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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The federal government is starting to deploy full-body scanning machines to 11 airports across the United States , Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Friday . Forty body-imaging machines already have been put into use at 19 airports nationwide as part of a field test , according the Department of Homeland Security . The Transportation Security Administration expects to deploy 450 units by the end of this year . `` By accelerating the deployment of this technology , we are enhancing our capability to detect and disrupt threats of terrorism across the nation , '' Napolitano said in a statement . The first of the new units are being installed Friday at Boston 's Logan International Airport , according to a DHS statement . The list of other airports set to receive the scanners by the end of summer includes Chicago O'Hare International , Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International , Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International , Mineta San José International , Los Angeles International , Port Columbus International , Oakland International , San Diego International , Kansas City International and Charlotte Douglas International . The imaging machines are being funded through the Obama administration 's $ 862 billion economic stimulus plan . Under existing protocols , full-body scans are optional at airport checkpoints . Travelers who decline the scans are funneled to a location where they may be given a pat down and subjected to other tests such as swabs that can detect minute traces of explosives on hands or luggage . The TSA said most passengers prefer a body scan to a pat down . But others have objected to the body scans , calling them electronic strip searches . Passenger privacy is maintained during the scannning process by blurring all images , deleting images after they are viewed and placing the screener viewing the images in a remote location , according to DHS officials . Acting TSA Administrator Gale Rossides testified before Congress on Thursday that the machines will not significantly slow the passenger screening process , saying it will be done at the same time as carry-on baggage screening . The TSA has spent years testing full-body imagers . Plans to deploy them this year were given added urgency after the arrest of a Nigerian man , Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab , who has been accused of attempting to detonate an explosive sewn into his underwear on a December 25 flight . Field testing of full-body scanners already is under way at the following 19 airports : . • Albuquerque International Sunport Airport • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport • Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport • Denver International Airport • Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport • Detroit Metro Airport • Indianapolis International Airport • Jacksonville International Airport • McCarran International Airport • Los Angeles International Airport • Miami International Airport • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport • Raleigh-Durham International Airport • Richmond International Airport • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport • San Francisco International Airport • Salt Lake City International Airport • Tampa International Airport • Tulsa International Airport . CNN 's Mike Ahlers contributed to this report . | Boston 's Logan International Airport expected to get scanners on Friday . Chicago and Los Angeles airports also among facilities receiving scanners . Government plans to deploy 450 units by the end of 2010 . | [[640, 734], [357, 453]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic finally took the stand Monday at the U.N. 's international tribunal at The Hague to defend himself against genocide charges stemming from the 1992-1995 Bosnian conflict . For CNN 's Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson , the 64 year-old was as defiant and unrepentant as the man he recalled meeting outside Sarajevo in 1993-94 , as Bosnian-Serb forces shelled the city . Karadzic , who faces 11 charges of war crimes , crimes against humanity , and genocide during the war , told the tribunal the Serb cause is `` just and holy , '' and dismissed as myths two of the worst atrocities of a conflict that claimed 100,000 lives -- the three-year siege of Sarajevo and the Srebrenica massacre in 1995 . He even claimed that the image of the Muslims as victims was untrue and that they were the first to attack . Their fighters `` had blood up to their shoulders , '' he said . `` I will defend that nation of ours and their cause that is just and holy , '' he said in his defiant opening statement . The aim of the `` Muslim plotters , '' he added , was `` 100 percent power , as it was in the Ottoman Empire . '' `` This is reminiscent of those days , '' said Robertson , who reported from the Bosnian capital during the war . `` These were the exact same justifications : ` we 're the ones that had been under attack , we 're the ones being wronged . ' `` It 's very telling that he 's not trying to address specific issues , such as the Srebrenica massacre and such like , which are going to be the main parts of the prosecution . `` Many Bosnian-Serbs watching this will feel that he 's doing the right thing because Serbs have a history of feeling wrongly done to . '' He said some still think back to their nationalist past and only identify with themselves through that , which is incompatible with the direction modern Europe is taking . `` They 're trying to return to a kind of Serb nationalist heyday , which is akin to the Taliban taking Muslims , if you will , back centuries . '' Karadzic is the most senior figure to stand trial since the former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic , who died of a heart attack in 2006 before a verdict was reached . According to Robertson , the trial might offer a crumb of comfort to some victims but it will stir up a great deal of emotion and anger to many Bosnian-Muslims who lost relatives or their homes . `` When you listen to Karadzic 's description of the situation in Bosnia during this period it belies the fact that Bosnian-Serbs went through and ethnically-cleansed people from their towns , '' he said . `` There were towns and villages where no Muslims were left . Any towns or villages the Serbs could n't get into they just surrounded and poured on machine-gun fire and rockets . This trial is going to bring all this out again . '' During the siege of Sarajevo , which lasted 44 months , Karadzic was in Pale , a mountain-top village to the south-west of the capital which became the Bosnian-Serb headquarters . Down below , Sarajevo was like a goldfish bowl surrounded on all sides by Bosnian-Serb soldiers who had dug in and were shooting civilians indiscriminately with machine guns , sniper rifles and mortars . `` These were men in uniform with weapons taken from the former Yugoslav national army acting on clear instructions , '' said Robertson . `` It 's hard to get an idea of what a siege is like in modern Europe . But imagine a city where you ca n't leave , get out to buy eggs , apples or fuel for your car . Equally nothing can come in . `` The encirclement of Sarajevo was so tight that the only way in or out for Bosnians was a hand-built tunnel they dug under the U.N.-run airport runway . A man could n't stand upright in the tunnel . `` Telephone lines were non-existent , while electricity and water supplies were often cut for weeks on end . '' On one occasion , while buying fuel in Serb-held territory , Robertson came across several Bosnian-Serb snipers at a gas station . They proceeded to show him their positions and what they could see through their rifle scopes . `` Looking down onto the streets you could see why the snipers were so effective , '' he said . Throughout the conflict Bosnian-Serb forces were supported by the rump Yugoslav state -- which would later become Serbia -- and its national army , which was dominated by Serb generals . `` That chain of reporting command was important , '' said Robertson . `` I remember going to Belgrade with Karadzic and he was the like the vassal of Milosevic . He was going there worried about what demarche he was going to get from him . So there was a complete tie-in between the Bosnian-Serbs and the Serbs in Belgrade . `` But in terms of the chain of command on the ground , I do n't think anyone there would question the fact Karadzic and his political allies gave the backing , justification and instruction for the army to act on the ground . `` For three years you ca n't surround Sarajevo and shell it as a political leader . He never once stood up and tried to stop what was going on and only condoned and supported it , having meetings with army commanders involved , such as Mladic . '' Ratko Mladic is the most senior fugitive still at large . Now that Karadzic 's tribunal has finally resumed after a four-month postponement , many analysts believe it has enough evidence to secure a conviction . `` If there 's a successful conviction , '' said Robertson , '' then the court should feel it has set a good marker for future leaders who would try to turn guns on civilians and try to divide a country . `` Failure would call into the question the tribunal 's ability to try anyone . '' | Radovan Karadzic faces 11 counts of genocide , war crimes , crimes against humanity . Charges stem partly from 1995 mass killing of Muslim men in Bosnian town of Srebrenica . Karadzic , the Bosnian Serb president at the time , accused of responsibility for the massacre . He told international tribunal at The Hague that the Serb cause is `` just and holy '' | [[463, 471], [478, 549], [463, 471], [567, 619], [1006, 1017], [1023, 1039]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Reigning Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal was forced to retire hurt from his quarterfinal match against Andy Murray in Melbourne on Tuesday . The Spaniard , who suffered injury trouble for much of last season , was 6-3 7-6 -LRB- 7-2 -RRB- 3-0 down to the 22-year-old Scot when he pulled out of the match after struggling with his right knee for much of the third set . Murray spoke of his disappointment regarding the manner of his progression but was pleased with his standard of play . `` I 've known Rafa since I was 13 , he 's my favorite player to watch so I was gutted for him , '' Murray told reporters after the game . `` I came through a few tough moments at the start of the match but I thought I found the right tactics to win , I played really well tonight . `` I had to go for my shots and when the big points come keep them short , as you do n't want to play long points against Rafa . '' Murray 's victory sets-up a semifinal clash with Croatian Marin Cilic , who underlined his growing reputation by hitting 20 aces and 63 winners to consign seventh seed Andy Roddick to defeat . A win that has Murray keenly anticipating his next challenge : `` Nerves will be there about making my first Australian final but I lost to -LSB- Cilic -RSB- in straight sets at the U.S. Open so there is a bit of revenge to be had there . '' Cilic , 21 , toppled Roddick 7-6 -LRB- 7-4 -RRB- , 6-3 , 3-6 , 2-6 , 6-3 , after the American battled with a shoulder injury for a large part of the grueling five-set , four-hour marathon match . Roddick hit back with 15 aces and 47 winners but Cilic , who took the scalp of U.S. Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro in the previous round , sealed his 10th win from 10 matches of 2010 to reach his first grand slam semifinal . World number one Roger Federer faces Russian Nikolay Davydenko in tomorrow 's other quarterfinal while Novak Djokovic of Serbia will take on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France . | Rafael Nadal quits the Australian Open injured to see Andy Murray progress to semis . American Andy Roddick is beaten by Marin Cilic of Croatia after four-hour battle . Murray to face Cilic in the semis while Roger Federer takes on Nikolay Davydenko . | [[0, 15], [19, 165], [1362, 1367], [1375, 1434], [1443, 1557], [1801, 1884]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Ohio firefighter faces jail time and may lose his job for shooting his two dogs to death rather than pay to board them while he went on a cruise . Columbus , Ohio , firefighter David Santuomo shot his two dogs in his home 's basement , prosecutors say . Columbus firefighter David P. Santuomo , 43 , took Sloopy and Skeeter to his home 's basement , suspended them from a pipe near the ceiling and fired at least 11 shots from a .22 - caliber rifle fitted with a homemade silencer , Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Ron J. O'Brien said . Santuomo then wrapped the carcasses in plastic and dumped them in a trash bin behind Firehouse 27 , where he worked , O'Brien said . `` This is pretty heinous , '' said Cheri Miller , spokeswoman for the Capital Area Humane Society , which carried out a search warrant in Santuomo 's home . The humane society has limited law enforcement powers in Franklin County . Santuomo pleaded guilty in June to two misdemeanor counts of improperly killing a companion animal and a felony count of possession of a criminal tool . Santuomo had fashioned a makeshift silencer by taping a 2-liter soda bottle to the end of the rifle . The incident happened in December . Miller said appalled fellow firefighters turned Santuomo in to authorities . `` There were reports that he was bragging about this , '' she said . Santuomo initially told investigators the dogs had ingested antifreeze and he killed them to put them out of their misery , Miller said . However , after necropsies showed the dogs were not poisoned , the firefighter admitted shooting them because he could n't afford to board them , she said . Public records show Santuomo has twice filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection and underwent a home foreclosure in 2003 . The Columbus Division of Fire has received more than 2,000 outraged e-mails and calls from the public , said Battalion Chief David Whiting , the department 's spokesman . `` People are not very happy , '' he said . `` We had people say they should do to him what he 's done to the dogs . A lot of people want him fired . They do n't want him coming into their house . They 're worried about their animals ; they 're worried about their kids . They 'd just as soon let their house burn down if he shows up . '' The Division of Fire has concluded an internal investigation , including interviews with Santuomo , Whiting said . The report now goes to Fire Chief Ned Pettus Jr. , who will schedule a disciplinary hearing . Punishment , if any , could range from a verbal reprimand to firing , Whiting said . With appeals and possible arbitration , the whole process could take a month or more , he said . In the meantime , Santuomo is working in the division 's fire alarm office , `` where he is not dealing face to face with the public , '' Whiting said . If he remains employed with the fire division , he will return to his regular assignment , though that could bring a new set of challenges , Whiting added . `` If someone did this that worked next to you at work , how would you feel about working with him ? '' Whiting asked . `` We 'll cross that bridge when we come to it . ... There are a lot of options . '' Santuomo has only minor disciplinary matters , such as tardiness , in his record , Whiting said . Santuomo was sentenced to 90 days in jail , to be served in 10-day increments over the next two years . He also has to pay $ 4,500 in restitution , perform 200 hours of community service , stay away from companion animals for five years and write a letter of apology to be published in the local newspaper and the International Association of Firefighters magazine , the humane society 's Miller said . Santuomo 's attorney said that his client is remorseful over his actions and that people need to temper their outrage . `` It 's the same old story . They could n't care less about people and they love animals , '' lawyer Sam Shamansky said . The firefighter , who could not be reached for comment , has no criminal history other than traffic violations , Shamansky said . `` It , of course , was a heinous act , and it 's an act for which he 's sorry and has accepted responsibility , '' Shamansky said of the dog killings . `` He 's been punished appropriately , and I think it 's now time for the public to practice what they preach and show a little forgiveness and mercy . Maybe that might be a novel approach . '' | Columbus , Ohio , firefighter ties his two dogs in basement , shoots them . David Santuomo dumped carcasses in firehouse trash bin . He gets 90-day jail sentence , to be served 10 days at a time . Fire division discipline could range from verbal reprimand to discharge . | [[0, 15], [50, 126], [169, 177], [180, 255], [276, 314], [322, 369], [564, 572], [615, 661], [3301, 3342], [3301, 3309], [3338, 3404], [2506, 2516], [2522, 2525], [2528, 2573]] |
WEST HOLLYWOOD , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- We halfway expect the four members of Kings of Leon to roll into Bar 1200 drunk and brawling , a burly tour manager leading them in by the scruff of their necks . Kings of Leon is a family affair , consisting of three brothers and their cousin . Instead , a uniformed valet ushers them in , one by one , offering each a flute of champagne -- which Caleb Followill , the singer , and Nathan Followill , the drummer , politely accept . `` We have a bunch of rooms at the hotel , and the valet came with the floor , '' they explain , shaking their heads in amazement . The hipster lounge we 've gathered in is in the lobby of the Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood , California . A framed black-and-white photo of the Kings hangs in a spot of honor : closest to the bar . It 's autographed , with a inscription that reads , `` Scene of the crime ! '' Kings of Leon 's fourth album , `` Only by the Night , '' has sold 5 million copies worldwide and spun off three hit singles , catapulting the group into that elite fraternity of bona fide rock bands that enjoy airplay on both pop and rock stations . These days , the Followill four -- brothers Caleb , Nathan and Jared , along with their cousin , Matthew -- are fulfilling the promise that so many critics predicted early in their career . Their majestic , tension-filled brand of Southern garage rock has its roots in , of all things , the church . The brothers ' dad , Ivan , was a traveling Pentecostal preacher who led raucous , revivalist-style congregations . Both he and his father went by the name Leon . His boys have carried on in his road warrior tradition . The stage is their pulpit , their congregation , 20,000-seat arenas . The following is an edited version of our interview . CNN : It 's been a great couple of years for you . Do you feel your lives have changed ? Caleb Followill : Absolutely . It 's just a strange thing for us , because we 've had success in the past , but a great majority of it has n't been in America . And when it starts to happen in America , you turn into a wild person again . `` Oh , let 's party ! '' CNN : Is it really true that you guys can consume more alcohol than any other band out there on the road ? Jared Followill : Collectively , it 's a possibility . Caleb : I mean , we can consume more alcohol than any other popular band that actually works . As soon as we say `` thank you '' and `` good night , '' that means it 's time for us to have fun . We 're sober in the mornings . Most mornings . CNN : Are you sober now ? Caleb : Yes . Nathan Followill : Not really . -LRB- Laugh -RRB- . CNN : You guys are also famous for your fights . Rolling Stone had two of you at each other 's throats . A $ 7,000 mirror was apparently involved -- . Caleb : And we were so mad about what they said that we got into a big fight . Nah , I 'm kidding . A lot of the stories that come out about us fighting absolutely are n't true . CNN : Are all of you still in your 20s ? Nathan : I cracked the 30s ! June 26th . Caleb : We 're about to Menudo his ass and get someone younger . CNN : You grew up with religion at the center of your life . How do you think it 's worked its way into what you do now and what we hear coming out of the stereo ? Caleb : I grew up with my dad as a preacher , and so you hear Bible verses . I 've always looked at the Bible as poetry , so I kind of learned to write in that style from time to time . And a lot of people misconstrued that as me trying to push something on someone . We 're all sinners . -LRB- Looks at Nathan -RRB- Look at him drinking the devil 's grape juice . -LRB- The others chuckle -RRB- . CNN : You played music when you were growing up , but it was associated with the church . Nathan : It was more like black gospel music , like Aretha Franklin , Al Green -- fun music to play . Most people hear , `` Oh , you played in church , '' and they picture an organ , and just very quiet . It was very lively and wild . Caleb : The thing that inspired me about the music we grew on is that it was human music . The people that got up to play , they basically just got up there and told the story of what happened to them that day . Nathan : It was like the blues . With a little Jesus . Caleb : -LRB- demonstrates by imitating a blues singer -RRB- `` Today , I went to Walmart . Da da da da . I saw someone walking down the aisle , da da da da . '' For me , it was inspiring . I thought , `` Man , I want to make up some songs . '' CNN : On your current album , `` Only by the Night , '' your music has gotten bigger and more anthemic . Can we attribute that to the time you 've spent hanging out with U2 ? Caleb : We spent a big chunk as the opening band for U2 and Bob Dylan and Pearl Jam -- and when we walked out into these venues , let 's face it , there might have been 200 people in a 20,000-seat venue . And so we would start playing our songs , and when we 'd play it , it would sound bigger than anything we 'd ever heard , because it was bouncing off the walls . So then we 'd start to soundcheck in all these big places , and the songs started to build . But you never know . The next one could be raw and dirty and gritty and really small . We like to keep people guessing . CNN : How did your parents react to your saying , `` Hey , Mom and Dad , I want to be in a rock band . '' Caleb : They took it pretty well . They supported us pretty good . We had to lie our way through it a little bit . Matthew 's family did n't know he was actually going to be in the band . We told them he was going to spend the summer with us but -- . Matthew Followill : Never came home . CNN : Right now , your dad is on the road with you , Matthew . Matthew : Yeah , he 's only out for a couple of shows . Our family always comes to hang out . CNN : Looks like you 'd better get him some sunscreen . He 's a little red . Caleb : That 's not from sun . That 's actually from alcohol . He gets really red in the face after a long bender . | Kings of Leon sold 5 million copies worldwide of CD `` Only by the Night '' Group of brothers and cousin started out playing in church . Now band is enjoying fruits of their labors , opening for U2 , Bob Dylan , Pearl Jam . Many stories of fights `` are n't true , '' one member says . | [[946, 986], [227, 242], [245, 292], [4689, 4694], [4697, 4772], [2889, 2909], [2953, 2967]] |
United Nations -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon handed President Clinton additional responsibility Wednesday for earthquake-ravaged Haiti , charging him with overseeing aid efforts as well as reconstruction . A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the impoverished nation January 12 , devastating parts of the country . More than 200,000 people died from the quake , a spokesman for the country 's prime minister told CNN Wednesday . Ban asked Clinton `` to assume a leadership role in coordinating international aid efforts , from emergency response to new construction of Haiti . '' `` You have demonstrated extremely important leadership , '' Ban told Clinton , who is already the United Nations ' special envoy to Haiti . Clinton will work with the Haitian government and the people of Haiti in recovery and reconstruction efforts , according to a statement released by Clinton 's U.N. office . He will help coordinate the work of U.N. agencies and other international partners in Haiti , including government donors , private investors and non-governmental organizations , the statement said . `` I can not find any other better suited leader than yourself , Mr. President , '' Ban told Clinton at the United Nations on Wednesday morning . Clinton thanked Ban . `` I will do the best I can , '' he said . `` I think the challenges are great ; we still have a lot of emergency problems to deal with , '' he said . `` Almost all the infrastructure -LRB- is -RRB- gone there , so the trick is to get the Haitian people back where they can stop living from day-to-day and start living week-to-week or month-to-month . '' Clinton added , `` The leaders there want to build a functioning modern state for the first time . '' | NEW : More than 200,000 people died from quake , prime minister 's office says . President Clinton already serves as United Nations special envoy to Haiti . Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon charging him with overseeing aid efforts , reconstruction , as well . Ban : `` I can not find any other better suited leader '' | [[346, 390], [681, 688], [695, 751], [71, 168], [0, 30], [171, 239], [460, 550], [752, 860], [1128, 1187]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An angry Phil Mickelson hinted at legal action for being accused of `` cheating '' by fellow PGA Tour professional Scott McCarron . The world number two carded a two-under 70 to be four shots behind third round leader Ryuji Imada at the Farmers Insurance Open , but for the second day in a row his post-round press conference centered on his use of a 20-year-old wedge with square grooves . McCarron was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday , saying that Mickelson and others who had opted to play with the Ping-Eye 2 wedge were exploiting a loophole in PGA Tour rules . `` It 's cheating , and I 'm appalled Phil has put it in play , '' he said . New rules introduced this year only allow for irons with V-shaped grooves , but because of a lawsuit filed by manufacturers Ping an exception has been made for wedges , with square grooves , which were made before April 1 , 1990 . Mickelson is using one of those wedges at Torrey Pines this week and on Friday he was grilled about his use and McCarron reported comments . Mickelson declined then to get into what he called `` name calling '' but mounted a stout defense of his use of the club , saying it was within the rules . But after his fine third round on the South Course , Mickelson appeared to up the ante . `` We all have our opinions on the matter , but a line was crossed and I just was publicly slandered , '' Mickelson told the official PGA Tour Web site . `` And because of that , I 'll have to let other people handle that . '' Asked he was mounting a lawsuit , Mickelson said , `` I 'm not going into specifics what that meant . '' Meanwhile , the PGA Tour has issued a statement to explain why the controversial Ping-Eye 2 wedges were approved for play , appearing to criticize McCarron for his comments . `` Because the use of pre-1990 Ping Eye 2 irons is permitted for play , public comments or criticisms characterizing their use as a violation of the Rules of Golf as promulgated by the USGA are inappropriate at best , '' read the final paragraph of the statement . Mickelson said that it was `` cool if they put that out there . '' On the course , Imada shot a two-under 70 for a 13-under 203 and had a two-shot lead over Ben Crane -LRB- 69 -RRB- and Michael Sim of Australia . U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover carded a 68 and was three shots behind with Mickelson a further stroke behind on his season-debut on the PGA Tour . | Phil Mickelson hints at legal action after accusations of ` cheating ' by fellow pro Scott McCarron . World number two says he was ` publicly slandered ' by McCarron 's reported comments in San Francisco Chronicle . Row has centered on Mickelson 's use of a 20-year-old Ping-Eye 2 wedge . Japan 's Ryuji Imada leads Famers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines wsiht Mickelson four shots back . | [[0, 15], [19, 120], [410, 470], [307, 409], [151, 178], [194, 278], [2280, 2298], [2328, 2427]] |
Titanyan , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Daniel Rouzier clutched a mahogany rosary and a pair of latex gloves in his left hand , his face covered in a sterile mask . He watched intently as two front-end loaders clawed into piles of dirt and dumped it into freshly dug trenches . Arms , legs , entire bodies flailed and flew before reaching their final resting place . The stench of human flesh , decomposing for 17 days , carried with the wind . Rouzier took it upon himself to bury the estimated 2,500 bodies here . They were mothers , fathers , sons and daughters who were never given a proper burial after they perished in the earthquake that leveled the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince on January 12 . At least 150,000 people died that day , the Haitian government estimates . Many of their bodies were dumped here , near the village of Titanyan , about 45 minutes northeast of the capital . Rouzier , who owns a car dealership and helps run the Haitian charity , Food for the Poor , said he was watching a CNN report Friday about how many bodies were just left to rot , without proper interment . `` I was just appalled . This is a sacrilege , '' he said Saturday . Haiti , he said , is a deeply spiritual country with great respect for the dead . `` This , '' he said pointing to the mounds of death , `` is countercultural to Haiti -- the total lack of respect for the dead . '' Marie Laurence Lasseque , Haiti 's minister of information , denied to CNN 's Anderson Cooper that the dead had been transported out of the city by truck and dumped out of view without burial . She said the state-run trucking company CNE was `` doing a good job '' disposing bodies . But after seeing footage of the bodies on CNN , Rouzier had to do something . By 8 a.m. Friday , he was on the phone , ordering front-end loaders . He asked his welding shop to shape five metal crosses and called Bishop Pierre Andre Dumas to come perform last rites . Dumas arrived Friday with American priest Richard Frechette , a doctor who cares for the poor in Haiti . The two sprinkled holy water and said prayers over the freshly dug graves and remaining piles of bodies . Rouzier 's crew buried about 1,500 people Friday . The next day , they returned for the remaining 1,000 . No one knows how many such mounds of bodies exist still in these valleys . Some are near Titanyan , its grim past now linked with this macabre task . This is where the dirty work of politics stooped to its lowest as the bodies of thousands who died under the brutal Duvalier dictatorships were said to have been tossed . Rouzier surveyed the land -- rocky dirt and gentle rolling hills that will forever be haunted by restless souls . At least , he was able to restore dignity to some of them , though no one will know who is buried here , under the five metal crosses . `` Maybe they are doing them better elsewhere . I do n't know , '' Rouzier said . He did n't want to blame anyone for what happened . It 's easy to point fingers at a time of epic tragedy . He simply found relief Saturday in finding some sense of closure more than two weeks after the devastating earthquake . `` I 'm very grateful to be able to do this , '' he said . He asked visiting journalists to refrain from walking the mounds of dirt . To not step over the dead . It was a tough two days for Rouzier . But for 2,500 Haitians , it was grace . | Many earthquake victims were dumped in mass graves about 45 minutes northeast of capital . Daniel Rouzier says `` total lack of respect for the dead '' is countercultural to Haiti . Rouzier ordered equipment to dig fresh trenches , commissioned 5 metal crosses . `` I 'm very grateful to be able to do this , '' says Rouzier , who owns a car dealership . | [[778, 815], [1815, 1868], [893, 900], [907, 928], [2887, 2904], [3136, 3176]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The president of Toyota said he takes full responsibility for safety issues in the company 's cars and vowed to regain the trust of customers in his first interview after appearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday . `` It is I , the chief executive officer , the one on the very top , should be responsible for this , '' Akio Toyoda told CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' `` I would like to really listen to the customers ' voices , and together with the dealership , distributor , suppliers , we need to work together , and we would like to work together and to strive for regaining the trust once again from our customers . '' Toyoda appeared earlier before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in a hearing aimed at discovering , among other things , why the automaker was slow to respond to safety issues related to sudden acceleration . He admitted to King that the day had been difficult , `` and I am not confident to what degree our sincerity was conveyed . '' Asked what his grandfather , the company founder , would say , Toyoda responded , `` He is telling me to regain the trust of those customers who are driving our vehicles . '' He vowed to respond more quickly to any future problems . But he was adamant that the company 's products are roadworthy . `` I 'd like to say that Toyota vehicles are safe , '' he said . Company engineers were not able to reproduce the throttle-control problems , he said , `` so , at this point in time , I would say our vehicles are safe . '' Toyoda told King he is dedicated to getting back to the basics of the company in providing reliable , high-quality cars to its customers . `` Since I became a president last year in July , I have been sending the messages to all our employees to make better vehicles so that our customers would be very happy to ride our vehicles . `` And we would like to maintain this , '' he said . | The president of Toyota said he takes full responsibility for safety issues . Toyoda : ' I ... the one on the very top , should be responsible for this ' On hearing : ` Not confident to what degree our sincerity was conveyed ' | [[0, 15], [43, 183], [244, 271], [294, 330], [872, 966], [933, 995]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The iconic Abbey Road Studios made famous by the Beatles are being declared a national historic landmark , British Culture Minister Margaret Hodge announced Tuesday . `` My favorite song of all time , ` If I fell ' by the Beatles , was recorded there in 1964 , and to have played a part in preserving this world-famous venue is as exciting for me as hearing that song for the first time . Well , almost ! '' Hodge said in a statement . `` Whether your tastes are for classical , hard rock or pop music , one of your favourites is more than likely to have recorded at Abbey Road , '' she added . The studios became an international cultural touchstone when the Beatles were photographed crossing the road there for the cover of their album `` Abbey Road . '' But it 's not only where the Beatles recorded `` All You Need is Love '' and numerous other songs , but where much of Britain 's best known music of the 20th century was laid down . Rock stars Pink Floyd and Cliff Richard , composer Sir Edward Elgar , and the movie soundtracks for `` Star Wars '' and the `` Harry Potter '' films were recorded there . Hodge declared the site in west London a Grade II listed building based on its `` outstanding cultural interest . '' The classification means that `` although changes to the interior are not prohibited , care must be taken to ensure that any alterations with respect to its character and interest are fully considered , '' the ministry said . There was intense speculation last week that the studios were for sale , but the owner shot down the notion on Sunday . The music label that owns them is seeking a partner to help pay for upgrades , according to Terra Firma , which controls record label EMI , the owner of the recording studios . `` EMI confirms that it is holding preliminary discussions for the revitalization of Abbey Road with interested and appropriate third parties , '' Terra Firma said Sunday . But that does not mean the studios are for sale , it added . `` In mid-2009 , we did receive an offer to buy Abbey Road for in excess of # 30 million -LRB- currently about $ 46 million -RRB- , but this was rejected since we believe that Abbey Road should remain in EMI 's ownership , '' the music company said in a statement . The company said Sunday it supported the listing of the building as a historic landmark , before the culture ministry 's announcement . Terra Firma bought EMI in 2007 . Andrew Lloyd Webber , the composer of `` Phantom of the Opera '' and `` Cats '' and one of Britain 's richest men , is `` very interested '' in buying the studios , a representative said Friday . `` He first recorded there in 1967 with Tim Rice . Andrew has since recorded most of his musicals there , '' said the representative , Jenni Pain . `` He thinks it is vital that the studios are saved for the future of the music industry in the UK . Abbey Road has such great facilities , with three major recording studios , and Andrew has probably brought more musicians to record there than anyone else , because it has the capacity to record large orchestral productions . '' CNN 's Per Nyberg and Morgan Neill contributed to this report . | Abbey Road Studios given Grade II listed building status for `` outstanding cultural interest '' The studios ' owner , music label EMI says it 's holding talks to revitalize them . Speculation was rife that the studios made famous by Beatles would be sold . Much of Britain 's best known music of 20 century has been recorded there . | [[631, 774], [1147, 1196], [1186, 1260], [1610, 1686], [1610, 1661], [1689, 1713], [1787, 1928], [66, 92], [1490, 1560], [898, 975]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong , or the `` Snow Leopard '' as he has been dubbed , is making his final preparations for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver . A skier preparing to take part in the Games at this point in the calendar is not the most sensational news , until it is understood the 31-year-old grew up in Accra , Ghana -LRB- where the annual average temperature is around 79 degrees Fahrenheit -RRB- and learnt to ski only six years ago on a dry slope . Nkrumah-Acheampong hopes his remarkable and unconventional rise to prominence -- he achieved the strict qualifying criteria set by the world governing body of his sport from his training base at an artificial snow dome in Milton Keynes , England , where he was a former employee -- can act as inspiration to his countrymen . `` The response that I get from emails and phone calls , that more people are going to come into snow sports , that 's what I 'm hoping to achieve and 10 years from now Ghana should have a ski racer who is 10 times better than me , '' he told CNN . The `` Snow Leopard '' first sprung to prominence after announcing his intention to qualify and compete in the downhill at the Turin Winter Olympics in 2006 , despite only having taken up the sport in 2003 . `` It took 30 minutes for me to be able to just go in a straight line , slow myself down and stop , and the instructor who was my friend , told me : ` You know something , just go and train yourself now , just carry on . ' And that 's when I started falling down , '' he said . After becoming hooked on downhill and pleased with his natural ability he set about trying to qualify -- a feat that involved traveling around the world . He narrowly missed qualifying for the Turin-based Games but came back stronger to insure his place in Canada , an achievement the 34-year-old is exceptionally proud of . `` I think it was like sending a Ghanaian to the moon , -LSB- but -RSB- apart from it being really cool -- I still wake up and still think to myself -- this is going to be really tough , people are going to be watching you -- you ca n't just go to the Olympics and just have fun , '' he added . The father of two will compete in two events , the giant slalom and slalom , and is anxious not to be a figure of fun like British ski-jumper Eddie `` The Eagle '' Edwards , who notoriously captured the headlines at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary . He prefers to take his cue from the Jamaican bob sleigh team who also competed in Calgary and inspired the popular film `` Cool Runnings '' . `` The Jamaican bob sleigh team did actually try really hard to have really fast push off times , really moving down the course -- not all the factors were right for them -- and they crashed -- if they did n't crash , they would have done a really good time , '' he said . `` So I love being compared to Cool Runnings but not Eddie the `` Eagle '' or Eric the `` Eel '' -LRB- swimmer from Equatorial Guinea -RRB- because to me , sports is a serious thing . `` If you want to be a sportsman , be a sportsman . If you want to have fun then do sports for leisure . Do n't take the seriousness of sport and make a mockery of it . '' There is another serious point to the Ghanaian 's participation , his efforts on behalf of the charity which attempts to protect the rare animal from which he gleans his nickname . `` I 'm working with the Snow Leopard Trust , they protect the endangered snow leopard , '' he said . `` I 'm also working with Sabre which is a registered charity in Britain , taking kids in tough areas out of London and out to the Alps , showing them a different side to life . '' Nkrumah - Acheampong 's ambition is to return with his family , who live in Milton Keynes , to Ghana and to open a dry ski slope . In the meantime , his attentions are fully on next month where he will pit his skills against the likes of Bode Miller and Benjamin Raich . `` I do n't just want to get down , but ski well and not come at the bottom of the table , '' he said . | Winter Games appearance comes only six years after first ski run on a dry slope . Dream of taking part is similar to sending a Ghanaian `` to the moon '' says Acheampong . 34-year-old supports a charity which attempts to protect the rare snow leopard . | [[353, 383], [426, 475], [1872, 1938], [3269, 3280], [3287, 3358]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A British soldier who went absent without leave rather than return to fight in Afghanistan was jailed Friday for nine months by a military court , officials said . A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed that Lance Corp. . Joe Glenton had been convicted by a military judge at a court martial in Colchester , southeast England , . Glenton , who completed a seven-month tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2006 , became an outspoken critic of British military operations in the country during his absence , frequently appearing at anti-war rallies and on television . In an interview last July , the 27-year-old told CNN that he was not a conscientious objector , but was refusing to return because he felt the 2001 invasion and subsequent conflict against Taliban militants was not a legitimate use of force . `` The situation in Afghanistan and our involvement is further antagonizing the Muslim population of the world , '' Glenton said . `` I think the conflict has become part of the problem , not part of the solution . '' | Lance Corp. . Joe Glenton jailed for nine months for refusing to fight . Glenton told CNN he was not a conscientious objector . 27-year-old said conflict was not legitimate use of force . | [[9, 32], [127, 180], [600, 625], [628, 693], [628, 643], [713, 842]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President-elect Barack Obama offered an outline of his economic recovery plan Saturday , and jobs were the top priority . President-elect Barack Obama talks about his economic plan Saturday on a video on his Web site . American workers will rebuild the nation 's roads and bridges , modernize its schools and create more sources of alternative energy , Obama said in the weekly Democratic address , posted on his Web site . `` The plan will mean 2.5 million more jobs '' by 2011 , Obama said . His Web site clarified that the plan would `` save or create '' that many jobs . `` These are n't just steps to pull ourselves out of this immediate crisis , '' he said . `` These are the long-term investments in our economic future that have been ignored for far too long . '' Details of the plan are still being worked out by his economic team , Obama said , but he hopes to implement the plan shortly after taking office January 20 . Listen to Obama 's economic plan '' He referred to figures out this week showing that new home purchases in October were the lowest in 50 years and that 540,000 new unemployment claims had been filed , the most in 16 years . iReport.com : How are you making yourself layoff-proof ? `` We must do more to put people back to work and get our economy moving again , '' he said . More than a million jobs have been lost this year , he said , and `` if we do n't act swiftly and boldly , most experts now believe that we could lose millions of jobs next year . '' The plan will be aimed at jump-starting job creation , Obama said , and laying the foundation for a stronger economy . `` We 'll put people back to work rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges ; modernizing schools that are failing our children ; and building wind farms and solar panels , fuel-efficient cars and the alternative energy technology that can free us from our dependence on foreign oil and keep our economy competitive in the years head , '' he said . He noted that he will need support from both Democrats and Republicans to pass such a plan and said he welcomes suggestions from both sides of the aisle . `` But what is not negotiable is the need for immediate action , '' he said . `` Right now , there are millions of mothers and fathers who are lying awake at night wondering if next week 's paycheck will cover next month 's bills . `` There are Americans showing up to work in the morning , only to have cleared out their desks by the afternoon . Retirees are watching their life savings disappear , and students are seeing their college dreams deferred . These Americans need help , and they need it now . '' Throughout history , he said , Americans have been able to rise above their divisions to work together , he said . `` That is the chance our new beginning now offers us , and that is the challenge we must rise to in the days to come , '' Obama said . `` It is time to act . As the next president of the United States , I will . '' | President-elect proposes rebuilding roads , bridges , schools . Plan would save or create 2.5 million jobs by 2011 , Obama 's office says . Republicans and Democrats will need to work together , negotiate , he says . | [[444, 497], [513, 576], [1978, 2132], [1987, 2048], [1978, 1980], [1992, 1994], [2073, 2132], [2674, 2683], [2699, 2745]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Profits at celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay 's British restaurants plunged by nearly 90 percent in the last 12 months . Gordon Ramsay has become as successful on television as he has been off-screen . Run by the Scottish-born chef and his father-in-law Chris Hutcheson , Gordon Ramsay Holdings reported a drop in annual turnover from # 41.6 million -LRB- $ 68 million -RRB- to # 35 million -LRB- $ 57 million -RRB- in the year to August 2008 , Britain 's Press Association reported Friday . Pre-tax profits plummeted by over # 3 million -LRB- $ 4.9 million -RRB- to # 383,325 -LRB- $ 627,000 -RRB- , while net debt in the group , which includes London restaurants such as Claridges , Maze and the flagship Royal Hospital Road , soared to almost # 9.5 million -LRB- $ 15.5 million -RRB- . With spiraling debts and crippling tax bills , the star of TV shows such as `` Ramsay 's Kitchen Nightmares '' and `` Hell 's Kitchen '' was forced to pump huge amounts of his own money into the business , even selling his prized Ferrari to raise funds , The Guardian newspaper said . Ramsay has attributed his business problems to over-ambitious expansion plans , in addition to the closure of two of his 11 London eateries . The Michelin-starred chef opened ten restaurants between 2007 and 2008 , while The Savoy Grill was forced to close as the Savoy hotel was refurbished , and the lease at the Connaught expired . The 42-year old was also forced to review his company 's international operations , closing restaurants in Paris , Los Angeles and Prague , The Times newspaper reported . `` Ambition overtook me . We thought we could do anything , that we could n't fail , '' PA quoted Ramsay as saying recently . A full review of the group 's operations was instigated in December as part of a refinancing deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland and to help the business get through the troubled economic times . `` 2008 brought its own challenges , not just for our group , but for the industry as a whole and the broader economy , '' Hutcheson told PA. . `` Whilst the restructuring has benefited the group , the significant contribution and commitment of all 750 staff to the business has been integral to moving us to a position of strength . '' Ramsay has endured a difficult time recently . Last month he was criticized by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd after reportedly comparing television star Tracy Grimshaw to a pig during a live cooking show in Melbourne . His trademark colorful language also came under fire last year by another Australian lawmaker . However Ramsay told the country 's Channel Nine Network , which broadcasts Kitchen Nightmares and Hell 's Kitchen , that the shows emphasize the `` pressures of working in a restaurant kitchen . '' | Turnover by Gordon Ramsay Holdings drops from $ 68M to $ 57M . Pre-tax profits plummet by over $ 4.9 M to $ 627,000 . Over-ambitious expansion plans , restaurant closures blamed . Ramsay currently owns nine restaurants in London . | [[523, 594], [1105, 1182], [650, 659], [668, 757]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama and Republican and Democratic leaders engaged in a spirited but civil debate at a health care summit Thursday , finding agreement on some issues but appearing to find little common ground on how to move forward in a bipartisan way . `` I do n't know , frankly , whether we can close that gap , '' said President Obama as the day-long meeting closed . If agreement is not reached , he said , there will be `` a lot of arguments about procedures in Congress about moving forward , '' an apparent reference to using a parliamentary shortcut under which a health care bill could be passed with a simple majority instead of the 60-vote supermajority the body requires to overcome the filibuster which Republicans have threatened to use . `` My hope had been there might be enough areas of overlap to realistically think about moving forward without a situation in which everyone just goes to their respective corners and this ends up being a political fight , '' he said . `` Frankly , I was discourage by the outcome , '' Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky , told reporters after the meeting . He urged the Democrats to `` start over and go step by step and target the areas of possible agreement that we discussed in the meeting today . '' Sen. John Boehner , R-Ohio , sounded equally unenthusiastic . `` I think the American people want us to work together on common steps to make our current system work better , '' he said . `` We ca n't do it within the framework of a 2,700-page bill . '' Live updates from the health care summit . `` The president let everybody talk and talk and talk , '' said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , who called Obama `` the most patient man in the world . '' Though there were areas of agreement , he said , `` every Republican used the same talking points . '' He , too , appeared to raise the specter of attempting to move forward through the parliamentary shortcut , known as reconciliation . `` It 's time we do something and we 're going to do it , '' the Nevada Democrat said . House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was `` not overly optimistic '' that the Democrats would be able to attract Republican votes for the health care bill . Obama said in opening remarks that `` it is absolutely critical to begin now moving on what is one of the biggest drags on the economy . '' The situation affects not just people without health insurance , but also those who have it , he said . `` The problem is not getting better , '' he said . `` It is getting worse . '' Share your reaction to the summit . Obama called on Republican and Democratic leaders at the much-publicized summit to `` not focus on where we differ , but focus on where we agree . '' The differences were evident , though , in what each side believes should happen next . Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander , who made the opening remarks for his party , said Democrats should scrap existing bills passed by the House and Senate and start over on new legislation . Watch what areas Democrats and Republicans can agree on . That 's not going to happen , Democrats answered , saying Americans can not wait . `` For them , they do n't have time for us to start over , '' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said . Jon Kyl , the Senate Republican Whip , pointed out that a major philosophical difference between the two sides is who should be in charge of the health care system -- the government or private industry . `` There 's so much in the bills you have supported that puts so much control in Washington , '' Kyl said to Obama . House Republican Whip Eric Cantor also highlighted that concern , pointing out that Republicans are nearly unanimous in their opposition to the bills . `` There is a reason we voted no , '' Cantor said to Obama . `` It does have to do with the philosophical differences you pointed out . It also has to do with our fear that Washington can define what are essential health benefits . '' Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin made an impassioned plea for passage of health care reform , saying the current system discriminates against people who are already sick . Watch Harkin 's plea for everyone to have insurance . Racial segregation has been outlawed , he said , `` however we still allow segregation today on the basis of your health . '' Fellow Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller urged greater oversight of the health insurance sector , which he called `` a shark that swims just below the water . '' `` This is a rapacious industry that does what it wants , unknown to the people of America except on an individual basis , '' Rockefeller said . Critics had said before the nationally televised summit started that it would amount to a public relations stunt . `` This is about theater , '' said Sen. John Cornyn , a Texas Republican . `` This is not about substance , unfortunately . '' Watch what 's at stake at the health care summit . Obama addressed that concern in his opening remarks . `` I hope this is n't political theater where people are playing to the camera , '' he said . Obama said Republicans and Democrats seem to agree that costs have to be contained . `` It 's absolutely true that if all we 're doing is adding more people to a broken system , then costs will continue to skyrocket , '' he said . Republican Sen. Tom Coburn , who is a physician , listed several ways to cut costs , including focusing on disease prevention and management as well as cracking down on fraud . Coburn also blasted what he called the `` extortion '' behind frivolous lawsuits that make doctors victims of the current legal system . `` A large number of the tests we order every day are not for the patients , they 're for the doctors , '' Coburn said . Another Republican physician , Rep. Charles Boustany of Louisiana , said doctors also would like a plan that would `` simplify , streamline and standardize all paperwork that is involved . '' The cumbersome paperwork , he said , `` takes you away from patient care . '' The discussion took a testy tone when Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona complained about how the Democrats handled the process of approving the legislation . McCain , who lost to Obama in the 2008 presidential race , said candidate Obama had pledged eight times that the health care debate would be conducted in the open and televised by C-SPAN . Instead , McCain said , the legislation was `` produced behind closed doors ... with unsavory deals . '' Obama tried to break in , but McCain asked to be allowed to finish . After McCain was done , Obama seemed to flash some anger when he said , `` We 're not campaigning . The election is over . '' Said McCain with a slight laugh , `` I 'm reminded of that every day . '' At one point , both men tried to talk over each other . `` The focus should not be on the issue of how we get a bill done , '' Obama said . McCain replied that `` the American people care about what we do and how we do it . '' Obama cut off the discussion when he said , `` We can have a debate about process or we can have a debate about how we help the American people . '' Fact Check : How common is the Senate use of reconciliation ? After the meeting , McCain told reporters in a conference call , `` A conversation like this is bound to be a good thing . I just wish we had started it a year ago instead of jamming it through . '' He said he hopes the Democrats will refrain from using reconciliation , urging that `` the 60-vote procedure of the Senate be protected . '' Obama also seemed to take a shot at Cantor , who stacked the voluminous House and Senate health care reform bills on the table in front of him . The president called the display `` props '' and said , `` These are the kinds of political things we do that prevent us from having a conversation . '' On Wednesday , Sen. Chris Dodd , a key author of the Senate health care bill , told reporters flatly that if Republicans continued to demand that Democrats scrap their health care proposals and start over , `` then there 's nothing to talk about . '' But McConnell argued that starting over is exactly what Republicans want . `` Unless they 're willing to do that , I think it 's nearly impossible to imagine a scenario under which we can reach agreement because we do n't think we ought to pass a 2,700-page bill that seeks to restructure one-sixth of our economy , '' McConnell said . Watch as opposing sides protest at health summit . He warned the political consequences would be severe if Democrats moved forward without Republican support . Dodd said Democrats and Republicans could find common ground in some areas , such as the Republican push to allow insurers to sell insurance across state lines . He called the GOP proposal `` a legitimate issue , '' but said Democrats already have a version of that proposal in their legislation . White House spokesman Robert Gibbs expressed confidence Thursday that a bill will pass . `` We 're very close to health care reform for the American people , '' he said . Three top Democratic sources privately told CNN the new goal is to pass the final legislation by the end of March or else Congress will have to move back to other issues like job creation and unfinished spending bills . The meeting took place across the street from the White House , in the Garden Room at Blair House . The summit discussions were based around four themes -- controlling costs , insurance reforms , reducing the deficit and expanding coverage . CNN 's Dana Bash , Ed Henry , Kristi Keck and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report . | Sen. Jay Rockefeller : `` This is a rapacious industry that does what it wants '' Sen. Tom Harkin says health care system discriminates , segregates people . President Obama tells Sen. John McCain : `` We 're not campaigning . The election is over '' GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander urges Democrats to scrap bills , start over on health care . | [[4469, 4559], [4592, 4613], [3963, 3989], [4051, 4105], [4222, 4229], [4232, 4305], [6617, 6639], [2829, 2860], [2867, 2905], [2829, 2860], [2908, 2950], [2913, 3017], [2829, 2860], [2986, 3017], [7902, 7997]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ten Americans detained and accused of child trafficking in Haiti after they allegedly tried to bus 33 children into the Dominican Republic insist their effort was an attempt to get the children to a shelter . But Haiti 's prime minister said Sunday that the group was kidnapping the children . `` From what I know until now , this is a kidnapping case , '' Jean-Max Bellerive told CNN . `` Who is doing it -- I do n't know . What are the real objectives or activities -- I do n't know . But that is kidnapping and it is more serious because it 's involving children , '' he said . `` The children certainly were not fully willing to go , because in some cases , from what I heard , they were asking for their parents , they wanted to return to their parents . '' How far should aid workers go ? U.S. embassy officials visited the Americans over the weekend at a jail near the airport in Port-au-Prince , where they are being detained . They are being treated well and are holding on to their faith , the Americans said . `` We came into Haiti to help those that really had no other source of help , '' Laura Silsby , a member of the Idaho-based charity , New Life Children 's Refuge , told CNN on Saturday . `` We are trusting the truth will be revealed and we are praying for that . '' Full coverage . The group of five men and five women said they were trying to move the children to the Dominican Republic in the aftermath of the January 12 earthquake that devastated parts of Haiti , flattening the capital and killing tens of thousands . But a Haitian judge has charged the 10 with child trafficking , they said . The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince said Sunday that the Americans have been detained for `` alleged violations of Haitian laws related to immigration . '' `` God is our provider and God gives us strength and comfort , '' said Carla Thompson , one group member . `` We have our Bibles and we are OK . '' Government approval is needed for any Haitian children to leave the country , and the group acknowledged that the children have no passports . Jeanne Bernard-Pierre , general director for Haiti 's Institute of Social Welfare , said the children will be interviewed in the coming days to determine whether they have living relatives . Search for the missing . The group said it believed the children were orphaned , and it was going to house them in a converted hotel in the Dominican Republic . George Willeit of SOS Children 's Villages -- who said that Haitian police and the social ministry brought the children to his group -- said some of the children have living relatives . `` Some of them for sure are not orphans , '' he told CNN . `` Immediately after she arrived here , a girl -- she might be 9 years old -- was crying loudly , ' I am not an orphan , I do have my parents , please call my parents , ' '' he said . `` And some of the other kids as well , they have their phone numbers , even , with them from their parents , '' he said . He said he believes that at least 10 are not orphans . Mel Coulter , the father of 23-year-old Charisa Coulter , who is among those arrested , told CNN affiliate KTVB that the group thought it had all of the necessary documents to transport the children out of the earthquake-ravaged country , but apparently lacked some paperwork . `` They want to bring kids out who have no home , who have no parents , who have no hope -- and this was an attempt to give them the hope that they 've lost in Haiti , '' he said Saturday . The group `` went down on Thursday night fully expecting that they had everything they needed , all the documentation that they needed , '' he said . `` When they tried to bring some of the kids out -LSB- Friday -RSB- night they were stopped at the border and -LSB- they -RSB- said that there was a paper missing , '' he said . `` So they returned to Port-au-Prince , where they went in early -LSB- Saturday -RSB- morning to try and get the last documentation , and apparently were arrested on the spot and jailed . '' He said the group wants `` to do everything according to the processes that are required . '' The Rev. Clint Henry , the senior pastor with Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian , Idaho , where at least some of the group members worship , told KTVB Sunday that the church was hopeful that the group would soon be released . `` We 're waiting ... and hoping and praying that that outcome will be the one that we 're looking for , so the team that has been falsely charged will be vindicated , and that the whole world is going to know that we were n't here doing the kind of things we 're being accused of doing , '' he said . He said the accusations have prompted a number of phone calls to the church that include `` obscenities , accusations about those false rumors , things that I do n't care to repeat . '' The children were being rescued from `` one or more orphanages '' that had been damaged in the quake , a statement on the church 's Web site said . Henry told CNN affiliate KIVI Saturday that the group had been planning to build an orphanage in the Dominican Republic , but that the earthquake sped up the timetable for transporting the Haitian children there . `` We were n't ready to start this yet , everything was in process , '' he said , and the construction on the orphanage has not yet begun . Many of the children said they are from Fort Jacques , a town about seven miles from Port-au-Prince , according to Bernard-Pierre . CNN 's Karl Penhaul , Jill Dougherty and journalist Jessica Desvarieux contributed to this report . | Idaho-based missionaries arrested for trying to move children across Haitian border . Group admits children did not have passports needed to leave country . Children from orphanages damaged in the quake , said church 's Web site said . | [[3693, 3752], [2046, 2106], [4870, 4935], [4910, 4970], [4973, 5017]] |
Tokyo , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Without issuing a recall of its iconic Prius hybrid vehicles , Toyota said Thursday a software glitch is to blame for braking problems in the 2010 model . `` We would want to be given a little time , '' Hiro Yuki Yokoyama , Toyota 's managing officer , said when reporters asked whether a recall was in the works . The company changed its braking system software in January as part of what it called `` constant quality improvements , '' but did not say what it would do about vehicles manufactured before then . Toyota officials described the problem as a `` disconnect '' in the vehicle 's complex anti-lock brake system -LRB- ABS -RRB- that causes less than a one-second lag . With the delay , a vehicle going 60 mph will have traveled nearly another 90 feet before the brakes begin to take hold . Brakes in hybrids such as the Prius operate differently from brakes in most cars . In addition to standard brakes , which use friction from pads pressed against drums or rotors , the electric motors in hybrids help slow them . The process also generates electricity to recharge the batteries . The Japanese government has warned Toyota to take seriously mounting complaints with the Prius . Toyota Vice President Shinichi Sasaki met with Japan 's transport minister on Wednesday . iReport : How are Toyota 's problems affecting you ? In Japan , 14 complaints about brakes in the Prius have been lodged since July . Japan 's Ministry of Land , Infrastructure , Transport and Tourism has asked Toyota to investigate , according to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association . `` The complaints received via our dealers center around when drivers are on a bumpy road or frozen surface , '' said Paul Nolasco , a Toyota Motor Corp. spokesman in Japan . `` The driver steps on the brake , and they do not get as full of a braking feel as expected . '' Full coverage of Toyota recall . In the United States , more than 100 complaints alleging poor brake performance have been lodged with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration against the 2010 Prius , a newly designed version of the car that was introduced last summer . `` NHTSA has received a number of complaints about a potential defect affecting the brake system in Toyota 's Prius hybrid and is conducting field work to examine the issue , '' the agency said Wednesday . A search of NHTSA 's complaint database turned up many similar-sounding complaints in the United States . `` I have been driving my 2010 Prius for 6 months and have experienced the following nearly 10 times , '' one owner wrote . `` When braking , if a pothole or bump in the road is hit , the car seemingly jerks forward/accelerates for a split second . '' The Prius is Toyota 's third best-selling model in the United States , ranking behind the Camry mid-size sedan and the Corolla compact car . Toyota 's public image , and its sales , have been hit by recent recalls involving unintended acceleration . The automaker recalled 2.3 million vehicles on January 21 because of problems with sticking gas pedals and later halted the sale of the eight models involved in the recall . Toyota 's U.S. sales plunged 16 percent in January as a result , even as sales of other automakers rose . Toyota announced third-quarter results Thursday , posting a 10.2 percent rise in net revenue from the year before . The quarter ended December 31 , three weeks before Toyota stopped selling the recalled models . In a separate recall , about 4.2 million vehicles were called back in November for a problem in which the cars ' gas pedals could get stuck in some floor mats . The last-generation version of the Prius was included in that recall , which was expanded to include an additional 1.1 million cars last week . CNNMoney 's Peter Valdes-Dapena and Kyung Lah contributed to this report . | NEW : Toyota will not issue recall on 2010 Prius models over braking issue . Officials : Software glitch causes cars to move even if brakes are engaged . Toyota is already under fire for issues surrounding sticking gas pedals in several vehicles . | [[33, 93], [96, 187], [2974, 3076]] |
Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four people found dead in a southeastern Afghan compound appear to be victims of an honor killing , a senior U.S. military official said on Friday . The bodies were discovered during an operation by Afghan and NATO-led forces in Paktia province , a volatile region along the border of Pakistan . NATO 's International Security Assistance Force said the bodies of two men and two women were found , with the women bound and gagged , and the U.S. official said the people were shot `` execution-style . '' An honor killing is a murder carried out by a family or community member against someone thought to have brought dishonor onto them . The U.S. official said it is n't clear whether the dishonor in this case stemmed from accusations of acts such as adultery or even cooperating with NATO forces . `` It has the earmarks of a traditional honor killing , '' said the official , who added the Taliban could be responsible . Afghan and NATO officials are investigating the incident , which occurred in the village of Khatabeh in the province 's Gardez district . The operation unfolded when Afghan and international forces went to the compound , which was thought to be a site of militant activity . A firefight ensued and several insurgents died , several people left the compound , and eight others were detained . Paktia is the same province where a military base was the target of an assault that wounded five U.S. soldiers on Thursday , authorities said . Both the U.S. official and a Paktia province spokesman confirmed that a suicide attacker , apparently wearing police garb , carried out the action . The U.S. official said it may never be fully determined if the uniform was stolen or the bomber was a turncoat . On December 30 , a suicide attack on a U.S. base in Afghanistan killed seven CIA officers and a Jordanian army captain . The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack , also on a base in eastern Afghanistan . Meanwhile , more than 20 `` enemy militants '' were killed Friday by Afghan and international forces in the country 's western region , NATO 's International Security Assistance Force said . The deaths occurred during an operation in Farah province targeting a Taliban commander thought to be responsible for planning suicide attacks , the military said . When a militant threw a grenade at troops approaching a building , the forces called for his surrender , it said . The troops tried to enter the building when the militant detonated a suicide vest . After that blast , a large number of armed militants tried to confront troops , who killed the insurgents , the military said . One alleged militant was injured and five were detained , it said . Troops found weaponry , such as grenades , firearms and handheld radios . Farah borders Helmand province , where international and Afghan troops are gearing up for a major assault on the Taliban . CNN 's Barbara Starr contributed to this report . | Bodies found in compound in southeast Afghanistan . NATO : Two women and two men were shot `` execution-style '' Bodies found hidden in a room after gunbattle . Eight men held for questioning ; authorities investigating . | [[39, 95], [475, 539], [402, 434], [1326, 1354]] |
Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The captors of a kidnapped 5-year-old British boy included someone who was close to the family , Pakistan 's Interior Minister said Sunday . `` There is someone who is very close to the family because the way the situation happened ; the way the entry was made , '' Minister Rehman Malik said . Malik , who spoke to reporters after meeting the boy 's father in the Pakistani town of Jhelum , said authorities were close to finding the kidnappers . `` We have certain leads which we would not like to disclose , but I have a warning to those who abducted the boy : leave the boy because we are very near to you , '' he said . The boy , Sahil Saeed , is of Pakistani descent . He was on the last day of a two-week vacation in Pakistan before he planned to return home to Oldham in northern England . Gunmen barged into Sahil 's grandmother 's home in the eastern province of Punjab and took him at gunpoint Wednesday . They have reportedly demanded a ransom of 10 million rupees -LRB- $ 118,000 -RRB- . | Five-year-old snatched by armed robbers while on holiday with family in Punjab . Sahil Saeed , of Pakistani descent , was on a two-week vacation in Punjab . Kidnappers have reportedly demanded a ransom of $ 118,000 . | [[665, 672], [689, 714], [715, 782], [957, 1040]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 15 people have been killed and more wounded after a weekend of heavy fighting in Somalia 's capital , journalists and a hospital spokeswoman said Monday . Artillery shelling from an area controlled by the government into an insurgent stronghold killed at least 15 and wounded 60 others Sunday in northeastern Mogadishu , journalists said after surveying the aftermath . More than 120 people have been admitted to a hospital with wounds related to fighting since Friday , said Duniyo Ali Mohamed , head of the medical department at Medina Hospital . The fighting comes after a militant Islamist group associated with al Qaeda attacked areas controlled by government troops and peacekeepers Friday , leaving 12 dead and at least 30 injured , witnesses said . Two of the 12 were members of al-Shabaab , according to Sheik Ali Mohamud Raghe , a spokesman for the militants . Al-Shabaab is an extremist group that the United States considers to be a terrorist organization . Somali government officials downplayed the offensive , calling it `` small and careless . '' Somalia has been mired in chaos since 1991 when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and sparked brutal clan infighting . The transitional government has struggled to establish authority amid challenges by militants . | Sixty others wounded after heavy fighting in Somalia 's capital , journalists say . Fighting comes after miliants tied to al Qaeda attacked areas held by Somali troops , peacekeepers . Somali officials downplay offensive , calling it `` small and careless '' | [[0, 15], [59, 127], [183, 214], [296, 346], [577, 627], [602, 652], [602, 627], [644, 723], [998, 1050], [998, 1025], [1053, 1087]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thirty-two Taliban insurgents and three Afghan soldiers were killed in fighting between security forces and militants in southern Afghanistan , a local government official told CNN Thursday . The violence took place on Wednesday in the Khushal Khan village of Nad Ali district in Helmand province , said the provincial governor 's spokesman , Dawood Ahmadi . The district is where the U.S. Marines are cranking up plans for a major operation against the insurgency , a push targeting a swath of territory considered the last major stronghold of the Taliban in Helmand province . The Wednesday flareup in Khushal Khan occurred during an Afghan-NATO-led joint operation . Along with the deaths , three Afghan soldiers and a soldier from NATO 's International Security Assistance Force were injured . The Marines plan to launch a big push on Marjah , a town with 80,000 to 100,000 people in the Nad Ali district , considered to be under Taliban control . The insurgency there has influence stretching to Pakistan and the bordering provinces of Nimruz and Farah . The Marine-led operation will `` alter the ecosystem of this area significantly , '' Col. George Amland , the deputy commander of Task Force Leatherneck , said at a briefing Wednesday . Amland did n't say when the operation will start , but indicated it will be soon . He noted that the backbone of the force will be made up of some of the 30,000 additional U.S. troops being sent to Afghanistan by President Obama and will include a large contingent of Afghan security forces . The push will follow other big operations in Helmand -- Cobra 's Anger in December and Khanjar last summer . CNN 's Matiullah Mati contributed to this report . | Fighting occurs as U.S. readies military offensive in Helmand province . U.S. offensive targets Taliban with influence stretching to Pakistan . U.S. troops coming from 30,000 added by President Obama . | [[398, 503], [991, 1098], [991, 1005], [1026, 1098], [1368, 1577], [1382, 1468], [1432, 1513]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Republicans ' tough task of taking back control of the Senate next year now looks even tougher . Sen. Pete Domenici , R-New Mexico , says he will retire at the end of his term . Republican Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico announced Thursday that he will not seek re-election . `` For the past 35 years my friends and neighbors have given me the honor of allowing me to serve them as their United States senator , '' he said . `` Who could ask for anything more ? Domenici joins three other Republican senators who also are retiring at the end of their terms next year . Democrats took back both houses of Congress last November , but hold thin majorities . In the Senate , they have a 51-49 margin . Their advantage in the House of Representatives is 233-202 . Of 34 Senate seats being contested next year , Republicans hold 22 . With the four senators retiring and four others facing difficult re-election bids , the numbers are stacked against GOP hopes of recapturing the upper chamber of Congress . Read more about the senators who are retiring '' Domenici , a six-term senator , earlier had hinted he would run for re-election despite some criticism of his role in the controversial firings of U.S. attorneys . One of the prosecutors , David Iglesias , contends Domenici and U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson , R-New Mexico , wanted him to push harder on a corruption investigation of state Democrats before the 2006 midterm elections . Iglesias said he felt `` leaned on '' when Domenici called him to inquire about when indictments would be brought . The senator , who nominated Iglesias for the post , apologized for making the call but said he never pressured Iglesias . Domenici said he had complained to Justice Department officials about the pace of prosecutions in Iglesias ' office . Then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Domenici had complained to him about Iglesias in the fall of 2005 , saying the U.S. attorney `` was in over his head . '' Iglesias , a Naval Reserve lawyer listed in a Justice Department evaluation as a `` diverse up-and-comer '' before 2006 , was told to resign that December . Domenici , 75 , was first elected to the Senate in 1972 and has n't faced a tough re-election battle since then . But New Mexico 's other senator , Jeff Bingaman , is a Democrat , as is Gov. Bill Richardson , who is running for president , and Democrats are likely to pour a lot of resources into trying to capture Domenici 's seat . Republicans also face tough competition to hold onto the seats of retiring senators in Nebraska , Virginia and Colorado . In Nebraska , former Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has told friends he will run for retiring Sen. Chuck Hagel 's seat . Johanns is a former Nebraska governor , and Hagel said he has encouraged him to run . Nebraska Attorney General John Bruning had planned to run against Hagel and still could run against Johanns for the Republican nomination . Two other Republicans are also in the hunt for the open seat . Former Democratic Sen. Bob Kerrey also is considering running for Hagel 's seat . President Bush handily carried Nebraska in his 2004 re-election , but an unpopular war and an unpopular president could give the Democrats hope next year . The state 's other senator , Ben Nelson , is a Democrat . In Virginia , where longtime Republican Sen. John Warner is retiring , Democratic former Gov. Mark Warner , no relation to the senator , intends to run for the open seat . Mark Warner 's term as governor ended in January 2006 , and he left office with high favorable ratings . Democrats have won three major statewide elections there this decade . In 2006 , Democrat Jim Webb ousted Republican Sen. George Allen by a margin of fewer than 10,000 votes , or less than half a percentage point . Webb 's victory helped give Democrats their slim Senate majority . On the Republican side , there could be a bitter primary fight between Rep. Tom Davis , a moderate from northern Virginia , and conservative former Gov. Jim Gilmore , who dropped out of the presidential race earlier this year . In Colorado , Sen. Wayne Allard announced this year that he 's retiring after his term finishes , and Democrats made major gains there in the 2004 and 2006 elections . In addition to those races , tough re-election fights lie ahead for Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine , John Sununu of New Hampshire , Norm Coleman of Minnesota and Gordon Smith of Oregon . As of now , only one Senate Democrat -- Mary Landrieu of Louisiana -- appears to face a challenge . The recent scandal involving Sen. Larry Craig 's arrest in an airport restroom should not hurt the GOP 's chances of holding on to his Senate seat in Idaho in 2008 , even if the Republican does leave office . Democrats have n't won a Senate seat in Idaho in more than 30 years . Craig had said he would resign from the Senate if he could not get his guilty plea to a disorderly conduct charge withdrawn by September 30 . But last week , Craig said he would n't resign until `` legal determinations '' are made . On Thursday , a judge denied Craig 's request to withdraw his guilty plea . While the controversy over his arrest and guilty plea may not cost the GOP a Senate seat , it wo n't help his party either . E-mail to a friend . | Pete Domenici is fourth Republican senator to announce his retirement . Four other GOP senators face tough re-election fights next year . Republicans hold 22 of the 34 Senate seats being contested in 2008 . Democrats hold razor-thin majority in Senate , 51-49 . | [[116, 134], [152, 196], [197, 295], [482, 588], [497, 528], [538, 588], [885, 930], [2465, 2476], [2482, 2586], [4281, 4336], [780, 824], [827, 848], [589, 598], [653, 675], [676, 689], [692, 718], [3789, 3855]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The star of the show did not appear -- and the film in question was not shown -- but Hillary Clinton 's big-screen moment was all the talk Tuesday at the Supreme Court . The Supreme Court is tackling a First Amendment case involving a movie about Hillary Clinton . The justices heard arguments in a free-speech case over a 2008 documentary , shown in theaters , that was sharply critical of the onetime presidential candidate and current secretary of state . At issue was whether the 90-minute `` Hillary : The Movie '' and television ads to promote it should have been subject to strict campaign finance laws on political advocacy or should have been seen as a constitutionally protected form of commercial speech . The high court 's decision will determine whether politically charged documentaries can be regulated by the government in the same way as traditional campaign commercials . A ruling is expect by late June . A conservative group behind the movie wanted to promote it during the heat of the presidential primary season last year , but a federal court had blocked any ads , as well as airings on cable TV video-on-demand . The film later aired in several theaters and was released on DVD , outlets that were not subject to federal regulation . The Supreme Court justices appeared divided on how to find balance between Congress ' expressed desire to control the power of well-financed private groups to spread their political messages and concerns over the First Amendment 's guarantee of free speech . `` This is targeted at a specific candidate for a specific office to be shown on a channel that says ` Election ' 08 ' , '' said Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg . `` Now if that is n't an appeal to voters , I ca n't imagine what is . '' `` There 's a possibility , '' said Justice Antonin Scalia , `` that the First Amendment interest is greater when what the government is trying to stifle is not just a speaker who wants to say something , but also a listener who wants to hear what the speaker has to say , '' noting that viewers would have paid to see the film on cable television . On its Web site , Citizens United promoted its film as featuring 40 interviews.as well as a `` cast to end all casts . '' It promised , `` If you want to hear about the Clinton scandals of the past and present , you have it here ! ` Hillary : The Movie ' is the first and last word in what the Clintons want America to forget ! '' The group , a Washington-based nonprofit corporation and advocacy organization , had balked at campaign finance rules that would have required them to disclose their financial backers and would have restricted when the film could air . The film was partially financed with corporate funds . A three-judge U.S. District Court panel last spring rejected the group 's arguments that the documentary was more akin to news or information programs such as PBS ' `` Nova '' or CBS ' `` 60 Minutes . '' During Tuesday 's oral arguments , the justices seemed uneasy about arguments from both sides . `` This sounds to me like campaign advocacy , '' said Justice David Souter . But attorney Theodore Olson , representing Citizens United , said the law `` smothered '' free speech . He said groups like General Electric -LRB- which owns NBC News -RRB- , National Public Radio and progressive financier George Soros -LRB- who often privately funds his political projects -RRB- could air such films in the name of informing the American people , but not his clients because of the film 's perceived negative tone . `` If it 's all negative it can be prohibited , and it 's a felony . Or if it 's all favorable , you can go to jail . But if you did half and half , you could n't '' be convicted , said Olson , criticizing the law 's `` incomprehensible '' regulations . Several on the court wondered whether a 90-minute message was different than a 30-second commercial . `` It seems to me you can make the argument that 90 minutes is much more powerful in support or in opposition to a candidate , '' said Justice Anthony Kennedy . `` We have no choice , really , but to say this is not issue advocacy , this is express advocacy saying do n't vote for this person , '' which is subject to regulation , '' Souter said . `` The difference between 90 minutes and one minute is a distinction that I just ca n't follow . '' The comprehensive 2002 McCain-Feingold law bans broadcast of `` electioneering communication '' by corporations , unions and advocacy groups if it would be aired close to election dates and would identify candidates by name or image . The law also requires an on-screen notice of the groups financing such ads , as well as public disclosure of all donors to the sponsoring organizations . Lawyers representing the Federal Election Commission urged the justices to subject the ads to the disclosure law , arguing that without it , voters would be `` unable to know who 's funding the ads . '' Justice Department attorney Malcolm Stewart called it `` an easy case . '' Some on the bench were not sure , probing the limits of the definition of candidate advocacy . `` So if Wal-Mart airs an advertisement that says we have candidate action figures for sale , come buy them , that counts as an electioneering communication , '' asked Chief Justice John Roberts . Justice Samuel Alito wondered about the differences between broadcast or cable TV , where the film could not be run , and the Internet or theaters where it could . When Stewart implied `` additional media '' could also be subject to future regulation , the newest justice replied , `` That 's pretty incredible . You think that if a book was published , a campaign biography that was the functional equivalent of express advocacy , that could be banned ? '' Most book publishers are corporations subject to campaign finance restrictions , he noted . Legal observers say Alito and Roberts ' votes could be key to the case 's outcome . At the time of the movie 's premiere , Clinton was locked in a tough primary fight with then-Sen . Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for president . Critics slammed her qualifications and character . People say , `` Well , she 's flipping , she 's flopping . No , she 's not flipping and flopping , she 's lying , '' Bay Buchanan , a political commentator and regular analyst for CNN , said in the film . `` We must never understate her chances of winning , '' warned Dick Morris , a former political adviser to President Clinton . `` And we must never forget the fundamental danger that this woman poses to every value that we hold dear . You see , I know her . '' Ads for the movie were available on the Internet , which is not subject to federal regulation . `` I 've seen this movie , '' Justice Stephen Breyer wryly noted , `` It 's not a musical comedy . '' David Bossie , head of Citizens United and producer of the `` Hillary '' film , was also behind several conservative documentaries , including a rebuttal to Michael Moore 's anti-Bush film `` Fahrenheit 9/11 . '' The case is Citizens United v. FEC -LRB- 08-205 -RRB- . | Supreme Court takes up First Amendment case involving Hillary Clinton movie . Justices heard arguments over a 2008 documentary critical of then-candidate Clinton . Court determining if `` Hillary : The Movie '' should have faced campaign finance laws . The decision will determine whether political documentaries can be regulated . | [[200, 252], [230, 294], [230, 294], [381, 389], [397, 488], [537, 564], [569, 661], [510, 568], [580, 661], [747, 919], [789, 884]] |
Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. President Barack Obama huddled with the Chinese premier Wednesday on the final day of his visit to China . Obama 's meeting with Prime Minister Wen Jiabao took place at the Diaoyutai State Guest House , continuing a theme of cooperation between the two nations and development of mutual interests . The men greeted each other in public before meeting privately . The White House hailed this week 's meetings between Obama and Chinese leaders . `` President Obama 's visit to China has demonstrated the depth and breadth of the global and other challenges where US-China cooperation is critical , '' a White House statement said Wednesday . `` His discussions with President Hu have strengthened possibilities for future cooperation . `` In order to continue to develop this important relationship , President Obama has invited President Hu to visit the United States in 2010 . President Hu has accepted with pleasure . '' During his final hours in China , Obama visited the Great Wall before flying to South Korea , where he will meet with President Lee Myung-bak . Obama described the Great Wall as `` spectacular , '' as a bone-chilling wind whipped around him . `` It gives you a perspective on a lot of day to day things that do n't amount to much . '' Asked if the harsh weather reminded him of his home town , Chicago , he said , `` It does feel the same does n't it ? '' His day began with a series of short interviews with American television networks . Wednesday 's session with Wen follows Obama 's meeting a day earlier with Chinese President Hu Jintao , with the two speaking of a common vision of shared responsibilities and economic opportunities after their talks . Trade , nuclear proliferation and the sticky issue of human rights were part of their discussions . The two leaders `` talked about continuing to build a positive , cooperative and comprehensive relationship between our nations , '' according to Obama , who said he welcomes China 's desire for a greater role in world affairs . `` China and the United States share extensive common interests and broad prospects for cooperation on a series of major issues important to mankind 's peace and stability and development , '' Hu said , naming the economy , climate change and cultural exchanges among those issues . On economic and trade issues , Hu called for Beijing and Washington to build a positive relationship in the 21st century , to build a partnership . `` Our two countries need to oppose and reject protectionism and all its manifestations , '' Hu said . Sentiment favoring protectionism has grown in the United States , as hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese products pour in each year . Some analysts say the Chinese goods are artificially cheap and come at the expense of American jobs . The issue of human rights has often been a sticking point between Beijing and Washington . China regularly cracks down on its religious and ethnic minorities . Though Hu said China was willing to discuss issues such as human rights and religion to broaden understanding between the nations , he acknowledged that each side had agreed to respect the other 's cultural sovereignty . In addition , China and the United States , the largest producers of greenhouse gases , have agreed to team up to fight climate change and create clean energy . Hu and Obama said their nations will cooperate to advance technologies and work toward a global agreement on reducing carbon emissions . The leaders did not offer a timeframe , however . | U.S. President Barack Obama meets Chinese premier on final day of his visit to China . Obama visited the Great Wall before flying to South Korea . U.S. , China agree to team up to fight climate change , create clean energy . `` China and the United States share extensive common interests , '' Hu says . | [[10, 15], [57, 146], [147, 240], [962, 993], [996, 1053], [3222, 3249], [3288, 3368], [2050, 2237], [2571, 2583]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- For most of us , college donations entail little more than occasionally dropping a small check in the mail after receiving repeated pleas for cash from our alma maters . Some people , though , tend to be a bit more individualistic with their generosity . Let 's take a look at some of the quirkier donations schools have received : . 1 . Bequest puts jocks on the ropes . In 1907 , fledgling Swarthmore College received a bequest that was estimated to be worth somewhere between $ 1 and $ 3 million . If the school wanted the cash , though , it would have to stop participating in intercollegiate sports . Swarthmore badly needed the cash -- its entire endowment was only in the $ 1 million range -- but in the end , the school turned down the gift and the sports survived . 2 . Ivy League has to produce homemakers . When former Massachusetts Attorney General A.E. Pillsbury gave Harvard , Yale , Princeton , and Columbia $ 25,000 apiece in his 1931 will , he had a catch in mind : the schools had to use the bequests to combat the feminist movement that had `` already begun to impair the family as the basis of civilization and its advance . '' Pillsbury envisioned the schools creating a lectureship that could help keep women in the home . 3 . Auburn goes to the dogs . When Miss Eleanor Elizabeth Ritchey , granddaughter of the founder of the Quaker State Oil Refining Company , died in 1968 , she left Auburn University a generous gift of $ 2.5 million . She also gave the school something a bit more unusual : the responsibility for 150 dogs . Ritchey , who owned a ranch in Florida and loved to adopt homeless dogs , made the large cash donation contingent on the school finding good homes for all 150 of her dogs . The cash was then earmarked for veterinary research . Mental Floss : Videos : Dogs welcoming home soldiers . 4 . Bryn Mawr goes on the clock . Did Bryn Mawr need any new clocks in 1957 ? It did n't matter . They were getting one . Philadelphia physician Florence Chapman Child left the school $ 50,000 in her will if they would also agree to take her 150-year-old grandfather clock . The doctor stipulated that the school 's administrators had to `` install it in an appropriate place , keep it in proper condition and repair , make no changes in the fundamental appearance , and are not to have it electrified . '' 5 . Donor wants flowers in perpetuity . For years , Indiana University offered a scholarship with a strange condition : the recipient was supposed to drive from Bloomington to Indianapolis once a year to put flowers on the donor 's grave . The school gradually decided it was a bit much to ask a student to take a roadtrip to a stranger 's headstone , though , so for 20 years it did n't enforce the requirement . Eventually the donor 's attorney found out that the flowers were n't being placed , but instead of being indignant he worked with the school to remove the clause from the bequest . 6 . Colleges find a fountainhead of cash . In 2008 , Marshall University received a $ 1 million gift to establish the BB&T Center for the Advancement of American Capitalism . The catch was that the school had to agree to teach Ayn Rand 's `` Atlas Shrugged '' as part of its curriculum . BB&T executives said the requirement was designed to spark debate on the ethical underpinnings of capitalism . This was n't the first time BB&T had made this sort of gift , either . In 2005 , it gave the University of North Carolina Charlotte another million big ones to make `` Atlas Shrugged '' required reading for its students . 7 . Small potatoes lead to big cash . In 1950 , the government had a surplus of potatoes and started looking for ways to get rid of the excess tubers . The Department of Agriculture decided to give the potatoes to Hiwassee College , a small Methodist school in eastern Tennessee . College president D.R. Youell told the government that he did n't want its charity , though . A short time later , the school received a $ 10,000 donation with a note praising the institution for taking a stand against `` the dangerous trends toward socialism in our Government . '' Mental Floss : 7 College Cheating Scandals . 8 . College profits from a racist will . When Dr. Jesse C. Coggins died in 1962 , he left his estate to the Keswick nursing home so it could construct a new building . Coggins made a last-minute change to the will , though , that stipulated that the building would only house white patients . In 1999 , a court ruled that the racist stipulation effectively voided the gift and gave the entire estate -- which had grown to $ 28.8 million -- to the will 's backup beneficiary , the University of Maryland Medical Center . 9 . Donor affects fashion from beyond the grave . Radcliffe once received a piece of jewelry as a bequest . A nice gift , to be sure , but the late donor was a bit bossy . She was n't just donating the piece of jewelry ; she stipulated in the gift that the president of Radcliffe must wear the accessory . 10 . Small college enters the Scientific Instrument Business . By the time Erick O. Schonstedt died in 1993 , he had built his 40-year-old business , the Schonstedt Instrument Company , into a $ 6-million-a-year enterprise . There was a problem , though . If he wanted to leave the business to a relative or an employee , the estate taxes would have been nearly $ 3 million . None of his prospective heirs had that sort of loot on hand . Schonstedt , a University of Minnesota alum , got creative . He gave the company to Augustana College , a school that , like Schonstedt , had Swedish Lutheran affiliations . Rather than simply turning around and flipping the business for cash , though , Augustana decided to run it . The school instituted new sales models , found cost savings , and changed the company 's product mix , and after two years was exceeding profit targets by 25 percent . In 2008 , the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State received a similar gift ; a donor left the school controlling interest in a company he had started to raise sturgeon for caviar in North Carolina . 11 . A different kind of monument . Back in 2008 , writer Katie Kelly covered an interesting donation : . `` Endowing a school , building , or even a classroom with one 's name is a pretty typical fundraising practice among universities today . Demanding a bathroom to commemorate yourself is n't quite as common . Brad Feld , a local venture capitalist , donated $ 25,000 to the University of Colorado on the condition that a plaque would be placed on the door of a second-floor men 's restroom in one of the campus ' technology centers . He originally made the conditional offer to his alma mater , MIT , but was rejected . `` Feld , in an interview with Boulder 's Daily Camera , stated : ' I just wanted a plaque outside of the men 's room to inspire people as they walk in to do their business . ' Quite fittingly , the quote reads , ` The best ideas often come at inconvenient times -- do n't ever close your mind to them . ' '' Mental Floss : 11 majors your college probably did n't offer . 12 . School does n't say `` Danke Schoen '' to Wayne Newton . In 1993 , Wayne Newton made his first appearance in Branson , Missouri . He offered to give his cut of the first night 's show to the nearby College of the Ozarks . It was a pretty generous gift ; Newton 's take would have ended up being $ 15,000 to $ 25,000 . Unfortunately , the school 's president , Jerry Davis , went to see Newton 's set . He was horrified by Newton 's double entendres and jokes about the elderly having sex . The next day Davis announced that the school would n't accept a cent of Newton 's money . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | Some colleges have received or turned down donations with strange strings attached . Heiress leaves $ 2.5 million to school that must find homes for her 150 dogs . Donor 's scholarships requires students to place flowers on his grave . Swarthmore College could have received up to $ 3 million if it cut sports program . | [[283, 357], [1303, 1410], [1428, 1489], [1697, 1752], [2563, 2608], [400, 407], [410, 528]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- We have met the enemy , and he is us . Debate on health care reform has once again become a miserable exhibition of seemingly irreconcilable differences , which President Obama is trying to address in his health care summit . There is a path forward , and it starts with understanding that waiting for the government to lead an uncertain reform effort is n't necessary . Prepaid integrated health systems like Kaiser Permanente , Geisinger Health System , Group Health Cooperative and HealthPartners are succeeding and innovative . It 's no coincidence that these organizations are often mentioned when describing health care providers that offer high quality care while staying affordable . Legislators should encourage such proven successes and make them available to all Americans . Integrated health systems simply assume responsibility for both the financing and delivery of care , so they try to keep patients healthy and avoid costlier illnesses and hospitalizations down the road . They are more likely to provide preventative care , such as vaccinations and cancer screening . Basically , the system we are all accustomed to in the United States separates insurance from the provision of care . That is , your doctor and hospital and your health insurance company are different institutions . This pits them against one another , because one wants to cut care whenever possible , while the other wants to provide as much care as possible , with little incentive to keep costs down . Integrated systems are simply both -- they are either insurance companies who own their own hospitals and hire their own doctors or hospital and physician groups that offer a health plan . Other innovations routinely seen in integrated systems include digital medical records , direct electronic messaging with providers , instant access to health records and test results , telehealth and home-based medical services and affordable access to primary care . Many people are determined that the United States should emulate the rest of the industrialized world and adopt a publicly subsidized system of universal coverage . Admirers of these foreign systems point to their low costs and accessible primary care services , but they may be surprised to find that successful integrated health systems in this country are organized very similarly to the most admired state-sponsored systems found overseas . Whether taxpayers help fund an institution is not the main factor for success ; rather , it is the integration between delivery and payment that creates an incentive to provide high-value care that keeps members healthy and out of hospitals . This is the mantra that guides care delivery in both the best-performing systems overseas and in prepaid integrated systems in the United States . Meanwhile , there are , of course , publicly supported health programs in the United States , including Medicare and Medicaid . Yet the same people who lament that a state-subsidized health care system would lay an unrelenting path to outright socialism hardly ever call for a dismantling of Medicare . Whether that 's because of political expediency or simple hypocrisy can be left to conjecture . What 's important is that a high-performing , state-sponsored health institution already operates in the United States -- the Veterans Health Administration . Unlike Medicare and Medicaid , however , the VA has a tightly integrated health care system that has managed to dramatically improve quality and introduce innovations , all while keeping costs in check . Killing off all state-sponsorship of health care in this country in a shortsighted resistance against progressivism would be a grave mistake . The bottom line is that we 've been arguing over the wrong question . The best health care system is n't a matter of private vs. public , or us vs. them . The debate should be about how to foster a system that is organized in a way such that its utmost concern is providing value to its patients . There is no need to import a foreign system ; we already have many similar systems in existence . The biggest hurdle is that , despite their advantages , integrated systems only serve about 5 percent of the population . Entrenched players in the health care industry stand opposed to integrated care . If legislators truly want to make health care better , they will encourage the development of more integrated systems so that everyone has access to multiple options in a competitive marketplace . Maintaining a vibrant , innovative private sector is critical , but we also ca n't ignore the success of many integrated , publicly subsidized systems abroad . Fostering the growth of our own integrated health systems in the private sector addresses the right question and offers the opportunity for us to have the best system of all . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jason Hwang . | Jason Hwang touts integrated health systems , which handle finances and care . Hwang : They have incentive to keep patients healthy and avoid costly illnesses . He writes that the best health care is n't a matter of private vs. public , but how it 's organized . Hwang says VA has a tightly integrated , high-quality health care system . | [[805, 903], [3403, 3565], [909, 1008], [2567, 2656], [3779, 3863], [3403, 3565]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The wife of former New Life Church pastor Ted Haggard said Thursday that she never considered divorce after she discovered her husband had sexual encounters with men . `` I knew that he was more than this struggle , '' Gayle Haggard said on CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' while promoting her new book `` Why I Stayed . '' `` I knew that we spent almost 30 years together , and I knew there was so much to salvage in our relationship that was worth fighting for , '' she said . Ted Haggard , the former president of the National Association of Evangelicals and the head pastor at the 14,000-member New Life , was outed publicly in 2006 by a former prostitute , Mike Jones , who said Haggard had paid him for sex over three years and had used methamphetamine in his presence . Haggard also later admitted to an inappropriate relationship with a 20-year-old male church volunteer . Haggard said Thursday night that he no longer has same-sex urges , attributing the change to therapy . He blamed his homosexual experiences on a sexual encounter with an adult man when he was in second grade , which `` formed the way my mind processes things . '' `` Certainly on many levels it was devastating to me , '' Gayle Haggard said of her husband 's encounters . `` But I started on a path to real education on the subject and I learned so much about the diversity of our human makeup and that all of us are the way we are for a reason . And I learned that things happen in our life that condition us in our sexuality . '' Both Haggard and his wife say they have a normal physical relationship -- one that `` never stopped '' even in the wake of the public scandal . `` What is so wonderful is the intimacy we have on all levels in our marriage , '' Gayle Haggard said . The couple said they currently do n't belong to a church . Both agreed to leave New Life and the Colorado Springs , Colorado , area in a settlement following the scandal , but make a living by speaking about their story to church congregations around the country . `` I have n't doubted my faith in this process but I have redefined it , '' Gayle Haggard said . `` Early on , I was so satisfied with my faith walk and I felt as though my life was just wonderful . `` But then I went through this very dark time where I felt like there was nothing good . ... But I held on by a thread because I trusted God was going to show me the way through that and he did . '' | Ted Haggard 's wife , Gayle , reveals why she stayed in wake of public scandal . Ted Haggard , who admitted having sex with men , claims he no longer has same-sex urges . Gayle Haggard : `` I have n't doubted my faith in this process but I have redefined it '' | [[1602, 1671], [92, 186], [792, 799], [805, 895], [896, 985], [2044, 2087], [2088, 2111]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In patches across the Haitian capital , many earthquake survivors are not waiting for an international clearing and rebuilding effort to begin . They are pulling out shovels , wood and cement to slowly repair and rebuild themselves . `` This is what we have to do now , '' Jean-Fritznel St. Claire said as he hammered away at huge , fallen slabs of a Digicel office building , breaking them into chunks to be shoveled into a truck and taken away . Digicel is a telecommunications company . St. Claire and three friends working with him at Digicel expected the company to pay them for their hard labor , but the group insists that they and others who stayed in the earthquake zone are eager to start clearing rubble and building what they can . `` The people who left -LSB- Port-au-Prince -RSB- have no hope , '' he said , his face dripping with sweat . `` We have hope . So we 're here . '' Elsewhere in Port-au-Prince , businesses and families repaired cinderblock walls and pounded new beams into fractured roofs . One work crew near the airport replaced several broken sewer pipes that were part of a system set up for their neighborhood . But this individual rebuilding alarms teams of engineers studying the damage in Haiti after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake January 12 . `` It worries me , '' said Reginald Desroches , a Haitian-American engineer from Georgia Tech who is part of a volunteer assessment team working with the United Nations ' mission in Haiti . Desroches and his crew say many Haitians are using broken pieces of buildings as construction material , including the metal rebar , or reinforcement bars , that critically strengthen concrete but now lie twisted and bent in the rubble . That makes the bars weak and potentially unsafe . But Haitians are turning to what 's available -- even though the materials might be deemed unsafe -- to rebuild structures that ultimately may be declared unsound . `` This is a problem , '' fellow engineer Jean-Philippe Simon said . `` These things can just collapse all over again . '' Indeed , the Digicel building where St. Claire is working contains massive cracks , is missing a two-story wall and leans over the area he 's cleaning up . Asked if he 's worried that the place could collapse , undermining his backbreaking work , St. Claire responds , `` We ca n't control that . That is up to God . '' | Jean-Fritznel St. Claire and 3 friends clean up rubble of office building , load it into trucks . Informal rebuilding worries teams of engineers studying damage from earthquake . Engineer says many are using broken pieces of buildings as construction material . `` These things can just collapse all over again , '' engineer Jean-Philippe Simon says . | [[532, 642], [1189, 1241], [1232, 1318], [1509, 1663], [1985, 2030], [2031, 2081]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A trio of congressional Republicans passionately appealed to the Pentagon on Thursday to drop charges against three Navy SEALs accused of assaulting an Iraqi suspected of orchestrating the 2004 killing and mutilation of four U.S. contractors . Flanked by about a dozen retired Navy SEALs at a news conference near the Capitol , Rep. Dana Rohrabacher , R-California ; Rep. Dan Burton , R-Indiana ; and Rep. Louie Gohmert , R-Texas , insisted that the U.S. is sending the wrong message to its troops . `` These Navy SEALs were apprehending a terrorist murderer , and they are being accused of roughing him up ? Give me a break ! These men should be given medals , not prosecuted . These men are heroes , '' Rohrabacher said . Burton agreed , saying , `` These people are laying their lives on the line every day , and they ca n't go into a combat situation with kid gloves on . '' The congressmen said they plan to present to Pentagon officials petitions signed by thousands of people supporting the SEALs . The Iraqi suspect , Ahmed Hashim Abed , complained to investigators he was punched during his detention . One of the three SEALs , Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew McCabe , 24 , accused of assault , stood next to his attorney at the event Thursday . McCabe did not speak . Gohmert said those who bring harm to Americans should not get the same judicial treatment as U.S. citizens . `` They get all their constitutional rights . Well , we 've got heroes around who deserve the constitutional rights of an even better caliber . And yes , there are different levels of constitutional rights , '' he said . In January , a military judge ruled that the trials of the two other SEALs should be held on a base in Iraq . Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Keefe , 25 , and Petty Officer 1st Class Julio Huertas , 28 , are charged with dereliction of duty and impeding an official investigation surrounding the Iraqi 's detention last September . Their trials are set to begin next month . The case against the Navy SEALs has sparked outrage that the sailors are being tried at all for handling a suspect in the contractors ' murders , one of the most notorious incidents in the Iraq war . The killings got widespread news coverage when the burned bodies of two of the contractors were paraded through the streets of Falluja and hanged from a bridge as their captors cheered . `` In this case , we 've turned logic upside down on its head , '' said Rohrabacher . `` Our government is taking the word of a terrorist and attacking our defenders . '' | Three Navy SEALs accused of assaulting an Iraqi . Iraqi suspected of orchestrating '04 killing , mutilation of four U.S. contractors . Rep. Dana Rohrabacher : `` These men should be given medals , not prosecuted '' Congressmen say they have petitions signed by thousands supporting SEALs . | [[140, 273], [140, 273], [639, 689], [657, 666], [692, 708], [732, 753], [2465, 2486]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In the best of times , the Champs de Mars square in downtown Port-au-Prince was an awe-inspiring sight for Haitians . The broad boulevard was home to the majestic presidential palace , the seat of the country 's power and prestige . Not anymore . The century-old gleaming white palace is in ruins . And in the shadow of its wrought-iron gates , the immaculately maintained plaza has been overtaken by row upon haphazard row of makeshift shacks as far as the eye dwells . These are the new homes of the capital 's displaced residents : rickety quarters comprised of bed sheets , propped up on sticks and held together with ropes . Nearly 500,000 Haitians have moved here , rendered homeless by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that devastated the impoverished island-nation a week ago . Throughout the capital , and in other affected areas of the country , similar tent cites have risen -- cramped , squalid encampments filled with the few belongings that residents have salvaged . As rescue and recovery efforts continue , these mini-cities pose Haiti 's next challenge . `` This is the biggest one , '' National Police Chief Mario Andresol said on Monday . `` We have new area to protect and new people to protect . It 's another kind of security we have to ensure . This is the toughest one . '' Full coverage | Twitter updates . It will be an overwhelming task . The Port-au-Prince police force of 4,000 has plunged to about 1,500 -- the rest of the officers dead , wounded or missing , Andresol said . Complicating matters , about 4,000 convicted criminals are on the loose . The capital 's 95-year-old , badly overcrowded National Penitentiary collapsed after the quake , and the inmates escaped . `` We have an emergency now , '' Andresol said . `` Because , probably next week , we will have more confusion on the street . The bad guys will be organizing themselves , and they can be the most principal threat to the police and the population . '' Police presence at these new neighborhoods is sporadic . With electricity lines down throughout the city , residents bunch up their meager belongings into pillows and sleep on them after dark . iReport : Looking for loved ones . `` You put something down , and they steal it , '' said one resident , who identified himself as Ruben . `` You know , there 's no jail in the country . All the prisoners go out . You do n't know the good people or bad people . That 's why you have to be careful . '' In some camps , residents have far worse fears . `` By night , with not enough electricity , some people try to rape and steal and kill people also , '' Andresol said . U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday that he would ask for an additional 2,000 U.N. troops and 1,500 U.N. police officers to bolster the 3,000 U.N. police and soldiers currently deployed in Port-au-Prince . Haiti police ill-equipped to handle crisis . But security is just one of the many immediate needs that tent-dwellers are praying for . They await food and medical help . In one tent , an 8-year-old boy suffers a seizure as family members look on helplessly . In another , a little girl cries in pain , her leg wound oozing . iReport : I 'm alive -- message from Haiti . `` The people of Haiti need help . Quickly ! Quickly . We need help ! '' a woman screams , tears streaking her face . In another part of the square , an old man sits quietly , thumbing a Bible . `` My situation -LRB- is -RRB- very bad , very bad , '' he says . `` God only know that . God can help me . God can do everything for me . '' For many residents , there is little else to do but pray -- and wait . The men mill about aimlessly , wondering when help will arrive . Teenagers rush off when they hear that water and food are available somewhere . Most of the time , they return empty-handed . Gallery : Devastation in Haiti . With little else to play with , children kick up dirt and squeal in delight . Their mothers squat by portable stoves , fanning the fire with pieces of cardboard . All around , trash piles up . The stench is unbearable , worsening by the hour under the hot sun . When night falls , the residents gather by flickering candlelight and sing spirituals to keep their spirits up . Occasionally , gunshots ring in the distance . Eventually , they drift off to sleep on tattered mattresses and cardboard boxes . Tomorrow , they hope , will bring a better day . CNN 's Soledad O'Brien , Rafael Romo , Jason Carroll in Port-au-Prince and Saeed Ahmed in Atlanta contributed to this report . | Their homes destroyed , many Haitians living in ramshackle tent cities . People living there fear rape , robbery and other criminal activity . National Police Chief Mario Andresol says tent cities pose his biggest challenge . In addition to security concerns , people in tent cities want for food and medicine . | [[672, 695], [714, 761], [1137, 1193], [3009, 3036]] |
Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud is alive and remains in hiding , a spokesman for the group told CNN Thursday . `` Hakimullah Mehsud is alive and he is our chief , '' said spokesman Azim Tariq . `` All the reports regarding his death are propaganda . '' Tariq said Mehsud remains in hiding because he is being targeted by U.S. drone attacks but `` is still in command of the mujahedeen . '' Authorities have been looking into reports that Mehsud died after being wounded last month in a drone attack . One news report , citing local sources and a correspondent , said he died and was buried . But Pakistani and U.S. officials said they have not been able to confirm Mehsud 's status . | Hakimullah Mehsud previously reported dead , buried . He is `` alive and he is our chief , '' Taliban spokesman Azim Tariq says . Tariq : Mehsud remains in hiding because he is being targeted by U.S. drone attacks . Pakistani and U.S. officials said they have been unable to confirm Mehsud 's status . | [[552, 567], [630, 642], [196, 211], [214, 244], [304, 382], [315, 437], [647, 734]] |
-LRB- Budget Travel -RRB- -- Last October , more than 40 people followed signs depicting a skull and crossbones , with a knife and fork in place of the bones , to a secluded Bavarian-style hunting lodge 30 minutes north of St. Louis . An Entre dinner party was hosted in a Missouri hunting lodge . The attendees did n't have any idea where they were headed or what to expect . All they knew was that they were in for a five-course meal courtesy of John-Jack , an undercover chef who 'd invited each of them via a top-secret e-mail to the latest of what he calls his Entre dinner parties . Guests arrived to a bluegrass band jamming in a room decorated with deer antlers . As a fire crackled in the massive stone fireplace , they dined on wild-elk medallions , home-cured bacon , grapefruit confit , and butternut squash ice cream -- and toasted their good fortune with pumpkin ale from nearby microbrewery Schlafly . Welcome to the world of underground supper clubs . Getting a reservation requires a little detective work , but once in , you may never go back to eating out the old-school way again . The idea behind these dinners is to let talented chefs work their whisks in an affordable , relaxed setting . And since they 're often operating out of their own kitchens , without a license to serve the public , these cooks have to keep the locales , and their own identities , under wraps . Budget Travel : The utterly random dinner party . `` The trend started in food-centric cities like San Francisco , but in the last year , groups have been popping up across the country , '' says Jenn Garbee , author of `` Secret Suppers , '' which spotlights some of the more than 80 clubs now up and running in the U.S. . One such is Guerrilla Cuisine , founded by an incognito cook in Charleston , South Carolina , who uses the alias Jimihatt and wears a ninja mask at his gatherings . As at many clubs , diners must submit their reservations weeks in advance on Jimihatt 's Web site and then wait for an e-mail with directions to the hush-hush locale . Based on his track record , you wo n't be disappointed : The bearded Jimihatt and his rotating crew of sous-chefs have served secret , Southern-style suppers -LRB- andouille sausage gumbo , Cajun smoked chicken , chocolate beignets -RRB- in galleries , wineries , even a grocery store . Budget Travel : Haute diners . Jimihatt now has a little friendly competition from an Atlanta cook named Lady Rogue . Her RogueApron shindigs each have a different theme . At a recent event , a Great Depression-style repast in Lang-Carson Park , guests stood in a soup line for pancetta minestrone with porcini mushrooms , and lemongrass-spiked corn broth . Then they divided into teams for an impromptu game of Wiffle ball . `` Our goal , '' Lady Rogue says , `` is to make dining more inclusive and to have strangers connect over food . What better way to meet people ? '' For those hoping to break bread with their own buddies , there 's 12B in Vancouver . To keep operations simple , its mastermind , Chef Todd , hosts the six-course dinners in his own apartment , hence the name . And unlike most supper clubs , 12B cooks only for groups of friends -LRB- up to 12 at a time -RRB- . Budget Travel : Pay-what-you-like restaurants . `` Even after working 16-hour days , I would sit at home and think , ` I 've got to find a way to feed more people , ' '' Chef Todd says . Money is n't the incentive . His minimum-donation fee of $ 50 just covers costs for a feast -LRB- stuffed artichoke hearts , five-mushroom ravioli , butter-poached scallops served with BBQ pulled pork -RRB- that would average twice as much in a restaurant . But as Chef Todd will attest , these clubs are less about saving and more about spending a night eating exceptionally well in the unlikeliest of places , whether a cozy lodge straight out of a fairy tale or a humble living room . Supper Clubs . Entre , St. Louis , Missouri , http://danssouslaterre.com/ , five-course meal from $ 45 , including a wine pairing with each course . Guerrilla Cuisine , Charleston , South Carolina , http://guerrillacuisine.com/ , six-course meal from $ 50 , BYOB . RogueApron , Atlanta , Georgia , http://rogueapron.wordpress.com/ , three-course meal $ 20 , including wine or beer pairings with each course . 12B , Vancouver , B.C. , [email protected], six-course meal from $ 50 , BYOB . Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 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 . | Underground supper clubs started in food-centric cities like San Francisco . Now there are more than 80 clubs up and running in the U.S. Chefs operating out of their own kitchens without licenses to serve the public . They have to keep the locales , and their own identities , under wraps . | [[1448, 1507], [1212, 1272], [1315, 1351]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former child actor Gary Coleman remained in a Utah jail Monday after being booked on an outstanding arrest warrant relating to a domestic violence case , authorities said . `` He 's still our guest here , '' Utah County sheriff 's spokesman Lt. Dennis Harris said Monday afternoon . Police visited Coleman 's Santaquin City , Utah , home Sunday in response to a civil disturbance call , but no criminal charges were filed , a police spokeswoman said . A computer check , however , revealed a misdemeanor failure to appear in court warrant for the former `` Diff ` rent Strokes '' star stemming from a domestic violence incident last year , the spokeswoman said . Coleman , 41 , was arrested and booked without incident Sunday in the county jail in Spanish Fork , the spokesman said . Coleman could get out of jail by posting a $ 1,725 bail , but that has not happened , Harris said . Coleman 's mug shot released by the jail showed that he was `` not too happy , '' Harris said . Police did not release details about the previous case related to the arrest warrant . CNN 's Alan Duke and Jack Hannah contributed to this report . | Gary Coleman arrested in Utah County , Utah ; actor had outstanding warrant . Coleman could get out of jail by posting $ 1,725 bail , police say . Police : Actor 's home visited in response to civil disturbance call , but no criminal charges filed . | [[0, 15], [51, 170], [803, 832], [803, 810], [833, 858], [302, 363]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actor Charlie Sheen checked into a rehab clinic `` as a preventive measure , '' his publicist said Tuesday . Sheen will `` take some time off '' from his acting job on the CBS series `` Two and a Half Men '' while he undergoes rehabilitation , publicist Stan Rosenfield said . In a joint statement , executives from CBS and Warner Bros. . Television and `` Two and a Half Men '' creator/producer Chuck Lorre said they `` support Charlie Sheen in his decision today to begin voluntary in-patient care at a treatment center . We wish him nothing but the best as he deals with this personal matter . Production on ` Two and a Half Men ' will be temporarily suspended . '' Rosenfield 's short statement did not say what issue Sheen needed to address with rehabilitation or the kind of facility he is entering . The announcement comes a day after a lawyer for Sheen 's wife , Brooke Mueller , confirmed she had switched rehab facilities in her battle with substance abuse . There was no information given about who was caring for the couple 's twin boys . Sheen , 44 , and Mueller , 32 , were involved in an alleged domestic dispute in Aspen , Colorado , on Christmas Day that resulted in a felony assault charge against Sheen . Mueller 's lawyer said Monday that she pulled out of The Canyon , a Malibu , California , rehab center , over the weekend after a `` major breach of her privacy . '' She immediately checked into `` a private , secure facility '' to continue her substance-abuse rehabilitation so she can be `` the best mother '' to her children , attorney Yale Galanter said . Galanter said he was planning a lawsuit against the rehab center after confidential details of Mueller 's treatment there were given to journalists over the weekend . `` I am going to make them pay like you ca n't believe for screwing over my client , '' Galanter said . `` You can quote me on that . '' A call to The Canyon by CNN was not immediately returned . Mueller voluntarily entered rehab in the wake of the Christmas Day incident with Sheen , Galanter said . Aspen police charged Sheen with felony second-degree assault , felony menacing and a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief . He was booked under his birth name , Carlos Irwin Estevez . Sheen and Mueller married in 2008 . Their twin sons -- Max and Bob -- will have their first birthday in March . Separately , a Los Angeles county social worker visited Sheen 's home Sunday to check on his children , Sheen 's publicist said . `` The visit from -LSB- the department of children and family services -RSB- was routine and procedural , '' Rosenfield said . Los Angeles County was asked by Pitkin County , Colorado , child protection officials to check on the family as part of a follow-up to Sheen 's arrest in Aspen , Rosenfield said . Agency officials declined to confirm or comment on the visit because of privacy laws . CBS did not immediately respond to CNN calls for comment . Sheen 's history of trouble began in 1990 when he was dating actress Kelly Preston . Reports surfaced then that Preston had been shot in the arm . In 2001 Sheen told Playboy magazine that it was a `` complete accident . I was n't even in the room . She picked up a pair of my pants . ... A little revolver fell out of my back pocket , hit the bathroom floor and went off . It shot a hole through the toilet and she got hit in the leg with shrapnel . '' The couple split soon after the incident and Preston married actor John Travolta in 1991 . In 1994 Sheen was the only celebrity client whose name was publicly released during the trial of `` Hollywood Madam '' Heidi Fleiss . In 1996 , adult film actress Brittany Ashland accused Sheen of throwing her on the floor and splitting her lip . Sheen pleaded no contest to battery charges and was fined $ 2,800 . He entered rehab in 1998 after an alleged drug overdose . During the course of his divorce from model-turned-actress Denise Richards in 2006 , Richards filed a restraining order against Sheen , saying he tried to kill her . Sheen released a statement at the time saying : `` Obviously , what has taken place is vile , is unconscionable , is without merit , is a transparent and immature smear campaign . She 's claiming certain things . It 's baseless . '' CNN 's Alan Duke , Brittany Kaplan , Marc Balinsky and journalist Jo Piazza contributed to this report . | Publicist does not say what Sheen is being treated for or the kind of facility he is entering . Sheen will take time off from CBS series `` Two and a Half Men '' while in rehab , he says . Announcement comes day after Sheen 's wife switches rehab facilities . | [[713, 833], [258, 285], [641, 675], [678, 697], [710, 712], [851, 867], [932, 1012]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Newburgh , New York , was a main military headquarters for George Washington during the American Revolution . More recently , authorities say , it was the birthplace of a foiled terrorist plot . If Mayor Nick Valentine gets his way , the town of 30,000 will host the terror trial of accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four alleged accomplices . `` We 've got nothing to lose , '' said Valentine , who also runs a tailor shop . About 60 miles up the Hudson River from New York City , Newburgh struggles with poverty , unemployment and crime . In 2004 , the town was dubbed the third worst metropolitan area in the country . `` Sometimes , we 're the top five in crime , which is not a very good recognition , '' said Valentine , a lifelong resident . `` We struggle with everything . '' That 's why , he said , the trial would be a boon for his town . The influx of security personnel would chase the bad people out ; journalists and lawyers in town for the trial would provide a much-needed economic boost . `` People have said : If you have a trial , bad guys will come . My comment back to them : We 've got bad guys right now , '' the mayor said . `` If I had a police presence here for an extended period of time , this place would be a safer place . And in the end ... the city of Newburgh would be up a couple notches than where it was before . '' The White House has said it is considering changing the current plan to hold the 9/11 trial in lower Manhattan after New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other officials expressed concerns about security , costs and disruption to the city . Four alternative locations around New York have been discussed : Governors Island , the U.S. Military Academy at West Point , a prison complex in Otisville and Newburgh . Three of the sites , including Newburgh , fall within Orange County , which lost 44 residents in the 9/11 attacks . The top county official is doing everything he can to make sure the trial stays out . `` I do n't want to be known as the terrorist capital of the world , '' said Orange County Executive Edward Diana . `` I do n't want them here . Nobody wants them here . '' This is one battle , he said , `` I will fight tooth and nail . '' `` If I have to shut down roads , if I have to sue the federal government , I will do just that . ... That 's my stance , and I will never back off from there . '' Several senators on Tuesday lined up against a civilian 9/11 trial , saying that they would try to cut off funding for it and that it should take place in a military court . Mayor Valentine said he would allow the trial in his town only if Newburgh received the estimated $ 200 million needed for security . `` If it 's going to cost us money , then forget it , '' he said . He also agrees with many lawmakers -- that the accused terrorists do n't `` deserve a trial like any other citizen in the United States . '' `` But if the president of the United States wants a trial , let me put together a jury of peers from the Hudson Valley area , '' he said . The town recently built a $ 22 million courthouse , mandated by the state , and is struggling to pay its bills as a result , Valentine said . The federal funds would help get the town out of a mountain of debt . Ever since he 's spoken up for Newburgh , he said , people have been abuzz in his tailor shop . `` Customers have come in saying , ` You give it your best shot . ' '' He added , `` I 've had a couple of negative , but very , very few . '' The town has a diverse population -- 36 percent Latino , 34 percent African-American and 28 percent white -- with a median household income of roughly $ 30,000 . The town is the home of the 105th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard . Within its four square miles , there are 70 places of worship , including two synagogues and one mosque , the mayor said . A tree planting last May honored a Muslim U.S. soldier from Newburgh who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan . The soldier , 1st Lt. Mohsin Naqvi , had signed up with the Army Reserve just four days after 9/11 . `` We 're a proud city , '' the mayor said . Last June , four men , dubbed the Newburgh Four , were indicted in what prosecutors said was a plot to bomb two New York City synagogues and fire surface-to-air missiles at U.S. military planes . The mayor lauded his law enforcement for its participation in that federal probe . `` We have challenges . We have risen up to challenges in the past . We 're very formidable , '' he said . Now , he hopes the town `` where George Washington refused the crown '' will have a new place in history : the town that sentences the 9/11 mastermind to death . | Newburgh , New York , is being considered as a potential site for 9/11 trial . `` We 've got nothing to lose , '' says Mayor Nick Valentine . County official : `` I do n't want to be known as the terrorist capital of the world '' Newburgh made headlines last summer after authorities say they foiled a terror plot . | [[380, 409], [743, 760], [1166, 1185], [3188, 3204], [3866, 3882], [4129, 4148], [2006, 2069], [129, 142], [145, 160], [163, 213]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Decades ago , when the Department of Defense was creating the predecessor to today 's Internet , one of the main goals was to create a communications system that could endure catastrophic disasters . The Internet was designed to have no central point of failure , allowing anyone to run his or her own communications channel . This was a system that could withstand a nuclear attack . Today , the services built on top of that network have done a great job in enabling communications , perhaps none more dramatically than Twitter . During the days since the Haiti earthquake , the popular social networking and microblogging service has been used for rescue efforts and for fundraising to help stabilize and rebuild the country . So it was big news when Twitter was offline for 90 minutes Wednesday morning . Technology pundits promptly began hand-wringing -- the weaknesses of having a single point of failure to critical communications had been revealed again ! Could we trust Twitter ? Did this mean the Web could n't help us fulfill our most basic obligations to those in need ? Not at all . There 's no reason that organizations or individuals who want to use the Web to relay critical information have to rely on Twitter or Facebook or Google or any other giant of the technology industry in the first place . We 've just forgotten a bit about how the Internet was supposed to work . Rescue organizations and charities should simply be able to use the Web sites they already have to deliver those messages . And was n't that the promise of the Web in the first place ? Were n't we going to stop relying on individual companies as gatekeepers for communication ? When blogs took off a few years ago , was n't it with the promise that we 'd all be able to share our voices without having to ask any company for permission ? Why did we give that up ? Maybe it 's because they made it look so easy . Twitter has done an impressive job of growing to handle its enormous number of users , while keeping its service simple . The company has even shown a reassuring sensitivity to the civic and social obligations that come from running such a popular communication service . Companies such as Facebook and Google have stepped up , too . Their hearts appear to be in the right place , and they 're doing real work to help people communicate . But the Web is bigger than any one site or any one social network . In my own work , I run a nonprofit that strives to connect government policymakers to the expertise of ordinary people using the Web . We 'll naturally make great use of Twitter and Facebook and all the other services , but it 'd be unforgivable to pick only one of them as a platform for civic engagement . Telling people the only way to talk to the White House is on Facebook is like saying you can only call your senator by using a particular phone company . And that 's the key lesson to learn from Twitter being down while people are depending on it for communication : Some needs are too important to put in the hands of any single company . Communicating in real time about emergency information is clearly one of them . Fortunately there 's good news . Smart inventors have already made cutting-edge technologies that let any site deliver messages with the same immediacy as Twitter or Facebook . Now the challenge is reminding all of the social institutions , media organizations and government agencies that they need to use their own communications infrastructure just as much as they participate in services such as Twitter and Facebook . The reality is social networks come and go . Ten years ago , otherwise-sensible companies were paying millions of dollars to America Online to buy `` AOL keywords . '' These were shortcuts to parts of the AOL service , which dominated U.S. Internet access at the time . In fact , many of us have allowed companies to become intermediaries to all our communications , whether it was AOL 10 years ago or Facebook today . But we do n't need to ask gateways for permission to publish . We can run our own Web sites , at our own Web addresses and keep control over how we communicate . Think how ludicrous it would seem for someone to decide , say , to offer emergency services as an AOL keyword called `` 911 '' instead of having people just dial their phones ? That sounds absurd , but you can see advertisements today that essentially say `` Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/AcmeWidgets ! '' Now , Facebook probably wo n't fade away entirely , like early networks such as Friendster . But those Facebook addresses are just like AOL keywords 10 years earlier . And it is conceivable that the organizations and companies who communicate on Facebook today may want to become more independent . Whether due to emergency or just the everyday requirements of doing business , they ultimately will stop depending on a single point of contact for their communications . This is , after all , how the Web was designed to work . We already see governments and civic organizations using the Web as effectively as the best corporations and media . In the United States , we have a White House that 's got an iPhone application and a State Department that 's asking us to define democracy by responding on Twitter . Judging by how much technology has affected society already , those first experiments will soon evolve into full-fledged platforms for citizen participation and charitable action . And let 's hope they wo n't have to worry if any one Web site goes down . Because we 'll have a web of independent but connected communications systems , just as the Internet was always designed to be . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Anil Dash . | Anil Dash says Internet was designed to endure disasters , free up communication . Dash : If Web 's goal is decentralization , why was Twitter crash so disabling for many ? Dash reminds us that social networks come and go ; remember when AOL ruled ? Web users should take charge of their own communication efforts , Dash urges . | [[125, 146], [151, 227], [3588, 3632], [228, 240], [292, 354]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- No decision has been made on whether to change the current plan to hold the September 11 terrorist attack trial in a civilian court in lower Manhattan , White House officials said Sunday . Last week , New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other politicians expressed concern over the costs and disruption of holding the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four accomplices at a New York City courthouse . David Axelrod , the senior adviser to President Obama , and White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Sunday that Obama believes the trial should take place in a criminal court instead of before a military commission , as permitted for some terrorism suspects . However , Axelrod and Gibbs acknowledged that Obama and the Justice Department were considering moving the trial from New York City . `` We 've made no decisions on that yet , '' Axelrod said on the NBC program `` Meet the Press . '' Gibbs , speaking on CNN 's `` State of the Union , '' also said the location of the trial was under discussion , but he expressed certainty that Mohammed , the alleged mastermind of the September 11 , 2001 , attacks , `` is going to meet justice and he 's going to meet his maker . '' Gibbs and Axelrod criticized Republican opposition to the plan to hold the trial in a criminal court , saying no one complained when the previous administration of Republican President George W. Bush put terrorism suspects such as `` shoe bomber '' Richard Reid on trial in U.S. criminal courts . `` Now we have a Democratic president and suddenly we hear these protests , '' Axelrod said . `` What has changed between now and then that would cause people to reverse positions ? '' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , told the CNN program that the Bush administration was wrong to hold terrorism trials on U.S. soil . Instead , trials for dangerous terrorism suspects should be held by military commissions at the Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , detention facility where they currently are held , McConnell said . Obama intends to shut down the Guantanamo facility by transferring the roughly 200 suspects to the United States to stand trial or face indefinite detention , or to third countries . McConnell said Sunday he would fight that plan by trying to withhold federal spending for it . '' ' I think that will be done on a bipartisan basis , '' McConnell said of congressional opposition , adding that `` whatever domestic support they had for this is totally collapsing . '' White House officials say the decision about any possible alternate sites to try Mohammed and the others will come from the Justice Department . New York police estimated that the cost to the city would be more than $ 200 million per year in what could be a multi-year trial and that more than 2,000 checkpoints would need to be installed around Lower Manhattan . Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said additional protection would have to be deployed for the city , not just `` the core area of Manhattan . '' Bloomberg initially supported the move , saying `` it is fitting that 9/11 suspects face justice near the World Trade Center site where so many New Yorkers were murdered . '' However , Bloomberg used different rhetoric last week when asked about a community agency 's proposals to relocate the trial , saying he would prefer the trial be held elsewhere , perhaps at a military base where it would be easier and cheaper to provide security . `` It 's going to cost an awful lot of money and disturb a lot of people , '' Bloomberg said . On Thursday , several New York Democratic politicians urged the Obama administration to thoroughly re-examine locating the trial in downtown Manhattan . Julie Menin , chairwoman of a city community advisory agency , proposed four alternative locations for the trial within the Southern District of New York : Governors Island , Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh , the U.S. Military Academy at West Point , and the Bureau of Prisons jail complex at FCI Otisville . The latter three are in Orange County , New York , less than an hour from New York City , county executive Edward Diana told CNN . Diana thinks the trials should not be held anywhere in New York , and definitely not in Orange County , which lost 44 residents in the terror attacks , he said . `` I 've contacted my legal department and I 'll tell you I 'll do whatever it takes to stop those trials from coming here , even if it means closing down our roads , '' Diana said . `` I 'll sue the federal government if need be . '' Diana said he 'd be worried about the safety of Orange County residents if the trial comes there . Diana , who shot down an offer from Newburgh to host the proceedings in their new courthouse , said the suspects should not be tried in civilian courts . But Newburgh Mayor Nick Valentine said the boost in media presence and police funding during the trial would help his `` very poor , very urban '' city . Newburgh 's new $ 22 million courthouse is safe and has `` every security you could want , '' Valentine said . An alternate proposal at the West Point location has not been fully reviewed . A West Point spokesman said no one has officially requested a review of demands for such a trial , which would require in-depth study of legal and security concerns . U.S. Attorney 's Office spokesman Dean Boyd said the Justice Department `` can safely prosecute this case in the Southern District of New York while minimizing disruptions to the community to the greatest extent possible , consistent with security needs . '' New York Gov. David Paterson will meet with the U.S. Marshal Service on Monday to discuss possible 9/11 trial locations in the state , Paterson spokeswoman Marissa Shorenstein told CNN . CNN 's Susan Candiotti and Ross Levitt contributed to this report . | NEW : Orange County , New York , leader : Do n't move trial here . Officials : President , Justice Department considering moving 9/11 trial from New York City . New York mayor concerned about costs and disruption of holding the trial in city . New York police : Cost to the city would be more than $ 200 million per year . | [[710, 833], [985, 987], [993, 1044], [219, 228], [231, 433], [3458, 3529], [2655, 2873], [2686, 2784], [3458, 3529]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The University of California San Diego has suspended a student who admitted to hanging a noose in a campus library , school officials announced Friday . `` We are feeling real pain , and we will take real action , '' said UCSD chancellor Marye Anne Fox told reporters . `` The safety of our students , faculty , and staff is my primary concern . '' The student , whose identity was not released , admitted Friday to police at the University of California San Diego that she hung a noose Thursday night in the library , police said . `` Detectives have interviewed the student and taken a statement , '' UCSD police said in a release . `` The investigation is ongoing as we continue to identify and interview witnesses . '' After Thursday 's discovery , hundreds of people joined a campus rally to oppose racial intolerance . `` It 's OK to feel hurt and angry about this , '' said one participant . `` We 've been silent for too long . '' Watch iReport of campus protest . One student said she feared for her safety . The student 's admission came the day after police were alerted to the presence of the noose in a library bookcase at the school . Fox said the admission was a result of `` pressure from our UC San Diego community . '' `` This underscores the fact that our university is banding together , '' she said . In a crime alert bulletin , police said they received several reports Thursday around 10:30 p.m. of the noose on the seventh floor of the Geisel Library . It was found hanging in an aisle facing windows . `` Officers spoke with people who were in the area , but no one witnessed the noose being placed on the bookcase , '' police said in a campus notice . Hanging a noose with intent to terrorize is a crime , it noted . On Friday , the school announced several measures it was taking in response to recommendations from its Black Student Union . They include the establishment of a task force on minority faculty recruitment , a new commission to addressing declining African-American enrollment and finding space for an African-American resource center . `` I want to emphasize these are the initial steps , and I realize we have a lot of work ahead of us , '' Fox said . The noose incident occurred two weeks after Black History Month was mocked in an off-campus party that was condemned by the school . It 's unclear how long the student is suspended for . | University suspends student who admits hanging noose in library . Hundreds attend campus rally to oppose racial intolerance . Incident comes weeks after Black History Month was mocked in off-campus party . | [[0, 15], [48, 133], [368, 381], [416, 520], [489, 535], [742, 769], [772, 843], [2215, 2312], [2290, 2312], [2318, 2347]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The scene was horrific , the stench unmistakable . Sadly , it was nothing new here . But because it unfolded so many days after the earthquake that took at least 112,000 lives , it was shocking . Three bodies trapped in a crushed taxi . A man , two women . Set ablaze . Even for those who have witnessed so much these past 13 days , the torching of the Toyota in the capital 's central plaza Monday was difficult to take in . It highlighted one of Haiti 's many quandaries : how to dispose of bodies . The taxi had been smashed by collapsing concrete during the devastating earthquake , and the bodies were decomposing in tropical temperatures , the smell unbearable to the thousands who have temporarily sought shelter under tarpaulins and tents across the street at the Champs de Mars plaza . The foul smell prompted people to dig the car out of the rubble , but those living on the street in the area said disposal trucks never arrived to take the bodies away . `` They could n't find anyone to dispose of the bodies so they had to burn them , '' said Gidel Fellmon . In the days after the January 12 quake , Haitians and rescue and relief crews have struggled to find proper disposal methods for bodies . Thousands of corpses have been pulled from the rubble and burned . Bodies have been bulldozed and dumped into open pits . Find loved ones in Haiti | Full coverage . At one of the capital city 's cemeteries , people opened up old crypts and shoved corpses into them before resealing them . Workers loaded bodies -- piled on the sides of roads -- into the basket of a front-loader tractor , which then deposited them into blood-stained dump trucks , according to CNN correspondents . On Monday , as the taxi burned , people stood stoically around the charred flesh and exposed bones . Two pairs of shoes lay in the car 's twisted metal . Interactive map : Where to find aid . | Three bodies trapped in a crushed taxi set ablaze in Port-au-Prince 's central plaza . Odor had been unbearable ; bodies had been decomposing since January 12 earthquake . Disposal trucks never arrived to take bodies away , bystanders say . | [[238, 278], [299, 311], [0, 38], [42, 92], [907, 1006]] |
Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A blast hit near a building housing Pakistan 's intelligence service , ISI , in the eastern city of Multan on Tuesday , killing at least 12 people and wounding 20 others , police said . The explosion took place at a security checkpoint , said Jamshed Akram of the city police . Four soldiers and four children were among the dead , said Dr. Kaleem Ullah of Multan 's emergency services . Pakistan has blamed the violence on Islamic militants who have vowed to avenge a intense military offensive to rout them from their haven along the country 's border with Afghanistan . The nation has come under increasingly frequent attacks . On Monday , a blast at a crowded market in Lahore killed 54 and wounded more than 150 people . The same day two other bombing attacks -- in Peshawar and Quetta -- killed at least 11 and wounded at least 41 . The attacks came three days after militants armed with guns and grenades stormed a mosque in Rawalpindi frequented by military personnel . At least 36 were killed and 75 wounded . The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the mosque bombing , but there were no immediately claims for Monday 's attacks . In an e-mail to CNN about the mosque attack , the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan said : `` We reconfirmed it , that the TTP has done it , and will do more which are already planned . We once again mention that we are not against the innocent people and the state of Pakistan but against those officers and ministers who are American by hearts and minds and Pakistani just by faces . '' The United States has pressed Pakistan to rout out Taliban militants . Fighting the war in Afghanistan is `` inextricably linked to our partnership with Pakistan , '' President Barack Obama said Tuesday of U.S. strategy . `` We are in Afghanistan to prevent a cancer from once again spreading through that country , '' he said in a speech at West Point . `` But this same cancer has also taken root in the border region of Pakistan . That is why we need a strategy that works on both sides of the border . '' The United States says Pakistan looms large because Taliban and al Qaeda militants operating in Afghanistan also have had a presence in Pakistan 's northwestern region near the Afghan border and have threatened the governments and troops in both countries . | NEW : Four soldiers , four children among the dead , a doctor says . Attack comes a day after three deadly attacks in Lahore , Peshawar and Quetta . Lahore attack targeted crowded market , killing 54 and wounding more than 150 . | [[318, 369], [318, 349], [372, 427], [671, 680], [683, 730], [671, 680], [683, 720], [735, 765], [766, 804], [834, 852], [766, 804], [857, 878], [879, 951], [671, 680], [683, 730], [671, 680], [683, 720], [735, 765], [1018, 1058]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The venerable Smithsonian Institution , often dubbed `` America 's Attic , '' said no Tuesday to adding a piece of 1990s history to its collections . A day earlier , a California judge approved an agreement to donate the brownish-green suit O.J. Simpson wore the day in 1995 that he was acquitted of murder -- if museum officials wanted it . But they did n't . `` The curators feel that it does n't fit with the collections here at the National Museum of American History , '' Valeska Hilbig , spokeswoman for the museum , told CNN Radio Tuesday . The museum houses iconic memorabilia , such as a pair of Judy Garland 's ruby slippers from `` The Wizard of Oz , '' the hat Abraham Lincoln wore the night he was assassinated and a piece of a lunch counter from a Woolworth 's in Greensboro , North Carolina , that was the site of a civil rights sit-in . The museum on the National Mall in Washington is also home of the original `` Star Spangled Banner , '' which inspired poet Francis Scott Key to pen the lyrics to what would become the national anthem . The agreement to donate the suit ended a years-long battled between Fred Goldman , the father of the man the ex-National Football League star was accused of killing , and Simpson 's former sports agent , Mike Gilbert , who has possession of the suit . But no one checked with the Smithsonian before making the announcement . Hilbig said there was no official offer to donate the suit and that officials learned of the potential deal on the Internet . With the Smithsonian 's rejection , the parties will look for another museum to take the suit , per the Los Angeles County Superior Court order on Monday . `` I suggested to go back to USC -LRB- the University of Southern California , where Simpson starred in college football -RRB- , even though they 've distanced themselves , or maybe the Pro Football Hall of Fame museum , '' said Simpson 's attorney , Ronald Slates , who said he was disappointed in the Smithsonian 's decision . `` We had worked six hours on Monday to reach the settlement , and to find the finest museum in America turning down what is truly a piece of highly controversial litigation in the United States -- it was very disappointing , '' he said . `` Of all the museums in the United States , this would be the one most open because it is our national museum , '' he said . `` It deals with the ups and downs of America . You do n't see the Smithsonian walking away from days of the Depression -- which were certainly horrible days in our history -- because it was so horrible . So , I thought this would be the museum to house this , even as controversial as it is . '' Simpson stood trial on charges of stabbing to death his ex-wife , Nicole Brown Simpson , and Fred Goldman 's son , Ronald , outside her luxury townhouse in Brentwood on June 12 , 1994 . The trial lasted more than nine months and ended on October 3 , 1995 , with a jury finding Simpson not guilty . Later , the families of Brown and Goldman took Simpson to civil court to seek damages for wrongful death . That jury found Simpson liable for the deaths and awarded $ 8.5 million in compensatory damages to the Goldman family and to Ron Goldman 's biological mother . Since then , Fred Goldman has been trying to collect the money . Simpson has consistently said he did not kill the two and should not have to pay . In 2008 , Gilbert appeared on the `` Dr. Phil '' television show , claiming he had the suit and pants Simpson wore on the day of the acquittal . He also said the `` acquittal suit '' -- as it came to be known -- was worth $ 50,000 . Monday 's decision , said Goldman , `` takes any option out of the killer 's hands or Gilbert 's hands to sell it and make money on it . '' Meanwhile , Simpson , 62 , is serving a nine-year sentence in Nevada after his conviction on robbery and kidnapping charges in an unrelated case . The case involved a botched attempt in September 2007 by Simpson to retrieve items that he said had been stolen from him by memorabilia dealers . CNN 's Sonya Hamasaki contributed to this report . | Judge had approved an agreement allowing the donation of the suit . Smithsonian says it had never been contacted about whether it wanted O.J. Simpson 's suit . Simpson 's former sports agent , Mike Gilbert , has possession of the suit . O.J. Simpson was acquitted in slayings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman . | [[194, 207], [210, 284], [1282, 1301], [1304, 1316], [1323, 1351], [2960, 2995]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man suspected in the killings of 11 women , whose remains were found in his Ohio home , is due in court Wednesday morning . Human remains were discovered at the Cleveland home of Anthony Sowell in October and November . Sowell , 50 , pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in December . He could face the death penalty if convicted . A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. in Cuyahoga County , according to court documents . Sowell faces 85 charges , including murder , rape and kidnapping . At least one victim was strangled by hand , and most of the others by ligature , authorities said . The remains of seven still had ligatures -- string , cord or wire -- wrapped around their necks . The skull of one woman was wrapped in a paper bag and stuffed into a bucket in the home 's basement . The grisly discoveries in Sowell 's home have led to the case being called a `` house of horrors . '' Sowell served 15 years in prison for a 1989 attempted rape and was released in 2005 . He was required to register as a sex offender . | Anthony Sowell is suspected in the killings of 11 women in Cleveland , Ohio . Sowell faces 85 charges , including murder , rape and kidnapping . Sowell served 15 years in prison for a 1989 attempted rape and was released in 2005 . | [[19, 62], [51, 62], [79, 106], [453, 519], [453, 459], [479, 519], [922, 980], [922, 928], [976, 1007]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama 's proposed spending freeze could help him recapture the favor of centrist voters , but critics blast the move as nothing more than political posturing . The president is expected to call for a partial , three-year freeze on discretionary spending in his State of the Union address Wednesday , according to two senior administration officials . The cuts , which Obama will say would save $ 250 billion , would not apply to national security spending and would not affect major entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security . The proposal comes as the president 's poll numbers dip and concerns about the economy and the federal deficit flare . It also comes after a shocking election loss for Democrats in Massachusetts , which many have interpreted as an expression of voter frustration with the way Washington is handling the economy . `` I applaud -LSB- Obama -RSB- for attempting to have some fiscal restraint , '' Republican strategist Ed Rollins said . `` But at the end of the day , he 's got to make sure the Democrats are disciplined and they do n't have big spending programs alongside of this . '' Under Obama 's plan , all federal discretionary spending would be frozen at its current level of $ 447 billion per year . Individual federal agencies would have the power to give some programs increases , while cutting money elsewhere . Both chambers of Congress would have to approve the freeze when they take up the president 's budget for fiscal year 2011 , which starts in October . Obama will send his budget plan to Congress after the State of the Union . Jeffrey Sachs , an economist and director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University , said Obama 's move does n't make much sense , following a year of unprecedented government spending and a $ 787 billion stimulus package . `` A little bit of disarray , it seems . Last year , just spend , throw everything into a stimulus package ... and then this year , just across-the-board freeze . Frankly , the government has to make better choices and better plans than throwing things into a big pot in one year and then freezing across the board the next year , '' he said . Obama dismissed the idea of an across-the-board spending freeze during a presidential debate in October 2008 . `` It sounds good . It 's proposed periodically . It does n't happen , '' then-candidate Obama said . `` In fact , an across-the-board spending freeze is a hatchet , and we do need a scalpel because there are some programs that do n't work at all . There are some that are underfunded . I want to make sure we 're focused on the programs that work . '' Republican reaction to Obama 's proposal was split , with some senior GOP aides saying it is something they could support , and others saying it did not go nearly far enough . `` Given Washington Democrats ' unprecedented spending binge , this is like announcing you 're going on a diet after winning a pie-eating contest , '' said Michael Steel , a spokesman for House Minority Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio . `` Will the budget still double the debt over five years and triple it over 10 ? That 's the bottom line . '' The senior administration officials acknowledged that discretionary spending is only about one-sixth of the entire federal budget , but said the White House believes that cuts need to start somewhere . The move is Obama 's latest step down a path to a more populist message , aimed at reassuring Americans nervous about the slow pace of the economic recovery . The president on Monday proposed nearly doubling the child care tax credit for middle-class families . Obama is expected to talk about efforts to create more jobs and spur the economy in his speech Wednesday . iReport : Deliver your State of the Union address . The White House has put a greater emphasis on the economy in the days since Democrats lost their 60-seat supermajority in the Senate . Republican Scott Brown defeated Democrat Martha Coakley in a special election last week to serve the remainder of the late Ted Kennedy 's Senate term . Brown capitalized on voter frustrations and captured the independent vote in Massachusetts , a Democratic stronghold . `` I think that is a wake-up call for everybody in this town , '' White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said a day after the election . Obama 's proposal will likely set the stage for a fight with some liberals , but polls suggest it might not be a bad thing for the president to occasionally break ranks . A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Monday indicates that seven in 10 Americans think that the Democrats ' loss of their 60-seat supermajority in the Senate is a positive step for the country . Observers note it will also put Republicans in a position where they can show if they are willing to meet the president halfway . Democratic strategist James Carville said Tuesday that Obama needs to take control of the narrative in order to get back on track . `` Until this administration stands up and says ` This is what we will face , and this is what we did , and this is our strategy ' -- these things are going to continue to happen , '' he said . CNN 's Dana Bash and Ed Henry contributed to this report . | Obama to call for partial freeze on discretionary spending . Freeze could help put Obama back in the political center . Some Republicans say it does n't do enough ; some Dems say it goes too far . Watch coverage Wednesday night at 7:30 on CNN.com and 8 on CNN TV . | [[0, 15], [19, 116], [189, 326], [1153, 1172], [1175, 1274], [0, 15], [19, 116], [2652, 2702], [2780, 2827], [4340, 4414]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama took his renewed jobs push beyond the Washington beltway again Tuesday , heading to the politically critical state of New Hampshire for a town hall meeting . The president used the event to spotlight his call for a $ 30 billion investment in a new small-business lending fund . Obama 's initiative would recycle $ 30 billion of the remaining Troubled Asset Relief Program funds into a government lending program offering cheap capital to community banks that boost their small-business lending this year . This measure will help ensure `` small businesses are once again the engine of job growth in America , '' Obama said in the city of Nashua . It 's `` absolutely critical that Congress acts '' to help pass this and other job creation legislation . While credit conditions for large businesses have improved over the past year , small companies are still widely reporting problems finding the capital they need to fund their operations . Since small businesses employ about half of American workers , policymakers worry that the ongoing credit crunch they face is contributing to the nation 's high rate of job losses . Under Obama 's plan , banks with assets of less than $ 10 billion would be able to borrow money from the Treasury at a dividend rate as low as 1 percent if they use the cash to make more small-business loans this year than they did in 2009 . Obama 's visit to New Hampshire , several political analysts said , was part of the White House 's ongoing effort to recapture sorely needed political momentum . The state , which is home to the first-in-the-nation presidential primary , is considered in many ways to be a political bellwether for an administration struggling to maintain the support of independent voters . More than 40 percent of the state 's voters were registered as independents as of last November , according to the New Hampshire secretary of state 's office . Obama easily carried the state in the 2008 general election , but a slight plurality of New Hampshire voters disapproved of his job performance in a December 2009 American Research Group survey . Tuesday 's trip was Obama 's second visit to New Hampshire since becoming president . While the town hall participants gave his small-business proposal a warm reception , they also raised questions about a series of other issues , including education , energy independence , government transparency and health care reform . `` We 're in the red zone . We 've got to punch it through , '' Obama said about the stalled health care legislation . `` I do not quit . We are going to get that done . '' Obama said supporters of the legislation `` have to move methodically and -LSB- ensure -RSB- the American people understand exactly what 's in the bill . '' Efforts to pass a comprehensive reform bill have been frozen since Massachusetts GOP Sen.-elect Scott Brown won the seat previously held by Ted Kennedy , who died last August . Brown 's victory stripped Democrats of their 60-seat Senate supermajority and gave Republicans enough votes to block most bills . CNN 's Catherine Clifford and Alan Silverleib contributed to this report . | NEW : Town hall participants give warm reception to small-business lending fund plan . NEW : They also ask about education , energy , government openness , health care . Plan would lend TARP money to community banks that boost small-business loans . Obama carried New Hampshire in 2008 general election , but support may be slipping . | [[2224, 2300], [2303, 2307], [2313, 2455], [473, 488], [494, 540], [1936, 1995]] |
DAYTON , Ohio -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Early on , Maria Lauterbach knew exactly what she wanted to do in life . Dressed in her high school soccer uniform , Maria Lauterbach said she wanted to be a Marine , then a cop . `` After high school , I am going into the Marines , '' a smiling Lauterbach , dressed in her high school soccer uniform , says in a video made available exclusively to CNN . `` I 'll probably be doing that for 20 or 25 years , and then hopefully after that , becoming a cop . '' Lauterbach became a Marine , but her dreams were cut short . Her body was found buried in the backyard of a fellow Marine , Cpl. Cesar Laurean , near Camp Lejeune , North Carolina , in January . Watch Lauterbach talk about her future plans '' Mary Lauterbach , Maria 's mother , wants to know why the Marines did n't do more to protect her daughter from Laurean , whom Maria Lauterbach had accused of rape in May 2007 . `` My concern is I want women to be better protected , '' Lauterbach , of Dayton , Ohio , told CNN . Watch how mother wants answers from Marines '' Laurean now faces murder charges . He fled the Camp Lejeune area on January 11 . The FBI says he went to his native Mexico , and a cousin of Laurean 's reported seeing him in Zapopan , Mexico , in mid-January . Mary Lauterbach has sent a list of more than 30 questions to the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps , Gen. James Conway , through her congressman . She says she 's unconvinced her daughter 's rape allegation against Laurean was treated seriously . Maria Lauterbach was 20 years old and eight months pregnant when she was reported missing after she failed to report for duty at Camp Lejeune in mid-December . Her body was found nearly a month later beneath a fire pit in Laurean 's backyard . It is unclear whether he was the father of her unborn child . After Maria Lauterbach accused Laurean of rape , she was moved to another office , and military protective orders were issued to keep the accused from the accuser . But Mary Lauterbach and her congressman , Rep. Mike Turner , say the Marines did n't do enough to protect her . `` My daughter wanted to be transferred to another base , '' her mother said . She said her daughter told her in phone conversations that she would occasionally see Laurean at meetings and that it traumatized her . The questions Turner , an Ohio Republican , sent to Conway include what steps were taken to protect Lauterbach after she accused Laurean of rape ; why no search was launched immediately after she failed to report for duty ; whether she requested a transfer to another base before her death ; and whether Laurean was asked for a DNA sample after her pregnancy was confirmed . A Marine Corps spokesman told CNN the service would respond to all of the questions submitted through Turner and would not comment further until those answers were complete . Merle Wilberding , Lauterbach 's family attorney , said the military protective order `` really was n't very effective . '' Wilberding also questions the length of the investigation . The next step would have been an Article 32 hearing , the military 's equivalent of a open grand jury proceeding . Lauterbach disappeared in mid-December when she failed to show up for work . `` May 11 to December 14 is a long time for resentment to fester , if that 's what it was , '' Wilberding says . `` The longer these cases go on , I think the more difficult it is for the victim , '' he adds . After Maria Lauterbach first leveled her charges , she changed her story but later continued to claim she was raped by Laurean . `` The problem is when someone has perceived credibility issues , you still must protect the person who is making those claims , '' her mother said . The Marine Corps has said it reviewed its handling of Lauterbach 's rape allegations . Turner says a general told him everything was done appropriately . `` I disagree that the review is complete , '' Turner told CNN . `` This is a matter where clearly there is a tragic death , there is a national interest in other women that are serving , and this is a matter that deserves higher scrutiny . '' Laurean denied the rape allegation or any other sexual contact with Lauterbach . In a statement issued after her death , the Marine Corps said Laurean 's denial `` was believed to significant evidence . '' During a press briefing after Lauterbach 's body was found , the Marines described her as a `` solid Marine '' and the fugitive Laurean as a `` stellar Marine . '' Turner called the latter statement `` really unexplainable . '' `` I do n't know how you can be a stellar Marine and have another Marine buried in your backyard , '' he said . `` And when that statement was made , those Marines already knew of the tragedy that had befallen Maria . '' Mary Lauterbach said her daughter would be proud of her persistence : `` I do this totally for her and for the protection of everyone else 's daughter . '' E-mail to a friend . | Maria Lauterbach wanted to spend career in Marines , she says in video . Lauterbach accused fellow Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean of rape . Laurean faces murder charges in Lauterbach 's death . Marines should have transferred Lauterbach to another base , her mother says . | [[150, 204], [862, 912], [1827, 1907], [2391, 2396], [2408, 2463], [3455, 3503], [3506, 3509], [3532, 3583], [1061, 1095], [2162, 2182], [3713, 3733]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Creating and saving jobs while boosting investment in the future are among the top goals of the Obama administration 's $ 787 billion economic stimulus plan . President Obama chats with students at a Silver Spring , Maryland , elementary school this week . And according to a preliminary report on stimulus funding for schools by the Department of Education and the Domestic Policy Council , the stimulus plan has created jobs . State governments have created and saved at least 250,000 education jobs -- and restored nearly all their projected education budget shortfalls for fiscal years 2009 and 2010 -- according to preliminary findings released Monday by the White House . But some states that used the funds to fill existing budget gaps could face a crisis when the money runs out after 2010 . And the Department of Education has chastised certain states for their stimulus funding programs and warned them that they risk their chances at getting other DOE grants down the road . The stimulus funds appropriated $ 48.6 billion for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund to help keep and create jobs and advance education reforms over a period of two years , the report said . The program dedicates $ 39.8 billion for public elementary , secondary and higher education and other services . Another $ 8.8 billion will go for other activities such as public safety or government services . `` To date , $ 35.5 billion of the SFSF allotment has been obligated and $ 13.2 -LSB- billion -RSB- is forthcoming , '' the report added . In a recent memo , the Department of Education 's inspector general 's office warned Connecticut , Massachusetts and Pennsylvania about not following the rules . At issue is the government 's `` maintenance of effort '' provision , which makes states receiving stimulus funds promise to maintain funding at fiscal year 2006 levels . The provision also requires states to pledge to use these funds to advance certain education reforms : increasing teacher effectiveness , implementing statewide data systems , and providing support for struggling schools . The September 30 memo pointed out states are using K-12 stimulus funds to fill gaps in their education budgets due to decreasing revenues and resources . Pennsylvania 's actions led to a terse letter on June 18 from Education Secretary Arne Duncan to Gov. Ed Rendell . The letter said : `` If a State has disproportionately reduced its education budget and/or if a State has done nothing more than backfill budget holes with these dollars when the State had other resources available to it , such as a rainy-day fund , the State 's competitive position to receive ... competitive grants may be negatively impacted . '' Those states employing the practice , some argue , will face dire straits in fiscal year 2011 when the stimulus funding runs out . `` States and districts were repeatedly warned about funding -LSB- problems -RSB- , '' said Chad Aldeman , a policy analyst with the nonpartisan think tank Education Sector . But Aldeman notes that there may have been a lack of communication between states and the federal government over how to spend the money . `` They -LSB- states -RSB- were told to focus on one-time investments as much as possible , '' he said . `` At the same time , the Department of Education sold this as a job and reform package . ... They say on one hand , preserve and create jobs . On the other hand , they talk about education reform . '' The Obama administration argues the early results from Monday 's report show the money already is having an effect . `` This is one more indication of how the Recovery Act is helping soften the blow of tough times , by keeping educators on the job and teachers in the classroom , '' Vice President Joe Biden said in a statement . But there has been criticism over the way the government is handling and tracking the Recovery Act . `` If these issues and the stimulus money being made available ... are not handled carefully , conflict and even paralysis are likely to ensue , '' said Pedro A. Noguera , a professor at New York University and director of the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education , in a recent CNN.com commentary . `` The president may even inadvertently alienate an important core constituency that he will surely need in the years ahead -- public school teachers . '' Aldeman points out that some of the accountability problems seen with the Recovery Act likely occurred during the time the federal government was doling out money to states . `` The states were cutting employees that were designed to draft federal grants and to track and follow money as it flowed through -LSB- at the same time the federal government was giving out stimulus funds -RSB- . ... They were cutting monitors and accountants that would have been able to follow this better , '' he said . Despite some of the accountability and tracking problems , Duncan said early feedback from states `` also tells us that many districts are using stimulus dollars in ways that will move us beyond the status quo . '' And Duncan 's concept can be seen in school programs cited in Monday 's report . Jim McIntyre , superintendent of the Knox County , Tennessee , schools , said the stimulus funding is not only helping to create jobs in the short term but also investing in the future after the funding is gone . `` Our philosophy has really been around making some investments in the short term to build our capacity so that those investments will continue to pay off in the long term around student achievement and learning , long after the dollars are gone , '' he said . McIntyre 's school district was cited in the stimulus report as a success story for facilitating greater inclusion of students with disabilities into the regular educational setting . The funds , according to the report , helped the district to add special education instructors in its middle and high schools , `` while supporting needed training for teachers and aides who work with special education students . '' Tennessee , McIntyre said , has been supportive in helping his school district plan and obtain stimulus money to `` really invest in our people and hopefully invest in our kids for the long term . '' The Department of Education report offered other examples that it said showed funding is working , such as : . `` In several communities these dollars are being used to enhance information systems to help measure progress by both teachers and students in meeting educational standards , '' the report added . CNNMoney.com 's David Goldman contributed to this report . | American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 signed in February . Preliminary report finds stimulus plan saved 250,000 education jobs . States have restored nearly all education budget shortfalls for 2009-10 , report says . Some states in trouble with feds for using money to fill gaps , not on required goals . | [[287, 419], [459, 476], [494, 531], [637, 670], [459, 476], [539, 633], [712, 829], [830, 926], [2384, 2399], [2402, 2553]] |
-LRB- Budget Travel -RRB- -- Whatever your vibe , one of these new hotels will fit the bill . Hotel Erwin overlooks the hopping Venice Beach boardwalk . VENICE BEACH . Hotel Erwin . Surf and skate culture inspired the decor in the hotel 's 81 rooms and 38 suites . Graffiti-style art covers the doors , and safety-yellow metal partitions in the rooms display sunglasses for sale . Private balconies overlook the hopping Venice boardwalk . We especially love the pillow menu and the open-air rooftop lounge , which has views of the Pacific Ocean , 250 feet away . But what 's with the fireplaces in the suites ? Really , in Venice ? 1697 Pacific Ave. , 310/452 -1111 , jdvhotels.com , rooms from $ 179 . LAX AIRPORT . Custom Hotel . Working hard to prove that airport hotels need n't be dull , the Custom employs a private shuttle that takes guests to and from LAX while playing techno music over silent Greta Garbo movies . Clearly , this place is a playground for grown-ups . DJs spin Afro-Cuban tunes at Hopscotch , the pool bar and grill with a fire pit , four cabanas and vintage video games . Artistically inclined guests can borrow art supplies from the 12th-floor studio , Scribble . 8639 Lincoln Blvd. , 310/645 -0400 , customhotel.com , rooms from $ 95 . DOWNTOWN . O Hotel . This 68-room hotel sits in the heart of newly hot downtown L.A. Built in the 1920s , the steel-and-glass structure was recently renovated and now has a modern feel -LRB- think mood lighting that shines from under the beds and ergonomic desk chairs -RRB- . The minimalist motif is mostly nice , except when it comes to things like cramped shower stalls . The on-site O Bar & Kitchen serves tapas and martinis until 11 p.m. -- till 2 a.m. on weekends ; a 7,000-square-foot underground lounge opens next spring . 819 S. Flower St. , 213/623 -9904 , ohotelgroup.com , rooms from $ 129 . HOLLYWOOD . Hollywood Heights Hotel . In prime Hollywood , this hotel is within three blocks of the Walk of Fame , Madame Tussauds -LRB- opening August 1 -RRB- , and Grauman 's Chinese Theatre . The lobby mixes the contemporary -- white metal-frame sofas and graphic-print rugs -- with black-and-white photos of film stars like Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart . Low-key restaurant and bar Hideout serves pot pies , short ribs and mac and cheese . 2005 N. Highland Ave. , 323/876 -8600 , hollywoodheightshotel.com , rooms from $ 169 . LOS FELIZ . Los Feliz Lodge . This group of 13 casitas was built in the 1920s as an enclave for the Paramount silent-film elite . The bungalows and villas -- some of which still belong to full-time private residents -- have amenities like stocked kitchens , washers , dryers and French doors that lead to a communal patio . Los Feliz is a rare walkable neighborhood , and the Metro is only a five-minute stroll away . 1507 N. Hoover St. , 877/660 -4150 , losfelizlodge.com , two-person bungalows from $ 150 . Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 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 . | Artistically inclined Custom Hotel guests can borrow art supplies . Bungalows and villas at the Los Feliz Lodge have stocked kitchens . Hollywood Heights Hotel is within three blocks of the Walk of Fame . | [[1098, 1177], [2535, 2559], [2624, 2696], [1906, 1924], [1927, 2062]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After two days of violence and looting that claimed the lives of at least 48 people , relative calm settled over Madagascar Wednesday . But the possibility of further violence loomed as anti-government protesters gathered in a central square , vowing future demonstrations . At least 48 people were killed during the riots that broke out in Madagascar . President Marc Ravalomanana and other senior government officials surveyed some of the damage Wednesday and vowed to restore order `` whatever the cost , '' a government statement said . Ravalomanana ordered a member of his joint chiefs of staff to work with the protesters and opposition leader Andry Rajoelina to keep the calm . Meanwhile , Rajoelina -- mayor of the capital , Antananarivo -- addressed the protesters at a downtown rally Wednesday afternoon , calling for two days of general strikes and another mass demonstration Saturday . The strikes would prevent stores and schools from opening . On Tuesday the authorities tried to control protesters who set fire to the state-run media complex the day before . Ravalomanana said he initially held off on ordering troops to fight off looters , saying he wanted to avoid more casualties . `` It is better that equipment be destroyed rather than human lives , '' he said in the statement , adding that looters would not be prosecuted because he `` understands the Malagasy people are poor and hungry . '' A spokesman for Joseph Ravohanjy Hospital said 48 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in the violence since Monday . By Wednesday , a relative calm had fallen over the area and Rajoelina 's rally at the square was peaceful , a Western observer told CNN . The violence began when protesters stormed the government 's radio and television station in Antananarivo , Monday morning in response to Ravalomanana shutting down Rajoelina 's radio station hours earlier . Ravalomanana 's move came just weeks after closing Rajoelina 's television station last month after the airing of an interview with ousted ex-President Didier Ratsiraka . Viva Radio was back on the air Tuesday as the protesters broadened their focus from restoring freedom of speech to targeting businesses owned by Ravalomanana , including food distribution centers , according to an American community worker in Antananarivo . By Tuesday afternoon , some of the protesters had broken from the group , looting private electronic shops and grocery stores that sat alongside the Ravalomanana-owned buildings , Christi Turner said . `` Today and yesterday , it 's been a collective disappointment and shock and sadness for me and my friends and other aid workers , '' Turner told CNN on Tuesday night . `` People have lost their heads in the mob mentality . '' She added that the government `` is not taking the most effective steps controlling the situation , '' noting that military and police did n't publicly address the looters until Tuesday . Reports of injuries and deaths from resulting fires could not be immediately confirmed . Rodney Ford , public affairs officer for the U.S. Embassy in Antananarivo , said the United States is calling for calm and pushing for dialogue between the president and the mayor . Both sides have offered to negotiate , which a group of ambassadors is working toward . `` We are worried about the loss of life , '' Ford said . `` The Malagasy people need to work this out , it 's not an issue outsiders can fix . The U.S. Embassy is calling for calm and restraint . We are working to mediate within both parties . '' | NEW : At least 48 people die in the violence in Madagascar , official says . After two days of violence and looting , relative calms settles over country . Further violence looms as anti-government protesters gather . United States is calling for calm and pushing for dialogue between sides . | [[37, 57], [63, 102], [294, 341], [1434, 1559], [1481, 1506], [19, 57], [105, 154], [1560, 1652], [159, 231], [205, 260], [159, 194], [263, 293], [3042, 3091], [3118, 3223], [3456, 3508]] |
-LRB- PEOPLE.com -RRB- -- Michelle Duggar , star of TLC 's `` 18 Kids and Counting , '' was rushed to an Arkansas hospital over the weekend -- but her pregnancy with Baby No. 19 , not due until spring , was n't the reason for her dash to the doctor . `` This weekend , Michelle Duggar was admitted to an Arkansas hospital due to gallbladder issues , '' said a network rep. `` The pain from a gallstone was generating some contractions . Just to be safe , she was airlifted a Little Rock , Arkansas , hospital , so that in the unlikely event that she had to be delivered early , she would be close to a NICU center , '' the representative said . `` Though there were some fears that the baby was in trouble initially , it soon was discovered to be solely the gallstone causing the discomfort . Michelle is resting comfortably , and the baby is doing fine . '' For now , Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar 's brood of 18 kids will have to get by without Mom at home . `` Doctors want to observe Michelle in the hospital for the next couple of days , '' said the rep , `` but it would appear that the pain medication they have given her for the gallstone has worked , and there is no need for immediate surgery . The hope is that any necessary surgery can be delayed until after she delivers . '' The physician attending Duggar , Dr. Curtis Lowery of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences , told PEOPLE , `` We have every reason at present to expect that mother and baby will proceed with a healthy pregnancy . Mrs. Duggar is in good spirits and feeling much better . '' © 2010 People and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Star of TLC 's `` 18 Kids and Counting '' rushed to the hospital . Was airlifted to Arkansas in fear of pregnancy problems . A gallstone turned out to be the cause of pain . Duggar resting well and pregnancy is in good shape . | [[83, 139], [83, 139], [455, 508], [373, 436], [718, 720], [741, 767], [754, 792], [831, 855]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Peruvian President Alan Garcia left Singapore on the eve of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit after reports surfaced that an air force officer was accused of spying for the Chilean government , Peru 's foreign minister said Saturday . `` We do consider , from the information that have received , that we need an explanation and sanctions to those involved , '' Foreign Minister Jose Antonio García Belaunde told CNN en Espanol Saturday . He added that he does `` not have all the elements of the story here in Singapore , '' but confirmed that the suspect is `` under arrest and in the hands of the judicial power in Peru . '' Garcia and his Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet had planned to attend a workshop Saturday with other world leaders , but the Peruvian leader canceled his agenda to return to Lima . However , there were no plans for a bilateral meeting between leaders from both countries , Belaunde said , dismissing reports that there had been such a session scheduled for Sunday . Belaunde said he has spoken to Chilean Foreign Minister Mariano Fernandez Amunategui about the case , but that his counterpart would not have information until he returns to Santiago . Meanwhile , a Chilean spokeswoman dismissed the espionage allegations . `` Chile does not spy , '' Carolina Toha , spokeswoman for Chile 's Interior Ministry . `` Chile takes international relations as a serious matter . '' APEC 's 21 member nations -- ranging from Thailand to United States , Chile to China -- 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 . '' Chile and Peru have a history of animosity , having fought in the War of the Pacific from 1879 to 1883 . Hard feelings linger to this day . The two nations nearly came to war in 1975 when left-wing Peruvian leader Juan Velasco , who was backed by Cuba , wanted to invade Chile , which was led by right-wing Gen. Augusto Pinochet . The invasion was called off and Velasco was deposed in a coup a short while later . Tensions rose again when Peru discovered a Chilean spy mission , but war was averted . More recently , tensions between the two South American nations flared in December after the revelation that Peru 's top army general said at a party that Chileans in neighboring Peru would be sent back in coffins or body bags . At the time , Peruvian Defense Minister Antero Flores-Araoz said relations between the two nations will be repaired , calling the incident involving Peruvian Gen. Edwin Donayre `` a bump in the road . '' Bachelet had made similar assertions . Also last year , the World Court agreed to look at an issue concerning Peruvian claims to a disputed maritime area . | President Alan Garcia left Singapore on the eve of the APEC summit . Air force officer was accused of spying for Chile , Peru 's foreign minister said . A suspect is `` in the hands of the judicial power in Peru , '' foreign minister said . Chilean spokeswoman dismissed espionage allegations : `` Chile does not spy '' | [[130, 221], [224, 264], [224, 264], [469, 654], [469, 471], [560, 654], [1214, 1223], [1226, 1285], [1289, 1328]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Florida woman has been arrested in connection with the death of a lottery millionaire , whose body was found buried under recently added concrete at a home , authorities said . Dorice Donegan Moore , 37 , was arrested Tuesday evening on charges of accessory after the fact regarding a first-degree murder in the death of Abraham Shakespeare , 43 , said Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee . Moore befriended Shakespeare after he won a $ 31 million Florida lottery prize in 2006 and was named a person of interest in the case after Shakespeare went missing , authorities said . Before her arrest , Moore proclaimed her innocence during a tearful , impromptu news conference outside her home . She said was planning to help Shakespeare write a book about the challenges of winning millions and that she was helping him manage the money . `` Abraham had a life of drama because of the money , '' she told CNN affiliate WTSP . `` The money was like a curse to him . And now it has become a curse to me . '' Moore might have committed fraud to obtain parts of Shakespeare 's fortune , and she bought lime to deal with his body and was trying to find someone to move the corpse to another location , Gee said . Shakespeare was killed on April 6 or April 7 , and Moore has admitted trying to convince Shakespeare 's family members that he was still alive , Gee said . `` In December 2009 , Dorice Moore wrote a letter to the victim 's mother , claiming to be the victim and to be all right , '' Gee said . `` Dorice Moore also used the victim 's cell phone and sent text messages to the victim 's family . '' Deputies found Shakespeare 's body outside a home in Plant City late January after receiving a tip from an associate of Moore , Gee said . Moore could face more charges , and authorities are looking for other suspects , Gee said . Reporters were at the scene during Moore 's arrest Tuesday and she again denied having anything to do with Shakespeare 's death as she was led to a police cruiser in handcuffs , WTSP reported . `` I 'm deeply saddened for his family , '' Moore said . | Dorice Moore says she helped manage Abraham Shakespeare 's lottery winnings . Shakespeare 's remains were recently found buried under concrete slab . Authorities : Moore tried to convince Shakespeare 's family that he was still alive . | [[820, 858], [1279, 1346]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- There 's no question that I find Don Draper sexy . If I lived in `` Mad Men '' land for a day , I would totally make out with him on his Sterling-Cooper purchased desk . In real life ? Not so much . At least not anymore . Don Draper of `` Mad Men '' is a complicated man underneath a confident exterior , columnist warns . What makes Don Draper so drool-worthy on screen does not translate in real life . Actually , certain things do translate -- tall , dark and handsome is still tall , dark , and handsome in the real world . But that aloof , secretive , and calculating personality that seduces his onscreen paramours and the show 's viewers ? Not easy to live with . Don Draper is written as an extremely complicated and deeply flawed man who does some awful things , like cheating repeatedly on his wife , Betty , and using information he gleans from her therapist to manipulate her . But the reasons and motivations behind his repulsive actions are slowly being revealed with each new episode . As with any TV show or movie , we itch to know what possesses someone to do the things he does , and we expect that writers as glorious as the ones behind `` Mad Men '' will eventually lead us to deep understanding of who Don Draper is and how he will evolve into a better man . In real life , such life-changing revelations do n't always come . I dated a Don Draper-type for years . There were superficial similarities , like that they both worked in similar industries -LRB- just decades apart -RRB- and had a knack for always being `` on . '' Guys like Don Draper are great at their jobs for a multitude of reasons , but one of them is that they present themselves as calm , collected , and unmoved by the opinions and emotions of others . In a business situation this comes across as professional , confident , and reassuring to the client that the task at hand will be accomplished flawlessly . In a real-life romantic relationship , the refusal or inability to `` turn it off '' can be frustrating and painful for the other person involved . At the same time , being one of the few who is able to get past the facade feels powerful . When you 're in love , having that power only makes you feel even more special . The Frisky : 10 things women do n't understand about men . There are reasons why Draper 's wall is so high and impenetrable . Knowing those reasons -- or at least some of them -- makes viewers sympathetic to him . There 's an abused boy beneath that tough exterior ! A man with secrets so big , he has to hide behind a wall all of the time . Betty Draper may not know Don 's secrets , but they do share a bond he does n't have with other people . The women he cheats with ? They do n't know him at all and they do n't have the ability or even the interest in seeing something deeper like Betty does . They 're not threatening to his persona , but she is . These are , of course , just excuses for his bad behavior that should never fly in real life . My ex had his own reasons for presenting a facade , for not letting anyone get too close , for acting like a jerk ; some he shared , some I figured out , but all made me want to stay with him . The Frisky : Could you get past hearing `` I do n't love you anymore ? '' I do n't know if my Draper-esque ex cheated -- though I suspect he did -- but I do think he broke up with me because I was a threat . I saw something deeper that was fragile but wonderful , and I wanted more of it . It was enough to make me overlook the shallowness of his outward persona . Similarly , Don Draper gives viewers plenty to love and root for , like his support of Peggy Olson , his disinterest in Pete Campbell 's brown-nosing , his delivery of that Kodak pitch in the first season , and the punch he landed on Jimmy Barrett 's jaw . Like Tony Soprano before him , the behavior that would be massively unacceptable in real life is sometimes dwarfed by his acts of kindness , loyalty , and strength . The Frisky : When did you know it was over ? That 's why I -LRB- and I think lots of other women -RRB- mostly love -- and sometimes hate -- Don Draper . This season -- which started August 16 -- I 'm sure we 'll see more cracks in Don Draper 's facade , and it should be compelling and exciting to watch . But in real life , with a real Don Draper , I could only do so much . I made as many cracks as I could , but they repaired themselves and I was n't able to get close enough to try again . In retrospect , thank God . That 's why I 'll give my attention to Don Draper once a week , from the comfort of my couch , but never again in real life . TM & © 2009 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Columnist describes Draper of `` Mad Men '' as fun to watch but not date . An inability to `` turn it off '' in romantic moments is frustrating , columnist says . Women who know the deepness of a Don Draper man are a threat , she writes . `` Mad Men '' fan says Draper 's misbehavior is covered up by his kind acts . | [[1927, 1963], [1966, 2063], [3846, 3921], [3930, 3980], [3846, 3908], [3912, 3980]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- War-plagued Somalia , with its crumbling government infrastructure , is the world 's most corrupt country , according to a global survey by the international watchdog Transparency International . The group 's annual Corruption Perception Index measures perceived levels of public sector corruption . As was the case last year , the 2009 survey found that countries that scored lowest all have something in common : they are fragile , unstable and scarred by war or long-standing conflicts . The group scored 180 countries on a scale of 0 -LRB- perceived to be highly corrupt -RRB- to 10 -LRB- perceived to have low levels of corruption -RRB- . Somalia scored 1.1 . Next came Afghanistan at 1.3 , Myanmar at 1.4 , and Sudan and Iraq -- both at 1.5 . On the other end of the scale , New Zealand ranked highest at 9.4 , followed by Denmark -LRB- 9.3 -RRB- , Singapore and Sweden -LRB- 9.2 -RRB- and Switzerland -LRB- 9.0 -RRB- . The United States came it at 19 -LRB- 7.5 -RRB- and the United Kingdom was at 17 -LRB- 7.7 -RRB- . `` When essential institutions are weak or non-existent , corruption spirals out of control and the plundering of public resources feeds insecurity and impunity , '' the group said . On the other hand , countries that fared well in the survey have oversight to stem corruption . These include a well-performing judiciary , an independent media , and vigorous law enforcement , it said . | Transparency International 's annual Corruption Perception Index measures perceived levels of public sector corruption . Survey found that lowest-scoring countries were fragile , unstable and scarred by war or long-standing conflicts . Somalia topped the list as most corrupt , while New Zealand ranked highest at the other end of the scale . | [[0, 15], [127, 214], [215, 318], [347, 509], [0, 85], [88, 124], [768, 797], [800, 833]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three inmates were shot and wounded by guards Friday during an escape attempt at a Livingston , Texas , prison , officials said . The incident started about 9 p.m. -LRB- 10 p.m. ET -RRB- when inmates were leaving a church service at a gymnasium in the prison , said Jason Clark , a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice . While walking back from the church service , five inmates jumped an interior fence in an attempt to flee , officials said . Guards opened fire , wounding three of the inmates . All five were captured and the wounded inmates were taken to a hospital , Clark said . CNN 's Leslie Tripp contributed to this report . | Five inmates tried to escape from Texas prison , officials say . Inmates had just attended church service moments before escape attempt . Prison guards later opened fire on inmates , wounding three . | [[132, 148], [444, 446], [455, 462], [465, 474], [149, 277], [358, 400], [403, 454], [0, 9], [19, 42], [0, 15], [47, 129], [482, 500], [482, 488], [503, 534]] |
-LRB- WIRED -RRB- -- Apple 's decision to not include a camera in the new iPod Touch is somewhat surprising . After all , there is already a perfect camera for the job , and it sits inside the iPhone . By not adding a camera to its iPod Touch , Apple may boost sales of its iPod Nano . That Apple included a video camera inside the iPod Nano makes this more inexplicable still -- the Apple of today is clearly happy to put cameras into its media players -LRB- unlike the first iPhone , whose camera was so poor we thought it was just a petulant capitulation to cellphone norms -RRB- . Leaving the camera out is also a clear signal not to upgrade the Touch , as -- apart from a larger 64GB model -- the only hardware change is the juiced-up processor , making the iPod Touch run faster like its older brother the iPhone 3GS . Perhaps Apple is putting the Touch on a two-year update plan like the iPhone , letting people keep their pocket computers for a little longer than usual . Had the Touch included a camera , I would be knocking on the store doors right now to buy one , along with 64GB ready to be filled with photos and video . So the excitement falls to the Nano , which , sports a new shiny coating , a 640 x 480 video camera -LRB- no stills -RRB- and a larger screen on the outside , and an FM radio on the inside with a Tivo-esque live-pause feature . The radio itself is odd enough , and the first to be included in any iPod . More on that in a moment . The Nano 's video camera was introduced with reference to Flip 's own tiny , no-zoom camcorder . There are two Flip camcorders at the 8GB Nano 's $ 150 price : the 2GB Mino and the 4GB Ultra . To get 4GB and 8GB you jump to $ 200 . The 16GB Nano costs $ 180 . Why would somebody buy a Flip ? The easy , one button recording , perhaps -LRB- with the Nano , you need to go to a menu item to open the video camera application -RRB- , but that 's it . Take a look at the sample videos at the Apple store and you 'll see that the Nano 's quality is easily `` good enough . '' There is another surprise in there , too . The tiny Nano frame has a chip big enough to add real-time effects to video . Gimmicky , but as we guess this is aimed at the teenage market , a nice feature . The Nano is the fitness iPod , too , and in this guise it makes another piece of hardware obsolete : The shoe-mounted Nike + dongle . The Nano comes with the Nike + software , with workout history , power songs and the like , but the accelerometer now works as a pedometer , counting your steps to flab-loss . You can also connect it to a Nike + iPod compatible cardio-machine via the dock connector . One mystery remains , though . Why would Apple put an FM tuner into an iPod , something it has refused for almost ten years ? The answer comes with iTunes-Tagging . In addition to live pausing of the radio stream -LRB- and rewinding up to 15 minutes through the buffer -RRB- you can tag tracks by hitting the center button . If a radio station supports it , the song info is saved and later you can see a list in iTunes alongside , you guessed it , the option to buy the song . Of course , the fact that the new Zune HD has an HD radio inside may also have influenced Apple 's decision . So now I 'm torn . Do I buy a new Touch to replace my current model which has a loose headphone connection , or should I get the Nano , with its video camera and sport-friendly features ? If Apple had piled the features onto the Touch , the decision would be made , and Apple would have $ 400 of my money . As it is , I think I 'll wait . Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2009 Wired.com . | Apple upgraded its iPod Nano with a video camera , not its iPod Touch . Nano 's video camera is a direct challenge to Flip 's tiny , no-zoom camcorder . Nano has an FM radio with live pausing , rewinding and ability to tag tracks in iTunes . Perhaps Apple is putting the Touch on a two-year update plan like the iPhone . | [[286, 341], [306, 376], [286, 341], [1466, 1562], [2807, 2809], [2819, 2874], [2911, 2935], [825, 901]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The most memorable moment of the 52nd annual Grammy Awards on Sunday may be the onstage appearance of Michael Jackson 's two eldest children to accept their father 's lifetime achievement award . `` To all his songs , his message was simple , love , '' 12-year-old Prince Michael said . `` We will continue to spread his message and help the world . '' With a voice that sounded more mature than his age , he then thanked `` God for watching over us these last seven months and our grandma and grandpa for their love and support . '' Paris , 11 , then spoke : `` Daddy was supposed to be here . Daddy was going to perform last year . Thank you . We love you Daddy . '' Prince Michael and Paris , along with several cousins , wore black suits with red stripes on their pants , and red armbands . The children appeared after a rousing performance of Michael Jackson 's `` Earth Song , '' with a recording of Jackson accompanied by live performances from Celine Dion , Usher , Carrie Underwood , Smokey Robinson and Jennifer Hudson . Grammy producers used the head-to-head competition between Beyonce and Taylor Swift to lure viewers to stay tuned through the three-and-a-half hour telecast . List : Major Grammy winners . Swift got the biggest Grammy of the night , album of the year , for `` Fearless . '' `` I just hope that you know how much this means to me , '' she said in her acceptance speech . `` Our families are freaking out in their living rooms . '' Swift also won best country album . She won four Grammys overall . Beyonce won a pair of Grammys over Swift , including for best female pop vocal performance . Beyonce carried home six Grammys , including one in the major category of song of the year . That honor , a songwriters ' award , was given to Beyonce for co-writing `` Single Ladies -LRB- Put a Ring on It -RRB- . '' For the best female pop honor , won for `` Halo , '' the nervous singer thanked her family , `` including my husband -- I love you . '' Beyonce is married to hip-hop star Jay-Z . Gallery : Red-carpet arrivals . Alternative rock band Kings of Leon upset favorites Beyonce and Swift to win the record of the year Grammy for `` Use Somebody . '' The win gave the Kings of Leon three Grammys out of four nominations this year , all thanks to last year 's `` Only by the Night '' album . The same album gave them three nominations last year , one of which they won . `` Use Somebody '' lost out earlier in the show to Beyonce 's `` Single Ladies '' for song of the year . `` The best thing about winning Grammys is really it 's the first time our family gets to see the success we 're having , '' Kings lead singer Caleb Followill said backstage . `` We 're getting my mom wasted . '' What do you think about the Grammys ? Other triple Grammy winners were The Black Eyed Peas and Jay-Z . Winners also included Stephen Colbert , the Zac Brown Band and Green Day . The Zac Brown Band won best new artist . Lady Gaga , considered by many to be this year 's biggest breakout act , was ruled ineligible because she had a song released and nominated last year . Behind-the-scenes : Our Marquee blog . Stephen Colbert won best comedy album for `` A Colbert Christmas : The Greatest Gift of All ! '' Rap/sung collaboration went to Jay-Z , Rihanna and Kanye West . Green Day won best rock album . `` Now I 'm going to do shots with Kings of Leon , '' Green Day 's Billie Joe Armstrong said . Lady Gaga , whose performance opened the show , won two Grammys presented in the pre-telecast . Her single `` Poker Face '' beat out songs by the Black Eyed Peas , Madonna and Britney Spears in the best dance recording category . Her CD `` The Fame '' also won a Grammy for best electronic/dance . CNN 's KJ Matthews and David Daniels contributed to this report . | Taylor Swift wins album of the year , four Grammys total . Beyonce wins six Grammys , including song of the year . Jackson children Prince Michael and Paris accept lifetime achievement award . Kings of Leon 's `` Use Somebody '' wins record of the year . | [[1541, 1571], [1665, 1697], [165, 239], [2093, 2221], [2163, 2221]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lady Gaga has paid tribute to pop icon Cyndi Lauper as they join forces to raise HIV and AIDS awareness among women . Gaga and Lauper told CNN 's `` Connect The World '' women `` need to put their foot down '' in the bedroom . `` Cyndi is a lot of my inspiration , '' Gaga said , before relating how she and Lauper had met playing gay clubs in gay neighborhoods . Lauper replied : `` That 's very sweet . You know I get inspired by her . I get inspired to remember myself . '' Pop icon Gaga , who has enjoyed worldwide success thanks to songs such as `` Poker Face , '' `` Just Dance '' and `` Telephone '' is known as much for her distinctive fashion sense and extravagant performances as she is for her music . But she told CNN 's Becky Anderson that she was surprised a viewer had asked her whether she wrote her own songs . `` People are asking that question ? '' queried Gaga . `` I have written every single song I have ever sang and also produced a lot of the music . '' Gaga and Lauper are on a mission , along with cosmetics giant MAC , to ensure women are tested for HIV and AIDS . `` This is not a gay disease , this is a disease plaguing women , '' said Gaga . `` And I just want to clarify that . Because I think that 's the very sort of pre-assumption , that women are n't getting tested and allowing negotiations to go on in the bedroom and are not putting their foot down . '' Lauper added : `` I lost a lot of friends in the eighties and nineties and it was a big heartbreak and I ca n't just stand by . '' Gaga said that she had been a fan of MAC since she was young . `` MAC is a lifestyle , it is sort of this place and Mecca near my house where I could be who I wanted to be and find myself as an individual . '' She described being a role model to girls and young women as being not a burden but a privilege . `` I 'm so blessed that I 'm here , '' she said . `` I 'm absolutely not one of those people who 's a self-obsessed , masturbatory artist who does n't care about my fans or my effect on my fans . I have a very keen understanding of my effect or what I can do . `` And when you 're in the public eye you 're a role model whether you want to be or not . And I want to be . '' But both women were evasive on a possible collaboration with another blonde icon -- Madonna . `` I do n't know , '' said Lauper . `` Who knows ? You always keep it open . '' | Gaga is a worldwide pop icon thanks to hits such as `` Poker Face '' Promoting HIV and AIDS awareness along with singer Cyndi Lauper . Lauper says she does not know if the pair will collaborate with Madonna . Gaga : If you 're in the public eye you 're a role model whether you want to be or not . | [[513, 521], [527, 600], [0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 153], [901, 918], [1194, 1208], [2167, 2219]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A country with a Mediterranean climate and sparse snowfall , Israel is seldom considered a viable competitor in winter sports . So when Roman Zaretsky and his sister Alexandra take the ice in Vancouver on Friday , they will be skating for more than just a medal . The ice dancing pair hope to show the world that Israel can be a fierce competitor , no matter what the season . For Roman Zaretsky , 27 , the weather was never a deterrent and competing in the Winter Games was always the goal . `` I always knew I wanted to be in the Olympics , since I was 10 , '' Zaretsky says . Zaretsky and Alexandra Zaretsky , 22 , who is called Sasha , were taught to skate by their mother when they were young . The siblings began ice dancing , a form of figure skating that focuses more on choreography and draws from the world of ballroom dancing . `` I do n't remember a moment of life without skating , '' Roman Zaretsky said . `` In Russia , that was one of the biggest sports and then it kind of became my life slowly . Then we started skating together and it became our life . '' The Zaretskys were born in Minsk , Belarus , under the former Soviet Union . Their family decided to leave the country as soon as it was possible and moved to Israel . They settled in Metula , a city near the Lebanese border , which boasts the country 's only regulation size ice rink . Metula held a number of challenges for the two young skaters . The Zaretskys often found themselves with little time on the ice , because they had to share it with other skaters and hockey players , who would come to the rink to practice . `` The ice time was not enough . We had 45 minutes a day and we need much more than that , '' Sasha Zaretsky said . `` Usually one practice here is an hour and a half , so it 's not enough to become an Olympic athlete . '' Living and practicing so close to Lebanon 's border also meant dealing with warfare and instability . They had to evacuate the area several times , and the ice rink itself was bombed three times while they were living there . Despite the difficulties , the pair continued training under their mother 's tutelage until she had taught them everything she knew . `` Our mom was coaching us until we reached the moment where she said , ` OK , I can not give you anymore , ' '' Roman Zaretsky said . '' ` You need to go somewhere else if you want to move on . ' '' So in 2001 , when Roman was 17 and Sasha 13 , they left home for the United States , where , for the second time in their lives , they had to adjust to a new culture and learn a new language . They decided to settle in New Jersey , one of several East Coast states renowned for its excellent skating coaches . For the past three years , the Zaretskys have been coached by Galit Chait , a former Olympic ice dancer . Chait has known the siblings for a long time and even helped pave the way for their Olympic appearances . Along with her partner , Sergei Sakhnovski , Chait competed in Winter Games three times , including the 2002 Winter Olympics where she placed sixth overall . However , Chait and Sakhnovski did not receive much funding from the Israeli government in the beginning , and Chait 's parents often supported them . `` We were the pioneers . We did n't get money until we started placing and getting medals , '' Chait said . `` Roman and Sasha have it a little bit better than we did . '' Although funding is still hard to come by , Chait 's father , Boris , has provided the majority of the money for the Zaretskys . Training Olympic athletes can bear a hefty price , because there is also a lot of work done off the ice . In addition to a coach and booking time on the ice , a choreographer , a Pilates trainer , a stretch coach , a weight training coach , a masseuse and a costume designer are necessary . `` It is a project . It 's not only money , you become involved in the everyday life of these kids , '' Boris Chait said . `` You become like a second father or a foster family . '' But it is a project the Chait family is willing to undertake in order to help build a legacy in Israel and cater to the large percentage of the population from the former Soviet Union . Boris Chait believes Soviet culture , even when transplanted into a warm climate , is still intricately entwined with winter sports . He is confident that this segment of the country wants to see Israel compete in the Winter Games and he said he believes the Zaretskys can display Israel 's competitiveness in Vancouver this year . The siblings made their first Olympic appearance in 2006 , where they finished 22nd . They had only learned they had qualified two weeks before the ceremonies began and were in awe of the entire experience . This time , however , they feel confident they will do better . Their coach agrees . `` They 've been skating really well this year and it 's been a really good year for them , '' Chait said . The Zaretskys recently placed seventh in the European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn , Estonia , and have been practicing diligently for the Olympic Games in Vancouver . While they would love to bring home a medal , they are also grateful for the opportunity to represent their country . `` Our country never won an Olympic medal , so we 're hoping for a medal , but placing in the top 10 would be amazing , '' Roman Zaretsky said . Win or lose , the Zaretskys are hoping to inspire kids back home to pick up the sport and to aim for the Olympics . `` Everything is possible , '' Zaretsky said . `` If you want to be there , you 'll be there , so just work hard ! '' | Brother and sister team is representing Israel in ice dancing . Roman and Alexandra Zaretsky hope to inspire kids in Israel to take up the sport . Born in Belarus , they moved to Israel , but came to U.S. for better training facilities . They were 22nd at the 2006 games but feel they can do better in Vancouver . | [[164, 193], [204, 239], [5394, 5495], [1103, 1135], [1148, 1179], [1233, 1235], [1253, 1270], [4589, 4593], [4602, 4622], [4745, 4754], [4767, 4808]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators found testosterone , painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs in the body of professional wrestler Chris Benoit , who killed his wife and son last month before hanging himself in his Atlanta home , a medical examiner said Tuesday . Investigators found steroids in the body of pro wrestler Chris Benoit , who killed his family in June . Dr. Kris Sperry , Georgia 's chief medical examiner , said the body of Benoit 's wife , Nancy , also contained painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs . Sperry said it 's likely the Benoits ' 7-year-old son , Daniel , was sedated at the time he was murdered , because a high level of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax was found in the boy 's system . Xanax is not normally prescribed for children , Sperry said . Chris Benoit 's body contained an `` elevated '' level of testosterone and therapeutic levels of Xanax and the painkiller hydrocodone , Sperry said . But , he said , the level of testosterone revealed nothing conclusive about the wrestler 's state of mind before his death . `` There 's no reliable scientific data that says elevated levels of testosterone lead to psychotic rage , '' Sperry said . `` The only thing we can ascertain is that this level of testosterone indicates that he had been using testosterone at least in some reasonably short period of time before he died , '' he said . `` It could be an indication he was being treated for testicular insufficiency . '' The investigators found no other drugs , including steroids , in Benoit 's body . The investigation into the Benoits ' deaths led to speculation that the wrestler may have been injecting steroids and had experienced what is called '' ` roid rage , '' leading him to kill his wife and son . An official who is part of the investigation told CNN last month that Benoit 's name was on receipts that indicated he had purchased shipments of anabolic steroids and human growth hormones from Signature Pharmacy . The Orlando , Florida , facility is at the center of a nationwide investigation into the sale of illegal steroids . Phil Astin , Benoit 's personal doctor , has been indicted by a grand jury on seven charges of improperly dispensing and distributing painkillers and other drugs . Astin has been released on $ 125,000 bond and is under house arrest . Although Benoit 's name was not mentioned in Astin 's indictment , his arrest stemmed from the investigation into the Benoits ' deaths . `` Through prescription records for Mr. Benoit maintained at a pharmacy in Fayetteville , Georgia , Dr. Astin was identified as prescribing , on average , a 10-month supply of anabolic steroids to Mr. Benoit every three to four weeks from May 4 , 2006 , through May 9 , 2007 , '' the U.S. attorney 's office said . Sperry said the body of Nancy Benoit also contained therapeutic levels of hydrocodone and Xanax , along with hydromorphone , which he said is a byproduct of the breakdown of hydrocodone . Nancy Benoit 's blood alcohol level was .184 , which is over the legal limit for intoxication , but Sperry said all of the alcohol found in her body `` could come from the decomposition process . '' Sperry said investigators did not have enough specimen to test for steroids or human growth hormone in Daniel 's body . Daniel 's body showed signs of needle marks at the time of his death , but Sperry could not speculate why . District Attorney Scott Ballard would not answer questions about the state of the investigation into the Benoits ' deaths , which he said is ongoing . `` We 'd rather wait until we have more of the pieces so we can be more accurate and discuss more of a whole what happened , '' he said . `` We 're trying to envision as best we can what happened inside that household . This -LRB- the toxicology report -RRB- adds one element to all the other elements . '' Police have said Benoit , 40 , strangled his wife , Nancy , and suffocated Daniel , then placed Bibles next to their bodies before hanging himself on a portable weight machine over the weekend of June 23 . E-mail to a friend . | Testosterone found in wrestler Chris Benoit 's body , officials said . Xanax and other drugs found in his wife , Georgia ME says . Benoit is believed to have killed his wife and son in June , then killed himself . | [[277, 346], [783, 916], [243, 276], [2769, 2891], [122, 156], [163, 197], [321, 346], [353, 380], [1709, 1750]] |
Boston , Massachusetts -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Republican Scott Brown won a major upset victory in Tuesday 's special election for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by liberal Democrat Ted Kennedy . Brown defeated Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley , the Democratic candidate . Brown 's victory made real the once unthinkable prospect of a Republican filling the seat held by Kennedy , known as the liberal lion , for almost 47 years until his death from brain cancer in August . Voters across Massachusetts braved winter cold and snow for an election with high stakes -- the domestic agenda of President Obama , including his priority of health care reform . Brown 's victory strips Democrats of the 60-seat Senate supermajority needed to overcome GOP filibusters against future Senate action on a broad range of White House priorities . Senate Democrats needed all 60 votes in their caucus to pass the health care bill , and the loss of one seat imperils generating that support again for a compromise measure worked out with the House . In a subdued concession speech , Coakley said she expected a tough assessment of her loss and lots of `` Wednesday-morning quarterbacking '' after losing a seat held by Democrats for more than 50 years . `` I am heartbroken at the result , '' Coakley said , later adding : `` Although I am very disappointed , I always respect the voters ' choice . '' Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin said last week that certifying Tuesday 's election results could take more than two weeks -- potentially enough time to allow congressional Democrats to pass a final health care bill before Brown is seated . But multiple Democratic sources said this is unlikely . Even if House and Senate Democrats could reach a deal to meld their bills and pass them in the next couple of weeks , there would be a huge outcry from not only Republicans , but also an increasingly distrustful public if they appeared to be rushing it through . Galvin had predicted as many as 2.2 million of the state 's 4.5 million registered voters would vote -- at least double the turnout from December 's primary . In one sign of high interest , more than 100,000 absentee ballots were requested ahead of the election , according to Galvin 's spokesman , Brian McNiff . Coakley was initially expected to easily win the race to replace Kennedy , who made health care reform the centerpiece of his Senate career . Until recently , Brown was underfunded and unknown statewide . In addition , no Republican has won a U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts since 1972 , and Democrats control the governorship , both houses of the state legislature , and the state 's entire congressional delegation . However , Brown surged in the weeks preceding Tuesday 's vote and led in all the final polls . Democratic sources told CNN that Coakley called Brown on Tuesday night to concede . In a sign of the high stakes involved , the Coakley campaign held an afternoon news conference Tuesday to complain that voters in three places received ballots already marked for Brown . iReport : Send us your thoughts on the special election . McNiff confirmed that the secretary of state 's offices received two reports of voters saying they got pre-marked ballots . The suspect ballots were invalidated and the voters received new ballots , McNiff said . Kevin Conroy , the Coakley campaign manager , said the `` disturbing incidents '' raised questions about the integrity of the election . In response , the Brown campaign issued a statement criticizing Coakley 's team . `` Reports that the Coakley campaign is making reckless accusations regarding the integrity of today 's election is a reminder that they are a desperate campaign , '' Daniel B. Winslow , the counsel for the Brown campaign , said in the statement . Obama has been both `` surprised and frustrated '' by the race , White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday . Obama and former President Bill Clinton hit the campaign trail over the past three days in an attempt to save Coakley 's campaign , which observers say was hampered by complacency and missteps . Obama crushed Sen. John McCain in Massachusetts in 2008 , beating the GOP presidential nominee by 26 points . `` If you were fired up in the last election , I need you more fired up in this election , '' Obama urged a crowd at a Coakley campaign rally on Sunday . Vicki Kennedy , the late senator 's widow , called on state Democrats to turn out to save her husband 's legacy . `` We need your help . We need your support . We need you to get out there and vote on Tuesday , '' Kennedy said . `` We need you to bring your neighbors . We need you to bring your friends . '' Brown , who has trumpeted his 30 years of service in the National Guard , hewed to traditional GOP themes at the end of the campaign . He promised at a rally Sunday that , if elected , he would back tax cuts and be tougher on terrorists than Coakley . He also repeated a pledge to oppose Obama 's health care reform effort . `` Massachusetts wants real reform and not this trillion-dollar Obama health care that is being forced on the American people , '' he said . `` As the 41st -LSB- Republican -RSB- senator I will make sure that we do it better . '' Forty-four percent of Massachusetts voters cited the economy and jobs as their top concern in a recent 7 News/Suffolk University poll . Thirty-eight percent mentioned health care as their top concern . Voters more concerned with the economy were split almost evenly between the two candidates ; voters more worried about health care narrowly supported Coakley . Brown 's surprising strength came in part because some independents and conservatives who have supported Democrats in the past were having second thoughts . Democrats far outnumber Republicans in Massachusetts , but there are more independents than Democrats and Republicans combined . Several Democratic sources say multiple Obama advisers have told the party they believed Coakley was going to lose , despite Obama 's campaign appearance for Coakley on Sunday . Facing the possibility of Coakley 's defeat , Democrats were trying to figure out if they could pass health care reform without that crucial 60th Senate vote . The seat is currently held by former Kennedy aide and longtime friend Paul Kirk , who was appointed to the seat on an interim basis . Two Democratic sources in close contact with the White House told CNN on Monday they 've urged the administration , in the event of a Brown victory , to push House Democrats to pass the Senate 's health care bill as currently written . Doing so would prevent the plan from having to be taken up by the Senate again . `` I think the Senate bill clearly is better than nothing , '' House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Maryland , said Tuesday . A third option would be for Democrats to revisit the idea of trying to push health care through the Senate with only 51 votes -- a simple majority . But to do that Democrats would have to use a process known as reconciliation , which presents technical and procedural issues that would delay the process for a long time . A number of Democrats are eager to put the health care debate behind them and move on to economic issues such as job creation as soon as possible this election year . Senate Democrats could also try again to get moderate GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine to vote for a compromise health reform plan . Multiple Democratic sources , however , have said they believe that is unlikely now . CNN 's Jim Acosta , Dana Bash , Kevin Bohn , Ed Henry , Ed Hornick , John King , Suzanne Malveaux , Shawna Shepherd , Jessica Yellin , Alan Silverleib and Tom Cohen contributed to this report . | Democrat Martha Coakley concedes to Republican Scott Brown . President Obama `` frustrated '' by Massachusetts Senate race , aide says . Good turnout expected as Massachusetts votes to fill Sen. Ted Kennedy 's seat . Democrats would lose filibuster-proof majority in Senate with Brown win . | [[195, 255], [3810, 3872], [126, 194], [667, 845]] |
Baltimore , Maryland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama and House GOP leaders promised greater efforts to step back from the partisan brink Friday , acknowledging that Washington 's toxic political climate has made it increasingly tough to tackle major problems . The pledge was immediately called into question , however , as the two parties repeatedly expressed sharply differing viewpoints during a rare meeting at a House Republican retreat in Baltimore . Obama accepted an invitation from House GOP leaders to address their caucus . His speech Friday was followed by an often pointed question-and-answer session . `` House Republican leaders are grateful for -LSB- Obama 's -RSB- willingness to come ... and have a frank and honest conversation , '' said Rep. Mike Pence , R-Indiana . `` We welcome the dialogue with the president . '' The president accused Republicans of frequently mischaracterizing his policy proposals , particularly in the health care debate . Republicans , in turn , complained the White House and congressional Democrats had ignored their ideas , locked them out of the policy-making process and unfairly labeled them as obstructionists . `` Both sides can take some blame for a sour climate on Capitol Hill , '' Obama said , adding that Democrats and Republicans need to be careful in choosing their rhetoric . `` A ton of civility instead of slash and burn would be helpful . '' The president highlighted what he said was problematic GOP rhetoric on his health care proposals . Republicans , he said , had characterized the proposed program as some `` kind of Bolshevik plot . '' In fact , he said that much of his plan was similar to what Republicans had proposed during the failed Clinton-era push to overhaul health care . Both sides need to `` close the gap a little bit between rhetoric and reality , '' the president argued . Calling his health care plan `` some wild-eyed plot to impose big government in every aspect of our lives '' leaves little room for bipartisan negotiation , Obama said . The president questioned how Republicans could negotiate in good faith after using such rhetoric without exposing themselves to conservative primary challengers . House Minority Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio , said he tried to be honest about differences over administration proposals . `` I truly believe a government takeover of health care ... is the essence of their bill , '' Boehner said . Obama conceded there 's been a failure on his part to `` try to foster better communications even if there 's disagreement . '' He has promised regular meetings with GOP leaders in the future . Boehner welcomed the gesture but said it is equally important for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to give Republicans a greater role in the legislative process . Bipartisanship `` is n't about taking one little Republican idea and throwing it in a 2,000-page bill , '' he said after Obama argued that Democratic leaders had taken GOP proposals into account in the health care debate . `` If you 're really serious about building a bipartisan product ... you need to do it from the beginning . '' Republicans criticized the president for failing to fulfill a promise to televise all the health care negotiations on C-SPAN . Obama called the criticism `` legitimate '' but noted the overwhelming majority of committee hearings on the legislation had been conducted in front of TV cameras . After the bills had cleared the committees , however , it became a `` messy process , '' he conceded . `` I take responsibility for not having structured it in a way where it was all taking place in one place that could be filmed , '' he said . Obama and Republicans strongly criticized each other on a range of issues tied to taxes and spending . GOP leaders said Obama 's $ 862 billion stimulus plan had been ineffective and repeatedly urged the president to consider an across-the-board tax cut . Obama said it would be wrong to slash taxes for the richest Americans or the banking sector in a weak economy . He also argued that the stimulus program had saved key jobs in GOP districts across the country . `` There is not a single person in here who , had it not been for what was in the stimulus package , would n't be going home to more teachers laid off , more firefighters laid off , more cops laid off , '' he said . `` The component parts of the Recovery Act are consistent '' with what many Republicans say are important , he said . The stimulus helped in terms of `` rebuilding our infrastructure , tax cuts for families and businesses , and making sure that we were providing states and individuals some support when the roof was caving in . '' The president said he agrees with the GOP emphasis on fiscal responsibility but hinted that Republicans could do more to help control spending , including curtailing legislative earmark requests for their own districts . He also said he is willing to work with Republicans on the enactment of a line-item veto . `` There 's not a president out there that would n't like that , '' he said . Despite their disagreements , both sides agreed the day 's dialogue was a step in the right direction . `` I hope that the conversation we begin here does n't end here , that we can continue our dialogue in the days ahead , '' Obama said . The day `` went very well , '' Boehner replied later . `` There are issues we do agree on '' and Republicans will work to find `` common ground . '' We should `` set aside perhaps the things that the president believes in that we philosophically do n't , but if there is some common ground we ought to go ahead forward with those , '' said Rep. Eric Cantor , R-Virginia . Friday 's meeting , he said , was `` the kind of discussion , frankly , that we need to have more of . '' | NEW : House Minority Leader John Boehner says the day `` went very well '' President Obama says stimulus plan saved jobs in GOP districts . Obama says some Republicans acted as if health care plan was `` some Bolshevik plot '' Obama says Democrats , Republicans both are to blame for `` sour climate '' on Capitol Hill . | [[5293, 5313], [4017, 4019], [4025, 4114], [1410, 1508], [1509, 1520], [1523, 1530], [1533, 1607], [12, 77], [149, 263], [971, 982], [995, 1039], [1168, 1236]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Power-driven wheelchairs are costing Medicare and its beneficiaries nearly four times what suppliers pay for them , and competitive bidding could have reduced those costs , according to an inspector general 's report released Wednesday . Competitive bidding would have cut costs on a standard power wheelchair by nearly $ 1,000 , the report says . A standard power wheelchair costs the federal health insurance program for seniors an average of $ 4,018 to lease , compared with $ 1,048 for suppliers to buy , the Department of Health and Human Services ' internal watchdog reported . `` Medicare and its beneficiaries paid suppliers an average of $ 2,970 beyond the supplier 's acquisition cost to perform an average of five services and cover general business costs , '' the report found . The difference was not as dramatic for more advanced wheelchairs used for physical rehabilitation patients , but at an average lease of $ 11,507 , those chairs still cost Medicare about twice as much as the $ 5,880 paid by suppliers , the report found . More than 173,000 Medicare beneficiaries received power wheelchairs in the first half of 2007 , at a cost of about $ 686 million , the report said . The cost could have been reduced considerably had Congress not delayed a planned system of competitive bidding for what Medicare classifies as `` durable medical equipment , '' such as wheelchairs and oxygen tanks , the report said . Competitive bidding would have cut Medicare 's average cost of a standard power wheelchair by nearly $ 1,000 , the inspector general found . `` Medicare and beneficiary payments under the Competitive Bidding Acquisition Program would have decreased by an average of 26 percent across all included categories of -LSB- durable medical equipment -RSB- , saving up to an estimated $ 1 billion annually , '' the report found . `` However , Congress delayed the program and exempted complex rehabilitation power wheelchairs from future competitive bidding . '' Medicare 's annual budget for 2008 was $ 444 billion . In January , it cut its payments to suppliers by 9.5 percent to make up for what it thought competitive bidding would have saved taxpayers , according to the report . In July , a CNN investigation found that a patient and taxpayers were billed about $ 1,200 over four years for a nonmotorized chair , while a nearly identical chair could be bought from the same supplier for $ 349 . The issue has become controversial as the Obama administration tries to overhaul the U.S. health care system and rein in the cost of Medicare . Administration officials want to require competitive bids for items such as wheelchairs . But the American Association for Homecare , which represents many in the durable equipment industry , said the bidding program would reduce patient choice , limit access to home medical care and drive up Medicare costs by requiring more hospital stays . | Watchdog report says competitive bidding could have reduced costs . Standard power wheelchair costs Medicare $ 4,018 to lease . Same wheelchair costs $ 1,048 for suppliers to buy , report says . Industry says competitive bidding would reduce patient choice , increase costs . | [[146, 200], [150, 169], [203, 246], [268, 357], [539, 613], [1224, 1269], [1458, 1566], [2081, 2083], [2209, 2234], [475, 491], [378, 460], [494, 529], [360, 377], [378, 460], [494, 529], [2081, 2083], [2209, 2234], [2235, 2242], [2245, 2450], [2689, 2726], [2787, 2938]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An unexpected and sudden spotlight on the Special Olympics , an organization that for more than 40 years has served and honored those with intellectual disabilities , comes less than two weeks before the nonprofit launches a new campaign : Spread the Word to the End the Word . Special Olympics is running a campaign to stop the use of the `` R-word . '' March 31 is being billed a `` national day of awareness , '' a call to Americans to recognize and rethink their use of the word `` retard , '' or as the organization would prefer , the `` R-word . '' `` Most people do n't think of this word as hate speech , but that 's exactly what it feels like to millions of people with intellectual disabilities , their families and friends , '' a statement about the campaign reads . `` This word is just as cruel and offensive as any other slur . '' The push for increased respect is being spearheaded by young people who are collecting pledges or vows to not use the word at http://www.r-word.org/ , and are leading online discussions on how people can get involved in this cause . So far , across the country , 300 schools have already committed to hosting rallies on March 31 , Special Olympics President and CEO J. Brady Lum said . An aggressive print and online campaign , targeting people ages 18 to 30 , will follow , said Kirsten Suto Seckler , who directs the organization 's global brand marketing and awareness . The ads designed by BBDO New York , will challenge the public -- with language meant to raise eyebrows -- to think about the issue more deeply . The campaign uses slurs against Asians , homosexuals , Jews and African-Americans to make the point that language can be harmful to all groups , including people with intellectual disabilities . Attention on the Special Olympics skyrocketed Thursday when , in a quick and clearly unscripted moment , President Obama exhibited the power of words during his history-making visit with Jay Leno . Watch Suzanne Malveaux 's look at Obama 's Tonight Show appearance '' While joking on The Tonight Show about his bowling prowess -LRB- during last year 's campaign trail he shamefully scored 37 in a game -RRB- , Obama said he 'd been practicing at the White House . He told Leno that he bowled 129 in the White House bowling alley and said his bowling skills are `` like Special Olympics or something . '' The comment during the taping of the show prompted Obama to pick up the phone on Air Force One and call Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver to preemptively apologize for the remark before it hit television screens . He also reportedly invited Special Olympic athletes to Pennsylvania Avenue to hit the lanes and give him tips or shoot some hoops . The president `` expressed his heartfelt and sincere commitment to work with our athletes and make this country a more accepting place for people with special needs , '' Lum , the organization 's president , said . What Obama said on The Tonight Show adds to the discussion that 's needed to raise awareness and has proven `` an incredibly important and seriously teachable moment , '' Lum said . From playgrounds to the `` top rungs of our leadership , including our president , '' he said Americans have plenty to talk about and learn when it comes to stereotypes and how words can sting . | Americans are being challenged to consider their use of `` R-word '' or `` retard '' Attention comes just before campaign : Spread the Word to End the Word . Obama 's Tonight Show gig included off-the-cuff reference to Special Olympics . Special Olympics president and CEO calls all the attention a `` teachable moment '' | [[432, 434], [472, 501], [0, 5], [259, 285], [325, 370], [1778, 1880], [1195, 1249], [2951, 2961], [3048, 3116]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- To hear leaders of the `` Draft John Mellencamp for Senate ! '' Facebook group tell it , this is a story about `` insider '' politicians , `` street-level voters '' and whether a likeable rock star with strong grass-roots appeal will run for the U.S. Senate . The `` movement , '' as the group calls it , was born less than three weeks ago with Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh 's stunning announcement he would not not run for re-election . The next morning , Gabrial Canada , 21 , was at home watching cable news reports about a Facebook page aimed at bringing Mellencamp , 58 , into the race . `` After I saw that I went right to the Facebook group , '' Canada said Wednesday from his home in Indianapolis . `` By then it had only been a matter of hours and it had already gotten a thousand members . It was incredibly exciting to see that catching hold . '' He contacted the group 's founder and from then on he was hooked . So far , the group has garnered more than 7,000 members in 16 days . `` There 's all this faux populism out there -- people who get paid millions of dollars to generate campaigns that look like they 're supporting the people , '' said Canada , a self-described community ambassador for a local PBS TV station . `` When you have the prospect of somebody as genuine as Mellencamp campaigning as someone people can relate to , it 's unique , it 's something you ca n't replace . '' But there 's another turn in this twisted tale . Because Bayh waited until February 15 to announce his decision , he essentially forced the party to choose its candidate instead of leaving it up to voters in the state 's May 4 primary . According to party rules , Indiana 's 32-member Democratic Central Committee will vote by secret ballot to decide who will run . The committee chairman said members wo n't consider anyone who has n't officially declared themselves a candidate . `` I do n't think -LSB- Mellencamp 's -RSB- going to declare , '' said chairman Dan Parker . For his part , Mellencamp continues to issue nothing but a terse `` no comment , '' through a spokesman . The idea that Indiana Democrats would not hold a primary to choose their Senate candidate felt like a `` punch in the face '' said Canada . It 's `` anti-democratic . '' `` I do n't think that the decisions of insiders are necessarily reflective of the popular political will , '' he said . Through meetup.com , Canada is organizing the first of a statewide series of planned rallies set for Friday at a 1950s-era hangout on Indianapolis ' folksy South Side . At Edwards Drive-In , home of the `` Jumbo Tenderloin '' and 99-cent root beer floats , Canada hopes to attract a dozen Mellencamp supporters , whom he 'll ask to sign a petition to be submitted to Indiana newspaper editors . In the coming days , Canada plans a much larger rally in the Democratic stronghold of Bloomington -- right in the small-town rocker 's own backyard . The fact that his Facebook campaign comes during an election cycle influenced by a larger , grass-roots Tea Party movement -- with polar opposite political views -- is n't lost on the Facebook page founder John Patterson . `` The end result of moving out the status quo in favor of new faces is probably the same goal , '' he said with a laugh . The Draft Mellencamp campaign is racing against a deadline . The state 's Democratic committee will hold its vote as early as May 15 , and any candidate , including Mellencamp , must officially declare 72 hours prior , according to Parker -- that would be noon May 12 . As for Mellencamp himself , he 's `` never expressed overt interest in running for anything , '' said the musician 's longtime publicist , Bob Merlis , by phone from his California office . Much has been written in the past few weeks about Mellencamp 's 2008 campaign performances for presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton , as well as his years of public support for family farmers and his opposition to the Iraq war . `` I do n't think it 's a crazy idea , '' Merlis said about the draft campaign . `` I mean that from the point of view of someone who knows him and knows his intellect and knows that he is an aware person . But he 's not a very politicked person -- meaning he is not prone to pull his punches . '' Opinion : Senator Mellencamp ? Crazy talk . Pundits and party officials say they 're stymied by this question : Instead of , `` No comment , '' why does n't Mellencamp just say , `` No thank you ? '' Why does n't he declare that he 's just not interested to reduce political confusion and streamline the nomination process ? `` I 've said something along the same lines , '' said Merlis . Indianapolis Star political columnist Matthew Tully , who has been covering Hoosier politics since 1992 , offered his theory : `` Why not just allow the buzz to go out there ? He 's a businessman , like a politician he knows it does n't hurt him to have people talking about it . So it is kind of interesting that he has n't officially said anything either way . My guess is he 's just enjoying the moment . '' However unlikely , a Mellencamp campaign could be formidable , said pundits , despite Indiana 's strong Republican establishment . `` A lot of Hoosiers think that he speaks for them , '' said Brian Howey of the daily online brief Howey Politics Indiana . `` He 's pretty well tapped into the Indiana soul . '' In the short time since Bayh 's announcement , two Democrats who were considering running have decided not to . Most of the Democratic establishment , said Tully , has coalesced strongly around moderate Rep. Brad Ellsworth , a former county sheriff . `` I was with a friend of Mellencamp 's in Bloomington last week , '' said Howey . `` His comment was , ` There 's no way John could last in the U.S. Senate . It would be absolutely stifling for him . He would n't be able to say exactly what 's on his mind . ' '' `` It 's one thing to be -LSB- ex-Saturday Night Live comedian and Minnesota Sen. -RSB- Al Franken , Harvard grad , who has some seriousness about him -- not that Mellencamp does n't -- I 'm just not sure the Senate 's an appropriate forum for him . '' Apparently , the Senate was becoming unpalatable for Bayh , who announced he was leaving because an overly partisan `` Congress is not operating as it should . '' `` The people 's business is not getting done , '' he said . Patterson , the Facebook page founder , blames political `` insiders '' for congressional gridlock and `` all the obstruction to progress we 're having right now . '' He sees the Internet as a way to break what he called an insiders ' stranglehold on the nomination process . `` We need someone like Mellencamp , who 's much more tuned to street-level voters . '' | Facebook page to draft John Mellencamp for Senate wins 7,000 members in 16 days . Organizer excited by movement 's momentum ; group plans statewide rallies . Mellencamp 's longtime publicist says it 's not a `` crazy idea '' Indiana Democratic officials say Mellencamp ca n't run unless he declares . | [[538, 605], [770, 772], [777, 812], [947, 1006], [2410, 2481], [2444, 2557], [3644, 3739], [3992, 4025], [3419, 3455], [3458, 3496]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Casey Johnson , heiress to the Johnson & Johnson fortune , died of natural causes related to diabetes , the Los Angeles County coroner said Thursday . The 30-year-old socialite was found dead at a friend 's home January 4 , authorities said . Johnson was one of the great-great-granddaughters of Robert Wood Johnson , a co-founder of the pharmaceutical giant , and was the daughter of Woody Johnson , owner of the New York Jets professional football team . She died of diabetic ketoacidosis , the coroner found . The Mayo Clinic describes the condition as a serious complication of untreated diabetes . Johnson was in the news recently because of her relationship with Internet and reality television star Tila Tequila . Several messages on Tequila 's official Twitter page mentioned Johnson in the wake of her death . `` I ca n't stop these haunting visions of her and I . We made such a lovely couple , only beginning to spend the rest of our lives together , '' a posting said the day after Johnson died . `` Everyone please pray 4 my Wifey Casey Johnson , '' Tequila wrote the day of Johnson 's death . `` She has passed away . Thank u for all ur love and support but I will be offline to be w family . '' Johnson 's family also expressed sadness . `` The Johnson family is mourning their tragic loss and asks for privacy during this very difficult time , '' a family representative said in a statement on the Jets ' Web site . `` The entire New York Jets organization is saddened at the news that Casey Johnson ... has passed away . '' CNN 's Tim Langmaid and Brittany Kaplan contributed to this report . | Coroner says natural causes related to diabetes caused death of Casey Johnson . Coroner : Socialite died of a serious complication of untreated diabetes . The 30-year-old had a high-profile relationship with reality TV star Tila Tequila . | [[14, 40], [103, 125], [111, 145], [537, 556], [557, 646]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The latest trend at teen parties is n't warm beer or prescription medicines pilfered from parents ' medicine cabinets . Instead , increasing numbers of youths are turning to an herb-based product to get high , and unlike marijuana , it 's perfectly legal . It 's known as K2 or Spice , a synthetic substance that , when smoked , gives users a marijuana-like high , according to drug authorities . Its growing popularity is causing increasing alarm among health care professionals , law enforcement authorities and lawmakers , with one Drug Enforcement Agency official calling its use the equivalent of `` playing Russian roulette . '' Should some illegal drugs be legalized ? Manufactured in Asia and sold online or in local stores , K2 and similar substances are marketed as herbal incense . A disclaimer on a K2-selling Web site reads : `` K2Herbal products are novelty incenses and are not for consumption . '' Sold in various flavors in 3-gram bags , the product consists of herbs that are sprayed with synthetic substances that mimic THC , the high-causing natural chemical found in marijuana . A call to regulate K2 . Health and drug officials say the danger in using such products is the unregulated nature of their production and makeup . `` Our biggest concern is that this particular chemical is likely manufactured in a dorm-room setting . And these dorm-room scientists are not going to be exhibiting a lot of quality assurance techniques , '' says Dr. Gaylord Lopez , a toxicologist and head of the Georgia Poison Center . As a result , there 's a potential for users to inhale contaminants along with the substance they think they 're smoking , Lopez said , which may be a contributing factor in the adverse symptoms some of its users have been experiencing . Political activist wants K2 banned . `` Synthetic drugs and herbal drug products like Spice and K2 are not made in a controlled environment and thus you are playing Russian roulette when it comes to these types of products , '' said Dawn Dearden , a spokeswoman for the DEA , which first began receiving reports about abuse of the substance last year . `` There is no way , outside of a controlled laboratory environment , to determine the chemical makeup , synthetic ingredients or amounts , and therefore there is no way to determine with any accuracy what the potentially harmful effects may be . '' Lopez says his center first heard of the substance in December when Georgia hospitals began reporting patients who had used K2 or Spice . Since then , the center has seen a spike in cases , with 20 people -- mostly teenagers -- visiting emergency rooms with such symptoms as heart palpitations and respiratory issues . In the most serious case , an otherwise healthy teenage boy , who has since recovered , lapsed into a coma , Lopez said . According to Dearden , additional side effects can include panic attacks , hallucinations , delusions , vomiting , increased agitation and dilated pupils . Around the center , Lopez said his employees have begun referring to the substance as `` Scary Spice . '' Earlier this month , Kansas became the first state to ban synthetic marijuana . Kansas state Sen. Jim Barnett , a supporter of the effort , said the ban was prompted by reports of abuse of K2 and similar products in cities across the state among high school students and prison parolees who were using it as an alternative to pot to avoid a positive drug test . Lawmakers in several other states are considering similar legislation , including Georgia , Utah , Missouri , Tennessee , Kentucky , North Dakota and Illinois . `` Although it is a synthetic drug , it is still a drug with a high potential for abuse , '' says Barnett , who is a physician . `` It was our desire in Kansas to be ahead of the problem . '' K2 has already been banned in some European countries , including Britain , Germany , Poland and France , and the DEA lists it as a drug of concern in the United States . `` We are seeing several indications that these THC-like substances could become a significant problem both domestically and internationally , '' Dearden says . She says the agency is in `` the preliminary stages of determining whether or not some or all of -LRB- synthetic substances -RRB- need to be controlled . '' | K2 or Spice , when smoked , gives users a marijuana-like high . Danger of products is the unregulated nature of their production and makeup . Side effects include heart palpitations , respiratory issues , panic attacks , hallucinations . Kansas has banned K2 ; many other states are considering similar laws . | [[276, 278], [282, 302], [305, 326], [334, 345], [348, 353], [305, 326], [348, 381], [1143, 1158], [1173, 1265], [2860, 2992], [3099, 3117], [3120, 3178], [3461, 3621]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani neuroscientist Aafia Siddiqui was convicted Wednesday of attempting to kill Americans in Afghanistan in 2008 . The jury found Siddiqui guilty of seven counts , including attempted murder and armed assault on U.S. officers . The Manhattan jury began deliberations Monday afternoon and sent a note shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday saying they had reached a verdict . Siddiqui listened to the verdict without emotion but let out an outburst once the jury was escorted out of the courtroom . `` This is a verdict from Israel , not America , '' she said . `` Anger should be directed to where it belongs . I can testify to this . I have proof . '' Authorities removed her from the courtroom . She will be sentenced May 6 . Siddiqui 's family said she had been unjustly found guilty . `` Today 's verdict is one of many legal errors that allowed the prosecution to build a case against our sister based on hate , rather than fact , '' they said in a statement released through the International Justice Network . `` We believe that as a result , she was denied a fair trial , and today 's verdict must be overturned on appeal . '' Prosecutors said Siddiqui shot at two FBI special agents , a U.S. Army warrant officer , an Army captain and military interpreters while she was being held unsecured at an Afghan facility on July 18 , 2008 . Authorities said Siddiqui used an officer 's rifle to fire two shots at the personnel , who were hidden from her view by a curtain . She hit no one . The warrant officer returned fire with a pistol , hitting Siddiqui at least once . Afghan police had arrested her a day earlier outside the Ghazni governor 's compound in central Afghanistan after finding her with bomb-making instructions , excerpts from the `` Anarchist 's Arsenal , '' papers with descriptions of U.S. landmarks , and substances sealed in bottles and glass jars , according to a September 2008 indictment . The indictment said Siddiqui had `` handwritten notes that referred to a ` mass casualty attack ' '' listing several locations in the United States and `` construction of ` dirty bombs . ' '' The notes also `` discussed various ways to attack ` enemies , ' including by destroying reconnaissance drones , using underwater bombs , and using gliders , '' the indictment said . `` Siddiqui also possessed a computer thumb drive that contained correspondence referring to specific ` cells , ' ` attacks ' by certain ` cells , ' and ` enemies , ' '' the indictment said . `` Other documents on the thumb drive discussed recruitment and training . '' Siddiqui , whom the FBI had sought for several years for suspected ties to al Qaeda , was extradited to the United States in August 2008 . Since 2003 , the whereabouts of Siddiqui , an American-educated neuroscientist , had been the source of much speculation . According to Amnesty International , Siddiqui and her three small children were reported apprehended in Karachi , Pakistan , in March 2003 , shortly after the FBI issued an alert requesting information about her location . Several reports indicated that Siddiqui was in U.S. custody after her arrest in Karachi . But in May 2004 , then-Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller identified Siddiqui as being among several sought-after al Qaeda members . | Aafia Siddiqui convicted of attempted murder , armed assault on U.S. officers . Prosecutors said Siddiqui shot at officers while being held in Afghan facility in 2008 . Siddiqui had been sought for several years for suspected ties to al Qaeda . `` This is a verdict from Israel , not America , '' Siddiqui says after verdict . | [[0, 24], [53, 148], [149, 261], [149, 157], [198, 261], [1162, 1218], [1370, 1455], [2591, 2599], [2607, 2674], [525, 571]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man authorities want to question in the slaying of a 7-year-old girl , whose body was dumped in a landfill , appeared in a Florida court Wednesday on child pornography charges after being extradited from Mississippi . Jarred Harrell , 24 , faces 29 counts of possession of child pornography in Clay County , Florida . Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler has said Harrell is also sought for questioning in the abduction and murder of Somer Thompson , but has not said why . Harrell was arrested in Meridian , Mississippi , by federal agents earlier this month , and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist asked Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour to extradite him . The arrest followed a search of Harrell 's residence , Clay County authorities said . Somer Thompson was last seen in the Clay County town of Orange Park on October 19 . Her body was found in a landfill in Folkston , Georgia , about 55 miles north of there . Authorities have not said how she was killed . Somer 's 10-year-old sister told police that Somer had been in a fight with another girl at school earlier that day and that she brought up the subject while she and her brother walked Somer home from school . Somer ran off , apparently upset . The sister said she lost sight of Somer in a group of other children leaving the school , according to a police report . Police said in October that witnesses including several children reported seeing her that day on a sidewalk in front of a vacant house that was being renovated following a fire . At Wednesday 's hearing , a judge continued Harrell 's $ 1 million bond . | Jarred Harrell , 24 , faces 29 counts of possessing of child pornography . Police want to question him the death of Somer Thompson , 7 . Police in Florida have not said why they want to talk with Harrell . Thompson was abducted in October ; her body was found in a Georgia landfill . | [[239, 253], [261, 326], [19, 89], [381, 465], [339, 371], [472, 490], [69, 89], [92, 127], [836, 924]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A driver for Naomi Campbell told police that he was assaulted by the supermodel Tuesday , according to the New York Police Department . NYPD Deputy Commission of Public Information Paul Brown said Campbell left the scene of the alleged assault on Manhattan 's East Side on foot . He said police were interested in speaking with her but did not know her whereabouts . Campbell 's spokesman , Jeff Raymond , told CNN in a written statement , `` There should n't be a rush to judgment . Naomi will co-operate voluntarily , and there is more to the story than meets the eye . '' Brown said the 27-year-old male driver pulled over about 3 p.m. in the vicinity of 58th Street and Second Avenue and reported to a traffic agent that he had been assaulted by Campbell . Campbell fled the scene while the traffic agent called for police , Brown said . The driver told officers that Campbell had struck him in the back of the neck and caused his head to hit the steering wheel , according to police . The driver , who was taken to a local precinct for questioning , had a small bruise and swelling under his right eye , according to police . The driver had been hired for the day to drive Campbell to a studio in Queens . Campbell , 39 , pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in 2007 , admitting she hit her former housekeeper with a cell phone in March of 2005 . In 2000 , she pleaded guilty to a 1998 charge of assault against an assistant . And in October 2006 , she was arrested again , this time in London , for allegedly attacking her drug counselor . Last month Campbell admitted on CNN 's Connect The World she had been working on controlling her anger after her recent outbursts . `` I took a lot of time out , '' she said . `` Everybody has their demons and I had to look in the mirror and face mine . `` Until I did that there was not going to be a change in my life . I did n't want to be the way I was . I 'm a work in progress Every day is a new day ... every day I 'm learning something new . But I know I 'm taking a step forwards and not backwards . '' | Male driver , 27 , tells police model Naomi Campbell struck him in back of neck . Police say she left scene of alleged assault on Manhattan 's East Side on foot . Police say they would like to question her but do n't know her whereabouts . Campbell spokesman : `` There is more to the story than meets the eye '' | [[0, 24], [56, 115], [603, 715], [603, 608], [618, 641], [720, 747], [753, 788], [870, 993], [1018, 1028], [1137, 1158], [164, 307], [225, 307], [789, 854], [996, 1017], [308, 394], [316, 359], [308, 310], [364, 394], [552, 578]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two British men were convicted Thursday of torturing and killing two French students in London last June , London 's Metropolitan Police said . Gabriel Ferez -LRB- left -RRB- and Laurent Bonomo were graduate biochemistry students at London 's Imperial College . Nigel Farmer , 34 , and Daniel `` Dano '' Sonnex , 23 , were also found guilty of arson , false imprisonment and burglary . The bodies of Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez , both 23 , were found in Bonomo 's burned apartment in southeast London last summer . Ferez 's mother , Francoise Villemont , told the judge that her son 's killing was `` indescribable and inexcusable . '' `` No human being deserves such a death , '' she said . `` My life stopped on the 29th June 2008 . I feel battered and bruised as a mother forever scarred . '' The lead detective in the case , Mick Duthie , said at the time that the two had fallen victim to a `` frenzied , brutal , horrific attack . '' During a five-week trial , the jury heard details of how the two students were tied up for hours , tortured for their credit-card personal identification numbers and repeatedly stabbed in an early morning attack June 29 , 2008 . Farmer went back to the apartment that night and set fire to it in an attempt to destroy the evidence , police said . Emergency services were called to the address after neighbors heard an explosion and saw flames leaping from the premises . Investigators initially believed the French men died in the fire , but an autopsy showed each had been stabbed dozens of times in the head , neck and torso -- 196 times , in Bonomo 's case and 47 times for Ferez . Police believe they were bound during the assault and an accelerant was used to start the fire after they were killed . Hand-held Sony portable games , mobile phones and credit cards were missing , police said . Bonomo 's card was used to withdraw # 360 -LRB- about $ 580 -RRB- in seven transactions . A bank machine seized Ferez 's card when someone tried to use it . Farmer turned himself in to police in the early hours of July 7 , 2008 , `` demanding to be seen and claiming to have committed a double murder . After hospital treatment , he was questioned for three days but chose to say nothing to police , '' Duthie said . Police appealed to the public for tips , prompting someone to name Sonnex as someone `` with a propensity to use violence and whose family lived very close by , '' the police said in a statement . Farmer and Sonnex were arrested in July . Bonomo 's father , Guy Bonomo , said he is `` tormented '' by images of his son 's suffering . `` Not only have you taken Laurent 's life , you 've taken my heart and soul , '' he told Farmer and Sonnex . `` I wish from the bottom of my heart that you will stay in prison for the rest of your lives . I ca n't bear to think that someone so evil will walk the streets again , that my daughter or a member of my family could encounter you again . '' In court , each blamed the other for killing the two men , police said . `` Throughout the case , neither has had the decency or courage to admit any part in the fatal assault on the two students with both men telling different stories and ultimately blaming each other , '' Duthie said . `` I 'm sad to say that we have not yet heard what did happen that early morning . '' The two men are due to be sentenced later Wednesday . The victims were biochemistry graduate students on a three-month course at Imperial College , London , studying genetic developments . They were planning to return to France in July . | Daniel Sonnex , Nigel Farmer convicted of killing Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez . Also found guilty of arson , false imprisonment and burglary . Bodies found in burned-out London flat last July after `` frenzied , brutal attack '' Investigators initially believed the two French students died in a fire . | [[180, 229], [298, 339], [354, 421], [422, 468], [476, 555], [837, 867], [884, 977], [1452, 1516]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A British man who strangled his wife in his sleep while dreaming that she was an intruder walked free from court Friday after the case against him was withdrawn , prosecutors said . The UK 's Crown Prosecution Service requested that the case against Brian Thomas , who killed wife Christine while they were on vacation in 2008 , be dropped due to a `` unique set of circumstances . '' Thomas , 59 , of Neath , South Wales , had been on trial for murder at Swansea Crown Court , with prosecutors seeking a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity that would have resulted in psychiatric custody . But they said a closer study of evidence led them to believe the defendant should be released without further action . `` We have duty to keep cases under continuous review , and following expert evidence from a psychiatrist it was suggested no useful purpose would be served by Mr Thomas being detained and treated in a psychiatric hospital , '' prosecutor Iwan Jenkins said in a statement . Jenkins said that there had never been any doubt that Thomas caused his wife 's death , but the prosecution accepted evidence from experts on sleep disorders that indicated he should not be convicted of murder or manslaughter . `` We therefore have offered no further evidence and asked the jury to return a simple verdict of not guilty . '' The court erupted in shouts of `` yes '' as family members greeted the outcome with jubilation , according to the UK Press Association . `` The death of Christine Thomas was thoroughly investigated by Dyfed Powys Police . Investigations continued after Mr Thomas was charged and involved the instruction of experts in several fields , '' Jenkins said . `` I must emphasize that the circumstances of this case are almost unique in the UK and there have been fewer than 50 instances recorded worldwide . It is only because of highly sophisticated tests carried out by sleep experts that Mr Thomas 's condition could be confirmed . `` Our thoughts remain with the family of Brian and Christine Thomas , who have remained dignified throughout this difficult time . '' The brief trial , which opened Tuesday , heard that Thomas killed his wife while the pair were taking a camper van vacation in western Wales , PA reported . One night , Thomas -- who experts said may have been suffering worsening dreams due to withdrawal from anti-depressants -- experienced a violent nightmare in which he attacked and fought an intruder and got him in a headlock , only to wake and find he had strangled his wife . Dismissing the charges , High Court Judge Justice Davis described Thomas as a `` decent man and devoted husband '' who bore no responsibility for his wife 's death , PA reported . Thomas 's brother Raymond Thomas said the family were `` delighted '' by the outcome , the news agency said . `` He has always been a loving husband and a family man , '' he said . '' This was a tragic , tragic episode and we are all very emotional . '' | Prosecutors described trial involving Brian Thomas as a `` unique case '' Thomas killed wife during a bad dream while pair was vacationing in 2008 . Judge described Thomas as a `` decent man and devoted husband '' | [[218, 417], [269, 298], [358, 417], [1726, 1850], [36, 49], [54, 125], [218, 417], [286, 298], [305, 316], [333, 362], [2134, 2149], [2175, 2274], [2568, 2578], [2593, 2679], [2858, 2913]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Human remains found buried under recently added concrete at a home in Plant City , Florida , are likely those of missing lottery millionaire Abraham Shakespeare , police said Thursday . Deputies made the discovery after a tip came in , suggesting investigators would find a body near a home in Plant City , according to CNN affiliate WFTV . Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee said the body was slowly being uncovered . They are awaiting positive identification . However , Gee said their investigation and information specifically led them to the area after they began to believe he might be dead because of `` sinister means and motives . '' `` Our indications were it would be there , '' Gee said during a news conference Thursday night . Police on Wednesday had scanned the newly finished concrete slabs near the home on Wednesday and removed it . On Thursday , Gee said they discovered the remains buried five feet below the surface , and it appeared the remains had been there for awhile . Shakespeare , a 43-year-old truck driver , won a $ 31 million Florida lottery prize in 2006 . A year later , he won a court challenge from a fellow trucker who accused Shakespeare of snatching the winning ticket out of his wallet while the two were delivering meat to Miami restaurants . Shakespeare 's family reported him missing on November 9 , telling the Polk County sheriff 's office they had n't seen him since April . Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said when their investigation began , they had hoped to find Shakespeare alive `` and he truly had just wanted to hide from those who were asking him for money . '' `` As our investigation continued , the information we developed led us to believe he may very well have ended up with an untimely death , '' Judd said . Both Judd and Gee said they would not comment on whether anything else was found inside the manmade grave , or whether a previous person of interest was connected to the area . The home , according to WFTV , belongs to the boyfriend of a person of interest in the disappearance of Shakespeare . While they await identification of the remains , police said they would begin to shift their focus to a murder investigation . `` It 's painfully obvious he did n't get there by himself , '' Judd said . Gee said police from Polk and Hillsborough counties were already working with prosecutors on the case and hope to bring to justice the person responsible for what they believe is clearly cold-blooded murder . `` Somebody put that body in that hole , '' Gee said . `` This is n't by any means just where we find someone on the side of the road . Somebody has obviously put him there . '' | Remains buried five feet below recently added concrete in Plant City , Florida . Police : Leads in missing lottery winner case led them to area they expected body to be . Abraham Shakespeare disappeared two years after he won $ 31 million . `` It 's painfully obvious he did n't get there by himself , '' sheriff says . | [[19, 45], [19, 24], [39, 60], [0, 15], [61, 99], [873, 884], [887, 958], [205, 252], [495, 573], [504, 601], [665, 706], [1017, 1028], [1060, 1110], [2215, 2240], [2241, 2272]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ten Americans detained last week while trying to take 33 Haitian children out of the country were charged Thursday with kidnapping children and criminal association , a government official said . Information Minister Marie Laurence Lassegue 's announcement came shortly after the five men and five women left a hearing at the prosecutor 's office . Under Haitian law , anyone accused of kidnapping a child is not eligible for bail , the attorney general 's office said . Conviction on the kidnapping charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison ; the criminal association charge carries a penalty of three to nine years , according to a former justice minister . Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive told CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' on Thursday night that the judge in the case has three months to decide whether to prosecute . `` We hope that he will decide long before those three months , '' he said . `` He can release them , he can ask to prosecute them . '' If a decision is made to prosecute , the case would be heard before a jury , he said . Told that the families of the detained Americans had pleaded for him to intervene , Bellerive said he could not . `` Those people are not in the hands of the government ; they are in the hands of justice , '' he said . `` We have to respect the law . It is clear that the people violated the law . What we have to understand is if they did it in good faith . '' Bellerive said the Haitian government was open to the possibility of the case being transferred to a U.S. court but said the request would have to come from the United States . `` Until now , I was not asked , '' he said . He expressed gratitude for the work of the vast majority of Americans who have helped in the aftermath of the January 12 earthquake that he said killed at least 212,000 people . The Americans were turned back Friday as they tried to take the children across the border into the Dominican Republic without proper documentation . They said they were going to house them in a converted hotel in that country and later move them to an orphanage they were building there . `` We can confirm that the 10 American citizens remain in custody in Haiti , '' said State Department deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid . `` We continue to provide appropriate consular assistance and to monitor developments in the legal case . '' The Americans have said they were just trying to help the children leave the earthquake-stricken country . Some of the detained Americans have said they thought they were helping orphans , but their interpreters said Wednesday that they were present when group members spoke with the children 's parents . Some parents in a village outside Port-au-Prince said they had willingly given their children over to the Americans , who promised them a better life and who said they could see their children whenever they wanted to . Government approval is needed for any Haitian child to leave the country , and the group acknowledged that the children had no passports . Some members of the group belong to the Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian , Idaho . One of the church 's ministers asked for privacy and would not discuss the matter . `` I know you have many questions but we do n't have answers right now , '' Drew Ham , assistant pastor , said in a note to reporters . P.J. Crowley , a spokesman for the U.S. State Department , has said that U.S. officials have been given unlimited consular access to the Americans and that U.S. and Haitian authorities are `` working to try to ascertain what happened -LSB- and -RSB- the motive behind these people . `` Clearly , there are questions about procedure as to whether they had the appropriate paperwork to move the children , '' he said Wednesday . CNN 's Karl Penhaul in Port-au-Prince , Dan Simon in Meridian , Ohio , and Jill Dougherty in Washington contributed to this report . | 10 Americans charged with kidnapping , criminal association . Missionaries denied bail because kidnapping charges involve children . Missionaries say they were trying to help children leave country . Haitian government says group was trying to kidnap children . | [[157, 206], [391, 408], [411, 472], [2394, 2500], [2418, 2500]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates will unveil the Pentagon 's plan to prepare for repealing the controversial `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' law regarding gay soldiers at a committee hearing Tuesday , a Pentagon spokesman said . `` The Defense Department leadership is actively working on an implementation plan and the secretary will have more to say about this next week , '' Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said on Thursday . President Obama said in his first State of the Union address Wednesday night that he would work with Congress and the Pentagon this year to repeal the law that prohibits military members from acknowledging openly that they are gay . According to the Senate Web site , the Senate Armed Services Committee has scheduled an hour to discuss the issue at Tuesday 's hearing on the fiscal year 2011 defense budget , which Gates will attend . The committee revised its schedule for the hearing , announcing that Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen will testify on the budget , as planned , as well as the `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' issue . Gates and Mullen are not expected to offer a specific legislative proposal to repeal the law , but rather to detail some of the preliminary steps that need to be taken inside the military in advance of formulating a legislative plan . Gates will discuss options for more `` humanely '' implementing the current ban , for example , according to a senior Pentagon official . The secretary asked his general counsel 's office for options six months ago including how to possibly not expel personnel whose homosexuality is revealed by third parties , the source said . The 1993 law bars gay men and lesbians in the military from revealing their sexual orientation , and prevents the military from asking about it . Another military official familiar with the discussion said some of the issues to be considered include the cost of implementing a new policy , benefits for gay spouses , potential hate crimes , and even logistical questions such as the possible need to renovate barracks to separate straight and gay troops . According to the official , the idea of separate housing or showers was not considered a serious possibility , but would be discussed in order to rule it out . Previously , Gates has said the transition from the existing law should be done gradually and `` very , very carefully . '' `` The president has been clear about where he wants to go and what he thinks needs to be done , '' Gates said in April at the Army War College when asked about changing the law . `` But I think that he is approaching this in a deliberate and cautious manner , so that if we do go down that road , we do it right and we do it in a way that mitigates any downsides , problems that might be associated with it . '' At least one member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- Gen. James Conway , commandant of the Marine Corps -- has expressed reservations in the past about repealing the law . In November , Conway said through a spokesman : `` Our Marines are currently engaged in two fights , and our focus should not be drawn away from those priorities . '' Some Congressional opposition already is clear . Sen. John McCain , R-Arizona , a former Navy pilot , released a statement after Wednesday night 's State of the Union address saying `` it would be a mistake '' to repeal the law . `` This successful policy has been in effect for over 15 years , and it is well understood and predominantly supported by our military at all levels , '' McCain 's statement said , later adding : `` At a time when our Armed Forces are fighting and sacrificing on the battlefield , now is not the time to abandon the policy . '' Others support the change . Gen. John Shalikashvili , former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , said it was time to repeal the law . `` As a nation built on the principal of equality , we should recognize and welcome change that will build a stronger more cohesive military , '' Shalikashvili said in a letter sent to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand , D-New York , who supports repealing the policy . The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network , an organization that works with those affected by the `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' law , praised Obama 's call for repeal . `` We very much need a sense of urgency to get this done in 2010 , '' the group said , later adding : `` The American public , including conservatives , is overwhelmingly with the commander in chief on this one . '' | President has called on Congress to repeal policy on gays in military . Defense Secretary Robert Gates will discuss Pentagon 's plan at Tuesday hearing . Issues include cost of implementation , benefits for gay spouses , potential hate crimes . | [[0, 26], [30, 93], [1833, 1940], [1893, 1911], [1929, 2078], [2791, 2836]] |
TAIJI , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mention a dolphin to someone in the United States and they 'll think about a trip to Sea World or the 1960s-era TV program `` Flipper . '' Residents in Taiji , Japan , have been hunting dolphins for hundreds of years . Talk about a dolphin in rural Japan and some people think of dinner . Fishermen hunt dolphins about every day in Taiji , a town of about 3,000 in southwestern Japan that juts into the Pacific Ocean . Locals know they offend Western sensibilities by eating dolphins , but they say it 's a tradition hundreds of years old . And they say outsiders have no more right to tell them to stop eating dolphins than they would have to demand that Westerners stop slaughtering , say , chickens or cows . Watch fishermen catch dolphins '' `` I know there are many different ways of thinking in different societies , but for us who 've been eating this for a long time ... it 's an awkward thing to be criticized for , '' says Kayoko Tanaka , a retired middle school teacher . `` I either fry dolphin meat or turn it into a stew . '' That disgusts Ric O'Barry , a 68-year-old retired dolphin trainer from Miami who makes a second home in Taiji , where he goes to unusual lengths to fight against the tide of local tradition . O'Barry sometimes dresses as a woman or wears a large surgical mask to disguise his Western identity on trips to spots overlooking the ocean . He prowls the cliffs with a video camera , hoping to catch fishermen in the act with footage that could stir emotions and raise awareness in the West . `` This here is ground zero for the largest slaughter of dolphins on planet Earth , '' says O'Barry , who trained five dolphins to play `` Flipper '' on the TV series of that name . `` It 's absolutely barbaric and it needs to stop . '' He says the dolphins face a cruel fate . `` It takes a very long time to die . They bleed to death . And some of them are dragged in the boats with hooks while they 're still alive , '' he says . `` Many of them are gutted while they 're still alive . '' Looming beyond questions of whether the slaughter is humane , however , are larger and more complex questions of culture and perspective . To some puzzled people in rural Japan , the question comes down to this : What 's the difference between killing and eating a dolphin and killing and eating a fish ? Or a chicken ? Or a cow ? Most Japanese do not eat dolphins -- it 's common in a few small fishing villages -- but the government respects the rights of people in towns like Taiji , says Joji Morishita , the international negotiator for Japan 's Fisheries Agency . Many Japanese consider the deer a sacred messenger from the gods , he says , but they would never suggest that people in other parts of the world stop venturing into the woods on a quest for venison , Morishita says . `` We do n't like to play God to say this animal is just for food and this is not , '' he says . `` Because we know nation to nation we have totally different ideas . '' That 's obvious in the growing clash between Australia and Japan over whale hunting . Japanese ships crisscross the Antarctic Ocean each winter to capture and kill up to 1,000 whales . Whaling is allowed under international law when done for scientific reasons , which Japan cites as the legal basis for its hunts . Legal justifications aside , however , the whale hunts offend many people in Australia , where new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has turned up the political pressure on Japan . His government has dispatched a customs ship to monitor and videotape the whalers . And Rudd says Australia could even file charges against Japan in an international court to try to stop the whaling . Back in Taiji , the fishermen are well aware of the Western sentiment that motivates whaling opponents . They realize the danger to their way of life that can come with prying cameras from other countries . When CNN trained its cameras on fishermen gutting some freshly killed dolphins , the fishermen erected some tarps to obstruct the view . Representatives of the Taiji Fishermen 's Union declined CNN requests for an on-camera interview . So did the town 's mayor and several others . And O'Barry says he 's gotten into a few shouting matches with fishermen , who resent him and his camera . So what does O'Barry say to their claim that he has no right to tell them to abandon a tradition that has flourished in their small corner of the world for more than 400 years ? `` If someone came to my hometown and told me what to do , what to eat , I 'd be outraged , '' he says . `` But that 's not going to stop me from doing it . I mean , tradition ? It used to be traditional for women not to vote . So do we keep that going because it 's traditional and cultural ? Of course not . '' Complicating the debate are findings suggesting that eating dolphins may not be good for one 's health . The Japanese government said in 2005 that bottlenose dolphin meat contains 12 times more mercury than blue fin tuna -- high levels of mercury in fish can cause health problems in pregnant women and young children . A city councilman in Taiji , Junichiro Yamashita , grew so concerned about mercury levels that he persuaded locals schools to stop serving dolphin meat at lunch . He even plucked some of his hair , sent it off for testing and discovered that it contained seven times as much mercury as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers safe . The mercury findings have not swayed Masaru Matsushita , a Taiji fish dealer . He says that dolphin activists like O'Barry only see their needs without understanding the culture in his town . `` I understand that they think the dolphin in a cute animal , and I agree they 're cute doing performances , '' he says , `` but it is our culture to eat dolphins . '' E-mail to a friend . | Dolphin hunts have been carried out in Japanese town for centuries . Westerners protest `` barbaric '' slaughter of the marine mammals . Local residents say other nations have no right to criticize dolphin hunts . Japanese government has found unsafe mercury levels in dolphins . | [[172, 190], [193, 251], [322, 370], [523, 573], [4365, 4473], [574, 628], [4892, 5106]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A California man sold his 14-year-old daughter to an 18-year-old man for cash , beer and meat -- then called police when the prospective bridegroom did n't live up to his end of the deal , authorities said Tuesday . Marcelino de Jesus Martinez faces felony charges , according to police in Greenfield , California . Marcelino de Jesus Martinez , 36 , of Greenfield , California , was arrested Monday and booked into the Monterey County Jail , Greenfield police said in a statement . He faces felony charges of receiving money for causing a person to cohabitate , police said . Martinez had arranged through a third party to have his daughter marry the older teenager , identified by authorities as Margarito de Jesus Galindo , of Gonzales , California . In exchange , Galindo was to pay Martinez $ 16,000 and provide him with 160 cases of beer , 100 cases of soda , 50 cases of Gatorade , two cases of wine , and six cases of meat , Greenfield Police Chief Joe Grebmeier told CNN . All those involved in the case are from the western Mexican state of Oaxaca , the police chief said . In the Oaxacan community , such an agreement is `` normal and honorable , '' he said . `` In California , it 's against the law . '' Watch for a list of the groceries dad reportedly wanted '' In Oaxacan culture , the food and beverages are provided by a prospective bridegroom for the wedding , Grebmeier said . Authorities believe the young girl went with Galindo willingly , and no coercion was involved , he said . However , the girl is four years younger than California 's age of consent , although the law does allow 16-year-olds to marry with parental consent . `` The 14-year-old juvenile moved in with Galindo and when payments were not received , the father , Martinez , called Greenfield PD to bring back the daughter , '' according to a written police statement . The girl was reported as a runaway juvenile on December 18 , Grebmeier said , and police took a missing-persons report and put out a flier . But `` as we investigated , it started to develop into something that may not have been a runaway , '' he said , and police began to believe Martinez wanted them to bring back his daughter , since he had received no payment . On January 2 , Galindo and the girl returned from a trip to Soledad , a town a few miles north of Greenfield , and were interviewed . Police learned the couple had never married , but had engaged in sexual relations , Grebmeier said . Galindo and Martinez were neighbors at an apartment complex and were apparently from the same area in Mexico , the police chief said . A third party was brokering the marriage deal , he said , and is cooperating with authorities . But the young couple apparently left for Soledad before the negotiations were complete . Martinez was arrested Sunday after undergoing additional questioning by police , Grebmeier said . He remained jailed Tuesday . Galindo was cited for statutory rape and released , Grebmeier said . The girl was returned to her family , he said , as authorities believe she is in no danger . However , police reported the case to child protection officials . The Greenfield area has had a large influx of Oaxacans . A presentation on understanding Oaxacan culture is posted on the Greenfield police Web site . `` Arranged marriages are common in several cultures , and this is not an issue among consenting adults over the age of 18 , '' police said in the statement . `` But California has several laws regarding minors , the age of consent and human trafficking . '' Police are trying to be culturally sensitive , Grebmeier told CNN , but `` when I 'm in Mexico , I have to respect Mexican laws . When you 're in the United States , you have to respect United States laws . That 's the bottom line . '' He said he wanted to send a message to immigrant communities that such behavior is unacceptable . He said his department has long heard rumors of children as young as 12 being sold or offered for sale . The Greenfield police statement said arranged marriages between young girls and older men `` have become a local problem . '' Greenfield is about 140 miles southeast of San Francisco . | Third party set up marriage between 14-year-old girl and 18-year-old man , police say . Groom was supposed to give the girl 's father cash and cases of beer , soda , meat . When groom did n't pay up , father called the cops , say police in Greenfield , California . Such arrangements are normal in Mexican state where family is from , police say . | [[596, 639], [626, 685], [648, 757], [2616, 2661], [4006, 4095], [19, 112], [773, 784], [787, 949], [92, 112], [116, 205], [235, 262], [286, 319], [1726, 1748], [1760, 1770], [1784, 1831], [582, 595]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities in Cleveland , Ohio , brought in cadaver dogs Wednesday to search the childhood home of a registered sex offender accused in the deaths of 11 women . `` We 're just trying to cover all our bases , '' said Scott Wilson , spokesman for the FBI , which is assisting local detectives in the case . Anthony Sowell , 50 , was arrested in October after authorities serving a search warrant in a rape case discovered six bodies in and around his current home . Subsequent searches turned up five more bodies , all African-American women . Authorities have said they are looking at the unsolved murders of three women in East Cleveland to determine whether they share any similarities with the remains found at Sowell 's home . Wednesday 's search comes a day after Sowell was indicted on 85 counts -- including aggravated murder , rape and kidnapping -- in the killings . In addition , Sowell is charged with `` brutalizing '' three other women and raping two of them , Cuyahoga County prosecutor Bill Mason said Tuesday . Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Sowell , Mason said . He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday . Sowell is now charged with 11 counts of aggravated murder with a `` mass murder specification , '' meaning multiple people were killed in a similar fashion , Mason said . He also is charged with abuse of a corpse , kidnapping and tampering with evidence . The indictment also alleges that Sowell assaulted women on December 8 , 2008 , and on September 22 and October 20 of this year . The September and October victims were raped , and the other woman was punched and choked before she escaped , Mason said . Sowell 's charges in those incidents include attempted murder , rape or attempted rape , kidnapping , robbery and felonious assault . Sowell already faced charges in the September 22 rape and has pleaded not guilty . On October 20 , neighbors reported seeing a naked woman fall from the second floor of his house . Firefighters responded and later notified police . But the woman told officers that she fell off the roof while she was at the home `` partying , '' police said earlier . No charges were filed at the time . Sowell threatened his victims and warned them not to contact police , Mason said . It 's possible there are other victims , he added , and urged anyone who has not come forward to do so . Sowell `` knew what he was doing was wrong at the time he was doing it , '' the prosecutor said . As of last month , Sowell was on suicide watch at the request of his public defender , Kathleen DeMetz . She had said a psychiatric evaluation had been ordered but was unlikely to happen until after an indictment was filed . Cuyahoga County Sheriff Bob Reid said Tuesday that Sowell has been a `` model prisoner , '' is kept in an isolated unit and has declined visitation requests . Most of the victims were strangled by ligature -- which could include a string , cord or wire -- and at least one was strangled by hand , officials said . Seven still had ligatures wrapped around their necks . All that has been found of one woman is a skull that was wrapped in a paper bag and stuffed into a bucket in the home 's basement . Sowell served 15 years in prison for a 1989 attempted rape and was released in 2005 . He was required to register as a sex offender . After the 11 victims were found , police used thermal imaging in mid-November in an attempt to see whether any additional human remains were on the property , and they dug certain areas by hand . No more were found . | Police `` trying to cover all our bases '' at Anthony Sowell 's childhood home . Sowell has been charged with killing 11 women , all found in or around current home . Sowell indicted Tuesday on 85 criminal counts , including murder , rape , kidnapping . | [[184, 225], [119, 180], [417, 483], [712, 749], [1161, 1174], [1183, 1254], [1161, 1167], [1171, 1254], [750, 894], [782, 873], [909, 990], [1670, 1803]] |
SEOUL , South Korea -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thousands of protesters battled riot police in downtown Seoul early Sunday morning after a rally opposing South Korea 's decision to import U.S. beef turned violent . More than 100 were wounded , the state news agency reported . Police use a water cannon to disperse protesters during a rally against U.S. beef imports in Seoul on Sunday . Clashes broke out after more than 15,000 protesters headed toward the presidential office , news agency Yonhap said . The demonstrators used ropes to pull down police buses that had been parked around the presidential office to block the marchers from entering . Many carried steel pipes and hurled rocks at officers . Police fired back with water cannons and fire extinguishers . South Koreans have protested regularly since April when the government announced it would resume importing beef from the United States after a five-year ban . That ban was instituted over a case of mad cow disease in 2003 . Watch police and protesters battle in streets '' The widespread public protests essentially paralyzed the government of President Lee Myung-bak , who replaced seven top aides this month and plans to reshuffle his cabinet . After a series of negotiations , Seoul and Washington came up with a revised agreement on June 21 -- one that limits imports to cattle less than 30 months old . Animals more than 30 months old are considered at a greater risk for mad cow disease , which can be transmitted to humans . The revised agreement also excludes the import of certain parts believed more susceptible to mad cow disease . The initial deal would have allowed the import of all U.S. beef imports . U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice , during a visit to visit to Seoul as part of an Asian tour , emphasized Saturday that American beef is safe and that her government will continue efforts to win consumer confidence . The assurance did little to placate demonstrators who took to the streets late Saturday night , leading to the latest riots . Scientists believe mad cow disease spreads when farmers feed cattle recycled meat and bones from infected animals . The U.S. banned recycled feeds in 1997 . Eating meat products contaminated with the illness has been linked to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease , a rare and fatal malady in humans . Until the 2003 ban , South Korea was the third-largest market for U.S. beef exporters . The U.S. beef industry has lost up to $ 4 billion since the market closed , according to the U.S. Meat Export Federation . The imports are expected to resume this month . | About 15,000 people stage street demonstration in Seoul . Rally turned violent after some protesters tried to drag away police buses . Riot police fired water cannons and sprayed fire extinguishers to repel them . | [[379, 430], [497, 551], [268, 378], [279, 378], [698, 759]] |
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE , Delaware -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- His name was Phillip A. Myers . A staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force , he was killed in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan on Saturday . The body of Phillip Myers , 30 , arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Sunday . The return of his body to the United States aboard a charter aircraft Sunday marked a solemn moment that has been repeated more than 5,000 times at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware since the start of the war in Afghanistan in late 2001 . Much of this night was like so many of the others : The well-practiced and crisp movement of the carry team silently transferring the body from the plane to the truck that would transport it to the base mortuary and the presence of Myers ' family , quietly watching every step and order , ensured dignity and respect for the fallen in an atmosphere that does not lend itself to peace and quiet . This night , however , was not like the other nights . Watching all of this were about 40 journalists allowed to cover the return of Myers ' remains . It was the first time in almost 20 years the return of a fallen U.S. service member was able to be recorded by the media . Myers ' widow was the first to be asked by the military , under a new policy by Defense Secretary Robert Gates , if she wished to have news media at Dover Air Force Base for her husband 's final return home . Her decision to do so was historical and allowed the public to see a side of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq the country has not yet seen . The only noise on the flight line was the perpetual whine of the Atlas Air 747 's power generator . This was the plane that had brought Myers and another fallen soldier back to the United States . The media were not allowed to cover the other soldier 's transfer and were not given his name or the circumstances of his death , because the family had not granted permission . On the flight line , journalists were asked not to speak , use camera flashes or make undue movement while watching the transfer . With cameras rolling , an eight-member carry team wearing battle-dress uniforms and white gloves stood by the flag-draped transfer case carrying Myers , as the chaplain , Maj. Klabens Noel , said a prayer . Watch the coverage of the return of the fallen service member '' The team slowly moved the transfer case from the aircraft onto the loader . With a jolt , the quiet of the night was shattered as a diesel engine was started to lower the loader toward the ground and then was shut off . Bathed in light from the giant floodlights along the flight line , the team hoisted the transfer case and carried it to a waiting panel truck . As the transfer case was secured , the carry team saluted , the doors of the truck were slowly closed and then driven under police escort to the base mortuary . Seven family members watched the truck until it was out of sight , one man among them crying into a tissue . Myers was from Hopewell , Virginia , and died Saturday of wounds suffered in a roadside bombing , the Air Force said . He was assigned to the 48th Civil Engineer Squadron , with the Royal Air Force Lakenheath , UK , and in March 2008 received the Bronze Star for valor . He was 30 years old . Casualties : Afghanistan | Iraq . The ban on media coverage of returning war dead was implemented by President George Bush in 1991 and the policy has been the subject of much debate since . Some called it censorship ; others said it allowed privacy and respect for the families during a very difficult time . Watch an Army widow call the policy is ` dignified ' '' An exception on the ban by President Bill Clinton in 2000 allowed coverage of the return of sailors killed in the attack on the USS Cole . Shortly after taking office , President Obama asked Gates to take a look at the policy . In February , Gates reversed it , but with conditions . Family members would be asked if they wanted news media to cover the transfer of their loved one 's body . iReport.com : What do you think about this decision ? Service members ' support groups had mixed opinions on the change . Some welcomed the change to show the human cost of war , and others opposed it . `` We are committed to seeing that America 's fallen heroes are received back to their loved ones and their country with the honor , respect and recognition that they and their families have earned , '' Gates said after his decision . `` The overriding principle is that decisions about media coverage should be made by those most affected : the families , '' he said . | Media on hand for first time in almost 20 years as fallen service member returns . Air Force Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers , 30 , died in Afghanistan on Saturday . Defense Secretary Robert Gates lifted ban on media coverage , but with conditions . Some say ban was censorship ; others say it showed respect for the fallen . | [[1104, 1185], [2249, 2310], [122, 188], [3219, 3240], [3431, 3456], [3459, 3549], [3550, 3600], [3550, 3605]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A jury has begun deliberating in the case of a Pakistani scientist accused of trying to kill U.S. officers . The jury began deliberating Monday in the trial of Aafia Siddiqui , who is charged with attempted murder and assault for allegedly shooting at U.S. officers while she was in Afghan custody . She allegedly shot at two FBI special agents , a U.S. Army warrant officer , an Army captain and military interpreters while she was being held unsecured at an Afghan facility on July 18 , 2008 . Authorities said Siddiqui was behind a curtain and fired two shots at the personnel with an officer 's rifle , hitting no one . The warrant officer returned fire with a pistol , hitting Siddiqui at least once . Afghan police had arrested her a day earlier outside the Ghazni governor 's compound after finding her with bomb-making instructions , excerpts from the `` Anarchist 's Arsenal , '' papers with descriptions of U.S. landmarks , and substances sealed in bottles and glass jars , according to a September 2008 indictment . The indictment said Siddiqui had `` handwritten notes that referred to a ` mass casualty attack ' '' listing several locations in the United States , and `` construction of ` dirty bombs . ' '' The notes also `` discussed various ways to attack ` enemies , ' including by destroying reconnaissance drones , using underwater bombs , and using gliders , '' the indictment said . `` Siddiqui also possessed a computer thumb drive that contained correspondence referring to specific ` cells , ' ` attacks ' by certain ` cells , ' and ` enemies , ' '' the indictment said . `` Other documents on the thumb drive discussed recruitment and training . '' Siddiqui -- whom the FBI had sought for several years for suspected ties to al Qaeda -- was extradited to the United States in August 2008 . Since 2003 , the whereabouts of Siddiqui -- an American-educated neuroscientist -- had been the source of much speculation . According to Amnesty International , Siddiqui and her three small children were reported apprehended in Karachi , Pakistan , in March 2003 , shortly after the FBI issued an alert requesting information about her location . Several reports indicated that Siddiqui was in U.S. custody after her arrest in Karachi . But in May 2004 , then-Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller identified Siddiqui as being among several sought-after al Qaeda members . | Aafia Siddiqui is charged with shooting at U.S. officers while she was in Afghan custody . She had bomb-making instructions , notes on attack in U.S. , indictment says . Siddiqui , a U.S.-educated neuroscientist , had been sought by F.B.I. for years . She was extradited to U.S. from Afghanistan in 2008 to face trial . | [[188, 202], [220, 293], [258, 303], [300, 327], [524, 535], [541, 549], [575, 632], [735, 748], [820, 867], [966, 976], [1012, 1054], [1702, 1710], [1719, 1786], [1890, 1898], [1899, 1922], [1702, 1710], [1778, 1786], [1790, 1842]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- While several high-profile actors and directors have rallied around Roman Polanski , not everyone in Hollywood believes he should be freed and forgiven . The case surrounding the arrest of director Roman Polanski has both supporters and critics . In the face of a petition signed by notables such as Woody Allen , Martin Scorsese and John Landis calling for the immediate release of Polanski following his detainment in Switzerland , a backlash is building against such support . `` I ca n't believe that Hollywood has separated itself so completely from American morality , '' said Paul Petersen , a former child actor and president of A Minor Consideration , which advocates on behalf of young performers . `` It is yet another case of Hollywood being out of sync with most of America . '' Polanski pleaded guilty in 1977 to having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor , but fled the United States before he could be sentenced . In the years since , the director known for `` Chinatown '' and `` Rosemary 's Baby '' settled in France and avoided authorities until he was arrested Saturday while on his way to the Zurich Film Festival . In the aftermath of Polanski 's arrest last weekend , a number of performers -- including Penelope Cruz , Tilda Swinton and Monica Bellucci -- appear as supporters on a petition which states , `` Roman Polanski is a French citizen , a renown and international artist now facing extradition . This extradition , if it takes place , will be heavy in consequences and will take away his freedom . '' Polanski 's detention has stirred debate over whether he should be returned to the United States to face possible imprisonment . Supporters make note of his age , the years that have passed , his talent and the victim 's own assertion that pursuing the case opens fresh wounds for her as reasons the director should be left alone . But critics observe that Polanski 's supporters might be downplaying his crime . `` I do n't think a lot of people take the sexual assault of children very seriously at all , and it 's something we battle everyday , '' said Grier Weeks , executive director of Protect , a national organization to protect children . `` We say at Protect that we are the most bipartisan group in America because we 've got everyone from Hollywood liberals like Alison Arngrim -LSB- Nellie Oleson -RSB- from ` Little House on the Prairie ' to extremely conservative people . ... But I will say with the notable exception of a few people from Hollywood , we get blank stares from some of that crowd . '' Weeks pointed to the example of a discussion on ABC 's `` The View , '' in which panelist and actress Whoopi Goldberg made the comment that she did n't believe the original charges against Polanski were for `` rape-rape , '' as what he views as a pervasive attitude . `` I assume -LSB- Goldberg -RSB- regrets saying what she said , but she really did n't say anything that is not under the surface anyway , '' Weeks said . `` This is just the attitude , that children are property and crimes against them are not real crimes . '' Watch a discussion of about Polanski 's supporters '' Goldberg 's fellow panelist , Sherri Shepherd , said during the show that she believed Polanski should still be punished . On Twitter , she tweeted , `` Whew ... long day at ` The View ' ... two shows today ... hot debate over the Statutory Rapist Polanski . 45-year-old man plies a 13-yr-old w/drugs & Liquor and anally & orally penetrates her w/o her consent is a RAPIST . We hunt down 75-year-old Nazis . We must protect our children . '' Actress Kirstie Alley wrote on Twitter `` JUST FOR THE RECORD ... RAPE IS RAPE ... this is one HOLLYWOOD STAR who does not CELEBRATE or DEFEND Roman Polanski . . his ART did not RAPE her . '' `` The Biggest Loser '' trainer Jillian Michaels said `` If she 's -LSB- the victim -RSB- OK and feels that they are resolved then who are we to say '' referring to the now adult victim , Samantha Geimer . Despite that , Michaels said , `` If somebody drugged and raped my 13-year-old I 'd shoot them . '' Watch stars discuss Polanski 's arrest '' Terry O'Neill , president of the National Organization for Women , said it is understandable that Geimer would want to move on given what has occurred . `` I think that it 's deplorable that some celebrities , and I emphasis the word ` some , ' are supporting rape , supporting the destruction of the life of a 13-year-old girl , '' O'Neill said . `` You look at what happened to the victim in this case and how she was re-victimized over and over again . First by -LSB- Polanski -RSB- himself when he claimed it was consensual , then by his pals all powerful , wealthy celebrities who supported him , then by the media who characterized her as the little Lolita , the 13-year-old temptress . '' Petersen , who played son Jeff Stone on `` The Donna Reed Show , '' said he believes there are many in the industry who would like to speak up against the support Polanski has received . `` They are afraid of the Hollywood power structure that is tilted distinctly to the left and plays favorites , '' Petersen said . Thomas J. Reese , S.J. , a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University , wrote a piece for The Washington Post 's `` On Faith '' column titled `` Father Polanski Would Go to Jail . '' Reese said Hollywood might learn a lesson from the scandals involving pedophiles and the Catholic Church . `` I think that perhaps there is a sense of entitlement that comes with being a celebrity and a star and part of that whole industry where people are always fawning over them and idolizing them , '' Reese said . `` I think that kind of goes to your head and makes you think that you are special and above the law . The clergy used to think that at one time , inaccurately , and it 's just not a healthy attitude . '' On Wednesday , the BBC reported that the French government had dropped its public support for the release of Polanski stating that the director `` is neither above nor beneath the law . '' | Some stars speak out against Roman Polanski 's crime . A petition with high-profile names has circulated calling for his release . NOW president calls support of Polanski from some celebs `` deplorable '' Former child actor says some critics `` afraid of the Hollywood power structure '' | [[281, 364], [1161, 1212], [1215, 1300], [1304, 1338], [4296, 4467], [4979, 5022], [5023, 5074]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A crocodile has snatched and eaten a five-year-old boy in Australia , state police have confirmed . Jeremy Doble 's remains were discovered in the stomach of a four-meter long reptile following DNA tests , ABC News reported Queensland Police as saying Tuesday . Jeremy vanished from the Daintree River , Queensland while walking with his seven-year-old brother on February 8 , police report . Police say Jeremy disappeared into a mangrove swamp behind the family home after following his dog into flood waters . His brother , Ryan , saw a large crocodile close to where he went missing , local media report , and raised the alarm . `` Dad jumped in after him , but it was too late , '' resident Col Patterson told The Courier Mail . `` His older brother saw it all and will , no doubt , be haunted by that image . '' A statement on the Queensland Police Web site Tuesday said : `` Police have been advised that the remains found in a crocodile that was caught in the Daintree are that of a missing five-year-old boy . '' Jeremy 's family have requested that the animal is not harmed , media report . `` I 've been advised that the child 's family that they do not want any adverse action against crocodiles in the Daintree , '' The Courier Mail reported acting police inspector Jason Smith as saying last week . The Daintree region , in the far north-eastern tip of Australia , is popular with eco-tourists . | Five-year-old Jeremy Doble was snatched from close to home in NE Australia . Dead boy 's family request that the animal is not harmed , media report . Daintree region , in the north-eastern tip of Australia , is popular with eco-tourists . | [[1040, 1118], [1122, 1241], [1331, 1350], [1353, 1377], [1397, 1427]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama proposed nearly doubling the child care tax credit for middle-class families Monday , the latest administration initiative meant to reassure Americans nervous about the slow pace of the economic recovery . The proposal is one of five new recommendations from the president 's Middle Class Task Force , which was established one year ago this week . It comes as an increasingly populist White House struggles to regain the political advantage among swing independent voters who have flocked to the GOP in recent elections in Massachusetts , New Jersey and Virginia . `` The middle class has been under assault for a long time , '' Obama said in remarks delivered near the White House . `` None of these steps alone will solve all the challenges facing the middle class , '' he said . `` But hopefully , -LSB- they -RSB- will re-establish some of the security that 's slipped away in recent years . '' Specifically , Obama will push to increase the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit rate from 20 percent to 35 percent for families making under $ 85,000 a year . Families making from $ 85,000 to $ 115,000 also would see an increase in their tax credit , the statement said . At the same time , lower-income families would receive a $ 1.6 billion increase in child care funding , the largest one-year increase in two decades . In addition , the White House will propose limiting federal student loan payments to 10 percent of a student 's income above a basic living allowance . The administration also will push for the creation of a system of automatic workplace individual retirement accounts , requiring all employers to give workers the option of enrolling in a direct-deposit IRA . The `` saver 's tax credit '' would be expanded , with a government match of 50 percent of the first $ 1,000 of contributions for families making $ 65,000 or less . Fourth , the White House will propose expanding tax credits to match retirement savings , while also enacting new safeguards to protect retirement savings . Fifth , the administration will push to expand federal support for families caring for elderly relatives , `` helping them manage their multiple responsibilities and allowing seniors to live in the community for as long as possible , '' a White House official said . Since its establishment , the Middle Class Task Force has held 11 meetings around the country and at the White House , according to the statement . All five task force recommendations will be included in Obama 's proposed fiscal year 2011 budget , which is set to be unveiled February 1 . The president is also widely expected to stress middle-class economic themes in Wednesday 's State of the Union address . CNN 's Suzanne Malveaux contributed to this report . | Plan is one of five Middle Class Task Force recommendations . White House to also propose limits to a student 's federal loan payments . Automatic workplace IRAs , retirement savings protections , elder care also to be addressed . | [[252, 345], [1386, 1523], [1524, 1542], [1548, 1640], [1907, 1922], [1999, 2054]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- The new year is a time for taking stock , a time for looking back and learning as well as looking ahead towards a richer future , secure in knowing that the lessons we 've learned this past year will help us lead a better life in the next . Obviously , there is no better source for these life lessons than within the annals of celebrity gossip . Celebrities are richer than us , prettier than us , and -- with rare exception -- skinnier than us . We watch them onscreen and/or listen to their songs -- why should n't we learn from their mistakes ? Sadly for them , 2009 was a rough year for famous people in relationships . There were more breakups than there were deaths ! But luckily for us , there are valuable nuggets of knowledge contained within almost every celebrity split . You are n't going to love the same guy at 30 that you did at 13 . Susie Sprague reportedly had the hots for Corey Feldman since she was a wee child mooning over `` Goonies . '' And while Corey had been an adorable little moppet , his grown-up years were filled with drugs , 12-step programs , and reality TV . Five years and one kid into their marriage , Susie wised up and ditched her Lost Boy . Same goes for Avril Lavigne and Deryck Whibley , who met and fell in love when she was a teenager -- after three years together , she grew up -LRB- sorta -RRB- and filed for divorce . The Frisky : How my May-December romance went horribly wrong . Do n't date -LRB- or marry -RRB- your dad . Yes , I know , there are plenty of May/December romances that work out just fine , but there are going to be issues when your pop-cultural touchstone is `` Gossip Girl '' and his is `` Gilligan 's Island . '' If you do n't believe me , just ask Billy Joel and Katie Lee , Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia , Lily Allen and her 45-year-old art dealer ex , or TR Knight and the scandalously younger Mark Cornelsen . The Frisky : 7 things to know about Matt Kemp , Rihanna 's new man . Twitter is not for feuding lovers . While some were titillated by Lindsay Lohan 's foray into lesbianism with DJ Sam Ronson , reading their snitty Twits proved that gay relationships can be every bit as boring and stupid as straight ones . The Frisky : 13 annoying ways people abuse Facebook , Twitter . Do n't be anyone 's Pocket Pal . Just like huge disparities in age , income and education , sometimes the size gap just ca n't be overcome . Of course I 'm speaking of teeny-weeny Christina Ricci and her jumbo-sized ex-fiancé . According to their reps , it was an amicable split due to the usual publicist-generated reasons , but c'mon . If your boyfriend can pick you up with one hand and zip you up in the pocket of his gargantuan windbreaker , it 's just not an even match . The Frisky : Freakish celebrity couple height differences . Professional athletes are probably going to cheat on you . I 'm sure Elin Nordegren thought she was going to be the exception to this rule . I mean , for one , she 's gorgeous . For another , she married the most boring sports star on the planet . Tom Brady -- I think we can all imagine him cheating . But Tiger Woods ? His college nickname was `` Urkel '' . TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | There were more celebrity breakups in 2009 than there were deaths . One lesson : You are n't going to love the same guy at 30 that you did at 13 . Sometimes a size gap ca n't be overcome , writer learns from Christina Ricci . | [[592, 650], [810, 854], [2382, 2416], [2382, 2404], [2413, 2430]] |
Vancouver , British Columbia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thousands of Canadians turned the streets of Vancouver into rivers of red on Sunday in jubilant celebration of the country 's Olympic gold-medal win in men 's ice hockey . Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in overtime , with national hero Sidney Crosby scoring the winning goal in the hard-fought game . The win capped off a historic Winter Olympics for the host nation just hours before the closing ceremonies . The country took home a record 14 gold medals -- the most in Winter Olympics history . Fans spilled out of the exits at Canada Hockey Place after the medal ceremony , `` clanging cowbells and screaming like madmen , '' according to Sports Illustrated 's Luke Winn . `` I 'll remember this day for the rest of my life as will all Canadians who are here tonight , '' one fan at a Vancouver viewing told CNN affiliate CTV in Canada . Watch fans celebrate in a sea of red and white . Police told liquor stores in Vancouver to close early at 2 p.m. -- about an hour before the game ended -- ahead of the celebrations . Lines of people were seen at one store 30 minutes before the game even started . In Toronto , officials were forced to close down streets due to swelling masses of revelers waving Canadian flags and standing shoulder-to-shoulder in some of the city 's main intersections , video showed . And in downtown Vancouver , people swamped the city 's main Robson Square . Strangers high-fived each other in the street and fans were seen jumping onto cars , hugging each other , singing the country 's national anthem and chanting `` Ole ! '' and `` This is our game . '' The celebrations were the culmination of a Winter Games that got off to a rocky start , with warmer-than-usual weather that forced delays in some early contests , and the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili during a training run hours before the opening ceremony . The feeling of celebration and resiliency was being carried into the night 's closing ceremonies . Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette -- whose mother died of a heart attack just days before her bronze-medal-winning performances -- was set to carry the nation 's flag before thousands in attendance at BC Place . CNN 's Steve Almasy contributed to this report . | Canadians celebrate Olympic gold-medal win in men 's ice hockey . Win caps off historic Olympics for host nation just hours before closing ceremonies . Witness to jubilation : Canadians `` clanging cowbells and screaming like madmen '' In host city of Vancouver and in Toronto , happy throngs pour into streets . | [[356, 464], [48, 155], [657, 678], [48, 155], [1160, 1170], [1173, 1349]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States has committed an additional million dollars to fight child trafficking in Haiti in the wake of last month 's earthquake , U.S. officials said Wednesday . Word of the action came as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chaired the Obama administration 's first meeting of the President 's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons . Clinton , speaking in the meeting , called trafficking in people `` one of the most important human rights issues we deal with . '' Yearly meetings of the task force were mandated by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act , passed 10 years ago . Before the earthquake , the United States provided $ 500,000 for programs to protect children in Haiti from trafficking . The additional million is being shifted from other programs , officials said . In a briefing at the State Department , Ambassador Louis CdeBaca of the department 's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons told reporters that traffickers take advantage of vulnerabilities resulting from race , class , migratory status and displacement from natural disasters . On Haiti , he said , `` we are hearing anecdotal evidence from UNICEF '' about trafficking of children but there are no firm figures on it . `` We are hearing about men coming into the camps offering food and water to girls to come with them in trucks , '' he said , adding that `` we do n't have hard evidence '' on this . Before the earthquake , he said , there were 300,000 `` restaveks , '' children given up by their families for domestic servitude , in Haiti . Another 3,000 were estimated to have been taken to the Dominican Republic . He added that according to estimates by the International Labour Organization , 12.3 million people worldwide are `` laboring in bondage . '' Other estimates , he said , put that number at 27 million , although there is no independent confirmation . More than half of them , as much as 60 percent , are females , he said . Nine million to 10 million are forced laborers , and 2 million to 3 million are in sexual slavery , he added . | Before the earthquake , the U.S. provided $ 500,000 for to protect Haitian children from trafficking . UNICEF has anecdotal evidence about the trafficking of Haitian children . The International Labour Organization reports 12.3 million people are ` laboring in bondage ' | [[650, 671], [674, 771], [1144, 1152], [1155, 1162], [1165, 1284], [1687, 1825], [1687, 1689], [1701, 1764], [1767, 1825]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Australian authorities have declared several coastal areas near Brisbane disaster zones after a massive oil spill earlier this week , according to the Queensland government . Large stretches of Queensland 's coastline are being affected by the oil . `` This is a very serious situation , '' Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said , according to a news release on Friday . `` It appears the volume of oil involved is much greater than originally reported by the Pacific Adventurer . And the effect of the oil spill is more widespread . '' The Pacific Adventurer sustained damage early Wednesday when Cyclone Hamish struck the waters of eastern Australia with more than 125 kph -LRB- 77 mph -RRB- winds . The cargo ship lost 30 of its 50 containers of ammonium nitrate about 13 kilometers -LRB- 8 miles -RRB- off the coast of Cape Moreton . Those containers are still missing . The damaged ship also spilled a large amount of oil that is covering at least 60 kilometers -LRB- 37 miles -RRB- of beach in and around Brisbane , according to Australian Broadcasting Corporation -LRB- ABC -RRB- . Watch sludge washing up on shorelines '' The ship 's owner , Swire Shipping , initially said no more than 42,000 liters -LRB- 11,100 U.S. gallons -RRB- of oil escaped from the ship , but now says that `` substantially more oil was spilled , '' ABC reported Friday . The ship is currently in the custody of Australia 's Maritime Safety Authority in Brisbane , as the investigation into the spill continues . A massive clean-up effort is also under way . So far , 13 oil-covered birds have been recovered , according to the Queensland government . | Pacific Adventurer sustained damage when Cyclone Hamish struck . Damaged ship spilled large quantity of oil and chemical cannisters . Ship now in the custody of Australia 's Maritime Safety Authority . | [[553, 608], [891, 907], [913, 942], [1306, 1343], [1346, 1348], [1371, 1461]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Travelers across the United States arrived en masse at airports , hit the roads and boarded trains Wednesday , a day before the Thanksgiving holiday . `` It 's actually surprisingly not as much of a disaster as I thought it was going to be , '' said Rafi Samuels-Schwartz , 25 , who was waiting at New Jersey 's Newark International Airport to board a plane to Minneapolis , Minnesota -- a flight that was on time , he added . `` It was n't pandemonium , it was n't a scene from ` Independence Day , ' '' he said . `` I thought it was going to be considerably worse . '' The number of people traveling this holiday weekend is expected to increase slightly , compared with last year , although the number traveling by air is expected to decline , according to the American Automobile Association , a motorist and traveler organization . The AAA , which surveyed 1,350 American households , projects that 38.4 million people will travel over the holiday weekend , up from 37.8 million last year . However , the number traveling by air is expected to decline to 2.3 million , the automobile association said . In 2008 , 2.5 million people traveled by plane for Thanksgiving . See the FAA 's flight delays map . AAA said the slight increase in the number of Thanksgiving travelers from last year reflects improved consumer confidence as well as `` a growing sense among many consumers that the worst of the global economic crisis is behind us . '' Citing excess baggage fees and surcharges for jet fuel , along with delays and flight groundings , AAA spokesman Geoff Sundstrom said it 's `` not a very friendly environment this decade for the airline industry or the airline traveler . '' David Ross , who was at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago , Illinois , with his wife and four children to catch a flight to Cancun , Mexico , offered some advice . `` You have to be calm and collected when you come to this airport , especially on a day like today , '' Ross , from Libertyville , Illinois , told CNN affiliate WGN . However , by 1 p.m. ET , delays at the country 's airports appeared to be minimal , according to the Federal Aviation Administration 's Web site . It reported that some arriving flights at the airports in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ; Newark , New Jersey , and at LaGuardia Airport in New York were delayed because of low cloud ceilings . `` So far , so good , '' traveler Andy Warman told CNN affiliate WABC at LaGuardia Airport . `` My flight 's on time , so I 'm pretty happy about that , '' added Warman , who was headed to Miami , Florida , to see family . At Washington 's Reagan National Airport , the morning lines seemed like those of any other day . `` It 's deserted , '' one woman told CNN affiliate WJLA . `` There 's nobody here . '' Of course , the bulk of Thanksgiving travelers will be going by car , AAA said -- about 33.2 million . `` I 'm going to probably end up sitting in traffic for five hours , '' said Jack DeManche , 21 , a student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst , who plans on driving home Wednesday night to Uxbridge , Massachusetts . The drive is usually only about two hours from Amherst , but DeManche -- a resident adviser at the school -- wo n't be able to leave until he closes one of the student residence halls . `` I have to work until at least 6 p.m. , and then I have to pack up , '' he said , adding that in years past , the drive has taken more than twice as long as it does on nonholiday weeks . But even so , he said , he 'd rather brave the drive home Wednesday night than Thursday morning . `` I 'd so much rather get home tonight , '' he said . In Oklahoma , the state 's department of public safety said multiple accidents had shut down Interstate 35 in both directions around Billings . CNN affiliate KWTV said the closures occurred around 12:25 p.m. . In California , an accident on the Golden Gate Bridge prompted authorities to close the bridge for a time , snarling traffic . The bridge reopened shortly after noon -LRB- 3 p.m. ET -RRB- , but Golden Gate Bridge District spokeswoman Mary Currie said the backup of traffic would take some time to clear . About 2.9 million people will travel by train , watercraft , bus or a combination of transportation modes , and 2.3 million will travel by air , the automobile association predicted . Jennifer Burrell , from Tucker , Georgia , said she , her husband and their two daughters were driving Thursday morning to just outside of Asheville , North Carolina . They 'll return Sunday . She said she was n't expecting traffic on the way up , but `` it always gets heavy '' on the way back . Of course , some Americans are not traveling at all . Heather McKinnon of Broomfield , Colorado , said she is staying home with family for Thanksgiving . `` I do n't like to fly and really rarely like flying on holidays , '' she said , adding that she would consider driving . `` I know what it 's like going through the airport , '' she said . Plus , she added , `` everything I love is here . '' CNN 's Taylor Gandossy and Augie Martin contributed to this report . | AAA predicts 38.4 million Americans will travel over the holiday weekend . AAA attributes slight increase to improved consumer confidence . Those traveling by air probably will decline to 2.3 million , from 2.5 million last year . The bulk of travelers will be going by car , AAA says . | [[855, 862], [908, 1013], [1236, 1399], [712, 762], [1024, 1089], [4272, 4306], [2802, 2857]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As Ricot Duprevil tells it , rescuers saved him after he spent two weeks under earthquake rubble . There 's no question that Duprevil was pulled out alive from the rubble of a Port-au-Prince building Tuesday . But confirmation of his two-week account might just remain buried among the ruins . A doctor treating the 31-year-old man says he is inclined to believe Duprevil . The hospital where Duprevil was taken was unable to conduct an initial blood test that might have helped prove or disprove his account . And the U.S. soldiers who arrived and treated Duprevil after his rescue did not see which building area residents recovered him from -- a freshly collapsed one or one destroyed two weeks ago , when a 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti . The residents who rescued him could not be immediately located . Full coverage . If the Haitian salesman did survive 14 days entombed in rubble , he would match a record set in 1990 by a man pulled free from the ruins of a hotel after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in the Philippines . The Haitian government announced late last week that it was switching from rescue efforts to recovery operations , even as some survivors were found alive . On Saturday , a 24-year-old man was freed by a French rescue team , 11 days after the quake . That man , Wismond Jean-Pierre , had survived on soda found in the hotel shop where he was working at the time of the quake . And a 5-year-old boy named Monley flashed an ear-to-ear smile last Wednesday when he was rescued after eight days spent under the ruins of his collapsed home . Duprevil said he was selling soda when the quake hit and he ran inside a building in fear . The building then collapsed , he said . His family reported him missing after the quake , and feverishly looked for him . iReport : List of missing , found | Are you there ? Meanwhile , Duprevil said , he survived by rationing water from a 2-gallon jug he found among debris . The water ran out Tuesday morning , he said . U.S. military medics and doctors at the International Medical Surgical Response team field hospital said Duprevil was severely dehydrated after being rescued , but otherwise had strong blood pressure and pulse . On Wednesday morning , he was in stable condition while being treated for a fracture to his right thigh bone . `` Undoubtedly , this is very , very exciting , especially for all of us who have been deeply involved in this mission , '' said Dr. Henry Ford , who is treating Duprevil . `` To pull this one out ... is exhilarating . '' CNN 's Karl Penhaul and Kim Norgaard contributed to this report . | Ricot Duprevil , 31 , was in stable condition with fractured thigh bone after rescue , officials say . Unclear if he was rescued from newly collapsed building or one that fell two weeks ago . Duprevil was severely dehydrated when found , medics say . If he survived being trapped for two weeks , he ties record set in 1990 Philippines quake . | [[2244, 2264], [2267, 2293], [2267, 2269], [2294, 2354], [71, 140], [689, 743], [2032, 2189], [71, 140], [881, 940], [941, 978], [1560, 1616]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Massive food distribution coordinated by the World Food Programme , international aid agencies and the Haitian government will begin Sunday in the quake-ravaged capital . WFP will roll out food at 16 distribution points across Port-au-Prince , the United Nations agency said . Each location will receive 42 metric tons of rice each for the next two weeks , and each family will receive a 25-kilogram ration of rice . Only women will be allowed into the distributions sites to collect the food , WFP said . Women are receiving the food vouchers because they tend to be responsible for the household food supply , said WFP spokesman Marcus Prior . `` Our long experience in food distribution tells us that by delivering food into the hands of women , it is more likely to be redistributed equitably among the household -- including the men , '' Prior said . The agency said it will work with its partners to ensure that men in need of assistance are not excluded . The distribution sites will be set up with proper security , making it difficult for those not entitled to receive food to enter , he said . The WFP said the 16 fixed sites are a key step in establishing food security . `` It is the most complex challenge we have ever confronted , but this distribution system will not only allow us to reach more people , it will give us the qualitative step we need to facilitate the delivery of all kinds of humanitarian assistance in the weeks and months to come , '' WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran said in a statement from Rome , Italy . The food aid plan involves at least eight private humanitarian agencies : Samaritan 's Purse , Catholic Relief Services , CARE , World Vision , ACTED , Save The Children , GOAL and ADRA . `` Together with our NGO partners we are working with the local authorities , churches and other civil society organizations to ensure that all male-headed households and others with special needs are not excluded from these distributions , '' Prior said . Details of the plan were finalized at a meeting attended by WFP , the aid agencies and senior members of the Haitian government , said Ken Isaacs , vice president of programs for Samaritan 's Purse . He said those attending the meeting were given coupons , which are being handed out to needy families in the districts drawn up around each distribution point . The distribution will begin early Sunday . The two-week effort aims to reach 2 million people in Port-au-Prince but does not expand to those living in other quake-devastated cities like Leogane . Aid distributions to outlying areas will continue , Prior said . `` Up until now the nature of this emergency has forced us to work in a ` quick and dirty ' way simply to get food out , '' Sheeran said . `` This new system will allow us to provide food assistance to more people , more quickly through a robust network of fixed distribution sites . '' Multinational troops , including the U.S. military , will help secure food convoys and the distribution sites , Prior said . CNN 's Alec Miran and Moni Basu contributed to this report . | The World Food Programme will roll out food at 16 distribution points across city , agency says . Each location will receive 42 metric tons of rice each for next two weeks . Women will receive vouchers for a 25-kilogram ration of rice per family . | [[42, 136], [213, 283], [319, 396], [399, 458]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ten Americans accused of trying illegally to take 33 children from Haiti had met with a Haitian police officer and a Dominican official the week before being stopped at the border , interpreters who worked with the group said Wednesday . One interpreter said the officer offered to help the Americans with the paperwork required take the children out of the country . The Americans -- five men and five women , some of whom are members of Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian , Idaho -- were arrested in Haiti after being turned back from the Dominican Republic border on Friday night . A Haitian lawyer representing the Americans told reporters Wednesday that the arrests were illegal and that their clients had only been trying to help . The Americans , who were interviewed Wednesday by Judge Isai Jean Louis , are to appear Thursday before the attorney general , who is handling the case , lawyer Edwin Coq said . Around noon Wednesday , Haitian authorities took away for questioning a Haitian police officer who works at the Dominican Embassy , officials said . They said he would be asked whether he provided illegal paperwork to the Americans to facilitate their efforts to remove the children from the country . Three interpreters who had translated for the Americans told CNN that the Americans met last week at least twice with the officer -- at the embassy and consulate . Full coverage of Haiti earthquake , aftermath . The Americans have said they had the permit they thought they needed from the Dominican authorities , but the Dominican consul general told CNN that that was not the case . Carlos Castillo said he met Friday with Laura Silsby , the leader of the group . He said he told her the documentation was not in order and warned her that , if she were to attempt the trip , she could be accused of child trafficking . `` The Haitian authorities contacted me , they called me , and they told me that she was telling them she had the authorization from the Dominican authorities to cross the border , which was a lie , '' Castillo said . CNN 's Karl Penhaul attempted to get comment from the jailed Americans in Haiti 's capital , but they would not discuss the matter , responding to his questions by singing `` Amazing Grace '' and praying . The group , New Life Children 's Refuge , said it was `` rescuing '' abandoned children by moving them to the Dominican Republic , where it was building an orphanage . The group 's effort came after an earthquake last month killed tens of thousands in Haiti . The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince said Sunday that the Americans had been detained for `` alleged violations of Haitian laws related to immigration . '' SOS Children 's Villages , where Haitian authorities took the 33 children after the Americans ' arrests , said at least 20 of the kids are n't orphans and many others have relatives such as aunts and uncles . Search for the missing , found . Several residents of the village of Calebasse , more than an hour from Port-au-Prince , told CNN this week they had voluntarily handed over their children to Silsby . The parents said Silsby told them she would give their children a better life and promised that they could see them whenever they wanted . Told Monday that many of the children had living parents , Silsby said during a jailhouse interview , `` I did not know that . '' She added , `` In our hearts , our intention was to help children that had been orphaned or abandoned by their parents . '' But the interpreters said they translated conversations between Silsby and the parents in Calebasse and that Silsby must have been aware of the children 's status . Jean Sainvil , a pastor who helped find children from a camp in the Delmas neighborhood of the capital , told CNN that the Americans told him they were seeking orphans . Sainvil said he rounded up 20 children and handed them to the Americans on Thursday , though the translators put the number he helped at 13 . Some of those who were receptive to his call apparently included parents . `` One of them turned five children over , '' he said . `` Mother came out with children , said ` You can have them all , ' she does n't have a home , she is hopeless . '' He said no money changed hands . One interpreter said representatives of the group met with a Haitian police officer on January 26 . The officer told Silsby that her group could n't gather Haitian children as they were doing , but then offered his help , the interpreter said . `` They met a police guy and he told them that he could help , and he was helping them with some paper , '' interpreter Steve Adrien said . `` We did not meet him in a police station , but in the street in a car . '' The Americans met again with the man in Port-au-Prince on Thursday , near the Dominican Embassy , the translator said . `` He was helping Laura -LSB- Silsby -RSB- to get in touch with the ambassador in the Dominican Embassy , '' said Isaac Adrien , Steve 's brother and another of the interpreters . He said the group came away from the meeting with a document from the embassy that the Americans took with them to the border Friday . Though the group said it planned to start an orphanage in the Dominican Republic , it has no experience running an orphanage , has not registered as an international adoption agency and has not filed with the U.S. government as a nonprofit . Church pastor Clint Henry was unfazed . `` I believe that the kind of knowledge that it takes to begin an organization that works that way was in place , '' he told CNN . `` The kind of employees that it takes to successfully run an orphanage , those were going to be hired . '' On Wednesday , U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the matter `` unfortunate . '' `` We know how to do this in the right way and it was unfortunate that , whatever the motivation , that this group of Americans took matters into their own hands , '' she said , adding that U.S. authorities were in discussions with the Haitian government `` about the appropriate disposal of their cases . '' Government approval is needed for any Haitian child to leave the country , and the group acknowledged that the children have no passports . The number of Haitian orphans taken to the United States after the earthquake -- those whose approval and paperwork had been in the bureaucratic pipeline at the time of the disaster -- is 578 , with 44 others awaiting transportation , U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said . CNN 's Dan Simon in Meridian , Idaho ; Karl Penhaul in Port-au-Prince , Haiti ; and Jill Dougherty in Washington contributed to this report . | Interpreter : Policeman offered to help the Americans take the children out of Haiti . Ten Americans were arrested after trying to take children into Dominican Republic . Group acknowledged children did not have passports to leave country . Haitian authorities say they 're interviewing police officer . | [[280, 409], [4285, 4379], [4385, 4396], [4483, 4504], [4559, 4590], [42, 114], [6184, 6244], [965, 971], [989, 1059]] |
Santiago , Chile -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sure , Luke Mescher felt a trembling fear when the walls around him started to shake Saturday , but standing around confused and scared was n't an option . `` I was more focused on we need to get out of here and we need to get out of here as fast as we can , '' said Mescher , a University of Iowa student studying Spanish in Chile . Mescher , 27 , was at the home of his host family when the 8.8-magnitude quake struck early Saturday . He was talking with friends on his computer when the power went out . Immediately after , he felt a subtle vibration that progressed into a violent shaking , he said . His host mom cried as the walls around them shook and her daughter attempted to comfort her , he said . `` They were `` paralyzed with fear , '' he said . `` I was like , we do n't have time for this , '' Mescher said . `` We need to get the hell out of here . '' He grabbed his head lamp , the two women , and ran barefoot and bare-chested into the dark street . The three met dozens others in the staircase scurrying out the 20-story apartment building , he said . The exit was `` surprisingly orderly , '' Mescher said . But others faced more of an ordeal . CNN iReporter Matias de Cristobal said the earthquake destroyed many homes in her Santiago neighborhood . Cristobal tried to climb upstairs to check on her three children -- age 6 , 9 , and 11 -- after she began feeling tremors on Saturday , but she was slowed by shifting ground and falling objects . Mirko Vukasovic , a 25-year-old illustrator in Santiago , had been dancing at a club early Saturday when the disco ball began swinging wildly . A chaotic evacuation was under way when the lights went out , but everyone managed to escape , Vukasovic said . `` Broken windows and falling building parts was what welcomed us in the streets , '' he said . iReport : Read Mescher 's firsthand account . Vukasovic submitted iReport video showing the damage to his fourth-floor apartment . `` What used to be a beautiful bathroom is now torn , a beautiful crack , '' he said as his camera panned to a pile of tile and plaster that had been shaken loose from the walls . Some in Chile reacted to the quake with disbelief . `` It was 3 or 4 in the morning and I had come home late , '' said Aneya Fernando , an American who teaches English in Santiago . `` Suddenly my bed was moving so violently that it woke me up . '' `` I 'm on the 10th floor of a building and it was swaying and shaking , '' Fernando , 23 , said . `` Suddenly it was just gone and I was confused . I thought it was in my head . '' When Fernando 's electricity returned 30 minutes later , she learned of the earthquake on TV . Scott Ireland , a business traveler from Rochester , New York , who was staying at the Sheraton San Cristobal when the earthquake struck , submitted iReport photos of cracks in the exterior walls of his hotel . Ireland , 48 , had experienced two earlier earthquakes -- one in Turkey in 1966 and another in Southern California in 1971 . `` Not only was this the most severe , '' he said , `` the duration was longer than anything I 'd ever experienced . Luckily the damage here was minimal . '' Meschler , the Iowa student , encountered faces of confusion and concern when he and his host family left their apartment building and entered the street . Some tried using their phones to call out with no luck , others ran to neighboring apartment complexes , looking to help . iReport : Watch video of damage at an apartment . Many throughout the city do n't have their basic utilities , the Salvation Army reported . Mescher does n't have gas , but his power and water are back on . The elderly seemed most frazzled by the rattling , he said . One elderly man had suffered a wound to his head . When the aftershocks began and kept rolling in jolts to his Santiago neighborhood , Mescher said some neighbors prepared for a night outside of their home . `` I did see a good portion of people go back upstairs an hour into it and put together what they could , '' he said , speaking of a sleep away bag . `` There were a lot of people that got their car and took off . '' Mescher had also tested his luck , considering he was unsure of the building 's stability after such a great temblor . `` After we were safely outside I made a quick run and grabbed a shirt and some shoes , '' he said . About 5 a.m. -LRB- 3 a.m. ET -RRB- -- about 90 minutes after the quake -- he returned to the apartment to finally get some rest , just to be rattled by another aftershock . According to the U.S. Geological Survey , a 6.9-magnitude aftershock hit Chile about that time . Dozens of aftershocks later , Mescher was looking at cracks that had shaped around the door frames and crept up walls . Chunks of plaster littered the floors , he said . `` I 've got to think there have to be some long-term structural issues , '' he said . `` For the time being , I do n't think it 's going to fall on top of me . '' | NEW : CNN iReporter says many homes destroyed in her Santiago neighborhood . NEW : Witness to previous quakes said this one was strongest , most long-lasting . Luke Mescher , a U.S. college student , was with host family in Chile when quake hit . | [[1202, 1307], [1241, 1307], [3068, 3078], [3081, 3145], [370, 377], [385, 472]] |
Beirut , Lebanon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Searchers have found the flight data recorder from an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed Monday with 90 people aboard , the Lebanese army said Thursday . The data recorder , commonly called a black box , was found at a depth of about 1,300 meters in the Mediterranean Sea . The recorder had not yet been retrieved , the army said . The Boeing 737-800 , carrying eight crew members and 82 passengers , crashed into the sea after takeoff from Lebanon early Monday . At least 14 bodies had been recovered from the crash of the airliner , which was bound for the Ethiopian capital , Addis Ababa , officials said . The plane crashed about 3.5 kilometers -LRB- 2 miles -RRB- west of the town of Na'ameh , which is 15 kilometers -LRB- 9 miles -RRB- south of Beirut . Government-owned Ethiopian Airlines is one of the largest carriers in Africa , serving Europe and three other continents . CNN 's Nada Husseini contributed to this report . | Flight data recorder of downed Ethiopian Airlines plane found , Lebanon 's army says . So-called `` black box '' found at depth of 1,300 meters in Mediterranean Sea . At least 14 bodies found so far ; plane was carrying 90 crew and passengers . | [[0, 6], [36, 114], [159, 192], [193, 312], [87, 114], [120, 156], [503, 571], [503, 521], [632, 648]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- AC Milan wasted a golden opportunity to close the gap on leaders and city rivals Inter at the top of the Italian Serie A table after being held to a 1-1 draw at home to lowly Livorno . With Inter 's match at Parma postponed because of heavy snow , a Milan win would have closed the gap at the top of the table to eight points -- with both teams having played 21 matches . Veteran midfielder Massimo Ambrosini put Milan ahead on the stroke of half-time when he hooked the ball home after goalkeeper Francesco Benussi failed to deal with a David Beckham cross . But Cristiano Lucarelli poked home a mis-hit Claudio Bellucci shot just before the hour mark to earn Livorno a point . It completes a difficult week for Leonardo 's side following their surprise Italian Cup defeat to Udinese and last weekend 's ` derby ' reverse at the San Siro . Milan 's failure to win means in-form Roma have joined them on 41 points after a narrow 2-1 home win over bottom side Siena . Second-half substitute Stefano Okaka struck the winner three minutes from time in his final match before joining English Premier League side Fulham in a six-month loan deal . Jon Arne Riise had put the hosts in front in the 29th minute before Siena 's Simone Vergassola equalized just before half-time . However , striker Okaka flicked home the late winner to earn Cluadio Ranieri 's side a fourth successive Serie A victory . Elsewhere in Italy , striker Antonio Cassano has confirmed he has turned down the chance to join Fiorentina , choosing to remain with Sampdoria despite reports of a fall-out with coach Luigi Del Neri . On the pitch , Sampdoria maintained their Champions League challenge with a comfortable 2-0 win over strugglers Atalanta . Meanwhile , Juventus moved up a place to fifth , going above Palermo , after a 1-1 draw at home to Lazio . Alessandro del Piero 's penalty after 70 minutes looked like giving new coach Alberto Zaccheroni a winning start to his reign . However , Stefano Mauri converted a cross from Mauro Zarate to level matters with just 12 minutes remaining . | Milan waste a golden opportunity to close the gap on leaders Inter at the top of Serie A . Cristiano Lucarelli pokes home an equalizer as Livorno draw 1-1 at the San Siro . Milan are eight points behind leaders Inter , whose match against Parma was postponed . | [[19, 145], [0, 15], [146, 203], [583, 697], [204, 264]] |
Naoma , West Virginia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Staking out for news at the site of the mine explosion here , I remembered what I miss most about Appalachia -- the people . Their stories are what drew me up here in 2006 as a correspondent for the Associated Press . Their hardships , struggles , passions , faith and quirks shaped hard-hitting stories about a region that few give much thought to these days . I covered a mine disaster back then , too -- the explosion at Kentucky Darby Mine No. 1 that killed five coal miners -- and found myself marveling at the strength of the families and the community . And , despite their pain , they were hospitable , allowing a green reporter without a signal to use their living room phone , rest on their front steps and ask a few questions about their fears and worries . I left after more than two years of sharing their stories , and hoped to return someday to catch up with my mountain neighbors and the families who allowed me to walk into their homes and share their lives with the world . Instead , I returned for tragedy . Not much has changed this time around as I help cover the latest disaster for CNN -- this time four miners unaccounted for and at least 25 dead . I 'm still amazed by the teachers who have allowed us reporters to use their classrooms as impromptu work areas , the nearby residents who insist on making sure we eat during the long days , the miners who bravely re-enter the mines just a day after losing some of their closest friends , and the victims ' families , who remain patient as they wait for news . I do n't know how they do it , how they stay so composed , so strong in the face of such a horrific disaster felt miles away . And through it all , they accept our presence with a dignified grace . I ca n't imagine them handling it any other way . | CNN 's Samira J. Simone reflects on the toughness and hospitality of mining families . Simone covered a mining disaster in 2006 , and reported this week from West Virginia . Not much has changed ; the people of Appalachia are as kind as they are tough , she writes . | [[448, 488], [527, 601], [403, 438]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama on Saturday urged a thorough investigation into a deadly explosion at a West Virginia coal mine that killed 29 people , hours after rescue efforts at the mine gave way to an operation to recover the dead . `` This has been America 's worst mining disaster in forty years , and the toll on all West Virginians has been immeasurable , '' Obama said of Monday 's blast at the Upper Big Branch mine . `` We can not bring back the men we lost . What we can do , in their memory , is thoroughly investigate this tragedy and demand accountability . '' Obama 's statement came just hours after rescue efforts came to a grim end after crews found the bodies of the last four miners unaccounted for in the explosion . Twenty-five people were previously announced dead . `` My thoughts and prayers are with the families of all those who were lost in this tragic accident , and my gratitude goes out to the rescue teams who worked so tirelessly and heroically to search for the missing , '' Obama said in his statement . The death toll makes the West Virginia mining disaster the worst in the U.S. since 1972 , when 91 miners were killed in a fire at the Sunshine Mine in Kellogg , Idaho . Of the 29 dead in the West Virginia blast , the bodies of 22 remain inside the mine . The cause of the blast is unknown , and state and federal officials have pledged a full investigation . The explosion has prompted renewed questions about mine safety . Obama said Saturday that `` all Americans deserve to work in a place that is safe , and we must take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that all our miners are as safe as possible so that a disaster like this does n't happen again . '' Obama will meet next week with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and a Mine Safety and Health Administration official to hear their initial assessment of what caused the blast , along with their recommendations for steps the federal government should take to improve mine safety . Richmond , Virginia-based Massey Energy Co. , which owns the mine , said in a statement released Friday that it will conduct `` extensive '' reviews of the mine accident `` to ensure that a similar incident does n't happen again . '' It said the mine has had less than one violation per day in inspections by the Mine Safety and Health Administration and added that that rate is `` consistent with national averages . '' Most of the blast victims were working in an area where long wall cutting was taking place . The technique uses a large grinder to extract the coal and creates large amounts of coal dust and methane gas , both of which are explosive . West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said Saturday that even though it 's not clear what caused the explosion , there needs to be a focus on better ventilation and on sensors to alert mine personnel when gas levels become dangerous . `` There was no way to protect them against this , '' he said . `` You just have to prevent it and make sure it does n't happen again . '' | President Obama calls for thorough investigation into mine blast . Four missing miners found dead ; death toll in West Virginia coal mine explosion now at 29 . Most of the victims were working in an area where long wall cutting was taking place . | [[0, 15], [47, 130], [368, 431], [475, 482], [510, 576], [105, 130], [136, 152], [621, 742], [2407, 2456], [2449, 2456], [2463, 2499]] |
-LRB- Oprah.com -RRB- -- As a trained chef , restaurant owner , healthy-cookbook author , and confirmed food lover , I absolutely refuse to let the word diet hijack my life -- and I do n't think you should , either . Smart eating is not about settling for less ; it 's about heaping more good stuff on your plate . Three-grain pilaf is a both mouth-watering dish and a contains a dose of healthy carbs . Let 's change just one health habit a week -- shopping , cooking , and eating to meet that goal -- for four weeks ? After a month of making basic grains , fruit , and vegetables into staples using my recipes , you 'll find it much easier to plan delicious , satisfying meals . Try Laura Pensiero 's four-week approach to transforming your eating habits ! Week One : Make a produce-aisle hit list . Eating more fruits and vegetables is one of the most important dietary habits you can adopt to prevent heart disease , cancer , diabetes , and hypertension and to manage your weight . Vegetables in particular will cost you little in the way of calories while offering huge health benefits . Your weekly goal is to eat five to nine servings of fruits and veggies a day . That 's not as challenging as it may seem . The serving sizes are reasonable one medium-size fruit , a half cup of cooked vegetables , three-quarters of a cup of 100-percent juice , one cup of raw leafy vegetables , a quarter cup of dried fruit . Mix fruit into your breakfast cereal , add lettuce and tomato to your sandwich -LRB- with a side of a vegetable-based soup -RRB- , eat a piece of fruit in the afternoon and a vegetable side at dinner , and you 've taken care of at least five servings . Before shopping , write down the names of five richly colored vegetables and fruits that you really like , then add to the list two that you 're curious about and are willing to try . Week Two : Defy your white flour urge . Until recently , it seemed that only nutritionists -LRB- and cereal box labels -RRB- used the words whole grain . Now delicious whole grain soups , desserts , and breads -- bursting with color , texture and flavor -- have become popular . It 's also widely known that they have the power to deliver key antioxidants . Your weekly goal is to make sure that half of your grain servings per day -LRB- three to five one-ounce servings -RRB- are whole grains such as wild rice , brown rice , barley , bulgur , corn -LRB- polenta -RRB- , faro , quinoa , wheat berries , or whole wheat couscous . Whole grain foods are not refined , which means they contain all three parts of the grain , including the two lost in the refining process -- the outer layer , bran , which provides fiber , B vitamins , and antioxidants ; and the germ , the nutrient-packed inner portion , containing protein , vitamins , minerals , and antioxidants . The endosperm , the starchy part of the grain left in refined products such as white flour , contains some protein and lots of carbs but few nutrients . Look for the word whole on the ingredient list , followed by the name of the grain . Research shows that adding even a moderate amount of whole grain to your diet every day -- whole grain cereal topped with fruit for breakfast , toasty multigrain bread at lunch , and a pilaf or grain salad for dinner -- significantly reduces the risk of heart disease , type 2 diabetes , and digestive system and hormone-related cancers . Week Three : Get the perks of dairy -- without all the fat . This week , add some reduced-fat dairy , which will cream up your cooking and get healthy calcium into your diet -LRB- approximately 75 percent of adult Americans do n't get the recommended daily allowance -RRB- . Studies show not only that calcium helps prevent osteoporosis but that getting enough calcium each day -LRB- 1,000 milligrams from ages 19 to 50 and 1,200 milligrams after age 50 -RRB- , along with adequate vitamin D -LRB- 200 IU ; 400 IU after age 50 -RRB- , helps control weight , lowers blood pressure , and may prevent certain types of cancer . Your goal is to eat three to four servings a day of low-fat cheeses , yogurt , and 1 percent or skim milk ; the calcium in dairy products is the most readily absorbed by your body . If you 're lactose intolerant , fortified soy products -- particularly those with calcium malate -- are a fine substitute in cooking and often contain similar amounts of protein , vitamin D , and calcium . I do not recommend fat-free dairy products , particularly cheese ; instead of getting creamy , bubbly , and brown in recipes , it can turn rubbery and tasteless . Week Four : Get protein . In the past three weeks , you have learned how vegetables , fruit , whole grains , and low-fat dairy can help you fill your plate with quality nutrients that do n't pack a lot of calories . Now it 's time to address protein . Getting enough is not something most of us need to worry about , but selecting well is . Your goal is to eat five to six ounces of lean and healthy protein a day . Eat it all in one meal -LRB- most restaurant servings of protein are at least five ounces -RRB- , or eat smaller portions throughout the day . I often tell clients to divide their plate into quarters : Three quarters should be filled with whole grains and vegetables ; one quarter should be a serving of protein -- such as shrimp , fish , chicken , beans , tofu , lean cuts of beef , or pork -- about the size of a deck of cards . Poultry and meat can take little time to cook -LRB- grilling and searing in a hot , nonstick pan -RRB- or a lot of hands-off time -LRB- braising and stewing until they are fork-tender and flavorful -RRB- . Some high-protein foods are rich in protective nutrients , such as the omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts and fish like wild salmon . Use nuts as a garnish to add flavor , texture , and toastiness to salad , or eat a small handful as a snack . Beans are a near-perfect food -- high in protein , fiber , B vitamins , iron , calcium , and magnesium , and very low in fat . Puree them into dips and spreads , or add them to salads , soups , stews , and casseroles for extra protein oomph . E-mail to a friend . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved . | Chef Laura Pensiero : Do n't let diet hijack your life . Ease good and healthy food on to your menu . Getting enough fruits , vegetables is most important step . Add low-fat cheese and milk to diet . | [[117, 172], [802, 879]] |
Spin bowlers Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik are back in India 's squad for the test series against Pakistan . Harbhajan has been out of test cricket since July 2006 . They are included in a 14-man party for the first two games , in Delhi , starting on November 22 and Calcutta -LRB- Kolkata -RRB- eight days later . Harbhajan has not played a test since July 2006 , while Kartik has been absent for three years . They will be expected to support leg-spinner Anil Kumble , who was named as India 's new captain last week . Dinesh Karthik and Wasim Jaffer , who both played in the 1-0 series victory in England during the summer , are in the party and former captain Rahul Dravid is retained after missing the current one-day series against Pakistan . The squad for the third and final Test against Pakistan , in Bangalore from December 8 , will be named later . India squad : . A Kumble -LRB- captain -RRB- , W Jaffer , D Karthik , R Dravid , S Tendulkar , S Ganguly , V Laxman , Y Singh , MS Dhoni -LRB- wkt -RRB- , H Singh , Z Khan , RP Singh , S Santh , M Kartik . Pakistan all rounder Shahid Afridi and Indian batsman Gautam Gambhir have been given fines for their on-pitch clash during the third one-day international in Kanpur . Afridi was fined 95 percent of his match fee and Gambhir 65 percent after appearing before the International Cricket Council -LRB- ICC -RRB- match referee Roshan Mahanama , the ICC announced . They were charged under two counts of the ICC Code of Conduct relating to conduct unbecoming of their status , which could bring them or the game into disrepute , and the rule relating to `` inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players in the course of play . '' Gambhir and Afridi were involved in a heated altercation after they collided , forcing umpire Ian Gould to intervene and separate them . India won the third game by 46 runs to lead the five-match series 2-1 . The fourth game will be played in Gwalior on Thursday . E-mail to a friend . | India have recalled Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik to their test squad . The spinners are in a squad for the first two tests against Pakistan . The games are in in Delhi , from November 22 and Calcutta from November 30 . | [[0, 112], [0, 112], [170, 229], [170, 174], [243, 318]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Self-help guru James Ray was arrested Wednesday after a grand jury indictment charging him with three counts of manslaughter in the deaths of three participants at an Arizona sweat lodge ceremony he organized last year . Yavapai County Sheriff Steve Waugh said Ray was arrested at his attorney 's office in Prescott , Arizona , Wednesday afternoon . He will eventually be housed at the Camp Verde Detention Center , the sheriff 's office said , and his bond has been set at $ 5 million . Ray is charged with the deaths of Kirby Brown , James Shore and Liz Neuman . Ray 's attorney , Luis Li , said that the charges were unjust and that Ray would be exonerated in court . `` This was a terrible accident -- but it was an accident , not a criminal act , '' Li said . `` James Ray cooperated at every step of the way , providing information and witnesses to the authorities showing that no one could have foreseen this accident . '' As many as 65 visitors , ranging in age from 30 to 60 , attended Ray 's `` Spiritual Warrior '' program at the Angel Valley Retreat Center near Sedona in October . They spent as long as two hours inside a dome-like structure called a sweat lodge , which was covered with tarps and blankets and had hot rocks and water inside to create steam . Three people died after spending time in the sweat lodge October 8 and nearly 20 others were sickened . Brown and Shore were pronounced dead shortly after they arrived at a local hospital , and Neuman died October 17 after being hospitalized since the incident . Native Americans used sweat lodges in spiritual and physical purification ceremonies . Ray is widely known for programs that claim to teach people how to create wealth from all aspects of their lives -- financially , mentally , physically and spiritually . He has appeared on various national programs in the United States , including CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' | Self-help guru James Ray was arrested Wednesday after a grand jury indictment . He 's charged with manslaughter in deaths of three at Arizona sweat lodge ceremony . As many as 65 people spent as long as two hours inside the sweat lodge . Ray 's attorney says charges are unjust and Ray would be exonerated in court . | [[0, 15], [34, 185], [73, 205], [0, 15], [34, 185], [73, 205], [507, 583], [1292, 1358], [960, 971], [974, 1002], [952, 971], [1005, 1022], [1113, 1173], [584, 599], [612, 689]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- Allow me to introduce myself . I am a gainfully employed , God-fearing , law-abiding citizen , and I come in peace . I do n't bet on baseball , I take excellent care of my gums , I keep my tray table locked and upright from takeoff to landing . Oh , and there 's one more thing : I am what is commonly referred to in polite society as `` an unmarried woman . '' Truth be told , I now have a boyfriend and a baby girl -- it 's all very modern -- but much of my 30s involved ostensibly concerned bystanders averting their eyes , asking how many cats I own , and sharing their private theories on where it all went so hideously wrong for me . Ah , yes , I remember it well . And when I start to forget , I still have plenty of single girlfriends in various states of angst to remind me of the grotesque fix-ups , the ham-handed remarks , and the brutal Thanksgiving dinners . For those valiant , traumatized souls , I present my list of the ten things one must never say , think , or do when dealing with a single woman over the age of 35 . 1 . Hey , cousin Christy , how ` bout we break with tradition and dispense with that bridal bouquet toss ? Believe it or not , it 's actually a touch degrading to be shoved front and center next to your spinster aunt Mitzi from Winnipeg as a roomful of revelers hopped up on Champagne and jumbo shrimp chant , `` You 're next , you 're next . '' 2 . The word picky -- as in `` the reason you refuse to meet my podiatrist 's brother-in-law for a night of miniature golf is that you 're too picky '' -- is not only offensive , it 's inaccurate . Hell , I 'd have dated Ted Bundy if he were willing to meet in a well-lit , public place . No , I suspect it was your description of his `` slight comb-over '' and `` profound desire to one day shake Dick Cheney 's hand '' that made me release that `` catch '' back into the wilds of New Jersey . Oprah.com : The number one thing to look for in a partner . 3 . Do n't confuse being unmarried with being 11 . My love of SpongeBob-shaped macaroni and cheese notwithstanding , I never wanted to sit at the children 's table . Nor did I want to ride in the backseat with your darling toddler , his pet tarantula , his Spider-Man glitter glue , and his melting Fudgsicle . 4 . Kindly stop filling every conversational lull by announcing how much you love `` Will & Grace . '' Being single is not the same thing as being gay , just as being married is not proof of being straight ... but I 'll cover that concept more fully in my upcoming `` Uncle Barry 's Very Special Surprise '' article . Oprah.com : How to break the ice with anyone . 5 . Has anybody out there noticed that the institution of matrimony is falling apart faster than Courtney Love on a can of Red Bull ? Now , I honestly do n't care if your marriage is so gothic in its dysfunction that it makes the couple from `` Who 's Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? '' look like Will and Jada -- I 'm not here to judge . All I ask is that you quit judging me . Perhaps we 're not suffering a fear of intimacy as much as a fear of being trapped in a crummy marriage . 6 . Remember that little factoid you used to bandy about -- you know , the one where 40-year-old women have a greater chance of being shot by terrorists than of making it to the altar ? Then you may also recall that Susan Faludi refuted that myth 14 years ago . So , okay , Ms. Faludi is probably rethinking that -LRB- thanks a lot , Osama ! -RRB- , but you do n't have to rub it in . 7 . Enough with the `` constructive '' criticism already . We live in a world of stunning technological advancement , but it remains physically impossible to wear your heart on your sleeve and be emotionally distant , dress like a slut and a librarian , try much too hard and not make any real effort . 8 . New rule : You may discuss everything from the fall of the Roman Empire to the rise of Rem Koolhaas with your single friend . But her uterus , ovaries , entire reproductive system are off-limits . Sending clippings about a 74-year-old Ukrainian woman who just gave birth to triplets along with a peppy little `` Keep hope alive ! '' Post-it note will do irreparable damage to your relationship and -- if the woman is particularly resourceful -- may even get your tires slashed . 9 . Here 's a phrase that must never , ever cross your lips : `` Let me tell you why a terrific gal like you is still single ... '' Because that terrific gal is then likely to explain in dark and visceral detail what happened to the last gentleman who uttered those very words -- and , trust me , you really do n't want to know . 10 . I 've looked at single life from both sides now , and here 's what I think : Single women are not Sarah Jessica Parker in `` Sex and the City '' any more than they 're Glenn Close in `` Fatal Attraction . '' For one thing , very few have Manolo Blahniks in their closets . For another , very few have sex with Michael Douglas in their kitchens . They sometimes get lonely , frustrated , they sometimes get flat-out goofy . They are human beings -- tickle them and they laugh , prick them and they bleed , offer them chocolate and they eat ... . In other words , they 're pretty much like all the married women I know . Oprah.com : 4 ways to talk so people listen . By Lisa Kogan from Oprah.com © 2010 . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2010 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved . | Columnist Lisa Kogan says please do n't say these things to single women . Dangerous to say , `` Let me tell you why a terrific gal like you is still single ... '' Do n't tell them they 're too picky for not wanting to date guy you 've described . Do n't give them constuctive criticism or insinuate that they are gay . | [[4354, 4419]] |
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