes music for TV ads , said the `` In B Flat '' project shows that `` the world can come together and we all speak that -LSB- musical -RSB- language . '' `` Something about it is very hopeful , '' he said . One key to the project 's success , he said , is that it takes relatively little effort for musicians to send in Web-quality videos of themselves playing a short melody in a certain key . `` They 're happy to start picking up a video camera and start shooting or they 're happy to pick up an instrument and start playing , '' he said . Solomon finds that idea so compelling that he 's participated in other projects . With his two sons , ages 7 and 11 , he shot three of the 15-second clips of the user-generated `` Star Wars '' that will be stitched together by the site Star Wars Uncut . In one of the videos , he and the boys act out a scene with puppets . In another , his sons wear hooded sweatshirts and fight with light sabers in a New Jersey tunnel . In some cases , people do n't even know they 're making contributions to online art . Andrei Gheorghe , a Web developer in Romania , created the `` Longest Poem in the World '' by aggregating public Twitter posts and arranging them in rhyming couplets . Computers add 10 to 20 lines to the poem each minute , he said . Gheorghe said he does n't consider his work art . `` It was just a random idea that popped up and I played with it . And it is what it is , '' he said . Art professors said deciding what is and is n't art is a complicated process . In some ways , these collaborative projects are fine art , they said . In other ways they 're like games or means of communication . Like all good art , these projects are trying to `` stand convention on its ear , '' said Maloney , from the Savannah College of Art and Design . `` That 's going to keep happening , '' he said . `` So as soon as we finally nail this down you 'll have another group of talented artists that are going to say , ` Well , I 'm going to do something completely different . ' '' | Large groups of people are creating collaborative art projects online . One site wants to re-film `` Star Wars '' in 15-second clips , submitted by viewers . Another has a customizable tapestry of 20 musicians , each playing their own tune . Experts say the art comments on digital society and online connections . | [[219, 222], [225, 371], [839, 844], [845, 870], [753, 833], [5083, 5154], [5120, 5200]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British pensioner Ethel Kendall was `` only 72 '' when she left the United Kingdom in 1986 to be closer to her family in Canada . At the time , she was receiving the full British pension of just over # 38 -LRB- $ 58 -RRB- a week . Twenty-four years later , she is still receiving the same amount , and after a European Court of Human Rights ruling Tuesday she is not likely to receive any more . `` You know this is n't about me , '' the 96-year-old told CNN on the phone from her home in Canada . `` It 's about the British government 's deception and dishonesty . Our contributions were deducted from source with the clear understanding that we would get a full pension on retirement , but somewhere along the lines they changed the rule . In my book , in our book , they 're guilty of both fraud and deception . '' Kendall is one of more than half a million British expatriates living in countries including Canada , South Africa , Australia and New Zealand , whose pensions are not linked to inflation . On Tuesday , the European Court of Human Rights ruled by a majority of 11 to six that the British government had not breached their human rights by failing to `` up-rate '' their pensions to bring them into line with the cost of living . Under British rules , pensioners in a number of countries who do not have reciprocal agreements with the UK receive the same pension they were entitled to in the year they left Britain . People who emigrated before retirement age receive the amount they would have received at retirement age in the UK . In Britain , men qualify for a pension at 65 , women at 60 . A British expatriate who retires to Australia , for example , receives less money each week than if they had contributed the same amount during their working life and then emigrated to Barbados , Croatia , the Philippines , the United States , or one of more than 40 countries which do have reciprocal UK agreements . Margaret Oxley moved to South Africa at the age of 23 after World War II . Now in her 80s , she receives a UK pension of just # 2 -LRB- $ 3 -RRB- a week . `` The exchange rate is ten to one . Then the bank takes charges you see . No , you ca n't survive . A loaf of bread is ten rand . I get around 20 rand a week . So it 's really not worth bothering about , '' she said . Aging expatriates who have seen their pensions dwindle due to inflation and the falling value of the pound have been campaigning for change . The first court case was brought against the UK government in 2002 by Annette Carson , a British resident who moved to South Africa in 1989 . According to court documents , she receives a basic state pension of # 67.50 -LRB- $ 103 -RRB- -- # 14.55 -LRB- $ 22 -RRB- less than she would have received if her pension was index-linked . After failing to make her case in the British High Court , she took her claim to the British Court of Appeal and then the House of Lords . Many saw this week 's ruling in the European Court of Human Rights as the last legal avenue for recourse , but they are reluctant to give up the fight . `` I do n't think we 're going to make it the end of the road , '' said John Markham , director of UK parliamentary affairs for the International Consortium of British Pensioners . `` Certainly I think we 're going to mobilize public opinion with the new parliament , '' he added , referring to the upcoming British election expected on May 6 . The Vice President of the British Australian Pensioners Association , James Nelson said : `` Now it is up to the people still working or living in Britain to tell their government that they will no longer stand for this injustice . By paying increases in some countries and withholding them in others , the UK government severely limits our freedom of choice regarding where we can retire . '' It is estimated that around 250,000 British pensioners living in Australia are affected by the British policy . `` This is a devastating result and it will affect the lives of many British expat pensioners . The living standards of many will only continue to decline , '' said Jim Tilley , Chairman of British Pensions in Australia , who says one elderly woman there receives less than # 7 -LRB- $ 10 -RRB- a week after moving to the country in 1974 . In a short statement , the British Department for Work and Pensions said it had noted that the court found in favor of the government . `` We do not therefore plan to make any changes to the current arrangements , which allow for the exportability and up rating of UK State Pensions . '' Ethel Kendall is still angry . Not only for herself , she says , but for the pensioners in Britain who may now be reluctant to leave . `` There are many very lonely people we know in the UK who would give anything to come to Canada to join their families but they do n't take that risk , '' she said . A former nurse , Kendall worked part-time during and after World War II to ensure she could continue to support her three sons should anything happen to her husband . He was injured but lived for another 26 years after the war ended . A few years after his death , Kendall remarried . Only after losing her second husband in the mid-1980s did she move to join her family in Canada . She sold her home when prices were low but she says it did n't take long before her capital was eroded and she was relying on her UK pension for basic needs . `` It finished up with my family , not exactly subsidizing me with money , but buying big things for me , '' she said . `` I 'm 96 now . I 've been fortunate ; Canada has been good to me . I 've been in subsidized housing for 20 years but it should n't be that way . '' If her pension was indexed Kendall would be receiving # 82 -LRB- $ 125 -RRB- a week , more than twice as much as she does now . `` We 'd be lucky the way things are going now if we get a dollar for a pound . So , # 82 would be a darn sight better . '' | British pensioner Ethel Kendall left the UK in 1986 to be closer to her family in Canada . 24 years later , she is still receiving the same pension of just over # 38 -LRB- $ 58 -RRB- a week . After a European Court of Human Rights ruling she is not likely to receive any more . Over half a million British expatriates ' pensions are not linked to inflation . | [[91, 165], [5230, 5269], [166, 177], [180, 266], [267, 290], [293, 331], [338, 431], [3845, 3956], [3866, 3956]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Every week , Jackie Kaminer of Roswell , Georgia , buys fish for dinner at the local market . Although she knows it 's full of nutrients -- including good-for-your-heart omega-3 fatty acids -- she 's careful of the types of fish she brings home . Jackie Kaminer contemplates fish choices ; she buys only `` safe '' fish , like salmon , haddock and tilapia . Her concern ? Mercury and the dangers it poses to her children . So , she sticks to certain varieties : salmon , cod , tilapia and haddock are `` safe fish , '' but she stays away from swordfish , sea bass and tuna . As a mother of three , Kaminer should be concerned . Released into the atmosphere by industrial pollution , mercury contaminates water systems -LRB- and soil -RRB- when it rains . As fish feed on one another , the mercury stores up in their bodies . The toxic metal affects the nervous system . And although studies have shown large amounts of mercury can also affect fertility and blood pressure , and possibly cause memory loss in adults , it 's particularly dangerous to young children and fetuses . According to the American Academy of Pediatrics , during the first several years of life , a child 's brain is still developing and absorbing nutrients . Prenatal and infant mercury exposure can cause poor mental development , cerebral palsy , deafness and blindness . Even in low doses , mercury may affect a child 's development , delaying walking and talking , shortening attention span and causing learning disabilities . Having mercury levels that are too high is n't someone else 's problem . In a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , one out of 17 women of childbearing age in the United States has mercury in her blood above the level that could pose a risk to a developing fetus -LRB- 5.8 micrograms per liter -RRB- . So the federal government advises pregnant women and those thinking of becoming pregnant to avoid certain fish , such as shark , swordfish and fresh tuna , usually found in fish markets and sushi . Canned tuna seems to be less of a threat , but the U.S. Department of Agriculture says consumption should be limited . Why avoid these kinds of fish ? According to Andrew Heyes , a scientist with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center , Edgewater , Maryland , the older and larger the fish , the more mercury it has stored . `` As it grows older , it ca n't eliminate mercury as fast as it takes it in , '' he says . `` So there 's an accumulation in the fish . '' Watch more on fish and mercury '' Because mercury is a growing threat to us and our environment , companies have started to take mercury out of thermometers , switches and even batteries to prevent it from entering our soil . Now , many regions , like the Chesapeake Bay states of Maryland , Virginia and Delaware , have instituted new rules to limit mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants , one of the largest sources of mercury pollution in the region . Researcher Cindy Gilmour , also with the SERC , says that is a positive development because mercury contamination is getting out of hand . `` We 've opened Pandora 's Box and we 've let that mercury out from where it was buried underground , into the atmosphere and into our soils and waterways , '' she says . `` All that excess mercury causes problems , not just in people . '' In an effort to make sure these new regulations on mercury emissions are effective , scientists like Heyes and Gilmour are measuring levels of the toxic metal in watersheds near the bay . Gilmour says the research is needed . `` All those rules are starting to go into place , and we are starting to put those controls on our power plants . So what we want to find out here is whether those rules work and if the money we are investing in these technologies is really going to help , '' she says . As they monitor mercury , scientists are also learning more about how it behaves in nature . Gilmour says mercury contaminates more than just the soil and water . `` Mercury has a large impact on all kinds of animals -- loons , amphibians , songbirds , are all affected , '' she says . It will be several years before researchers know if the regulations are making a difference . Until then , health experts say enjoy fish -- it 's good for you -- but be like Jackie Kaminer and pick your fish wisely . | We 're told to eat fish , but some varieties contain high levels of mercury . The bigger and older the fish , the more mercury can accumulate . Mercury is released into air by industrial pollution : contaminates water and soil . New rules near Chesapeake Bay limit emissions from coal-fired power plants . | [[893, 945], [2349, 2383], [647, 757], [702, 773], [3163, 3282], [2750, 2753], [2756, 2921]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States has renewed a travel alert to Mexico , citing increased violence in the country . The alert , issued Sunday by the State Department , is in effect until August 20 and supersedes an alert issued August 20 , 2009 . `` Recent violent attacks have caused the U.S. Embassy to urge U.S. citizens to delay unnecessary travel to parts of Michoacan , Durango , Coahuila and Chihuahua ... and to advise U.S. citizens residing or traveling in those areas to exercise extreme caution , '' the alert says . `` Drug cartels and associated criminal elements have retaliated violently against individuals who speak out against them or whom they otherwise view as a threat to their organization . These attacks include the abduction and murder of two resident U.S. citizens in Chihuahua . '' More than 16,000 people have died in Mexico since President Felipe Calderon declared war on the drug cartels shortly after assuming office in December 2006 . Ciudad Juarez , in Chihuahua state across the border from El Paso , Texas , is the most violent city in the nation . `` The situation in the state of Chihuahua , specifically Ciudad Juarez , is of special concern , '' the alert says . `` Mexican authorities report that more than 2,600 people were killed in Ciudad Juarez in 2009 , '' the report states . `` Additionally , this city of 1.3 million people experienced more than 16,000 car thefts and 1,900 carjackings in 2009 . U.S. citizens should pay close attention to their surroundings while traveling in Ciudad Juarez , avoid isolated locations during late night and early morning hours , and remain alert to news reports . '' But the problems are not limited to Juarez , the State Department says . `` Mexican drug cartels are engaged in violent conflict -- both among themselves and with Mexican security services -- for control of narcotics trafficking routes along the U.S.-Mexico border , '' the report says . `` In order to combat violence , the government of Mexico has deployed military troops throughout the country . U.S. citizens should cooperate fully with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican highways . `` Some recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat , with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades . Large firefights have taken place in towns and cities across Mexico , but occur mostly in northern Mexico , including Ciudad Juarez , Tijuana , Chihuahua City , Nogales , Matamoros , Reynosa and Monterrey . During some of these incidents , U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area . '' A number of areas along the border continue to experience a rapid growth in crime , with robberies , homicides , petty thefts and carjackings increasing during the past year nationwide , the alert says . The State Department reports notable spikes in Chihuahua , Sinaloa , and northern Baja California . `` Ciudad Juarez , Tijuana and Nogales are among the cities which have experienced public shootouts during daylight hours in shopping centers and other public venues , '' the alert says . `` Criminals have followed and harassed U.S. citizens traveling in their vehicles in border areas including Nuevo Laredo , Matamoros , and Tijuana . Travelers on the highways between Monterrey and other parts of Mexico to the United States -LRB- notably through Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros -RRB- have been targeted for robbery and violence and have also inadvertently been caught in incidents of gunfire between criminals and Mexican law enforcement . Such incidents are more likely to occur at night but may occur at any time , '' the alert says . | The new State Department travel alert is in effect until August 20 . U.S. citizens are urged to delay unnecessary travel to parts of Mexico . Violent attacks have occurred in parts of Michoacan , Durango , Coahuila and Chihuahua . | [[130, 179], [182, 234], [299, 491], [2326, 2342], [2400, 2532]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Steve Karas and Matthew Welling share a special bond . Matthew Welling , left , received a bone marrow transplant from Steve Karas , right . They are n't related . In fact , they had never even met until 3-year-old Matthew needed a life-saving bone marrow transplant two years ago . It turned out that Karas , 51 , of Newton , Massachusetts , was a perfect match . `` My heart went a hundred miles an hour , and I could n't even conceive of what this meant , '' Karas recalled . He had signed up for the National Marrow Donor Program registry 17 years ago and had never given it another thought . The call to donate came out of the blue . Karas remembered hearing , `` It was a little 1-year-old boy with this horrible disease called osteopetrosis , and the only cure was a bone marrow transplant , and would I be willing ? '' He said there was no other answer than `` of course . '' Karas is one of 11 million Americans who have volunteered to be marrow donors . Every day in the United States , an estimated 6,000 people need a transplant . There are two ways to donate bone marrow : Either a doctor must insert a needle into the back of the hip bone to retrieve the marrow , or cells are collected through a procedure called peripheral blood stem cell donation , or PBSC . `` Bone marrow is the source of early blood stem cells , and they make all kinds of blood cells that fight infection , '' said Dr. Ann Haight , a pediatric hematologist and oncologist at the Aflac Cancer Center in Atlanta , Georgia . Bone marrow transplants can help treat cancers such as leukemia and blood disorders such as sickle cell disease . Matthew was suffering from a rare disorder that increases the density of bones and crowds out bone marrow . Watch more on bone marrow donation '' His father , Michael , said waiting for doctors to find a donor match was terrifying . `` There is no more difficult , hard-to-stomach feeling than watching your child be sick and suffering and not be able to do anything , '' he said . Welling said his ailing son started turning the corner after receiving a transplant in November 2007 . Doctors told him that Karas ' bone marrow donation helped save Matthew 's life by stopping the progression of the disease . Unfortunately , Matthew developed an infection a month after the transplant and the cells stopped working . He required a second transplant from another donor . That transplant worked , and while Matthew still suffers from side effects , his father reported the boy is cured of his initial disease . But the story does n't end there . Karas ' boss , Paul Amos , got word of his good deed and was so inspired that he launched a bone marrow registry drive among his 4,000 employees at Aflac , a supplemental insurance company based in Columbus , Georgia . As of Friday , nearly 1,100 workers had volunteered to join the national registry . `` We 're not asking for money , '' Amos said . `` we 're not asking for any additional time except for a couple of seconds on a coffee break . Think of all the things you 've ever given , and that 's the simplest you could ever give . '' Joining the registry involves completing a donation kit -LRB- available at marrow.org -RRB- . Cotton swabs are swiped on the inside of the cheeks to determine the tissue type . The sample is then sent along with an in-depth health history questionnaire to the National Marrow Donor Program . Dr. Haight said anyone over the age of 18 can join the registry provided he or she meets the health criteria . Those with conditions such as HIV , insulin-dependent diabetes , hepatitis and autoimmune diseases are generally excluded . `` The biggest need we have for additional donors is in racial and ethnic minorities , '' she said . `` That 's because transplant tissue type will run with your racial and ethnic background . ... We need more African-Americans , Native Americans , Asian-Americans and Hispanics . '' Karas found the actual harvest process to be relatively simple , with little pain . He ended up donating through the PBSC process , a nonsurgical outpatient procedure . The donor 's blood is removed through an intravenous needle and passed through a machine that separates out blood-forming cells . The remaining blood is returned through a needle in the donor 's other arm . `` I felt like I had the flu , and those symptoms lasted three or four days , '' he said . Karas went back to work as a sales coordinator at the Boston , Massachusetts , office of Aflac within days . About a year ago , he received another call out of the blue and was asked if he wanted to meet Matthew and his parents . Michael Welling said the reunion was filled with tears . `` There was a part of us that felt , ' I almost hope he thinks we were worthy of this unbelievable gift he gave us . ' '' Karas reassured the family that there was never a doubt his mind , especially after seeing that Matthew was healthy and thriving . `` It was one of the most emotional moments of my life , '' Karas said . `` Short of fathering my own three sons , clearly this is the greatest thing I 've ever been able to do . '' | A doctor inserts a needle into the back of the hip bone to retrieve the marrow . Cells can alternatively be collected through peripheral blood stem cell donation . 11 million Americans have volunteered to be marrow donors . Anyone over the age of 18 who meets the criteria can join the donation registry . | [[1123, 1189], [1177, 1212], [1218, 1300], [1246, 1312], [934, 957], [962, 1000], [3439, 3517]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The high speed , high-rolling world of Formula One is not a sport you would associate with something as mundane as the boiler tucked away in a dusty cupboard in your house . The Fast Forward exhibiton shows how F1 technology can improve all our lives . If you thought that motor racing and the real world are poles apart then an exhibition currently running at the Science Museum in London , England might change your mind . The `` Fast Forward '' exhibition has put together 20 examples of how Formula One technology and innovation has helped improve the wider world . It is testimony to all the hard work , intelligence and ingenuity of the engineers who make the sport what it is today , according to Katie Maggs , one of the exhibition 's curators . `` Rather than treating it as a traditional design exhibition , we wanted to look at how the engineers in Formula One use technology in ways that can be experienced in other industries , in the home or in hospitals . '' The `` Boiler Buddy '' is a good example of Formula One technology that can be found in the home . Designed to help improve the efficiency of home heating systems , the technology uses the magnetic principles which informed the filter that keeps F1 engines free of particles of dirt and dust . The filter device can be found on the shelves of many hardware stores . There is an impressive variety of objects on display . A bicycle fitted with sensors to monitor wheel speed , angles of lean , heart rate and humidity while riding , is a direct descendant of the sensors attached to Formula One cars which track the performance . The Carbon fibre composite chassis design first introduced into Formula One by McLaren engineer John Barnard in the 1984 has found its way into a range of products outside the sport . Lightweight and incredibly robust , technology using carbon fibre composites are being used to create state-of-the-art furniture . An elegant table on show at the exhibition has a carbon fibre surface that is just two millimeters thick . But it is perhaps in the healthcare sector where Formula One is making its most impressive and important contributions . Inspired by the monocoque cockpit which keeps drivers safe , the BabyPod II is allowing paramedics to transport newborns quickly and safely . The Ovei -- a pod-like structure designed to help capture healthcare data and transmit results to doctors and therapists around the world -- is also made from carbon-fibre composites . A wheelchair , designed by Formula One engineer Mike Spindle , improves not only the safety of a user , but also their comfort and mobility thanks the monocoque structure at its heart . View a gallery of the F1 innovations '' `` The one-piece carbon fibre seat can be molded to fit the user , '' Maggs said . `` Because it is carbon fibre the wheels can be fixed further forward and at an angle which makes it easier for the user to get around . '' Some of the sport 's innovations are n't necessarily tangible , but are delivering improvements to hospital patients all the same . Using the expertise of McLaren and Ferrari 's pit stop crews , Great Ormond Street Hospital in London has been able to improve the efficiency of patient handovers from one department to another by up to 40 percent . When the exhibition was officially opened by former McLaren team principal , Ron Dennis earlier this year it attracted the sort of media scrum usually witnessed on the grid prior to a race . Watch CNN 's coverage of the exhibition opening '' As the exhibition shows , Formula One is about improving performance . If that eventually filters down into products and services that we can all benefit from then that ca n't be a bad thing . | Science Museum , London hosting a exhibition of innovations inspired by F1 design . Monocoque wheelchair uses lightweight and robust carbon fiber seat . Ferrari and McLaren pit stop expertise help hospital speed up transfer of critically ill . | [[292, 425], [3090, 3150]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Pennsylvania man attempted to resuscitate `` a road-killed opossum , '' state police say . But this was one possum who was n't playing possum -- the ugly creature remained dead . Troopers responding to the scene in Oliver Township on Thursday determined that Donald J. Wolfe , 55 , of Brookville , was drunk , according to the police report . Several witnesses observed Wolfe 's failed resurrection of the flattened marsupial , police said . It was not immediately clear how he endeavored to restore the possum 's life . The arresting officer in the incident was unavailable for comment Friday . Attempts to reach Wolfe were also unsuccessful . Wolfe will be charged with one charge of public drunkenness , police said . | Pennsylvania man fails to resuscitate `` road-killed '' opossum . Man will be charged with public drunkenness , police say . It 's unclear what man did to try to revive the opossum . | [[19, 62], [66, 87], [666, 725], [19, 62], [66, 87], [463, 541], [496, 541]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- China 's Li Na took down the No. 4 seed Caroline Wozniacki at the Australian Open on Monday in Melbourne , following compatriot Zheng Jie into the quarterfinals -- the first time Chinese women have made it this far in the season 's first Grand Slam . Though Li , the No. 16 seed , had 34 unforced errors compared to Wozniacki 's 22 , she also nailed 21 winners against three for her opponent . She also made 70 percent of her break point conversions as opposed to 42 percent by Wozniacki . `` Against her , you need to just play on your highest level the whole match through and keep concentrated and keep a lot of balls in play , '' Wozniacki told australianopen.com . Of the original top five women 's seeds , only No. 1 Serena Williams is still in competition . Her sister , the No. 6 seed Venus , fought off a challenge on Monday from Italy 's Francesca Schiavone -LRB- 17 -RRB- to advance , 6-3 , 6-2 , 6-1 . Schiavone hit five aces compared to none for Williams , but she also made more unforced errors -- 32 -- as opposed to 29 for her opponent . `` She played really well in the first set . I have to give her credit . She just played really aggressively . You know , she was making her shots , doing everything she needed to do to win the match , '' Williams told australianopen.com . `` But , you know , obviously it takes a lot to close out a match , especially on an important match like that one . I was able just to get some footing back in and start to execute the way I wanted to . '' Williams will face Li Na -- whom she lost to in the Beijing Olympics in 2008 . `` She 's a very good player , '' Wiliams told the Web site . `` Obviously to beat Wozniacki , you have to play very well consistently . I 'm sure she did that . Probably will try to do that in the next round . '' Others in the quarterfinals include former world number one Justine Henin , Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova . Zheng Jie on Sunday became the first Chinese player to make the last eight of the Australian Open by beating Ukraine 's Alona Bondarenko 7-6 6-4 . She next faces the unseeded Kirilenko , who put out former champion Maria Sharapova in the first round . | Zheng Jie on Sunday becomes first Chinese woman to make it to quarters . Venus Williams cruises to quarters . Only Serena Williams remains in play of top five seeds . Li next faces Venus Williams . | [[0, 15], [126, 179], [183, 269], [1925, 2071], [1952, 2071], [731, 783]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Pablo Picasso painting `` The Actor '' will undergo repair work , after a woman visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art fell onto the painting and tore the canvas , according to the museum . The museum said the Picasso work was damaged Friday when a visitor lost her balance and fell onto the unusually large 6-foot , 4-inch work . The six-inch tear is on the lower right-hand corner of the painting , the museum said in a news release Sunday . The museum did not provide details of the incident beyond saying the visitor fell onto the painting . Repair work should be `` unobtrusive , '' the museum said . The painting should be ready in time for the late April exhibition of 250 works by Picasso , the museum said . The painting marked Picasso 's move from his `` Blue period '' to his `` Rose period , '' when his creations showcased costumed acrobats reminiscent of characters in Italian comedy stage plays , according to the museum . | Woman visiting Metropolitan Museum of Art falls onto painting , tears the canvas . Six-inch tear is on the lower right-hand corner of the painting . Painting should be ready in time for the late April exhibition of 250 works by Picasso . | [[104, 174], [223, 340], [280, 289], [311, 356], [477, 578], [515, 578], [364, 431], [639, 729]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Severe storms hammered North Carolina on Sunday evening , but no fatalities had been reported as of Monday morning , and injuries were minor , officials said . Residents reported as many as eight tornadoes touching down -- overturning mobile homes , ripping out trees and plunging neighborhoods into darkness . Survey crews were meeting with local officials throughout the state to get a clearer picture of the storm damage , said Ernie Seneca , spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety . There were reports of damaged houses and downed trees , but injuries were limited , he said . `` It looks like people heeded the warning to seek shelter when the storm came , '' he said . `` It really did sound like a train . It was pure noise , '' said William Schlaeppi , who lives on a farm in High Point , North Carolina , where the National Weather Service reported damage to at least 20 homes . `` I literally watched my fields disappear in front of me under a wall of water -- circular , spinning water . '' A broad band of severe thunderstorms Sunday brought heavy rain and hail , and prompted tornado warnings from Florida to Virginia , the weather service said . A tornado touched down in Oakland Park , Florida , just north of Fort Lauderdale , between 8 and 8:30 a.m. Monday , said Tyrone Mosley , a weather service specialist . There was debris but no immediate report of injuries , he said . In North Carolina , at least eight unconfirmed tornadoes were spotted along the Interstate 85 corridor between Charlotte and Greensboro on Sunday evening . Metal roofing was ripped off an industrial building in Belmont , west of Charlotte , littering nearby trees with clumps of yellow insulation . News14 : Spencer residents survey damage after storm . Multiple mobile homes were overturned in Linwood , outside of Lexington , and at least three people were reported injured . And what looked like a huge funnel cloud loomed over High Point , near Greensboro . `` It 's been a very active evening for most of central North Carolina , '' said Julia Jarema , spokeswoman for the state 's Division of Emergency Management . The storms caused power outages throughout the state , but because of the multiple bands of storms , `` things are changing so rapidly , we have n't been able to confirm numbers , '' Jarema said Sunday night . Is severe weather happening near you ? Send photos , video . Local law enforcement reported another tornado north of Greensboro , the weather service said . The storm also produced 70-mph winds and hail as large as baseballs . Late Sunday , High Point emergency management officials were going house to house to check for injuries . Schlaeppi said he spent much of the night in his darkened house , going out with his neighbors to clear downed trees whenever the rain let up . CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras contributed to this report . | NEW : No fatalities reported , injuries were minor after severe weather Sunday . Tornado touched down Monday morning in Oakland Park , Florida ; no injuries reported . Eight unconfirmed tornadoes spotted along North Carolina 's Interstate 85 corridor . Roofing ripped off building west of Charlotte ; 3 hurt , homes damaged outside Lexington . | [[77, 133], [140, 159], [606, 627], [77, 133], [1219, 1257], [1387, 1439], [179, 268], [1452, 1469], [1472, 1607], [568, 599], [879, 946], [1608, 1670], [1760, 1805], [1884, 1929]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In 1967 , the Mamas & the Papas had a hit with a song that detailed , with bittersweet harmonies , the checkered history of the band . The song , written by the group 's John Phillips and his wife , Michelle , was called `` Creeque Alley . '' Michelle Phillips , Denny Doherty and John Phillips , here in 1998 , were members of the Mamas & the Papas . If the song were to be updated today , it might have to be retitled `` Creep Alley . '' With the claims by John 's daughter , Mackenzie , that she had an incestuous relationship with her father , the story of Phillips and his group -- in music , models of California dreams and California dreamin ' -- takes on a darker hue . The story was already tangled , a motley love - and drug-soaked tale of excess set to the group 's distinctive four-part harmonies . Phillips left his first wife , Mackenzie 's mother , Susan Adams , for 18-year-old Michelle , whom he 'd met in a San Francisco club while touring in the early '60s , according to the band 's biography on Allmusic.com . The band 's lead male singer , Denny Doherty , later had an affair with Michelle ; she was forced out of the group for a time . The fourth member , Cass Elliot , had an unrequited crush on Doherty , the biography noted . After the Mamas & the Papas ' success with such singles as `` California Dreamin ' '' and the No. 1 hit `` Monday , Monday , '' the Phillipses bought a Bel Air mansion from which they ruled over the Los Angeles music scene . In his 1986 memoir , `` Papa John , '' John Phillips , who died in 2001 , remembered hosting parties for the Beatles when they visited town . John Phillips , the band 's primary songwriter , was at least six years older than the others and did not shy from the task of addressing the group 's pain and confusion in song . In such songs as `` Got a Feelin ' , '' `` I Saw Her Again Last Night '' and `` Trip , Stumble and Fall , '' he cast a cold eye on the band 's romantic entanglements , even as his melancholy and sometimes cutting lyrics were often belied by those sunny harmonies and Lou Adler 's slick production . `` One does n't try to hold Cass and Denny and Michelle together , '' he said in a 1995 interview . `` It 's a useless task to start with . You just sort of stay out of the way and let things roll as they can . '' In 1968 , the group split up . There was a 1971 reunion that produced the contractually obligated album `` People Like Us , '' but the experience was `` horrible , '' John Phillips recalled in the liner notes to the group 's anthology , `` The History of the Mamas and the Papas . '' The group members had mixed success after the breakup . Elliot , who died of a heart attack in 1974 -LRB- and not by choking on a sandwich , as urban legend has it -RRB- , pursued a solo career ; she had a handful of hits . Doherty and John Phillips also tried their hands at solo careers ; the latter 's 1970 `` John , the Wolf King of L.A. , '' produced a minor hit and is now considered a classic but sold relatively poorly upon release . More common were the stories of trouble . Michelle and John Phillips divorced in 1970 ; late that year , Michelle was married to Dennis Hopper for eight days . John Phillips , who married Genevieve Waite in 1972 , became increasingly immersed in drugs , says his Allmusic biography , to the point where he could n't finish an album commissioned by the Rolling Stones ' Mick Jagger and Keith Richards . In 1981 , he was convicted of drug trafficking . By that point , daughter Mackenzie says , she was also a full-blown drug addict . `` I grew up in a place where there were no rules ... which did not serve me well , and everybody , I think , knew that , '' she said on a reunion special for her '70s sitcom , `` One Day at a Time . '' According to Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh 's `` The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows , '' Phillips missed the 1980-81 season while in rehab for addiction issues . In her new book , `` High on Arrival , '' she claims she had become sexually involved with her father in 1979 , after he forced sex on her the night before she married a rock manager , Jeff Sessler . -LRB- Earlier that year , the house she shared with Sessler burned down , taking all her belongings with it . -RRB- . According to Mackenzie Phillips , the affair with her father lasted 10 years . She told Chynna Phillips , her half-sister , about the affair in the late '90s , according to an interview with Chynna in Us magazine . `` Somebody could have dropped a piano on my head , and I probably would n't have felt it , '' Chynna Phillips told the magazine . `` But I knew it was true . I mean , who in their right mind would make such a claim if it was n't true ? '' She says the news sent her into `` a deep , deep sadness and depression for about 10 days . A part of me died when I found out . '' John Phillips also underwent rehab but struggled for the rest of his life . He had a liver transplant in 1992 but was photographed drinking several months later . He toured with versions of the Mamas & the Papas , some including Mackenzie . He died in 2001 of heart failure . Chynna Phillips and Mackenzie 's `` One Day at a Time '' co-star Valerie Bertinelli have since rallied around her . But others have not . `` I am stunned by Mackenzie 's terrible allegations about her father , '' Waite , John Phillips ' third wife , wrote in a statement released to `` The Oprah Winfrey Show . '' Mackenzie Phillips appeared on the show Wednesday . `` I would often complain about her overly familiar attitudes towards him , and he said it was just her way . John was a good man . ... He was incapable , no matter how drunk or drugged he was , to have sexual relations with his own child . '' And Mackenzie 's half-brother , Tamerlane , the follower of an Indian guru , is having none of it . `` My family is and always will be a decrepit bowl of dog urine compared to Nityananda of Ganeshpuri . That is how great Nityananda is , '' he told the New York Post 's Page Six . `` Worship Nityananda , not the Phillips family . '' | John Phillips ' reputation taking hit with claims of incest by daughter Mackenzie . John Phillips , who died in 2001 , lived life of excess . Mamas & Papas were leading California group of '60s , with tangled romantic links . John Phillips was heavy drug user , once convicted of drug trafficking . | [[1532, 1548], [1555, 1567], [5127, 5161], [697, 706], [711, 726], [729, 742], [3217, 3230], [3271, 3308], [3459, 3466], [3469, 3507]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two men charged in the 1978 disappearance of five teenagers in Newark , New Jersey , pleaded not guilty to five counts of murder Wednesday morning as about 40 family members of the victims looked on . Lee Anthony Evans , 56 , and Philander Hampton , 53 , were arrested Monday night . That was about 18 months after the investigation into the disappearance of the five boys was given new life ; a witness came to detectives with information that the 1978 arson of an abandoned building in Newark was connected with the case , acting prosecutor Robert Laurino said . Evans and Hampton also pleaded not guilty to arson charges . Evans ' attorney , Michael A. Robbins , maintains his client 's innocence , citing Evans ' full cooperation with authorities during the 1978 investigation into the disappearance of Randy Johnson , 16 , Melvin Pittman ,17 , Ernest Taylor , 17 , Alvin Turner , 16 , all of Newark ; and Michael McDowell , 16 , of East Orange . `` In a case such as this , where the evidence has been lost , great care must be taken to prevent outrage , anger and emotion acting as a substitute in court for competent testimony , evidence and proof , '' Robbins said . `` The magnitude of the tragedy in the case should not diminish the very sacredness of Mr. Evans ' right to a fair trail . '' Hampton is being represented by John McMahon from the Essex County public defender 's office . The family members of the victims sat silently as they watched Evans and Hampton enter their pleas . Evans had been under suspicion in 1978 but was released after passing a lie detector test . Witnesses said they had seen the boys getting into Evans ' pickup truck . Helen Simmons , Michael 's aunt , said she had never let go of her suspicion of Evans . `` Five kids did not run away . They were not runaways . They had no reason to run away . Five kids did not run away all at the same time , all having been picked up by Lee Anthony Evans , '' said Simmons , who was in the courtroom Wednesday . `` Michael 's mother , my sister , died just 13 months after this , never knowing what happened to her son , '' she said . `` We have not forgotten Michael the last 32 years , '' she added . `` Michael is always with us . It 's just that now we do feel that we will achieve the most we can get from justice , which is empty , which is to have -LSB- Evans and Hampton -RSB- to spend the rest of their lives in jail . I would love for -LSB- Evans -RSB- to live at least another 32 more years . In jail . '' Authorities believe that the alleged killings were in retaliation for the teens ' breaking into one of the defendants ' homes to steal marijuana . The remains of the victims have never been found . A third suspect , Maurice Woody-Olds , died in March 2008 . Officials allege that Evans and Hampton , with the aid of Woody-Olds , lured the five boys at various times into Evans ' pickup and took them to the abandoned building on Camden Street , where they held them at gunpoint before setting it ablaze , officials said . The case will next be presented to a grand jury on a date to be determined . Evans and Hampton are being held at Essex County Correctional Facility in lieu of $ 5 million bail . | Two men charged in disappearances of five teens in New Jersey . Witness told police 18 months ago that case was linked to arson . One suspect had been arrested in 1978 but passed lie detector test . Victim 's aunt says she never lost suspicions . | [[19, 88], [413, 441], [1516, 1521], [1550, 1607], [1682, 1695], [1716, 1769]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Marine Corps ' top officer says he would want to avoid housing gay and heterosexual Marines in the same rooms on base if the ban on gays openly serving in the military is lifted . `` I would not ask our Marines to live with someone that 's homosexual if we can possibly avoid it , '' Marine Commandant Gen. James Conway told a Web site in an interview posted Friday . `` And to me that means we 've got to build -LSB- barracks -RSB- that have single rooms . '' Asked about the possibility of gay and straight Marines living together , Conway told the site Military.com that he would `` want to preserve the right of a Marine that thinks he or she would n't want to do that -- and that 's the overwhelming number of people that say they would n't like to do so . '' Conway said the Marine Corps is the only branch of the armed services that houses two to a room . On Thursday , Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that the Pentagon will start to ease its enforcement of the `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' policy prohibiting homosexuals from serving openly in the military . Among other things , Gates said the Pentagon is raising the threshold for what constitutes an appropriate level of information necessary to launch a `` credible inquiry '' into allegations of homosexual behavior . The change , which will take effect in 30 days and apply to all current cases , is a reflection of `` common sense '' and `` common decency , '' Gates said . `` These changes reflect some of the insights we have gained over 17 years of implementing the current law , including the need for consistency , oversight and clear standards , '' Gates said . President Obama and Adm. Mike Mullen , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , support a legislative repeal of `` do n't ask , do n't tell , '' which was first enacted in 1993 . Some senior members of the military , however , have expressed concern over the impact of the ban 's repeal on unit cohesion and morale , among other things . | Marine Commandant Gen. James Conway says he would n't ask Marines to live with gays . He says `` overwhelming number of people '' do n't want to share quarters . He says Marines only branch of the armed services that houses two to a room . | [[0, 15], [19, 159], [206, 273], [738, 744], [750, 784], [788, 857], [839, 857], [863, 885]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Guatemalan army stole at least 333 children and sold them for adoption in other countries during the Central American nation 's 36-year civil war , a government report has concluded . Around 45,000 people are believed to have disappeared during Guatemala 's civil war , 5,000 of them children . Many of those children ended up in the United States , as well as Sweden , Italy and France , said the report 's author and lead investigator , Marco Tulio Alvarez . In some cases , the report said , parents were killed so the children could be taken and given to government-operated agencies to be adopted abroad . In other instances , the children were abducted without physical harm to the parents . `` This was a great abuse by the state , '' Alvarez told CNN on Friday . Investigators started examining records in May 2008 for a period that spanned from 1977-89 , said Alvarez , the director of the Guatemalan Peace Archive , a commission established by President Alvaro Colom . Of 672 records investigators looked at , Alvarez said , they determined that 333 children had been stolen . The children were taken for financial and political reasons , he said . Alvarez acknowledges that many more children possibly were taken . Investigators zeroed in on the 1977-89 period because peak adoptions occurred during that time frame , particularly in 1986 . They will investigate through 1995 and hope to have another report ready by early next year , he said . A presidential ministry has determined that about 45,000 people disappeared during the nation 's civil war , which lasted from 1960 to 1996 . About 5,000 of those were children , the ministry said . Another 200,000 people died in the conflict between the leftist guerrillas and right-wing governments . The nation 's public ministry and attorney general 's office will determine whether anyone is prosecuted over the abductions , Alvarez said . Asked if he would like to see prosecutions , Alvarez answered , `` I hope so . '' Alvarez said he has attended several reunions of abducted children -- now adults -- and family members . `` I ca n't tell you how happy that makes me , '' he said . Adoption has served as a source of income in Guatemala for decades . The war just made it easier for abuses at the hands of soldiers to occur . Guatemala has the world 's highest per capita rate of adoption and is one of the leading providers of adoptive children for the United States . Nearly one in 100 babies born in Guatemala end up with adoptive parents in the United States , according to the U.S. consulate in Guatemala . Adoptions can cost up to $ 30,000 , providing a large financial incentive in a country where the World Bank says about 75 percent of the people live below the poverty level . Officials fear that often times mothers are paid -- or coerced -- into giving up their children . Some unscrupulous lawyers and notaries , who have greater power in Guatemala than they do in the United States , have taken advantage of the extreme poverty and limited government oversight over adoptions to enrich themselves . Alvarez said corrupt lawyers and notaries were the driving force behind many of the army abductions of children . The problem is confounded because many Guatemalan parents ca n't provide for their children . The United Nations ' World Food Programme says Guatemala has the fourth highest rate of chronic malnutrition in the world and the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean . Chronic undernutrition affects about half of the nation 's children under the age of 5 , the U.N. agency said . Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom Caballeros declared a state of national calamity this week because so many citizens do not have food or proper nutrition . Despite the nation 's problems , Alvarez hopes some good will come of the report , which was released Thursday . `` We have to tell the truth about what happened , '' he said . `` Guatemalan society must know what happened and must never allow it to happen again . '' CNN 's Arthur Brice contributed to this report . | Children stolen for adoption in the U.S. , Sweden , Italy and France , report says . Some parents were killed , others were unharmed when soldiers came calling . Investigators examined period between 1977 and 1989 , ` peak ' adoption period . Reports says many more could have been taken , investigation underway . | [[0, 15], [71, 168], [634, 652], [655, 720], [850, 858], [864, 884], [1249, 1349], [1303, 1349], [1352, 1374], [1182, 1248], [1208, 1248]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dubai sent investors reeling Thursday after asking creditors to freeze the debt repayments of one of its biggest holding companies , Dubai World . The announcement came after the market close on the eve of the Eid holiday and Thanksgiving in the U.S. , leaving traders ' hands tied over their exposure to investments in the Emirate . Shares dropped in London and Europe as bankers struggled to gauge the implications of the debt freeze without additional guidance from Wall Street . With very little information being distributed from Dubai , the market has been left to question the motives of ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the financial future of Dubai World and its huge portfolio . So what happened ? Late Wednesday , the government of Dubai issued a statement saying it had authorised the Dubai Financial Support Fund to `` spearhead the restructure of Dubai World with immediate effect . '' The first step , it said , was to ask all providers of financing to Dubai World and Nakheel to `` standstill '' its debt repayments until at least May 30 , 2010 . It added , to the market 's surprise , that the proceeds of a $ 5 billion bond issue raised hours earlier would n't be used to bail the company out . Odd timing was n't it ? Dubai 's decision to release its statement just before the Eid holiday in the Middle East , and on the eve of Thanksgiving in the U.S. , provoked consternation . `` Dubai have certainly picked their moment to finally own up to a need to restructure their debt . I would imagine the news has ruined a few Thanksgiving dinners today , '' David Morrsion , a strategist at GFT told the Financial Times . Read CNN 's John Defterios ' take on the Dubai debt fears . How did the markets react ? Banking stocks led equity markets lower in London and Europe as traders moved to distance themselves from a potential debt hole in the Middle East . Technical problems in London halted trade for some time , providing further frustration for traders with exposure to Dubai World 's lenders . What is Dubai World & Nakheel ? Described on its Web site as `` Dubai 's flag bearer in global investments , '' Dubai World is a holding company with stakes in everything from ports to real estate and transport . It includes the world 's largest privately held real estate company Nakheel , which is the mastermind behind such architectural feats as the man-made residential islands , `` The Palm Islands '' and `` The World . '' Dubai World also invests in global markets through its investment arm Istithmar World , which boasts a `` global footprint '' in finance , capital , leisure , aviation and other business ventures . How severe is the debt ? Dubai World is said to account for some $ 59 billion of Dubai 's $ 80 billion debt burden . Nakheel had been due to pay a $ 3.5 billion convertible loan which expires on December 14 . More debts were due to be repaid next year . `` This is not just a couple of billion story , '' Turker Hamzaoglu , EMEA economist at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research told CNN . `` For instance , Dubai has to service $ 10 billion including the Nakheel debt in December and $ 15 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2010 , '' he added . How much damage has the announcement done ? That 's incalculable at this stage . Markets in the Middle East and the U.S. do n't open until next week so the full impact wo n't be known until then . It also depends on Dubai 's next move . The surprise announcement has shaken confidence in the Emirate as a place to do business . `` The key here is the communication of this strategy . I guess everybody is on the same page regarding the need for consolidation in Dubai and for the region . But the only market-positive implication would be if this comes with a clearly open and a predictable way , '' Hamzaoglu said . `` The problem is , here we have a lack of transparency and all these policy reactions are either coming at the last minute , or for example , the recent one just before the long holiday . '' `` I think this is going to shake some investor confidence which may not be reversed as quickly as people expect . So they have to be careful , '' he added . Who will bail them out ? Abu Dhabi has been a lucrative source of funding for its neighbor . The $ 5 billion bond issue was take up by UAE banks . The question now is whether it will continue to give its backing to its debt-laden neighbour . It may have the money to do so , but does it have the will ? What comes next ? Ideally , the market wants guidance as to Dubai 's debt strategy . It has said that the Dubai World debt freeze is the first stage of a restructuring plan . Investors want to know what comes next . Right now , the region is seen as a risky bet for nervous investors . Hamzaoglu says there are other options for those who want to back similar markets . `` From an investor perspective , if you want to still play for the global backdrop of oil prices , etc. there are some other markets , say Brazil or Russia , that investors can be interested in , rather than taking this high risk for the region , '' he said . | Dubai stuns global investors by calling for a debt `` standstill '' on Dubai World and Nakheel debts . Market reactions restrained by public holidays in the Middle East and the U.S. Nakheel is Dubai World 's real estate arm , owns `` The Palm Islands , '' and `` The World '' Dubai World said to account for $ 59 billion of Dubia 's $ 80 billion debt . | [[19, 149], [951, 958], [965, 1065], [934, 948], [961, 1045], [2275, 2463], [2703, 2794], [2703, 2714], [2723, 2794]] |
Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Shanghai court trying an Australian Rio Tinto executive on charges of bribery and theft of commercial secrets will deliver its verdict on Monday . Australian consular officials will be in court when it renders its decision on the fate of Stern Hu , the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Thursday . It was not immediately clear whether the court will also announce on the same day the verdict against three other Rio Tinto employees who were tried on the same charges . The three-day trial of the four employees of the mining giant ended Wednesday . Charged in the case were Stern Hu , an Australian citizen of Chinese origin who was the general manager of Rio Tinto 's Shanghai office . Hu has been in detention for nine months , along with Rio Tinto 's three Chinese employees -- Liu Caikui , Ge Minqiang and Wang Yong . Rio Tinto , a British-Australian company , is one of the largest mining companies in the world . The case has raised fears of a government crackdown on foreign companies doing business in China . When is a gift considered bribery ? The trial was closed to foreign news organizations , hindering independent confirmation of developments . Australian consular officials were allowed in the Shanghai courtroom for the bribery phase of the case , but were barred from witnessing the theft portion . Hu is accused of receiving two bribes : one for 1 million yuan -LRB- $ 146,490 -RRB- and another for 5.3 million yuan -LRB- $ 790,000 -RRB- . The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said he `` made some admissions concerning these amounts , '' but did not elaborate . The Chinese government initially accused the four of stealing state secrets when they were first detained , but the charges were reduced to theft of commercial secrets several months ago . Hu and the others were detained in July . China says the four bribed executives from 16 of the nation 's major steel mills to obtain industry information . In China , obtaining commercial secrets carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison . Rio Tinto has called the allegations surprising and said it was not aware of any evidence . The detentions took place about a month after Rio Tinto broke off an investment deal with China state-owned Chinalco , a resources company , that was worth more than $ 19 billion . The deal with Chinalco was signed in February 2009 and was awaiting a review by Australia 's foreign investment board . The deal soured as opposition party members in Australia ratcheted up their disapproval , saying it would put Australian resources at strategic risk . Others saw the deal as an alliance that would further link resource-rich Australia with the commodities-hungry Chinese market . | Mining firm executive on charges of bribery and theft of commercial secrets . Three other Rio Tinto employees tried on the same charges . Case has raised fears of Chinese government crackdown on foreign companies . | [[359, 492], [453, 492], [497, 529], [980, 1052]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pop singer Ricky Martin declared publicly this week what he avoided discussing for years : He is gay . `` I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man , '' Martin wrote on his official Web site . `` I am very blessed to be who I am . '' A decade ago , when ABC 's Barbara Walters pressed Martin to address rumors about his sexuality , he declined to confirm or deny them . `` I just do n't feel like it , '' Martin said . Now , Martin wrote , `` these years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I did n't even know existed . '' The 39-year-old Puerto Rican native started off with the Latin boy band Menudo before launching his solo career in 1991 . His song `` Livin ' La Vida Loca '' rose to the top of the music charts in 1999 and propelled Martin to stardom . Martin said he decided years ago to not share `` my entire truth '' with the world because people he loved warned him that `` everything you 've built will collapse . '' `` Allowing myself to be seduced by fear and insecurity became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage , '' he wrote . `` Today I take full responsibility for my decisions and my actions . '' The decision to come out was initiated a few months ago , when he began writing his memoirs , he said . `` I got very close to my truth , '' he wrote . `` From the moment I wrote the first phrase I was sure the book was the tool that was going to help me free myself from things I was carrying within me for a long time , '' he wrote . `` Things that were too heavy for me to keep inside . '' Martin said that disclosing his secret is important because of his two sons , born via surrogate . `` To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids were born with , '' he wrote . `` Enough is enough . This has to change . This was not supposed to happen five or 10 years ago , it is supposed to happen now . Today is my day , this is my time , and this is my moment . '' Writing the seven paragraphs , he said , `` is a solid step towards my inner peace and vital part of my evolution . '' `` What will happen from now on ? It does n't matter . I can only focus on what 's happening to me in this moment . '' | Singer Ricky Martin declared publicly that he is gay . Martin says , `` I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man '' His song `` Livin ' La Vida Loca '' rose to top of music charts in 1999 . | [[173, 204], [833, 916]] |
Singapore -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. President Barack Obama , on his first Asia trip since taking office in January , arrived Saturday in Singapore to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum . In addition to the meetings with the APEC heads of state , Obama planned to hold three bilateral meetings -- with the leaders of Russia , Indonesia and Singapore . APEC 's 21 member nations represent more than half of the world 's economic output . The forum sees its goal as `` facilitating economic growth , cooperation , trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region . '' Obama will become the first U.S. president to take part in a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations -LRB- ASEAN -RRB- economic alliance . The formal meeting is Sunday . Earlier Saturday , Obama told a packed house at Tokyo 's Suntory Hall that all Americans should know that what happens in Asia `` has a direct effect on our lives at home . '' The president leaves Sunday for Shanghai , China . The trip , which lasts more than a week , is Obama 's first to Asia since taking office in January . In his Tokyo speech , Obama touted himself as America 's `` first Pacific president , '' and pledged a renewed engagement with Asia Pacific nations based on `` an enduring and revitalized alliance between the United States and Japan . '' He touched on nearly every part of the Asia Pacific region during his speech , and talked about a boyhood visit to Japan with his mother , his birth in Hawaii , a childhood spent partly in Indonesia and the United States ' position as a Pacific nation . `` There must be no doubt : as America 's first Pacific president , I promise you that this Pacific nation will strengthen and sustain our leadership in this vitally important part of the world , '' he said . He emphasized that the United States was not interested in containing the emerging economic growth in China . Obama also called on Myanmar to make more definitive moves toward democracy , including releasing all political prisoners . He urged North Korea to return to the Six-Party Talks so the reclusive nation can be reintegrated into the world stage and pledged America 's support for eliminating nuclear weapons and efforts to reduce the global effects of climate change . In China , Obama will continue efforts to define and strengthen the United States ' relationship with the world 's largest emerging economy , which has a growing influence in Asia , said Jeffrey Bader , the National Security Council 's senior director for East Asian affairs . Bader cited North Korea 's nuclear weapons program , the economy , climate change , human rights and Afghanistan as among the top issues for the China swing . On human rights , Bader said Obama is likely to address `` freedom of expression , access to information , freedom of religion , rule of law and , certainly , Tibet . '' Obama will make clear to Chinese President Hu Jintao that he intends to meet with the Dalai Lama , the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader , Bader said . China , which rejects Tibetan aspirations for autonomy , opposes such high-level contacts with the Dalai Lama . | U.S. President Barack Obama arrives in Singapore for APEC summit . U.S. leader expected to individually meet with leaders of Russia , Indonesia , Singapore . In Saturday speech , Obama renews U.S. ties with Japan , reaches out to China . Obama : Rise `` of a strong , prosperous China can be a source of strength . | [[0, 25], [115, 200], [260, 364], [1099, 1118], [1121, 1126], [1192, 1246], [1121, 1126], [1275, 1333]] |
Beirut , Lebanon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.N. maritime task force was scouring the stormy waters off the coast of northern Lebanon Friday , searching for survivors from a livestock carrier that sank the night before . `` The operation that commenced last evening continued through the night in difficult weather conditions , '' said a statement from the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon -LRB- UNIFIL -RRB- . As of 3:15 p.m. local time Friday , rescuers had found 42 survivors and four bodies , according to a release from UNIFIL . Four of the survivors were sailors who were picked up by other ships . The Lebanese navy said there were 83 people aboard the cargo ship that was packed with sheep and other livestock . The Panamanian-flagged carrier , the `` Danny F II , '' sank about 12 miles off the coast of Tripoli . The Lebanese navy sent a distress signal to UNIFIL indicating the ship had capsized Thursday night , the U.N. task force said . `` UNIFIL Maritime Task Force immediately responded to the location with three ships , the frigate ` Zeffiro ' -LRB- Italy -RRB- , mine hunter ` Laboe ' -LRB- Germany -RRB- and supply ship ` Mosel ' -LRB- Germany -RRB- , that have since been engaged in the search and rescue operations in collaboration with the Lebanese Navy , '' Friday 's statement said . Searchers said the survivors , who are of different nationalities , received medical treatment on board UNIFIL ships before being taken ashore . CNN 's Nada Husseini contributed to this report . | Panamanian-flagged ship sinks about 12 miles off the coast of Tripoli . Lebanese navy says it found 42 survivors and four bodies . The navy says there were 83 people aboard the ship . Authorities say people on board were wearing life jackets . | [[715, 725], [726, 741], [764, 813], [402, 435], [438, 485], [596, 661]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three teenagers and a 4-year-old were among the eight deaths in a Virginia shooting , state police said Wednesday . Christopher Speight , 39 , is being held without bond at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail in Lynchburg , Virginia , after being charged with a single count of first degree murder , police said , adding that further charges are pending . Speight surrendered peacefully early Wednesday morning after an overnight manhunt left him hiding in the woods surrounded by a several-square-mile perimeter set up by authorities , Appomattox County Sheriff O. Wilson Staples said . Speight was wearing a bulletproof vest but had no weapons when he surrendered , Staples said . State police identified the victims of Tuesday 's shooting as Ronald I. Scruggs II , 16 ; Emily A. Quarles , 15 ; Karen Quarles , 43 ; Jonathan L. Quarles , 43 ; Dwayne S. Sipe , 38 ; Lauralee Sipe , 38 ; Joshua Sipe , 4 ; and Morgan L. Dobyns , 15 . All were from Appomattox except Scruggs , who was from Dillwyn , about 25 miles away . Police did not say how the victims were related nor did they describe a motive for the shootings . Earlier , they said that Speight lived at the Appomattox home where seven of the eight were found , that he co-owns it and adjoining land and that he was acquainted with all the victims . Police were alerted to the incident Tuesday after noon when a person was discovered badly wounded in the middle of Route 703 . That person later died at a hospital . When police arrived at the scene they heard gunshots , authorities said . Authorities established a perimeter around the area , including dogs and helicopters . One of the helicopters was hit at least four times by bullets but `` was able to make an emergency landing in a field near the scene , '' state police said . A search turned up the remaining seven bodies in and around the home , which is about 75 miles southwest of Richmond , Virginia 's capital . On Wednesday , a search of the home turned up explosive devices , Molinar said . He said authorities were safely detonating the devices but he did not describe them . | NEW : Suspect lived at the Appomattox home where seven of the eight victims were found . Christopher Speight , 39 , wearing bulletproof vest when he turned himself in , sheriff says . Police say suspect shot and hit helicopter , which made emergency landing . | [[1132, 1139], [1142, 1193], [1174, 1229], [1805, 1873], [600, 638], [1713, 1779]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Is she hurt ? Is she getting help ? Is she even alive ? Those were the jumbled thoughts that raced through Sereth Hosty 's mind in her Long Island , New York , home as she tirelessly scoured the news and Web for clues to the whereabouts of her elderly mother in Haiti . Since an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 struck Tuesday , Augusta Thervil , 83 , was among the growing number of people who had gone missing in the Port-au-Prince area . And her daughter was among those living in limbo . `` I check . I check . I check , '' Hosty said earlier this week . She had spent two days trying to reach her mother , neighbors and family friends by phone . She even placed a posting on CNN.com 's iReport with her mother 's picture . With phone lines and electricity down , people with family and friends in Haiti are struggling to live with uncertainty . `` To not know and be waiting is one of the most difficult situations to be in , '' said Therese Rando , clinical director of the Institute for the Study and Treatment of Loss . The waiting finally came to an end for Hosty on Thursday evening when she heard through a cousin that her mother was alive . And though she has n't been able to speak with Theravil directly , she 's sleeping again . `` I know there are other problems that are coming with food and water , but I feel relief that she 's not dead , '' Hosty said . `` My cousin said my mommy is OK . '' The toll of the quake is not yet known , but government officials said deaths may exceed 100,000 . Emergency crews have already arrived in the Port-au-Prince area , but there are no indications when communication lines will be restored . Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere , with a weak infrastructure even before the earthquake . The panic , anger and sadness since the quake are similar to the responses seen after the September 11 attacks , Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami . Those unexpected disasters claimed many lives and left family members who suffered losses to grieve for years , psychology experts say . Many are still grieving today . After 9/11 , families frantically drove into New York City , trying to display their loved ones ' photographs to the public in hopes of recovering the person -- or their body . Unable yet to travel to Haiti , families are using Facebook , Twitter and YouTube to search and connect . Several hundred submitted photos to iReport , asking for help in identifying their missing loved ones . See the `` Looking for loved ones in Haiti '' page on iReport . `` In every moment , the level of emotional anguish ratchets up , and there 's nothing anyone can say to make them feel better , '' said Russell Friedman , director of The Grief Recovery Institute , a counseling organization in California that helps people deal with deaths and natural disasters . The grieving process for someone waiting to learn if a loved one has survived can be incredibly traumatic , Friedman says . They may feel more frustrated than those on the ground because they can not help , he said . Mayka Cadet , 22 , experienced these emotions Tuesday night in her Glendale , Maryland , home . She has n't heard from five of her family members who live in Port-au-Prince . Her phone calls do n't go through . There is n't even a ring . She especially misses her Uncle Sergo Cadet , who has always been her mentor . Cadet , who owns a construction business , taught her to work hard in school . `` It 's just really hard for me because I 'm really close to them , '' said Cadent , who posted an iReport looking for her family members . `` They come visit us every summer . '' After their initial reaction to the news , people will find different ways to cope , psychologists say . Those who have missing relatives will feel sadness , anger , shock or confusion . Some may feel confused about their emotions , or struggle to even know what they are feeling . For those who learn their family members have died , the grieving process can progress , the experts said . People will often go through the stages of denial and bargaining before accepting the loved one 's death . `` Everyone grieves differently , '' said Kristi Cooper , a family life field specialist at Iowa State University . `` There is no wrong way to grieve . '' But time can heal emotional wounds , says George Bonanno , a psychology professor at Columbia University and author of the book `` The Other Side of Sadness : What the New Science of Bereavement Tells Us About Life After Loss . '' Although coping with a loss can be difficult , Bonanno said he found that most people are resilient and able to overcome their loss . CNN iReporter Marie Aline Sillice , 26 , is trying to stay positive . She encouraged her family to keep busy even though she ca n't locate her father . Frangel Victor , 57 , worked as a lawyer in Port-au-Prince . They spoke on the phone just a few hours before the earthquake struck . Help the Sillices find their father . Sillice , a psychology graduate student at the University of Rhode Island , admits she is nervous that he may not have access to his diabetes medication . She is also keeping close contact with her family members in the U.S. and has posted an iReport in hopes of finding her father . So far , she has n't heard anything . | NEW : Woman finds out through cousin that her 83-year-old mother is alive . Families are using social media and the Internet to find people affected by the earthquake . Psychologists say the panic and frustration experienced by families is similar to 9/11 . `` Everyone grieves differently , '' said Kristi Cooper , a family life field specialist . | [[1119, 1145], [1151, 1173], [1395, 1429], [2328, 2401], [1783, 1857], [4160, 4190], [4193, 4214]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The outbreak of a gastrointestinal illness has spread to more passengers on a U.S. cruise ship , with nearly 450 falling sick while at sea , the cruise company said Tuesday . The Celebrity Cruises ship Mercury departed Charleston , South Carolina , February 15 and headed for the eastern Caribbean , according to a Celebrity Cruises statement . On the way , 419 of the 1,838 passengers fell ill , along with 27 of the 849 crew members , the cruise line said . The number of affected passengers increased from the 353 reported the day before . Their symptoms included upset stomach , vomiting and diarrhea , Celebrity Cruises spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said . Guests who were in isolation while ill will receive compensation , she said . The sickened passengers and crew have been administered over-the-counter medicine and are responding well , Celebrity Cruises said . But it is still unclear how they became sick , Martinez said . Medical samples will be sent to a lab for testing Tuesday , she added . The ship 's medical facility first started treating guests Sunday , Martinez said , and by Monday , hundreds of others were sick , too , Celebrity Cruises reported . A doctor and two nurses joined the cruise medical staff Monday to help with the overload of patients when the ship stopped in Tortola , British Virgin Islands , according to the statement . The ship does not return to Charleston until Friday and will be at sea until then , Martinez said . To control the outbreak , the crew has stepped up cleaning of the ship , which is advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness occurs . Norovirus commonly causes viral gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships , the CDC says . It can spread from contact with contaminated food or drink , by touching objects infected by people who are already sickened , or through close contact with people who are infected , according to the CDC . So far this year , three gastrointestinal illness outbreaks have occurred on cruise ships that docked at a U.S. port , according to the CDC . Norovirus was the cause of two outbreaks on the Mercury in 2009 , the CDC reported . The outbreaks reported and investigated by the CDC infected at least 3 percent of the people onboard the cruises carrying at least 100 passengers for anytime between three days to three weeks . | Celebrity Cruises ship departed South Carolina on February 15 and headed for the Caribbean . Passengers and crew aboard come down with gastrointestinal illness . They have been given over-the-counter medicine and are responding well , cruise line says . | [[194, 265], [194, 220], [284, 316], [0, 15], [37, 113], [121, 144], [1627, 1675], [1676, 1685], [1695, 1758], [160, 193], [194, 220], [319, 363], [456, 478], [758, 839], [758, 790], [844, 863], [866, 890], [1163, 1191]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- SeaWorld will resume killer whale shows while the company and two federal agencies investigate the death of a whale trainer at SeaWorld Orlando , company and federal officials announced Friday . The shows , which were suspended at all SeaWorld locations after the death Wednesday at SeaWorld Orlando , will resume Saturday with new precautionary measures in place , said Jim Atchison , president of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment . Earlier Friday , the Labor Department 's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Agriculture Department 's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced they were looking into the death of Dawn Brancheau , 40 . Brancheau was pulled underwater when a killer whale named Tilikum grabbed her ponytail . A source at SeaWorld said that after seizing her , the whale dove deep underwater . Trainers eventually had to wrangle the animal into a smaller pool before they could retrieve her body about 40 minutes later . WESH : Watch tourist 's video just before attack . A former head of animal training said Friday that Brancheau left herself vulnerable to attack and that she may have broken the park 's training protocol . `` Dawn , if she was standing here right now , would tell you that that was her mistake in allowing that to happen , '' said former SeaWorld trainer Thad Lacinak , who had worked with Brancheau in the past , on ABC 's `` Good Morning America . '' Lacinak called Brancheau `` one the best killer whale trainers I ever worked with . '' Still , he said , Brancheau should not have been lying in a slideout -- a platform covered by roughly 4 inches of water -- so close to a killer whale . `` When I was there we did have a protocol that you would not do that , you would not lie down in a slideout and get that close to his mouth . `` Now , whether she broke that protocol or not I do n't know , or if the protocol changed in how they were working with him , '' Lacinak continued . `` But I 'm pretty sure it was her breaking the protocol . '' Atchison said Friday that it 's too soon to tell if Brancheau violated protocol . `` It 's far too early to get to that point , '' the SeaWorld president said . `` We 're really still trying to collect information , trying to understand the nature and scope of the event . '' He declined to discuss SeaWorld 's training protocols , saying they are `` proprietary documents . '' Atchison had high praise for Brancheau and said a charitable foundation is being formed to support causes she was interested in . He told reporters that video images in connection with the accident have been made available to the appropriate authorities . Atchison said Tilikum `` is a wonderful animal '' and `` will remain an active and contributing member of the team despite what happened . '' `` He 's a very special animal that requires special handling . Obviously the procedures that we 've had in place are something we 're revisiting at this point , '' he said . Tilikum 's size and weight -- 12,000 pounds , compared with 6,000 to 9,000 pounds for the facility 's other killer whales -- was one reason there were separate procedures in place for him at the Orlando facility . When the shows with killer whales resume Saturday at Orlando and other SeaWorld parks , trainers wo n't get into the water with the animals . `` Direct interactions '' with the animals were suspended in all three SeaWorld parks after the death . Various other improvements and changes will be enacted , Atchison said . iReport : Photo taken moments before attack . Labor Department spokesman Mike Wald said the safety and health agency is looking into whether OSHA workplace standards were violated in the incident . It will complete a report within six months , he said . If workplace infractions are found , OSHA will propose financial penalties , Wald said . If that happens , the company could accept the penalties and make any necessary workplace changes or appeal proposed penalties before an OSHA review commission . David Sacks , Agriculture Department spokesman , said inspectors are looking into the incident from the animal welfare perspective . The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service wants to know if there were any violations of the Animal Welfare Act , a federal set of minimum-care standards for entities that get USDA licenses , including facilities that exhibit warm-blooded mammals to the public . Sacks said the incident will trigger a `` focused '' investigation , in which inspectors will go to SeaWorld to gather facts . If they think any welfare-act violations contributed to the incident , a formal investigation will begin . Such violations could trigger fines and even license suspensions and revocations . `` If we feel animals are suffering , we can confiscate the animal , '' Sacks said . He said SeaWorld Orlando has never been the object of a penalty enforcement . In a video posted on SeaWorld 's blog , Chuck Tompkins , head of animal training for SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment , mourned Brancheau 's death and raised the issue of safety standards . `` We need to evaluate our safety procedures and how we interact with these animals , '' he said , and he stressed that it 's `` extremely important that we continue to take care of these animals the best way possible . '' The same whale was linked previously to two other deaths . Tilikum and two other whales were involved in the drowning of a trainer at a Victoria , British Columbia , marine park in 1991 . The trainer fell into the whale tank at Sealand of the Pacific and was dragged underwater as park visitors watched . In 1999 , Tilikum was blamed for the death of a 27-year-old man whose body was found floating in a tank at SeaWorld , the apparent victim of a whale 's `` horseplay , '' authorities said then . The Orange County Sheriff 's Office said the man apparently hid in the park until after it closed , then climbed into the tank . Nancy Black , a marine biologist who has studied whales for 20 years , said Tilikum could have been trying to play with Brancheau or get her attention or companionship . Such whales play with seals and sea lions in the wild , tossing them in the air , she said , but end up letting them go . But she said the whale could also have been frustrated for some reason . The incident raises larger questions about the captivity of wild animals . People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said dolphins and other sea animals in aquariums `` routinely die prematurely of stress and other captivity-related causes , '' and human casualties also occur . The incident occurred about 2 p.m. Wednesday . Tompkins said the whale had just finished a session with Brancheau , who was leaning over and rubbing his head . They were in knee-deep water , he said . `` She had a long ponytail that brushed in front of her and apparently got in front of his nose , '' Tompkins said . `` He probably felt it . '' Tilikum grabbed the ponytail and pulled Brancheau into the water , he said . Rescuers were not immediately able to reach her because the whale was too aggressive , the sheriff 's office said . She was recovered by SeaWorld staff members after Tilikum was coaxed into a smaller pool and lifted out of the water by a large platform on the bottom of the smaller tank , authorities said . iReport : Dawn Brancheau performing at SeaWorld in June 2009 . Brancheau had wanted to be an animal trainer from the time she visited SeaWorld as a 9-year-old , her sister Diane Gross said . `` It was her dream job , '' Gross said . `` She loved the animals like they were her own children . ... She loved what she did . '' | NEW : Trainers wo n't get into the water with the whales , CEO says . NEW : He says charitable foundation being formed in trainer 's name . OSHA , Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service looking into death . Dawn Brancheau , 40 , died Wednesday after whale pulled her underwater . | [[3195, 3280], [3283, 3336], [3337, 3440], [2408, 2416], [2451, 2513], [2456, 2479], [2496, 2537], [65, 194], [451, 465], [523, 675], [4152, 4267], [683, 771], [6930, 6937], [6963, 6994]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- London police said Friday they are investigating a car accident in which Prince Andrew reportedly struck a police officer while driving into Buckingham Palace . A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police did not name anyone involved in the incident , but Buckingham Palace confirmed Prince Andrew was the driver of the car . It happened as the policeman tried to move two Japanese tourists out of the way of Andrew 's 4x4 car at the palace , the BBC reported . The officer hurt his arm in the incident and complained to his superiors , the BBC said . `` It was a minor incident and the police are looking into it , '' said a palace spokesman , who by custom is not named . Police refused to confirm any details of the incident , including when it allegedly happened . The BBC quoted a police spokesman as saying the officer 's injuries were `` minor . '' The prince , who is a week shy of his 50th birthday , lives at Royal Lodge in Windsor , just west of London . Prince Andrew is Queen Elizabeth 's second son after Prince Charles and is also called the Duke of York . He served as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy for 22 years and is currently Britain 's special representative for international trade and investment . British papers reported last year that the prince bought a 200,000-pound -LRB- $ 312,400 -RRB- Bentley Arnage , which joined his existing limited-edition Aston Martin Virage V8 Volante . | Policeman had tried to move two tourists out of the way of Andrew 's car . Police spokesman as saying the officer 's injuries were `` minor '' Andrew is Queen 's second son after Prince Charles and is also called the Duke of York . | [[358, 472], [801, 884], [816, 817], [835, 884], [998, 1011], [1070, 1103]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Australian government apologized Wednesday for years of `` mistreatment '' that inflicted `` profound grief , suffering and loss '' on the country 's Aboriginal people . Prime Minister Kevin Rudd makes the apology on Wednesday from inside Parliament . New Prime Minister Kevin Rudd read the apology Wednesday to Aborigines and the `` Stolen Generations '' of children who were taken from their families . `` To the mothers and fathers , to the brothers and sisters we say sorry . And for the indignity and degradation on a proud people and a proud culture we say sorry . '' For 60 years , until 1970 , the Australian government took mixed-race Aboriginal children from their families and put them in dormitories or industrial schools , claiming it was protecting them . As a result of the policy , `` stolen '' children lost contact with their families and heritage , received poor education , lived in harsh conditions , and often endured abuse . Watch one of these `` stolen '' children discuss this legacy '' `` There is nothing I can say today that will take away the pain ... Words are not that powerful , '' Rudd said in the Australian Parliament . He said that the apology was the start of a new approach towards Aborigines which included helping them find their lost families , closing pay gaps and a 17-year difference in life expectancy between Aborigines and white Australians . Watch Rudd make the apology '' He said new policies would be introduced to provide better healthcare and education to Aborigines . `` The mood of the nation is for reconciliation now , '' Rudd said . Watch why this apology is considered significant '' The policy was largely a secret until a decade ago , when a government inquiry and high-profile movie exposed it . That sparked a mass movement , supported by many white Australians , demanding an apology . Former Prime Minister John Howard refused to offer an apology , saying the current generation should not be held accountable for past misdeeds . He instead issued a statement of regret . Rudd , who defeated Howard last November , made an apology part of his election campaign . Howard 's successor as leader of the Liberal Party , Brendan Nelson , supported the apology Wednesday . `` The apology ... is ... very much just the first step , '' said a spokeswoman for Jenny Macklin , the minister for Families , Housing , Community Services and Indigenous Affairs . `` We have serious inequalities between indigenous and nonindigenous Australians . The apology is symbolic , but there 's a lot of hard work to be done to reverse those inequalities . '' Mary Farrell-Hooker counts herself among the Stolen Generations and is now a spokeswoman for an Aboriginal activist group . She is of mixed race and was one of 12 children of alcoholic parents . Her father was in jail for raping her sister when her mother was hospitalized after a suicide attempt . `` The police came to the school and told me they were taking me to the hospital to see my mom , '' Farrell-Hooker told CNN . `` We never went to the hospital . '' Instead , Mary , then 12 , was taken to a series of foster centers . At one of them , she said , she was repeatedly raped by a white `` house father . '' `` He would actually come into the room and force himself onto me , rape me , molest me , '' she said . `` If I did n't do what he wanted , he would threaten to do the same to my sister and -LRB- threaten to -RRB- split us up . '' Her parents came to find her , she said , but were repeatedly turned away . She tried to run away but said the police always returned her to her tormentor . Aboriginal people have been waiting decades for an apology , and the Australian public appear to welcome the government 's move , according to CNN 's Jacqueline Head in Sydney . Head said many Australians believe saying sorry is long overdue , but some doubts remain over what it will achieve in the long term -- whether it will help open doors for Aboriginal people seeking rights and compensation or whether it will fail to secure indigenous people a better future . Some white Australians do n't believe the apology will bring about reconciliation . `` I think Australians will be sorry for many generations for offering this apology now , '' said Piers Akerman , a conservative commentator . He said Aboriginal compensation claims will now gain new vigor . To symbolize what the government hopes will be a fresh approach to the future , a group of indigenous Australians performed a traditional welcome ceremony Tuesday of dancing and singing to mark the start of parliament 's new session . As the traditional owners of the land which parliament sits on , the performers `` welcomed '' the lawmakers onto it . `` For thousands of years , our peoples have observed this protocol , '' said Matilda House , an Aboriginal elder at the ceremony . `` It is a good and honest and decent and very human act to reach out to make sure everyone has a place and is welcome . '' E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Jacqueline Head and Hugh Riminton contributed to this report . | NEW : PM Kevin Rudd apologizes to thousands of Aborigines . NEW : Rudd : `` For the indignity and degradation ... on a proud people ... we say sorry '' NEW : Apology envisions future where gaps among `` all Australians '' are closed . | [[275, 345], [275, 345], [488, 502], [579, 593], [2017, 2058]] |
Paris , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The future of social networking , the real-time Web and a host of apps and gadgets were the talk of the annual Le Web conference as it opened here Wednesday . The phenomenal success of microblogging site Twitter and its plans for the future dominated the two-day event 's opening sessions for bloggers and industry leaders , held in a converted morgue in the city 's northeastern suburbs . Top executives from Twitter faced off with rivals from Facebook and MySpace as all three social media sites unveiled technical innovations designed to capture more users . On the heels of Twitter founder Jack Dorsey 's unveiling of Square , a device that accepts credit card payments on cell phones , Twitter platform director Ryan Sarver said the site now has 50,000 dedicated applications making use of its constant stream of blog updates . Sarver also announced the company 's `` firehose '' feature , which throws open its data stream to any developers who want to use it . This is a first for Twitter , which has yet to disclose any major revenue streams even as others use it to harvest profits . Facebook developer Ethan Beard touted his own site 's 500,000 applications and its power to drastically boost hits to news sites such as The Huffington Post through the 60 million users it now claims for its Facebook Connect feature . Meanwhile , MySpace Chief Operating Officer Mike Jones announced that his site is incorporating real-time status updates to its platform -- like Twitter and Facebook -- amid MySpace 's struggles to find an identity . Jones also announced unrestricted developer access to MySpace 's content and a $ 50,000 innovation prize to attract developers , but refused to comment on rumors of a potential partnership with rival Facebook . The social networking execs declined to discuss their sites ' revenues or widely rumored stock market flotations . Chad Hurley , co-founder of Google-owned YouTube , also refused to disclose company revenues but said some popular users have earned more than $ 1 million since advertising was introduced to the video-sharing site . `` We did n't implement -LSB- advertising -RSB- initially on YouTube because we did n't want to skew the motivation of why someone would publish video . We wanted to be a video community , '' he told the conference . `` We saw over time the opportunity to introduce that secure revenue without distorting what we 've become , and we 've been quite successful , '' he said . But Hurley said he had no secret formula for anyone wanting to create a viral sensation on YouTube . `` You could punch me in the face right now , that would get a lot of views , '' he joked . `` Something shocking will get a lot of views , but there 's no magic recipe . That 's not really what the site is about -- to define the secret ingredient to get the hits . It 's about celebrating the fact that everyone has a chance to participate . '' On the sidelines of Le Web , the chatter was focused on the Facebook vs. Twitter battle and the opening of data streams to app developers . Attendees also wondered aloud about the fickle and unpredictable nature of Internet success . `` It is interesting that everybody now is announcing awards and conferences , but what 's next ? '' said delegate Katrin Weber of Deutsche Telekom . `` In the end , who is going to win ? People are also asking what the formula for success is -- why do some applications or platforms succeed , and why do some fail ? '' Social media marketing agent Vero Pepperrell said , `` I 'm pleased that Twitter is starting to acknowledge how much of an ecosystem it has with its developers , so on that level , they are doing the right thing . '' Blogger Gabriel Jorby believes that Square , Dorsey 's credit card gadget , represents a new trend that 's likely to shape the future for people trying to profit from the Internet . `` Today , if you want to run a service , you need something to bring the physical world . You can not depend only on an online application , you need to do something tangible , '' he said . `` It is the future , it is not only -LSB- about -RSB- the screen experience , it is about something more physical . People need to be producing more than just apps . '' More than 2,000 participants from 46 countries were expected in Paris for the Le Web conference , one of Europe 's largest annual tech events . | The future of social networking was the talk of the Le Web conference as it opened in Paris . Twitter , Facebook and MySpace all unveiled innovations designed to capture more users . Twitter 's Ryan Sarver : Site now has 50,000 dedicated applications . YouTube 's Chad Hurley : There 's no secret formula for creating a viral video sensation . | [[193, 232], [250, 356], [503, 595], [596, 662], [725, 866], [2499, 2595], [2740, 2766]] |
LAGOS , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nigeria has set its sights on making multibillion-dollar oil deals with China amid peace moves with militants . Hundreds of militants have laid down their weapons in exchange for a pardon and a job . Lawmakers in the west African country -- one of the world 's top producers of oil -- are crafting new money-making changes for its state oil corporation , as officials negotiate multibillion-dollar oil deals with China . At the same time , the government is brokering peace with bandits whose attacks have cost the oil industry millions . Nigeria 's minister for state of petroleum , Odein Ajumogobia , talked this month about the developments . The changes aimed at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation will address allegations of corruption and mismanagement , he said . `` Some of the excesses we 've seen in the industry are as a result of the lack of regulation , '' Ajumogobia said . `` We are going to make sure that the petroleum directorate , for example , where the minister will reside , is going to be manned by professionals who understand the industry and have the experience . '' Nigeria welcomes China 's recent interest in investing in Nigeria 's oil industry , Ajumogobia added . The state-run China Daily reported in September that the China National Offshore Oil Corporation was negotiating with Nigeria over a $ 30 billion oil deal . The talks are part of China 's oil-buying binge this year . Its government-controlled oil companies have closed or floated a slew of deals all over the world , including billion-dollar deals with Russian oil company Rosneft and Brazil 's Petrobras . The Nigerian minister offered few details about negotiations with China . `` There is no deal yet , '' he said . `` We all know the appetite of the Chinese for energy -- a huge population and so on -- and they 're looking for oil and Nigeria has a lot of it . '' Oil bandits have plagued Nigeria for years , attacking pipelines and cutting production by over 1 million barrels of oil a day . But many of those attacks might end , thanks to a cease-fire with the militant group MEND , or the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta . The truce was negotiated in the summer and was extended in September . MEND has demanded a fairer distribution of oil wealth in the Niger Delta and wants oil revenue reinvested in the region , instead of enriching those whom the militants consider corrupt politicians . Last week , the group said it was calling off the truce , but there have not been renewed attacks . Nigeria hopes to leverage the fragile peace to reap big dollars from its oil industry , Ajumogobia said . | Nigeria aims to make huge oil deals with China and peace with militants . Government brokers peace with bandits whose attacks cost oil industry millions . Chinese oil company negotiating with Nigeria over $ 30 billion oil deal , reports say . | [[0, 5], [35, 146], [393, 455], [456, 472], [475, 521], [1137, 1218], [2559, 2644], [456, 472], [475, 521], [514, 521], [536, 573], [0, 5], [35, 146], [1240, 1396], [1293, 1396]] |
Frankfurt , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lufthansa airline will fly a bit over half of its normal flight schedule Tuesday , a day after pilots suspended their strike . `` It will obviously take a few days until we are back to normal , '' spokeswoman Claudia Lange said . The airline is planning to fly about 1,000 of its normal complement of 1,800 flights , `` plus , where we can , single , additional flights , '' she said . The airline is hoping to return to its full flight schedule by Friday . The announcement came shortly after both sides in a pilots strike against German-based Lufthansa , one of of the world 's largest airlines , agreed to suspend the standoff beginning at midnight -LRB- 6 p.m. ET -RRB- Monday . The suspension will expire March 8 , barring an agreement before then , both sides said in a Frankfurt labor court . `` The judge was very clear , '' Lufthansa spokesman Klaus Walther said . `` He recommended the union to stop the strike action and to return to the negotiation table . '' Walther predicted the two sides would reach a final agreement `` pretty fast . '' The pilots ' union previously had said resuming a normal schedule would take time , because the union had to inform striking pilots of the agreement before they could return to work . In addition , passengers whose flights have been canceled will have to be rebooked . Hundreds of flights were canceled Monday . The walkout by more than 4,000 members of Vereinigung Cockpit , the pilots ' union , began at midnight Sunday after a last-ditch effort at negotiations over pay and job security failed , the company said . The strike threatened to disrupt travel on more than two dozen partner airlines , including United , US Airways and Continental . In 2008 , Lufthansa was the No. 2 international carrier , with 42.2 million passengers , according to the International Air Transport Association . The industrial action was the largest in German aviation history , Lufthansa said , and it signaled growing labor unrest across Europe . Hours after it started , the union representing most of British Airways cabin staff voted to strike , but did not set a date . On Wednesday in Greece , a mass public and private sector strike is planned to protest the government 's austerity plan . British Airways cabin crews vote to strike . In addition , French civil aircraft staff , including air traffic controllers , said Monday they plan to strike Tuesday through Saturday . Four unions called for the strike , denouncing a government project to merge air traffic control operations with those of five other European countries -- Germany , Belgium , Netherlands , Luxembourg and Switzerland , according to Eric Heraud , spokesman for France 's civil aviation authority , DGAC , or Direction Generale de l'Aviation Civile . The unions are afraid of dismantling DGAC , Heraud said . Under the new proposal , `` nothing will change geographically , '' he said . `` The control towers will stay where they are . '' Only the `` map of the sky '' will change , or the sphere of the controllers ' concern , Heraud said . Half of Tuesday 's flights at Paris , France 's , Orly airport were to be canceled because of the action , he said . Twenty-five percent of the flights at Charles de Gaulle Airport were to be canceled . The labor unrest comes as the airline industry is digging out of the worst one-year drop-off in business , according to International Air Transport Association . `` It is the kind of death throes , I guess , of the very strong legacy airline unions , '' said Simon Calder , a travel expert . `` Now , all the old airlines like BA , like Lufthansa , are struggling '' to cut costs , he said . In 2009 , air carrier revenues dropped nearly 15 percent worldwide after a record $ 535 billion the previous year . Passenger travel fell a record 3.5 percent and freight fell more than 10 percent , according to International Air Transport Association figures . Many of Lufthansa 's pilots have been working without a contract since March and more than 90 percent of the union 's members had voted to strike , a union representative said . The union , which is seeking a 6.4 percent pay increase , is also concerned with the airline 's recent buying spree of small regional carriers , such as BMI and Austrian Airlines , a practice that it said cannibalizes flights from union-flown routes . Lufthansa is one of the largest carriers on the Star Alliance , a network of 26 airlines that share ticketing and routes for international travel . Other Star Alliance member airlines are : Adria , Air Canada , Air China , Air New Zealand , ANA , Asiana Airlines , Austrian , Blue 1 , BMI , Brussels Airlines , Continental Airlines , Croatia Airlines , Egypt Air , Lot Polish Airlines , Scandinavian Airlines , Shanghai Airlines , Singapore Airlines , South African Airways , Spanair , Swiss , Tap Portugal , Thai Airlines , Turkish Airlines , United Airlines and US Airways . Send your views and experiences to CNN iReport . CNN 's Frederik Pleitgen , Erin McLaughlin , Stefan Simons , Kevin Voigt , Alix Bayle and Greg Morrison contributed to this report . | About 1,000 of Lufthansa 's usual 1,800 flights to fly Tuesday . Union , airline : Getting back to normal will take time . Both sides in pilots strike against Lufthansa agree to suspend standoff . Union : Strike focuses on pay , conditions . Company : Union interfering in management . | [[12, 35], [39, 119], [269, 353], [169, 230], [1132, 1174], [1177, 1248], [497, 593], [638, 721]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rain pounded water-logged Los Angeles on Thursday , and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said more than 300 city residents were ordered to evacuate because of the threat of mudslides . `` We continue to urge the public who live in these areas to evacuate , to heed the warnings of our police officers and firefighters , our first responders , who are there to protect your public safety , '' the mayor said . Just over 500 Los Angeles County residents who were advised to flee their homes earlier had done so by Thursday morning , said Capt. Sam Padilla of the Los Angeles County Fire Department . The latest storm is part of a series that began Monday , drenching communities up and down the coast . Some areas have received more than 12 inches of rain this week , the National Weather Service reported . Flash flood watches were in effect Thursday night for Southern California , as well as central Arizona and southern Utah . `` While the worst of the last few storms is behind us , there still is a significant threat from thundershowers that are forming off the coast , '' Villaraigosa said at a news conference Thursday night , warning of the potential for lightning , hail and water spouts . Los Angeles had four swift-water rescue and two urban search-and-rescue teams on standby to deal with potential flooding , according to the mayor , who said more were available if needed . There were three swift-water rescues Wednesday , according to Padilla . No relief from the wet weather is expected until the weekend , increasing the threat of mudslides in communities nestled below hills that were stripped of trees and vegetation during 2009 wildfires . Villaraigosa said the brunt of the storm was supposed to hit by 6 p.m. Rainfall totals of 1 to 4 inches are expected across coastal sections of California with isolated additional rainfall amounts of 7 inches possible , forecasters said . Are you affected by the storms ? Send your images and video . The rains are the result of El Niño , a warm ocean current from the South Pacific , according to CNN meteorologist Chad Myers . In coastal Pacifica , south of San Francisco , a huge mudslide left an apartment building teetering on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean , CNN 's Dan Simon reported . He said the four apartments in the building were evacuated , and quoted an engineer saying the building could topple into the water at any time . TV crews could be near the structure only briefly . One man complained about being told to leave his Southern California home . `` You 're talking about blocking us out of here for five days , evacuating until next week , '' he said to CNN affiliate KABC-TV in Los Angeles . `` You know what , that 's too many days , that 's a huge inconvenience . I understand they 're looking out for our safety ... but I 'm not out driving around . I 'm staying put . '' See KABC 's coverage of the storms . Villaraigosa said Thursday that U.S. geologists , sanitation workers and street maintenance workers will head into threatened regions Friday morning to determine whether it is safe for residents to return to their homes . In the mountains of Southern California , the storms brought heavy snow , closing Interstate 15 at Cajon Pass and the Grapevine section of Interstate 5 for a time , the California Highway Patrol reported Thursday . Heavy snowfall remains in the forecast for the higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada , southeastern Utah , southwestern Colorado and southeastern Arizona . More than 73 inches of snow has fallen in Chagoopa Plateau , California , since Sunday and more than 35 inches in parts of Arizona . CNN 's Sean Morris contributed to this report . | Just over 500 Los Angeles County residents also were evacuated . Mudslides a serious threat to areas near hills stripped of vegetation by wildfires . Snow closes roads in mountain areas of Southern California . | [[100, 222], [457, 489], [494, 534], [447, 489], [521, 566], [447, 489], [569, 635], [1619, 1630], [1636, 1697], [3173, 3212], [3215, 3244], [3173, 3212], [3215, 3225], [3247, 3324]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As floodwater raged around their pickup , the family of a 6-year-old Arizona boy escaped to higher ground . The boy , however , was swept away . Teams were looking for his body on Friday , the Yavapai County Sheriff 's Office said . Meanwhile , an evacuation order for some Los Angeles , California , residents was lifted , and the mayor said those people can safely return home . Authorities were classifying the Arizona operation as a recovery , presuming that a child could not survive in the raging water , the office said in a news release . The boy 's name was not released . Rain has hindered attempts to find the boy after the incident Thursday night , authorities said . `` This effort continued through the night without success . Because of low visibility , along with the wind and rain , DPS -LRB- Department of Public Safety -RRB- Ranger helicopter was unable to fly over the area , '' the sheriff 's office said . Are you affected by the storms ? Send your images and video . The family 's pickup got stuck near the northern community of Mayer , between Flagstaff and Phoenix in central Arizona . On Friday , the vehicle sat alone in a vast sea of mud , which reached nearly to the bottom of the windows and partially filled the area under the crumpled hood . The vehicle was tilted forward , as if diving into the muddy soup . According to a preliminary report , the boy was in the pickup with his 8-year-old sister and parents , who were trying to take him to a hospital when floodwater swept the pickup off the road . The mother was able to reach higher ground , and the father took the children to the bed of the vehicle for safety . By the time firefighters reached the scene , rising water had pushed the three from the bed . The father was able to reach a safe area with his daughter but the son was missing . California iReporters deal with the rain but have fun too . The flooding was the result of heavy rainstorms that started pounding parts of neighboring California on Monday and continued through the week . Upper elevations got heavy snow . Conditions in the area were not likely to improve until Saturday afternoon , the National Weather Service said . Forecasters predicted continued flooding of many rivers and streams and up to an additional foot of snow in the mountains . In Los Angeles , Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Friday that the 2,000 city residents who were evacuated because of the storms could return . The permission came after teams of geologists and structural experts determined that areas threatened by mudslides were safe enough , he said at a news conference . See KABC 's coverage of the storms . Last year 's wildfires burned trees and vegetation that normally hold soil in place and prevent hillsides from collapsing . Hundreds of residents also had been evacuated in Los Angeles County , and many of these were cleared to return home , according to the Coordinated Agency Recovery Effort 's Web site . The storms stem from El Nino , a warm ocean current from the South Pacific , meteorologists said . CNN 's Sean Morris contributed to this report . | Family in Arizona escapes to higher ground in flood , but 6-year-old boy did n't make it . Authorities classifying the Arizona operation as a recovery . In Los Angeles , 2,000 residents who were evacuated can return home . | [[61, 126], [400, 464], [2326, 2340], [2343, 2411], [2794, 2861]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The suicide bomber who killed seven CIA officers and contractors and a Jordanian intelligence official in Afghanistan was within seconds of being searched by two security contractors when he detonated his explosives , a former intelligence official with knowledge of the incident told CNN on Tuesday . On December 30 , the two American guards , who worked for Xe Services -- formerly Blackwater USA -- approached the passenger side of the red 4-door sedan where bomber Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi was sitting , the official said . Al-Balawi had been invited to the base to share information he claimed to have that would lead the United States directly to Ayman al-Zawahiri , al Qaeda 's second in command . The sedan was waved through the normal security checkpoints to get onto the base , and pulled up just outside a one-story building -- a temporary space that was being used to interrogate people brought onto base . Several CIA officers and contractors were standing on the driver 's side of the car , opposite al-Balawi , and others were standing as far as 50 feet away , a U.S. intelligence official said . Al-Balawi started to get out of the car , with one hand in his pocket , when he detonated the explosives , the source said . `` It was no accident that some of the CIA officers were standing on the opposite side , '' the former intelligence official said . The official observed it was the safest place to be , as `` they waited for the Xe guys to do what they 're paid to do and frisk him . '' Also , there could have been some cultural sensitivity , with an Arab man about to be searched in front of female CIA officers who were there . The official says that `` there was no point going up to him until after the guards had patted him down . '' Some of these details were first reported in The Washington Post earlier this week . The official expressed surprise at how much shrapnel tore through the area , killing seven CIA officers and contractors -- including the two Xe Services guards -- as well as a Jordanian intelligence official . Former CIA Agent Jack Rice told CNN that frequently , suicide bombers ' explosive vests are wrapped in `` things like nuts and bolts and ball bearings . `` So what you create is this massive amount of shrapnel that kills everybody in the entire area , '' he said . Rice , who just returned from Afghanistan , said it was unusual to have so many officers present for a debriefing , but if they believed al-Balawi 's claims that he had direct links to al Qaeda 's top leadership , the excitement on the base would have been high . `` Remember , this is a career opportunity for all of these people . If you could take down al-Zawahiri , if you could take down Osama bin Laden , you are a hero for the rest of your career . Everybody wants to be in the room , '' Rice said . Al-Balawi , a Jordanian doctor , was a promising potential source . U.S. and Jordanian intelligence agencies apparently believed he was a reformed extremist and were using him to hunt al-Zawahiri . Al-Balawi had provided photographic evidence that helped establish his credibility , a U.S. intelligence official said . There were other things that also helped determine his authenticity , the official added , but would provide no further details . The former intelligence official who spoke anonymously has been to Forward Operating Base Chapman , where the attack occurred , and said body armor was worn even within the base 's inner perimeter , which is unusual , compared with military bases in Kabul or Kandahar . `` You have a real sense of the proximity to the Pakistan border . Perimeters do n't have the same meaning , '' the official said . While saying that a mistake was made by not searching al-Balawi before he got into the red car , the official defended the officers ' decision to bring him on base . `` There 's nowhere to frisk someone outside , and you do n't have a whole lot of options . Let 's assume they did have a safe house -- the exact same thing would have happened there , '' the official said . In a rare public defense of the CIA officers ' actions , CIA Director Leon Panetta said the officers did not ignore the potential dangers because of the potential for valuable information . `` This was not a question of trusting a potential intelligence asset , even one who had provided information that we could verify independently . It is never that simple , and no one ignored the hazards , '' Panetta wrote in an op-ed this weekend in The Washington Post . `` The individual was about to be searched by our security officers -- a distance away from other intelligence personnel -- when he set off his explosives . '' The official says the attack not only sheds light on the dangerous work CIA officials and contractors do in Afghanistan , but how their footprint is growing . FOB Chapman was used to conduct operations back and forth across the Pakistan border . But the official says it is just `` one of many bases in Afghanistan '' that operate outside U.S. military or NATO command . Afghan contractors guard the outer perimeter of many of the bases . `` Back in 2005 , the CIA worked up an entire plan on how to increase its presence in Afghanistan , '' the official said . This effort was pursued `` very aggressively '' through the last several years of the Bush administration , and the official believed President Obama would have been briefed on that when he took office . The official says the feeling in the intelligence community is that Obama has increased the frequency and intensity of aggressive actions around the Afghanistan/Pakistan border region . Since he took office , the United States has ramped up the use of pilotless drones to strike at al Qaeda targets in Pakistan , including at least seven strikes since the December 30 attack at FOB Chapman , and approximately 51 others previously in 2009 . In 2008 , the last year of President George W. Bush 's administration , there were approximately 34 drone strikes . `` I 've seen no evidence that he 's -LSB- Obama -RSB- diminished in any way the strategy of the previous administration . In fact , President Obama has not only continued what President Bush started , he 's built on it , '' the official said . CNN Intelligence Producer Pam Benson and Pentagon Supervising Producer Adam Levine contributed to this report . | Bomber was invited to base to share information on al Qaeda 's second in command . He detonated explosives as he left car , former intelligence official says . Official : Bomber should 've been searched before he got into car ; bringing him on base was right . Attack shows CIA expansion in Afghanistan , risk to officials , contractors , official says . | [[566, 625], [248, 331], [1222, 1254], [1257, 1274], [1364, 1406], [4682, 4709], [3716, 3810], [3716, 3779], [3813, 3881], [546, 565], [4713, 4832]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Like many people who have done their time in Haiti , Gary Garner needs a good cry . In the past five days , the Salt Lake City , Utah , physician has held a dying man in his arms and amputated more fingers and toes than he can remember . Now , he needs a rest . Friday found him on the tarmac at the Port-au-Prince airport , searching for a way back to a normal life . `` We 're going to go home and cry , '' Garner said in a low voice . Then quietly , gently , with the suffering showing in his eyes as he looks away , he starts to cry . The pain ca n't wait for home . Full coverage | Twitter updates . Elizabeth Bellino could n't wait either . The New Orleans , Louisiana , pediatrician sat in her car Friday and wept because doctors at another nation 's hospital would not accept a truckload of food and water from her . Nor would they let her pick up patients to take back to the University of Miami field hospital , where she 's been volunteering this week . `` It 's so frustrating , '' Bellino said afterward . `` Why would they do that ? '' There 's much crying in Haiti . There 's certain to be more once caregivers and others get home . For now , though , the work continues . iReport : List of missing , found | Are you there ? Bellino had an increasing patient load at the hospital , located in a dusty field adjacent to the Aeroport International Toussaint L'Ouverture . A 5.9-magnitude aftershock Wednesday had given her new patients . Even though Garner was trying to figure out how to get home , he still kept tending to patients being brought to a landing zone in three private helicopters . Those helicopters belong to Utah businessman Jeremy Johnson , who offered to take a medical team to Haiti after last week 's 7.0-magnitude earthquake killed tens of thousands and injured thousands more . Garner was a last-minute addition to a team put together by financial adviser Craig Nelson , a neighbor in Utah . Nelson had been to Haiti on a Mormon mission 20 years ago , along with Steve Hansen and Chuck Peterson , now both Utah physicians . When Nelson heard about the earthquake , he decided they needed to go . Hansen and Peterson readily agreed . They were dropped off Monday at the coastal city of Leogane , nearly 20 miles -LRB- 30 kilometers -RRB- west of Port-au-Prince . The city was at the epicenter of last week 's earthquake , and some reports say up to 90 percent of Leogane 's buildings were damaged or destroyed . Impact Your World . The U.S. doctors were among the first caregivers to arrive and were later joined by teams from Cuba , Germany , Canada and other nations . Unlike what happened to Bellino in Port-au-Prince , everyone got along fine in Leogane . `` It was like the United Nations of medical work , '' said Nelson . `` There were no nationalities , '' Garner said . They treated about 300 patients . The medicine was often rudimentary because of a lack of supplies . One doctor used a Leatherman tool to amputate a man 's lower leg . Doctors also used a rack from the back of a bicycle as a makeshift orthopedic splint , screwing it into the patient 's leg bones . The days were long , bleeding deep into the night . Sleep lasted three or four hours . `` We worked until our headlamps ran out of batteries and then people would bring us batteries , '' Garner said . `` You can sleep when you 're dead , '' he said . `` And I 'll have plenty of time to sleep this weekend . '' And , no doubt , have a good cry or two . | Doctor from Utah looks for way home after 5 days of volunteering . Another volunteer frustrated by lack of cooperation from another country 's doctors . Both have been too busy seeing patients to cry over what they 've seen . | [[304, 310], [367, 410], [941, 952], [970, 1006], [1505, 1552], [689, 704], [758, 866], [1555, 1588]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thanks to a crop of how-to dating shows , such as Bravo 's `` The Millionaire Matchmaker '' and VH1 's `` Tough Love , '' more people are reaching out to matchmakers , making an age-old art fashionable again . Back in 19th-century Russia -- around the time of `` Fiddler on the Roof '' -- women dreaded visits from the village matchmaker and longed to choose their own men . Today , real-life dating experts are in high demand . `` Millionaire Matchmaker '' star Patti Stanger says her off-screen business , Millionaire 's Club International , is growing just as fast as her TV series , which , in its third season premiere , increased viewership by 30 percent , according to Nielsen Media Research . It 's great having more clients , Stanger said , though there 's more dross to sort through . `` We 're on the map , everyone knows the brand , but it takes 30 to 45 guys until we find a real guy , '' she said . `` Crazy people come in -LSB- out of -RSB- the woodwork . '' And while certain aspects of her club have been sensationalized for TV -- like having millionaires pick their dates out of a room full of men or women looking to date them -- Stanger tells it like it is , whether or not the cameras are rolling . `` I 'll tell -LSB- clients -RSB- off . I 'll say , ` You want to be 80 -LSB- and alone -RSB- in the nursing home ? ' '' `` Tough Love '' features Steve Ward , chief executive officer at Master Matchmakers , a matchmaking service his mother JoAnn Ward -- who also appears on the show -- founded more than 20 years ago . On the show , Ward works closely with single women who he says `` need an objective third party to give them constructive feedback that can help them find what they 're looking for . '' There are many people looking for answers , especially young people with nowhere else to turn , Ward said . About half of the 20,000 people who applied to be on his new spin-off `` Tough Love Couples '' were younger than 21 , he said . Hiring a matchmaker can be pricey . Some services charge thousands of dollars for one-on-one consultations . However , many matchmakers will list you in their database for a smaller fee . The success of the shows has rubbed off on the matchmaking industry . Despite her general dislike for `` The Millionaire Matchmaker , '' Janis Spindel said the Bravo hit , which debuted in 2008 , is somewhat responsible for spiking interest and boosting her client base . Her company , Janis Spindel Serious Matchmaking , has seen a 41 percent increase since these programs found a place on cable TV . One client , a former bachelor from Austin , Texas , contacted Spindel after his daughter inadvertently introduced him to `` The Millionaire Matchmaker . '' `` His teenage daughter was watching it in the living room , and when he walked in , he heard what the show was about and took interest in the art of matchmaking , '' Spindel said . Samantha Daniels of Samantha 's Table , a bicoastal matchmaking service , said she has also watched her business boom since matchmaking shows first appeared on TV . `` Miss Match , '' a romantic dramedy based on Daniels ' life as a matrimonial attorney turned matchmaker , aired on NBC in 2003 . Whether it aired about six years too soon , or just settled in to an unfortunate time slot , the series was canceled after one season because of disappointing ratings . Despite `` Miss Match 's '' missed mark , Daniels plans to give TV another shot . She 's is in the planning stages of her own reality show to teach women to be better daters . `` Putting that show on the air and going forward with more shows on the air , people are coming to understand what the business is more , '' Daniels said . `` A lot of people will say ... ` You do that in real life ? I want someone to do that for me . ' '' Jan Yager , author of `` 125 Ways to Meet the Love of Your Life , '' said fear is the main reason people are reluctant to contact matchmakers , and she 's glad that reality matchmaking shows are doing their part to ease that fear . Yager , who met her husband of 25 years through the personals , said it 's important to get past the stigma that comes with hiring a matchmaker . Some people have an `` if it happens , it happens '' attitude when it comes to finding love , she said . `` But did you get to -LSB- be successful at work -RSB- because ` if it happens , it happens ' ? Did n't you have to plan and put time into it ? Think about it . '' In addition to educating viewers about how to find love and sustain healthy relationships , matchmaking shows have helped to eliminate the stigma often associated with hiring a matchmaker , said Stanger , who met her fiancé through her own service . `` Now it 's not taboo to hire a matchmaker . '' she said . | Nielsen Media Research : `` Millionaire Matchmaker '' season 3 ratings show up season 2 's . Matchmaker Janis Spindel 's business up 41 percent since matchmaking shows hit TV . About half of the 20,000 who applied to be on `` Tough Love Couples '' were younger than 21 . | [[590, 603], [682, 719], [2441, 2452], [2477, 2570], [2989, 3074], [1867, 1884], [1889, 1925], [1853, 1884], [1948, 1968]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With phone lines down and communication cut , Haitians living in America are `` sick with worry '' and scrambling for information about Tuesday 's earthquake , while fretting about their troubled homeland and their loved ones . `` Well , we 're watching the news unfold , and I just do n't know what to think , '' said Gepsi Metellus , executive director of the Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center in Miami , Florida . She said her mother , who splits her time between Haiti -- she lives in Pétionville , a suburb of Port-au-Prince -- and Miami , just flew back to the island on Friday . While Metellus and others are glued to TVs , she said , `` We 're not learning a thing . It 's just making me sick with worry . '' Are you looking for loved ones in Haiti ? Haiti is the most impoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere . Plagued with `` political violence for most of its history , '' according to the CIA World Factbook , the Caribbean island nation has suffered from colonialism , coups and corruption since becoming the first black republic in 1804 . Are you there ? Submit an iReport . More than half of the country lives in `` abject poverty . '' The nation imports more than four times the goods it exports and about two-thirds of the labor force lacks formal jobs , the CIA reports . `` You worry about everything at this point , '' said Metellus . She said the Haitian community in South Florida numbers from 250,000 to 500,000 people . `` The basic infrastructure we 're accustomed to here is nonexistent . To assess the damage is going to be a momentous undertaking . '' Complete coverage of the earthquake . Disease is rampant , and it 's still common for children to die from drinking and washing in fecal contaminated water . UNICEF estimates that 70 percent of Haitians do not have access to `` safe drinking water and adequate sanitation . '' Nyvrose Fleurent of Brooklyn , New York , works for the community outreach group Haitian American United Progress and said most Haitian immigrants in the United States have family still on the island . They often financially support family members who are n't able to leave , she said . She said this while watching the news . Earlier in the morning she had hugged her brother good-bye before he flew to Port-au-Prince airport in Haiti . She had no idea the city would be hit by an earthquake . Fleurent , 38 , remains hopeful her family will be unharmed . Her brother and cousins reside in Cap-Haïtien , in the north , on the opposite side of the country from Port-au-Prince , the city closest to the earthquake 's epicenter . Even so , she worried about the impact Tuesday 's 7.0 quake will have on her struggling home country . `` The people who live there can barely make it , '' Fleurent said . `` They ca n't even eat and get money for their basic needs , so this is going to be a big blow for them . I do n't know where Haiti is going to be in the future . It 's already so bad . '' The State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti : 1-888-407-4747 . CNN 's John Blake contributed to this report . | NEW : State Department line for those seeking information about loved ones : 1-888-407-4747 . With phone lines down , Haitians in U.S. fret about loved ones on island . `` We 're watching the news unfold , and I just do n't know what to think , '' woman says . Haiti is most impoverished country in Western Hemisphere , plagued by violence . | [[2973, 3107], [185, 246], [257, 288], [295, 327], [2170, 2209], [2170, 2173], [2179, 2183], [2190, 2209], [780, 845], [846, 904]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Manny Pacquiao has not given up on fighting Floyd Mayweather later this year , despite talks breaking down on a big-money contest in March . World welterweight champion Pacquiao will now fight Ghana 's Joshua Clottey in Dallas on March 13 , following a breakdown in talks with Mayweather 's camp ause of a row over blood and urine testing , but the Filipino is still hopeful that a deal can be agreed for the fight to take place this summer . Talking to reporters in the run-up to the Clottey contest , Pacquiao admitted : `` It will happen . I 'm still hoping a fight with Mayweather will be pushed through , maybe by summer time . Pacquiao 's promoter Bob Arum said on Sunday that he also believed a fight at some point against Mayweather had not been totally ruled out . `` There 's always later in the year and next year , it 's up to Mayweather . '' Meanwhile , in an exclusive interview with CNN , Pacquiao revealed : `` If Floyd wants that fight to happen then I think let the commission who implements the rules , not him , make the rules for the fight . `` Floyd is just a fighter . We 're both fighters so he does n't need to make the rules like that . `` But I am satisfied with my career now because of what I have done in boxing . I 'm not the one who turned down the fight . Floyd Mayweather , he 's the one that does n't want the fight . Despite still wanting to fight Mayweather , Pacquiao has also revealed that the American 's recent drug-testing demands have cast him in a bad light . He added : `` I want to clear my name because I 'm a very honest person . I 'm very disappointed for what he accused me of . I 'm clean . I 'm not cheating . I 'm a very honest fighter . '' | World welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has not given up on fighting Floyd Mayweather later this year . The Filipino is still keen to fight the American despite talks breaking down on a big-money contest in March . Pacquiao will first fight Ghana 's Joshua Clottey in Dallas on March 13 . | [[19, 95], [160, 196], [260, 357], [652, 792], [702, 704], [710, 763], [719, 792], [19, 95], [106, 159], [160, 196], [260, 357], [1372, 1413], [160, 205], [212, 257], [160, 196], [202, 257]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ferrari have unveiled their new car , the F10 , which the Italian manufacturer hopes will see them return to the front of the Formula One grid . Last season saw Ferrari struggle to keep up with Brawn GP , McLaren and Red Bull and team boss Stefano Domenicali told the BBC that he believes the new car will be far more competitive than the 2009 version . `` We are coming off a season that was not competitive and this should mark a turning point . We want to win the world title once again , '' said Domeniciali . Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso 's move to Ferrari was one of Formula One 's worse-kept secrets but , now his move has been confirmed , the Spaniard admits he can not wait to get started . `` This is my first presentation with a Ferrari and it 's very exciting , '' he told the official Ferrari Web site . `` I want to thank the team for their great work , but also the sponsors and everybody else . '' Alonso will partner Brazilian Felipe Massa , who has now fully recovered from his life-threatening crash in Hungary last July , and chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo believes both drivers will compliment each other superbly . `` They know how to race for a team and not for themselves . I 'm expecting a lot from them . Felipe is strong , stronger than he has ever been . In Budapest I told him : ` you 'll be back even stronger '' and he has . '' Formula One rules changes have been taken into account when constructing the new F10 and Luca Marmorini , head of engine and electronics , commented : `` From a technical point of view reducing the consumption was one of the most interesting things this year . Consumption means performance . `` There wo n't be any refuelling anymore so consuming less means less petrol on board and therefore better lap times . Whoever consumes less will be faster on the track . '' | Ferrari unveil their new car , the F10 , for the 2010 Formula One season . The Italian manufacturer hopes the car will see them return to the front of the grid . Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso partners Felipe Massa this season . | [[19, 54], [55, 64], [85, 163], [533, 636], [944, 986]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A British businessman jailed in Dubai after being convicted with a female companion for having sex on a beach said he had acted naively as he spoke publicly Monday for the first time since returning to the UK . Vince Acors said he had been `` extremely naive '' about Muslim law . Vince Acors , 34 , and Michelle Palmer , 36 , were arrested on a Dubai beach in July and convicted to three-month jail terms in October on charges of public indecency and for having sex outside marriage . Their jail sentences were suspended on appeal and both returned to the UK last week . Acors , a telecommunications executive , admitted being drunk at the time of the incident after an afternoon of drinking but denied that sex between the couple had occurred and said that worldwide media interest in the case had given authorities no choice but to convict them . `` Sex in this country -LRB- the UK -RRB- is not the same as sex in Dubai , '' Acors told a news conference , adding that there was `` physical contact but intercourse did not take place . '' Watch as Acors gives his side of the story '' But Acors admitted he had been `` extremely naive '' about Muslim law in the Middle Eastern country . He described how drinking was commonplace in the Emirate 's Western hotels , and how his `` champagne glass was never empty '' during a Friday afternoon `` all-you-can-drink '' reception where he met Palmer . Acors said the Dubai authorities had confiscated his passport during deportation proceedings that took three months . He returned to Britain on Christmas Eve and is now looking to sell his story . He said he and Palmer had since spoken only to discuss the case and do n't have a relationship . She was not at the news conference . | British man convicted of having sex on a beach in Dubai denies sex took place . 34-year-old admits he was `` extremely naive '' about Muslim law . Couple were both convicted of public indecency , sex outside marriage . Three-month jail terms suspended on appeal ; they returned to UK last week . | [[36, 145], [9, 32], [146, 218], [247, 316], [264, 270], [279, 310], [264, 266], [271, 316], [1128, 1225], [36, 145], [9, 32], [74, 134], [317, 355], [406, 521], [522, 567], [572, 607]] |
Editor 's note : Julian E. Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University 's Woodrow Wilson School . His new book , `` Arsenal of Democracy : The Politics of National Security -- From World War II to the War on Terrorism , '' will be published in December by Basic Books . Zelizer writes widely about current events . President Obama is taking a huge step in his presidency . After weeks of careful deliberation , the president has sided with military officials who have been pushing for an escalation of U.S. forces in Afghanistan . Explaining his objectives and exit strategy , Obama is expected to announce that he will be sending 30,000 troops , and possibly more , into the region . With this decision , Obama inches closer to becoming a wartime president . Even though the White House insists that they will continue to work hard on their domestic agenda , historically , presidents who become involved in protracted ground wars find that their presidencies are defined by their military conflicts . The politics that surround a military operation play an enormous role in the political success or failure of an administration . Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many congressional Democrats realize the human and political risks that come from this war . As news broke of President Obama 's decision , Pelosi said : `` the American people believe that if something is in our national security interest , we have to be able to afford it . That does n't mean that we hold everything else '' stagnant because of those operations . But war sucks the political oxygen out of almost any presidency . There have been several modern presidents who started their term with an ambitious domestic vision and who ended up with their presidencies totally consumed by war . President Harry Truman , who served from 1945 to 1953 , pulled off a historic upset in his reelection bid against Thomas Dewey in 1948 . In the campaign , Truman castigated a `` do-nothing '' Congress . When he returned to the White House after the election , Truman fought for an ambitious domestic agenda in 1949 and 1950 , which he called the Fair Deal , which included national health care , civil rights , fair housing and more . While a conservative coalition of southern Democrats and Republicans in Congress defeated most of his proposals , it was the Korean War , which began in the summer of 1950 , that brought down his presidency . When the military operations against North Korea bogged down into a stalemate by 1951 , Republicans ripped into the administration for refusing to use enough air power against the communists . Truman , whose approval ratings plummeted to 23 percent by 1952 , decided that he should not run for reelection . `` If we had been less trusting , if we had been less soft and weak , there would probably have been no war in Korea ! '' Republican candidate and military hero Gen. Dwight Eisenhower said on the campaign trail . Republicans focused their campaign on Korea , Communism and corruption . The Democratic nominee , Adlai Stevenson , lost ; Republicans gained control of Congress . President Lyndon Johnson was on the verge of becoming a transformative president in the winter of 1965 . Since taking office , Johnson had presided over the passage of a sweeping body of domestic measures unequaled by almost any president in American history other than Franklin Roosevelt . His accomplishments included Medicare and Medicaid , federal education assistance , civil rights and voting rights , environmental regulations , immigration reform and much more . Yet all those accomplishments seemed to disappear in the political psyche after the `` Americanization '' of the war in the spring of 1965 , when Johnson authorized a vast increase of ground troops to Vietnam . By 1968 , public opinion had turned against the war , with anti-war protesters organizing against `` Johnson 's War . '' In the history books , Vietnam has swamped our memory of Johnson 's presidency and eclipsed much of what he accomplished in those early years . `` That bitch of a war , '' Johnson lamented toward the end of his life , `` killed the lady I really loved -- the Great Society . '' Most recently , there was the experience of President George W. Bush . During the 2000 campaign and in the early months of his presidency , Bush pushed for a type of `` compassionate conservatism '' that sought to extend certain kinds of government programs and establish the framework for a broad Republican coalition that captured the center and right . The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 extended the reach of the federal government into the nation 's grade schools . After 9/11 , Bush led a successful operation to knock the Taliban out of power in Afghanistan and dramatically reorganized homeland security . But once Bush sent troops to Iraq to bring down Saddam Hussein in 2003 , the war came to dominate everything else . As the reconstruction of Iraq proved to be much more difficult than the White House anticipated , Bush 's popularity plummeted . In 2006 , Democrats took control of Congress and in 2008 Barack Obama , on a platform defined by his opposition to Iraq , was elected president . There are modern presidents who have balanced their agendas and preserved domestic policy as an integral part of their political identity even after having sent troops to war . This was the certainly the case with FDR who protected many of his domestic programs and even expanded government into new areas at home as the war unfolded . But FDR is an exception to the rule . Soon Obama will be significantly expanding an existing military operation , making this war his own . In doing so , he will be risking a huge amount of his potential impact as a president . To make matters even worse , unlike Johnson , Obama has had more trouble pushing much of his domestic agenda through Congress . While he will very likely walk away from this year with a victory on health care , most of his agenda remains bottled up . It is easy to see how Afghanistan can quickly grow in scale and scope . It would be a tragedy if a politician who headed a historic campaign based on the promise of extracting the United States from a very unpopular war would wind up bogged down in a quagmire of his own . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer . | With his troop decision , Obama becomes a wartime president , says Julian Zelizer . He says other presidents have seen wars swallow up their domestic plans . Zelizer says Truman , LBJ , George W. Bush were weakened by war . | [[739, 792], [1692, 1720], [1729, 1761], [1743, 1787], [4197, 4210], [4213, 4267]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities have recovered 54 bodies after a ferry crammed with people capsized in southern Bangladesh , police said Sunday . Among the victims were 22 children and 15 women , said Nazrul Islam , the police chief of Bhola district where the accident occurred Friday . Thirty more passengers are believed missing and presumed dead , he said . `` Hopefully , in few hours , we should be able to confirm the exact number of missing -LRB- people -RRB- , '' Islam said . The boat had a capacity of 1,500 but was overcrowded with about 2,000 people who were traveling from the capital , Dhaka , to their homes in Bhola for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha . The boat toppled as passengers weighted down one side to disembark , Islam said . Police and firefighters rushed to aid passengers , many of whom were trapped in the lower deck . CNN 's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report . | Authorities recover 54 bodies after overcrowded ferry capsizes . Boat had capacity of 1,500 , but 2,000 people onboard . They were traveling homes for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha . | [[19, 89], [485, 517], [485, 493], [522, 561], [538, 561], [566, 605]] |
Berlin , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 90-year-old man from northern Germany has been charged with 58 counts of murder for the killings of Jewish forced laborers in the final days of World War Two . The man , who was not named , was a member of the feared SS serving in what is now Austria when he allegedly carried out the crimes , the state court in Duisburg , western Germany , said Tuesday . A state office responsible for the prosecution of Nazi war crimes filed the charges . On March 29 , 1945 , the man brought at least 57 Jewish forced laborers in several groups to a wooded area where they were forced to give up their valuables and kneel in a ditch , the court said . `` The accused and other SS members then shot the Jewish forced laborers cruelly from the back , '' the court said . That day or the next , the court said , the man made other Jewish forced laborers who were `` exhausted and no longer able to walk '' to march near the town of Jabing , which was then in Germany and is now part of modern-day Austria . He then `` insidiously '' shot them from the back , it added . `` The accusation is that the accused let himself be led by the National Socialist -LRB- Nazi -RRB- ideology , corresponding to an extremely hostile and inhumane attitude toward the victims , who he viewed as inferior , '' the court said . The court said it must now decide whether to open proceedings against the man , who has two weeks in which to raise any objections . | Man from northern Germany charged with 58 counts of killing Jewish laborers . Killings took place just weeks from the end of World War II . Man is accused of being part of an SS group that carried out executions . | [[9, 32], [59, 144], [244, 257], [269, 329]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With phone lines down and communication cut , Haitians living in America are `` sick with worry '' and scrambling for information about loved ones who experienced Tuesday 's 7.0 earthquake on the island nation . `` At this point it looks like it 's worse than we all imagined and we still do n't know specifics because of the down power lines , '' Gepsi Metellus said Wednesday . She is the executive director of the Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center in Miami , Florida , which provides services to Haitians in South Florida ranging from help with taxes to how to navigate the American school system . `` We are assuming there are a lot more casualties than we might have initially thought , '' she said . Metellus said she still has n't heard from her mother , who splits her time between Haiti -- she lives in Pétionville , a suburb of Port-au-Prince -- and Miami . Her mother flew from Miami to Haiti on Friday . `` She 's in her 70s . I 'm very concerned . '' Metellus is also trying to find out how the center can best help people in Haiti , but without information , that 's difficult to ascertain at the moment . `` There are people who want to drop off medicine and food and water at the center , but we do n't even know if that 's what 's needed , much less if we will be able to get those supplies to the island . '' Are you looking for loved ones in Haiti ? Haiti is the most impoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere . Plagued with `` political violence for most of its history , '' according to the CIA World Factbook , the Caribbean island nation has suffered from colonialism , coups and corruption since becoming the first black republic in 1804 . Are you there ? Submit an iReport . More than half of the country lives in `` abject poverty . '' The nation imports more than four times the goods it exports and about two-thirds of the labor force lacks formal jobs , the CIA reports . There are 45,000 Americans living in Haiti , and the U.S. Embassy , as of Wednesday , has been able to reach only 40 of them , according to a release from the U.S. State Department . Metellus said the Haitian community in South Florida numbers from 250,000 to 500,000 people . `` The basic infrastructure we 're accustomed to here is nonexistent -LSB- in Haiti -RSB- . To assess the damage is going to be a momentous undertaking . '' Complete coverage of the earthquake . Disease is rampant in Haiti , and it 's still common for children to die from drinking and washing in fecal contaminated water . UNICEF estimates that 70 percent of Haitians do not have access to `` safe drinking water and adequate sanitation . '' Nyvrose Fleurent of Brooklyn , New York , works for the community outreach group Haitian American United Progress and said most Haitian immigrants in the United States have family still on the island . They often financially support family members who are n't able to leave , she said . Read about Haiti donations contributed through Twitter . Fleurent said this Tuesday while watching the news . Earlier in the morning she had hugged her brother goodbye before he flew to the Port-au-Prince airport in Haiti . Fleurent , 38 , remains hopeful her family will be unharmed . Her brother and cousins reside in Cap-Haïtien , in the north , on the opposite side of the country from Port-au-Prince , the city closest to the earthquake 's epicenter . Even so , she worried about the impact the quake will have on her struggling home country . `` The people who live there can barely make it , '' Fleurent said . `` They ca n't even eat and get money for their basic needs , so this is going to be a big blow for them . I do n't know where Haiti is going to be in the future . It 's already so bad . '' Harley Etienne , a Georgia Institute of Technology professor of public policy , fretted Wednesday about his uncle , cousins and his best friend 's mother who live in a suburb of Port-au-Prince . `` It 's all making my family here -LSB- in the U.S. -RSB- very nervous and scared , '' he said . `` My uncle lives on a hill so it 's quite upsetting . He lives in the same house that my father and his six brothers and sisters grew up in . '' `` All we can do is wait and hope , '' he said . The State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti : 1-888-407-4747 . CNN 's Jessica Ravitz , Stephanie Chen , Ashley Fantz and John Blake contributed to this report . | NEW : State Department line for those seeking information about loved ones : 1-888-407-4747 . With phone lines down , Haitians in U.S. fret about loved ones on island . `` It looks like it 's worse than we all imagined , '' Haitian in Miami says . Haiti is most impoverished country in Western Hemisphere , plagued by violence . | [[4229, 4363], [65, 91], [122, 165], [248, 294], [1390, 1455], [1456, 1514]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As huge numbers of desperate Haitians struggled Friday in what could be their last hours of life , the supplies many needed remained stuck in planes , ships , and cargo holds , unable to get to them . Adding to the desperation , medical personnel were seen leaving in droves Friday night from a makeshift hospital in Port-au-Prince after being told by U.N. officials to get out of the area . Medical staff had been treating 25 patients at the location . `` There is concern about riots not far from here -- and this is part of the problem , '' CNN 's Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta said . `` They -LRB- doctors -RRB- want to take care of lots of patients that are actually in the tents and many more that are actually outside , but they are simply being told at this point to stop and try to get to some sort of secure location . '' Sandra Pierre , a Haitian who has been helping at the hospital , said the medical staff took most of the supplies with them . `` All the doctors , all the nurses are gone , '' she said . `` They are expected to be back tomorrow . They had no plan on leaving tonight . It was an order that came suddenly . '' She told Gupta , `` It 's just you ... and an American soldier who retired who came here from Santo Domingo to help . '' `` With medicine , we are not talking about weeks and months down the line -- this is minutes and hours in terms of what is necessary , '' Gupta said . Get the latest developments on Haiti . There was one bright spot Friday : Many residents had ready access to water . Around the fallen presidential palace , water trucks were seen servicing the masses who have taken up camp in nearby open areas . Local hotels and businesses have been putting out hoses to supply the homeless with clean water . Residents were seen waiting patiently in long lines to fill up anything and everything that could hold water -- from plastic jugs to metal drums . A U.N. distribution center also was set up in Cite Soleil , guarded by U.N. peacekeeping troops , where some 10,000 plates of cooked chicken and rice were handed out to a patient line of survivors . See full coverage of Haiti . In Port-au-Prince , a chaotic scene erupted as people clamored to reach the trucks of a World Food Programme convoy carrying water purification tablets , plastic sheeting , collapsible jugs and nutritional biscuits . At one point , a rumor spread that the food had expired and people began throwing it away . Eventually , the convoy was forced to leave the scene , with some survivors chasing after the truck trying to hold on to the back . A bottleneck at the damaged airport -- which has one runway -- was one of the impediments facing aid workers . U.S. Southern Command has determined that the airport can handle 90 flights a day , but that many are not yet being allowed in , a U.S. State Department spokesman said . Neighboring Dominican Republic agreed to open up one of its airports and a seaport to help deal with the influx of aid , according to the Dominican ambassador to the United States , Roberto B. Saladin . Authorities were trying to develop a system to prioritize the few flights that make it in , based on which have the most urgently needed supplies . But the logistical problems also included an unreachable dock , too little equipment to unload the supplies , and impassable roads covered in rubble or dead bodies . Dave Toycen , head of the relief agency World Vision Canada , said that even when roads became passable , `` There was a mile-long line to get gasoline . We are short the basics . '' One Haitian man approached U.N. workers at the World Food Programme warehouse , which was already helping feed 1 million people before the quake . `` Where is the support ? '' he cried as he threw down a blood-stained box carrying the human limbs that he said were from the bodies of his wife and child . Rajiv Shah , director for the U.S. Agency for International Development , said Friday the organization 's Disaster Assistance Response Team team in Haiti was using satellite imagery to target rescue operations and aid delivery most effectively . Shah said `` there is an important open window of time today , tonight , and perhaps even parts of tomorrow , when we have the ability to save lives . '' The USS Carl Vinson arrived off the coast Friday , carrying 19 heavy-lift helicopters , 51 hospital beds , three operating rooms , and the ability to produce hundreds of thousands of gallons of drinkable water per day . There are four U.S. disaster medical assistance teams on the ground and 265 employees from the department of Health and Human Services assisting with medical care , the State Department said . Numerous countries around the world were offering aid , including Belize , Brazil , Britain , China , Chile , Spain , Canada , Israel , Iceland , Ireland and Morocco . A long list of agencies have sent help to the region as well , and have raised millions of dollars . The Obama administration fended off criticism Friday that it should have done more for Haiti more quickly . Lt. Gen. Russel Honore , the retired general who took charge of relief efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina , said Thursday the U.S. military should have arrived in the country 24 hours sooner . Defense Secretary Robert Gates rejected that suggestion Friday . `` I do n't know how this government could have responded faster or more comprehensively than it has , '' he told reporters at the Pentagon . `` There are just some certain facts of life that affect how quickly you can do some of these things . The collapse of the infrastructure in Haiti , the small size of the airport , the time it takes a ship to get from point A to point B , those are all just facts of life . '' CNN 's Steve Kastenbaum , Larry Shaughnessy and Elise Labott contributed to this report . | NEW : Medical personnel exit makeshift hospital on U.N. officials ' orders . Bottleneck at Port-au-Prince airport among problems relief agencies face in Haiti . USS Carl Vinson brings helicopters , hospital beds and operating rooms . Defense chief rejects criticism that U.S. responded too slowly to crisis . | [[271, 329], [271, 288], [299, 373], [374, 433], [2627, 2662], [2690, 2716], [2701, 2737], [4313, 4332], [4364, 4459], [4995, 5102], [5308, 5372]] |
United Nations -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Britain 's Queen Elizabeth II will address the U.N. General Assembly in July , the British Mission to the United Nations announced Friday . Queen Elizabeth last addressed the General Assembly in 1957 , it said . The queen 's July 6 speech will come at the conclusion of a nine-day trip to Canada with her husband , the Duke of Edinburgh . She will address the United Nations in her capacity as head of state of 16 U.N. member states , the mission said in a news release . Queen Elizabeth is head of state for the United Kingdom , Antigua and Barbuda , Australia , the Bahamas , Barbados , Belize , Canada , Grenada , Jamaica , New Zealand , Papua New Guinea , Saint Kitts and Nevis , Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu . | Queen Elizabeth II to address U.N. General Assembly in July . Queen last addressed U.N. in 1957 . Queen is head of state of 16 U.N. member states . | [[0, 30], [51, 110], [174, 233], [373, 459], [506, 799]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The world 's population is forecast to hit 7 billion in 2011 , the vast majority of its growth coming in developing and , in many cases , the poorest nations , a report released Wednesday said . Riders cram into a train last month in New Delhi , India . India 's population is expected to be 1.7 billion by 2050 . A staggering 97 percent of global growth over the next 40 years will happen in Asia , Africa , Latin America and the Caribbean , according to the Population Reference Bureau 's 2009 World Population Data Sheet . `` The great bulk of today 's 1.2 billion youth -- nearly 90 percent -- are in developing countries , '' said Carl Haub , a co-author of the report . Eight in 10 of those youth live in Africa and Asia . `` During the next few decades , these young people will most likely continue the current trend of moving from rural areas to cities in search of education and training opportunities , gainful employment , and adequate health care , '' Haub continued , calling it one of the major social questions of the next few decades . In the developed world , the United States and Canada will account for most of the growth -- half from immigration and half from a natural increase in the population -- births minus deaths , according to the report . High fertility rates and a young population base in the developing world will fuel most of the growth , especially in Africa , where women often give birth to six or seven children over a lifetime , the report says . The number is about two in the United States and 1.5 in Canada . A stark contrast can be drawn between Uganda and Canada , which currently have about 34 million and 31 million residents , respectively . By 2050 , Canada 's population is projected to be 42 million , while Uganda 's is expected to soar to 96 million , more than tripling . `` Even with declining fertility rates in many countries , world population is still growing at a rapid rate , '' said Bill Butz , president of the bureau . `` The increase from 6 billion to 7 billion is likely to take 12 years , as did the increase from 5 billion to 6 billion . Both events are unprecedented in world history . '' By 2050 , India is projected to be the world 's most populous nation at 1.7 billion , overtaking current leader China , which is forecast to hit 1.4 billion . The United States is expected to reach 439 million for No. 3 on the list . | Global population to reach 7 billion in two years , research institute projects . Most growth is occurring in developing and poor nations , study finds . Uganda 's population expected to almost triple by 2050 . India projected to overtake China as most populous country . | [[0, 20], [30, 90], [114, 145], [344, 470], [607, 613], [632, 655], [1783, 1832], [1789, 1798], [1811, 1855], [2198, 2203], [2217, 2271], [2198, 2203], [2274, 2307]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Raymond Thomas is a jolly man who laughs easily and likes to say `` Forget it '' a lot . He 'd like to forget the devastation wrought at the Port-au-Prince harbor where his fleet of trucks used to pick up cargo . Tuesday 's 7.0-magnitude earthquake sent a quarter-mile pier crumbling into the sea along with two of his trucks . The few workers who went into the water swam to safety , Thomas said , but the port remains shut down , and desperately needed aid can not be unloaded quickly . `` Now we 're just starving to death , '' he said , worried that the airport and smaller harbors can not handle the necessary volume of relief supplies . `` That was the whole country right there , '' he added , pointing at two toppled cranes on the remains of the pier that stand out against the clear-blue sky . Thomas owns Raymond and Sons Trucking , a fleet of 35 trucks that haul cargo from the port . The company employed about 50 employees , all of them now out of work . `` I 'm out , '' Thomas said . The port wo n't be back for a while . Roads have been split apart and buckled , fences have fallen over . `` Oh , forget it , '' Thomas said . `` Forget it . It might take a year to rebuild it . Forget it . '' Yet he feels fortunate because although his home was destroyed and his business is shattered , no one in his family died in the quake . Asked what happened , he demurs with a hearty laugh . `` Forget it , '' he says . `` I do n't want to talk about it . '' He then relents , calling his family 's survival `` a miracle . '' His wife was outside their house and he was driving home in his red 1995 Honda CRV sport utility vehicle . `` I felt like the whole car was going to take off like an airplane , '' he said , laughing . He was n't wearing a seat belt , he admits . `` This is Haiti . In Miami , I wear a seat belt . '' Another laugh . Thomas ' 40-year-old daughter , Marjorie , and her 15-month-old son had just left earlier that afternoon to return to her home in Fort Lauderdale , Florida . Asked if it was a miracle that she missed the quake by such a short time , he laughs again , saying , `` You bet your sweet heart . '' On Friday , he was wearing a bullet-proof vest after someone tried to rob him the day before . Someone wanted to take his cell phone he said , and the port is near the roughest part of town . For now , Thomas and his wife are sleeping in a tent . And for now , also , his mind is on the port . He 's not alone . Tug boat owner Roger Rouzier also seem a dim future without the port . `` We can not receive the help by plane , '' Rouzier said Friday . `` We need to receive help by boat . '' Rouzier estimates that before the earthquake , more than 70 ships each unloaded about 8,000 tons of material every month . `` I personally unload three or four a day , '' he said . `` The whole country depends on this port . If we 're going to save people , we have to do it by boat . '' Without the port , Thomas sees serious consequences for Haiti , one of the poorest nations on Earth . `` We 'll starve to death , that 's all , '' he said . `` We 'll just starve to death . '' And it wo n't take long for trouble to reach the streets , he said . Especially since many of the nation 's criminals escaped when Port-au-Prince 's prison collapsed in the quake . `` Very soon we 're going to have a riot , '' Thomas said , this time not laughing . How soon ? `` I do n't give you a week , '' he said . No laugh there either . | Tuesday 's 7.0 earthquake severely damaged Port-au-Prince 's harbor . Workers say sea shipments are vital for Haitians ' survival . Without the port , `` We 'll just starve to death , '' trucker warns . | [[131, 204], [255, 349], [2637, 2670], [534, 567], [3067, 3089], [3119, 3151]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Alone in the darkness beneath layers of rubble , Dan Woolley felt blood streaming from his head and leg . Then he remembered -- he had an app for that . Woolley , an aid worker , husband , and father of two boys , followed instructions on his cell phone to survive the January 12 earthquake in Haiti . `` I had an app that had pre-downloaded all this information about treating wounds . So I looked up excessive bleeding and I looked up compound fracture , '' Woolley told CNN . The application on his iPhone is filled with information about first aid and CPR from the American Heart Association . `` So I knew I was n't making mistakes , '' Woolley said . `` That gave me confidence to treat my wounds properly . '' Trapped in the ruins of the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince , he used his shirt to bandage his leg , and tied his belt around the wound . To stop the bleeding on his head , he firmly pressed a sock to it . Concerned he might have been experiencing shock , Woolley used the app to look up what to do . It warned him not to sleep . So he set his phone alarm to go off every 20 minutes . Once the battery got down to less than 20 percent of its power , Woolley turned it off . By then , he says , he had trained his body not to sleep for long periods , drifting off only to wake up within minutes . Woolley 's job keeps him tech savvy . He oversees interactive projects for the Christian child advocacy organization Compassion International in Colorado Springs , Colorado . CNN iReport : Looking for loved ones in Haiti . With his injuries tended to , he wrote a note to his family in his journal : `` I was in a big accident , an earthquake . Do n't be upset at God . He always provides for his children even in hard times . I 'm still praying that God will get me out , but he may not . But even so he will always take care of you . '' The journal is stained with his blood . After more than 60 hours , Woolley was pulled from the rubble . `` Those guys are rescue heroes , '' he said of the crew that pulled him out . Interactive map of where to find aid , hospitals in Haiti . His colleague David Hames has not been found . The two had been standing together when the earthquake struck and the Hotel Montana crumbled . They were making a film about poverty in Haiti and had just gotten back to the hotel , heading to the elevator in the lobby . `` Then all of a sudden just all craziness broke loose , '' Woolley said . `` Convulsions of the ground around us , the walls started rippling and then falling on us . -LSB- Hames -RSB- yelled out , ' I think it 's an earthquake ! ' I looked for someplace safe to jump to and there was no safe place . '' When the shaking stopped , Woolley could n't see . And his friend was not with him . He turned on the focus light of a camera he was wearing around his neck , but he did n't have his glasses . `` So I actually took some pictures and would look at the back of the lens of the camera and saw in one of those pictures the elevator that I ended up hobbling over to . And that became my safe place . '' Once in the elevator , he used the app -- called `` Pocket First Aid & CPR '' from Jive Media -- to tend to his injuries . Woolley said his phone `` was like a high-tech version of a Swiss Army knife that enabled me to treat my own injuries , track time , stay awake and stay alive . '' Woolley heard voices of some other people trapped nearby , and they spoke with each other . `` About a day , maybe day and a half in , we heard rescuers , and they had a list of our names at that point , because they were able to talk to one of the people we were talking with . And so then it seemed like , OK , this is going to happen , we 're actually going to get rescued . `` But then it just took a long time and there were times where I did n't hear anything or I 'd hear drilling in a far part of the building and just did n't get any reassurance they were still coming for me , '' Woolley said . `` The scene outside was a lot more chaotic and less simple than I imagined in my head . ... But eventually they came for me and did an amazing rescue . '' Back home now in Colorado Springs with his wife Christina and children Josh , 6 , and Nathan , 3 , Woolley said he 's grateful to God for getting him through the ordeal . `` Happiness is a morning with ... family , filled with Legos , kissing boo-boos and normalcy . '' | Dan Woolley , a Colorado aid worker , was trapped in Haiti hotel after earthquake . Woolley used cell phone application to learn how to control bleeding , survive . iPhone application , called `` Pocket First Aid & CPR , '' is from Jive Media . `` That gave me confidence to treat my wounds properly , '' Woolley says . | [[736, 795], [3085, 3105], [3108, 3178], [658, 675], [679, 732], [2439, 2456], [3266, 3284], [3290, 3325], [3959, 3976]] |
Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- China summoned the U.S. ambassador on Friday to express its `` strong dissatisfaction '' over the Dalai Lama 's meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama a day earlier . China did n't disclose what was discussed during the session with Ambassador Jon Huntsman at the Foreign Ministry . But Beijing had warned that a meeting between the president and the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader would damage its ties with Washington . `` The Chinese side expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to this meeting , '' a spokesman for China 's Foreign Ministry said in a statement after Thursday 's meeting at the White House . `` China demands the U.S. seriously consider China 's stance , immediately adopt measures to wipe out the adverse impact , -LSB- and -RSB- stop conniving and supporting anti-China separatist forces . '' The U.S. Embassy did n't characterize Friday 's meeting , but it provided the message Huntsman delivered to Deputy Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai . `` Now is the time to move forward and cooperate in ways that benefit our two counties , the region and the world , '' Huntsman said , according to the U.S. Embassy . The meeting has the potential to further complicate Sino-U.S. tensions , which have been rising in recent months . The Dalai Lama has said he favors genuine autonomy for Tibetans , not independence for Tibet . Beijing regards the Nobel Peace Prize laureate as a separatist who wishes to sever Tibet from China . Obama 's meeting with the Dalai Lama `` runs against the repeated commitments by the U.S. government that the U.S. recognizes Tibet as part of China and gives no support to ` Tibet independence ' , '' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said . During the meeting , Obama stressed his `` strong support for the preservation of Tibet 's unique religious , cultural and linguistic identity , and the protection of human rights for Tibetans , '' according to a White House statement . The president praised the Dalai Lama 's `` commitment to nonviolence and his pursuit of dialogue with the Chinese government , '' the statement added . He also stressed the importance of having both sides `` engage in direct dialogue to resolve differences , and was pleased to hear about the recent resumption of talks , '' it noted . The Dalai Lama , while acknowledging that he raised concerns about Tibet during the meeting , did not provide further specifics about his home region 's political situation while addressing reporters . He said he admired America as a `` champion of democracy and ... freedom , '' and cited the need to promote `` religious harmony '' and `` human value . '' He also met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton . The meeting between the Dalai Lama and Obama could `` seriously undermine the Sino-U.S. political relations , '' Zhu Weiqun , a senior Communist Party leader in charge of ethnic and religious affairs , warned recently . `` We will take corresponding action to make relevant countries see their mistakes . '' On Thursday , China 's Foreign Ministry spokesman said the meeting `` grossly violated the norms governing ... international relations . '' Obama did not meet with the Dalai Lama when the spiritual leader visited Washington last fall , making it the first time since 1991 that such a meeting did not occur . Ahead of a summit with Chinese President Hu Jintao , Obama persuaded Tibetan representatives back then to postpone the meeting with the Dalai Lama . Thursday 's encounter took place against the backdrop of several contentious issues already threatening to sour the relationship between America and China , including trade disputes , a recent U.S. arm sales deal for Taiwan -- which China considers an illegitimate breakaway province -- and a censorship row over Internet search engine Google Inc. . The meeting is `` another event in the recent , one has to say , downward spiral in U.S.-China relations , '' said China scholar David Shambaugh . It 's also troublesome for the Chinese for one other important reason , Shambaugh said . `` He could have met him as a spiritual leader in a neutral place like a church , '' he said . But receiving him in the White House `` is a political act . And that is going to irritate China very much . '' The meeting did not take place in the formal , official setting of the Oval Office . It was instead held in the White House Map Room , which is considered part of the presidential residence . The choice of settings was considered by many observers to be a sign of Washington 's acknowledgment of Beijing 's political sensitivities . Some analysts said the Chinese government could retaliate by cutting off political exchanges as they did after the Dalai Lama met with the heads of state of France and Germany . And Hu could turn down an invitation to visit Washington in April . Neither China nor the United States can afford strained relations , said Douglas Paal , a diplomat and investment banker who has served as a presidential adviser on China . `` We both need each other , '' he said . `` We need each other for a number of international security issues -- to deal with the global climate crisis , to deal with the global financial crisis . '' China is the largest growing export market for U.S. companies , Paal said , expanding by 65 percent last year alone . Nearly three-quarters of all Americans think that Tibet should be an independent country , according to a new national CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll . But the survey , released Thursday , also indicates that most Americans think it is more important to maintain good relations with China than to take a stand on Tibet . CNN 's Jo Kent , Emily Chang , Jill Dougherty , Jaime FlorCruz , Paul Steinhauser and Alan Silverleib contributed to this report . | China expresses its `` strong dissatisfaction '' over Dalai Lama meeting to U.S. ambassador . Dalai Lama met with U.S. President Barack Obama a day earlier at the White House . China appealed for U.S. to `` stop conniving and supporting anti-China separatist forces '' Beijing regards the Dalai Lama as a separatist who wishes to sever Tibet from China . | [[35, 203], [10, 15], [80, 187], [460, 552], [35, 203], [730, 866], [1393, 1455], [1443, 1455], [1460, 1494]] |
GITARAMA , Rwanda -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What does Macy 's have to do with healing from genocide ? Nothing and everything . Iphigenia Mukantabana sits with Jean-Bosco Bizimana , her family 's killer , at her home after church . Fourteen years after Hutu extremists killed between 800,000 and 1 million people -- mostly Tutsis -- in a devastating slaughter , Rwandan women are weaving peace baskets for sale at Macy 's in the United States . Not only does the work bring them a regular salary , the business is also fostering reconciliation between victim and perpetrator . Iphigenia Mukantabana , a master weaver , sits in front of her house in Gitarama -- an hour from the capital , Kigali -- making beautiful baskets with her friend Epiphania Mukanyndwi . In 1994 , Mukantabana 's husband and five of her children were hacked and clubbed to death by marauding Hutu militias . Among her family 's killers was Jean-Bosco Bizimana , Mukanyndwi 's husband . `` In my heart , the dead are dead , and they can not come back again , '' Mukantabana said of those she lost . `` So I have to get on with the others and forget what has happened . '' Forgetting and forgiving everything she lost , everything she witnessed . `` Women and girls were raped , and I saw it all , '' she told CNN . `` The men and boys were beaten and then slaughtered . They told others to dig a hole , get in , then they piled earth on top of them , while they were still alive . '' Watch Mukantabana say how she survived '' Yet today , Mukantabana shares her future and her family meals with Bizimana , the killer she knew , and his wife , her friend Mukanyndwi . Bizimana did spend seven years in jail . He then went before a tribal gathering , part of a return to traditional ways by the new government in 2002 with Rwanda 's justice system unable to cope and process hundreds of thousands of imprisoned perpetrators . The government decided that the master planners and worst perpetrators would face formal justice . But lower-level killers were allowed to publicly confess and apologize to the families of their victims at gacaca courts , where elders would hear grievances and decide on the punishments . `` In the gacaca court , I told them how we killed our fellow men , and I asked for forgiveness in front of the court , and the whole district was there , '' Bizimana said . `` The people who died in this very area -- I knew all of them because they were our neighbors . '' Watch Bizimana describe how he killed Tutsis '' He places blame squarely on the extremist Hutu government at the time and on vile radio broadcasts that urged on the killers during the 100-day slaughter . `` They were giving instructions all the time that was from the government , and so we thought it as the right thing because we were getting this instruction from the government , '' Bizimana said . He showed where he and a Hutu mob had killed 25 people , including members of Mukantabana 's family , a few yards from where he had just shared lunch with her . `` We used machetes , hoes and wooden clubs , '' he told CNN . Mukantabana admits that it was difficult to forgive . She said she did not speak to Bizimana or his wife for four years after the killings . What put her on the road to healing , she said , was the gacaca process . `` It has not just helped me , it has helped all Rwandans because someone comes and accepts what he did and he asks for forgiveness from the whole community , from all Rwandans , '' she said . Bizimana said he did just that . `` You go in front of the people like we are standing here and ask for forgiveness , '' he said . But despite his confession and apology , Mukantabana said , reconciliation would not have happened unless she had decided to open her heart and accept his pleas . `` I am a Christian , and I pray a lot , '' she said , the pain etched in the lines on her face and around her sad eyes . But the basket business also played a key role in forging forgiveness and reconciliation after the horror . `` We knew how to weave baskets , '' Mukantabana explained . `` It helped unite Rwandans in this area because they accepted me as the master weaver , and I could not say , ' I am not taking your basket ' or ' I am not helping you because you did something bad to me . ' '' See photos of the women who have learned to forgive '' Macy 's sold the first `` peace baskets '' in 2005 , and officials say the deal generates between $ 300,000 and $ 400,000 a year . A Rwandan weaver can earn about $ 14 per week -- a king 's ransom in a country where so many live on less than $ 1 per week . The international project is a far cry from 1994 , when the United States , Europe , the United Nations and the rest of the world turned away while the genocide went unchecked in Rwanda . `` They did n't care ; they were totally indifferent , '' Rwandan President Paul Kagame told CNN in his office in Kigali . He said the world thought Rwanda `` was just another bloody African situation where people just kill each other and that 's it . '' Watch Kagame explain why he sought reconciliation '' Today , Rwanda is an African success story . It has one of the fastest economic growth rates in the region , one of the lowest crime rates and the lowest rate of HIV-AIDS . About one-third of Rwanda 's cabinet are female ministers , and 48 percent of parliamentarians are women -- the highest anywhere in the world , according to the United Nations . The country looks squeaky clean thanks to many local and national programs , including a mandatory policy that sees even government ministers participate in clean-up once a month . Plastic bags are banned . The international business community praises Rwanda 's good governance and the absence of official corruption or graft . Kagame is credited not just with turning Rwanda around , but with being the driving force behind rejecting revenge . `` We were in danger of having another genocide , '' he said . `` People were so badly aggrieved they could easily have turned on those they thought were responsible for this and actually killed them in another wave of killings . But that did not happen , '' he said . `` We said building a nation is the most important thing . '' Now no one talks about Hutus or Tutsis , he explained . `` There is Rwanda , there are Rwandans , and the common interest we have for a better future for this country is more important than any other interest . '' In Gitarama , Bizimana said , `` It hurts my heart to see that I did something wrong to friends of my family , to people who we even shared meals with , '' he said . `` I am still asking for forgiveness from the people I hurt . '' Amazingly , many seem to have forgiven . | Basket weaver 's husband , five children were hacked and clubbed to death . One of killers was neighbor , caught up in hatred of Rwanda 's genocide . But now , victim and perpetrator share lunch , forgiveness and a future . President Paul Kagame says Rwanda is healing , moving beyond 1994 genocide . | [[754, 761], [764, 835], [754, 761], [764, 811], [828, 873], [1491, 1500], [1503, 1567], [2956, 2961], [2979, 3014], [4838, 4905]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A broad band of severe thunderstorms Sunday sparked heavy rain and hail and prompted tornado warnings from Florida to Virginia , with multiple twisters reported in North Carolina , according to the National Weather Service . At least eight unconfirmed tornadoes were spotted along North Carolina 's I-85 corridor between Charlotte and Greensboro , with overturned mobile homes , toppled trees and downed power lines left by the storms , the weather service said . `` It 's been a very active evening for most of central North Carolina , '' said Julia Jarema , spokeswoman for North Carolina Emergency Management . The storms caused scattered power outages throughout the state , but because of the multiple bands of storms `` things are changing so rapidly we have n't been able to confirm numbers , '' Jarema said . Video showed a portion of metal roofing was ripped off an industrial building in Belmont , North Carolina , west of Charlotte , littering nearby trees with clumps of yellow insulation . Multiple mobile homes were overturned in Linwood , North Carolina , outside of Lexington , and at least three people were reported injured , said CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras . A video posted on YouTube purportedly showed flashes of snapping power lines as a huge funnel cloud loomed over High Point , North Carolina , near Greensboro . At least 20 homes were reported damaged in the area , the weather service said . High Point emergency management officials were going house to house checking for possible injuries , according to a fire department spokeswoman . News14 : Tornado touches down in Charlotte . Local law enforcement reported another tornado north of Greensboro , North Carolina , the weather service said . The storm was also producing 70 mph winds and hail as large as baseball or tennis-ball size , Jeras reported . `` As daylight comes we 'll know really more about what kind of damage we are facing , '' Jarema said . | NEW : Eight unconfirmed tornadoes spotted along North Carolina 's I-85 corridor . Metal roofing ripped off an industrial building west of Charlotte . Tornado damaged 20 homes near High Point , North Carolina . Tornado in Mecklenburg County damaged a mobile home , toppled trees . | [[153, 197], [244, 364], [836, 841], [849, 986], [1361, 1412], [1415, 1441]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Colombian Sgt. Pablo Emilio Moncayo , held by Colombian FARC rebels as a hostage for more than 12 years , was reunited with his family after being released by his captors . The young soldier arrived in the city of Florencia in a Brazilian military helicopter that transported him from the jungle , and he walked out wearing a military uniform and into his waiting father 's arms . He had been held captive longer than any other hostage held by the rebels . Moncayo was accompanied by Colombian Sen. Piedad Cordoba , who helped negotiate his release . He had been captured as a 19-year-old corporal when Marxist guerrillas attacked his unit , killing 22 of his colleagues and capturing him and 18 others on December 21 , 1997 . `` How amazing it is to see civilization again , '' Moncayo told reporters shortly after his return . The advances in technology fascinated him the most , he said . `` I survived everything , all of these years of captivity because of my love for Colombia , '' Moncayo said . Moncayo thanked Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa for asking for his release , and presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Luis Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil , but he did not mention Colombian President Alvaro Uribe during his remarks . Another source of tension during the rescue came after the Venezuelan-based network Telesur broadcast images of Moncayo and those involved in the handover . The Colombian government issued a terse statement calling the broadcast a violation of the protocols of the rescue . The television station denied any wrongdoing , and Cordoba said that the humanitarian party had not noticed that the network had someone in the jungle filming . During the handover , the FARC also gave Senator Cordoba the coordinates of the remains of a third hostage who died in captivity in 2006 . Colombian authorities could retrieve the remains of Maj. Julian Guevara as soon as Thursday . The FARC has said that Moncayo 's was the last unilateral hostage release it would make . It is asking for a prisoner swap for the remaining hostages they hold . If his experience was like that of other freed hostages , Moncayo likely spent the years chained to trees and marching from one jungle hideout to another every few days . Other captives have talked about enduring rain , cold and a blistering sun , and eating mostly beans and rice and weak soup -- when fortunate enough to get a meal . It 's a reality that changed Tuesday for Moncayo when the rebels released him . The rebels had said they would release Moncayo , who was promoted to the rank of sergeant while in captivity , nearly a year ago . The FARC already released a hostage Sunday . Josue Daniel Calvo , who had been held for 11 months , was reunited with his family Sunday on a tarmac in the city of Villavicencio , where the helicopter that retrieved him touched down . The humanitarian mission to release the captives has been led by Colombian Sen. Piedad Cordoba , who has obtained freedom for previous hostages . The Red Cross also has been involved . Brazil , which is trusted by both sides , has picked up and ferried the hostages aboard its helicopters . The FARC released six hostages last year but have said Moncayo would be the last set free unilaterally . From now on , the FARC said , the rebels will demand that guerrillas held by the Colombian government be swapped for the remaining police and soldiers under rebel captivity , many for more than a decade . Moncayo was among the best-known hostages still in FARC captivity , due mostly to the efforts of his father , who walked across Colombia to garner attention and press for his son 's release . Gustavo Guillermo Moncayo Rincon set out on June 17 , 2007 , Father 's Day in Colombia , on a 700-mile -LRB- 1,100-kilometer -RRB- trek from his hometown of Sandona to the capital , Bogota . The teacher became known as `` el caminante por la paz '' -LRB- `` the walker for peace '' -RRB- . He was received by a governor and a mayor on his walk , which drew nationwide attention . Thousands of people cheered him when he arrived at the Plaza de Bolivar in Bogota in August 2007 . The walk put pressure on Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to negotiate with the rebels , which he has steadfastly declined to do . The FARC announced on April 16 , 2009 , that it would release Moncayo in the hopes of starting peace talks with the government . Uribe responded that the rebels first had to stop `` bombing , kidnapping and drug smuggling . '' Any chance for an immediate release seemed to fall apart in December , when 10 armed men killed a state governor and Uribe blamed the FARC . The hostage release came alive again this month when Brazil announced it was moving helicopters to the border near Colombia to use in the operation . Calvo was released Sunday and Moncayo was set free Tuesday . Calvo became dizzy and sick on the helicopter ride , but he was in better health than family and others expected , intermediary Cordoba said at a news conference . The soldier walked from the helicopter with his family and the aid of a walking stick . One of the best-known incidents involving FARC hostages occurred in July 2008 , when a rescue operation freed former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt along with three U.S. military contractors and 11 Colombian police and military members . Betancourt had been held hostage since 2002 . Colombia has previously said the rebels are holding hundreds of captives , but the government group Freedom Foundation said this month that FARC was holding about 50 people . The group attributed the revision to `` cleaning up databases . '' Independent anti-kidnap organizations accused the government of minimizing the problem to try to demonstrate political gains . No independent estimate of FARC 's guerrilla strength exists , though its military force has been severely compromised recently . Government estimates say the FARC fighting force could have dropped to below 7,000 from highs of around 18,000 in 2000 . Security analysts have said FARC guerrillas , who are accused of trafficking in cocaine to finance their insurgency , have thousands of supporters , mostly in rural areas . The guerrilla group operates mostly in Colombia but has carried out extortion , kidnappings and other activities in Venezuela , Panama and Ecuador , analysts say . | Brazilian helicopter returns Pablo Emilio Moncayo to freedom . Colombian soldier had been held by FARC guerrillas since December 1997 . Moncayo 's father walked 700 miles in campaign to win his release . FARC say from now on , it will demand prisoner swap to release captives . | [[192, 277], [246, 277], [283, 314], [57, 122], [2683, 2701], [2704, 2735], [3570, 3580], [3587, 3664], [2019, 2078], [3268, 3279], [3282, 3295], [3298, 3442]] |
Kolkata , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At 65 , Ian Zachariah is one of the youngest ones left . `` Can you believe it ? '' he says , adjusting a borrowed yarmulke in a now-empty synagogue . His eyes scan the glittering stained glass , the blue-domed ceiling and the rows of dark wood and wicker benches , still arranged the way they were when , decades ago on the Sabbath , Maghen David was teeming . His mind races back to his childhood , when he occupied a seat in the back left-hand corner and much to his father 's chagrin , gazed upward to the second floor gallery where the girls and women sat . But a hush has fallen within Maghen David 's walls . There have not been prayers said here in a long time , for the lack of 10 able-bodied men needed to form the minyan , the quorum required for a Jewish service . Zachariah 's heart feels empty like the synagogue 's pews . He knows the end is near for the Jews of Kolkata . Once a thriving community of 6,000 , their numbers can be counted on fingers now . Zachariah says fewer than 30 Jews are left in this bustling eastern Indian metropolis . Many Jews began leaving Kolkata , the city formerly known as Calcutta , after Indian independence in 1947 ; those who remained are slowly dying off . Zachariah , a stalwart of the dwindling community , serves on practically every Jewish administrative board . There are simply not enough people left to go around . `` Things have to be kept going , '' he says of the cultural burden weighing heavy on his shoulders . `` We 're not lying down and waiting for the sunset . '' He runs his fingers over the cold outdoor oven at Maghen David that once turned out fresh unleavened bread . He peers through a window into the basement where vats of wine were stored . From a wooden box , he picks up a book of prayer , the pages eaten with precision by bookworms . `` I always thought someone should take these away . Too late now . They are all in terrible shape . '' Zachariah 's ancestors arrived in India in the 18th century from the Syrian cities of Aleppo and Damascus . Others came from Iraq and Iran . All of them came to be known as Baghdadi Jews in India . They came to British India to trade -- in jewels , spices , textiles , tobacco , tea . They made a name as exporters and real-estate dealers and bakers . India , said Judaism scholar Nathan Katz , was one of the few places in the world that was inherently hospitable to its Jews . In Kolkata , Jewish families settled in what was known as `` gray town , '' the central city neighborhoods that separated the whites from the `` coloreds . '' They built graceful buildings that lined Brabourne Road in the heart of what is today Badabazaar , Kolkata 's largest wholesale market . Jewish settlers to Kolkata eventually built five synagogues , at least two schools and a hospital . The schools are still operational , though not one student is Jewish . The Beth El and Maghen David synagogues exist today more as memorials to a former era than as functional Jewish temples . They established a landmark bakery , Nahoum and Sons , in New Market , a favorite among Jews and gentiles alike who craved its fruit cake , cream rolls and lemon tarts . It , too , like every other Jewish institution , faces a perilous future -- the last of the family in Kolkata , David Nahoum , is 84 and frail . `` They were so well integrated into the upper class of Bengali culture , '' said Katz , a professor of religious studies at Florida International University who has done extensive research on the Jewish communities of India . But then came Indian independence and the birth of Israel the following year . The Jews began their exodus . `` A new social and economic order came to into being and their prospects began to dry up , '' Katz said . By his estimate , the 12,000 Baghdadi Jews in all of India in 1947 have now dwindled down to less than 100 . In a nation of 1.1 billion people , they do n't even qualify as a minority group anymore -- barely a blip . `` It was a beautiful culture , '' Katz said . `` I find it terribly sad . '' Katz said Jewish communities have died violent and forced deaths in other places . Ironically , in India , where they did not face persecution , they left of their own accord . That 's what makes the tale more poignant . It 's not that someone forced the clock on the Maghen David tower to stop -- it just did one day . At 3:30 . No one knows the date , though the typewritten notices posted for a board meeting give a clue . The paper is yellow and frayed . `` 21st May , 1989 . '' It was probably that way when Rahel Musleah journeyed back to Kolkata in 1997 to cement the shadowy images of a way of life she had heard about . Her father , Ezekiel Musleah , 82 , was a rabbi at Maghen David who saw prospects for his family dry up . `` It was very difficult to leave . But what can a rabbi do in a community that was dying ? '' he asked . He began a new life in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , in 1964 , determined to carry on the music , the food , the spiritual norms that had taken root from a mix of Middle Eastern and Indian traditions . Rahel Musleah , a 52-year-old freelance writer who lives in Great Neck , New York , recalled her parents speaking Hindustani at home and celebrating birthdays with rasagollahs , a sugary Bengali confection . Women in the synagogue taught her mother -- who had relied on a cook in Kolkata -- to prepare Ashkenazic dishes including chopped liver , brisket and matzo balls . She also learned to replicate the Baghdadi-Indian specialties that her family craved . The stories Musleah heard about Kolkata finally drew her back to the house at 11 Bowbazar Street that bore her grandfather 's name : I.S. Musleah . Her great-aunt Ramah was the only one left in the house . Musleah wandered around the dark rooms of the ancestral home , filled with heavy rosewood furniture and photographs of generations gone by . There , among the wedding pictures of her grandparents and aunts , she found her own . Rahel Musleah sipped tea from butter-yellow cups with her aging Aunty Ramah and feasted on deep-fried kachuris and heart-shaped `` queen cakes '' from Nahoum 's . On the Sabbath , she sat in dim morning light at Maghen David , closed her eyes and tried to imagine her grandparents and all the people who had come before her . She tried to picture what was still vivid in her father 's mind . `` What sadness for my father to sit and walk where in his bones , in his heart and soul , he felt the closeness of everyone he loved . ... All dead now , '' she wrote in an article about her trip . Rahel Musleah returned to Kolkata one other time with her sister several years ago . Two months after that trip , her Aunty Ramah died , severing her last link to that culture . She retrieved the wooden sign from the house bearing her grandfather 's name . It now hangs in her home , above her grandparents ' portraits . The Jews who are left in Kolkata can do little but watch a way of life disappear . Zachariah thinks he might devote time to establishing a museum showcasing Jewish history ; he wants to ensure that the Archaeological Society preserves standing synagogues . `` I do n't think there will be a next generation , '' he says . Kolkata , he says , was the kind of place that absorbed everyone . Evidence of that tolerance can be found on the same corner as Maghen David , where land is shared by a Christian church , a Hindu shrine and a Muslim mosque . `` Time marches on . People come . People go . When it was over here , they left , '' Zachariah says . It is 1 p.m. And at that hour , Zachariah 's voice gives way to the muezzin 's call to prayer . | Once a thriving community of 6,000 , about 30 Jews are left in Kolkata , India . Jews began arriving in India in the 18th century from Syria , Iran and Iraq . Some 12,000 Jews began leaving when India gained independence in 1947 . | [[923, 957], [960, 1005], [1006, 1093], [1021, 1093], [1955, 2062], [2063, 2095], [1094, 1125], [3644, 3673]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- David Carradine 's wife and his manager disputed suggestions that the actor 's death was a suicide , while rescue workers and police in Bangkok , Thailand , said the actor 's neck and genitals were found bound with rope . David Carradine was the star of the 1970s TV series , `` Kung Fu , '' and appeared in more than 100 films . After Carradine 's body arrives back to the United States this weekend , an autopsy ordered by Carradine 's family will be conducted , according to the actor 's co-manager . `` They 're doing everything possible to get to the bottom of what really happened , '' said Carradine 's co-manager Tiffany Smith . Carradine , 72 , became famous in the 1970s when he portrayed the traveling Shaolin monk Kwai Chang Caine in the television series `` Kung Fu . '' Bangkok police said Carradine was found hanging by a nylon rope in a Bangkok hotel room closet Thursday morning . `` Our preliminary assumption is that the cause of death was suffocation , because there was a rope tied to his neck , '' said Bangkok police spokesman Somprasong Yenthuam . Autopsy results will not be available for three or four weeks , said a high-ranking Thai police source who asked not to be identified . The actor 's body was released to the U.S. Embassy for a Saturday flight home after a judge signed the death certificate Friday , the police source said . A member of the emergency crew who was called to the hotel after a maid found Carradine told CNN that a yellow nylon rope was tied around the actor 's neck and a black rope was around his genitals . Police later confirmed that information . The same emergency crew source said Carradine 's hands were not tied , contrary to some media reports . Smith , the co-manager , also said media reports quoting the actor 's management saying the hands were tied were untrue . `` I do not know if you want to call it accidental , '' Chuck Binder , Carradine 's manager , told CNN 's Larry King on Thursday . He said Carradine 's career was on a roll . Binder said a producer of the movie , `` Stretch , '' which Carradine was to act in , called him from Thailand to tell him what was happening there . `` I do not want to get in the middle of this whole investigation , but this guy said to me for sure there was foul play , '' Binder said . Watch Carradine 's friends discuss loss '' Actor Michael Madsen told King that the one thing Carradine 's wife , Annie Bierman , wanted everyone to know is , `` David was not suicidal . '' Investigators found no sign of a forced entry into Carradine 's room , Bangkok Police Lt. Colonel Pirom Chanpirom said . Smith would not confirm Friday that Carradine 's family had hired private investigators to look into his death , but she did say a private autopsy would be done . Modern audiences may best know Carradine as `` Bill '' in Quentin Tarantino 's `` Kill Bill '' films . He earned a 2005 Golden Globe nomination for his role in the second movie in the two-part saga . Tarantino , also appearing on `` Larry King Live , '' called Carradine one of `` Hollywood 's great mad geniuses . '' `` He was a rock star at the time ` Kung Fu ' came out , '' Tarantino said , holding up a vintage metal lunch box with an image from the popular show . Watch Carradine discuss `` Kung Fu '' role '' `` I 'm in shock , '' he said . Carradine 's career included more than 100 feature films , two dozen television movies and theater work , according to the Internet Movie Database . `` He was clearly an actor who followed his own path , '' said Leah Rozen , movie critic for People magazine . See photos of some of his notable roles '' `` He was never a guy who talked a whole lot . You knew , as an actor , the characters he played , you knew they had a past , you knew there was probably some unhappiness there , but he was n't going to talk about it . '' Carradine was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as folk music legend Woody Guthrie in the 1976 movie `` Bound for Glory , '' according to a biography on his official Web site . He also made appearances in television series such as `` Gunsmoke '' and `` Alfred Hitchcock Presents . '' His first starring role in a series was as the title character in `` Shane '' in 1966 . iReport : Share memories of David Carradine . Carradine was married five times and divorced four , according to People magazine . He was the son of John Carradine , a character actor who appeared in hundreds of films , plays and television episodes . `` David 's career as an artist did not begin on the stage , though some of his early career was on and off Broadway . His earliest work was as a sculptor and painter , '' Carradine 's official Web site says . The site also includes an `` Art Bio , '' in which the actor opened up about his life . `` I 've always had an especially hard time with everything I 've tried to do , '' Carradine wrote . `` I 've made it pretty big as an actor in spite of being terminally shy . ... Invariably , I had huge obstacles to overcome in anything I tried . Had to work against my genes to achieve my dreams . '' CNN 's Jack Hannah , Kocha Olarn and A. Pawlowski contributed to this report . | NEW : David Carradine 's family orders autopsy when body returns to United States . Actor 's family , manager dispute suicide theory . Carradine found hanging by rope in Bangkok hotel closet , police say . He was the star of `` Kung Fu '' TV series ; also known as `` Bill '' in `` Kill Bill '' films . | [[374, 506], [374, 431], [447, 488], [509, 547], [0, 11], [14, 40], [84, 142], [828, 941], [848, 922], [848, 857], [868, 941], [1025, 1058], [266, 317], [2812, 2914]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Oklahoma authorities are determining whether two bodies found Monday are those of a murder suspect and his wife 's missing 7-year-old daughter , a spokeswoman for investigators said . The bodies and a car authorities said was used in the kidnapping of the girl were found in a heavily wooded area in Norman , outside Oklahoma City , said Jessica Brown , spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation . Lester Williams Hobbs , 46 , was charged in the death of his estranged wife , Tonya , and the kidnapping of her daughter , Aja Daniell Johnson . Hobbs and the girl have been missing since January . Brown said the bodies are those of an adult and child , but positive identification has not been made due to decomposition . `` There 's no reason to believe it 's not '' Hobbs and the child , she said . The medical examiner will attempt to identify the bodies using Hobbs ' fingerprints and Johnson 's dental records , Brown said . The cause of death was unknown , though a note found near the car described what happened , she added . The details of the note were not released . The car had been left in the woods for several weeks , possible a month , Brown said . The search for Hobbs and Johnson took investigators through Oklahoma and Texas . Lester Hobbs is not Johnson 's biological father and has an extensive criminal history , police say . Johnson 's biological father was awarded emergency custody of her in November , according to Oklahoma County District Court documents obtained by CNN affiliate KWTV of Oklahoma City . At a hearing , Tonya Hobbs -- identified as Tonya Dunkin in the documents -- and the girl 's father , John Johnson , agreed that she would have supervised visitation with the girl and that she would keep the child away from Lester Hobbs , the documents said . | Lester Williams Hobbs suspected in death of wife and kidnapping of her daughter . Hobbs and 7-year-old Aja Daniell Johnson missing since January . Two bodies found in car in Norman , Oklahoma , on Monday . Car thought to be the one used in suspected kidnapping . | [[64, 161], [428, 449], [452, 548], [64, 161], [573, 625], [203, 279]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Mexican military has arrested a suspect in the killings this month of three people with ties to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez , Mexico , police and federal spokesmen said Monday . The arrested man is Ricardo Valles de la Rosa , municipal police spokesman Jacinto Seguro said . According to Juarez newspaper El Diario , the suspect also was sought in connection with at least one other homicide : the killing of Zapata Reyes , a member of the rival Mexicles gang . Valles de la Rosa reportedly has U.S. ties , having been charged with 10 counts related to drug trafficking in the United States , local media said . The suspect is a resident of la colonia Partido Romero in Ciudad Juarez , the media said , adding that he may rent a place in El Paso . Federal spokesman Enrique Torres said the suspect was arrested sometime Friday . He did not release a name , but described him as being 42 years old and a member of the Aztecas , a local street gang affiliated with the Juarez drug cartel . `` The Chihuahua state attorney general is telling us that this guy is implicated in the killings of Arthur Redelfs and his pregnant wife , Lesley -LSB- Enriquez -RSB- , '' Seguro said . El Diario reported that the suspect was captured with the help of the FBI . An FBI spokesman in El Paso , Texas , had no comment , other than to say that the investigation continues . The three victims had all been at a party in Juarez and left in two vehicles that looked similar . They were killed on the roads in drive-by shootings . Enriquez was an employee of the consulate in Juarez and was four months pregnant . Redelfs , her U.S. citizen husband , was a jailer in El Paso . The couple 's 10-month-old child , who also was in the vehicle , was not injured . The third victim , found dead in the other vehicle , was identified as the husband of a Mexican employee of the consulate . His wife was not traveling with him , but two of their children in the car were wounded , officials said . CNN 's Carol Cratty contributed to this report . | NEW : Suspect , Ricardo Valles de la Rosa , 42 , also sought in connection with another slaying . Federal spokesman says Mexican military arrested suspect Friday . Suspect called member of Aztecas street gang , which is affiliated with Juarez drug cartel . | [[346, 422], [860, 862], [892, 955], [1019, 1156], [0, 15], [19, 105], [779, 859], [812, 859], [860, 862], [892, 955], [958, 1018]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama is expected to sign the final health care legislation into law this week , but while the action wraps up on Capitol Hill , the heated debate over reform shows no sign of cooling down . With lawmakers back in their districts for the spring work period , the conversation just moves to a different platform . For Democrats , the two-week recess is an opportunity to highlight the immediate benefits of a law the public is not yet sold on . Democrats say the health care law provides all Americans with the opportunity to receive health care and prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to those who need it most . For Republicans , it 's a chance to rally support behind their efforts to repeal what they decry as a `` takeover '' of the health care system that will saddle future generations of Americans with debt . What 's the one thing you want to ask your representatives ? Republicans have made `` repeal and replace '' their battle cry , and Obama has said he welcomes the fight . At an event in Iowa City , Iowa , last week , the president scoffed at the Republicans ' strategy , saying , `` My attitude is -- Go for it . '' Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann last week introduced a bill to repeal the health care legislation , as did other Republican lawmakers . `` We need to work together , whether we 're Republicans , independents , Democrats , we all have to work together for whatever is in the best interest of the American people . And repeal most certainly is in the best interest of the people because this bill will lead to economic harm if it 's left in place , '' Bachmann told CBS ' `` Face the Nation . '' But Tim Kaine , chairman of the Democratic National Committee , said he does n't think efforts to knock down the legislation stand much chance . `` They may want to push forward on a repeal of health care , to tell small businesses you 're not going to get tax credits to pay for insurance , to tell families you now ca n't keep children on your policy until -LSB- they -RSB- 're 26 , to tell folks that you 're now subject to these abuses of the insurance industry . I think they 'd be unwise to do it . I think the American public will reject it , '' he told CBS . Despite the opposing messages , both sides say the public supports them . Republicans say the public opposes the president 's plan , but Democrats insist that people will eventually accept the plan now that it is finalized . And so far , both sides have a point . Most Americans disapprove of the health care reform law , but that does not translate into majority support for the `` repeal and replace '' strategy , according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Monday . CNN Poll : Americans divided over repealing health care law . Meanwhile , polls from both CBS and Quinnipiac University suggest that there has been a slight uptick in approval of the legislation following the vote . Another survey , a ABC/Washington Post poll released Sunday , indicated that the public 's overall view of the health care plan has held steady , with 46 percent supporting it and 50 percent opposed . The percentage of people who said they strongly support the health care legislation , however , increased by 10 points since February , while the percentage who strongly opposed it stayed about the same . `` We 'll find out in November who won or lost this battle , '' Sen. Jim DeMint , R-South Carolina , told CBS . `` What I do next is , I 'm trying to replace those who voted for this bill . I want to repeal it . And I want to replace it with some real reform that puts patients in charge of their health care again , '' he said . Echoing DeMint , South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said he was looking forward to an election in November `` about whether this health care bill is a real fix or a phony political document trying to grow the government . '' Calling the legislation a `` giant Ponzi scheme , '' the Republican senator vowed that the fight `` wo n't wind up just being in Washington . '' Following a week of over-the-top rhetoric stemming from the health care vote , Sen. Barbara Mikulski , a Democrat from Maryland , cautioned that if lawmakers do n't watch their own words , they 'll hurt their credibility . `` If we do n't take ourselves seriously and act in a serious way , we 're not going to be taken seriously by the American people , '' Mikulski said . `` I have a suggestion . Let 's go back to the three R 's : respect , rules of engagement that promote decorum , and , No. 3 -- stop the rewards system that enables you to raise a lot of money after using outrageous and bizarre behavior , '' she added . | Lawmakers back in their districts for two-week spring recess . Republicans , Democrats trying to sell their points of view to their constituents . Republicans want to `` repeal and replace '' health care legislation . Polls show support for legislation up slightly since before last week 's vote . | [[657, 672], [675, 727], [922, 985], [2780, 2789], [2792, 2933]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Walking into school Wednesday morning was not easy for Constance McMillen . The last time she 'd been there was March 11 , the day after her Fulton , Mississippi , high school canceled prom rather than allow her to wear a tuxedo and attend with her girlfriend . She did n't assume last week 's spring break would cool things down . She expected stares , dirty looks and cold shoulders , and passing through the doors was daunting . Over these last two weeks , she said , she 's had a hard time sleeping , can barely eat , feels anxious and -- until she saw a doctor for help -- often felt like she was `` going to throw up . '' `` I 've been very nervous about all of this , '' the 18-year-old Itawamba Agricultural High School senior said . `` I do n't like being somewhere where everyone hates me . '' McMillen 's name made national headlines when she , with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union , filed suit against her school and the Itawamba County School District , asking them to reinstate prom for everyone , without discrimination . A federal judge in Mississippi ruled Tuesday that while he would n't force the school to have a prom , which had originally been scheduled for April 2 , he agreed that McMillen 's First Amendment rights had been violated . That was good news , said her attorney , Christine Sun , senior counsel with the ACLU 's lesbian , gay , bisexual and transgender project . It set a precedent and helped broadcast an important statement , which was made stronger by virtue of where it came from , she said . `` We 're in a conservative area of the country , where people tend to think we can do what we like , '' said Sun , who lives in New York but has traveled multiple times to Mississippi for this legal push . `` This case sends a strong message that that 's not going to fly anymore . '' The only pending issue , Sun said , is the question of damages and the ACLU 's request for attorneys ' fees . An amended complaint to seek a quick resolution on this should be filed in the next 30 days , she said . Meantime , McMillen is trying to find her new normal . In many ways , she stands in an awkward balance . Though there are some people who support her in Fulton -LRB- population about 4,000 -RRB- , the overarching tension and what she described as `` hostility '' that she feels at school and in her community is in deep contrast to the reception and groundswell of support that 's overwhelmed her nationally . As a poster child for the rights of LGBT students , she 's been asked to jump on airplanes to appear on news programs and talk shows . The Facebook fan page `` Let Constance Take Her Girlfriend to Prom ! '' had attracted more than 414,000 fans as of Friday morning . Wealthy individuals , including Ellen DeGeneres , have offered to pay for a prom for her school . She 's received a $ 30,000 college scholarship from an anonymous donor and Tonic.com , a digital media company in New York that 's also offered her a summer internship . She 's even been invited to high school proms in cities she 's never visited . `` It means a lot to me , '' she said of the outreach from others . `` The amount of support helps me to continue with the fight . '' But all McMillen , who came out as a lesbian in eighth grade , ever wanted was to go to her school prom with her class , and with her girlfriend . Going to another school 's prom , while a nice offer , does n't make any sense to her . Parents at her school are reportedly planning a `` ball '' for the same night that prom was intended . McMillen said she 's still trying to find out if she 's free to attend with her girlfriend . She wo n't go otherwise . She never meant to be a spoiler for others when she sought approval to bring her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo , she said . She thought she was doing the right thing by asking in advance , since the school had stipulated in a February memo that dates must be of the opposite sex . Rather than give her permission , the school canceled the prom . McMillen said she 's learning who her `` true friends '' are . They 're the ones who respect her for taking a stance , defend her when others talk trash about her , do n't turn their backs when she approaches and are n't afraid to be seen with her . Her girlfriend , too , has remained a constant support , even though she herself has n't gone public . McMillen also said she 's blessed to have family members who shore her up even if they do n't all feel comfortable with her sexual orientation . `` My grandmother does n't believe in it -LSB- same-sex relationships -RSB- but still stands behind me no matter what , '' McMillen said , her southern drawl thick . `` She 's a conservative Christian but respects that it 's my life . She does n't think discrimination of any kind is right . '' Whether she intended to or not , McMillen has inspired others -- not just nationally but in her home state , said Izzy Pellegrine , 19 , a student at Mississippi State University . `` I thought for a long time I was the only gay person in the state of Mississippi , '' said Pellegrine , who came out at 15 and went to high school about 1 1/2 hours from where McMillen lives . McMillen 's actions speak for others who feel unable to speak for themselves , said Pellegrine , who 's a founding board member of the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition , which helped connect McMillen with the ACLU . The grass-roots organization seeks to protect the interests of LGBT youth and will host a `` second chance prom '' on May 8 , an event Pellegrine estimated may attract as many as 500 students , thanks in large part to the way McMillen 's fight empowers others . Hear stories of others helped by the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition . `` Usually Mississippi is 10 or 20 years behind , '' Pellegrine said . `` For Mississippi to be spearheading the LGBT student movement is unheard of . I , personally , and my co-workers are so proud to have it happen in our state , '' where `` queer flight , '' the compulsion to leave as soon as one is able , is rampant , she said . As for where life will take McMillen after graduation , she is n't yet sure . She 's still thinking about that summer internship offer in New York and is pretty certain she 'll attend Itawamba Community College for a couple years before going to one of her dream schools , the University of Southern Mississippi or UCLA . What she does know is she 'd like to study and possibly pursue a career in psychology . `` I like helping people , and I like talking to people about their problems , '' she said . `` I find the human mind and human behavior very interesting . '' Soledad O'Brien of CNN 's `` In America '' unit will file an extended report on gay teens in the `` Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition , '' the group that was key in connecting Constance McMillen to her ACLU legal team . The story is expected to air in late May or early June . | Constance McMillen in news after school cancels prom ; she wanted to bring girlfriend . Support nationally shows in TV visits , prom offers , Facebook fans and scholarship . At home , Mississippi high school senior deals with tensions , anxiety , `` hostility '' Her and ACLU 's fight inspires others , making her poster child for LGBT student activism . | [[3998, 4028], [2442, 2446], [2450, 2478], [2746, 2793], [2796, 2843], [451, 476], [479, 487], [490, 554], [2181, 2331], [4855, 4886]] |
Mexico City , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Mexican government has apologized to the families of two students killed early Friday who officials initially said were drug gang members . Jorge Antonio Mercado Alonso , 23 , and Javier Francisco Arredondo Verdugo , 24 , were mechanical engineering graduate students at the Technological Institute of Higher Learning of Monterrey , the Mexican Interior Ministry said Sunday in its apology for the shootings . Mexican soldiers chasing criminals who had fired on an army patrol shot and killed the students , the Interior Ministry said . Some of the criminals had fled onto the college campus . `` The Mexican government expresses its most deeply felt condolences to the families , '' the Interior Ministry said in a release on its Web page . The federal government will intensify its investigation to find out what happened , the ministry said . On Friday , Mexican officials had said the two dead men were part of the criminal gang that shot at the soldiers . University officials also said Friday that all students were safe . That account changed Saturday , when Mercado 's mother tried to call him after finding out about the campus shootout . When she could n't reach him , she traveled to Monterrey , where she identified her son 's body , said the campus rector , Rafael Rangel Sostman . `` I 'm certain he is with God , '' said the mother , Rosa Elvia Mercado Alonso . The school 's rector blamed himself for the mix-up in identities . `` I offer a public apology and take responsibility for having given information that ended up not being correct , '' Rangel said . `` I want to offer my most deeply felt condolences to the family of our two students and offer them our support in this difficult situation . '' Both men were scholarship students , the college said . Monterrey is in Nuevo Leon , one of two states in northeastern Mexico where drug cartel members blocked roads with hijacked vehicles Thursday and Friday to prevent military reinforcements from arriving . The criminals also set up roadblocks in neighboring Tamaulipas state . Three presumed gang members and one soldier were killed in various skirmishes over the two-day period , officials said . The area , which borders Texas , has seen bloody fighting between the Zetas and Gulf cartels after a recent gangland slaying . Hours-long gun battles are common , and U.S. officials were recently forced to temporarily close the consulate in the city of Reynosa . Mexico has been gripped in massive drug-related bloodshed since President Felipe Calderon declared war on the cartels shortly after coming into office in December 2006 . Much of the violence has taken place around Ciudad Juarez , across the border from El Paso , Texas . There are no official government tallies , but more than 16,000 people are estimated to have died in the drug wars . The vast majority of the deaths are among reputed criminals , with some police and military also being killed . Relatively few of the deaths have been civilians . Even so , the United States and Canada have issued travel warnings , particularly along the border area . The Texas Department of Public Safety took the unprecedented step this year of recommending that students on spring break not go to border areas inside Mexico . News of the violence and the travel warnings apparently have had an effect . Mexicans say tourism along the border has declined significantly this year . | Officials say soldiers were chasing drug criminals who had fired on an army patrol . They said some criminals had fled to Technological Institute of Higher Learning of Monterrey . Initially , officials said mechanical engineering graduate students were drug gang members . Interior Ministry apologizes for deaths , pledges more intense investigation . | [[454, 525], [454, 488], [530, 549], [959, 976], [982, 1004], [581, 637], [117, 129], [144, 163], [184, 258], [266, 374], [890, 899], [902, 976], [0, 11], [40, 109], [377, 453], [786, 867]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- About 10 men armed with pistols and small machine guns raided a casino in Switzerland and made off into France with several hundred thousand Swiss francs in the early hours of Sunday morning , police said . The men , dressed in black clothes and black ski masks , split into two groups during the raid on the Grand Casino Basel , Chief Inspector Peter Gill told CNN . One group tried to break into the casino 's vault on the lower level but could not get in , but they did rob the cashier of the money that was not secured , he said . The second group of armed robbers entered the upper level where the roulette and blackjack tables are located and robbed the cashier there , he said . As the thieves were leaving the casino , a woman driving by and unaware of what was occurring unknowingly blocked the armed robbers ' vehicles . A gunman pulled the woman from her vehicle , beat her , and took off for the French border . The other gunmen followed into France , which is only about 100 meters -LRB- yards -RRB- from the casino , Gill said . There were about 600 people in the casino at the time of the robbery . There were no serious injuries , although one guest on the Casino floor was kicked in the head by one of the robbers when he moved , the police officer said . Swiss authorities are working closely with French authorities , Gill said . The robbers spoke French and drove vehicles with French license plates . CNN 's Andreena Narayan contributed to this report . | Dressed in black clothes and black ski masks , ten men raided Grand Casino Basel . Part of group failed to break into casino vault on the lower level . Gunmen made off into France which is only about 100 meters from the casino . One woman was beaten by robbers after unknowingly blocking their vehicles with car . | [[226, 280], [283, 346], [387, 455], [387, 396], [460, 476], [850, 858], [910, 942], [974, 980], [989, 1047], [746, 849], [850, 858], [895, 903]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The reality television show personality who accused football player Shawne Merriman of choking her over the weekend has denied that she was drunk during the incident , her Twitter page said Monday . Shawne Merriman is accused of restraining reality TV star Tila Tequlia as she tried to leave his home , police say . `` I am allergic to alcohol , '' said the posting for Tila Nguyen , 27 , who goes by Tila Tequila . `` It has been publicly known for years . That is how I got the name Tila ` Tequila ' cuz the irony . I ca n't drink . '' The incident began at 3:45 a.m. Sunday , when authorities responded to a disturbance call from Nguyen , the San Diego -LRB- California -RRB- County Sheriff 's Department said in a statement . `` Nguyen told deputies she had been choked and physically restrained by Merriman when she attempted to leave his residence , '' it said . Merriman , 25 , was taken into custody on suspicion of battery and false imprisonment , the statement said . Deputies saw no physical injuries on Nguyen , who is described on her Twitter page as 4 feet , 11 inches tall and 93 pounds , but she asked to be taken to a hospital , said sheriff 's spokeswoman Jan Caldwell . Watch Caldwell talk about the incident '' The San Diego Chargers linebacker released a statement Sunday noting that no charges had been filed and saying he had done nothing wrong . `` I was concerned about her welfare given the intoxicated state she appeared to be in and I encouraged her to stay until safe transportation could be provided , '' Merriman said . `` I in no way caused any harm to Ms. Nguyen , however , paramedics were called and she was examined but no injuries were reported . '' Merriman said he was looking forward to clearing his name of the `` false accusations . '' Merriman 's lawyer , Todd Macaluso , said Sunday that more than a dozen other people were at the house at the time , and `` witness after witness after witness will back up his story 100 percent . '' In a statement posted on the Chargers ' Web site Sunday , team General Manager A.J. Smith said , `` It is disappointing to hear about the issue involving Shawne Merriman . `` We 'll continue to monitor the situation and let the legal process run its course , '' Smith said . The 6-foot , 4-inch 265-pounder is entering his fifth year with the Chargers . The team begins its 2009 NFL regular-season campaign September 14 in Oakland , California , for a game against the Raiders . Merriman , a three-time Pro Bowl selection , recorded at least 10 sacks in each of his first three seasons , but he was limited to one game last season because of a knee injury that required surgery . | Tila `` Tequila '' Nguyen says NFL 's Shawne Merriman choked her . San Diego Chargers player says she was intoxicated . `` I 'm allergic to alcohol . ... I ca n't drink , '' Nguyen says on Twitter . Merriman says he looks forward to clearing his name . | [[47, 58], [63, 134], [218, 319], [389, 405], [412, 434], [749, 830], [338, 362], [537, 553], [1706, 1793], [1720, 1793]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The widow of an Internal Revenue Service employee killed when a disgruntled taxpayer flew his plane into a seven-story building in Austin , Texas , last week is suing the pilot 's wife , according to court documents . Valerie Hunter , the wife of Vernon Hunter , is accusing Sheryl Stack , wife of Andrew Joseph `` Joe '' Stack III , of negligence , alleging she knew or should have known that her husband was a threat to others and , thus , could have prevented the attack , according to the lawsuit filed Monday in Travis County District Court . `` Stack was threatened enough by Joseph Stack that she took her daughter and stayed at a hotel the night before the plane crash . -LSB- She -RSB- owed a duty to exercise reasonable care to avoid a foreseeable risk of injury to others including -LSB- Vernon Hunter -RSB- , '' the suit says . The lawsuit also seeks to bar the release of Vernon Hunter 's autopsy report , saying that , if made public , it would cause Hunter 's family to suffer `` severe and irreparable emotional distress . '' Hunter was killed February 18 when , authorities say , Stack flew his Piper Cherokee PA-28 into a northwest Austin building that housed nearly 200 IRS employees . Authorities say Stack set fire to his $ 230,000 home in Austin before embarking on his fatal flight . Police have said Sheryl Stack spent the previous night in an Austin-area hotel but did not say why . Police said they had received no calls of domestic violence from the house . The only calls to police were made a couple of years ago and concerned barking dogs , officials said said . A 3,000-word message on a Web site registered to Stack railed against the government , particularly the IRS . `` 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 , '' the online message said . `` 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 . '' Sheryl Stack issued a statement after the attack expressing `` sincere sympathy to the victims and their families . '' | Valerie Hunter is accusing Sheryl Stack of negligence . Hunter 's husband died when Andrew Joseph `` Joe Stack III flew a plane into a building . Lawsuit : Sheryl Stack `` owed a duty to exercise reasonable care '' for others ' safety . Sheryl Stack had issued statement offering sympathy to victim 's family . | [[237, 251], [282, 306], [1116, 1184], [698, 837], [2060, 2108], [2098, 2175]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Kevin Pearce One of the country 's top snowboarders , who was considered a favorite to make the U.S. Olympic team , was in critical but stable condition Sunday after an accident while training last week at Park City , Utah . The Los Angeles Times reports that the 22-year-old from Norwich , Vermont , was wearing a helmet while attempting a twisting double back flip on an icy halfpipe . Pearce hit his head , was knocked unconscious and was then airlifted to the University of Utah hospital for surgery . He sustained severe traumatic brain injury , one of his doctors said in a statement . Pearce , a beloved athlete , was one of the few snowboarders who experts thought could challenge top contender Shaun White , who has won almost every top snowboarding medal . Los Angeles Times : Snowboarder in critical condition . Adrian Smith One of the world 's most widely recognized architects is one of the principal designers of the world 's tallest tower , the Burj Dubai , which opens today in the emirate of Dubai . The 160-plus-story structure has already been hailed as a monumental architectural achievement but is seen by some as a symbol of the city 's unbridled excess . The majestic silvery construction houses a luxury hotel , apartments and offices . Six years in the making , the Burj Dubai reaches 818 meters , or half a mile , into the sky above Dubai , with dizzying views of the ambitious building program that has transformed the emirate and left it swamped by debt . Smith worked for four decades at the structure 's architecture firm , Chicago , Illinois-based Skidmore , Owings & Merrill , which called the Burj `` a bold global icon that will serve as a model for future urban centers . '' Declaring that `` tall buildings are back , '' the company predicts that the groundbreaking techniques it used to push the Burj to new heights should enable the construction of even taller towers in the future . CNN : Debt-hit Dubai opens world 's tallest tower . Kurt Westergaard The Danish political cartoonist was threatened by a Somali man wielding an ax and knife . According to Westergaard , the man tried to enter the house by breaking through a glass door Friday night . Westergaard took his 5-year-old granddaughter into a specially built `` panic room '' when he realized what was happening , Chief Superintendent Ole Madsen said . Police said a home alarm alerted them to the scene in the city of Aarhus , and they were attacked by the suspect when they responded . Police shot the suspect and he was taken into custody . Westergaard , who has been threatened for drawing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2005 , is ordinarily accompanied by bodyguards , but there were no guards at the house when the break-in occurred . The New York Times quoted a Danish newspaper report that Denmark 's security and intelligence agency knew that the accused Somali man was held in Kenya in September for allegedly helping to plot an attack against Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , who visited Kenya in August . The man was released earlier this fall by Kenyan authorities due to lack of evidence , the newspaper Politiken reported . Denmark 's ambassador to Kenya told the news agency Ritzau , however , that the Somali man was arrested in Kenya for incomplete travel documents , adding that Kenyan authorities never told the embassy that he was a suspect in a terror plot . CNN : Cartoonist hid in ` panic room ' during attack . Annise Parker Houston 's first openly gay mayor will be sworn in today . Parker 's election last month also makes her the second woman to become mayor of Houston . Other cities such as Providence , Rhode Island , and Portland , Oregon , have picked openly gay mayors . Houston is the fourth-largest U.S. city . Parker 's victory is also remarkable because a few years ago , Houston rejected a referendum to offer benefits to same-sex partners of city workers . Also , the city sits in a state where gay marriage is against the law . Parker , 53 , has never shied away from , nor made an issue of , her sexual orientation . She has been with her partner for 19 years and they have two adopted children . CNN : Houston elects first openly gay mayor . What makes a person intriguing ? There are people who enter the news cycle every day because their actions or decisions are new , important or different . Others are in the news because they are the ones those decisions affect . And there are a number of people who are so famous or controversial that anything they say or do becomes news . Some of these people do what we expect of them : They run for office , pass legislation , start a business , get hired or fired , commit a crime , make an arrest , get in accidents , hit a home run , overthrow a government , fight wars , sue an opponent , put out fires , prepare for hurricanes and cavort with people other than their spouses . They do make news , but the action is usually more important than who is involved in the story . But every day , there are a number of people who become fascinating to us -- by virtue of their character , how they reached their decision , how they behaved under pressure or because of the remarkable circumstances surrounding the event they are involved in . They arouse our curiosity . We hear about them and want to know more . What they have done or said stimulates conversations across the country . At times , there is even a mystery about them . What they have done may be unique , heroic , cowardly or ghastly , but they capture our imaginations . We want to know what makes them tick , why they believe what they do , and why they did what they did . They intrigue us . | Top U.S. snowboarder injured during training . World 's tallest tower opens in Dubai . Fourth-largest U.S. city swears in its first openly gay mayor . | [[975, 989], [998, 1035], [1947, 1992], [3463, 3535], [3732, 3773], [4172, 4211]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Survivors still emerged from collapsed buildings in Haiti 's devastated capital Sunday , nearly five days after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the impoverished island nation . U.S. and Turkish rescuers plucked three people , including an American woman , from the rubble of a supermarket Sunday , and were continuing to search for more people in the ruins . The survivors had been living on the store 's supply of food and water , rescuers said . Elsewhere , a team from New York rescued a 55-year-old man from the remains of a four-story building after using a rescue camera to locate him . And an Israel Defense Forces team said Sunday it had rescued a Haitian government worker from the ruins of a customs office Saturday . The rescues lent a sense of urgency to those still working to find signs of life among the collapsed buildings , who know that time is running out for those still alive . Nearly 30 international rescue teams continue to comb the disaster areas for more survivors . While there has not been an official count , U.N. estimates of the number of casualties in the capital alone range from 100,000 to 150,000 . Get the latest developments in Haiti . By Friday , 13,000 bodies had been recovered , said U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Edmond Mulet . Among the dead are 16 Americans , the State Department said Sunday . More than 300 U.N. staffers are unaccounted for . Thirty-seven are confirmed dead , including the top two civilian officials at the U.N. mission in Haiti , a peacekeeping and police force established after the 2004 ouster of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide . Why Haiti is different . U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was in Haiti Sunday and visited the site of the U.N. 's collapsed mission . He assured survivors of U.N. assistance despite the organization suffering the gravest loss in its history . The United Nations `` will continue to work with the major international donors who have been generous enough to provide humanitarian assistance , dispatching search-and-rescue teams . This is a moment of sadness but it is also a moment of Haiti 's need , '' he said . Former President Bill Clinton , the U.N. special envoy to Haiti , will travel to the country on Monday to meet with officials and deliver aid supplies , his foundation announced Sunday . He is set to meet with Haitian President Rene Preval and other members of the local government as well as aid workers , to discuss how to proceed with recovery operations . The visit comes two days after President Obama announced the formation of the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund , a major fundraising effort for victims of Tuesday 's earthquake led by Clinton and former President George W. Bush . Presidents Bush , Clinton team up for Haiti On Saturday , a man said to be the head of the capital city 's tax office was carried out of the rubble on a stretcher , to wild cheers from residents . And a 2-month-old baby with broken ribs was pulled out and airlifted to Florida in critical condition . But in many cases , rescue operations turned into recovery ones . A Los Angeles rescue team answered the desperate 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 . They searched for eight hours Saturday . At some point , the distinct sounds of tapping from within the crushed concrete stopped . As rescue personnel pulled away , the mother -- who stood praying silently during the rescue efforts -- stayed put , holding on to hope . How to help : Impact Your World . More California rescuers patiently chipped away at concrete and debris Sunday morning , trying to reach a woman who sent a text message saying she was buried beneath the ruins of a collapsed bank . The Los Angeles County Search and Rescue team had been looking for the woman since Saturday afternoon when a text arrived : `` I 'm OK but help me , I ca n't take it anymore . '' But the hours ticked by , with no sign she was still alive . Despite the best attempts by aid groups , the country remains in dire need of food , water and medical aid . In open fields , abandoned stadiums and empty warehouses in the capital , relief workers set up makeshift hospitals . Residents flocked to them en masse . Dr. Jennifer Furin with Harvard Medical School was tending to about 300 patients at one such hospital on a U.N. compound near Port-au-Prince 's airport . Without immediate surgery , a third of them will die , she predicted . The Port-au-Prince airport remained overwhelmed by the influx of air traffic bringing in supplies , although an overhead photo Sunday showed activity and numerous planes on the ground . | NEW : Rescue teams from U.S. , Israel , Turkey find people alive in quake rubble . NEW : Nearly 30 teams from around the world continue to comb debris for survivors . U.N. secretary-general visits Haiti , site of U.N. 's worst loss of life ever . Port-au-Prince airport remains overwhelmed by planes bringing supplies . | [[221, 246], [346, 402], [811, 882], [943, 1036], [1693, 1747], [1693, 1727], [1752, 1803], [1852, 1912], [4546, 4622]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four of the 10 American rescue teams mobilized in the hours following the earthquake in Haiti are returning home Tuesday -- having never traveled farther than their local airports . Federal government officials said the four -- including teams in Texas , Ohio and two in California -- were not flown there because Haiti could not `` absorb '' them and because they were being held as relief for crews that made it into the country . Disaster experts said a bottleneck at the main airport in Port-au-Prince could have prevented the crews from entering Haiti quickly , but they scoffed at the suggestion that the teams , skilled in locating and freeing people entombed in collapsed buildings , should be held in reserve . `` That 72-hour window -LSB- in which most rescues are attempted -RSB- is not some casual number , '' said Irwin Redlener , director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University . `` It 's actually a very serious -LSB- calculation of when most lives can be saved -RSB- . '' iReport : Search the list of the missing and found . Redlener said it made no sense to withhold Urban Search and Rescue team resources until the latter days of a disaster . A second expert said the United States has an additional 18 US&R teams it could have drawn upon if reserves were needed . In the event of earthquakes , moving US&R teams should be the `` highest possible priority , '' and the only limitation should be insurmountable logistical ones , Redlener said . The Federal Emergency Management Agency trains and funds the nation 's 28 US&R teams , but in Haiti they have been working under contract with the U.S. Agency for International Development , the State Department organization heading the relief effort . See how rescuers race against time . USAID spokesman Evan Casson Coutts said the agency made the decision to withhold the four U.S. teams `` in consultation with the Haitian government . '' The relief effort is at this point `` prioritizing the shipments of life-sustaining commodities , including food , water and medicine . '' The US&R teams specialize in rescuing people in collapsed structures . The teams typically have about 80 members and travel with food , bedding and generators so they will be self-sustaining and will not be a drain on the communities they are trying to help . Full coverage | Twitter updates . Asked Monday on CNN `` American Morning '' why the four U.S. teams and some teams in Canada had not been brought to Haiti , Kenneth Merten , the U.S. ambassador to the country , said , `` I 'll be honest with you . I have n't heard those stories about the search-and-rescue teams not being mobilized down here . '' Merten said he would look into the issue , adding the teams may have been held back because of capacity issues . He also said there are `` limitations on where these people can go , where they can set up , where they can bed down . '' A USAID spokesman suggested Monday that the 43 teams that traveled from around the world to help Haiti were sufficient . They include 1,739 first responders and 161 canines . Coutts said USAID directed FEMA to prepare four more teams for possible deployment to `` ensure that any additional search-and-rescue needs could be met immediately upon request . '' Based on postings on their Web sites , the teams thought they were going to Haiti , until being told to stand down Monday . | Officials say Haiti could not `` absorb '' the additional four U.S. teams mobilized to help Haiti . Columbia University expert says teams should have been sent within first 72 hours . U.S. ambassador to Haiti says he 's unaware that search teams mobilized but stayed in the U.S. There are more than 1,700 rescuers , 161 canines already in Haiti , USAID official says . | [[285, 311], [315, 430], [3072, 3125]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The government of earthquake-ravaged Haiti must become more visible now , even amid a global outpouring of aid as the impoverished island nation struggles to recover , Brazil 's foreign minister said Monday . `` The government , in spite of all the difficulties , should appear more to the people , '' Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said in an interview with CNN 's Christiane Amanpour . `` I think it 's important because after all , they are the ones who transmit the needs of the Haitian people to us , to the international community . '' Amorim , speaking from an international conference on Haiti in Montreal , Canada , said it 's important for the world to follow the priorities of the Haitian government . `` We can not lose sight of the central role of the elected leaders of Haiti , '' he said . `` Haiti is a country that has an elected government . '' Amorim was among more than a dozen foreign ministers and leaders , including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , attending the Montreal conference . Representatives of many international institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union were also there . Find loved ones in Haiti | Full coverage . Speaking in Montreal , Clinton said , `` As part of our multilateral efforts to assist Haiti , we should look at how we decentralize economic opportunity and work with the Haitian government and people to support resettlement , which they are doing on their own , as people leave Port-au-Prince and return to the countryside . '' Haiti 's Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive was also in Montreal . He said the international aid effort has only just begun . `` I can simply tell you that the population is in need of more and more and more to confront the massive task of reconstruction , '' Bellerive said . The aim of the Montreal meeting is to develop a strategy for early recovery and longer-term reconstruction . Once the strategy is set , a donors ' conference to secure funding for Haiti would take place . Amorim told Amanpour he expected the donors ' conference is likely to take place at the end of March , possibly in New York , though that was not confirmed at the time of the interview . `` We can not endure , we can not see a disaster of the size of Haiti , with the poverty that exists in Haiti , and not do anything , '' he added . `` If you do n't act for development , for emergency now and development immediately , you 'll be having an enormous security problem . '' Interactive map : Where to find aid . Amorim told Amanpour that as part of his country 's efforts to bolster security in Haiti , the Brazilian Congress Monday approved a plan to almost double the number of Brazilian troops in the U.N. force in Haiti , to as many as 2,600 soldiers . The U.N. force there , known as MINUSTAH , has been led by a Brazilian general since 2004 . It lost dozens of its civilian headquarters staff during the earthquake . Amorim , who has just been to Haiti , said it was also vital to rebuild the country 's national symbols . `` I think this is very important so that the Haitian people feel also not only that they are receiving food and water , but also they are recovering their self-esteem , '' he said . | Government of quake-hit Haiti must become more visible , Brazil 's foreign minister says . Celso Amorim : `` We can not lose sight of the central role of the elected leaders of Haiti '' Amorim was among over a dozen foreign ministers , leaders attending conference on Haiti . Conference in Montreal aims to develop a strategy for recovery and reconstruction . | [[0, 15], [37, 47], [48, 90], [187, 227], [228, 280], [283, 315], [318, 415], [741, 817], [833, 887], [570, 576], [579, 641], [891, 1007], [891, 897], [1010, 1045], [570, 576], [579, 641], [1814, 1922], [1814, 1845], [1849, 1922]] |
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