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Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Pakistani military on Sunday was looking into a local report that the region 's Taliban leader had died , officials said . State broadcaster PTV reported that Hakimullah Mehsud , the Taliban commander in Pakistan , was wounded in a drone attack this month , and that he died and was buried last week . PTV cited local sources and its correspondent in North Waziristan . A Taliban source denied the report to CNN , saying that Mehsud has simply gone `` underground '' after being targeted by drone attacks . The source , who requested anonymity because he is not an authorized spokesperson for the Taliban , said Mehsud is alive and well and will release a taped recording to prove as much . Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas told CNN that `` we can not yet confirm '' Mehsud 's death . Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik told CNN on Sunday that officials have received reports of the Taliban leader 's death , but also could not immediately verify it . Mehsud has been the target of suspected U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan . The U.S. military routinely offers no comment on reported attacks by the pilotless aircraft . The Taliban leader 's status came into question following two drone attacks aimed at him this month . U.S. counterterrorism officials contacted by CNN Sunday could not confirm whether Mehsud is dead or injured . CNN 's Kiran Khalid and Pam Benson contributed to this report . | NEW : Taliban source says commander alive and well , will release tape soon . Pakistani military looking into reported death of Hakimullah Mehsud . State-run TV reports Mehsud was injured in drone attack and died last week . Mehsud has been target of suspected U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan . | [[551, 598], [651, 705], [551, 561], [656, 662], [685, 734], [0, 9], [12, 36], [73, 113], [837, 964], [167, 345], [203, 220], [259, 299], [306, 345], [1010, 1082], [1026, 1082]] |
-LRB- SuperYachtWorld -RRB- -- They may not be big on looks but explorer yachts can realize even the most intrepid traveler 's desire for far-flung and exotic corners of the globe . Explorers offer all the comforts of traditional superyachts but with souped-up specifications -- an ice-strengthened hull to cope with polar ice or ocean-going capability . Which means these tough boats can cruise from Patagonia to the islands of the Caribbean and from the Arctic ice to the Mediterranean . They also come with an impressive array of gadgets and gizmos : Helicopters , fishing boats , luxury speed boats and state-of-the-art navigation gear are all among the play things likely to be aboard . While chartering one of these yachts is not within everyone 's budget -- prices range from about $ 100,000 to $ 500,000 per week , depending on the season -- most people can relate to the fantasy of escaping the crowds and exploring some of the world 's most remote and beautiful spots . ` Atmosphere ' Why we like it : `` Atmosphere '' is more than a yacht -- it is the perfect escape for the 21st century adventurer . It is a specially designed platform from which to explore undiscovered Chilean Patagonia in three ways -- by air , land and water , using the yacht 's on-board vehicles , which include a helicopter . Where has it been ? It has been based off the fjord-like coast of Chile since its launch . Its cruising area is 400 or so nautical miles from Puerto Montt in the north to the Taitao peninsula . What its captain says : `` My crew will fly you in helicopters , drive you to see wildlife in special tenders and take you on rugged shore-based excursions in one of a fleet of all-terrain vehicles we keep ashore in strategically placed locations along the coastline . We can fly you in the helicopter to isolated ski slopes with virgin snow . '' Victor Espinoza . Web site : nomadsoftheseas.com . ` Allure Shadow ' Why we like it : `` Allure Shadow '' was built for a yacht owner who purchased a shadow boat to carry the toys for his big white yacht but then discovered he enjoyed the shadow more than the other one . It 's not short on luxuries : every cabin has its own balcony . Where has it been ? Most recently it was deployed to Bimini in the Bahamas where its huge hangar and massive crane were used to launch a research submarine that was looking for the lost city of Atlantis . What its captain says : `` There is nowhere we ca n't go . And wherever we go , we do so in style , carrying more tenders , toys and cars than you can shake a stick at . When you talk about carrying a helicopter , we ask how many would you like ! '' Kostas Andreou . Web site : iyc.com . ` Senses ' Why we like it : `` Senses '' is packed with toys , including a luxurious 13 meter `` Nelson tender '' speedboat with its own slipway system enabling guests to step directly aboard from the main deck , an 8.5 meter Herreshoff sailing sloop , a `` Hobie Cat '' catamaran , a Waverunner , an meter fishing boat and a 7.5-meter RIB . Where has it been ? With a decade of adventures under it belt , it is one of the few charter yachts that can cruise from pole to pole . Its current owner has already taken `` Senses '' around the world twice . What its captain says : '' ` Senses ' can acclimatize to every use , be it diving in the Tropics , three month-long self-contained adventures up the Amazon , or entertaining . Its flotilla of tenders can be customized to suit the adventure at hand and that includes the seven-seat helicopter with a range of 600 nautical miles . '' Geordie Nicholson . Web site : burgessyachts.com . ` Big Aron ' Why we like it This capacious 2004 yacht was refitted in 2006 . With five decks reserved for guests it commands vast interior and exterior spaces . Where has it been ? South America and Brazil , where it explored some amazing uncharted river deltas , and the Angra dos Reis south of Rio -- a perfect charter area with 365 islands , beautiful beaches with wonderful fishing . What its captain says : `` Our French Polynesia charter trips show off some of my yacht 's better features . Its seaworthiness sailing between island groups and its ability to carry a large tender on deck , which we use to explore lagoons and diving areas , make it the perfect yacht . Our large deck spaces are good for bringing entertainment on board -- including , once , a large Tahitian dancing group ! '' Will Kaye . Web site : camperandnicholsons.com . ` Titan ' Why we like it : Built for the Royal Navy as `` HMS Beagle , '' it was one of a flotilla that undertook voyages around the world to ensure that the Admiralty 's hydrographic charts were fully up-to-date . It is a classic example of how a yacht should be converted from a ship . Where has it been ? Following a change of ownership , `` Titan '' was refitted again in 2007 . It changed its hull color from white to dark blue , and set off around the world . What its captain says : `` Having charted the world for the Admiralty as `` Beagle , '' `` Titan '' is now ready to charter the world for the discerning guest . '' Luca Lazzari . Web site : ocyachts.com . ` Devotion ' Why we like it : `` Devotion '' was the first superyacht to enter Desolation Sound in British Columbia . Reliable , solid , and seaworthy , this is a vessel with beautiful and timeless lines . Where has it been ? After three circumnavigations of the globe , it 's now based in Alaska , and what a place to explore -- from lush green forests to glacial fjords . What its captain says : '' ` Devotion ' heightens your awareness of the surroundings . The big deck spaces and windows allow our guests to experience nature 's beauty virtually the entire time aboard . '' Dan Stabbert . Web site : njyachts.com/#home . ` Maverick II ' Why we like it : `` Maverick II '' is loaded with sailing dinghies , kayaks , wind surfing boards , tows and a fighting chair for fishermen . This Japanese-built yacht is a proven world cruiser . Where has it been ? Just about everywhere , but it 's now based in Phuket , Thailand , giving it access to Indonesia , Singapore , Myanmar and India , as well as being able to offer all-year cruising . What its captain says : `` My crew is highly service oriented with several taking classes to learn new skills in their spare time , such as new massage techniques . '' Robert Hossack . Web site : burgessyachts.com . ` Leo Fun ' Why we like it : `` Leo Fun '' has a range of 5,000 miles at a cruising speed of 15 knots . The night-vision cameras with infrared to make the boat more secure . With four generators instead of the usual three , it 's got the power to back up its explorer credentials . Where has it been ? Launched in April last year , this Turkish beauty is still very new to the blue planet . What its captain says : `` Because of its solidity , seaworthiness and state-of-the-art navigation gear , I would be happy to take ` Leo Fun ' anywhere with more than three meters of water . '' Frederic Castaignos . Web site : yachtcharter-monaco . com . www.superyachtworld.com . Frances and Michael Howorth contributed to this report . | New breed of adventure explorers offer comforts of superyachts . Cruise the Arctic Circle , explore uncharted river deltas and bask in the Caribbean sun . Explorers come packed with toys : helicopters , jet skis , dinghies and more . | [[182, 275], [3831, 3878], [490, 494], [500, 551], [1250, 1280], [1289, 1311], [1506, 1527], [1531, 1703], [2474, 2476], [2494, 2531], [2710, 2777], [4291, 4370], [5795, 5919]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bastian Schweinsteiger rescued a point for Bayern Munich as the German Bundesliga leaders were held to a 1-1 draw by Cologne on Saturday . The Germany international grabbed an equalizer for Bayern in the 58th minute as Louis van Gaal 's side missed the opportunity to increase their lead at the top of the table . Bayern had looked to be heading for their first defeat since November after former striker Lukas Podolski , who had earlier hit the post , gave Cologne the lead at the RheinEnergieStadion . Podolski struck a superb free-kick in the 32nd minute which deflected off goalkeeper Hans-Jorg Butt 's hand and into the top-left corner of the net . But the impressive Thomas Mueller set up midfielder Schweinsteiger and he stroked the ball home from just inside the penalty area to secure a point for Bayern . Schalke are hot on the heels of the leaders after they cruised to a 4-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt to close the gap to two points thanks to goals from Joel Matip , Benedikt Howedes Ivan Rakitic and Kevin Kuranyi . Marcell Jansen scored the only goal of the game to ensure Hamburg remain in touch with the top three as they claimed a 1-0 win over Hertha Berlin at the HSH Nordbank Arena which left Hertha rooted to the bottom of the table . Stuttgart threw away a two-goal lead as they drew 2-2 with Werder Bremen . Sami Khedira and Pavel Pogrebnyak gave the visitors a 2-0 half-time advantage but Portugal striker Hugo Almeida pulled a goal back for Bremen before Torsten Frings leveled with nine minutes remaining . Elsewhere , Wolfsburg scored four second-half goals as they came from behind to a record a 4-1 win over Bochum thanks to a brace from Edin Dzeko and a goal apiece from Obafemi Martins and Jonathan Santana . Hannover clinched a vital three points over fellow relegation strugglers Freiburg with a 2-1 away victory as Papiss Demba Cisse put through his own net for the home side after Yacine Abdessadki had equalized Elson 's opener for the visitors . In the day 's late kick-off Borussia Dortmund kept up the chase for the Europa League with a routine 3-0 home victory over Borussia Monchengladbach . Egypt international Mohamed Zidan , who scored against England during the week , struck twice in the second half after Kevin Grosskreutz had given Dortmund the lead . | Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger rescues a point for Bayern Munich at Cologne . Schalke are hot on the heels of Bayern after they cruised to a 4-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt . Marcell Jansen scores the only goal of the game as Hamburg beat Hertha Berlin . Hannover clinch a vital three points over fellow relegation strugglers Freiburg with a 2-1 away win . | [[19, 108], [158, 260], [744, 833], [834, 877], [884, 963], [1048, 1148], [1152, 1219], [1758, 1839]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Haiti 's earthquake is creating `` a generation of amputees , '' something that will pose a challenge for Haitian society for years to come , experts say . The 7.0 earthquake resulted in thousands having their limbs crushed as Haiti 's ramshackle buildings fell on top of them . The number of amputees created by the disaster is hard to measure , but Handicap International estimates it is at least 2,000 and growing . Dr. Mitra Roses of the Pan American Health Organization said some hospitals were performing between 30 and 100 amputations a day after the earthquake . At one small hospital in the capital that is now functioning under a tent , doctors say they are performing more and more amputations on children . `` We 're having a generation of amputees , '' said one medical worker . She had just discovered that a 2-year-old girl can not feel her left foot and may need an amputation . `` It 's heartbreaking . '' Amputations in Haiti are especially difficult for patients because so many people get around on foot or by bicycle . Sidewalks and roads are poor and wheelchairs , crutches and canes are few . `` What I fear is that if I ca n't walk , I ca n't go to school and I ca n't go to church , '' said a boy who lost his foot in the earthquake . Without his foot , he said , he ca n't pedal the bike he normally takes to church and to school . `` It 's not an environment which is conducive to mobility for people who are not able to walk for a variety of reasons , '' Stephanie Stuart , director of Handicap International UK , told CNN . Amputees may have trouble getting to work , she said , and the problem is compounded if those people perform manual labor , which requires greater use of their limbs . `` Their circumstances are pretty dire , because an amputee in Haiti is highly disadvantaged in terms of being able to be mobile , have a job and look after family , '' said Eric Doubt , executive director of Healing Hands for Haiti International , which provides treatment and rehabilitation to people with disabilities . Young amputees face different issues , said Stuart . Like the boy who lost his foot , they may not be able to go to school , putting them at risk of losing education . They also ca n't play with their friends or enjoy the activities they used to , and they may be too young to understand why , Stuart said . Even if those children make it to school , they may have trouble adapting to an able-bodied environment . `` A lot of children , if they could n't manage to go to the loo -LRB- toilet -RRB- in schools , would they feel they wanted to spend the day there ? '' Stuart said . Parents of children with lost limbs may also find it hard to adapt , she said . `` However much they love them , are -LRB- parents -RRB- still going to be able to support them and help their education and well-being as much as they could with an able child ? '' The Pan American Health Organization said disabilities can cause significant and long-term economic and mental health problems for earthquake survivors . With so many earthquake victims having had or facing the prospect of amputations , Haiti 's government should prioritize the issue of disability and support for disabled people , Stuart said . Before the earthquake , Haiti had only one facility that produced prosthetic limbs . It survived the earthquake but will not be able to meet current needs , Doubt said . `` They actually are able to start fabricating but ... they 're very small , and the need is much greater , '' Doubt told CNN by phone from the organization 's offices in Georgetown , Ontario . Even before the earthquake , he said , `` we were only really touching the need at the time . '' There were about 800,000 Haitians with handicaps and disabilities before the earthquake , Doubt said . `` Handicapped in Haiti have been largely unattended to or abandoned by their governments , and there are very few medical organizations who attend to them or provide a focus on them , so it was a very large job to begin with , '' he said . `` There are going to be many more disabled -LRB- now -RRB- , and among them a large population of newly amputated patients , and that population is going to grow . '' Stuart explained that many people with injuries requiring amputation may not have made it yet to hospitals . Others may simply have skin wounds , but if they ca n't get to a hospital and their wounds become infected , it could necessitate amputation . Anticipating the need , the group Physicians for Peace has begun to collect prosthetics , crutches , canes , walkers and wheelchairs . Amputees are typically fitted with new limbs after two to four months of healing . Used prosthetics will be particularly beneficial in Haiti , where manufacturing artificial limbs is likely to be difficult , said Heather Mills , a U.N. Association goodwill ambassador . `` What I 'm trying to do is appeal to people to ... contact Physicians for Peace and take back any limbs that they 're not using , '' Mills told CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' `` We can reuse the components . '' Mills , who was once married to Beatle Paul McCartney , lost part of her left leg in a 1993 vehicle crash . She has since been active in charities to clear land mines and provide artificial limbs to tens of thousands of people . `` I 'm fully aware that they 're not going to need the limbs for weeks , but it takes weeks to coordinate , '' Mills said . `` It takes weeks for people to donate . It takes weeks to get them packed and shipped . '' Handicap International plans to produce between 300 and 400 emergency prostheses in the next six months to cover the need until patients can receive more permanent ones , the group said . Physicians for Peace plans to set up a prosthesis production facility in Haiti , according to the group 's Web site . `` We will work with our partners to identify whether we can use existing structures or somehow build temporary work space and bring in the specialized equipment needed to prepare and fit prosthetic devices : ovens , routers , vacuum pumps , drills , sanders and saws , as well as generators and lights , '' the Website said . Refurbished prosthetic limbs and mobility devices collected by the group will also be shipped to Haiti . Handicap International is also expanding its staff to around 100 , and they will train local prosthetic technicians to meet the needs of amputees in the long term , Stuart said . `` Prosthetics need to be fitted -- they 're not off the shelf -- so you need technicians there , '' Stuart said . Prosthetics `` need to be changed if the child is growing , if the person gains weight , loses weight . '' CNN 's Ed Payne in Atlanta , Georgia , contributed to this report . | Experts say Haiti 's earthquake is creating `` a generation of amputees '' Disabilities can cause long-term economic and mental health problems . Amputations in Haiti are difficult because people get around on foot or by bicycle . | [[19, 78], [161, 174], [312, 344], [739, 779], [3068, 3091], [3106, 3140], [4058, 4117], [2906, 3059], [2948, 3059], [942, 1058], [1012, 1058]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Costa Rica elected its first female president , as the ruling National Liberation Party claimed a historic victory . `` I want to thank the pioneering women who years ago opened the doors of politics in Costa Rica , '' Laura Chinchilla said Sunday to flag-waving supporters in the capital , San Jose . `` My government will be open to all Costa Ricans of good faith . '' Second-place candidate Otton Solis of the Citizen 's Action Party had conceded defeat earlier in the evening , as the PLN -- the Spanish acronym for the National Liberation Party party -- forged its way to a nearly 2-to-1 lead . Polls showed Chinchilla garnering 46.8 percent of the vote , with 84 percent of election sites reporting . Solis had 25.1 percent , while Otto Guevara of the Libertarian Movement had 20.9 percent . Election day was festive throughout the nation , with video footage showing supporters of the main presidential candidates dressed in their respective campaign colors . International observers interviewed on CNN affiliate Teletica compared the election scene to a festival . The festivities included election sites where children could vote in a mock presidential vote . The educational outreach let the children pick their candidate on a digital ballot not unlike the ones the rest of the electorate cast their votes with . Some 2.8 million Costa Ricans are eligible to vote . In addition to voting for president , Costa Ricans cast ballots for two vice presidents , 57 Congress members and 495 council members . The legacy of outgoing President Oscar Arias -- a Nobel laureate who leaves office a popular , if polarizing , leader -- has in many ways shaped the presidential race . Although he has given Costa Rica a larger role in foreign affairs through his involvement in seeking resolution to the political crisis in Honduras , but his style has rubbed some the wrong way . After casting his vote Sunday , Arias called the electoral process transparent and trustworthy . `` I would like to thank the Costa Rican people for filling the streets with color , '' he said . CNN 's Roberto Pazos contributed to this report . | NEW : Chinchilla takes 46.8 percent of the vote , with most election sites reporting . She thanks women in victory speech . Solis bows out , as PLN took nearly 2-to-1 lead . Election day was festive throughout nation . | [[619, 677], [699, 725], [390, 498], [504, 511], [578, 618], [817, 863], [986, 1009], [1025, 1091]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two sheriff 's deputies responding to a domestic dispute between a pair of brothers Monday night were shot and badly injured in the same Washington county where four officers were killed last month , authorities said . The Pierce County deputies were wounded while responding to a domestic violence incident at home near the town of Eatonville , south of Seattle , said Hunter George , a county spokesman . They killed the gunman , identified as David E. Crable , in an exchange of fire , authorities said . Sgt. Nick Hausner , 43 , a 20-year veteran of the Pierce County Sheriff 's Department , was transported to Madigan Army Medical Center where he was in serious condition , the department said . He is married and has children who are 14 and 12 years old . Deputy Kent Mundell , 44 , a nine-year veteran , was airlifted to the trauma center at Harborview Medical Center where he was in critical condition with life-threatening injuries , the sheriff 's department said . He also is married and has two children , a 16-year-old and a 10-year-old . Pierce County prosecutor Mark Lindquist said Crable had a history of protection orders sought by family members . Earlier this year , Crable pleaded guilty to malicious mischief and brandishing a knife in an incident involving his brother , Lindquist said , and protection orders were imposed afterward , telling him to stay away from his brother and a female minor . Both counts were misdemeanors . Lindquist said Crable had no felony convictions . The protective orders were not in effect during the Monday night shooting , Lindquist said . The prosecutor said other protection orders that emerged were not the result of charges filed . `` They are a result of people saying this guy is a danger to me , '' Lindquist said . `` I think you can reasonably infer from his history , he had an alcohol problem . '' Crable went to his brother 's house Monday night and there was a domestic dispute , said Sheriff 's detective Ed Troyer . One of the men invited the officers inside the house , while the other man went upstairs . He returned with a weapon and shot at the deputies , striking them several times , Troyer said . Local coverage from CNN affiliate KIRO . The deputies returned fire , killing the alleged shooter , he said . `` There were a lot of rounds fired , '' Troyer said . Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire issued a statement saying , `` My thoughts and prayers are with the two wounded Pierce County deputies , their families , friends , and the entire law enforcement community . '' This incident comes in the aftermath of two other recent cop shootings in the Seattle area . Since October 31 , eight police officers or deputies have been shot . Five have died in the attacks . On Halloween night , Seattle police Officer Timothy Brenton was fatally shot while sitting in his patrol car . Brenton , 39 , was reviewing paperwork from a traffic stop when someone fired into his patrol car . An officer Brenton was training was wounded in the shooting . A suspect in that case was arrested and pleaded not guilty . On November 29 , four officers from Lakewood , Washington , were killed in an ambush-style shooting at a coffee shop . Police shot and killed the suspect in that attack after a two-day manhunt . Troyer said it was `` surreal '' to be responding to another shooting that involved officers . His department has led the investigation into the shooting of the four Lakewood officers . `` I am deeply troubled by the recent series of attacks on our law enforcement officers , '' Gregoire said in the statement . `` I ask that all Washington citizens join me in sending a clear message that these assaults on law enforcement officers will not be tolerated . `` The people of Washington and across America know that those who wear a badge show us the true meaning of service . They sacrifice their safety for ours . We owe them and their families our gratitude , respect and support . '' CNN 's Patrick Oppmann contributed to this report . | Two Pierce County sheriff 's deputies shot while responding to domestic violence incident . One is in critical condition , other is stable , officials say . Suspected shooter shot and killed , officials say . Four officers were killed last month in the same county . | [[19, 115], [238, 362], [868, 893], [900, 959], [147, 166], [174, 216], [3096, 3110], [3113, 3140], [3143, 3214]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A New Jersey teachers union is coming under fire after an internal memo included a veiled threat to Gov. Chris Christie . The leaked memo , which was sent to union leaders in the New Jersey Education Association 's Bergen County division , contains a closing paragraph written in the form of a prayer . `` Dear Lord , '' the letter reads . `` This year you have taken away my favorite actor , Patrick Swayze , my favorite actress , Farrah Fawcett , my favorite singer , Michael Jackson , and my favorite salesman , Billy Mays . I just wanted to let you know that Chris Christie is my favorite governor . '' Bergen County Education Association President Joe Coppola said the memo was confidential and the line was intended as a joke . `` It was inappropriate , it was in bad taste , and it was definitely in poor judgment , '' Coppola said . But Christie is not taking the letter lightly and had some strong words for the teachers union . `` We can have honest disagreements about policy , '' the governor said at a news conference Friday . `` But I am sure there are teachers all across New Jersey when they learn about this today who are going to be ashamed . '' He added , `` I wonder what the children of New Jersey will think when the leadership of the teachers union is praying for their governor to die . '' The incident comes as Christie and the New Jersey Education Association are entrenched in a bitter struggle over funding for New Jersey 's school system . Seeking to address an $ 11 billion budget deficit , Christie , a Republican who was elected in November , has proposed severe cuts to the state 's education system , with teachers being hit especially hard . Barbara Keshishian , president of the New Jersey Education Association , issued an apology Friday condemning the letter . `` Language such as that has no place in civil discourse , '' she said . `` Our ongoing discussion with Gov. Christie is centered on serious issues of significant importance to the state , and that must be the focus of all our conversation . '' | Internal memo asks God to take New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie . `` It was inappropriate , '' union president acknowledges . Governor says teachers should be ashamed . Amid budget crisis , Christie has proposed severe cuts to education . | [[74, 140], [1540, 1548], [1583, 1651]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- No matter the years she has been away and the miles that separate her , Crystal Roles still calls Naoma , West Virginia , home . She left the mining town with her high school sweetheart , soon after they graduated and married in 1989 . But every trip back home -- to the area the world has been watching for days -- is a reunion with a special world for the coal miner 's daughter . `` It 's a breed of people , a group of people that are like nobody else , '' says Roles , 39 . `` The same people who are underground now , looking for the four missing , are kids I went to high school with . '' Authorities confirmed early Saturday that rescue efforts had came to a grim end after crews found the bodies of four miners who had been missing since the explosion almost a week ago . The death toll from Monday 's blast at the Upper Big Branch mine now stands at 29 , making it the worst mining disaster in the United States in nearly four decades . Rescue crews going underground , Roles says , may have had `` to step over one of their neighbors , a deacon in their church or someone who recently sat on the front porch with them having a glass of tea . '' Since the explosion , outsiders have tuned in to the news from her hometown . But for those who live there or were raised in mining communities , the story will continue long after the media trucks pull away . Grounded in family ties , hard work and pride , it is a story that links generations and binds people together . It is a life driven by harsh economic realities -- the need to have work and support families . It comes with a steep price : Miners hold one of the most dangerous jobs in America . In West Virginia , the average miner brings home $ 68,000 a year , according to 2007 figures provided by the National Mining Association -- a salary the organization says is 100 percent higher than the average state wage . Because of her deep connection to Naoma , Roles , who now lives in Hickory , North Carolina , has hung on every shred of information she can get . Text messages from cousins came almost immediately Monday evening . And through phone calls to her parents , she knows her 63-year-old father , Benny Crum , is a wreck . See Roles ' iReport posting . `` I 've cried ever since this happened . My heart is broke , '' Crum , a former miner , said Thursday night . `` Coal miners -- it 's like a fraternity . When it comes to one of them getting hurt , we all hurt . You want to go and help . '' Forced into retirement 18 years ago , after he said black lung disease made the work impossible , Crum feels there 's little he can do . Dependent on oxygen tanks , he listened to his scanner Monday night and watched and worried as others raced to the Upper Big Branch coal mine . Later , from his porch , he looked on as his community formed a candlelight vigil . Being a coal miner was in his blood and all Crum ever wanted to do . The danger of his job , roof bolting -- or supporting the ceilings to keep others safe -- was like a drug that fueled him during 18-hour days . His father began working in the mines at age 12 , the day after his own father died on the job . `` My daddy was a miner for 57 years . Most of his life was spent underground , '' Crum said . Among the miners are men who defy the stereotypes held by some outsiders , Crum said . Though they are miners , they are also teachers , ministers , police officers . They 're people who are trained and do this work because they are proud to , or because their other career choices have n't paid enough to support their families . Crum said he 's seen coal miners quit to head off to medical school . `` They 're not doing this because they 're too stupid to do anything else , '' he said . `` They 're skilled and educated people -- not just a bunch of hicks . '' And there 's a work ethic that those connected to mining communities say is unmatched . For about nine hours a day , six days a week , Kara Scurlock 's husband , Brian , 31 , works in a mine not far from Upper Big Branch . If he gets vacation time , she does n't know it , because he never takes it . Given travel time from their home in Beaver , West Virginia , and down into the mine , he 's gone about 12 hours a day . Deep underground , he works beneath a ceiling that stands about 3 feet high . See Kara Scurlock 's iReport posting . `` It 's cold , it 's wet , it 's muddy , '' and when these miners come home , `` they 're sore , they 're tired , they 're hunched over all night , '' she said . `` When he -LSB- Brian -RSB- gets up and walks , you can hear his knees pop . And he stays congested . He 's constantly hacking . '' But her husband does n't complain , she says . In his free hours during the day , he fixed up the house he purchased . He took time off from the mines in 2003 after his brother , Rodney , was electrocuted in the same Massey Energy mine the world is watching today , she said . But he went back soon after he and Kara married in 2005 . `` It gets in your blood , '' said Scurlock , who is the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of coal miners . `` I would stand behind him , whatever he chooses . '' Scurlock worries about her husband but says he shows no fear himself . When he came home Monday night , she grabbed him , held him all night and cried . Every day , when he leaves for work , the process is always the same , she said . `` He just makes sure when he leaves for work he gives me a kiss and tells me he loves me , '' she said . `` And I make him carry a pen and paper in his bucket , so in case something happens , he can write a note . '' Country singer Kathy Mattea still feels a deep kinship with miners and their families . Her two grandfathers were miners in West Virginia , where she grew up outside Charleston . One was an organizer in the 1920s and '30s for the United Mine Workers of America . When she heard the news Monday , she said she felt `` an unexplainable grief for people I 've never met that 's with me all the time . '' That feeling , during the Sago Mine disaster in 2006 , inspired her 2008 album `` Coal . '' Mattea was 9 when an explosion in Farmington , West Virginia , in 1968 killed 78 miners , including an uncle of the state 's current governor . She remembers `` the pall over our household , how all the oxygen got sucked out of the place . '' That moment is what she always returns to when mine disasters strike . If the recent mine explosion affected you , share your story . She honors her coal mining history and the people still living that life in simple actions . She wishes others would , too . `` When we flip on a light switch , we 're part of the story , '' said Mattea , who lives in Nashville , Tennessee . `` It was hot enough yesterday to turn on the AC . And I thought , because I 'm doing this , I 'm directly linked to what 's happening there . It felt different . '' | Mine disaster shines spotlight on community steeped in pride , hard work and danger . Former miner a wreck : `` When it comes to one of them getting hurt , we all hurt '' Miners include teachers , ministers and police officers , defying stereotypes , miner says . Country singer Kathy Mattea feels kinship with miners ; her history inspired `` Coal '' album . | [[1385, 1430], [3438, 3444], [3465, 3503], [3827, 3914], [2405, 2446], [2449, 2462], [3262, 3311], [3283, 3286], [3291, 3334], [3374, 3428], [5617, 5704]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Americans can expect a roaring debate over social issues in the discussion of the next Supreme Court nominee , but in the end , President Obama 's choice to succeed Justice John Paul Stevens is likely to be confirmed , CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin says . Toobin , author of `` The Nine : Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court , '' said the large Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate gives Obama a strong chance of getting his choice confirmed . He says , though , that the ideologically divided court has undergone a lot of turnover in the past five years , and it 's impossible to predict how it will evolve . Toobin notes that one thing is fairly clear : Obama will probably begin his search for a new justice with the candidates he did not select when he picked Sonia Sotomayor for the court last year . Toobin spoke with CNN on Friday . Here is an edited transcript . CNN : What do you think is the most significant role that Justice Stevens played on the court ? Jeffrey Toobin : As the senior associate justice on the court , he had the second most formal authority to assign the writing of opinions after the chief justice , and he was undoubtedly the leader of the liberal wing and a very successful one . CNN : Now , who will assume that senior associate justice role ? Toobin : The senior associate justice role would be Antonin Scalia now , but he votes with Chief Justice -LSB- John -RSB- Roberts most of the time . So the senior liberal on the court would now be Ruth Bader Ginsburg , who is a less outgoing person than Justice Stevens . CNN : Do you expect we 'll see a marked change in how the court operates ? Toobin : The court does n't change dramatically in terms of its operations . But as Justice Byron White used to say , `` You change one justice , you change the whole court , '' and I expect that will be true . By Supreme Court standards , the last five years have been a period of enormous turnover . It 's not at all clear which side will be ahead when it 's all over . CNN : Do you expect that there 's any potential the president 's nomination could change the complexion of the court ? Toobin : I am certain the president will nominate someone who is generally sympathetic with Stevens and Obama 's own politics , but history shows it 's folly to predict with precision exactly how a justice will evolve over decades . CNN : What do you think are the two or three things that are most important to Obama in making this decision ? Toobin : I think the most important criterion is a justice of integrity and intelligence . The second is a justice who shares his general views about law and the Constitution , and third is someone who can get confirmed . CNN : What kind of a justice does he need to nominate in order to get a confirmation that is relatively easy ? Toobin : He has 59 Democratic senators , so it 's overwhelmingly likely that anyone he nominates will get confirmed . It 's important to remember that . By historic standards , this is a very large majority . Yes , it is possible there will be a filibuster , but there has never been a successful filibuster to stop a Supreme Court nominee in the modern era . CNN : And how important is age as a factor in his decision ? Toobin : I think age is a huge factor , because one of the big appeals of Supreme Court nominations is that they serve for life , and a 49-year-old nominee will likely serve 10 years more than a 59-year-old nominee . CNN : Of the recent issues that have been before the court and the issues that are coming up , which of them are likely to be raised in the course of the debate over the nomination ? Toobin : There are certain evergreens of constitutional conflict that come up , though nominees rarely address them directly . One is abortion , another is affirmative action , but to be sure , there will be questions about gun rights , there will be questions about the constitutionality of health care reform , and there will always be issues that we ca n't even anticipate . CNN : And do you think this resonates beyond Washington this year ? Toobin : I do . When you 're talking about the Supreme Court , you 're talking about social issues , which many people care very deeply about , so I think this is not just a Beltway issue . CNN : You 've said that you 're a law school classmate and friend of -LSB- Solicitor General -RSB- Elena Kagan . What 's your view of her ? Toobin : I think she is a formidable possible nominee . She seems to meet many of the criteria that Obama has talked about : intelligence , integrity , a consensus-builder , and she was just confirmed by the Senate as solicitor general last year , which is not a guarantee that she would get confirmed but certainly ca n't hurt . CNN : In her role as a law school dean , she was noted for bringing on conservative scholars ? Toobin : That 's correct . She was known as a real defender of ideological diversity on the faculty . CNN : Who do you think are the two or three other leading candidates ? Toobin : I think presidents generally do n't like to reinvent the wheel with their Supreme Court candidates . The finalists before were Kagan , -LSB- Judge -RSB- Diane Wood of the 7th Circuit and Janet Napolitano , the secretary of Homeland Security . I expect the list will begin with them and may include others . One illustration of how much the country has changed is that Stevens is the only Protestant on the court . It is a court now of six Catholic justices and two Jewish justices , compared to a time when there used to be a Catholic seat and a Jewish seat . CNN : Do you think Obama would be mindful of that in making a selection ? Toobin : I think religion now is more of a curiosity than a criterion for nomination . So , yes , he would be aware of it , but I do n't think it would make a difference . | Obama will likely begin search for nominee with candidates he did n't pick last time . Jeffrey Toobin says social issues will be front and center in debate over nominee . He says Obama 's majority in Senate means he will likely get choice confirmed . | [[659, 779], [765, 854], [28, 136], [3543, 3553], [3589, 3662], [143, 153], [156, 181], [219, 244], [374, 442], [382, 492], [2919, 2959]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- Most people limit their gambling to March Madness pools or the occasional trip to Vegas . Celebrities , of course , tend to do everything on a grander scale . Let 's take a look at some famous people and the high-profile bets on which they cashed in or lost big . 1 . Truman defeats Dewey , Jimmy the Greek defeats Vegas . Everyone remembers the `` Dewey Defeats Truman '' headline from the 1948 presidential election , but Harry Truman was n't the only big winner that night . Legendary gambler Jimmy the Greek had bet $ 10,000 on Truman at steep 17:1 odds . His logic ? His research showed that female voters were n't too keen on candidates with facial hair , which did n't bode well for the mustachioed Dewey . 2 . Phil Mickelson has a nice 2001 . PGA golfer Phil Mickelson had a hot hand during 2001 . Fans might remember that two longshots won titles that year : the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl , and the Arizona Diamondbacks knocked off the New York Yankees in a classic World Series . Mickelson was part of betting groups that had picked both squads . Their $ 20,000 bet on the 28-to-1 Ravens yielded a cool $ 560,000 , and they hit again with $ 20K on the 38-to-1 Diamondbacks . And to think people used to say Mickelson could n't get a big win . 3 . Getting into the White House is tougher than free throws . Last July , NBA star Shaquille O'Neal and a member of his entourage had a fiery debate about whether or not Shaq could just drop by the White House unannounced and be welcomed with open arms . After much back-and-forth , Shaq decided he 'd give it a try . If he could n't get past the gate , he would do 1,000 pushups . If he made it inside , his buddy would have to do the pushups . Unfortunately for Shaq , even the Big Aristotle needs an appointment to see the President . When O'Neal walked up to the gate , the Secret Service politely but firmly turned him away . He later told the Washington Post 's Dan Steinberg that he was working off his debt in increments of 20 to 30 pushups . Mental Floss : Great photos found in presidential libraries . 4 . Paul Ehrlich 's population bomb does n't go off . Even celebrity scientists have tried their hands at high profile gambling . Stanford biologist Paul Ehrlich is famous for his grim predictions concerning overpopulation ; he famously predicted in 1968 that 20 percent of the world 's population would starve to death before 1985 . As you might expect , these claims were somewhat controversial . When Ehrlich commented in 1980 that he would make an even money bet that England would not exist in the year 2000 , economist Julian L. Simon had heard enough . Simon decided to book an unusual bet of his own with Ehrlich . Since Ehrlich 's underlying Malthusian argument involved the depletion of natural resources , Simon made this challenge : Ehrlich could name whatever natural resource he wanted , buy $ 1,000 worth of it , and pick a time frame . If at the end of the time frame the commodities were worth more than the initial $ 1,000 , Simon would pay Ehrlich the difference . If they were worth less than $ 1,000 , Ehrlich would fork the difference over to Simon . If Ehrlich 's predictions about dwindling natural resources came to pass , the prices of commodities would skyrocket and Simon would be out a lot of cash . Ehrlich was game . He spread his $ 1,000 evenly among chrome , copper , nickel , tin , and tungsten and told Simon to wait 10 years . Although the world 's population shot up by 800 million people in the intervening decade , the metals ' prices crashed . When the bet ended in 1990 , Ehrlich had to cut Simon a check for $ 576.07 . 5 . Ringo says do n't bet on a Beatles reunion . By 1974 , legions of fans were clamoring for a Beatles reunion , but Ringo Starr was having none of it . The drummer told London reporters that he had bet a thousand pounds that the Beatles would n't play together that year , and that he would be happy to throw a thousand quid down on the group never playing together again . Mental Floss : 9 things you might not know about the Beatles . 6 . Arnold Palmer bets on romance . When golfing legend Arnold Palmer met his wife , Winnie , he had a problem that a lot of young guys run into : he could n't afford an engagement ring . He was still an amateur golfer at the time , and he was barely scraping by on his meager income . Eventually , he borrowed money from a group of pals to cover the rock . Palmer was n't crazy about having this sort of debt , so when the same group of buddies proposed a trip to New Jersey 's Pine Valley Gold Club , he jumped on the chance to chisel away at his obligations . When they hit the links , Palmer offered the boys this bet : he would get $ 100 for every stroke he finished under 70 . If he played poorly on the notoriously tough course , he would shell out $ 100 for every stroke he finished over 80 . Although he bogeyed the first hole , Palmer repeatedly used this system along with a variety of side bets to wriggle out from under $ 5,000 in debt in a single weekend . 7 . Hollywood ads add up . In 1999 , Dreamworks ' `` Saving Private Ryan '' was locked in a duel with Miramax 's `` Shakespeare in Love '' for the Academy Award for Best Picture , which set the stage for an unusual bet . Dreamworks honcho Jeffrey Katzenberg bet actor Warren Beatty that his rival Miramax would run more ads hyping its film than Dreamworks would . The stakes : a $ 10,000 donation to the charity of the winner 's choice . Beatty won the wager when Dreamworks took out 165 pages of ads versus Miramax 's 118 , and Katzenberg paid up . Mental Floss : Where 10 Oscar winners keep their statues . 8 . Computers are no match for chess master . In 1968 , Scottish chess champion David Levy attended a conference on artificial intelligence and discussed the future prospects for chess-playing computers . Although Levy was optimistic about the future of chess-playing computers , he thought developing great AI would take a while . After some debate , he bet four professors 1,250 British pounds that nobody would make a computer that could beat him within the next 10 years . Although it took a while for chess programs to pose a serious threat to him , Levy ended up winning the bet when he defeated the program Chess 4.7 in a six-game match at the 1978 deadline . The man-vs . - machine showdown was such a big deal that even Sports Illustrated covered it . After his win , Levy put up another $ 1,000 as a bounty for the first chess program that could beat him in a four - or six-game match . He eventually fell in 1989 to Deep Thought , a precursor to famed chess computer Deep Blue . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | When Harry Truman won the White House , Jimmy the Greek hit the jackpot . Ringo Starr put his money down in 1974 against the Beatles reuniting . Arnold Palmer gambled to pay off his wife 's engagement ring . | [[3820, 3938]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ten years ago , teen Daniel Giddings shot a man during an attempted robbery and was sentenced to six to 12 years in prison . During his time behind bars , Giddings racked up almost 30 disciplinary infractions , was kicked out of two separate facilities for bad behavior and reportedly spent hundreds of days in the hole because of his conduct . After serving 10 years , Giddings was released last August . According to CNN affiliate WPVI , he allegedly assaulted several police officers days later . Then , in September , he allegedly killed a Philadelphia police officer before being fatally shot by another officer . We see classic cases of repeat offenders like this all the time . A teen is thrown into the abyss of the corrections system and comes back out no better , if not worse . If we had the right intervention for troubled teens , could we reduce their chances of becoming repeat offenders ? The fact that we constantly have to ask that question tells me America needs to change the way it fights crime . As a nation , we 're very good at locking criminals up , yet we still remain one of the most violent and crime-ridden societies in the developed world . According to the International Center for Prison Studies in London , England , the United States has the world 's highest incarceration rate , with one in 100 adults behind bars . In fact , the United States accounts for less than five percent of the world 's population , but almost a quarter of the world 's prisoners . Considering how much time , energy and money we spend locking people up , you 'd expect to see a bigger payoff . But in the United States there are about 16,000 homicides per year , or roughly six per 100,000 people , based on Department of Justice statistics . Compare that to Canada and Britain , which do n't even tally 1,000 homicides per year each . Our current system is broken because it is too focused on tossing criminals behind bars and hoping they get the message instead of rehabilitating them . I 'm not saying we need to stop punishing criminals . We just need to start peppering in prevention techniques and using creative solutions to identify red flags early . Quietly , the pendulum is swinging in that direction . Missouri 's groundbreaking juvenile justice system is the vanguard . It focuses on rehabilitation , therapeutic intervention and conflict resolution rather than force and punishment . Small groups of youths stay in dorms with a couple of adult facilitators to emphasize individual treatment . According to Harvard University 's Ash Institute , the youths attend daily meetings with peers , partake in educational and volunteer programs and serve as role models for each other . This approach appears to be bearing dividends , as the Department of Justice points out over 90 percent of Missouri youths avoid further incarceration for at least three years after graduating from the program . Thanks in part to these detention alternatives , Missouri 's adult prison population decreased from 2005 to 2007 after increasing each year from 1997 to 2003 , according to the Missouri Department of Corrections . Other states are catching on to the Missouri model . The Annie E. Casey Foundation , a leading supporter of alternative juvenile justice , says there are more than 100 sites using juvenile detention alternatives in 24 states and the District of Columbia . The proliferation of these alternatives may be having nationwide effects . The national juvenile arrest rate has decreased nearly 10 percent from 2000 to 2007 , according to FBI arrest statistics . Obviously the Missouri model is n't the only factor at play , but imagine the impact if we could spread those programs to the other 26 states . So how will we get the remaining `` tough against crime '' politicians to implement similar systems ? By showing them how it will fatten up the government 's coffers . The Missouri model has been shown to reduce recidivism , meaning states will have fewer repeat offenders to incarcerate . And the best way to reduce prison costs is to reduce incarceration . I think certain aspects of the Missouri model must be expanded beyond corrections systems . After all , why should juvenile offenders be the only ones learning conflict resolution and peer counseling ? We should offer similar tools -- such as group therapy -- in public high schools to help all troubled kids before a potential descent into criminality . In these school-based programs , no topic should be off limits . Alcohol , drugs , sex , money -- whatever is bothering these children , they should have a place to share experiences , learn to cope with adversity and simply have someone willing to listen . Such a program would also enable children to discuss issues that they are unwilling or unable to share with their parents . As a recovering alcoholic , I know how powerful and effective therapeutic programs are . They help you dissect a problem and uncover its cause . Therapy helps millions of people with a variety of issues , yet most kids are n't exposed to these incredible tools when they need it most -LRB- unless they have rich parents to pay for therapy sessions -RRB- . It is very promising to see that America is moving toward a balance of punishment and prevention , thanks to inventive ideas like the Missouri model . No matter how many prisons we build and criminals we lock up , the fact remains the best way to fight crime is to stop it at the source . And that is exactly what these creative solutions aim to do . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jane Velez-Mitchell . | Jane Velez-Mitchell : Locking up teen offenders wo n't solve problem of repeat crimes . She says teens need therapy to help uncover source of their problems . Missouri has lowered repeat crime by using innovative programs for teen offenders . She says such efforts can not only reduce crime but also save money . | [[4940, 4995], [3923, 3977]] |
Editor 's note : Pedro A. Moreno García is the associate director of Hispanic Catechesis Diocese of Austin , Texas . Pedro A. Moreno García says he believes each immigrant welcomed is an opportunity for America 's growth . AUSTIN , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A key element for the continued success of Latinos in America is the degree to which they are welcomed into our society . This country of immigrants is famous for welcoming others , especially those in most need . Any weakening of our national ability to welcome others would be a tragic deterioration of one of our nation 's central values . We are at our collective best when we are deeply engaged in echoing the words of Emma Lazarus ' epic poem , `` The New Colossus '' -- `` Give me your tired , your poor , your huddled masses yearning to breathe free . ... '' We are at our collective worst when we are sipping from the cup of xenophobia , racism , nationalism , misandry , misogyny , homophobia or just generic hate . Welcoming is not always easy , but it enriches our nation beyond our wildest dreams . Each immigrant is a beautiful gift from the God in whom this nation places its trust . Each welcoming of a new person is an opportunity for the continued growth and progress of this country . Welcoming others , treating fellow human beings with hospitality , sets the stage for relationships to grow and develop . Welcoming others opens the door for everyone , both the one welcoming and those who are welcomed , to share the blessings and gifts that they both have . The best each person has to offer comes out more easily when hospitality is the common ground on which we walk . Each Latino can offer his or her best when hospitality is translated into `` Mi casa es tu casa . '' Sadly , the opposite is also true . An absence of welcoming , and even outright rejection or persecution , not only sends many into the shadows of society but also sends into hiding their talents and gifts , thus impoverishing us all . An impoverishment of society affects every cell of that society , beginning with the family and ending with the nation itself . Again , to welcome the stranger is not easy . Sometimes it can be very uncomfortable or even painful . Being welcoming and hospitable to others can lead us to moan and complain , but the Scriptures warn us against this . In 1 Peter 4:9 , New International Version , the Scriptures invite us to '' -LSB- o -RSB- ffer hospitality to one another without grumbling . '' At times , our country can seem less welcoming than it was in the past . But we must continue our long history of hospitality despite the difficulties , which were also there in the past . We must also be vigilant that , as a nation , we do not fall into the temptations to close our doors , build new walls or have more armed guards standing by . Welcoming others must be done with prudence , but prudence can not drown out compassion and generosity , and excessive prudence can become isolationism . As does the nation , many communities struggle with this temptation to isolationism . Families and even faith communities struggle with it . In my experience , in the last couple of years , various brothers and sisters from within the Roman Catholic Church have questioned , with not so charitable words , why the church would even minister to someone who is undocumented . Many do not understand that the commandment -- to love one another -- does not have an exemption clause . To quote Scripture again : `` We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth . '' -LRB- 3 John 1:8 , New International Version -RRB- . In the diocese of Austin , Texas , the church strives to live out the final gospel-inspired verses of Lazarus ' poem , a work that can be found on a bronze plaque inside the Statue of Liberty exhibit hall . I hope and pray that these words continue to reflect our national sentiment for many years to come . `` Send these , the homeless , tempest-tossed to me , I lift my lamp beside the golden door ! '' It is the welcome and the hospitality that motivates Latinos in America to say ... `` We are truly una nación under Dios . '' The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Pedro A. Moreno García . | Pedro A. Moreno García : Lessening welcome to immigrants weakens U.S. values . Moreno : U.S. must not close doors , build walls and become isolationist . Moreno says U.S. at its worst when displaying xenophobia , racism or hate . He says commandment `` to love one another '' does not have exemption clause . | [[471, 508], [520, 599], [2934, 2982], [3357, 3462], [3385, 3423], [3427, 3462]] |
Editor 's note : Raquel Cepeda is an award-winning journalist , documentary filmmaker and former editor of Russell Simmons ' Oneworld magazine . Cepeda wrote and directed the feature documentary , `` Bling : A Planet Rock , '' about hip-hop 's obsession with diamonds and its effect on the decade-long conflict in Sierra Leone . Cepeda is based in New York , where she was born to Dominican parents . Find her at http://djalirancher.com/blog/ . Raquel Cepeda says people do n't fit into the neat categories outlined by the U.S. Census . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Let 's all pretend to be the astrologer Walter Mercado for a moment . Say we predict that the Obama administration 's master plan to engage people of Latino/Hispanic/Spanish origin proves to be effective . Let 's say that along with strategic partners Telemundo and the Census Bureau , they somehow manage to corral the millions of `` Latinos '' into filling out the 2010 census forms in April . Say the idea of plot-kneading the message into an already half-baked yet inexplicably popular telenovela , `` Mas Sabe el Diablo , '' wins over the hearts and minds of `` Latinos '' everywhere . But what 's a Latino ? While we all may speak a version of our Spanish colonizer 's language , contrary to popular belief , we 're not all Mexican . Yes , the majority of Latinos in America are of Mexican descent , but we also hail from other countries around the world . Take the ethnically ambiguous 15 percent of us who descend from the Dominican Republic , Puerto Rico and Cuba . An overwhelming majority of us are n't solely of Spanish , black or native origin : We 're all of the above and then some -LRB- some of our ancestors migrated from Asian , Middle Eastern and an array of European countries -RRB- . With the 2010 census upon us , the time is now for the fastest-growing minority group in the country to define themselves for themselves and at the same time clear up the cultural confusion surrounding our identity . But how can we , given the perplexing racial categories on the census , coupled with our own complex identity issues , paint an accurate picture of who and how complex we are , not just what we are ? Take me , for example ; I 'm a first-generation American , the product of Dominican parents whose short-lived relationship could have rivaled that of Shakespeare 's own telenovela , Romeo and Juliet . My family is made up of a rainbow coalition of racial chameleons . Recently , I was told that my maternal grandmother 's own abuela was Vietnamese ; my maternal great-great-grandfather was Haitian ; somewhere on my paternal side , we 're supposedly Sephardic . As in many Dominican families in my New York neighborhood -- Washington Heights -- with ties to the motherland , blackness is rarely discussed . When I traveled to Sierra Leone and Ghana , I was asked if I was Moroccan , Lebanese or Eritrean . In Paris , if I was Brazilian or Arabic . In fact , I 've been singled out a couple of times when entering and leaving Brazil , and was once accused of having a fake American passport by an agent . Being mistaken for everything but a person of Dominican heritage has certainly piqued my desire to examine how I and other Latinos fit into our national and global communities . When I learned that nearly eighty percent of Puerto Rico 's 4 million colorful residents checked off the `` white '' racial box on the last census , I was n't floored -- given the alternatives . Race in the Caribbean lies in the eye of the beholder . And the beholder , from centuries of colonization , has more often than not been socialized to reject their blackness despite our collective and direct relationship to slavery . An association with a historically discriminated ethnic group like African-Americans somehow drives the idea that the American dream is out of reach . In the American media , people with darker complexions are often grossly stereotyped . And Spanish language television often depicts people with darker skin and so-called African features as shiftless , ignorant and at the bottom of the social barrel . This sort exposure , along with other factors , will result in a Latino with dark skin to be inclined to check off `` white , '' especially if their only other choices were `` African-American '' instead of , say `` Black/Brown , '' and `` Native American '' rather than the more familiar `` Indio/Taino . '' And then there 's the pesky `` Hispanic/Latino/Spanish '' issue . I posed a few questions about the racial categories within the census to my Latino followers on Twitter . Off the bat , people found that lumping Spanish-speaking origins together was misleading . @TheJLV , self-described as half Dominican , wrote that there are `` definitely misnomers unless you 're strictly from Spain or have acknowledged Spanish ancestry . '' Many used `` Latino '' and `` Hispanic '' interchangeably , unsure about the differences , but rejected Spanish altogether because not doing so would be the same as an American calling themselves `` English . '' Younger generations of American-born Latinos are challenging the census ' categories , like 25-year-old @deevazquez , whose parents are Dominican and Puerto Rican-American : `` Having Afro-Caribbean roots , I do n't feel like any of those labels really represent my culture and historical background . '' Others , turned off by the overgeneralizations , are opting out altogether . If anything encouraging results in Latino census participation , aside from enhancing your state 's chances of receiving a chunk of the allocated $ 400 billion in federal funds , it may be a growing desire within the Latino-American community to ask questions . Many responders have expressed interest in exploring their roots through genealogical DNA testing . I 've often wondered where my Dominican ancestors originally came from , as have others in my community . Said one responder , `` Not only do I look at myself and feel like I look different in every picture or mirror , but I also look at my family and wonder where certain features come from , '' she states , `` and what it all mean -LSB- s -RSB- . '' Many of us want to know . Maybe in the future , the Census Bureau may want to borrow from a survey conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics in 1976 and ask Latinos to classify themselves . Through self-definition , the population presented 134 terms to describe race . Though it 's uncertain that Latino-Americans will come close to topping Brazil 's exhaustive list of ethnic categories , the results will certainly encourage all Americans to start thinking outside the box when it comes to their perceptions of race . One thing is certain : Christopher Columbus and his pirates of the Caribbean did their best to not only conquer the land but also , through slavery and miscegenation , to literally change the face of the New World . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Raquel Cepeda . | Raquel Cepeda : The census tries to categorize people by ethnicity , race . She says reality is Latinos have very varied , complex backgrounds . She says many people resist being classified by simple labels . | [[445, 506]] |
In our Behind the Scenes series , CNN correspondents , producers and photojournalists share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events . CNN 's Cliff Hackel talks about his experiences while on location for the documentary `` Latino in America . '' Shenandoah , Pennsylvania , resident Jaelynn Mackalonis wants people to know that her town is not racist . SHENANDOAH , Pennsylvania -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jaelynn Mackalonis was angry . The upcoming trial in the killing of Luis Ramirez had rocked the town of Shenandoah , Pennsylvania , and Mackalonis urgently wanted to speak out . She hung out on the street , overhearing CNN 's interview of her neighbor Lou Ann Pleva . As Pleva recounted the various opinions around town about the street fight that killed Ramirez , Mackalonis ' blood began to boil . She whistled and waved her arms to get our attention . Finally , she exploded . `` We just want to let you know , the neighbors around here , it 's not fair that one person is going to speak for us , '' Mackalonis insisted . `` This was n't a racial crime . '' Pleva stood up and tried to defuse the situation . `` I 'm sorry ; do I know you ? '' Pleva asked . `` I do n't care if you know me or not , '' Mackalonis answered . `` Do not say this town is racist . '' `` I did n't say that , '' Pleva said . `` Do n't speak for anyone else , '' demanded Mackalonis . `` I promise you , I do n't , '' Pleva said . The exchange went on for minutes . It was highly unusual to have a formal interview interrupted in that way . But , the emotion of that moment typified the anxiety that gripped Shenandoah , a down-and-out former coal town in central Pennsylvania . Mackalonis interrupts CNN interview '' On July 12 , 2008 , a group of white high school students , out on the prowl after a night of drinking , encountered one of their female classmates in the company of Luis Ramirez , a 25-year-old migrant worker from Mexico . Racial insults were exchanged , and , in no time , a fight ensued . Police reports claim that at least one kick was delivered to Ramirez 's head while he was unconscious on the ground . He died two days later . One of the boys was charged as a juvenile . Another teen pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violations in a plea deal . The other two teens were charged with ethnic intimidation but were ultimately acquitted of those charges . The crime cast an unwelcome spotlight on Shenandoah , according to Mackalonis . `` It 's putting Shenandoah on the map for being a rotten town . It 's not a rotten town , '' Mackalonis said . `` I talk to people , and it 's , ` Oh , yeah , you 're from Shenandoah , where that illegal immigrant got beat . ' '' Shenandoah has a rich cultural history . In its heyday , during the productive coal mining years of the 1920s , the town boasted nearly 30,000 residents . St. George 's Roman Catholic Church became the nation 's first Lithuanian parish . St. Michael 's became the first Greek Catholic church in the country . There were so many diverse immigrant groups that the town was dubbed `` Little New York . '' When the coal mines dried up in the 1950s , Shenandoah began its economic slide . Today , the town 's population is just over 5,000 . But immigrants still come to Shenandoah . The latest influx has been Latinos , who account for less than 10 percent of the town 's population . It 's inexpensive to rent or buy a house here , and most immigrants are able to send money home . Although some in town accept the new residents , many of them from Mexico , others feel threatened by those who are here illegally . One person said that when he hears Spanish spoken , he `` feels out of place . Like you 're not in America no more . '' Luis Ramirez was one of those illegal immigrants from Mexico . His death divided the town . One group wanted a long prison term for the boys . Another side called it `` a street fight gone bad '' and claimed that the boys acted in self-defense . Still others felt a degree of ambiguity and uncertainty as they waited for the trial to sort things out . But Mackalonis , a local bartender , had made up her mind . `` Get your story straight before you go babbling anything , '' she admonished Pleva . `` If he was n't here illegally , I think it would n't have happened . '' Getting the story straight in Shenandoah proved difficult . Mackalonis herself gave three possible scenarios for the crime : the rape of a 14-year-old , a drug deal gone bad and a fight that started spontaneously . In our dozen trips to Shenandoah , we heard many more rumors of gangs , violence and drug dealing by Latinos . They were hard to substantiate , and fear seemed to rule the day . Both Latinos and white residents told us they were afraid to walk the streets at night , even though we saw little evidence of any major crimes . Residents talk about crime , racial overtones . After her tirade during our interview with Pleva , Mackalonis stormed across the street to her home . We caught up with her to learn more about her opinion of undocumented workers . `` If you 're here legally , fine . But if you 're here illegally , and you do n't want any of these problems , go back , get the green card , come back , '' Mackalonis said . But one resident said many people in Shenandoah think every Latino needs a green card . Carlos Ramos , who was born in Puerto Rico , is an American citizen . Despite that , he is often asked for his green card . `` If you 're Puerto Rican or Dominican or whatever , you know , to them you 're considered a Mexican , '' Ramos said . Pleva tries to understand such differences . She has been outspoken in her attempts to help Shenandoah heal . She spoke at a candlelight vigil just days after Ramirez 's death , urging racial harmony . All of which leaves her confused about Mackalonis . `` It hurts . We live across the street . We do n't know each other . I just now found out her name when she told it to you ! And yet she has all of this animosity toward me , '' Pleva said after the confrontation . It has been months since our surprise interruption . In that time , the residents of Shenandoah have put the murder trial behind them . But little has changed . Some high school students see the convicted boys as heroes . Undocumented workers still find jobs around town . Rumor , distrust and disinformation fill the air , and anger simmers just below the surface . Brian Rokus and Jacinth Planer contributed to this report . | Shenandoah , Pennsylvania was once called `` Little New York '' for its cultural diversity . Beating death of Luis Ramirez , a Mexican immigrant , rocked town in 2008 . Emotions ran high before trial of four white teens charged in case . `` This was n't a racial crime , '' resident Jaelynn Mackalonis said . | [[2710, 2750], [3019, 3108], [3068, 3108], [3804, 3832], [1060, 1092], [2570, 2590], [5238, 5258]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The former vice president of Bosnia was arrested Monday in London on a request from Serbia , where he is wanted for conspiracy to murder and breach of the Geneva Convention . Metropolitan police arrested Ejup Ganic at Heathrow Airport on Monday afternoon , and he appeared at the City of Westminster Magistrates ' Court , the United Kingdom Foreign Office said in a news release . The British authorities were awaiting the full extradition paperwork before a court date for an extradition hearing can be set , the Foreign Office said . Citing the ongoing case , authorities declined to comment further . Ganic was the vice president of Bosnia during the bloody civil war there between 1992 and 1995 , and he was twice president of the Bosnian-Croat Federation in the years after the Dayton peace agreement in 1995 . Ganic was regarded by many independent commentators at the time as a relative moderate in the war-time Bosnian leadership . An engineer by profession , Ganic studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States . He would regularly brief journalists during the three-year civil war from his often-shelled office in the Bosnian presidency building in the heart of Sarajevo . On Sunday , Bosnia and Serbia signed an agreement on extraditions for war crimes committed during the war that would let Bosnians be tried in Bosnia and Serbs in Serbia . Ganic was in Britain attending a graduation ceremony at the University of Buckingham , which partners with a university in Sarajevo in which Ganic is reported to have a significant financial interest . CNN 's Nic Robertson contributed to this report . | Ejup Ganic wanted in Serbia on charges of conspiracy to murder . He was vice president during bloody civil war of 1992-95 . Engineer studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology . Bosnia , Serbia signed agreement on extraditions Sunday . | [[120, 126], [129, 210], [1004, 1085], [1247, 1256], [1259, 1327]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A federal appeals court in Argentina has ruled that a grandmother must stand trial for growing two marijuana plants in her backyard . Argentina allows personal consumption of marijuana , and a federal judge had issued a stay against prosecuting the unnamed woman , who swore she used the marijuana solely for herself , the government 's Judicial Information Center said last week . But the public prosecutor 's office appealed the ruling , and a federal appeals court overturned the previous decision because the woman lives with her two sons and a grandchild . She could not prove the marijuana was solely for personal consumption , the three-page appeals court ruling said . Argentina 's Supreme Court ruled in August it is unconstitutional to punish an adult for private use of marijuana -- as long as the use does n't harm anyone else . The unanimous ruling made Argentina the second Latin American country within a one-week span last year to allow personal use of a formerly illegal drug . Mexico also enacted a law in August that decriminalized possession of small quantities of most drugs , including marijuana , heroin , cocaine and LSD . Earlier last year , a Brazilian appeals court ruled possession of drugs for personal use is not illegal . | Grandmother in Argentina will have to stand trial for growing two marijuana plants , court says . Personal use of marijuana is allowed in Argentina as long as it does n't harm anyone else . Appeals court says the woman could n't prove the marijuana was solely for her . | [[0, 15], [46, 152], [153, 203], [824, 859], [581, 650]] |
Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari has won a non-binding vote that could influence the decision on who will be the country 's next prime minister , an official in the office of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said Wednesday . Tens of thousands took part in the vote last week in tents set up on the streets of Baghdad and some some southern provinces . The vote was called by al-Sadr , who has refused to back the top vote-getters in the March 7 election and wanted his followers to designate a prime minister of their choosing . Al-Jaafari won 24 percent of the votes in last week 's balloting , the official in al-Sadr 's office said . Current Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki won 10 percent , and former interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi won 9 percent , the official said . Allawi aims to quickly form Iraqi government . The results play no official role in deciding who governs Iraq , but it means al-Jaafari will be the person that the al-Sadr bloc is committed to supporting as the next prime minister . March 's election produced extremely close election results and the final outcome is still uncertain . Allawi 's Iraqiya bloc won 91 seats , a razor-thin victory over al-Maliki 's State of the Law coalition , which gained 89 seats , according to the provisional results . At least 163 seats are needed to form a government . As a result of being at the top of the balloting , both Allawi and al-Maliki are working to form coalition governments and are reaching out to entities like al-Sadr 's group . Al-Sadr 's party , which gained at least 39 seats in the voting , is a member of the Iraqi National Alliance , the Shiite bloc that received 70 seats . CNN 's Yousif Bassil contributed to this report . | Unofficial vote called by radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr . He wanted his followers to designate a prime minister of their choosing . Ibrahim al-Jaafari won 24 percent of the votes in last week 's balloting . The results play no official role in deciding who governs Iraq . | [[405, 435], [405, 413], [511, 581], [582, 646], [874, 936]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The junta leading Niger following last week 's coup and suspension of the constitution is working to return the country to democratic rule , a United Nations official said Sunday . `` The political party is very keen to return power to civilians and transition to an all-inclusive democracy , '' U.N. Special Representative for West Africa Said Djinnit told CNN . `` This transition began with the occurrence of the coup and the expiration of the constitution and implementation of a new constitution . '' The new constitution already is in the works , said Djinnit , who along with representatives from the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States met with junta leaders in Niamey , Niger , on Sunday to push for a quick resolution to the conflict . `` The mission of this meeting is to assure this coup is the last , '' Djinnit said . `` No coup can be tolerated . '' President Mamadou Tandja is said to be detained in a military camp following Thursday 's coup . Soldiers reportedly stormed the presidential palace , according to the United Nations , and the French Embassy reported hearing intermittent gunfire less than a mile from the palace . A military official announced the suspension of the constitution later that day and attributed the order to the Superior Council for the Restoration of Democracy . The violence may have been prompted by a collapse of talks between the government and the opposition over a recent referendum allowing the president to hold power indefinitely , according to the United Nations . Tandja had been in office since 1999 , but Niger 's previous constitution mandated only two , five-year terms for president , according to the CIA World Fact Book . General public sentiment in the west African nation of 15 million appeared to favor the coup , according to Djinnit , who said life had returned to normal for civilians and many had gathered in rallies of support . Djinnit 's observations back earlier reports that the situation was calm in Niger , with children returning to school and shops open for business . CNN 's Andreena Narayan contributed to this report . | General public sentiment in Niger appears to favor last week 's coup , U.N. official says . U.N. : Collapse of talks over president 's effort to supersede term limits may have led to coup . President Mamadou Tandja is said to be detained in a military camp . New constitution in the works , U.N. official says . | [[160, 199], [1733, 1825], [1733, 1798], [1828, 1848], [1008, 1016], [1062, 1093], [1356, 1481], [1534, 1567], [912, 1007], [912, 936], [945, 1007], [160, 199], [525, 569]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pirates have hijacked a Norwegian tanker off the coast of Madagascar and are steering the ship toward Somalia , the ship 's owner said . The captain of the UBT Ocean called the technical director for Broevigtank , the company that owns the ship , and reported that pirates had come aboard Friday , said Svenn Pederson , CEO of Broevigtank . Contact with the captain has since been lost . But the company has been tracking the vessel . Pederson said the ship was carrying fuel destined for Dar es Salaam , Tanzania , and has 21 crew members aboard . | Pirates hijack Norwegian tanker UBT Ocean off the coast of Madagascar . They are steering the ship toward Somalia , the ship 's owner says . Captain of tanker reported that pirates had come aboard on Friday . Ship was carrying fuel destined for Dar es Salaam , Tanzania , and has 21 crew members . | [[16, 87], [0, 15], [92, 128], [131, 155], [16, 87], [156, 184], [270, 336], [454, 534], [454, 462], [539, 567]] |
Lagos , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than 160 people have been arrested in connection with the massacre earlier this month of scores of people in central Nigeria , a national police spokesman told CNN Monday . Of the 163 arrested , 41 will be charged with homicide , said spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu . The other 122 will be charged with rioting , arson and possession of firearms , he said . More than 200 people died in the March 7 massacre , according to some estimates . They took place in predominately Christian towns near the city of Jos , where about 150 people , mostly Muslims , were reported killed in January . The region lies on a faith-based fault line between Muslim-dominated northern Nigeria and the mainly Christian south . Ojukwu said the ethnic backgrounds of those arrested are mixed , but they are all from the area near Jos. Human Rights Watch said the attacks by Muslims with guns , machetes and knives apparently were in retaliation for the previous attacks against Islamic communities and the theft of cattle from herdsmen . Last week , at least 11 more people were killed in a predominantly Christian village . Choji Gyang , special adviser on religious affairs to the governor of the Nigerian state of Plateau , has said the attackers were Muslim herdsmen , some dressed in military uniforms . They also stole about 120 cattle from the village , he said . The violence has put much of oil-rich Nigeria , Africa 's most populous nation , on edge . Authorities in Lagos took the unusual step of sending a text message to residents earlier this month to try to put them at ease . The violence often pits Christians and Muslims against each other . But John Onaiyekan , Roman Catholic archbishop of Abuja , Nigeria , and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo have said that the violence is fueled more by other factors : ethnic , social and economic problems . `` If you have one group or a community that has land that 's been encroached upon by another community or even by itinerant cattle farmers , then the people who lay claim to the land will fight back , '' Obasanjo recently told CNN . `` If there are job opportunities in an area , and persons believe they are indigenous to that area , and -LRB- are -RRB- not getting enough out of the jobs that are available , they will fight those who are getting the jobs . '' | More than 200 people were slain on March 7 in mostly Christian towns . Of the 163 arrested , 41 will be charged with homicide . Massacre thought to be in retaliation for deaths of about 150 Muslims in January . Nigeria has a mainly Muslim north and a mainly Christian south . | [[0, 5], [8, 135], [393, 442], [393, 413], [445, 474], [475, 544], [1051, 1060], [1063, 1137], [0, 5], [8, 135], [233, 267], [0, 5], [8, 135], [553, 569], [589, 622], [623, 741], [642, 649], [650, 741]] |
Paris , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The widow of former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana , whose assassination sparked the 1994 genocide , was arrested Tuesday in Paris on a Rwandan warrant , French and Rwandan officials said . Agathe Habyarimana was arrested at her French home Tuesday morning and is scheduled to appear in court later in the day , said a deputy prosecutor who declined to give his name because he is not authorized to speak about the matter . Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo told CNN that Habyarimana was arrested on genocide charges . They include genocide , conspiracy to commit genocide , complicity to commit genocide , and direct and public incitement to commit genocide , said John Bosco Mutangana , the head of Rwanda 's Genocide Fugitives Tracking Unit . The charges also cover crimes against humanity , specifically murder and extermination ; creation of a criminal gang , namely the Hutu militias ; and aiding and abetting the killings perpetrated by soldiers in violation of the Geneva Convention , Mutangana told CNN . `` We have of course strong evidence linking her to the genocide and the planning of the genocide itself , as early as the early 1990s , '' Mutangana said . Former president was killed in April 1994 when his plane was shot down near the capital , Kigali . The mass killings began hours later , and by the time they ended 100 days later , some 800,000 people had been killed . Most were members of the country 's Tutsi minority , killed by members of the Hutu majority . The circumstances surrounding Habyarimana 's death remain a mystery . He was a Hutu , and speculation immediately fell on Tutsis as the perpetrators of the attack -- but some have also speculated that Hutus themselves shot down the plane to provide cover for the genocide . Top officials such as army generals and politicians who allegedly took part in the genocide have been tried in the Rwandan justice system and the International Criminal Tribunal , which is based in Tanzania . Civilians who allegedly contributed either directly or indirectly are tried by local communities in `` gacaca '' courts , which allow survivors to confront their attackers . Some human rights organizations have criticized the gacaca courts for falling short on delivering justice . Agathe Habyarimana is now under temporary arrest , the French deputy prosecutor said . The Court of Appeal in Paris must now decide whether to remand her into custody or place her under judicial control at her home , he said . After that , the French court must decide on the validity of the Rwandan warrant before any decision on extradition can be made , the deputy prosecutor said . Rwandan officials began working on Agathe Habyarimana 's case in 1995 , but it took a while before they could gather enough evidence to indict her , Mutangana said . They submitted the indictment last October , he said . Mutangana said Rwanda is hoping France will extradite her . `` We are the first beneficiaries of justice , the Rwandans , '' he said . CNN 's Alix Bayle in Paris , France , and Melissa Gray in London , England , contributed to this report . | Agathe Habyarimana was arrested at her French home Tuesday morning . Charges include genocide , conspiracy to commit genocide , complicity to commit genocide . Juvenal Habyarimana killed in 1994 when his plane was shot down . Killing sparked genocide which led to deaths of some 800,000 , mainly Tutsi minority , people . | [[231, 297], [570, 655], [1222, 1309], [47, 91], [114, 139], [1363, 1374], [1401, 1440], [1441, 1491], [1462, 1491], [1494, 1534]] |
Kampala , Uganda -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least three men died from their wounds Wednesday after they were shot in a confrontation with Ugandan security forces at a destroyed historic site , the Ugandan government said . The men were part of a group of Buganda tribe members who rushed to the site of the Tombs of the Buganda Kings which was destroyed by fire Tuesday night . Exactly how many people were wounded remained unclear despite the government statement . While the government statement listed three dead and five wounded , the Ugandan Red Cross said it had ferried 23 injured people from the site to a Mulago hospital , 11 of them with bullet wounds . `` There several other cases , whose number I can not establish , who were either carried away by their relative or friends after sustaining bullet wounds . Others were stampeded on as they ran , '' said Uganda Red Cross official Susan Kabwe , who was at the tombs site . The tomb site is a UNESCO-listed cultural site of major significance to the country 's largest tribe . It was not clear what started the fire at the Tombs of the Buganda Kings , which was built in 1882 and lies near the capital , Kampala . It contained the tombs of four ancient kings of the Buganda people along with cultural relics , including the spears of past kings . Tensions between the Buganda and the government have historically run high , in part because President Yoweri Museveni is not from the tribe . There have been claims Museveni favors his own people , a tribe in the west , and the Buganda have said they feel persecuted . Both the central government and the tribe began separate investigations of the fire Wednesday . `` We saw a huge fire popping out of the tombs as it rained , '' said Jowelia Lunkuse , 49 , who operates a kiosk at the edge of the site . `` The flames kept increasing high in the air and we had to close and ran away , fearing it would spread to burn us . '' Museveni visited the site Wednesday morning . King Ronald Mutebi arrived moments after Museveni left , along with Medard Ssegona , the Buganda kingdom 's information minister . Are you in Uganda ? Share your view on the situation . `` We are getting all sorts of testimonies from our people whom we will use in our independent investigations , but we do not rule out acts of foul play from our enemies , '' Ssegona said . A tense atmosphere gripped Kampala hours later , with angry people lining the streets and armed soldiers on patrol . The tombs were on a hilltop around the former Buganda palace , built in 1882 and converted into the royal burial ground in 1884 , according to UNESCO . The main building was low and circular , topped by a high conical dome . UNESCO called the building `` a major example of an architectural achievement in organic materials , principally wood , thatch , reed , wattle and daub . The site 's main significance lies , however , in its intangible values of belief , spirituality , continuity and identity . '' The tombs are where the reigning king , or kabaka , frequently carried out important rituals related to the Ganda culture , the largest ethnic group in the land-locked East African country . The tombs were built in the `` finest traditions '' of local architecture and palace design , UNESCO said . The palace with its tombs `` reflects technical achievements developed over many centuries , '' the organization said . `` It is a major spiritual center for the Buganda and is the most active religious place in the kingdom . '' `` The UNESCO World Heritage Centre expresses its dismay for this tragic event that devastated the site and its related symbolic values , '' the group said in a statement . `` UNESCO is ready to mobilize international experts to help the Ugandan authorities in assessing the damage and envisaging remedial actions . `` The Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2001 and were recognized as a masterpiece of human creativity both in their conception and execution , bearing eloquent witness to the living cultural traditions of the Buganda . '' Buganda kings have always built their palaces on strategic hills to control the major roads to the palace and find easy ways to escape in case of an invasion or rebellion . When they died , the traditional practice was to bury each king at a separate site to establish a royal shrine for his jaw bone , which was believed to contain his spirit . These shrines were staffed by descendants of the kings ' leading chiefs , his widows , his ritual half-sister , and a medium through which the dead king was said to communicate with his successors . Many of the shrines are still maintained today . Journalist Katherine Haywood and Samson Ntale contributed to this report . | Tombs of the Buganda Kings in Uganda destroyed by fire Tuesday night . Ugandan security forces shoot three Buganda tribe members in clash at site . Site had major cultural , spiritual significance for Buganda tribe , Uganda 's largest . It was not clear who set fire to the Tombs , which were built in 1882 . | [[308, 328], [335, 372], [1034, 1106], [10, 32], [45, 185], [931, 1033], [948, 956], [957, 1033], [2849, 2883], [2886, 2893], [2896, 2973], [3566, 3583], [3589, 3640], [1034, 1106], [1086, 1108], [1115, 1132], [2505, 2530], [2533, 2546]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pirates have hijacked a tanker that sailed under a Saudi flag , authorities said Wednesday . The pirates struck in the Gulf of Aden , a body of water between Somalia and Yemen , the European Union Naval Force said in a statement . The Al Nisr Al Saudi was en route to Jeddah , Saudi Arabia , with a crew of 14 , when pirates hijacked it Monday , the statement said . The ship 's master is Greek ; the crew 's nationality has not been confirmed , but they are believed to be well , the statement said . Authorities believe the ship is near Garacad , Somalia , which the European Union Naval Force described as a `` well-known pirate stronghold . '' | Vessel hijacked in Gulf of Aden on Monday . The Al Nisr Al Saudi was headed to Saudi Arabia . Ship being held near Garacad , Somalia . | [[16, 80], [331, 362], [365, 385], [250, 293]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Somalia 's main militant group has banned the United Nations food agency and ordered its aid workers to leave the impoverished country . Al-Shabaab released a statement to the media Sunday , accusing the World Food Programme of distributing expired food and undermining local farmers , said Peter Smerdon , a WFP spokesman . Smerdon declined to comment on the accusations , but said the agency is committed to the failed nation in the Horn of Africa . `` WFP is determined to help the people of Somalia in need of assistance , regardless of who controls the areas in which they live , as long as it is safe for our staff to do so , '' Smerdon said . About half the population -- or nearly four million Somalis -- is starving , according to the United Nations . The food aid agency suspended work in southern Somalia in January , saying rising attacks and unacceptable demands from armed groups had made it impossible to work in the region . Smerdon declined to say whether the agency had resumed operations in the south . However , a statement on the WFP Web site says it continues to deliver food to other parts of the country , including the volatile capital , Mogadishu . Al-Shabaab , the al Qaeda proxy in the country , controls much of southern Somalia . It has accused the food aid agency of having a political motive and supporting the U.N.-backed transitional government . WFP has denied the allegations and said it is impartial and nonpolitical . Somalia has not had a stable government since 1991 , and fighting between the rebels and government troops has escalated the humanitarian crisis in the famine-ravaged country . | Al-Shabaab accuses World Food Programme of distributing expired food . U.N. estimates half the Somali population is starving . Its food aid agency suspended work in Somalia in January due to rising attacks . Somalia has not had a stable government since 1991 . | [[156, 166], [210, 302], [669, 728], [732, 743], [746, 755], [669, 728], [746, 779], [780, 845], [780, 799], [848, 916], [1475, 1525]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Heavy fighting flared in the Somali capital Thursday , a day after a battle between government forces and Al-Shabaab rebels left 29 dead and scores injured . At least 80 people were wounded in the fighting , which started Wednesday morning and continued all day , according to government and medical officials . Most of it occurred in the north of Mogadishu , where a majority of militants allied with Al-Shabaab are believed to be in control , authorities said . Three foreign rebels , including Algerian commander Abu Mu ` sab Aljaza'iri , were killed in the fighting , government radio reported on its Web site . `` Continuous shelling has shaken the whole city , '' said Yusuf Mohamed Abukar , a local journalist with Shabelle Radio . A heavy shell fell in Jungal neighborhood in the northern part of Mogadishu , killing 13 people and wounding another 13 , according to Abukar , who witnessed the fighting . Ali Muse Sheikh , head of a local ambulance , said his group transported at least 65 injured civilians to different hospitals . The state defense minister claimed victory in Wednesday 's fighting and said the Al-Shabaab suffered heavy loses . Government forces have detained Al-Shabaab prisoners , said Yusuf Mohamed Siad Indho ade , the minister . `` We have Al-Shabaab prisoners from yesterday 's fighting and most of them are minor children who have been brainwashed by the group , '' he added . Al-Shabaab , the al Qaeda proxy in the country , was declared a terrorist organization by the United States . It 's waging a war against Somalia 's government in an effort to implement a stricter form of Islamic law , or sharia . Somalia has not had a stable government since 1991 , and fighting between the rebels and government troops has escalated the humanitarian crisis in the famine-ravaged country . | Fighting continues in Somali capital day after 29 killed in clashes . At least 80 wounded in fighting between government forces and Al-Shabaab rebels . State defense minister claimed victory in Wednesday 's fighting . Al-Shabaab wants to implement a stricter form of Islamic law , sharia . | [[19, 71], [148, 176], [212, 224], [263, 280], [177, 224], [1059, 1126], [1592, 1659]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Greek owned vessel that was hijacked months ago was released Sunday , naval officials said . There was no word of whether a ransom was paid to the pirates who hijacked the vessel . The Greek-owned vessel , named the Navios Apollo , was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden on December 28 , the European Union Naval Force Somalia reported . The vessel was carrying 19 crew members . The ship and all the crew members were freed Sunday and they were sailing to Oman , the naval force said . | Navios Apollo hijacked in Gulf of Aden on December 28 . The vessel was carrying 19 crew members . Crew members were freed Sunday and are sailing to Oman . | [[164, 175], [180, 201], [202, 224], [244, 318], [371, 412], [469, 494]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actress Angelina Jolie says she feels passionate about Haiti , whose `` extraordinary '' people are inspiring her with their resilience after the devastating earthquake one month ago . During a visit to Haiti this week , she said that despite the terrible tragedy , Haitians are dignified and calm . Jolie , a good will ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees , said of the Haitians , `` They 're very inventive people , they 're very strong people , and they 're finding ways to help themselves . '' `` I think we have a moral duty to do what we can for any country that 's suffering , '' she told CNN 's Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview from Port-au-Prince . `` I think we have a very big obligation to the place . ... I 'll continue to come back and I 'll continue to express what I am learning . '' Jolie expressed particular concern about the fate of Haiti 's children -- the amputees , the homeless and the orphans -- and worried about the risk of child trafficking . Haiti earthquake : Numbers tell the story . `` Trafficking has been a huge problem for a very long time ... so I think everybody that means well needs to really take that very seriously , and not get frustrated , but really work with the country , '' she said . `` And for myself , as somebody who is an adoptive parent , I understand the urge to assist in that way , but now is not the time . An emergency is not the time for new adoptions anyway . '' Pressed on whether she might consider adopting a Haitian child , Jolie told Amanpour , `` I 'm always open to children around the world . We 're that kind of family . Brad -LSB- Pitt -RSB- and I talk about that . `` But that 's not what we 're focusing on at this time , by any means . We 're not here for that . We 're here to see how we can help protect the children in the country and scale up the needs here . '' Jolie said it is vital to reunite families that have been torn apart by the disaster and set up a system to register survivors . `` We do n't know who is an orphan . I 've met -LSB- Haitian -RSB- women in the Dominican Republic in hospitals who were saying they have n't spoken to their children , '' she said . `` They have no cell phones , they have no way to tell their children they 're alive . They ca n't find them yet . '' She also was worried about children who lost limbs in the earthquake . `` You see little kids that have lost their legs and you ask them if they are all right and they say they 're OK , and somehow they are able to smile . ... I think -LSB- that -RSB- says a lot about them . '' Jolie said it 's vital for the world to provide sufficient housing for survivors -- housing that is strong enough to stand up to hurricanes . `` We saw a large amount of tents , new tents , but that 's not necessarily going to be the answer because they 've got this much bigger problem in how to find proper shelter to survive hurricanes , '' she said . Last fall , hundreds of people died in flooding and landslides as two large hurricanes and a tropical storm hit the nation . Jolie said the scale of the disaster is nothing like she 's seen before . `` The complexity of this before and now , and the history of this country , is something that I am still trying to wrap my head around . And it 's going to be a very , very difficult road . '' | Actress Angelina Jolie visits Haiti as good will ambassador for U.N. Jolie says earthquake devastation is like nothing she 's ever seen . Jolie says , `` We have a moral duty to do what we can for any country that 's suffering '' She says now is not the time to think of adopting Haitian children . | [[327, 393], [3080, 3144], [3091, 3153], [546, 618], [1343, 1344], [1393, 1414]] |
CRAWFORD , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan does n't come around President Bush 's ranch any more , but there 's a new kid in town trying to get his attention . Peace activist Alix Bryan traveled 11,000 miles to President Bush 's ranch in Crawford , Texas . Peace activist Alix Bryan , 33 , arrived near the ranch here on Saturday afternoon aboard a motor scooter that goes about 55 miles per hour -- on 12-inch wheels . She drove the scooter from the White House to a home in Crawford dubbed by anti-war activists as the `` Peace House , '' mapping out a circuitous route that formed a peace sign . Sheehan used to frequent the house . Bryan bears little resemblance to Sheehan , a California woman who gained national attention as a protest leader after her son Casey was killed fighting in Iraq . Sheehan 's loss prompted her to camp near Bush 's home in Crawford throughout August 2005 , demanding a meeting with the president to discuss her son . Bush refused to see her , and she abandoned her protests in Texas last year . Bryan 's odyssey took three months . She journeyed more than 11,000 miles braving elements ranging from rain to wind and even one speeding ticket -LRB- which she says she talked her way out of -RRB- . -LRB- Watch Bryan arrive in Crawford '' -RRB- . `` I had my moments actually where I was just exhausted , I mean it 's draining , '' Bryan said upon her arrival in Crawford . `` I 've ridden in heat from 105 degrees to temperatures -LRB- as low as -RRB- 40 degrees . '' Bryan blogged about the trip on the Web site of Rep. Dennis Kucinich , D-Ohio , the liberal presidential candidate , and sustained herself with donations to her own site , www.peacescooter.com . Bryan said she always planned to end her trip in Crawford and hoped to arrive on September 15 after hitting the road from the White House in July . But weather delays and running out of gas once delayed her arrival in Texas until this weekend , when Bush happens to be spending time at his ranch . While the odds of landing a meeting with the president are remote at best , Bryan said if she had the chance she would like to start a dialogue of peace based on the conversations she had with Americans along the way . `` I would say even those who voted for Bush do not support this war , '' she said . But the large crowds of antiwar activists that followed Sheehan around Crawford in the summer of 2005 have long since vanished . A `` rally '' at the Peace House to celebrate Bryan 's arrival drew just a handful of antiwar activists . Nevertheless , Bryan said she was not defeated . `` Calm seas , '' she said , `` do n't make good sailors . '' E-mail to a friend . | Antiwar activist 's route from the White House to Bush 's ranch forms peace sign . Bryan rode scooter more than 11,000 miles on circuitous route . Activist says she 's hoping to start a dialog to end war in Iraq . | [[563, 623], [185, 271], [282, 307], [315, 387], [1091, 1144], [2094, 2170]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Barcelona and Real Madrid have both played down suggestions that Saturday 's `` El Clasico '' showdown will decide the Spanish league title . With eight matches left in the season , the two bitter rivals are locked on 77 points at the top of the table with Real ahead by just one goal on `` for-and-against '' differential . Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola said his team would treat the match -- traditionally the biggest fixtures in the La Liga schedule -- as `` a final '' but insisted that defeat would not be terminal for either team 's title hopes . `` If there were only three or four games to go I would say it is an almost decisive match , but when there are seven left afterwards it 's not so much -- but it is very important , '' he told reporters on Friday . `` It 's not a final , but we need to play as if it was one . It 's a game where the winner will strike a blow to the other . '' Barcelona triumphed 6-2 in the Spanish capital last season to move seven points clear with four games to play , and cruised to the title . Since then , Real replaced interim coach Juande Ramos with Manuel Pellegrini and new club president Florentino Perez underwrote a huge spending spree to sign stellar stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo , Kaka , Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso . `` The 6-2 is unrepeatable . These things happen once in a lifetime , no more , '' Guardiola said . Barcelona won the corresponding home fixture 1-0 in November with a goal from striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic , so a draw would give the Catalans the advantage on head-to-head record if both teams end the season still level on points . Pellegrini , with his future in the balance , knows that Real need to win . `` We will go out for the victory , '' the Chilean told reporters on Friday . `` A draw is always a bad result for my team , we 've never gone out looking for a draw . We 've picked up a lot of victories away from home , and more at the Bernabeu , and this game is not going to be an exception . `` We have to show why we are leaders . We 've always gone out to take the game to our opponents from the start and it will be no different on this occasion . `` The league does not end tomorrow . There will still be 21 points in play and matches against difficult opponents . This is an important match , but whoever wins will make a big mistake if they think they have won La Liga , and the same goes for whoever loses because there will be seven more matches to play . '' Barcelona will again be without Ibrahimovic , who injured a calf in the warmup to last weekend 's 4-1 win over Athletic Bilbao and then missed the Champions League crushing of Arsenal in which Lionel Messi scored all four goals . France fullback Eric Abidal also misses out , having suffered a thigh injury on Tuesday , but central defender Gerard Pique returns after his European ban despite receiving a similar knock against Bilbao . Real will again be without injured Brazilian playmaker Kaka , who has not featured since the Champions League last-16 tie with Lyon on March 10 . Midfielder Alonso and defender Sergio Ramos return from suspension after missing Sunday 's 2-0 win at Racing Santander , but Pepe and Royston Drenthe are still sidelined . Madrid have won 50 of the 79 encounters between the two teams since 1929 , losing just 15 times . | Real Madrid and Barcelona locked on 77 points at the top of the Spanish league table . Real have slight edge by just one goal on `` for-and-against '' differential with eight games left . Both teams ' coaches insist that victory will not decide the La Liga crown . Defending champions Barcelona won the 79th `` El Clasico '' 1-0 at home in November . | [[201, 303], [161, 198], [201, 303], [2388, 2470], [0, 54], [62, 160], [0, 15], [55, 160], [344, 359], [498, 573], [1396, 1456]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The managing director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Fund is missing after his glider plane crashed into a lake in Morocco , the state news agency of the United Arab Emirates reported Friday . Authorities were searching for Sheikh Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan , who is a brother of the ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the UAE , Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan . Sheikh Ahmed is also chairman of the board of trustees of the Zayed Foundation for Charity and Humanitarian Works , said WAM , the news agency . The plane went down in the northwestern city of Skhirat , according to Morocco 's official news agency , MAP . Forbes ' 2009 rankings of `` The World 's Most Powerful People '' rated the missing sheikh at No. 27 . The pilot was rescued in good condition , WAM said . A spokesman for the fund did not immediately return a call seeking comment . The sovereign-wealth fund , which was established in 1976 , is owned by the government of Abu Dhabi . In an interview in January with Germany 's business daily newspaper Handelsblatt , Sheikh Ahmed said he preferred not to use the sovereign-wealth fund label to describe the investment fund . `` We prefer to be seen simply as a globally diversified investment institution , with the difference being that our owner is the government of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi , '' he said . `` ADIA 's sole mission , which has not changed in over 30 years , is to secure and maintain the current and future welfare of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi . '' Asked about news reports that ADIA 's global assets range between $ 300 billion and $ 800 billion , Sheikh Ahmed hewed to the secretive style that has marked the fund . `` As a matter of policy , ADIA does not disclose its assets under management , '' he said . But he noted that his brother , the president , who is also ADIA 's chairman , `` has stated publicly that some of the highest estimates seen in the media have been exaggerated . '' | Search under way for Abu Dhabi executive Sheikh Ahmed after Morocco plane crash . Sheikh Ahmed is brother of ruler of Abu Dhabi , UAE president . Sheikh Ahmed ranked No. 27 on Forbes ' `` Most Powerful People '' list . | [[209, 272], [240, 272], [279, 342], [638, 740]] |
Jerusalem -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a move likely to further strain relations between the United States and Israel , the municipality of Jerusalem has given final approval for a controversial Israeli housing project in the heart of a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem . Approval of the project paves the way for construction of 20 apartments being developed by American millionaire Irving Moskowitz on land that he purchased in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood . Moskowitz , an avid supporter of Jewish building in East Jerusalem , purchased the land in 1985 . To make way for the new housing units the historic Shepherd Hotel which was built in the 1930s by a prominent Palestinian family would be torn down . The Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem has become an area highly coveted by Jewish nationalists wishing to cement Jewish claims to the land , and it has become a fault line in the public debate about Israeli building in Arab areas of East Jerusalem . Every week hundreds of Palestinians , Israelis , and international activists stage protests in the neighborhood to protest Israeli government building policies . East Jerusalem was captured from Jordan in the 1967 war between Israel and its Arab neighbors . Israel claims sovereignty over all of Jerusalem , though this it is a claim not recognized by the international community . Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capitol of their future state . In a terse statement Wednesday , the Jerusalem Municipality argued the East Jerusalem construction was actually approved in July 2009 and that the owners of the land merely paid a necessary fee last week which generated an automatic approval for the project to proceed . `` This is distorted media information in order to create a provocation during the Prime Minister 's visit to the United States '' read the statement . The building plan , which was given municipal approval last summer , was met with great disapproval from the United States which demanded that it be stopped . It was a demand , then as now , that fell on deaf ears . At the time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet , `` Our sovereignty over -LSB- Jerusalem -RSB- can not be challenged . This means that residents of Jerusalem may purchase apartments in all parts of the city . We can not accept the idea that Jews will not have the right to live and purchase in all parts of Jerusalem . '' Netanyahu echoed the same arguments in defense of the Israeli announcement two weeks ago to build 1,600 units of housing in a different East Jerusalem neighborhood . That announcement , made while U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden was visiting Israel , set off a diplomatic rift between the United States and Israel that both sides are still attempting to iron out . U.S. President Barack Obama and Netanyahu met Wednesday evening in Washington to discuss Israel 's plans for new housing units in East Jerusalem . The leaders did not appear before cameras , and there was no sign of an end to the dispute . Nabil Abu Rudeineh , a spokesman for the Palestinian Authority , called the approval `` an intentional insult to the U.S. administration '' and works against `` any serious indirect or direct negotiations '' between Israel and the Palestinians . Rudeineh said the Obama administration `` should put enough pressure on Israel to implement what has been written and issued by the Quartet in Moscow several days ago . '' On Friday , the Middle East Quartet , the United States , European Union , the United Nations , and Russia , called on both sides `` to refrain from proactive actions '' and for Israel to freeze all settlement activity in an effort to promote peace talks . | Controversial Israeli housing project approved in Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem . Move likely to further strain relations between United States and Israel . Obama and Netanyahu met Wednesday in Washington to discuss Israel 's housing plans . U.S.-Israeli relations hit rough patch after row over future building in East Jerusalem . | [[111, 274], [0, 9], [57, 110], [2772, 2918], [2818, 2827], [2850, 2918], [0, 9], [57, 110]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The State Department condemned Iran 's persecution of religious minorities on Friday following the Iranian authorities ' detention of Baha'is and Christians in recent months . Iranian authorities have detained more than 45 Baha'is in the last four months , and as many as 60 Baha'is are imprisoned in Iran on the basis of their religion beliefs , the State Department said . Iranians have also recently detained more than a dozen Christians , according to the State Department . `` The United States is increasingly concerned about the Iran 's ongoing persecution of Baha'is and other religious minority communities , '' said Philip J. Crowley , assistant secretary for public affairs , in a statement on Friday . The State Department 's condemnation comes a day after it released a human rights report on Iran that blasted the country 's government for abusing religious minorities , among other criticisms . `` Government rhetoric and actions created a threatening atmosphere for nearly all non-Shia religious groups , most notably for Baha'is , as well as for Sunni Muslims , evangelical Christians , and members of the Jewish community , '' Thursday 's report said . Iran is an Islamic Republic where Shia Islam is the state religion . The Iranian government did not respond directly to the State Department on Thursday or Friday . However , Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad criticized the West on Friday for ignoring religious principles like monotheism . At a meeting with Iranian intellectuals , `` the president stressed that -LSB- many -RSB- efforts should be made to ... promote justice and support -LSB- a -RSB- campaign against oppressors and help monotheism flourish , '' Iran 's semi-official Fars News Agency reported . Thursday 's State Department report said that Iran 's government prevents Baha'is from gathering in homes to worship and bans Baha'is from public schools , universities , the social pension system and government leadership posts unless they conceal their faith . `` The government repeatedly pressured Baha'is to recant their religious beliefs in exchange for relief from mistreatment , '' the report said . All seven members of Iran 's Baha'i national leadership body , who were arrested in 2008 , remained in prison at the end of 2009 , according to the report . The Baha'i faith was founded in Iran in the 19th century . Today , Baha'is are the country 's largest religious minority , with 300,000 members , according to the official Baha'i Web site . Thursday 's State Department report also accused the Iranian government of destroying a Sufi library and religious hall in Isfahan ; demolishing several Sunni mosques ; and requiring evangelical Christian groups to submit congregation membership lists to the government . The report was part of a broader State Department release of human rights reports on 194 countries . | State Department concerned over Iran 's ongoing persecution of Baha'is , Christians . U.S. report claims Iranian government creates `` threatening atmosphere '' for religious groups . President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad decries West for ignoring monotheism . | [[0, 10], [30, 114], [0, 26], [115, 205], [512, 645], [940, 1148], [512, 645], [940, 1148], [1376, 1495]] |
Mexico City , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities believe assassins targeted a pregnant woman and two other people connected with a U.S. consulate who were killed in drive-by shootings over the weekend , Ciudad Juarez Mayor Jose Reyes Ferriz said Monday . The killings were carried out by a local gang , known as Los Aztecas , that is allied with the Juarez Cartel , Reyes told CNN . No arrests had been made by Monday afternoon . `` We know that the U.S. citizens were targeted , '' Reyes told CNN , saying a police officer saw gunfire from a car directed at the Americans ' car . `` We know they were chasing them . We know they wanted to kill them . '' Two of the victims were a four-months-pregnant employee of the consulate in Juarez and her U.S. citizen husband who was a jailer in nearby El Paso , Texas , U.S. and Mexican officials said . The couple 's 10-month-old child , who was in the vehicle , was not injured , Reyes and other officials said . The child has been turned over to U.S. consular officials , Reyes said . The couple lived in El Paso , the State Department said . The third victim , found dead in a separate vehicle , was identified as the husband of a Mexican employee of the consulate . His wife was not traveling with him , but two of their children in the car were wounded , officials said . All the victims had left a birthday party at the consulate Saturday before they were attacked , Reyes and State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Monday . The slain couple , Arthur Redelfs , 34 , and Lesley Ann Enriquez , 35 , were on their way home to El Paso , Crowley said . Redelfs was a 10-year veteran of the El Paso County Sheriff 's Office , according to Jesse Tovar , a spokesman for the department . Reyes said the attackers may have been confused because both groups of victims were traveling in similar-looking vehicles . Redelfs and his wife were in a white late-model Toyota RAV4 SUV . The third victim , Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros , was driving a late-model white Honda Pilot , the mayor said . Salcido , 37 , was a state police officer who was married to a Mexican employee at the U.S. consulate , Reyes said . His two children , ages 4 and 7 , were wounded and transported to a hospital , the attorney general 's office said . Salcido 's wife was traveling in another vehicle , which was not attacked , Reyes said . In Washington , President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed their anger . `` The president is deeply saddened and outraged by the news of the brutal murders of three people associated with the United States Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez , '' National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement Sunday . `` He extends his condolences to the families and condemns these attacks on consular and diplomatic personnel serving at our foreign missions . In concert with Mexican authorities , we will work tirelessly to bring their killers to justice . '' Clinton said the `` safety and security of our personnel and their families in Mexico and at posts around the world is always our highest priority . '' `` I have spoken with our ambassador in Mexico , and we are working with the government of Mexico to do everything necessary to protect our people and to ensure that the perpetrators of these horrendous acts are brought to justice , '' she said . In response to the shootings , the U.S. State Department authorized the temporary relocation of employees ' families working in border-area consulates . `` These appalling assaults on members of our own State Department family are , sadly , part of a growing tragedy besetting many communities in Mexico , '' Clinton said in a statement Sunday night . `` They underscore the imperative of our continued commitment to work closely with the Government of -LSB- Mexican -RSB- President -LSB- Felipe -RSB- Calderon to cripple the influence of trafficking organizations at work in Mexico . '' The families of employees at U.S. consulates in Tijuana , Nogales , Ciudad Juarez , Nuevo Laredo , Monterrey and Matamoros are allowed to leave for 30 days `` in response to an increase in violence along the Mexican side of its border with the U.S. , '' State Department spokesman Fred Lash told CNN . The authorization can be renewed after 30 days , depending on a review , Lash said , adding that this was not a mandatory evacuation . The announcement was part of a warning to U.S. citizens regarding travel to Mexico . The warning urges U.S. citizens to delay nonessential travel to parts of the states of Durango , Coahuila and Chihuahua , where Juarez is located , because of `` recent violent attacks . '' U.S. government employees are restricted from traveling to all or parts of these three states . Attacks include the kidnapping and killing of two resident U.S. citizens in Chihuahua , the warning states . `` Some recent confrontations between Mexican authorities and drug cartel members have resembled small-unit combat , with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades , '' the warning says . `` During some of these incidents , U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area . '' Reyes , who received a death threat last week , said the shootings highlight a problem shared by both countries along their 2,000-mile border . `` It is not just a Mexican problem -- it 's is a U.S.-Mexico problem , '' Reyes said . `` I 'm very glad that the U.S. has taken that position . '' He said that he supported the State Department 's authorization to consular families and that `` it is important they feel safe . '' Mexico said Sunday that it was committed to protecting all people , citizens and visitors alike , diplomats or not . `` The Mexican government deeply laments the killings of three people linked to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez , '' Mexico 's foreign ministry said in a statement . `` The Mexican authorities are working with determination to clear up the facts surrounding the crime scene and put those responsible before the law . '' Juarez is one of the front lines in Mexico 's war against the drug cartels that operate in its territory . More than 2,600 people were killed in Juarez in 2009 . The city has become a focal point of Calderon 's anti-drug efforts after the January 31 killings of 15 people there , most of whom were students with no ties to organized crime . The incident sparked outrage across Mexico . But the violence is not restricted to Juarez . In the western state of Guerrero , at least 25 people were killed Saturday , state officials said . The bodies of 14 people , including nine civilians and five police officers , were found in various parts of the resort city of Acapulco , the official Notimex news agency reported , citing Guerrero Public Security Secretary Juan Heriberto Salinas . In the small city of Ajuchitlan del Progreso , 10 civilians and one soldier were killed in two shootouts that started when federal officials tried to execute search warrants at two locations , Salinas said . Police in the state were on a heightened security alert , he said . The government has not released official figures , but national media say 7,600 Mexicans lost their lives in the war on drugs in 2009 . Calderon said last year that 6,500 Mexicans died in drug violence in 2008 . Unofficial tallies this year say more than 16,000 people have been killed since Calderon declared war on the cartels after assuming office in December 2006 . CNN 's Arthur Brice , Mariano Castillo and Jamie Crawford contributed to this report . | Gang connected to drug cartel carried out 3 weekend killings , Ciudad Juarez mayor says . Drive-by shootings killed U.S. employee at consulate and 2 others . `` We know that the U.S. citizens were targeted , '' Reyes told CNN . State Department warns Americans of danger of traveling to parts of three Mexican states . | [[206, 257], [258, 303], [2026, 2042], [5719, 5788], [40, 116], [100, 148], [127, 148], [153, 203], [658, 769], [369, 385], [433, 480], [449, 480], [483, 491], [483, 500], [5392, 5407], [4380, 4445], [4465, 4584]] |
Rio de Janeiro , Brazil -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The death toll from flooding and mudslides in Brazil continued to climb Thursday , with official reports of at least 181 fatalities . Thousands of people have been left homeless , said the government-run Agencia Brasil news service . The Rio de Janeiro mayor 's office placed that figure at 5,000 . At least 161 people have been injured , the Rio de Janeiro state government said Thursday on its Web site . A record 11.3 inches -LRB- 287 millimeters -RRB- of rain fell in Rio within 24 hours Tuesday , Mayor Eduardo Paes said , according to the news service . The downpour continued Wednesday . iReport : Share your photos , video , stories with CNN . More than 30 homes were destroyed in a mudslide Wednesday in metropolitan Rio , Agencia Brasil said . About 200 people could be buried or trapped in the mud , emergency officials said . The cities of Niteroi and Sao Goncalo are among the hardest hit , with more than 80 dead and dozens missing , the news service said . CNN affiliate TV Record showed firefighters , military personnel and other rescuers using heavy machinery to dig for buried residents . Brazil 's minister of cities , Marcio Fortes , said that housing and sanitation problems are not new for Rio . His department , which works directly with cities on urban development projects , said that before this week 's flooding , the government already had set aside some $ 800 million to cities to help deal with flood waters and poor infrastructure . Now , President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has made available another $ 11 billion for drainage infrastructure across Brazil , Fortes said . As for the project that sits before them , Fortes estimated that about 4,000 homes can be rebuilt , together with better roads , schools and health centers . These would provide a shift from the current structures in the slums of Rio , where housing is often improvised . `` You ca n't correct the past , but you can fix the future , '' Fortes said . CNN 's Marilia Brocchetto contributed to this report . | Death toll climbs to at least 181 ; thousands left homeless . Mayor : Record-breaking 11.3 inches -LRB- 288 millimeters -RRB- of rain fell in Rio Tuesday . 200 could be trapped following another mudslide , Brazilian media report . | [[177, 220], [342, 361], [382, 449], [929, 944], [947, 969], [450, 542], [797, 829], [841, 851], [797, 813], [833, 851]] |
Rome , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The founder of a Mexican Catholic order sexually abused minor-age seminarians and fathered three children with two women , the religious sect has revealed . The Legion of Christ order and its lay Regnum Christi Movement asked for forgiveness Thursday for `` the reprehensible actions of our founder , '' the Rev. Marcial Maciel . `` We express our sorrow and grief to each and every person damaged by our founder 's actions , '' said a communique signed by the Rev. Alvaro Corcuera and 15 other Legion of Christ leaders . The abuse allegations surfaced in 1997 . The Vatican started an investigation into Maciel 's actions in 2004 and concluded in May 2006 that he was guilty of sexual abuse , the group said . `` We had thought and hoped that the accusations brought against our founder were false and unfounded , since they conflicted with our experience of him personally and his work , '' the order 's statement said . As a result of the Vatican investigation , however , officials at the Legion of Christ `` reached sufficient moral certainty to impose serious canonical sanctions related to the accusations made against Maciel , which included the sexual abuse of minor seminarians . Therefore , though it causes us consternation , we have to say that these acts did take place , '' the group said Thursday . Law enforcement officials apparently were not informed . The Vatican , `` mindful of Father Maciel 's advanced age and his delicate health , decided to forgo a canonical hearing and ask him to retire to a private life of penance and prayer , giving up any form of public ministry , '' the communique says . Pope Benedict XVI approved the decision . Although leaders at the Legion of Christ knew of the abuse since May 2006 , they kept it quiet until this week . As of Friday , Maciel 's biography on the order 's Web page merely said , `` In May 2006 , the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith invited Father Maciel to ' a reserved life of prayer and penance , renouncing all public ministry . ' '' Maciel died January 30 , 2008 . Javier Bravo , spokesman for the sect in Mexico and Central America , said Legion leaders did not reveal the accusations sooner because `` it has been a very difficult process . We were n't ready to assimilate it before . '' Now , he told CNN en Español , `` we have to recognize the facts as they are . '' Legion leaders acknowledged the delay , saying in Thursday 's communique , `` It 's taken us some time to assimilate these events of his life . For many -- above all the victims -- this time has been too long and painful . '' In addition to sexually assaulting young seminarians , Maciel fathered at least three children , Thursday 's statement said . The priest had a daughter from a stable relationship with a woman , and two men said they are his children from a relationship with another woman . Maciel , born in March 1920 , founded the Legion of Christ in January 1941 . According to the order , the Legion of Christ has a presence in 24 countries . The first Legionaries arrived in Spain in 1946 , and the order established a center in Rome in 1950 . In the 1960s , the Legion established itself in Ireland and the United States . In the 1980s , the order expanded into more countries in South America and Central Europe . The Legion says it recently began pastoral projects in Eastern Europe and Philippines . The announcement about Maciel comes against a deepening crisis in the Catholic church , which is investigating complaints of abuse in Ireland , Germany , Britain and several other countries . | NEW : `` We have to recognize the facts as they are , '' spokesman says . Legionnaires of Christ ask forgiveness for `` reprehensible actions of our founder '' Vatican concluded in 2006 that Rev. Marcial Maciel was guilty of sexual abuse . Priest allowed to retire ; he died in 2008 . | [[2343, 2373], [2343, 2345], [2351, 2387], [189, 330], [595, 606], [667, 723]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The value of shares in a British company drilling for oil off the Falkand islands halved Monday , after it revealed the existing supply may not be commercially viable . In a statement on its Web site , Desire Petroleum said `` oil may be present in thin intervals but that reservoir quality is poor . '' Desire will release the final results of its 30-day test drilling operation in the South Atlantic archipelago on Wednesday . According to the company it may have to drill deeper to find greater quantities of oil and gas . Desire estimated that the North Falkland Basin could contain 3.5 billion barrels of oil as well as having `` significant gas potential . '' But potential revenues from oil and gas reignited a long-running dispute between London and Buenos Aires over ownership of the Falklands . Last month , Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner signed a decree requiring all ships navigating from Argentina to the islands to carry a government permit . The Falklands , known as Las Malvinas in Argentina , lie in the South Atlantic Ocean off the Argentinean coast and have been under British rule since 1833 . Argentina has always claimed sovereignty over the islands and invaded them in 1982 , prompting a war in which more than 600 Argentinean and 255 British military personnel died . The island 's government , representing a population of around 2,500 , remains committed to British sovereignty and the UK maintains a military presence on the islands . The Argentine position is that natural resources around the islands should be protected , and Britain must accept international resolutions labeling the Falklands a disputed area . `` This has to do with the defense of the interests of Argentineans , not just about sovereignty , '' Argentine Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernandez said in February , adding that Argentina lays claim not just to the islands , but to any resources that could be found there . | Desire : `` Oil may be present in thin intervals but reservoir quality is poor '' Argentina and UK at odds over ownership of South Atlantic islands . Falklands government says it has `` every right '' to develop hydrocarbons industry . | [[205, 235], [238, 336], [706, 840]] |
Moscow , Russia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Russian investigators have identified the second suicide bomber in last week 's fatal Moscow subway attacks as Maryam Sharipova , a 28-year-old schoolteacher from Dagestan , authorities said Tuesday . Sharipova was born in the village of Balakhani , in Dagestan , a predominantly Muslim republic that lies beside Chechnya , in southern Russia , the Investigative Committee of the Russian Prosecutor 's Office told CNN . Like Chechnya , Dagestan has been troubled for years by radical Islamic violence . The committee said it identified Sharipova through forensic medical examinations . Sharipova and another female bomber , Dzhennet Abdullayeva , detonated their explosives about 40 minutes apart on the morning of March 29 . The blasts ripped through the Lubyanka and Park Kultury stations in central Moscow , killing 40 people and wounding more than 80 . An estimated 500,000 people were riding trains in the capital at the time of the attacks . Sharipova triggered a homemade explosive device at Lubyanka subway station , the investigative committee said . Russian law enforcement bodies are continuing their `` investigative and operational search actions to determine and arrest the organizers and masterminds behind the terrorist act , '' the committee said . The woman 's father , Rasul Magomedov , was flown to Moscow to identify the remains of what was believed to be his daughter , an investigative committee official told CNN on condition of anonymity . Magomedov 's account and forensic analyses left no doubt that the body was that of Sharipova , the official said . Independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported Sunday in an exclusive article that Magomedov had identified his daughter in a photograph that was published on the Internet last week . The photograph was described as that of a dead unidentified suicide bomber of the Lubyanka metro station . Magomedov was sent the photograph on his mobile phone , the newspaper said . `` My wife and I have immediately recognized our daughter , Maryam , '' Magomedov told the newspaper in the article , which was reprinted across Russian media . `` When my wife had seen our daughter last , she had been wearing that same red scarf that is depicted on the photograph , '' he said . `` We did n't know her whereabouts ... '' Magomedov said he 'd seen his daughter for the last time on March 26 , while his wife had seen her in the afternoon of March 28 , which was less than 24 hours before the deadly bombing . Several other people who knew Sharipova also recognized her in the photograph , Novaya Gazeta said . Sharipova -- who , like the other children in her family , was given the last name of her grandfather , Sharipov -- was born into a teachers family . Her father teaches Russian language and literature at a local school in Balakhani . His wife teaches biology there . Sharipova attended the same school her parents work in , the newspaper reported . She later graduated from a university in 2005 with a degree in mathematics and another in psychology , the newspaper reported . Recently , she had been teaching computer science at a local school . `` We still ca n't believe what happened , '' her father said , according to Novaya Gazeta . `` We ca n't even imagine how she appeared in Moscow . '' According to the newspaper , Magomedov described his daughter as `` quite pious , '' but he said she never expressed any radical views . `` I totally rule out that someone might have manipulated her psychologically , '' he said , noting that she was a certified psychologist , the newspaper reported . `` She lived with us , worked as a schoolteacher and led an open life , '' he said . A person who knows the Magomedov family very well told the newspaper that Sharipova was a `` calm and confident person . '' The person , who was not identified , said that no one `` ever heard her expressing any extremist opinions or displaying imbalanced behavior . '' On Tuesday , Russian state television , citing law enforcement sources , said Sharipova had been the wife of 35-year-old Magomedali Vagabov , a local rebel leader who has been fighting government forces since the 1990s , and who reports directly to Dokku Umarov , the top Chechen rebel , who took responsibility for the bombings . The investigative committee would not comment on the report . Russian state television also showed video of Sharipova 's village , and spoke to her father . `` When they -LSB- officials -RSB- called me on the phone to tell that she blew herself up in the Moscow subway , I said it must be complete rubbish , '' he recalled in an interview . Last week , the Russian investigative committee identified the first bomber as Abdullayeva , also from Dagestan . Her precise age was n't revealed , but the committee said she was born in 1992 . Russian newspapers reported Friday that Abdullayeva -- whose last name has also been cited as Abdurakhmanova -- was the widow of a prominent Dagestani rebel militant leader who was killed by federal forces in late December . An apparent photograph of Abdullayeva and her late husband , identified as 30-year-old Umalat Magomedov , was published in Russian media . It shows a bearded man with his arm draped over a young-looking teenage girl dressed in traditional Muslim attire . Both are holding guns and looking unsmilingly into the camera . The circumstances of the photograph , including when it was taken , were not explained . CNN could not confirm the authenticity of the picture . CNN 's Maxim Tkachenko contributed to this report . | Reports identify Maryam Sharipova , a graduate of Dagestan State University . Reports say she was responsible for the bombing at the Lubyanka station . Two female bombers detonated their explosives about 40 minutes apart . Authorities identified first bomber as fellow Dagestan native Dzhennet Abdullayeva . | [[983, 1057], [621, 656], [682, 760], [4643, 4652], [4655, 4733]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- CNN picked the brains of the Plastiki 's crew members before they set off on the voyage . From the importance of the mission to a pint of Cornish cider , skipper Jo Royle tells CNN about her hopes and fears , how she plans to get through the voyage , and what she looks forward to most at the end of it . CNN : What did you want to be when you were young ? Royle : I wanted to engineer a way to spend as much time on or by the ocean as possible . CNN : What 's the one characteristic that has led you to where you are today ? Royle : Thriving off the feeling of living just outside my comfort zone . CNN : Who inspires you ? Royle : Everybody ! CNN : What 's the most important lesson you 've learned about yourself from the Plastiki project ? Royle : Put your energy into your beliefs , think outside the box and it will happen . CNN : What 's your biggest hope for the expedition ? Royle : To communicate to as many people as possible that our oceans are our umbilical cord to life , without healthy oceans we are not healthy , no matter where we are in the world we are directly connected to the ocean . CNN : At what point would you define the Plastiki a success ? Royle : The Plastiki is already a success , it has proven that we need to think about the way we consume , the way we manufacture products , how we need to think about a products end life before it is created . Most importantly it has proven that no one is as smart as everyone ; the Plastiki is a success because she has created a platform for many incredible minds to collaborate and engage in conversations on how we can ensure we leave this world in a better condition than we found it for our future generations . At the moment this feels like a tough ambition , but an exciting one ! CNN : What are your favorite sea creatures ? Royle : Jellyfish , as we know so little about them , but their increasing population is a direct indication of the health of our oceans . Dolphins , as they are our true companions when sailing across oceans . Seals , as they look so lazy and fat , but if you get on the wrong side of them they certainly show you who 's boss . CNN : When is the last time you personally used a plastic bottle ? Royle : I 'm not sure , but we still get guests aboard the Plastiki who leave plastic water bottles behind ! Have you tried to spend just one week without consuming anything plastic ? I have , and it was impossible , I had to steal my flat mate 's toothpaste when I ran out ! CNN : What do you most value about nature ? Royle : The way she makes your life feel like such a speck in the grand scale of things , your little worries feel so insignificant , the way she can make us feel like a visitor , but has her welcoming arms wide open . If we listen and open up she naturally teaches us how to live a sustainable , healthy life . She is always boss , we can choose to respect that , and live our lives as a caretaker , or not , but in the end she will always be here . CNN : What 's the one creature comfort you 'll miss most when you 're at sea ? Royle : Cycling my bike through the countryside . My buddies and a good pint of Cornish cider ! CNN : Name 3 books you will bring with you on the expedition . Royle : I will be researching my Masters dissertation on populations displaced because of human influenced climate change , so lots of journals . If anyone has anything on this topic please send it to me ! I 'll be taking Sylvia Earle 's latest book , which I am currently reading , but not finding the time to finish . I also might take a copy of Jim Dodge 's `` Stone Junction '' . CNN : If you had to choose a theme song for the expedition , what would it be ? Royle : `` Plastikians '' by Jerry Zeiger -LRB- written just for the Plastiki -RRB- . CNN : What 's your favorite adventure film ? Royle : `` The Kon Tiki '' . CNN : What 's your green motto ? Royle : The more time you spend in the natural environment , the more you will naturally become a better caretaker of the planet . CNN : What 's the most important thing you 've done to prepare for life at sea ? Royle : Lived in a city for a year , this is the longest time for over ten years that I have not been on an ocean adventure . As much as I love San Francisco I ca n't wait to get back to life on the ocean . CNN : What 's the main emotion you 're feeling right now days before the launch ? Royle : My brain is running a million miles an hour to try to dot every `` I '' and cross every `` t '' in the preparations for the passage . Once we leave we ca n't pick up what we have forgotten , we just have to make do with what we have . CNN : What 's your biggest fear for the expedition ? Royle : I do n't have big fears in my mind at the moment , we have spent a long time meticulously preparing the boat with an incredible team of talent . I am a sailor , so I have a huge respect for the ocean , and understand the path to take to minimize risk , I am in my element at sea . CNN : What 's the first thing you 'll do when you reach Sydney ? Royle : Have a shower ! I 'll also enjoy the post-adventure feeling of mixed emotions ; having achieved an awesome adventure , but also leaving a tight knit Plastiki family life behind ! Oh , and maybe party a little ! | CNN asked crew members about hopes and fears for the voyage . Skipper Jo Royle looking forward to communicating message of the mission . Will take journals for her MA research ; believes mission is already a success . | [[19, 108], [109, 170], [173, 225]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Winning the Masters for the third time meant the world for Phil Mickelson , but nothing could beat seeing his wife Amy and three kids waiting by the 18th green after he completed an emotional victory on Sunday . `` It was a very special and emotional moment for us because we 've been through a lot this last year , '' the American told CNN after returning to second in the world golf rankings behind Tiger Woods , who tied for fourth on his comeback . `` I was so excited to see her , I was n't sure if she was going to make it out . To see her and the kids and be able to share that moment with them is something that we 'll look back on years from now and cherish . '' Mickelson went into the tournament , the first of the golf season 's four majors , in less than spectacular form after a traumatic year off the course . Blog : Phil 's victory perfect tonic for Tiger hype . Last May , Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer , then less than two months later his mother Mary was found to have the same affliction and also required surgery . The 39-year-old took two breaks from the PGA Tour to be with his family , but successfully returned to the circuit to win the Tour Championship in September . `` We 've had a lot of difficult moments in this last year , and we 've been fortunate in that we 've had good long-term outlook , '' he said . `` But our day-to-day has been tough , she 's had a lot of side effects from the medicines and the quality of life is n't great . `` I think having something so joyous and exciting and fun for a short while makes you forget some of the symptoms that you have . `` She 's been inspiring to me throughout not just this past year , but our whole marriage and relationship . But this past year , especially seeing the way she 's tackled this fight and the way she 's been through so much medically , I just find her to be a very inspiring individual . '' In 2004 , Mickelson finally rid himself of the tag `` most talented player yet to win a major '' with victory at the famous Augusta National club and claimed the green jacket for a second time two years later , having also won the U.S. PGA Championship in 2005 . But Mickelson , nicknamed `` Lefty '' for his swing despite otherwise being right-handed , said he was still nervous on Sunday despite his previous successes in the Masters as he went into the final round a shot behind Englishman Lee Westwood . `` Oh absolutely , but I love it . It 's my favorite thing , '' he said . `` It 's the thing that was most difficult early in my career and it 's the thing that I enjoy the most . `` I do n't sleep the night before and I 'm anxious and excited to get out on the course . You have butterflies all day and you just ca n't wait to get the round started . I still feel all that , but that 's what makes Sunday at Augusta so special . '' Mickelson said he was confident going into the tournament despite having only one top-10 finish in his previous seven starts in 2010 . `` I felt like I was playing this well at the start of the year , I just have n't had the results , '' he told reporters after his victory . `` I was n't discouraged , I felt very confident heading in here . Certainly I wanted to have some wins and be in contention , but when I get here to Augusta I get relaxed and comfortable here . I 'm in love with this place , it brings out the best in me . '' | Phil Mickelson says it was special to have cancer-stricken wife Amy waiting for him . Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer last May and is still recovering . The American says he and his family will cherish the moment in years to come . Mickelson 's mother was also diagnosed with breast cancer last year . | [[909, 945], [604, 687], [909, 945]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Texas Department of Public Safety took the unprecedented step Thursday of telling college students not to visit Mexican border cities during spring break because they are just too dangerous . Several universities issued similar warnings last year , but this was the first time the Texas law enforcement agency had issued the specific advisory against travel , said spokeswoman Tela Mange . In the past , she said , Texas authorities had just urged students to be careful . `` Because of the increased violence , we decided to step it up a little bit and say , ` Parents , bad idea , ' '' Mange said . DPS Director Steven C. McCraw said , `` Parents should not allow their children to visit these Mexican cities because their safety can not be guaranteed . '' The State Department renewed a travel alert to Mexico last month , citing increased violence in the country -- border areas in particular . `` Recent violent attacks have caused the U.S. Embassy to urge U.S. citizens to delay unnecessary travel to parts of Michoacan , Durango , Coahuila and Chihuahua ... and to advise U.S. citizens residing or traveling in those areas to exercise extreme caution , '' the alert says . More than 16,000 people have died in Mexico since President Felipe Calderon declared war on the drug cartels shortly after assuming office in December 2006 . Ciudad Juarez , in Chihuahua state across the border from El Paso , Texas , is the most violent city in the nation . `` The situation in the state of Chihuahua , specifically Ciudad Juarez , is of special concern , '' the alert says . Two U.S. citizens were abducted and killed in Chihuahua , the State Department said . `` Mexican authorities report that more than 2,600 people were killed in Ciudad Juarez in 2009 , '' the report states . `` Additionally , this city of 1.3 million people experienced more than 16,000 car thefts and 1,900 carjackings in 2009 . U.S. citizens should pay close attention to their surroundings while traveling in Ciudad Juarez , avoid isolated locations during late night and early morning hours , and remain alert to news reports . '' But the problems are not limited to Juarez , the State Department says . `` Mexican drug cartels are engaged in violent conflict -- both among themselves and with Mexican security services -- for control of narcotics trafficking routes along the U.S.-Mexico border , '' the report says . `` In order to combat violence , the government of Mexico has deployed military troops throughout the country . U.S. citizens should cooperate fully with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican highways . `` Some recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat , with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades . Large firefights have taken place in towns and cities across Mexico , but occur mostly in northern Mexico , including Ciudad Juarez , Tijuana , Chihuahua City , Nogales , Matamoros , Reynosa and Monterrey . During some of these incidents , U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area . '' A number of areas along the border continue to experience a rapid growth in crime , with robberies , homicides , petty thefts and carjackings increasing during the past year nationwide , the alert says . The State Department reports notable spikes in Chihuahua , Sinaloa , and northern Baja California . `` Ciudad Juarez , Tijuana and Nogales are among the cities which have experienced public shootouts during daylight hours in shopping centers and other public venues , '' the alert says . CNN 's Arthur Brice contributed to this report . | Texas Department of Public Safety : Mexican border cities a `` bad idea '' for spring break . It is the agency 's first specific advisory against travel , spokeswoman says . State Department renewed a travel alert to Mexico last month . Alert noted a rapid growth in violent crimes in areas along the U.S.-Mexico border . | [[0, 15], [57, 176], [105, 214], [624, 658], [661, 747], [276, 399], [782, 846], [3117, 3258]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At first , Kip Scheidler said he felt the ground tremble . Then the roof began to shake . Tiles tumbled from the ceiling as people bolted from their chairs to escape . When Scheidler tried to follow them , he could barely keep his balance as the ground wobbled . `` The weird thing is that afterward you will swear that it lasted 20 minutes but it really lasted 60 seconds , '' Scheidler said of the earthquake tremors . `` But at the moment , it seems like it will never stop , and it keeps getting stronger . '' That 's how Scheidler remembers one of the most horrific moments in his life -- the 1986 earthquake in El Salvador that killed 1,500 people . All those memories came flooding back recently when Scheidler turned on CNN and saw images from this week 's earthquake in Haiti , which may have killed at least 100,000 people , according to initial estimates . `` I was sickened by the news , '' said Scheidler , now the senior director for global disaster response for Habitat for Humanity International , an international relief agency . `` I was there -LSB- El Salvador -RSB- as family members identified the bodies of family members pulled from the rubble . It 's something that you can never forget . I ca n't imagine hundreds of thousands of people going through that now . '' For people like Scheidler , the news from Haiti is n't abstract . It 's personal . They are people who have either survived natural disasters or respond to them . The Haitian earthquake has forced some of them to think again about the survival lessons they learned , and what Haitians face in the days ahead . How disaster brings out best , worst in human nature . Several say disasters can reveal the worst in human nature . Patrick Johns traveled to Indonesia in the immediate aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami . He 's also traveled to Ethiopia to aid in famine relief and Rwanda after the country was decimated by genocide . Johns , who is now the director of emergency response for Catholic Relief Services , said it is critical to immediately establish security right in Haiti . `` Crime is a problem in Haiti even in the best of times , '' Johns said . `` With this kind of situation , it 's going to go from bad to worse . '' Security can make the difference between life and death , Johns said . It 's not enough to deliver the right supplies to Haitians . Someone has to guard the good Samaritans . `` You could get stopped on the road , your driver could be thrown in the ditch and you lose everything , '' Johns said . People responding to the disasters often have to make excruciating choices , Johns said . In the past , aid workers would help some needy people but turn down others when they ran out of supplies . How an aid workers makes that decision can cause a riot , Johns said . It 's better to talk to people beforehand to warn them that not everyone will get help immediately , but eventually all will be helped , he said . `` If you can only build 30 ramshackle shelters , who are the 30 who get them and what 's going to be the reaction of people who do n't get help , '' Johns said . `` It can be nightmarish . '' See other places hit by historic natural disasters and their recovery . Another disaster lesson : Do n't wait for the authorities to help , several disaster experts said . Tad Agoglia is the founder of the the First Response Team . Since May 2007 , he and his crew have aided thousands of victims at disaster sites across the United States , free of charge , he said . Agoglia said disaster survivors become energized when they stop waiting for the cavalry and start doing what they can within the first ten hours of the disaster . When people act , they shake off their stupor , he said . `` Things start moving . Roads are opened up . Order comes to chaos and people start to speak to each other , '' Agoglia said . `` People began to have hope . They say , ` It 's not going to last like this forever . We can begin again . ' '' Impact Your World : How you can help . One of the most important needs for Haitians right now is n't just food , water and medicine but something else : heavy moving equipment , Agoglia said . Agoglia 's company has three cranes as well as infrared cameras that can spot body heat under rubble and lighting towers that illuminate the darkness . It might not be as obvious as delivering water , but it 's vital , he said . `` Bringing in food and water and those kind of things are great , but there 's only so much you can do with human hands , '' Agoglia said . Disasters also require leadership -- not from so far-off entity but from ordinary Haitians in the hardest-hit areas , some said . During disasters , community leaders become critical , said Eddie Argenal , director of humanitarian assistance for CHF International , a relief agency based in Silver Spring , Maryland . Community leaders can quickly take an estimate of the damage done , their community 's needs , and start clean-up efforts . They give their communities a head-start , Argenal said . `` Humanitarian assistance can take time to arrive , so the community plays a hugely important role in their own recovery , '' Argenal said . `` The more proactive a community is , the better they will do in the short and long term . '' How communities rebuild after disaster . History gives Haitians a reason to hope . Virtually every major city that 's been demolished since 1800 has been rebuilt -- no matter how poor the city was or where it was located , said Lawrence J. Vale , co-author of `` The Resilient City : How Modern Cities Recover from Disaster . '' Vale said people have such a fierce attachment to where they live that they will go to extraordinary lengths to rebuild their homes . Vale said he remembers seeing pictures of residents in New Orleans mowing their lawns in front of their destroyed homes after Hurricane Katrina struck . He also saw a picture of Japanese schoolchildren in Hiroshima , Japan , holding their lessons outdoors in 1946 , a year after an atomic bomb had vaporized their city . `` They 're attempting got have some semblance of normalcy in this totally surreal , devastating landscape , '' Vale said . `` It 's an extraordinary testament to the effort of people to go on . '' Scheidler , the survivor of the El Salvador earthquake , has seen the same resiliency . After the initial quake , there is a surge of adrenalin , he said . People spread out and rush to their homes to check on relatives . People are nervous , trying to put the pieces together . Then they start to rally around one another . Scheidler said he visited a neighborhood in El Salvador that had been buried by a mudslide after the earthquake struck . Nobody waited for the authorities . `` People who had construction equipment starting showing up and afterward everybody was grabbing everything they could , whether it was a shovel or a gardening tool , to help dig through the dirt , '' Scheidler said . Scheidler said the buildings in one community had been flattened , including its church . But the community searched and found the church bell . What they did with the church bell is seared in his memory today just as much as the scenes of tragedy he witnessed , he said . `` They rallied around the church bell , and put it in a tree so they could call everybody together , '' he said . `` What I saw in people in El Salvador was not every man for himself ; but everybody pitching in . '' | Disaster witnesses reflect on painful lessons learned . Destruction on vast scale brings out the best and worst in human nature . Leadership from inside the community is essential in recovery . Man who survived El Salvador earthquake recalls examples of human resiliency . | [[1472, 1560], [1619, 1647], [1674, 1734], [1686, 1734], [4539, 4548], [4554, 4645]] |
Miami , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Romel Joseph calls it his second life . `` When I came here , I said I was 99.9 percent dead , and I am leaving here 85 percent alive , '' he said . The blind violinist who was trapped for 18 hours after Haiti 's earthquake in January was released from a Miami , Florida , hospital over the weekend after what doctors say is an amazing recovery . The powerful January 12 quake leveled his five-story music school in Port-au-Prince , and he was pinned beneath the debris . His friends were able to remove him from the rubble of the New Victorian School , and he was airlifted out of Port-au-Prince by the American Embassy to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami . Joseph suffered severe injuries , including a fractured hand and two crushed legs . To get through the painful ordeal , Joseph prayed and let his mind drift to thoughts of every concerto he had ever played . `` I did n't think I would be alive ... I thought my time was up , '' Joseph said . `` But my time is not up yet , so God will provide and show me how to fulfill my dream . '' Joseph plans to return to Haiti at the end of the month to start rebuilding the New Victorian School , where he is the director . He hopes to have a makeshift structure up within two weeks so children can begin attending the dual purpose music and academic school by mid-April . The temporary structure is estimated to cost $ 35,000 . It will take another two to three years to build a permanent school , one that Joseph said will be earthquake-proof . During Joseph 's last physical therapy session , the Juilliard-trained violinist played classical numbers and hymns as part of his treatment . To the delight of patients around him , Joseph stuck chord after chord on the violin stretching and strengthening his hand that was badly fractured . `` I could n't put my fingers on the strings at first and gradually I was able to play little one or two notes and now I can play , not great but it 's a blessing , '' Joseph said modestly . Doctors had initially feared that he might never play violin again . The violin was n't the only instrument helping Joseph repair his shattered hand during the 18 hours of physical therapy he received each week . A keyboard donated by musician Steve Wonder has helped Joseph regain the strength in his fingers . Wonder , who is also blind , had heard Joseph 's story on CNN and said he was moved to act . `` What better way to express God 's love than to give something that is special to you to someone else who is in need , '' Wonder said . `` So that 's why I did what I did . '' Joseph hopes to return playing professionally by October , when he would like to have a debut concert with Wonder . `` I would like to play with him and thank him in person for helping in my recovery . '' | Blind violinist Romel Joseph released from hospital . He suffered a fractured hand and crushed legs in Haiti 's January earthquake . Stevie Wonder donated keyboard to help him practice while wearing cast . Joseph plans to return to Haiti to start rebuilding music school . | [[184, 295], [696, 779], [696, 702], [730, 779], [1716, 1722], [1776, 1825], [2230, 2273], [2230, 2328], [1080, 1180]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For the first time in history , slavery can be brought to an end . What 's more , we already know how to do it . Even if the cost of ending slavery were astronomical , we should do it -- but in fact the cost is surprisingly low . A number of forces have come together to create a unique moment . On one side there has been a recent rapid growth in the number of slaves worldwide . The population explosion , coupled with natural disasters , epidemic disease , civil war , grinding poverty , and especially government corruption , made millions of people vulnerable to slavery . The result is some 27 million people in slavery today . These are real slaves , controlled by violence , paid nothing , unable to walk away , and making fat profits for criminal slaveholders . Slaves are concentrated in South and Southeast Asia , across North and West Africa , and in South America , but virtually every country has slavery , and the U.S. is estimated to have 40,000 hidden slaves . Around the world , slaves do dirty , dangerous work , everything from agriculture to prostitution , and their lives are brutal and short . The lives of slaves have changed little over the centuries , but the price of slaves has collapsed to an all-time low . For all of history , slaves have been expensive capital investments , costing an average $ 45,000 in today 's dollars . Today the average price of a slave is $ 90 . This means slaves are disposable , so cheap it is not worth giving them medical care when they are sick or injured , and it 's easy to just dump them when they are used up . It is an ugly problem , but at the same time , everything has clicked into place to make the end of slavery possible . The current number of slaves , 27 million , is the smallest percentage of the global population ever . The $ 40 billion they produce each year is the smallest fraction of the global economy ever represented by slave labor . Read more about Kevin Bales at TED.com . Slavery is illegal in every country and denounced in United Nations conventions . There is no support for slavery from moral authorities , religious or political groups . And no industry or economy is dependent on slavery . In fact , if slavery ended tomorrow , consumers would n't see any price increases . Slavery has been pushed to the criminal edges of our global society and to the very edge of its own extinction . There is no silver bullet that kills slavery , but over the past ten years an arsenal of effective responses has shown that you can end slavery and make communities slave-proof . One powerful vaccination against slavery is to make sure freed slaves build lives of economic stability . This means education , skill training , micro-finance , and citizenship -- all the things denied American ex-slaves in 1865 . Americans are still paying the price for their botched emancipation . Meanwhile , freed slaves given opportunities today generate economic growth through a `` freedom dividend . '' The modern anti-slavery movement is growing rapidly , and freedom is coming to an ever-increasing number of slaves . The end of slavery is possible , but three things have to happen . First , governments have to keep the promises they made when they passed laws against slavery . The laws are on the books , but police are untrained and budgets are woefully inadequate . Second , the public needs to be aware that slavery is all around us , and that it can be brought to an end . Third , resources have to flow to those areas of the world where slavery is rife -- resources from international aid , charities , World Bank and IMF , and businesses . More funding is needed to provide for more anti-slavery workers . When it is done right , the results are spectacular . Take the village of Azad Nagar in northern India . All the families there were hereditary slaves in a stone quarry . All children worked , there was no school , and all women risked regular sexual assault by the slaveholders . A Free the Slaves partner organization sent in a community organizer who helped the families to stand up to their masters and renounce slavery . It was a tense and dangerous tactic , and at one point the slaveholders burnt down many of the huts where the families lived . After a few months , the crisis passed and the villagers embarked on new lives , many of them now running their own quarry . The children went to school and some ex-slaves even ran for elected office . Now in stable lives , it would take an armed invasion to push them back to slavery . If you would like to know more , visit http://www.freetheslaves.net/Page.aspx?pid=183 . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Kevin Bales . | For the first time in history , it 's possible to end slavery , says Kevin Bales . Economic trends have reduced the value of slaves and limited their usefulness , he says . Bales : Education and skills training for freed slaves is crucial . | [[49, 85], [2685, 2756]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Venus Williams is looking forward to a continuing her winning run after retaining her Abierto Mexicano Telcel title in Acapulco on Sunday . The American followed up her victory at the Dubai Tennis Championships the previous weekend to win both tournaments for the second year in a row , taking her up to equal 10th on the all-time women 's list of WTA Tour wins . Top seed Williams had to come from behind against first-time finalist Polona Hercog on the red clay before triumphing 2-6 6-2 6-3 . `` I do n't want to stop here -- hopefully next year I can win this one three times , '' former world No. 1 Williams told the WTA Tour Web site . `` I definitely expected her to play tough . She did n't miss too many shots and I have to give her credit , not just for today but for her whole week . Even though she was playing well , I had to find a way to make my game better . `` Hopefully I 'll win more and more this year . I love winning titles , I love seeing that number go up . It feels good . There is no limit . Who wants to have a limit on titles ? Not me . '' Hercog did , however , win her first senior title in the doubles , as the Slovenian world No. 60 teamed up with Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic to defeat Italians Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci in three sets . In the men 's final , third seed David Ferrer beat Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3 3-6 6-1 to avenge his defeat by his fellow Spaniard in last weekend 's title match in Buenos Aires . Former world No. 1 Ferrero had been seeking his third title of the four-week South American leg of the ATP Tour , having also won in Costa do Sauipe in Brazil . There are no individual top-level men 's tournaments this week as the focus switches to the opening round of the Davis Cup , with defending champions Spain hosting Switzerland and runners-up the Czech Republic away to Belgium . Croatia , beaten in the last four by the Czechs , are at home to promoted Ecuador while fellow semifinalists Israel travel to Chile . Other World Group matches see France take on Germany , the United States visit Serbia , Russia at home to India and Sweden against Argentina . | Top seed Venus Williams retains her Abierto Mexicano Telcel title in Acapulco . American wins second tournament in a row following success in Dubai last weekend . She comes from behind to defeat first-time finalist Polona Hercog 2-6 6-2 6-3 on the red clay . David Ferrer beats fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero in the men 's final . | [[56, 158], [0, 5], [85, 158], [159, 250], [159, 171], [209, 303], [383, 514], [383, 400], [405, 500], [483, 514], [1313, 1332], [1335, 1375]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cervelo 's Xavier Tondo won the toughest stage of this year 's Paris-Nice cycling classic as Alejandro Valverde finished second to ratchet up the pressure on race leader and their fellow Spaniard Alberto Contador . It was the biggest victory of Tondo 's fledgling career and reward for a solo break with just under 40km remaining of the 220km ride from Peynier to Tourrettes-super-Loup . The whittled down chasing bunch closed fast in the final kilometers but Tondo had five seconds to spare with Valverde leading the charge to claim six bonus seconds . It left him 14 seconds adrift of reigning Tour de France champion Contador ahead of a difficult final day in the south of France . Young Slovakian Peter Sagan , who claimed his second stage win of the race in dramatic style pm Friday , finished third to retain the green jersey of points leader . Tondo was delighted to win in his debut year for Cervelo , with his main duties this season set to be as a helper for Carlos Sastre in the Giro d'Italia and other major tours . He felt he was ready to challenge on Friday , but suffered bad luck with a mechanical problem , dropping over two minutes to lose his chance for the overall crown . `` It gave me a chance to go in the breakaway today and I felt very good on the climb , '' he told the official Web site www.letour.fr . `` It 's incredible for me , in my first year with Cervelo . It 's my 10th victory as a pro , but in the past I only rode for small teams , '' he added . Sunday 's final leg is a 119km stage based around Nice with several tough climbs where Contador has predicted he will seal his final victory . Meanwhile , last year 's winner Michele Scarponi claimed the fourth stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico to take the overall lead . Scarponi was in a small elite group who forged clear about 4km from the finish of the 243-km route from San Gemini to Chieti . He now leads Benoit Vaugrenard of France by 18 seconds in the overall classification . | Spain 's Xavier Tondo claims sixth stage of the Paris-Nice cycling classic . Alejandro Valverde finishes second to claim six-second time bonus . Valverde trails race leader Alberto Contador by 14 seconds going into last day . | [[0, 15], [19, 108], [516, 572], [573, 703]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova tumbled out of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Saturday , but two-time champion Kim Clijsters cruised into the third round . Kuznetsova , who lost in the 2007 and 2008 finals , became the first top-ranked player at the Californian tournament to lose their opening match since Clijsters in 2002 . The Russian , who had an opening-round bye , lost 6-4 4-6 6-1 to unseeded Spaniard Carla Suarez-Navarro as she paid for her 69 unforced errors and seven double-faults . `` It 's frustrating , because I know I have the game , '' the 24-year-old told the tournament 's official Web site . `` I feel great . I do practice , play unbelievable , and then get to the match and I do n't do much . `` So my thinking is I just need more matches because as soon as I have matches , I keep going . '' Suarez-Navarro will play Agnes Szavay in the third round , with the Hungarian 27th seed progressing after a 6-3 6-2 victory against Taiwan 's Chan Yung-Jan . U.S. Open champion Clijsters avoided suffering the same demise as fellow Belgian and former world No. 1 Justine Henin , who lost to Argentina 's Gisela Dulko on Friday . Clijsters , seeded 14th in her first appearance at the tournament since winning it for the second time in 2005 , thrashed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-2 6-1 . `` I felt good out there today , '' Clijsters told the WTA Tour Web site . `` Legs felt good , fresh . It 's important in a match like this , to get through without wasting too much time , but also getting a good rhythm . `` I want to get the game I had when I was playing at the U.S. Open , where I played really well . I want to keep raising the bar . '' Clijsters will next face Russian 23rd seed Alisa Kleybanova , who beat Bulgaria 's Tsvetana Pironkova 6-7 -LRB- 5-7 -RRB- 6-3 6-1 . Daniela Hantuchova , another two-time champion , was knocked out by Italy 's Roberta Vinci . The 21st seed was upset 6-3 7-5 despite battling back from 3-0 down in the second set , with Vinci earning a third-round clash with Belgian 13th seed Yanina Wickmayer . Third seed Victoria Azarenka progressed with a 6-1 7-5 win over Austria 's Sybille Bammer , and the Belarussian will next play Spanish 28th seed Maria Jose Martinez . Australian eighth seed Samantha Stosur defeated France 's Julie Coin 6-1 7-6 -LRB- 7-4 -RRB- to set up a clash with Russian 25th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova . Ninth seed Flavia Pennetta also went through with a 6-3 6-3 win over Czech Petra Kvitova , and the Italian will play Israel 's 17th seed Shahar Peer in the third round . | Top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova exits BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells . Russian loses her opening match 6-4 4-6 6-1 to unseeded Spaniard Carla Suarez-Navarro . Two-time champion Kim Clijsters cruises into third round , beating Barbora Zahlavova Strycova . Third seed Victoria Azarenka also wins in second round on Saturday . | [[0, 15], [19, 111], [352, 363], [397, 462], [118, 180], [1281, 1309], [2102, 2191]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Australian rugby league player has been charged with dealing drugs just three months after his teammate was served a court notice for the same offence . Chris Houston , who plays for Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League competition , has been charged with supplying ecstasy and cocaine according to reports in Australian newspapers on Monday . The 25-year-old second-row forward will appear in court next month , and has been suspended by his club . `` Newcastle Knights player Chris Houston has been stood down immediately and indefinitely following reports he was charged this afternoon on drug-related allegations , '' a Knights statement said on Monday . Houston 's teammate Danny Wicks was charged with six counts of supplying prohibited drugs and two counts of drug possession in December . Wicks ' younger brother and his sister-in-law have also been charged as part of a police investigation into drugs suppliers , along with soccer player Steven Stefanovski . Wicks and Houston both moved to Newcastle from Sydney club St George Illawarra at the end of 2007 . Wicks agreed to cancel his $ 180,000-a-year contract in December , the Sydney Morning Herald reported , while Houston is contracted to the Knights until 2012 . It is the second year in a row that the sport has been hit by controversy ahead of a new season , which begins in two weeks . Last year , Manly and Australia fullback Brett Stewart had to be removed from NRL advertisements following allegations of sexual assault . Former Newcastle and Australia star Andrew Johns also made headlines after his retirement in 2007 when he was caught in possession of ecstasy in Britain , and later admitted he had been a regular user of the drug during his career . | Australian rugby league player Chris Houston charged with dealing drugs . He will appear in court next month , accused of supplying cocaine and ecstasy . His Newcastle clubmate Danny Wicks was also charged with dealing in December . Newcastle and Australia star Andrew Johns admitted using ecstasy in 2007 . | [[0, 15], [39, 106], [175, 188], [252, 317], [560, 648], [175, 188], [252, 317], [376, 442], [0, 15], [39, 106], [691, 828], [754, 828], [1526, 1574], [1580, 1635], [1526, 1561], [1685, 1758]] |
In few other arenas is man 's never ending quest for the next frontier more evident than in sailing . The pioneering spirit , which first sent the human race out to sea to explore what lay beyond the horizon , still exists today as man strives to go faster , further , and in constant pursuit of the next extreme . Forever changing , constantly progressing , sailing is a sport driven by many factors . In today 's modern world , developments in technology and yacht design give sailors an ever changing arsenal of tools , as competitors drive each other to new heights of innovation . For the ground breaking sailor , the next frontier is always just out of reach . This month on CNN MainSail , Shirley Robertson takes a look at speed -- what drives one particular breed of sailor to be the fastest on the planet ? At the America 's Cup in Valencia , winners BMW Oracle Racing 's Head of Design explains how the Americans ' revolutionary wing sail gave them the edge , and Shirley takes to the skies in a glider to see the roots of this new innovation in action . In Cowes , UK , Paul Larsen and his team of engineers skulk in the shadows of the boat building shed , as the speed record enthusiast turns his latest wild idea into reality . And in Dubai at the Month World Sailing Championships , Shirley takes to the water to experience hydrofoil sailing -- this is the innovation to which the French Hydroptere team attribute their world speed record which Larsen so badly wants to take from them . Finally Shirley meets Cameron Lewis , crew member on the first boat to sail round the world in less than 80 days -- the current Jules Verne record stands at much less than that , a target which Franck Cammas and his Groupama team are currently trying to better ; Shirley talks to them via satellite phone to find out what drives them on their quest . Will this incessant pursuit of the next frontier ever fade , and what will be the next innovation to come over the horizon ? This month on CNN MainSail we try to find out . | America 's Cup winners explain how a revolutionary wing sail gave them the edge . Shirley takes to the skies in a glider to see this new innovation in action . Shirley speaks to Paul Larsen , the speed record fanatic with a new wild idea . In Dubai , Shirley takes to the water to experience hydrofoil sailing . | [[816, 849], [852, 1012], [816, 849], [852, 1012], [974, 1064], [1241, 1244], [1254, 1280], [1297, 1355]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- Kate Gosselin has had some tough blows this year and Hugh Hefner has dealt her another one . When asked if there was any possibility that Momzilla would grace the glossy covers of Playboy , Hef said , `` No ! No ! '' And the original playboy added insult to injury by suggesting he does n't even know why she 's on `` Dancing with the Stars . '' He explained , `` I do n't think she 's a celebrity . '' She is the second Gosselin rejected from the porno business . It must hurt to hear that no one wants to check out your goody basket . The Frisky : 10 famous female cheaters . Do n't worry , Kate , you 're not the only celebrity to fall short of Hef 's stringent standards . You 're not even the only celebrity on `` DWTS '' to be rejected ! Here are some others who were told to `` keep it on . '' Audrina Patridge . Remember when Audrina Patridge `` accidentally '' leaked some topless photos and was `` so embarrassed ? '' It turned out that she hired a photographer to do the photo shoot when she was 19 years old , to submit to Playboy , but they did n't want to publish the pics . I ca n't really imagine a better fit for the magazine . Maybe they just did n't dig the schoolgirl-in-her-parents-pool set-up ? The Frisky - 10 reality stars with shady pasts . Kelly Osbourne . Way back in 2006 , Kelly Osbourne expressed interest in taking it off for Playboy but said some of her body parts `` would need some airbrushing . '' In response , Hugh Hefner said , `` I ca n't see it happening somehow ; we do n't airbrush to that extent . '' Jeez , Hef , grow some tact ! I wonder if Hef is bummed now that Kelly is thinner , tan , and more Playboy 's speed ? Bridget Marquardt . Bridget Marquardt might have been one of the `` Girls Next Door , '' but apparently , she could n't get in the door at Playboy . After a couple of failed test shoots , she was rejected from being a Playmate , but the Hef welcomed her into his brothel of babes . It seems like a much better deal to get the riches and fame without getting naked . So much for being the dumb one ! The Frisky : Hairstyles that must die on 12 famous men . Britney Spears . Britney Spears was n't exactly rejected , but she was put on the cooler until she stopped acting so nutty . Playboy reps said , `` Hef has said that he is more than happy to feature Britney in the magazine once she can put herself back on the road to recovery . '' Really ? You 're asking her to get her act together and then pose naked ? Is n't it supposed to be the other way around ? The Frisky : 12 bizarro celebrity look-alikes . The `` royal '' housewife . When `` Real Housewives of New York City '' reality star and former model Kelly Bensimon announced she was doing Playboy , Countess LuAnn de Lesseps was all , `` No one asked me ! '' But she has since changed her tune . She says , `` I think my 15-year-old would have a heart attack if I were to do Playboy . It 's not something I really want to do . '' It 's generally a good idea to feign disinterest in things that totally are n't going to happen . I 've already emailed John Mayer to tell him I wo n't date him . He 's probably really sad . '' Russian lesbian pop stars TATU . Remember that awesome Russian lesbian singing duo , TATU ? They did that song `` All the Things She Said '' and that cover of `` How Soon is Now '' ? Well , they were really excited to pose for Playboy when they both turned 18 , but German and American editions of the magazine said they were n't interested ! They did get a blurb in the music section of Playboy , but had to keep their clothes on , which , judging from their music videos , was really hard for them . The Frisky : 10 celebrities who were bullied . `` The Partridge Family '' mom . Shirley Jones , who played the mom on `` The Partridge Family , '' might be 75 years old , but that did n't stop her from posing for some sexy test shots , featuring legs and cleave . But Hefner rejected the pictures , apparently because he `` expected more nudity '' from the actress . I think at 75 , if the biggest insult Hugh Hefner can give you is that he wants to see more of you naked , you 've totally won . TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Kate Gosselin is n't the only celebrity to fall short of Hef 's stringent standards . When Audrina Patridge was 19 , she hired a photographer to take photos of her topless . Hefner rejected pictures of Shirley Jones because he `` expected more nudity '' | [[626, 702], [954, 1019], [983, 1068], [3942, 3970], [3973, 4040]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British Airways was able to get three out of four planes to their destination this weekend despite the ongoing strike by cabin crew , the airline 's CEO , Willie Walsh , said Sunday . Walsh told CNN he was `` clearly disappointed for customers who have had disrupted travel plans but I 'm really pleased that we have been able to do so much and we are determined to keep this going . `` We have had high numbers of cabin crew turning up for work . We would n't have been able to fly such a significant operation if we did n't have cabin crew supporting us , '' he said . But the assistant general secretary of the Unite union , which represents the cabin crew , said BA was losing money and shifting customers onto other airlines in a `` con trick . '' Are you worried about the strike ? `` BA is claiming that it can function but it is doing so by throwing away millions of pounds every day as it dumps its passengers on other carriers , '' Unite 's Len McClusky said in a statement . `` Passengers who turn up expecting to fly BA , a brand they trust and have paid a premium for , will now be shipped onto carriers they 've never heard of . '' British Airways and Unite have been at odds for more than a year over changes the airline wants to make to cabin crew pay and work practices . BA says the changes will save the company more than 60 million pounds -LRB- $ 90 million -RRB- a year . Unite has said the plans , which call for longer work hours and less staffing , will damage customer service and the BA brand . At least 51 British Airways flights leaving Heathrow Sunday were listed as canceled on the airport 's Web site , and at least 79 arrivals were listed as canceled , as of 10:30 local time -LRB- 5:30 a.m. ET -RRB- . Destinations in the UK , United States , Europe , Africa and the Middle East were directly affected by the cancellation of BA flights . And other airlines such as American Airlines , Cathay Pacific and Iberia were showing flight cancellations because of code-sharing . The union claimed half of British Airways flights were canceled on Sunday . BA in the past has said it is legally bound as a publicly traded company to provide accurate information , while the union is under no such obligations . The latest strike , which began Saturday , meant American student Brittany Smith and her family were being rerouted from London 's Heathrow to Atlanta , Georgia , on their way home to Denver , Colorado . She has already e-mailed her professors to explain that she will not make class . `` It is frustrating , but if you let it frustrate you , you 're just going to ruin your travel plans even more , '' she told CNN . `` So you are just going to have to take it with a grain of salt , and realize that everyone is doing the best they can and to make it easier on everyone to stay positive . '' The four-day strike is the union 's second one in a month over pay and working conditions . It staged a three-day walkout last weekend . BA said its operations got off to a good start Saturday despite the strike by thousands of its cabin crew members . The airline said it was able to operate flights as normal at two London airports , Gatwick and City , and that the number of crew members reporting for work at Heathrow was enough to operate BA 's planned schedule . It said enough staff had crossed the picket lines that it was able to fly more than 75 percent of customers scheduled to travel during the strike . Another 18 percent of passengers are booked to fly on other carriers or have changed their travel dates to avoid the strike , the airline said . Advice for passengers . The Unite union , which represents 95 percent of BA 's 15,000 cabin crew , said it was too early say how many crew members worked despite the strike . The airline said it will be able to run a full operation from London 's Gatwick and City airports . At London 's Heathrow Airport , BA will be able to run up to 55 percent of its short-haul flights and up to 70 percent of its long-haul flights , the airline said . Gatwick-based cabin crew work under different conditions , which is why the strike affects one airport more than the other . BA handed a statement to passengers on some long-haul flights , reassuring them the airline 's own staff was working on board . `` British Airways pilots will be flying your aircraft and you will be cared for in the cabin by British Airways staff , '' the statement read . `` Some of these staff in the cabin may be additional pilots who have volunteered to look after you , and as such will be wearing their pilot uniforms . '' Pauline Doyle , a spokeswoman for Unite , said having pilots standing in as flight attendants `` undermines '' the relationship between cabin crew and pilots . Pauline Doyle , a spokeswoman for Unite , said having pilots standing in as flight attendants `` undermines '' the relationship between cabin crew and pilots . Other carriers are offering to accommodate BA passengers affected by the strike . British carrier BMI , which flies to Europe and the Middle East , said Friday it had added 4,500 seats to its normal Heathrow flight schedule and Ryanair offered special fares to BA passengers . CNN 's Erin McLaughlin contributed to this report . | British Airways : `` We will fly more than 75 percent of customers booked to travel '' At least 51 BA flights leaving Heathrow Sunday were listed as canceled . BA cabin crew members in dispute over pay and working conditions . Airline and Unite union have been at odds for more than a year over planned changes . | [[1557, 1667], [2040, 2049], [2066, 2115], [1182, 1259], [1240, 1324], [2864, 2955], [1182, 1259]] |
Rome , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Vatican is overhauling its rules on how it handles accusations of sexual abuse by priests , it said Monday , without giving any details . The powerful Catholic Church body that handles such allegations has been working on updating the 2001 rules `` for some time , '' the Vatican said . It published a new summary of its procedures on sexual abuse cases Monday , as it fights the perception that it has tried to hush up abuse in the past . The summary said the overhaul is taking place . The church has been badly shaken by allegations of widespread child abuse by clergy in deeply Catholic Ireland , and hundreds of people who say they were abused have come forward in Germany , Austria and the Netherlands . Internal Catholic Church documents have surfaced in the United States which critics say link Pope Benedict XVI personally to attempts to cover up abuse . The Vatican says the letters in question , about a Wisconsin priest accused of molesting hundreds of deaf boys over two decades , were not written to Rome until long after the abuse took place . The one-page document published Monday outlines the official steps diocese should take if a priest is accused of abuse , how to escalate complaints to Rome , and possible punishments for those found guilty . It does not appear to contain new guidance -- only to consolidate existing practices into one document . It is designed primarily to help the media understand Church procedures , Father Ciro Benedettini of the Vatican press office told CNN . The summary , produced by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , says local diocese `` investigate every allegation of sexual abuse of a minor by a cleric . '' If the allegation `` has a semblance of truth , '' the local diocese refers it to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith . Local diocese should also report the allegations to the appropriate civil authorities if local law requires , the guidelines say . The pope was head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith , as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger , before being enthroned as Benedict XVI in 2005 . | Vatican publishes new summary of procedures on sexual abuse cases . Church been badly shaken by allegations of widespread child abuse by clergy . Vatican has denied allegations Pope Benedict XVI was involved in cover-ups . | [[323, 396], [1127, 1213], [524, 634]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- News International announced plans Friday to charge for access to The Times and The Sunday Times Web sites starting in June . The publisher said both British newspapers will launch new Web sites in early May and offer a free trial period to registered customers . Starting in June , each site will charge # 1 -LRB- $ 1.48 -RRB- for a day 's access or # 2 -LRB- $ 2.96 -RRB- for a week 's subscription , News International said . The newspapers are currently available free on a combined site , www.timesonline.co.uk , but they will have separate sites starting in May . Subscribers will have access to both sites , News International said . `` At a defining moment for journalism , this is a crucial step towards making the business of news an economically exciting proposition , '' said Rebekah Brooks , chief executive at News International . `` We are proud of our journalism and unashamed to say that we believe it has value . '' Would you pay to read your news on the web ? The only other major British newspaper currently charging for online content is the Financial Times , which charges a basic rate of # 3.29 -LRB- $ 4.90 -RRB- a week for a year-long subscription . Users can view up to 10 online articles for free each month , but they must register . In its Alphaville blog , the Financial Times said `` this experiment will be closely watched by the embattled media industry . '' The paper 's digital media correspondent Tim Bradshaw wrote there are already doubts about the success of the paid-for plan . `` The wide availability of free news online has led many to question whether paywalls can attract substantial numbers of customers , '' Bradshaw wrote . `` In the UK , newspapers face online competition from the BBC , which earlier this month pledged to curtail the scope of its Web sites . '' Brooks , of News International , said the company expects to attract a growing base of customers with the online subscriptions . She also indicated the plan could be extended to cover the company 's other two British titles , tabloids The Sun and News of the World . `` This is just the start , '' Brooks said . Sunday Times Editor John Witherow said the planned subscription price will be a bargain , costing about the same as a cup of coffee . Comments on the story in the Media section of The Guardian 's Web site -- which is free -- were mixed . `` Bye bye to the Times then , '' wrote a user named rocketracer . `` This goes against the basic principle of the internet which is about increasing access to information not restricting it . '' Another user called jodro wrote , `` Much as it pains me to say it , like everyone I like things for free , but some kind of Internet payment structure is the only way to rescue quality journalism and an independent press that can counterbalance the increasing powers that technological developments hand to governments worldwide . '' Last year Rupert Murdoch , the chairman and CEO of News International 's parent company News Corp. , said the current free access business model favored by most content providers was flawed . `` We are now in the midst of an epochal debate over the value of content and it is clear to many newspapers that the current model is malfunctioning , '' he said . Murdoch said the experience of the News Corp.-owned Wall Street Journal had proved that charging for content could be made to work . He said 360,000 people had downloaded an iPhone WSJ application in three weeks . Users would soon be made to pay `` handsomely '' for accessing WSJ content , he added . The media tycoon has also repeatedly threatened to pull his company 's news Web sites from Google and put all company sites that are currently free behind a pay wall . Google strengthens news content walls . His international newspaper empire includes the New York Post , the News International stable of UK titles including the Sun and the Times , and a cluster of Australian papers including the Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun . His comments come with the U.S. newspaper industry in a state of crisis amid plunging advertising revenues and falling circulations with several historic titles already going out of business . | Both newspapers will launch new Web sites in early May , offering free trial to users . Rupert Murdoch : Free access business model favored by most content providers `` flawed '' Financial Times only other major UK newspaper currently charging for online content . News International hinted plan could be extended to cover company 's other UK titles . | [[162, 299], [176, 243], [162, 175], [186, 204], [248, 299], [554, 605], [2357, 2365], [2375, 2382], [2930, 2954], [3031, 3121], [1015, 1114], [1978, 1981], [1987, 2115]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ireland 's government-backed `` bad bank '' is taking on 16 billion euros -LRB- $ 21.5 billion -RRB- in debt from five troubled Irish banks -- a first step toward buying 81 billion euros -LRB- $ 109 billion -RRB- in bad loans , the government announced . The National Asset Management Agency , as the `` bad bank '' is officially known , will pay 8.5 billion euros -LRB- $ 11.4 billion -RRB- for the first 16 billion euros in debt , it said Tuesday . The move takes 1,200 loans off the books of Irish Nationwide Building Society , EBS Building Society , Bank of Ireland , Allied Irish Banks and Anglo Irish Bank . The first two banks ' debts were taken over on Monday and the other three institutions ' bad loans should be transferred by early April , NAMA said . Irish Finance Minister Brian Lenihan gave a sobering assessment of the banks ' health Tuesday . `` I understand why many want us to close '' Anglo Irish Bank , which lost huge sums in property lending , he told lawmakers . `` I understand the impulse to obliterate it from the system . '' But , he said , `` the sums required to rescue the bank are enormous but the costs of winding it down are even greater . '' The government has already replaced the management of the bank . Lenihan hinted broadly that the government will take over Allied Irish Bank , which he said must raise `` additional equity capital of at least 7.4 billion euros -LRB- $ 9.9 B -RRB- by the end of the year . '' `` If sufficient private capital is not available , it is probable that the state will have a majority shareholding in Allied Irish Bank as a listed entity , but this is much more preferable than an under-capitalized or only adequately-capitalized entity , '' he said . The government is seeking to sell Irish Nationwide or merge it with another entity as soon as possible , after having taken it over earlier , he said . The Bank of Ireland `` expects to be able to raise private capital and is well advanced in its actions to address its capital needs , '' and EBS is in talks with `` a private party '' about raising market capital , he added . The move is part of an Irish government response to the global financial crisis , which hit Ireland particularly hard . The government expects to complete the purchase of the 81 billion euros in debt by February of next year , a deadline set by the European Union , NAMA said . Borrowers whose loans have been acquired by NAMA will be required to submit a comprehensive business plan in accordance with NAMA 's template within one month outlining how they propose to honor their loan commitments , NAMA chief executive Brendan McDonagh said in a statement . If the plans are not submitted or not approved , `` NAMA will take whatever actions it considers necessary to protect the interests of the taxpayer , '' he said . CNN 's Jim Boulden and Eve Parish contributed to this report . | Move takes 1,200 loans off books . NAMA : Government expects to complete purchase of 81 billion euros in debt by February . | [[470, 496], [2239, 2343]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British Airways said its operations got off to a good start Saturday despite a second consecutive strike by thousands of its cabin crew members . The airline said it was able to operate flights as normal at two London airports , Gatwick and City , and that the number of crew members reporting for work at Heathrow -- Britain 's busiest airport -- was enough to operate its planned schedule . `` We have got off to a good start , '' the airline said in a statement . The crews walked out at midnight Friday in a strike set to last for four days . They staged a three-day walkout last weekend . BA said enough staff had crossed the picket lines that it was able to fly more than 75 percent of customers scheduled to travel during the strike . Another 18 percent of passengers are booked to fly on other carriers or have changed their travel dates to avoid the strike . Are you worried about the strike ? The Unite union , which represents 95 percent of BA 's 15,000 cabin crew , said it was too early say how many crew members worked despite the strike . At Heathrow 's Terminal 5 , which is used primarily by British Airways , things appeared to be running smoothly Saturday and long-haul passengers who spoke to CNN seemed largely unaffected . `` It 's been fine from Seattle , -LRB- Washington -RRB- and I hope it will be fine going back to Seattle , '' passenger Don Dewar said . Ravi Erukulabatn said his mother-in-law was still scheduled to fly to Hyderabad , India . `` She is flying on her own , so we were a bit anxious to begin with , bur fortunately it is happening as expected , '' he told CNN . The airline said it will be able to run a full operation from London 's Gatwick and City airports . At Heathrow , BA will be able to run up to 55 percent of its short-haul flights and up to 70 percent of its long-haul flights , the airline said . To help operate as many flights as possible , BA is leasing planes , pilots and crews from six airlines , BA said . It is also using volunteers from other areas of the company to stand in for striking cabin crew . BA handed a statement to passengers on some long-haul flights , reassuring them the airline 's own staff was working on board . `` British Airways pilots will be flying your aircraft and you will be cared for in the cabin by British Airways staff , '' the statement read . `` Some of these staff in the cabin may be additional pilots who have volunteered to look after you , and as such will be wearing their pilot uniforms . '' Pauline Doyle , a spokeswoman for Unite , said having pilots standing in as flight attendants `` undermines '' the relationship between cabin crew and pilots . BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh had threatened last week to take away the travel perks , which might have been one reason some union staff agreed to work despite the strike last weekend . Striking staff stripped of perks . He said the travel perks are not in the crews ' contracts and can be withdrawn at the airline 's discretion . The union representing the striking workers called the move `` vindictive '' and said restoring those perks must be part of any deal to end the strike . `` The withdrawal of travel concessions from crew who have been on strike represents unacceptable anti-union bullying , '' Unite joint leaders Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley wrote in a letter to members . `` Any agreement to end this dispute must and will include a framework for the full restoration of those travel concessions . '' Other carriers are offering to accommodate BA passengers affected by the strike . British carrier BMI , which flies to Europe and the Middle East , said Friday it had added 4,500 seats to its normal Heathrow flight schedule and Ryanair offered special fares to BA passengers . British Airways and Unite have been at odds for more than a year over changes the airline wants to make to cabin crew pay and work practices . BA says the changes will save the company more than 60 million pounds -LRB- $ 90 million -RRB- a year . Unite has said the plans , which call for longer work hours and less staffing , will damage customer service and the BA brand . Stock analysts have said BA has made clear it sees the action not only as a matter of money but who will run the airline -- management or the union . Unite said Friday the two strikes will cost British Airways about # 100 million -LRB- $ 149 million -RRB- , double what BA estimated earlier in the week . | British Airways says it was able to operate flights as normal at two London airports . Airline says it can fly more than 75 percent of customers scheduled to travel . BA cabin crew members in dispute over pay and working conditions . Airline and Unite union have been at odds for more than a year over planned changes . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 181], [182, 350], [1643, 1742], [1660, 1742], [638, 737], [3790, 3867], [3848, 3932], [3790, 3867]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- France 's President Nicolas Sarkozy made a landmark visit to Haiti Wednesday , announcing more than $ 100 million of additional aid to the former French colony where 212,000 people were killed by an earthquake five weeks ago . Sarkozy is the first French president ever to visit the country which has in the past demanded huge reparations from France to compensate for slavery-era exploitation before Haitian independence two centuries ago . He told a news conference that an extra $ 100 million -LRB- $ 136 million -RRB- was being made available to help reconstruction efforts , bringing France 's contribution to the the aid effort to $ 320 million . Sarkozy was scheduled to meet with Haitian President Rene Preval and Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive and take a helicopter tour of earthquake-devastated zones , Sarkozy 's office said . He also planned to tour a French Civil Security hospital and meet with French teams and injured Haitians , his office said . He planned to meet members of the government involved in reconstruction and members of the United Nations mission in Haiti . Sarkozy 's trip was scheduled to last less than five hours , after which he planned to go to the French island of Martinique for an overnight stay . Thursday , Sarkozy planned to visit French Guiana on South America 's northeastern coast before returning home , his office said . Sarkozy is the first European head of state to visit Haiti since the January 12 earthquake , Agence France-Presse reported . France has had close cultural ties with its former colony since independence , but diplomatic relations have sometimes been fraught , with Paris occasionally expressing concerns over instability in the Caribbean nation . In 2004 , France called for the resignation of then president Jean Bertrand Arstide , who was subsequently ousted in a 2004 rebellion , after his government demanded that France pay $ 21 billion in reparations . | Sarkozy expected to meet Haiti 's president and prime minister on flying visit . French leader is also expected to announce major aid plan for Haiti . Sarkozy is first European head of state to visit Haiti since quake . | [[695, 855], [1008, 1052], [280, 306], [312, 392], [1413, 1471], [1424, 1503]] |
Milwaukee , Wisconsin -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Arthur Budzinski wiped away the tear running down his cheek . He had just returned from the basement , where he was talking to Gary Smith , a longtime friend and former classmate . The two men , both deaf , feverishly gestured to one another in sign language over a videophone , discussing the recently released documents relating to a Milwaukee priest molesting students -- the same priest they said had molested them . The New York Times reported the documents showed top Vatican officials , including the future Pope Benedict XVI , had failed to discipline the now-deceased Milwaukee priest , the Rev. Lawrence Murphy . According to the report , Murphy abused as many as 200 deaf boys in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee , Wisconsin , from 1950 to 1974 . Read the article . Back upstairs , Budzinski , 61 , sat next to his daughter , Gigi , who translated his story . Her father , she said matter of factly , was abused three times by Murphy while a student at St. John 's School for the Deaf in St. Francis , a suburb of Milwaukee nestled on the banks of Lake Michigan . Timeline of Father Murphy 's case . Budzinski said he was 12 the first time it happened . `` It was in the closet . I asked for a confession , and then he molested me , '' he said , adding the abuse occurred once a year for three years . `` I was wondering ... ` You 're a man from the church , why are you molesting me ? ' '' He was unable to tell his story at the time , because his parents did not know sign language . For years , he blocked out the memories of the abuse , until they came flooding back when he was in his 20s . It was during the 1970s that Budzinski , Smith and another friend and classmate , Robert Bolger started sharing their experiences with each other . `` If you do n't tell people , it gets worse , and it will happen more and more , '' Budzinski said . `` You need to speak out and be open . '' The three friends found strength in numbers . It was time to tell their secret and put an end to the sexual abuse against deaf boys by Murphy , Budzinski said . They held public protests where they circulated `` Wanted '' fliers with Murphy 's image . They went to the Milwaukee County district attorney 's office and the St. Francis Police Department to file complaints against the priest . Murphy denied the allegations , and no criminal charges were filed . `` Robert Bolger always said ` It 's the three of us , ' '' Budzinski said . Bolger died in 2006 . `` I 'm sad that Robert 's gone , but I am in his place fighting , because Robert was the leader . '' Budzinski has been sharing his story since the 1970s , but now the world is aware . The headlines from the March 25 New York Times story had circled the globe . `` I fought for 37 years , it finally broke open , I 'm surprised , '' Budzinski said . `` What 's next , I do n't know . But something should happen . '' Days after the Times ' report , the archbishop of Milwaukee apologized repeatedly for the way his archdiocese handled the priest . He also defended the Vatican , which has come under fire for not disciplining or defrocking the man . `` Mistakes were made in the Lawrence Murphy case , '' said Archbishop Jerome Listecki at the end of a special Holy Week mass at St. John 's Cathedral in Milwaukee . `` The mistakes were not made in Rome in 1996 , 1997 and 1998 . The mistakes were made here , in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee , in the 1970s , the 1980s and the 1990s , by the church , by civil authorities , by church officials , and by bishops . `` And for that , I beg your forgiveness in the name of the church and in the name of this Archdiocese of Milwaukee . '' The Vatican said it did not know about the allegations until 20 years after civil authorities investigated and later dropped the case . Murphy died in 1998 . The Holy See has criticized The New York Times ' coverage of Murphy 's case , saying it lacks fairness . More on the Vatican 's criticism . Budzinski moved on with his life , becoming a journeyman printer , a husband and a father to two daughters . But the memories of the abuse stayed with him . He said he repeatedly told church officials about Murphy . `` When he was 26 he had to go to the police , he was talking to Archbishop Cousins , he was doing all this , '' said Gigi , who began to weep . `` I could never imagine right now , me having to do that . '' In 2006 , Budzinski said he received $ 80,000 from the archdiocese for his suffering . Despite being haunted by the abuse and upset with how his case was handled , he said he has been blessed . `` He always thought , ' I want to have children , ' '' Gigi said . `` Now he 's happy he has me and my sister . '' The Budzinskis vow to continue sharing their story to help all victims of abuse , whether deaf or hearing . `` I want to help people , '' he said . `` Father Murphy died and I 'm still doing it . ... I keep fighting . '' | Arthur Budzinski says he was abused by a Milwaukee priest as a child at a school for the deaf . He received a settlement from the church in 2006 . The New York Times recently reported the priest abused up to 200 deaf children . | [[4403, 4410], [4413, 4489], [690, 760]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- We have a tendency , when things in the news get bad , to tell ourselves that it 's never been quite this dismal before . We are tempted , when disputes become particularly acrimonious , to believe that the current bitterness is unprecedented . So it 's beneficial , once in a while , to look at our current problems in light of what has gone before . And to remember just how much the United States has endured . The newspaper USA Today reported last week that there has been a sharp increase in the unemployment rate for male veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars . The paper said that such unemployment has tripled since the recession began , having reached 15 percent last month . More than 250,000 of the male veterans were said to be unemployed last month , with another 400,000 having left the workforce for various reasons : to raise children , or attend college , or because they have just stopped trying to find work . Joe Davis , a spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars , said : `` It makes you almost want to go out and rip off all the ` Support Your Troops ' bumper stickers . If you want to support your troops , give them a job . '' Ca n't argue with that . After what American soldiers , sailors , airmen and Marines are asked to sacrifice , there is something melancholy about the thought of them coming home and having trouble finding a way to support their families . The nation is likely to work on a solution to this honorably and in good faith . There was a time , during parallel circumstances , when that was n't the case . It was one of the darkest moments in American history , and few people speak about it anymore . The shorthand for it was `` the Bonus Army . '' In the spring and summer of 1932 , with the Great Depression gripping the country , tens of thousands of World War I veterans and their families gathered in Washington to demand what they felt they had been promised . They set up shantytowns , and vowed to stay put until their entreaties were met . The federal government had , in 1924 , issued service certificates -- redeemable for bonuses -- to the soldiers who had returned from World War I . The certificates were intended to reward the veterans for the time they had spent fighting for their country . They were like long-term bonds -- they could not be redeemed until 1945 . But something happened between 1924 and 1932 : The economy collapsed . Poverty and joblessness were everywhere . The veterans , many of them hungry and destitute , came to Washington asking Congress to allow them to collect their bonuses early . It did n't happen . The U.S. Senate voted down the bill . So there were the military veterans , amassed in the nation 's capital . Out of money , out of luck , almost out of hope , they refused to leave . The government ordered their evacuation . Many of the veterans resisted ; the police shot and killed two of them . With that , the president of the United States , Herbert Hoover , fearing that radicals had infiltrated the veterans , ordered the Army to take over the involuntary evacuation . And this country was confronted with the news that the Army was moving against the old soldiers . At the highest level of the Army assigned to the task were men who would later become extraordinarily famous . Gen. Douglas MacArthur was in command ; Maj. Dwight D. Eisenhower was the go-between with the local police force ; Maj. George Patton was in charge of the cavalry . Bayonets were drawn ; tanks and soldiers on horseback advanced into the crowds ; acrid gas was unleashed on the protesting veterans ; the makeshift camps were torn down . Even though President Hoover did n't want it to happen , MacArthur sent his troops across a bridge to the site of the veterans ' main living quarters . A fire broke out ; it was never determined with certainty who set it , but there it was : the American veterans ' cobbled-together homes in flames , as the Army drove them out . There was no television back then ; it is almost impossible to fathom what would have happened if the country had been able to see , live , the military moving relentlessly against former members of the military who were asking for the means to survive . As rugged as the economy is now -- and as difficult a time as some veterans are having as they look for work in a dismal hiring environment -- no one foresees a day when soldiers will again be ordered to roust former soldiers and their families . Later in their lives , MacArthur , Eisenhower and Patton all lamented , with varying degrees of emotion , having had to play a role in driving the Bonus Army out of Washington . Their commander in chief had decreed that it must be done , so they carried out his orders . We 've come a long way since then ; no president with an eye toward his legacy would order the Army to do such a thing , and it 's hard to believe that military officials would not , behind closed doors , try everything in their power to avoid having to use American troops that way . But as much as things have changed , certain truths have n't . We ask our soldiers , in times of war , to cross the oceans and fight in our name . When they come home -- those who do come home alive -- we tell them , in bad economic times , that the jobs for them are just not there . If our soldiers want to work , we owe it to them to make it easier for that to happen . There may never again , we should hope , be a Bonus Army camped in the streets of Washington , pleading for help . The best way to prevent such a sight is to provide the help before the despair of the unemployed veterans reaches that breaking point . You might call it our patriotic duty . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene . | People have a tendency to think we live in the worst of times , says Bob Greene . He says we have a serious problem with unemployment among veterans . Still , today 's troubles do n't equal the woes of the early 1930s , Greene says . He says jobless veterans protesting in 1932 were chased out of Washington by U.S. Army . | [[141, 155], [158, 244]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Portsmouth will play Chelsea in the FA Cup final after an upset 2-0 extra-time victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the second semifinal at Wembley on Sunday . French striker Frederic Piquionne opened the scoring for Avram Grant 's men nine minutes into extra-time . Former Tottenham midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng scored the second with three minutes remaining from the penalty spot after referee Alan Wiley awarded a spot kick as Wilson Palacios fouled Aruna Dindane . It was a humiliating defeat for Tottenham and their manager Harry Redknapp , who steered Portsmouth to FA Cup triumph in 2008 before leaving the cash-strapped club for White Hart Lane . His team went into the match as overwhelming favorites against a Pompey team who had been relegated from the Premier League the day before without playing , having been deducted nine points after going into administration . But all that was forgotten as their fanatical fans enjoyed a famous victory which owed much to good fortune and some excellent goalkeeping from England international David James . Their breakthrough goal could be credited to the appalling Wembley pitch as Spurs defender Michael Dawson slipped at a crucial moment and Piquionne took full advantage . Tottenham thought they had equalized almost immediately through Peter Crouch but Wiley ruled it out for a push on James . With Tottenham camped in the Pompey half , Dindane broke clear and although Palacios got the ball in his challenge he also pulled him down and Wiley had no hesitation in pointing to the spot . Spurs reject Boateng scored past Heurelho Gomes with relish to seal a famous cup victory . An overjoyed James said they had deserved their win after being written off before the semifinal . `` We played very well throughout the team , he told ITV . `` Look what it means to Pompey , it 's fantastic . `` We were eight - or nine-to-one to win beforehand but we have proved people wrong . '' In truth , Tottenham had been the more accomplished side in a generally scrappy match and Crouch will be rueing a headed miss against his former side in the second half in which he also hit the post . Aaron Mokoena had to make a goalline clearance from a Vedran Corluka cross in Tottenham 's best spell of pressure , but Pompey were always a threat on the break and took their chances when offered . They will play double-chasing Chelsea at Wembley on May 15 and again will start as massive underdogs . | Portsmouth beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in FA Cup semifinal at Wembley . Goals from Frederic Piquionne and Kevin-Prince Boateng seal famous win . Portsmouth will play Chelsea in final at Wembley on May 15 . | [[19, 120], [176, 282], [283, 400], [1576, 1653], [19, 120], [2353, 2411]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On Easter Sunday , the day before the explosion that would take his life , Joshua Napper got saved while attending church with his family , his mother said . When he left her home in Ohio to go work in West Virginia 's Upper Big Branch South Mine , Napper left behind letters for his girlfriend and small daughter . According to his mother , Pam Napper , the letters told them , `` If anything happens to me , I 'll be looking down from heaven at you all . '' He told his girlfriend he loved her and asked that `` my baby girl '' be taken care of , Pam Napper said . `` He grabbed my hand and he said , ` Mom , I love you , ' '' she said . `` I said , ' I love you too , Josh , I 'll always love you . ' '' Were you and your family affected by the blast ? Share your story . Joshua Napper died in the mine Monday , along with his uncle , Timmy Davis , and his cousin , Corey Davis , Timmy Davis ' son . At least 22 others are dead following the explosion . `` I just think he knew what was going to happen , '' Pam Napper told CNN 's John Roberts . She said she knew that day that something had gone wrong in the mine . `` I was just sitting on the couch that morning , Monday , and I just felt in my heart and my stomach that something was definitely wrong , '' she said . Joshua Napper had been working in the mine for eight weeks . When he asked his mother if he could , she initially said no but gave in after he begged her . `` He said , ` Please , mom , ' '' she said . `` I said , ` OK , you 're 25 . I have to let you go . I have to let you make your own decisions in life . ' '' She said her son called her one day last week at 3:30 p.m. , long before he should have gotten off work . `` Bad ventilation in the mines , '' he told her . `` They sent us home early . '' `` They sent the whole crew home , '' Pam Napper told CNN 's Roberts . `` It scared me , because I 've been raised all my life with coal mines . But you know , we 've never heard of explosions and things like this , that 's going on in the mines now . '' In the aftermath of Monday 's blast , some have pointed to numerous citations -- including some for ventilation issues -- issued to Massey Energy Co. , which owns the mine . Asked if she had any questions for Massey , however , she said no . `` I just know there were things there that were n't right , '' she said , but added her brother would never have endangered her son or his son if he believed the work was unsafe . `` I think it was just a freak accident , '' she said . `` I think something just happened . I do n't really know . '' She is grappling with losing three members of her family . `` I 've been in a coal miner family , '' she said . `` This is not the only one we 've lost . We 've lost younger ones , too . '' Such losses are part of life in a West Virginia mining family , she said . `` It 's their living ; that 's how they make a living , '' she said . `` That 's just West Virginia , and when something bad happens , we come together . '' | Joshua Napper among 25 miners killed in explosion at West Virginia coal mine . Mother Pam Napper says , `` I just think he knew what was going to happen '' Pam Napper grapples with deaths of two other relatives -- her brother and nephew . She says such losses are part of life in a West Virginia mining family . | [[794, 831], [922, 975], [922, 940], [945, 975], [159, 176], [335, 358], [568, 585], [979, 1024], [2593, 2651], [2593, 2596], [2610, 2651], [2783, 2844]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hal Holbrook has made his name playing famous historical figures . He won an Emmy for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in a 1974 TV miniseries , accolades as `` Deep Throat '' in 1976 's `` All the President 's Men , '' and a Tony as Mark Twain -- a performance he 's been giving now for a half-century -- in `` Mark Twain Tonight ! '' Hal Holbrook , 83 , is nominated for his role as Ron Franz in `` Into the Wild . '' But playing Ron Franz , the thoughtful , down-to-earth 81-year-old who bonds with a youthful adventurer in `` Into the Wild , '' was an opportunity he dared not miss , he says in a phone interview . `` This was an opportunity , and a rare one for me , to just play myself , to not do Abraham Lincoln or another character , '' Holbrook says in his familiar rich baritone . `` I did n't want to research anything . I had a very personal reaction to the role . '' Holbrook 's gut feeling has led to some of the best reviews of his career and a first for the actor : a nomination for an Academy Award . At 83 -- his birthday was last Sunday -- he 's the oldest man ever to be nominated for best supporting actor . The Oscars are scheduled for Sunday night . `` Into the Wild '' is due out on video March 4 . Holbrook says he 's familiar with the kind of adventurousness exhibited by Christopher McCandless , played by Emile Hirsch in Sean Penn 's film . Holbrook has gone into the wilderness himself . He 's also sailed the open sea in a small boat , accompanied by little more than a sextant and a map . `` No electronics , '' he says . He 's even traveled in McCandless ' tracks , taking a trip to Alaska the year after the self-named `` Alexander Supertramp '' died . `` They were still talking about him , whether he was crazy , '' Holbrook recalls . Holbrook , who 'd also read Jon Krakauer 's book about McCandless ' journey , says he was sent the script `` out of the blue '' and told that Penn wanted to meet with him the next day . The director , upon discussing the part with him , offered Holbrook the role . Holbrook has nothing but praise for Penn 's work on the film . `` To work with Sean Penn might be the best experience I 've ever had with a director , '' he says . `` He 's so trusting . There was none of this ` Let 's discuss the back story ' -- he trusts you . He 'll take whatever you give him , and begins to open up your sense of freedom . He gives you space to explore whatever the scenes bring out of you . Sean was wonderful . '' Holbrook also has high praise for Hirsch , who lost 40 pounds for the role . '' -LSB- His performance -RSB- was a brilliant piece of work . ... An actor takes his performance from other actors , and in this case it was easy , '' he says , adding that `` I 'm astounded he was n't nominated -- he deserved it more than anybody . '' Read Hirsch 's view of `` Into the Wild . '' But Holbrook also paid tribute to a person seldom considered by the audience : the film editor , in this case Jay Cassidy . By changing the sequence of two scenes , Cassidy gave the film an added power -- which made all the difference to how his performance was perceived , Holbrook says . `` I have never been more aware of an editor 's genius as I have in this particular film , '' he says . Referring to the film 's back-and-forth chronology , which he calls `` a very daring piece of work , '' he marvels at how Cassidy and Penn fit the pieces together . `` It 's quite an achievement , '' Holbrook says . `` The effect it can have on a performance is profound . '' Cassidy 's work earned `` Into the Wild '' its only other Oscar nomination . Holbrook has had a busy couple months , with his performance nominated for critics ' awards as well as a Screen Actors Guild Award . The activity has taken the steadily working actor away from a personal project : his memoirs . `` Trying to fit all these things in -- it ai n't easy , '' he chuckles . `` I had to stop -LSB- writing -RSB- for the last month or so . '' He does n't give himself much of a possibility to win : Slim and none are my chances , '' he says . Still , he treasures the experience . The Oscar nomination `` is like a miracle , '' he says . `` After 65 years or so -LSB- of acting -RSB- , to be nominated for an Academy Award is a great gift . '' E-mail to a friend . | Hal Holbrook is oldest supporting actor Oscar nominee ever . Holbrook played Ron Franz in `` Into the Wild , '' loved experience on film . Holbrook known for playing Mark Twain , Abraham Lincoln , Deep Throat . | [[1104, 1173], [380, 392], [395, 444], [0, 11], [44, 110]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After actress Mackenzie Phillips spoke about her sexual relationship with her musician father , online and telephone calls to an anti-sexual assault hot line surged . Mackenzie Phillips told Larry King that incest survivors are `` incredibly underrepresented . '' Her interviews in the past few weeks brought a spotlight to an uncomfortable topic . Incest , a common but highly stigmatized form of sexual abuse , often leaves the victim ashamed , isolated and unable to tell others what 's happening , because the perpetrator is someone related to him or her , mental health experts said . `` For any survivor of sexual trauma , it 's challenging , and it takes a lot of courage to come forward , '' said Jennifer Wilson , director of the National Sexual Assault hot line . `` With incest survivors , it 's particularly difficult , because not only is there social stigma pressuring them to stay quiet , but also there 's pressure that 's within the family to stay quiet . '' The Rape , Abuse & Incest National Network , which calls itself the nation 's largest anti-sexual assault organization , said it had seen an 83 percent increase in activity on its online hot line and a 26 percent increase on its telephone hot line after Phillips ' interview with Oprah Winfrey aired last week . `` Unfortunately , it 's something we hear everyday in our hot line , so to have somebody speak aloud about it was empowering to a lot of victims and survivors who went through similar situations , '' Wilson said . Phillips spoke about the taboo nature of incest in her interview with CNN 's Larry King . `` There 's very little in this world that is taboo today , but this subject is still , like , shove it under the carpet , sweep it away , protect the abuser , deny the reality . ... You 're just on your own , '' the former child star said . This makes it one of the most under-reported and least discussed crimes , experts said . A U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics report found that of the 60,000 sexual assault cases reported in 12 states in 2000 , about a quarter were perpetrated by family members . About half of the sexual assault cases with victims younger than 11 involved family members . At times , a victim may feel unable to tell other family members what 's happening . And if he or she tells a relative , that family member may have `` a knee-jerk reaction , '' refusing to believe it . Relatives may try to protect the offender in order to keep the family together or to avoid the shame and stigma , Wilson said . This takes a devastating toll on a victim . `` Their sexual selves are damaged . Their emotional selves are damaged , because ` who do I trust ? ' '' said Debra Laino , a sex therapist and counselor . '' ` My father did this . My mother did this . Who can I trust if I ca n't trust my family ? ' '' Sometimes the reluctance to report the crime comes from the victim , because he or she does n't want to see the family member in jail . Although Phillips called the sexual relationship with her famed father , John Phillips , `` wrong , '' she said , `` I do n't want bad things to happen to him , but I also do n't want bad things to happen to me as a result of this . And I was convinced to let it lie . '' Her father , a co-founder of the Mamas & the Papas , died in 2001 . Father - or stepfather-daughter incest is the most common form , although it also occurs between mother and child , according to the National Center for Victims of Crime . A sexual assault victim could suffer physical effects of the crime such as sexually transmitted infections , genital trauma and urinary tract infections . They could also experience many mental health effects : social withdrawal , isolation , post-traumatic stress disorder and regressive behavior such as bedwetting and thumb sucking . Some become hypersexual and engage in destructive behaviors , experts said . Humans `` have an instinct for avoiding incest or inbreeding , '' said Debra Lieberman , an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Miami -LRB- Florida -RRB- who researches incest . But alcohol , drugs and mental illness may disrupt that instinct . `` Under the heavy influence of cocaine or heroin or whatever else you 're taking , your mental boundaries are skewed , essentially , '' Laino said . The offender 's sexual frustrations could also contribute to inappropriate actions . `` It also depends on his other mating opportunities , '' Lieberman said . `` What is the quality of his current relationship with the female 's mother ? Is she around ? What is the ability for the guy to attract other mates ? '' The perpetrator , frustrated by the absence of suitable sexual partners , may turn to whomever is around -- even if it 's kin . Recovery from incest can occur , but it often takes years . A victim of incest has to understand that it 's not his or her fault and get professional help , Wilson said . `` It does n't make you broken , '' Phillips said . `` It does n't make it so that you ca n't go on and be -- once you deal with honestly and realistically what you 've been through , it does n't mean that you ca n't be counted on or you ca n't be well enough to be a part of the world . '' | Actress said she had sexual relationship with her father for years . Experts : Incest is one of the most under-reported and least discussed crimes . Real healing after incest is possible , Phillips says . | [[0, 15], [19, 176], [2986, 3047], [1854, 1925], [1928, 1942], [3888, 3902], [4760, 4790]] |
Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Pakistani court Friday extended the custody of five Americans for an additional 10 days to allow time for police to complete investigations . The men , suspected of plotting terror attacks , were arrested in the small city of Sargodha earlier this month and transferred to Lahore , police said . Court officials extended the custody after a plea from the police , said Tahir Gujjar , a local police official . The five are identified as Ahmed Abdullah Minni , Umar Farooq , Aman Hassan Yemer , Waqar Hussain Khan and Ramy Zamzam . A sixth man -- the father of one of the five -- also was arrested , police said . An order keeping the five in custody expired Friday . To keep them in jail after that , police had to get permission from a judge , said Usman Anwar , Sargodha police chief . Anwar , who heads the Joint Investigation Team , said the group plans to recommend that the five be charged under the country 's anti-terrorism act . Conviction under that law can result in up to a life sentence . Pakistani authorities have described the men as college students who `` were of the opinion that a jihad must be waged against the infidels for the atrocities committed by them against Muslims around the world . '' The suspects include two Pakistani-Americans , two Yemeni-Americans and an Egyptian-American . CNN 's Arwa Damon and Journalist Umar Aziz Khan contributed to this report . | Pakistan says the five Americans are college students who wanted to wage jihad . They were arrested earlier this month in small Pakistani city of Sargodha . The order keeping them in custody expired Friday ; now extended 10 more days . Police asked for custody extension to have more time for investigation . | [[1044, 1108], [1092, 1108], [1116, 1202], [184, 295], [12, 36], [65, 129], [108, 183], [655, 708], [684, 708], [108, 183], [338, 403]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four-time Fed Cup champions Russia edged Serbia 3-2 on Sunday to reach the semifinals of this year 's competition where they will play the United States . Russia owed their victory to the doubles partnership of Svetlana Kuznetsova and Alisa Kleybanova , who beat Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic 6-1 6-4 in the decisive rubber in Belgrade . Earlier in the reverse singles , Kleybanova beat Ivanovic 6-2 6-3 while Jankovic scored her second victory of the weekend as she saw off Kuznetsova 6-3 4-6 6-3 to level the tie . `` We are really happy after this hard-fought victory , '' Kuznetsova told the official Web site www.fedcup.com . `` We played the crucial doubles like real partners . Alisa was really good although she 's a singles player . '' The United States , missing both the Williams sisters , were still too good for France as they wrapped up a 4-1 win on an indoor clay court at the Stade Couvert Regional de Lievin . Teenage star Melanie Oudin continued her heroics with a second singles victory as she beat Julie Coin 7-6 6-4 to give her side an unassailable 3-0 lead . `` I was a little nervous in the beginning , '' Oudin said . `` She definitely stepped up her game when she came out on court and served some really great service games . `` There was n't much I could do in the beginning , besides staying in there with her . '' France restored some pride with Pauline Parmentier 's 6-4 6-4 win over Christina McHale before Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Liezel Huber won the concluding doubles for the U.S. Defending champions Italy are also in the semifinals after a convincing 4-1 win over the Ukraine . Francesca Schiavone came from a set down to beat Kateryna Bondarenko to seal the victory after Flavia Pennetta had downed Alona Bondarenko on straight sets in the first reverse singles on Sunday . They will play the Czech Republic who beat Germany 3-2 thanks to a decisive doubles victory . Lucie Hradecka , who was making her Fed Cup debut as a late replacement for the injured Lucie Safarova , proved the final day star in Brno . In the opening reverse singles she beat Andrea Petkovic 6-1 7-6 to give the home team a 2-1 lead . Anna-Lena Groenefeld beat Petra Kvitova 4-6 6-3 6-2 to draw the Germans level , but Hradecka and Kveta Peschke saw off Groenefeld and Tatjana Malek 6-3 6-2 to seal a deserved passage to the last four . | Four-time Fed Cup champions Russia beat Serbia 3-2 in thrilling tie in Belgrade . Russia will play the United States in semifinals after they beat France 4-1 . Defending champions Italy and the Czech Republic to contest the other semifinal . | [[47, 66], [108, 117], [133, 173], [857, 948], [1539, 1564]] |
AUGUSTA , Georgia -- Children will be admitted to the Masters for free starting in 2008 and the Par-3 contest will be televised , said Augusta National Golf Club chairman Billy Payne . Children will have the chance to see Tiger Woods in action at the Masters for nothing next year . The aim is to boost youth interest in golf and Payne said they were the first initiatives of a multi-year plan to use the Masters to promote the sport worldwide . `` We want to inspire the next generation of golfers now . We 're serious about exposing youngsters to golf and the Masters , '' Payne said . `` These initiatives are important first steps and a great kickoff to our ongoing mission of growing the game . '' Children aged eight to 16 will be admitted free to Augusta National for tournament rounds starting next year , but only when they are accompanied by an accredited ticket holder , one whose name appears on the badge application . A new television deal to show the Wednesday Par-3 event on ESPN will give the world a chance to see someone play themselves out of winning the first major championship of the year , if tradition holds . No winner of the Par-3 competition has ever captured the Masters in the same year since it began in 1960 . It is played over a par-27 layout measuring 1,060 yards on the Augusta National grounds . `` The Par 3 Contest is fun and exciting for the entire family . It 's an event everyone enjoys and we think it will demonstrate to kids just how fun golf can be , '' Payne said . E-mail to a friend . | Children 8-16 can watch the Masters free of charge from next year . They will have to be accompanied by an accredited ticket-holder . The tradition Par-3 tournament will be shown on television . | [[10, 87], [185, 282], [185, 193], [215, 282], [703, 811], [823, 879], [88, 127], [932, 1111]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iraq 's oil minister Monday opened international bidding on six oil fields that could increase the country 's oil production by 1.5 million barrels per day . Iraqi flags flutter during the opening ceremony of a new oil refinery plant in the Shiite holy city of Najaf . But the oil ministry continues to negotiate short-term no-bid contracts with several U.S. and European oil companies , including Exxon Mobil Corp. , Royal Dutch Shell , Total SA , Chevron Corp. , and BP -- a step recently criticized by two U.S. lawmakers . Oil Minister Hussein Shahrastani announced Monday that 35 international oil companies can bid on long-term contracts for redeveloping the six oil fields , as well as two natural gas fields . `` It is a unique event and a significant feature in the new Iraq that we declare the first bidding course for developing the Iraq oil fields publicly and fully in a transparent way , '' the minister said at Monday 's news conference . It marks the first time in more than 35 years that Iraq has allowed foreign oil companies to do business inside its borders . Shahrastani said the fee-based contracts will not give the winning companies a share in the revenue from oil sales `` because this wealth belong to Iraq only and thus we will not allow anyone to share the Iraqis ' oil . '' Iraq has among the largest oil reserves in the world , with an estimated 115 billion barrels -- tying Iran for the No. 2 status behind Saudi Arabia 's 264 billion barrels , according to estimates from the Energy Information Administration . Iraq 's current oil production is 2.25 million barrels a day , according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration . That is close to its status before the U.S.-led war that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003 , but below its levels prior to the first Persian Gulf War in 1991 . The six oil fields that will be open to development are in the Kirkuk oil fields and the neighboring Bai Hassan fields in northern Iraq , Shahrastani said . They are al-Rumeila , al-Zubair , al-Qurna West , and three fields in the Maysan oil fields -- Bazirqan , Abu Gharab and Fakah . The two gas fields are Akas and Mansouriya gas fields in western Iraq . The fields have already been explored and are producing oil and gas , but the equipment is old and outdated , Shahrastani said . He hopes that the new infrastructure provided by the international oil companies will mean `` the production can be increased in less cost and less time . '' Iraq 's oil minister said the ministry will invite the 35 qualified international companies -- which includes BP , Exxon Mobil , Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron -- to prepare their bids over the next two weeks . The contracts could go into effect by next year , but Shahrastani said it will take several more years before oil production is increased . `` We hope in 2013 through this first bidding course to increase production in these fields by 1.5 million barrels per day , in addition to our daily average production rate during the last five years , '' he said . Meanwhile , Iraq hopes to wrap up its talks regarding short-term , no-bid contracts that would allow the U.S. and European oil companies -- including Exxon Mobil , Royal Dutch Shell , Total SA , Chevron , and BP -- to service those oil fields as soon as possible . Last week , Sen. Charles Schumer , D-New York , and Sen. John Kerry , D-Massachusetts , sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressing concerns about the no-bid contracts that the government of Iraq is negotiating with the U.S. and European companies . The senators , who released the letter , said they are worried that unfair distribution of oil revenue could inflame the violence between the warring religious and political groups of Iraq . `` We urge you to persuade the -LRB- government of Iraq -RRB- to refrain from signing contracts with multinational oil companies until a hydrocarbon law is in effect in Iraq , '' read the letter from Schumer and Kerry . `` At this time , the -LRB- government of Iraq -RRB- currently does not have in place a revenue-sharing law that could fairly allocate any revenue gained from Iraq 's lucrative hydrocarbon fields between the three major ethnic groups in Iraq , '' read the letter . `` We fear that any such agreements signed by Iraq 's Hydrocarbon Ministry without an equitable revenue-sharing agreement in place would simply add more fuel to Iraq 's civil war . '' In their letter , the senators said that Iraq 's oil revenue during 2007 and 2008 will total $ 100 billion , `` most of which will not be spent on reconstruction due to bureaucratic incompetence . '' The oil ministry said Monday that the negotiations over the no-bid `` technical support agreements '' are ongoing . Under those short-term agreements the companies would be paid a fee for extracting the oil , but would not get a share of the revenue from oil sales . The companies that will be allowed to compete in the open bidding for long-term contracts , which would be under a similar revenue format , are : . | Iraqi oil minister : 35 companies qualified to bid on service contracts for oil fields . New contracts would raise Iraq 's production by 1.5 million barrels per day . Reduction in violence has boosted production to highest level since 2003 . Reports : 5 companies close to signing short-term oil service contracts no-bid basis . | [[560, 750], [610, 750], [2500, 2591], [2521, 2658], [91, 108], [114, 191], [307, 505]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jurors in Portland , Oregon , awarded a former Boy Scout $ 1.4 million after finding Tuesday that the organization was negligent in allowing a Scout leader who was a sex offender to have contact with him . The three-week trial ended with Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge John A. Wittmayer polling the jurors , who confirmed they had found the negligence contributed to damage to the plaintiff as claimed . The jury ruled that the plaintiff is also entitled to punitive damages . That 's to be determined beginning Tuesday in the trial 's second phase . How the Scouts handled the case of the former Scout leader , Timur Dykes , was at the center of the explosive lawsuit . Attorney Kelly Clark , who has been representing six men suing the Scouts , would not discuss the case until after the punitive phase . Before the trial , he alleged that when his clients were boys during the 1980s , the organization knew that at least one of them had been abused by Dykes . He also alleged that though Dykes was removed as a Scout leader , he was allowed to stay on as a volunteer and the abuse continued . CNN was not able to reach Dykes . Clark produced documents that he said were part of an archive of previously secret Boy Scout files that chronicled decades of abuse of boys . The Scouts ' lawyers said the organization had not known about Dykes ' record nor had it known about an outstanding warrant at the time . Once the Scouts did learn about it , the organization acted immediately and cooperated with police , the Scouts ' lawyers said . A Boy Scouts spokesman has acknowledged the organization does have confidential files , but said they are made confidential in order to protect people who are ineligible to be Scout leaders but who may not have done anything illegal . A Scouts spokesman said that , in recent years , the organization has taken extensive measures to keep abusers out . In a written statement , the Scouts said the organization intends to appeal . `` We are gravely disappointed with the verdict , '' it said . `` We believe that the allegations made against our youth protection efforts are not valid . '' It added , `` We are saddened by what happened to the plaintiff . The actions of the man who committed these crimes do not represent the values and ideals of the Boy Scouts of America . `` The safety of the young people currently in the Scouting program has never been in question during these legal proceedings . The case focused on a discussion about what society and the BSA knew about child abuse approximately three decades ago . `` This is a long-standing societal issue that every youth-serving organization must address . Based on the standard of care of that time , the BSA believes it acted responsibly and that the evidence presented during the trial does not justify the verdict . '' While holding the Boy Scouts of America 60 percent negligent , the jury said the Cascade Pacific Council -- which oversees Scouting activities in the region -- was 15 percent negligent and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 25 percent negligent . The church has sponsored a number of Boy Scout troops , including the one to which the plaintiff belonged . Steve English , a lawyer representing the church , said Tuesday 's verdict has no impact on the church , since it settled the case out of court more than a year ago . `` The church absolutely condemns any kind of child abuse , '' he said . `` Because of the way the law is set up in Oregon , we thought it made sense both to help the victim and also to get this behind the victim and us to settle this case . '' CNN 's Brian Todd contributed to this story . | How Scouts handled case of former Scout leader Timur Dykes at center of lawsuit . Jurors in Portland award former Scout who had contact with Dykes $ 1.4 million . On Tuesday , trial 's second phase to determine punitive damages in 1980s . Spokesman : Scouts have taken extensive steps to keep abusers out in recent years . | [[576, 634], [576, 590], [651, 695], [0, 15], [49, 133], [502, 509], [537, 575], [502, 575], [1799, 1893], [1830, 1915]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Navy training jet crashed in a north Georgia forest on Monday , killing at least three people aboard and setting more than 10 acres of woodland ablaze , local and federal authorities said . A fourth person aboard the jet was unaccounted for Monday night , said Harry White , spokesman for the Naval Air Station in Pensacola , Florida . The cause of the crash was under investigation . FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the crash of the twin-engine T-39N trainer caused no injuries on the ground . It went down just north of Morganton , Georgia , about 80 miles north of Atlanta , Fannin County Sheriff 's Maj. Keith Bosen said . `` We got reports that it was flying pretty low , '' Bosen said . The plane had flown north-northeast over the nearby town of Blue Ridge before it went down about 4:40 p.m. , he said . The mountainous area is ringed by national forest land , and the crash set the surrounding woods on fire . `` We have about a 10 - to 15-acre fire still working at this time , '' Bosen said . The T-39N took off from Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida , about 400 miles south of Morganton , Bergen said . The jet is a military version of Rockwell 's twin-engine Saberliner executive aircraft . CNN 's Nick Valencia , Devon Sayers and Larry Shaughnessy contributed to this report . | Crash of twin-engine T-39N trainer causes no injuries on the ground . Crash causes about 10 to 15 acres of forest to be set ablaze . Navy jet goes down just north of Morganton , about 80 miles north of Atlanta . T-39N took off from Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida . | [[406, 485], [443, 520], [0, 15], [126, 203], [899, 944], [945, 984], [972, 1011], [521, 601], [1030, 1092]] |
Smolensk , Russia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When I found the first piece of fuselage , I was shocked . It was flimsy , the thin metal easily twisted back on itself . Gray on one side , some yellow on the other , it sat in a small puddle of mud a few feet from the road . I was half a mile from the runway , the tall silver birch trees nearby broken like so many matchsticks . Somehow I thought planes were supposed to be stronger than this , but what I was confronted with was an object lesson on the precarious nature of flying . The evidence of what had happened was clear . The plane struck the trees , at first just grazing their uppermost branches and then their slender boughs and trunks . It was enough to rip the plane apart . What feels almost invincible as it powers through takeoff and thrusts upward through the skies at hundreds of miles an hour had been reduced to shreds of metal , little more than a discarded tin can . These are the thoughts that flashed through my mind in those first moments of discovery . And that 's when the horror of it sinks in . The last tragic moments for all aboard ; it 's impossible to imagine the awfulness of those final seconds . I am swept by another emotion , sadness for the families , and I feel captured by an undefined grief . I knew no one aboard , but to see how their lives ended is to know a tiny fraction of the pain their loved ones must bear . But I have come to work , to tell the story of what happened , to piece together the small bits of information we 'll get , to make some sense of our corner of this huge tragedy . So that is what my team and I do . Tommy Evans , my producer , and Luis Grahame-Yool , our cameraman , get to work and set up the first live shot . It 's cold in Smolensk -- there are still piles of snow here and there . None of us have had much sleep . Luis arrived 12 hours ahead of us , Tommy and I flew in from Macedonia . All of us took the 400-kilometer drive from Moscow to get here . Each of us intent on our job , each of us grappling with the enormity of the day . No day is ever normal at CNN , but this defies even that logic . A president , his wife , many of the country 's top military , political and religious leaders killed in a country that 's not their own . The implications could be huge . As the day wore on and more details emerged , it seemed clear Russia wanted to make it known it was not at fault . Evidence pointed toward the pilots rather than a mechanical error . Prime Minister Vladimir Putin , who is leading Russia 's investigation , was on course to lay blame at Poland 's door . He has a reputation as a tough autocrat , and it seemed to me that 's what we are seeing here . But we got to see another face of Putin , too : The stony-faced solemn friend of Poland . There seemed little doubting his grief and seriousness as he stood at the foot of the Polish president 's casket during the long sombre repatriation ceremony we witnessed that afternoon . Having stood among the wreckage and broken trees as he has , it is not hard to imagine that this iron man of Russian politics was moved by what he saw . For who among us , however familiar with tragedy , could fail to be touched by the scale and nature of Poland 's loss . | CNN 's Nic Robertson writes from scene of air crash in Russia . Difficult to think of the horror of passengers ' last moments . Broken trees suggest airplane hit them and disintegrated . Russia 's Vladimir Putin is solemn at fallen leader 's casket . | [[1105, 1171], [2780, 2937]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The late country music icon Hank Williams was among the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winners announced Monday . The Pulitzer Prize Board awarded a posthumous special award to Williams , who died in 1953 at 29 , for his lifetime achievement as a musician , praising the country legend for `` his craftsmanship as a songwriter who expressed universal feelings with poignant simplicity and played a pivotal role in transforming country music into a major musical and cultural force in American life . '' The board , chaired by Miami Herald Executive Editor Anders Gyllenhaal , decided on the `` special citation '' after a confidential survey of experts in popular music . `` The citation , above all , recognizes the lasting impact of Williams as a creative force that influenced a wide range of other musicians and performers , '' said Sig Gissler , administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes , in a statement . `` At the same time , the award highlights the board 's desire to broaden its Music Prize and recognize the full range of musical excellence that might not have been considered in the past . '' Only a few other musicians have earned special citations in music in recent years : jazz composers Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane each received one in 2006 and 2007 , respectively , and Bob Dylan captured one in 2008 . Williams set the country music standard with his music , including songs such as , `` Your Cheatin ' Heart , '' `` Cold Cold Heart , '' `` I 'm So Lonesome I Could Cry '' and `` Jambalaya . '' In the reporting categories , which make up the bulk of the Pulitzer awards , The Washington Post racked up four awards in a wide range of categories -- feature writing , commentary , criticism and international reporting . The latter was awarded for journalist Anthony Shadid 's series on Iraq as the United States started the troop withdrawal , leaving local leaders to `` struggle to deal with the legacy of war and to shape the nation 's future . '' The New York Times won the award for explanatory reporting for a detailed account of contaminated beef and other food safety issues , pointing out defects in defects in federal regulations . The Times also won the national reporting category for stories on the hazardous use of cell phones and other devices while driving . The highly coveted Pulitzer for investigative reporting was awarded to Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman of the Philadelphia Daily News and Sheri Fink , a reporter for the nonprofit , ProPublica investigative Web site , for their 13,000-word story , `` The Deadly Choices at Memorial , '' which chronicled how some New Orleans doctors made urgent life-and-death decisions after being cut off by Hurricane Katrina 's floodwaters . The story was published in collaboration with the New York Times Magazine . The win by the 2-year-old Web site marked a significant moment for the Pulitzer board , which has traditionally awarded such honors to newspapers and wire services . Other journalism categories were won by the Bristol -LRB- Virginia -RRB- Herald Courier for public service reporting ; The Seattle Times for breaking news reporting ; The Dallas Morning News for editorial writing ; syndicated cartoonist Mark Fiore for editorial cartooning ; The Des Moines Register for breaking news photography ; and The Denver Post for feature photography . Fiore 's animated cartoons appeared on SFGate.com , the Web site of the San Francisco Chronicle , had `` biting wit '' and reflected extensive research as well as his ability to `` distill complex issues , '' the board said . In the arts , Paul Harding 's `` Tinkers '' was awarded in the fiction category ; `` Next to Normal '' won in drama ; Liaquat Ahamed 's `` Lord of Finance : The Bankers Who Broke the World '' won in history ; T.J. Stiles ' `` The First Tycoon : The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt '' won in biography ; Rae Armantrout 's `` Versed '' won in poetry ; and David E. Hoffman 's `` Dead Hand : The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and Its Dangerous Legacy '' won for general nonfiction . | Pulitzer Prize Board awarded a posthumous special award to Hank Williams . Administrator : `` Award highlights the board 's desire to broaden its Music Prize '' In journalism , New York Times wins four awards and Washington Post also wins four . Paul Harding 's `` Tinkers '' wins award in fiction category . | [[122, 193], [915, 934], [937, 1055], [1524, 1551], [1602, 1747], [3576, 3587], [3590, 3655]] |
Warsaw , Poland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The body of Poland 's first lady , Maria Kaczynska , killed with her husband in an airplane crash in Russia , returned to Warsaw on Tuesday . Crowds turned out to watch her body being driven to the presidential palace , where the couple will lie in state . The funeral for the couple will be Saturday in Warsaw , followed by their burial on Sunday in Krakow 's Wawel Castle . President Barack Obama will attend the state funeral , the White House announced Tuesday in a statement . `` The president will travel to Krakow to express the depth of our condolences to an important and trusted ally , and our support for the Polish people , on behalf of the American people , '' the statement said . The archbishop of Krakow said burying the late president in the historic crypt was the country 's way of honoring him . `` I think in this way the Polish nation wants to include him among the greatest and most revered men in Polish history , '' Stanislaw Dziwisk said on Polish state television . Men in uniform unloaded the flag-draped casket of Kaczynska from a military plane as a band played Poland 's national anthem . Family , friends and Polish officials paid their respects during a brief ceremony . Kaczynska and her husband were among 96 people killed in the crash . Under leaden skies broken by sporadic sunshine , mourners took turns bowing their heads in silence before the casket . They included Kaczynska 's daughter , Marta , and Jaroslaw Kaczynski , the twin brother of her husband , Lech Kaczynski . Two minutes of silence in Warsaw . Echoing a similar scene that greeted the repatriation of her husband 's body on Sunday , crowds lined the streets and threw flowers onto the hearse bearing the former first lady 's casket as it made its way through Warsaw . Among the mourners , student Kamil Denielewski told CNN the outpouring of public emotion was unprecendented . `` I ca n't remember anything like that and in fact I have not felt anything like that since now , '' he said . `` It made us united , it made us patriots . '' iReport : Mourners ' candles a ` spot of light ' The couple had been traveling with a Polish delegation to Russia for a commemorative service marking the 70th anniversary of the Russian massacre of Polish prisoners of war in the village of Katyn when the plane went down . iReport : Share your photos , video and stories with CNN . Among other Polish officials killed in the crash were Aleksander Szczyglo , the head of the National Security Office ; Jerzy Szmajdzinski , the deputy parliament speaker ; Andrzej Kremer , the deputy foreign minister ; and Gen. Franciszek Gagor , the army chief of staff , according to Kaczynski 's Law and Justice Party . The cause of the crash is being investigated . There have been questions raised over why so many of Poland 's military , economic and civic leaders were aboard the same flight . Aviation officials in Russia , which has emphasized that there is no evidence it was responsible , have said the plane ignored Smolensk air traffic control commands to divert to another airport because of bad weather . Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Ivanov said Monday that flight recorders were in shape to `` conduct a detailed transcript and analysis of all flight information and the work of the plane 's equipment systems up till the moment of the crash . '' There is also evidence that the crew knew about the poor weather conditions and was advised to land at an alternate airfield , he said . Poland 's ambassador to Moscow , Jerzy Bahr , warned against jumping to conclusions ahead of official inquiries . `` Many people think that this is something which the pilot did wrong , but it must be investigated , '' he told CNN . As Poland began a week of mourning , tributes continued to be paid to 60-year-old Lech Kaczynski . A sea of candles continued to grow outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw Monday as people lined up to sign books of condolence . Biography : Lech Kaczynski . Parliament Speaker Bronislaw Komorowski , who is now acting president , has declared `` a time for national mourning . '' CNN 's Geoff Hill contributed to this report . | Thousands pay tribute as body of Poland 's first lady arrives home . Polish president and wife died with 95 others in plane crash in Russia on Saturday . Couple 's funeral will be held Saturday in Warsaw , followed by their burial on Sunday . Investigators examining cause of Saturday 's crash near Smolensk airport . | [[177, 252], [9, 31], [88, 142], [1238, 1284], [1275, 1306], [292, 345], [292, 318], [348, 410], [2732, 2778]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Based on the hundreds of e-mails , Facebook comments and Tweets I 've read in response to my denunciation of Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell 's decision to honor Confederates for their involvement in the Civil War -- which was based on the desire to continue slavery -- the one consistent thing that supporters of the proclamation offer up as a defense is that these individuals were fighting for what they believed in and defending their homeland . In criticizing me for saying that celebrating the Confederates was akin to honoring Nazi soldiers for killing of Jews during the Holocaust , Rob Wagner said , `` I am simply defending the honor and dignity of men who were given no choice other than to fight , some as young as thirteen . '' Sherry Callahan said that supporting the Confederacy is `` our history . Not hate ; it 's about heritage and history . '' Javier Ramirez called slavery evil , but prefaced his remarks by saying that `` Confederate soldiers were never seen as terrorists by -LSB- President Abraham -RSB- Lincoln or U.S. generals on the battlefield . They were accorded POW status , they were never tried for war crimes . Not once did Confederate soldiers do any damage to civilians or their property in their invasion of the north . The same is not true of Union soldiers . '' Realskirkland sent me a Tweet saying , `` Slavery is appalling , but was not the only reason for the CW -LSB- Civil War -RSB- . Those men , while misguided on some fronts stood up for what they felt was right . They embodied that American ideal that the states have a right to govern themselves . THAT is what a confederate soldier stood for . '' If you take all of these comments , do n't they sound eerily similar to what we hear today from Muslim extremists who have pledged their lives to defend the honor of Allah and to defeat the infidels in the West ? When you make the argument that the South was angry with the North for `` invading '' its `` homeland , '' Osama bin Laden has said the same about U.S. soldiers being on Arab soil . He has objected to our bases in Saudi Arabia , and that 's one of the reasons he has launched his jihad against us . Is there really that much of a difference between him and the Confederates ? Same language ; same cause ; same effect . If a Confederate soldier was merely doing his job in defending his homeland , honor and heritage , what are we to say about young Muslim radicals who say the exact same thing as their rationale for strapping bombs on their bodies and blowing up cafes and buildings ? If the Sons of Confederate Veterans use as a talking point the vicious manner in which people in the South were treated by the North , does n't that sound exactly like the Taliban saying they want to kill Americans for the slaughter of innocent people in Afghanistan ? Defenders of the Confederacy say that innocent people were killed in the Civil War ; has n't the same argument been presented by Muslim radicals in Iraq , Afghanistan and other places where the U.S. has tangled with terrorists ? We ca n't on the one hand justify the actions of Confederates as being their duty as valiant men of the South , and then condemn the Muslim extremists who want to see Americans die a brutal death . These men are held up as honorable by their brethren , so why do Americans see them as different from our homegrown terrorists ? The fundamental problem with extremism is that when you 're on the side that is fanatical , all of your actions make sense to you , and you are fluent in trying to justify every action . Every position of those you oppose is a personal affront that calls for you to do what you think is necessary to protect yourself and your family . Just as radical Muslims have a warped sense of religion , Confederate supporters have a delusional view of what is honorable . The terrorists are willing to kill their own to prove their point , and the Confederates were just as willing in the Civil War to take up arms against their fellow Americans to justify their point . Even if you 're a relative of one of the 9/11 hijackers , that man was an out-and-out terrorist , and nothing you can say will change that . And if your great-great-great-granddaddy was a Confederate who stood up for Southern ideals , he too was a terrorist . They are the same . As a matter of conscience , I will not justify , understand or accept the atrocious view of Muslim terrorists that their actions represent a just war . They are reprehensible , and their actions a sin against humanity . And I will never , under any circumstances , cast Confederates as heroic figures who should be honored and revered . No -- they were , and forever will be , domestic terrorists . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roland Martin . | Roland Martin says defenders of Confederate soldiers say they were protecting their homeland . He says the Civil War was fought over slavery , an indefensible institution . Martin says modern terrorists also say they are defending their homeland . He says Confederates should not be honored but should be considered `` domestic terrorists '' | [[285, 464], [2297, 2390], [3072, 3168], [285, 464]] |
-LRB- Wired.com -RRB- -- Photographers have their own version of sleight of hand . They can manipulate people , objects , landscapes and light in images , fooling lesser humans into believing the final product is a representation of reality , rather than something created by hand . In the old language , we called this `` trick photography . '' Now , in the PC age , we just call it `` Photoshop . '' The latest version of Photoshop , the flagship image-editing application in Adobe 's Creative Suite , adds a new stack of cards to the photographer 's trick deck . Wired.com was shown demos of new tools in Photoshop CS5 -- such as the new Content Aware Fill and HDR tools -- that we expect will amaze and please photographers with the tools ' ability to bend pixels with absolute precision . Photoshop CS5 will arrive as part of Adobe Creative Suite 5 , the company 's package of 14 productivity apps for visual designers , photographers and publishers . Creative Suite 5 will ship later this month -LRB- or possibly early May -RRB- according to Adobe . Prices for the suite range between $ 1,300 and $ 2,600 depending on which package you buy , with upgrades priced between $ 500 and $ 1,500 . Photoshop CS5 alone will cost $ 700 , or $ 200 for an upgrade . Photoshop CS5 Extended , which has some additional tools , will cost $ 1,000 , or $ 350 for an upgrade . This year marks the 20th anniversary of Photoshop 's arrival , and there are certainly several `` wow '' features in Photoshop CS5 which achieve a level of technological advancement most of us could n't have even dreamed of twenty years ago . Most impressive is the new Content Aware Fill brush , a mind-bending tool that can remove large objects from photos , altering the background to make it realistically appear as though the object was never there . It can zap tourists , delete power lines and otherwise alter photos with click-and-drag ease . This video shows it most plainly . Fast forward to about the halfway point if you want to see the really crazy stuff . -LRB- When this video first started making the rounds in March , some thought it was a hoax . It 's not -- this is a real feature of Photoshop CS5 . -RRB- . As with any new tool in Photoshop , expect Content Aware Fill to be overused : A surfeit of tourist-free images of Machu Picchu will soon be littering Flickr . But beyond the novelty , it 's a truly useful touch-up tool that turns what used to be hours of work into a simple drag of the brush . Speaking of brushes , all of the painting features in Photoshop -- neglected since the release of Photoshop 7 -- have been rewritten . The app now features much more realistic interactions . If you use a digitizer tablet , you 'll find that your brushes are considerably more responsive . The angle of the stylus now controls the edge of the brush and the new paint mixing tools control color blending , wetness and bristle length , making for a very life-like painting experience . Another bit of Photoshop trickery that 's become popular lately is high dynamic range imaging , or HDR . The Flickr crowd is crazy for it , and Adobe has responded by improving Photoshop 's Merge to HDR tool , which helps you create HDR images . The new HDR tool now has 14 HDR presets which can save considerable effort when hand-toning an image . The HDR presets shipping with Photoshop range from the cartoonish to the fairly realistic , and should satisfy all but the pickiest of HDR enthusiasts . Composing a real HDR image requires multiple photos taken with multiple exposures , but now you can fake it . Photoshop CS5 has a new set of tools to create what Adobe calls `` single image HDRs . '' The results will never quite match a true HDR with multiple images , but the new single image HDR toning dialog lets you get pretty close using just one file . Also incredibly helpful for HDR fans is the new `` remove ghosts '' tool in the HDR dialog , which makes it simple to eliminate ghosting and artifacts caused by differences between your layered HDR images . With Photoshop CS5 , you can simply outline a ghosted area -LRB- say , for example , a flower that moved in the breeze between shots -RRB- and select a single layer for the portion of the image . Photoshop CS5 is n't just new brushes . There 's been plenty of attention to performance -- the Mac OS X version is now fully 64-bit native , the same enhancement the Windows version got in in CS4 . That means that you could , in theory , throw as much as 128 GB RAM at Photoshop . This update further deepens Photoshop 's integration with Bridge , Adobe 's file browsing tool . Bridge can now be embedded in a palette within Photoshop -LRB- known as Mini Bridge -RRB- . You can quickly navigate through your images using the familiar Bridge interface without needing to leave Photoshop . Interestingly , the UI metaphor for Mini Bridge seems influenced by the iPhone -- when you navigate through folders , the interface slides left and right . Photoshop CS5 also gets the same massive overhaul to the Camera Raw engine that we 've seen in the forthcoming Lightroom 3 . Camera RAW in both apps offers much better sharpening and noise reduction , which is impressive not so much for its ability to remove noise , but to retain detail while doing so . Photoshop CS5 also has a few tricks designed to make designers ' lives easier , particularly the new Puppet Warp tools , which allow you to make path-like selections and bend , warp , shorten , lengthen and twist an object . Wired.com was shown a demo by Photoshop product manager Bryan O'Neil Hughes . He took an image of an elephant with a straight trunk and , with just three selection points , he bent and curled the trunk back so the elephant appeared to be eating . Puppet Warp introduced almost no distortion into the finished image . Puppet Warp also provides a much easier and faster way to straighten tilted horizons . We were also impressed with the new Lens Correction tool , which fixes distortion and other lens artifacts using profiles tailored to correct specific camera lenses -LRB- the lens type is determined by embedded EXIF data , so Photoshop can determine that automatically -RRB- . Most of the other smaller features that make this release of Photoshop a must-have are user-suggested features and workflow improvements . Adobe solicited user suggestions , filtered through the ideas , picking some three dozen ideas and making them a part of Photoshop CS5 . Photoshop has several outstanding new features -- it 's probably worth the price of the upgrade just for the new Content Aware Fill tool , the 64-bit boost and the improvements to Camera RAW -- but what really sells this release is amount of time it promises to save you . Among our favorites workflow improvements : You can now adjust the opacity and fill percentages on multiple layers simultaneously ; the Save for Web dialog is available in 16-bit mode -LRB- and handles downsizing to 8-bit automatically -RRB- ; and Photoshop has the ability to save layer styles as a default behavior that even persists across sessions . Adobe has done an impressive job of focusing not just on the whiz-bang features , but on how photographers , designers and digital artists spend their time using Photoshop , and how making small changes can speed up their workflows . Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2010 Wired.com . | Photoshop CS5 will arrive as part of Adobe Creative Suite 5 in late April or early May . Prices for the suite range between $ 1,300 and $ 2,600 depending on the package . The tools ' ability to bend pixels will amaze photographers . | [[794, 853], [957, 1034], [1019, 1055], [1103, 1145], [1091, 1098], [1103, 1110], [1130, 1145], [682, 684], [707, 752], [733, 742], [753, 793]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man walks through Washington 's Union Station with a backpack and puts it down by a potted plant . No one notices him . He looks like any traveler . But inside his backpack are explosives . Five minutes later , a yellow Labrador retriever named Zeta enters the same crowded room , straining at her handler 's leash . She has picked up the scent of black powder in the air and tracks it to the foot of the ficus tree , where she sits and waits eagerly for a reward . This is not a thwarted terrorist strike but a demonstration of what a `` vapor wake '' dog can do . For years , specially trained dogs have run their noses over objects to screen for explosives . But vapor wake dogs can detect explosives in the air despite crowds , cross-currents and other odors . Their trainers say some of the dogs have been able to enter a room and pick up the scent as much as 15 minutes after explosives have passed through . Proponents say the dogs can detect a few grams of explosives . Most are trained to recognize a dozen , but some dogs have learned as many as 20 types , including TATP , the explosive used in the London transit bombings , and ammonium nitrate , which Timothy McVeigh used to bring down the Alfred R. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma . If a dog needs to learn an explosive , it can do so in one or two days . `` Technology sometimes goes bad after two , three years , and you have to get new stuff , '' said Capt. William Parker of the Amtrak Police Canine Program . `` A dog gets better as the years go on . '' Parker says he is amazed by the dogs ' capabilities and compares them to top athletes . `` Michael Jordan was one of the best basketball players of all time , and these vapor wake dogs I put in the same category . '' At an Auburn University kennel in Anniston , Alabama , yellow Labrador retriever puppies romp and roll in a grassy pen . They have been bred for vapor wake traits , but only 1 or 2 percent of them will make the cut . Jeanne Brock , who manages the puppy program , says successful vapor wake dogs must have a strong instinct to hunt . `` They 'll hunt and hunt and hunt and wo n't come back without it , '' Brock said . John Pearce , who developed the program , says his best dogs are friendly but not overly social . `` They could care less about being petted , '' Pearce explained . `` We are looking for a dog that is just very strong and very independent in searching , pick up air scent very easily without the direction of a handler . '' At a few weeks old , the dogs are introduced to a variety of walking surfaces , like the slippery tiles they will find in a transit station . They are exposed to noises and large groups of people to make them more adaptable . Older puppies are then placed in prisons in Mississippi , Georgia , and Alabama , where inmates begin teaching them to use their noses . Eventually , they come back to Auburn and undergo a training regimen that is largely secret and is in the process of being patented . The dogs get 25 weeks of training , 14 of them with their permanent handlers . `` The dogs , when you get them , have more training than you do , and you have to play catch up , '' said Amtrak police officer Ed Ross , who works with Zeta . The U.S. Capitol Police have just started using the $ 20,000 vapor wake dogs . The Federal Protective Service has a few . But Amtrak Police have made them a key part of their explosive detection strategy . Parker says they provide a non-intrusive way of screening large numbers of passengers . `` You can take the dog to the situation ; you do n't need to take the situation to the dog , '' he said . `` They can go anywhere and adjust to the situation . They can be out in the cold . They can be out in the wind or the rain or the storm . What equipment can do that ? '' Although Amtrak 's dogs have hit on fertilizer , nitroglycerin pills and photo paper , which all contain the same chemicals as explosives , Parker said all the situations were quickly resolved . Rob Gillette , a veterinarian who is director of Auburn 's Animal Health and Performance Program , says dogs ' noses are remarkably sensitive instruments that sample the air several times a second . He compares a vapor wake dog to a chef who can discern the scent of a particular herb in a complex stew . For the dogs , Gillette says , finding explosives is simply a game : . `` At some point , this one scent comes up , and he 's like ` Oh , that 's the one I like ! That 's the one I get rewarded for ! I love this , so let 's go find this ! ' '' | Vapor wake dogs can detect small traces of explosives in air . Dogs are bred for job , but less than 2 percent will make the cut . Prisoners in Mississippi , Georgia , Alabama help train dogs . | [[698, 796], [1954, 2001]] |
-LRB- InStyle.com -RRB- -- Try separates . `` The way today 's working woman dresses is much more relaxed , '' says Ann Taylor fashion director Kristin Rawson , who stresses that separates are perfectly acceptable -- and often more versatile than a suit -- for an interview . Choose classic shapes like a pencil skirt and a cardigan or blazer , and add interest to the look with a leather belt , statement necklace or printed blouse . Shop your jewelry box . Before hitting the stores , sift through your jewelry box -- that piece you 've forgotten about from years ago may be the perfect personal accent to your outfit . InStyle.com : 45 spring accessories under $ 100 . `` The important thing with jewelry , real or fake , is that it does n't look cheap , or garish , '' says J. Crew creative director Jenna Lyons . She suggests `` wearing multiple strands of similar or unmatched necklaces together '' for a sophisticated-yet-modern look . Wear luxe-looking shoes . `` Shoes and bags are generally where you do want to spend money , but there are many affordable options that look quite expensive , '' says InStyle fashion director Cindy Weber Cleary . Specifically , shoes made of stamped leather that resemble croc or lizard in neutral colors are sure-fire luxe-looking choices . InStyle.com : 10 hairstyles always in style . Look for modern details when buying a suit . `` It 's not that a suit is more appropriate -LSB- than separates -RSB- , '' says Liz Claiborne New York creative director Isaac Mizrahi , `` it 's just so easy to wear two matching pieces . '' InStyle.com : 10 ways to look more polished . To make a lasting impression , look for a classic suit with modern details like fitted tailoring , three-quarter sleeves , and Mizrahi 's favorite , `` strong shoulders . '' Punch up your look with a sleek , colorful bag . While neutrals always look great , J. Crew design director Tom Mora says carrying a bag in a great color is a fun and inexpensive way to update your look . Just make sure it 's on the small and structured side . `` Generally oversize bags can overwhelm the wearer and give her a sloppy appearance , '' says Mora . See more fashion coverage at InStyle.com . Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2010 Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Experts tell job seekers they should look their best at interviews . Ann Taylor fashion chief Separates perfectly acceptable -- more versatile than suit . Isaac Mizrahi : Classic suit with modern details like fitted tailoring , three-quarter sleeves . J. Crew design director : Punch up your look with a sleek , colorful bag . | [[116, 158], [165, 275], [1616, 1618], [1647, 1762], [770, 817], [1790, 1838], [1839, 1871], [1874, 1943], [1874, 1897], [1930, 1994]] |
Princeton , New Jersey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In the week leading up to the meeting of world leaders in Washington , President Obama has been demonstrating a strong commitment to nuclear arms control . Last week , he signed the first major agreement with the Russians since 2002 , which reduces the number of nuclear warheads and long-range missiles . Obama released the Nuclear Posture Review , saying the United States would not use nuclear weapons against countries that complied with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty , even if they attacked with conventional weapons . At the same time , the president said the countries that refused to abide by the treaty could be subject to nuclear reprisal . Although Obama 's Nuclear Posture Review does not go nearly as far as many of his supporters were hoping , some Republicans immediately attacked . Sens. John Kyl and John McCain warned that `` we believe that preventing nuclear terrorism and nuclear proliferation should begin by directly confronting the two leading proliferators and supporters of terrorism , Iran and North Korea . The Obama administration 's policies , thus far , have failed to do that , and this failure has sent exactly the wrong message to other would-be proliferators and supporters of terrorism . '' Some Democrats , constantly leery about appearing weak on national security , will buckle as the politics of nuclear weapons heats up when the treaty with the Russians reaches the Senate for ratification . But the administration should pursue this treaty aggressively and with confidence that they can win public opinion on this issue . The president must remind fellow Democrats , as well as Republicans , that historically the public has tended to strongly support nuclear weapons treaties , and the presidents who pursue them . After the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 , President Kennedy proposed the Limited Test Ban Treaty . Proponents of a ban on atmospheric and underwater testing of nuclear weapons had unsuccessfully pushed for some kind of ban since the early 1950s . There were many powerful opponents of a treaty , including the Joint Chiefs of Staff , as well as the Republican right . In 1963 , they warned that a treaty would threaten America 's military strength . But Kennedy was determined to obtain a treaty . He had seen the possibility of nuclear war firsthand when the Soviets and the U.S. went eye-to-eye over missiles in Cuba . Kennedy also worried the Chinese were dangerously close to exploding their first nuclear bomb , something that also gave the Soviets an incentive to work toward some kind of treaty . Negotiations over a limited test ban took place from March to May . Conservatives warned that verification would be impossible . On June 10 , in an effort to move the process forward , Kennedy made a dramatic speech at American University in which he said , `` I realize that the pursuit of peace is not as dramatic as the pursuit of war -- and frequently the words of the pursuer fall on deaf ears . But we have no more urgent task . '' On August 5 , 1963 , the U.S. , Britain and the Soviet Union reached an agreement on the Limited Test Ban Treaty that prohibited atmospheric , space and underwater testing . The administration remained nervous about whether Republicans would be able to block its ratification . But by limiting the test ban rather than agreeing to a total moratorium , Kennedy undercut the opposition . The Senate ratified the treaty 80-19 . Polls showed that Americans overwhelmingly approved of the treaty . The following year , President Johnson used Sen. Barry Goldwater 's opposition to the treaty as a central theme in the fall presidential campaign . Democrats broadcast a series of ads aimed at scaring the public about the possibility of nuclear war under a Goldwater presidency . Polls consistently showed that Goldwater 's position on nuclear weapons was his greatest weakness . Hawkish Republican presidents have also discovered that nuclear arms reduction is popular with voters . In 1981 , Ronald Reagan launched his presidency with an aggressive program that turned away from arms negotiations with the Soviet Union and insisted on the toughest terms possible before negotiations could even begin . He staffed key positions with neoconservatives who opposed negotiations with the Soviets . The administration also vastly increased defense spending . But the public was scared , and Reagan knew it . By 1983 , the atmosphere was tense . Some called it the most dangerous period in the Cold War since 1962 . A series of international crises , including a standoff that followed the shooting down a South Korean airliner by the Soviets , caused Reagan to see how easy it was for nuclear war to start . There was strong political pressure on the administration as well . The nuclear freeze movement , a massive international movement , was creating immense political pressure for Reagan to reverse his agenda . On television , Americans were fearful when they watched the television special `` The Day After , '' which focused on the effect of a fictional nuclear war on a small town in Kansas . One adviser warned Reagan that `` the issue in the general arena of foreign relations that could swamp us if we do not handle it with great care is the proposed freeze on the production and deployment of nuclear weapons . Even when apprised of the difficulties of the verification of this plan , 75 percent of all Americans favor the freeze . '' The Strategic Defense Initiative , under which Reagan proposed to build a shield around the U.S. to protect the nation from incoming missile attack , was partially a response to his critics to show the president wanted peace as well . Reagan adopted a more conciliatory posture toward the Soviets in 1984 . He delivered a widely publicized speech arguing that the Soviets and the U.S. could achieve peace . Then between 1985 and 1987 , he defied the right-wing of the Republican Party -- Howard Phillips called him a `` useful idiot '' for Kremlin propaganda -- and entered into negotiations with the Soviet Union 's Mikhail Gorbachev that culminated in the INF Treaty in 1987 . When national security is on the table , Democrats tend to get nervous politically , particularly if they support a position that can be characterized as too dovish . But when it comes to nuclear weapons , President Obama is on a path that is politically sustainable . During the Cold War , presidents from both parties learned that the American public tends to prefer politicians who are willing to take risks to reduce nuclear stockpiles rather than those who beat the drums of war . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer . | Barack Obama shows strong commitment to nuclear arms control , says Julian Zelizer . He says other presidents have discovered controlling nuclear weapons is popular . Some Democrats may be leery of taking a position seen as too dovish , he says . Zelizer : Public prefers politicians willing to take risks to prevent nuclear war . | [[113, 197], [3929, 4032], [6212, 6221], [6227, 6241], [3985, 4032], [6504, 6523], [6530, 6581]] |
Warsaw , Poland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The body of Polish President Lech Kaczynski , who was killed in a plane crash in Russia over the weekend , returned to tributes in his homeland Sunday afternoon . Soldiers in perfect step carried the casket from the plane that transported onto the tarmac , where mourners were waiting . Catholic priests recited prayers at the military airport before Kaczynski 's daughter and twin brother , followed by others , took turns kneeling before the flag-draped casket . People lined up along the streets along where Kaczynski 's body would pass on its way to the presidential palace . Tens of thousands of Poles across the country observed a two-minute-long moment of silence to remember their president and 95 others killed in the plane crash . iReport : Mourners ' candles a ` spot of light ' Meanwhile , investigators said they found the aircraft 's flight data recorders in good condition and began deciphering them Sunday , the independent Russian Interfax news agency reported . Residents flocked to central Warsaw , the site of the presidential palace , to mourn Kaczynski . They left wreaths and lit candles . By Sunday , the numbers grew to about 100,000 by some estimates . Many cried openly . Others stared blankly at the sky . On Monday , the country begins a week-long period of mourning . The plane carrying Kaczynski crashed Saturday morning while trying to land at an airport near Smolensk in Russia . Biography : Lech Kaczynski . Kaczynski 's wife and several top military officials were also killed in the crash . Parliament Speaker Bronislaw Komorowski took over as acting president and declared it `` a time for national mourning . '' Kaczynski , 60 , had been traveling with a Polish delegation to Russia for the 70th anniversary of the Russian massacre of Polish prisoners of war in the village of Katyn . About 20,000 Poles , including soldiers and civilians , were executed there during World War II . The Polish military plane carrying Kaczynski originated in Warsaw , the Polish Defense Ministry said . It was just a few miles east of Katyn when it crashed around 10:50 a.m. -LRB- 2:50 a.m. ET -RRB- on the outskirts of the town of Pechorsk , close to Smolensk , the Investigation Committee of the Russian prosecutor 's office said . World leaders pay tribute to Kaczynski . Late Saturday night , Kaczynski 's twin brother , Jaroslaw , visited the site of the crash . As others around him prayed , he silently knelt down on pile of rubble where mourners had propped up flowers . Authorities do not yet know what caused the crash . Russia has emphasized that there is no evidence it was responsible . The Investigation Committee said the plane , a Tupolev-154 , was trying to land in heavy fog . A Russian military official said that air traffic control in Smolensk had tried to divert the plane to another airport because of inclement weather . `` The air traffic control officer gave several orders to divert but the plane continued with its descent , '' said Alexander Aleshin , a top Russian air force official . `` Unfortunately , this ended in tragedy . '' Russian President Dmitry Medvedev appointed Putin to head an inquiry commission . On Sunday , the Russian state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported that the crash was not caused by technical problems , citing investigation officials . The plane carrying Kaczynski was refurbished and repaired last year , according to Alexei Gusev , general director of Aviakor Factory , the company that performed the service . `` Speaking openly , we believe that this tragedy could not have been caused by equipment failure , '' he said . Kaczynski had been president since December 2005 , after he defeated rival Donald Tusk in the second round of voting . Elections must now be held within 60 days . Other Polish officials killed in the crash include Aleksander Szczyglo , the head of the National Security Office ; Jerzy Szmajdzinski , the deputy parliament speaker ; Andrzej Kremer , the deputy foreign minister ; and Gen. Franciszek Gagor , the army chief of staff , according to Kaczynski 's Law and Justice Party . What does crash mean for Polish politics ? The party also said that Slawomir Skrzypek , head of the National Bank of Poland , was killed . Putin spoke Saturday at the crash site , where charred pieces of the airplane were strewn through a wooded area . Some pieces , including one of the wheel wells , were upside down . `` As our first priority , we must establish the causes of this tragedy , '' he said . `` As a second priority , we must do everything in our power to assist the families and relatives of the deceased . '' CNN 's Frederik Pleitgen in Warsaw , Poland , and Nic Robertson in Smolensk , Russia , contributed to this report . | Polish president 's body arrives in Warsaw as country mourns his death . Tens of thousands flood onto streets to pay respects to Lech Kaczynski . Kaczynski died with 95 others in a plane crash in Russia on Saturday . Investigators say aircraft 's flight data recorders in good condition . | [[1015, 1050], [44, 80], [85, 139], [718, 775], [825, 834], [837, 956]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police have made an arrest in the home invasion slaying last year of a Southern California couple in their beach house , authorities said Monday . Joshua Graham Packer , 20 , of Ventura is facing charges including three counts of murder and two counts of robbery , Capt. Ross Bonfiglio of the Ventura County Sheriff 's Department said . Packer is accused of murdering Brock Husted , his wife , Davina Husted , and her fetus . The Husteds , who were both 42 , were stabbed to death in their seaside home in Faria Beach , California , on May 20 . Chief Gary Pentis of the Ventura County Sheriff 's Department said it appeared the suspect targeted the victims . `` My personal opinion ? This was not a random act , '' Pentis said at a news conference Monday . Until the couple 's slaying , the gated community of luxury homes had not recorded a homicide in 15 years , police said . According to investigators , the Husteds were home with their two young children on the night of the slaying . Their daughter was asleep in bed , and their son was watching `` American Idol '' in the living room . About 10:30 p.m. , the suspect entered the home through French doors that face the ocean , police said . The killer was dressed in dark clothing and wore a motorcycle helmet , authorities said . He walked past the child who was watching television and stabbed the Husteds . Davina Husted was four months pregnant . The home was not ransacked , and the alleged murder weapon was left at the scene , Bonfiglio said . A sample of Packer 's DNA taken after an arrest in Santa Barbara matched the genetic material found at the Husted crime scene , said Pentis the sheriff 's department chief . He added that items from the victims ' house were found at the suspect 's home . Scott Husted , the brother of Brock Husted , thanked the sheriff 's department for solving the killings . `` This is a milestone , a very huge milestone in this process , '' he said . `` We 're very grateful for the work the Ventura County sheriff 's department has put in this case . '' `` This in no way takes away the loss our family has had . Brock was our baby brother . '' Packer is being held on $ 2.2 million bail at the Ventura County Main Jail . | 20-year-old Joshua Packer arrested in stabbing deaths . Man , pregnant wife stabbed to death in California home in May . Couple 's two young children were left unharmed ; home not ransacked . | [[356, 444], [445, 456], [478, 536], [552, 563], [927, 1008], [1427, 1453]] |
Naoma , West Virginia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- West Virginia 's governor on Tuesday named a former head of the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration to lead a state investigation into last week 's coal mine explosion that left 29 miners dead . Davitt McAteer has overseen investigations into two previous mine accidents , the Sago disaster that killed 12 miners in 2006 and the fire at the Aracoma Alma No. 2 mine that left two workers dead . The West Virginia native served as the Clinton administration 's assistant labor secretary for mine safety in the 1990s and is vice president of Wheeling Jesuit University . `` Davitt has the experience and knowledge to lead what will be a complex and extensive investigation into this horrible accident , '' Gov. Joe Manchin said in announcing McAteer 's appointment . `` We made tremendous progress in 2006 immediately following the Sago and Aracoma accidents , and I fully expect that we will learn even more from this and make dramatic changes to protect our miners . '' The last bodies were recovered early Tuesday from the Upper Big Branch mine , the scene of the fatal explosion April 5 . McAteer was critical of the mine 's owner , Virginia-based Massey Energy , in the days after the blast . `` Some companies , and this appears to be one , take the approach that these violations are simply a cost of doing business -- it 's cheaper for us to mine in an unsafe way or in a way that risks people 's lives than it is for us to comply with the statutes , comply with the laws , '' McAteer said last week . There was no immediate response from Massey Energy to McAteer 's appointment , but Massey CEO Don Blankenship said last week that its safety history is among the best in the industry . The Montcoal , West Virginia , mine received 458 citations from federal inspectors in 2009 , and more than 50 of those were for problems that the operators knew about but had not corrected , according to federal mine safety records . Inspectors cited the operators more than 100 times in the first quarter of 2010 , including six times for `` unwarrantable failure '' to correct violations . Massey subsidiary Aracoma Coal pleaded guilty to 10 criminal charges and paid a record $ 4.2 million in fines and civil penalties in connection with the January 2006 fire that McAteer investigated . Manchin said the state owes an explanation for last week 's disaster to the families of the men who died in the Upper Big Branch mine , `` And we owe it to them and every coal miner working today to do everything humanly possible to prevent this from happening again . '' Managers of two pension funds have called on Massey 's board to oust Blankenship , who has been critical of mining regulations in the past . `` Massey 's cavalier attitude toward risk and callous disregard for the safety of its employees has exacted a horrible cost on dozens of hard-working miners and their loved ones , '' New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in a written statement Monday . He said Blankenship `` must step down and make room for more responsible leadership at Massey . '' New York 's state pension fund , which DiNapoli manages , has about $ 14 million worth of Massey stock -- a tiny fraction of the company 's estimated $ 4.3 billion market capitalization . But his call was echoed by the CtW Investment Group , which manages pension funds for about 6 million union workers . CtW blamed Blankenship 's `` confrontational approach to regulatory compliance '' and the failure of the company 's board of directors to challenge him for the disaster . `` Under Chairman and CEO Blankenship 's domineering leadership , Massey Energy placed short-term production and profit goals ahead of prudent risk management , with devastating consequences for the corporation , its shareholders and employees , '' the fund wrote in a letter to the board . `` In light of these consequences , the urgent need for new leadership is apparent . '' The company has not commented on calls for Blankeship 's ouster , but said safety `` has been and will continue to be our top priority every day . '' `` We do not condone any violation of Mine Safety and Health Administration regulations , and we strive to be in compliance with all regulations at all times , '' it said in a written statement last week . Bodies of the remaining victims were removed overnight , said Jama Jarrett , spokeswoman for the West Virginia Office of Miners ' Health , Safety and Training . The bodies of seven victims had been recovered shortly after the explosion , and 13 bodies were removed Sunday . Until Sunday , U.S. flags on all federal buildings in the state will be kept at half-staff per a proclamation that President Obama signed on Monday . The mining disaster was the worst in the United States since 1972 , when 91 miners died in a fire at the Sunshine Mine in Kellogg , Idaho . CNN 's Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report . | 29 miners were killed in an explosion last week . Davitt McAteer named by West Virginia governor to lead investigation . Mining disaster was the worst in the United States since 1972 . | [[199, 218], [224, 245], [4746, 4811]] |
-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- April 14 , 2010 . Download PDF maps related to today 's show : . • Haiti • Mexico • Kyrgyzstan . Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT . THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED . CARL AZUZ , CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR : Lend us your ears and follow your nose . This broadcast of CNN Student News appeals to the senses . From the CNN Center , I 'm Carl Azuz . First Up : Nuclear Summit . U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA : Two decades after the end of the Cold War , we face a cruel irony of history . The risk of a nuclear confrontation between nations has gone down , but the risk of nuclear attack has gone up . AZUZ : The risk that President Obama is talking about is from terrorists . This week 's Nuclear Security Summit is focused on how to prevent that risk . Dozens of world leaders working on ways to secure nuclear materials . Several ideas have come out of this summit . We reported yesterday that Ukraine plans to get rid of its enriched uranium , which can be used to make nuclear materials . The U.S. and Russia agreed to update a treaty aimed at eliminating weapons-grade plutonium from their military programs . You can see Secretary of State Clinton and her Russian counterpart signing off on the agreement . Plus , Mexico and Canada have announced plans to downgrade supplies of enriched uranium so that they ca n't be used to make nuclear weapons . Tuesday 's session began on a sad note : a moment of silence for the victims of a plane crash that killed the president of Poland , along with that country 's first lady and many top Polish officials . President Obama has said that he 'll travel to Poland for the president and first lady 's funeral . I.D. Me . TOMEKA JONES , CNN STUDENT NEWS : See if you can I.D. Me ! I was born in Chicago , Illinois in 1964 . I graduated from Princeton University and got my law degree from Harvard . I have two daughters : Malia and Sasha . I 'm first lady Michelle Obama , the country 's first African-American first lady . Michelle Obama . AZUZ : Right now , Michelle Obama is on her first official , solo trip as first lady . She arrived in Mexico yesterday for a three-day visit there . It 's being made `` in recognition of the deep ties between the United States and Mexico . '' While she is there , Mrs. Obama will meet with the first lady of Mexico , tour different cultural museums , and give a speech at a local university . But before that , she was in Haiti . It was a surprise stop Tuesday on her way to Mexico . She toured some of the areas that were devastated by the massive earthquake that hit the country in January . Afterward , the first lady promised that the U.S. is committed to helping Haiti recover from the disaster . Offer of Resignation . AZUZ : In Asia , Kurmanbek Bakiev , the president of Kyrgyzstan , says that he is willing to resign , but only if he and his relatives are allowed to leave the country safely . Kyrgyzstan has been going through some political turmoil recently . And when protesters took over the main government building , Bakiev left the capital city and a temporary government took over . Some officials in that new government would be just fine with Bakiev leaving Kyrgyzstan . Others think the president should have to stay and be held accountable for what they say are criminal actions . Charges have been filed against some of his relatives and associates . But Bakiev says he does n't recognize any decisions made by the interim government . Rare Safety Warning . AZUZ : `` Do n't buy : Safety risk . '' It 's a warning that Consumer Reports does n't make too often . But it is making that warning about a sport utility vehicle made by Lexus . The Lexus GX460 , you see right here , during a severe turn , it slides almost completely sideways . Consumer Reports says that 's because a system that should stop the slide does n't kick in in time , and that could cause a rollover . That 's why the magazine issued the rare `` Do n't buy '' warning . The last one of those was given out , in 2001 . Toyota , which owns Lexus , said it 'll conduct its own tests to see what steps need to be taken . This Day in History . -LRB- ON SCREEN GRAPHIC -RRB- . April 14 , 1828 - Noah Webster publishes the first edition of his dictionary . April 14 , 1865 - President Abraham Lincoln is shot by John Wilkes Booth . April 14 , 1910 - President William Taft throws out the first pitch at a Washington Senators baseball game , starting the tradition of presidents throwing out first pitches . Shoutout . MATT CHERRY , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Time for the Shoutout ! The word `` olfactory '' refers to what sense ? If you think you know it , shout it out ! Is it : A -RRB- Touch , B -RRB- Smell , C -RRB- Taste or D -RRB- Sight ? You 've got three seconds -- GO ! You might have sniffed out that olfactory refers to your sense of smell . That 's your answer and that 's your Shoutout ! Sniffing for Explosives . AZUZ : It comes in handy with flowers or food . But experts say our sense of smell can also work like a warning system . Kind of an olfactory alarm . That 's also why dogs are sometimes used to sniff out danger . Their sense of smell can be a thousand times more sensitive than ours . And as Jeanne Meserve explains , what their nose knows could help save lives . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . JEANNE MESERVE , CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT : A dog 's nose samples the air many times a second . This dog sniffs it for explosives . Zeta is what 's called a `` vapor wake '' dog , trained to pick up the scent of explosives in the air despite crowds , cross currents and other smells in Washington , D.C. 's Union Station . Her nose can ferret out TATP , TNT and other explosives in a huge space , even though a person carrying them may have passed by as much as 15 minutes earlier . The head of Amtrak 's K-9 program compares these animals to a top athlete . CAPTAIN WILLIAM PARKER , AMTRAK POLICE K-9 PROGRAM : Michael Jordan , and the reason why I say that is because Michael Jordan is one of the best basketball players of all time , and these vapor wake dogs , I put in that same category . MESERVE : Only 1 or 2 percent of puppies from Auburn University 's breeding program have what it takes to be a vapor wake dog . JEANNE BROCK , MANAGER , AUBURN UNIVERSITY PUPPY PROGRAM : They 'll hunt and hunt and hunt and wo n't come back without it . MESERVE : They are introduced at an early age to slippery surfaces and a variety of environments before being sent to prisons in Georgia , Florida and Mississippi , where inmates begin training the dogs to use their noses . Back at the Auburn facility , older dogs are conditioned on a souped-up golf cart to handle the rigors of their future jobs . They recognize about a dozen explosives and could be trained to find additional ones in just a day or two . I take a backpack containing explosives into a building to test a dog . I walk , sit and walk some more . So now , I 'm going to hide this backpack full of smokeless powder right here . A minute later , Ranger , still in the early stages of training , tracks the explosive scent right to the source . DR. ROB GILLETTE , AUBURN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE : There are certain chefs who 'll smell a pot of stew and say , `` Oh , that 's oregano , or that 's this type of spice . '' The dog walks into it , smells this whole thing and says , `` Oh , that 's C-4 . '' MESERVE : The U.S. Capitol Police are just starting to use vapor wake dogs . They 've already augmented security at sporting events and other large gatherings . But Amtrak has embraced them despite the $ 20,000 price tag per dog . The rail carrier believes that in a high-risk , ever-changing transit environment , the dogs have advantages over machines , even though they can only work for about 90 minutes at a stretch . JOHN PEARCE , AUBURN UNIVERSITY CANINE DETECTION INSTITUTE : There 's nothing like a dog as far as mobility , as far as how quickly it can detect explosives and take us to the source of it . And the cost is basically less than any type of technology out there . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Blog Report . AZUZ : Kelly is a student who 's talking to us on our blog about college . We asked what those of you who are planning to go to college hope to get out of it , and Kelly asked , `` How would you like to be operated on by an uneducated doctor or taught by a teacher who did n't go to college ? We need to go to get higher education , jobs and to help others . '' Erik says he wants to go to college so he can get a job more easily and that it could help him make more money . He 's right ! So is Cindy . She says `` college is a place where we learn about what we want to be . I 'm not saying it 's the only way , but it 's one way to get a career in life . '' Cheyenne writes , `` I do n't just want to go to make sure I get a job right out of college . I would go because I want a higher education . '' What would you want out of college ? Tell us , using only your first name -- your first name is all we want to see -- at CNNStudentNews.com . Before We Go . AZUZ : Before we go , we want you to check out the ultimate garden guardian . It 's 15 feet tall . 3,500 pounds . The world 's tallest garden gnome ! Okay , actually , it 's the second tallest . It was designed to be the biggest , but then about a month before it debuted , an 18-footer showed up in Poland . Bummer . But wait , all is not lost . The other one is made out of fiberglass . So , say hello to the world 's tallest concrete garden gnome ! Might not be a record . Goodbye . AZUZ : But the thing is still phe-gnome-inaly impressive . Just your garden-variety pun , but it 'll do . For CNN Student News , I 'm Carl Azuz . | Follow first lady Michelle Obama 's itinerary from Haiti to Mexico . Learn about some events that took place on this day in history . Discover how some dogs are being trained to sniff out danger . Use the Daily Discussion to help students understand today 's featured news stories . | [[5098, 5160], [5115, 5133], [5139, 5160], [5115, 5119], [5124, 5160], [6568, 6620]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Another massive snowstorm barreled into the mid-Atlantic region Tuesday , as residents still reeling from a paralyzing weekend blizzard faced more of the same . Hundreds of flights were canceled , and airlines were waiting to see whether they would have to cancel more . No flights were expected to be operating Wednesday at Reagan National Airport or at Washington Dulles International , the Washington Airports Authority said . Federal workers and schoolchildren in the nation 's capital were told to stay home for a second consecutive day . The National Weather Service predicted another 10 to 20 inches of snow for northern Virginia , eastern Maryland and Washington beginning Tuesday afternoon and continuing through Wednesday . In last weekend 's blizzard , a record 32.4 inches of snow fell on Washington 's Dulles International Airport over two days , breaking the January 7-8 , 1996 , record of 23.2 inches . Are you there ? Share your winter weather photos , video . If as severe as predicted , the new storm will be the third major snowfall to hit the nation 's capital and surrounding region in slightly more than seven weeks . In Washington on Tuesday , out-of-towners Susan Martin and Robert Travers told CNN affiliate WJLA they had just flown to the city for a conference , but learned when they arrived that the conference had been canceled . Flights that would take them home from Reagan National Airport had been canceled , too . `` We probably wo n't get a flight back out of here until Thursday . That 's what they 're telling us , '' Martin told WJLA . WJLA.com : People stranded at Washington airports , train stations . It was not expected to begin snowing in some areas until Tuesday night or Wednesday . Forecasters said Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , could be slammed with 3 to 7 inches Tuesday and an additional 8 to 12 inches on Wednesday ; Washington , 4 to 8 inches on Tuesday night and another 3 to 7 inches Wednesday ; 5 to 8 inches Tuesday and 3 to 5 on Wednesday in Boston , Massachusetts ; and 2 to 4 inches Tuesday and 6 to 10 inches Wednesday in New York . Snow coverage from CNN affiliate WBAL . Delays of 30 minutes were reported for some flights at Chicago , Illinois ' , O'Hare International Airport , where more than 600 flights were canceled . Most of the flights at Midway Airport also were canceled , according to Gregg Cunningham , spokesman for the Chicago Department of Aviation . Southwest Airlines was expecting to resume its normal schedule Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. , he said . Travelers should confirm the status of their flights by checking their airline 's Web site before departing for the airport , he advised . Delta Air Lines canceled 375 flights , including regional flights , in various locations Tuesday , spokesman Anthony Black said . He said a decision would be made Tuesday evening on any Wednesday cancellations . American Airlines canceled 80 flights into and out of Washington and Philadelphia , spokesman Tim Wagner said . American and Delta said they had pre-emptively canceled 120 flights for Wednesday for both cities . US Airways canceled 135 mainline flights and 307 US Airways Express flights systemwide , spokesman Andrew Christie said . He said the airline has canceled 380 mainline flights and 1,042 US Airways Express flights . Snow causes more headaches for travelers . The storms were taking a financial toll on local governments . Alexandria , Virginia , spent more than $ 1 million for the massive snowstorm that hit the region in December , budget analyst Morgan Routt said , and the city was still cleaning up after last weekend 's storm . `` So , you can imagine , that 's costing even more , '' he said . `` We 've had people working around the clock . '' The city , whose fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30 , generally budgets $ 790,000 annually for snow removal . That covers the costs of equipment , personnel , contractors , materials and supplies . For the 2009 year ending in July , Routt said , the city spent only $ 485,000 . Part of this year 's costs are reimbursable by the federal government because the governor declared a snow emergency , he added . All Washington National Guard full-time personnel were asked to report for duty Tuesday morning and expect to stay for two or three nights , helping with emergency response operations . Elsewhere , crews worked 24-hour shifts to clear roads and repair power lines , warning that it might take days to restore electricity to some customers from Pennsylvania to Virginia . In Mount Penn , Pennsylvania , about 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia , many people were using the space between last week 's storm and the approaching one to fix snowblowers , CNN affiliate WFMZ reported . Dave Swope , who has worked at Leinbach 's Hardware in Mount Penn for 25 years , said Tuesday he has never seen so many people wanting to fix their snowblowers at the same time . `` We got people yesterday asking us how to start them , how to turn them on , '' Swope told WFMZ . `` They just have n't used them in years , and then the knowledge goes away . '' WFMZ.com : Snow blowers piled up for fixing before storm . CNN 's Steve Kastenbaum and Sean Morris contributed to this report . | Airlines cancel hundreds of flights in Chicago , Northeast . Another 10 to 20 inches of snow forecast for northern Virginia , eastern Maryland . Federal workers , students in Washington told to stay home Tuesday . Record 32.4 inches of snow fell on Dulles International Airport over weekend . | [[301, 416], [2278, 2315], [2316, 2353], [2359, 2372], [2696, 2761], [2908, 2989], [3020, 3119], [3044, 3119], [574, 644], [669, 700], [733, 763], [460, 573], [460, 519], [530, 573], [764, 791], [794, 887], [794, 822], [890, 921]] |
LONDON , England -- UEFA banned Poland 's Legia Warsaw from European competition for two seasons on Wednesday in response to `` ugly and shocking '' crowd scenes during an Intertoto Cup match . Police horses have to disperse the crowd during Sunday 's unsavory scenes . UEFA 's Control and Disciplinary Body announced that Legia would be thrown out of this season 's competition and also barred from an additional European campaign should they qualify within the next five years . Legia were trailing 2-0 away to Lithuanian team Vetra Vilnius in Sunday 's second round , first leg match when Polish fans embarked on a halftime rampage , attacking police with metal bars and stones and causing damage to the stadium . European football 's governing body said the abandoned match would be turned into a 3-0 victory for Vetra who will go on to face English side Blackburn Rovers in the third round . Legia have also been ordered by to arrange compensation with Vetra in regard to the stadium damage . Although Legia have promised to crack down on fans involved in Sunday 's violence , the disciplinary body noted that this was not the first time it had dealt with the Polish club . The latest incidents occurred just 10 weeks after Poland were awarded the right by UEFA to co-host the 2012 European championship finals with Ukraine . `` Legia must react quickly and firmly if the club wishes to participate in UEFA competition in future , '' the disciplinary body concluded . `` With Legia 's considerable disciplinary record for away matches , the duty of playing matches against Legia becomes a tall order that UEFA can not afford to support any longer . '' The club has until Saturday to appeal against the UEFA decision . E-mail to a friend . | Legia Warsaw are thrown out of Intertoto Cup after crowd trouble . Lithuanian side Vilnius will play Blackburn in next round of the competition . Legia are also handed a further year 's suspension by UEFA . | [[270, 472], [813, 822], [827, 896], [20, 96]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Manchester City misfit Robinho made a winning second debut for Santos as he scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory against Brazilian rivals Sao Paulo on Sunday . The Brazil forward has returned home in a loan deal in order to boost his hopes of playing at the World Cup finals in South Africa in June , having struggled to win a first-team place with his English club this season . The 26-year-old , who cost big-spending City a club-record $ 52.4 million when he agreed to leave Spanish giants Real Madrid in a shock deal right at the end of the August 2008 transfer window , started his career with Santos eight years ago . He came off the bench 12 minutes into the second half at Sao Paulo 's Morumbi ground , and netted the winner with just five minutes to play with a clever backheel at the near post from Wesley 's cross . The victory lifted Santos to the top of the Sao Paulo state Campeonato Paulista Championship above their opponents . Teenage striker Neymar went to the top of the league 's goalscoring charts after putting Santos ahead with a penalty seven minutes before halftime after Arouca was fouled by Miranda , his seventh strike this season . Roger leveled the score 10 minutes after Robinho came on with a header from Marcelino Paraiba 's cross , but the City star settled the outcome in the 85th minute as he caught out goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni with his improvised finish . Brazil 's nationwide league begins in May , with Santos finishing 12th of 20 teams last season , 18 points behind champions Flamengo . | Manchester City misfit Robinho makes a winning second debut for Santos . Brazil forward backheels the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory against Sao Paulo . He came off the bench in the second half and scored winner with five minutes to play . Robinho returned to Brazil to boost his hopes of playing at World Cup finals in June . | [[0, 15], [19, 165], [0, 15], [19, 165], [648, 650], [739, 813], [0, 15], [19, 165], [648, 732], [648, 650], [739, 813], [762, 850], [1294, 1374], [184, 187], [245, 322]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As Tax Day approaches , Tea Party activists are uniting to voice the message they 've been honing for more than a year : It 's time to reduce the size of government , honor the Constitution and return to fiscal responsibility in Washington . The Tea Party Express ' third cross-country tour brings activists to Boston , Massachusetts , on Wednesday , before culminating with an anti-tax rally at the nation 's capital on Thursday . The `` Just Vote Them Out ! '' tour has weaved through areas represented by vulnerable Democrats , bringing thousands to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid 's hometown in Nevada on its opening day . The tour 's other top target -- Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan -- announced his retirement the same day the tour was in his turf . Tea Party favorite Sarah Palin was the top draw at the Boston event . Republican Sen. Scott Brown , whose winning Massachusetts campaign was infused by the Tea Party , turned down his invitation to the event , although his office said he wished the rally success . Are you at a Tea Party rally ? Share your images . So far , the movement 's success is in the eye of the beholder . Tea Party activists running for office have yet to make much impact in the Republican primaries , and Stupak rejected the notion that the Tea Party played a role in his decision to step down . Tea Party changes tone , not outcome of Texas primary . But House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer admitted Tuesday that the protests and rallies by the Tea Party across the country are having an impact on lawmakers ' decisions about running for another term . `` Do I think that negative atmosphere that 's been created by the Tea Party and by others certainly goes into the thinking of members ? I think it does . I think you honestly have to point out that it does , '' Hoyer said . Hoyer : Tea Party having an impact . The Tea Party developed last year in protest to what its supporters saw as overspending in Washington -- by Republicans and Democrats -- following the stimulus bill , the bank bailouts and President Obama 's budget . Fueled by anger at the government and fear of where the country was headed , it grew from dozens to hundreds of loosely linked groups . Until recently , there had been little movement toward coalescing as a formal party . Last week , a broad coalition of national and regional Tea Party groups announced the formation of the National Tea Party Federation . Tea Party movement attempts to unite ? Tom De Luca , a professor of political science at Fordham University , said while Tea Party activists have affected the national agenda , the larger impact has been on the Republican Party . `` It 's energized the hardcore base of Republicans who tend to share a lot of Tea Party ideas , but on the other hand , it 's going to bring to the floor a split that has been in the Republican Party for quite a long time , '' De Luca said . That split pits the more conservative elements of the party against moderate Republicans . At the Southern Republican Leadership Conference last weekend , a Tea Party member voiced a concern to former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum that the moderate Republicans -- and not conservatives -- would end up on the ballot in November . `` Go beat them , '' he told the attendee . `` That 's what elections are all about . I encourage candidates to run , '' Santorum said , adding the GOP must focus its energy on electing conservative candidates in the Republican primaries . Rep. Michele Bachmann , R-Minnesota , said last week that the Republican Party and the Tea Party are in the process of merging . Bachmann : GOP and Tea Party movement are ` merging ' If the Tea Party pushes Republicans further to the right , however , it could hurt them in November , De Luca noted . Centrist voters would likely favor a Democrat over a far-right Republican , he said . Republican Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour pleaded with conservatives at the conference to stick together as the elections near . `` The Democrats ' fondest hope is to see Tea Party or other conservatives split off and have a third party to split the conservative vote , '' he said . `` We ca n't let that happen . We 've got to stay unified . '' De Luca said the Republican Party now finds itself trying to navigate the movement . `` They want to incorporate it to the degree they can without hurting the party 's chances , '' he said . As for Tea Party members , they want to hold lawmakers ' feet to the fire without being swallowed up by a party some fear is trying to Astroturf their grassroots movement . `` I got more knife wounds in my back from Republican operatives than Democrats could ever do , '' said Mark Williams , chairman of the Tea Party Express III tour . `` The Democrats at least stand there and tell me they hate me , and tell me that they hate America . These Republicans smile at me , shake my hand and then stab me in the back . '' The Tea Party Express is run from the same building as a Republican political consulting firm . Joe Wierzbicki , who coordinates the Tea Party Express , told CNN earlier this year that the people who run the movement `` need a major political party . '' `` I think what you 'll find is at Tea Party rallies , a lot of those people who are mad at the Republican Party , many of them are Republicans themselves . Us included , '' he said . A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll conducted earlier this year indicates Tea Party activists would vote overwhelmingly Republican in a two-party race for Congress . The poll also found that activists in the Tea Party movement tend to be male , upscale and overwhelmingly conservative . Roughly 11 percent of all Americans say they have actively supported the Tea Party movement . Of this core group of activists , half live in rural areas . `` It seems to have captured the attention of a certain , very large and important segment , but still -- a certain segment of society , '' De Luca said . `` Its lasting power is someone questionable . '' What remains to be seen is how closely the movement allies itself with the GOP , to what extent the various Tea Party groups come together as a formal organization and whether the activists solidify around a more coherent message removed from vitriolic embellishments and not grounded in fear , De Luca said . `` What will happen to them if the economy improves ? What will happen to them if the health care plan starts to work ? What happens to this extreme message if things turn in ways that no longer enflame all of these doubts many people have about who they are as Americans , but starts to reassure them that America is moving in a better direction ? '' he asked . But at least for now , the movement 's focus remains on cleaning house , Williams said . `` We 're in a war for the soul of this country , '' he said . `` We need to purge both parties . We need to purge the Democrats of the Marxists and the Republicans of the weaklings . '' CNN 's Jim Acosta , Paul Steinhauser , Shannon Travis and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report . | Tea Party Express winds up tour Wednesday in Boston , Thursday in D.C. Steny Hoyer : Tea Party having effect on whether lawmakers will seek re-election . Tea Party having larger influence over GOP , professor says . ` We 're in a war for the soul of this country , ' activist Mark Williams says . | [[261, 352], [261, 274], [370, 450], [1423, 1618], [1852, 1880], [1852, 1880], [2494, 2505], [2565, 2684], [4693, 4714], [6792, 6836]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Remembering Wilma Mankiller , who died this week , is n't hard , because first of all , who can forget a name like that ? Wilma Pearl Mankiller . What a perfect name . Perfect , that is , after you 've won two terms as leader of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and a Presidential Medal of Freedom , traveled the world , acquired celebrity friends like Gloria Steinem and become one of the most famous American Indians on the planet . Not so perfect in 1969 , when you 're 25 years old and a soon-to-be-divorced mother of two living in San Francisco . Try making a dentist appointment with a name like Mankiller or Crow Dog or Pretty Shield : half the time people would think it 's a crank call and hang up on you . But that was the least of her problems . Wilma Mankiller 's biggest problem was being an Indian in 1969 . We were so square , and so invisible . Why was she in San Francisco then , instead of Oklahoma ? She had moved there with her family -LRB- she was one of 11 children -RRB- because the United States said there was n't any future in Indians living on reservations . So it began a program imaginatively called Urban Indian Relocation , which moved Indians to cities . It was n't a terrible idea , just a bad one , at least for most Indians . Was life better in Cleveland or Dallas or San Francisco than life in Mescalero , Tahlequah , or Wanblee ? Sometimes yes , usually no . The thing is , it was n't clear where any of this was going . What was even the point of being Indian , anyway ? Why ca n't there be a future back home ? Why is being an unemployed aerospace worker in California better than being unemployed in Montana ? Mankiller may have been pondering these questions when something amazing happened . In a daring nighttime invasion , a few dozen Indian college students took over the abandoned federal prison on Alcatraz Island and reclaimed it on behalf of a group they had just invented , called Indians of All Tribes . This was electrifying because Indians in those days did not stage daring nighttime invasions and break laws and trespass on federal property -- any property , for that matter . That occupation of Alcatraz in November 1969 lasted for 19 months . Mankiller visited the ragtag settlement frequently , and said it changed her life . She was n't the only one . I moved to San Francisco in 1977 , and met Mankiller and other `` veterans '' of Alcatraz . The occupation was endlessly debated -- so many good and bad things happened during those months -- but nobody argued how important it was , and how much had changed . We were n't so boring , and we were becoming visible . More than anything else , Alcatraz signaled new possibilities . Wilma Mankiller saw them clearly and seized every one . She finished college , divorced , moved with her two daughters back to Oklahoma , and began her own series of audacious takeovers : running and revolutionizing community development projects for the tribe , then successfully running for principal chief of the Cherokee Nation . She served two terms and became an icon . Just like Alcatraz , none of this was supposed to happen . Did I mention she was a woman ? We Indians in the U.S. talk a good game about being matriarchal and so forth , but it was no accident that in the 20th century no woman had lead a major tribe before her . -LRB- The unofficial logo of the American Indian Movement was the Playboy bunny . Ha ha ! -RRB- So she had no chance to lead her Nation , but did so anyway . The other reason none of this was suppose to happen is her near-fatal car crash in 1979 , her kidney transplant , her battles with breast cancer , lymphoma , and numerous operations . She beat them all -- all except pancreatic cancer . The health disasters were horrible and unrelenting , but I bet you dollars to donuts Mankiller would tell you it was n't nearly as bad as the tribal politics . Alcatraz feels like a million years ago . We have profitable Indian casinos and a Smithsonian museum and many strong women leading our tribes and communities . Indian college students are getting Ph.D. 's instead of criminal records . Some people , including me , wonder if we 've lost the kind of daring that would lead college kids to break into an abandoned prison seeking some kind of justice , and a woman to find a calling there that would change a piece of the world . And this is where I write she was tough as nails and one of a kind , and we wo n't see the likes of her ever again . It 's all true , but there 's something more . Her life made a new future possible one that is still unwritten . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul Chaat Smith . | Paul Chaat Smith says Wilma Mankiller was one of the most accomplished , famous Indians . She was inspired by the Alcatraz occupation in 1969 to become politically involved . He says she endured health disasters , other challenges and persevered . Smith : Her life made a new future possible . | [[198, 205], [401, 463], [4552, 4617]] |
Carnes , Mississippi -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The deaths of two Mississippi teens are about to put a national focus on a little-recognized problem . Devon Byrd , 16 , and Wade White , 18 , were killed when a natural gas tank at a well production site exploded last fall in Carnes , in southern Mississippi . Local teenagers said the site is a popular hangout because it 's quiet and secluded . But the dead teens ' parents say the explosion could have been prevented if some warning signs had been posted -- `` something simple as fences , gates and signs , probably very inexpensive , and certainly a lot less expensive that what a child 's life is worth , '' said White 's father , Phillip . Police say they do n't know exactly what ignited flammable vapors inside the tank . When it exploded , the teenagers were killed instantly . Their bodies were found about 40 yards from the tank 's base ; the tank landed another 20 yards from them . Investigators say they found a lighter , but do n't know whether it was involved . `` I could n't believe that my child was gone , '' White 's mother , Wanda , told CNN . The White and Byrd families have an ally in their camp . The Chemical Safety Board , created by Congress , investigated the accident and found at least 40 other deaths involving oil and gas wells in the past 25 years . Most of them involved young people . The CSB says it found a patchwork of laws nationwide that do n't uniformly address security around oil and gas wells . It 's asking the industry to police itself by voluntarily installing fences and warning signs . `` If these tanks are sitting out there in the middle of nowhere , no protection around them , no warning , they are just an accident waiting to happen , '' CSB Chairman John Bresland told CNN . Delphi Oil , the company that owns the tank that blew up , told CNN it could not discuss the accident because of pending negligence lawsuits filed by the families . A spokesman called the boys ' deaths tragic , but the company says it is complying with all rules . However , authorities tell CNN there are no state regulations requiring locked gates or no-smoking signs . `` He may be in compliance , '' Forrest County Sheriff Billy McGee told CNN . `` But there 's nothing in the rules for him to be in compliance with . '' Carnes is about 40 miles north of the Gulf Coast . In nearby Laurel , city zoning laws require oil and gas tanks to be fenced in with warning signs , according to Emergency Management District Executive Director Terry Steed . The CSB asked family and friends of Byrd and White to help them make an educational video about the dangers of oil and gas production sites . It 's called `` No Place to Hang Out , '' and it 's part of a national campaign starting this week to teach young people about the potential danger of tanks . But it also urges the industry to improve itself . `` There 's nothing we can do to bring Devon and Wade back , '' said White 's girlfriend , Maria Thompson , 16 . `` But if it can save someone else 's life , I 'd like to see it happen . '' `` Like McDonalds , '' added another friend , Shawn Ashlee Davis . `` They have to put ` Caution . This coffee 's hot ' -LRB- on their cups -RRB- . I really think they need signs warning ` This is a dangerous place . ' '' Mississippi state Sen. Billy Hudson told CNN he plans to introduce a state law requiring barbed-wire-topped fences , locked gates and `` Danger - Keep Out '' signs . `` There 's no guarantees , '' Hudson said . `` You could cut the fence with a bolt cutter , or you can shoot off a lock . But it 'll be a deterrent , and it 's a step in the right direction . '' White 's father says his son would be proud that friends and family are speaking out : `` He 'd be proud that we 're trying to do something to keep other kids and other families from going through what we 're going through . '' | Two Mississippi teens killed when natural gas tank at well production site exploded . Local teens in Carnes say the quiet , secluded site was a popular hangout . Parents say deaths preventable if some warning signs had been posted . Push is now on requiring fences , locks , warning signs at gas , oil tank facilities . | [[143, 175], [178, 180], [183, 244], [222, 273], [772, 788], [791, 828], [302, 363], [323, 387], [392, 498], [417, 577], [417, 577], [1483, 1518], [1541, 1578], [2350, 2366], [2369, 2446], [3334, 3454]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Barcelona took a giant stride towards retaining their Spanish league title with a 2-0 win over arch-rivals Real Madrid in Saturday 's ` El Clasico ' at the Santiago Bernabeu to go three points clear at the top of La Liga . Lionel Messi continued his remarkable scoring streak with his 40th of the season and 27th in the league in the first half with Pedro Rodriquez adding the second after the break . The devastating defeat ended Real 's 12-match winning streak in La Liga and was their first at home at a decisive stage of the season with seven games to go . Messi broke the deadlock just after the half-hour mark as he was set up by a clever chipped pass from the irrepressible Xavi and turned Raul Albiol to beat Iker Casillas with ease . Messi 's predecessor as World Footballer of the Year , Cristiano Ronaldo , could make little impression for Real who were struggling to create chances in front of their home fans . A Marcelo shot just after the break finally gave Victor Valdes some work in the Barca goal , but last year 's triple winners were soon two-up with Xavi again the creator . His pin-point pass found Pedro in the clear and his cleverly beat the advancing Casillas for the decisive second . It finally sparked a Real reaction and Valdes had to save smartly from Rafael Van der Vaart before Ronaldo twice tested him . With Real pushing forward it was almost inevitable that Barca would have opportunities on the break and Messi wasted a chance when put through with only Casillas to beat , the Spanish international goalkeeper making a fine save . In the 77th minute , Casillas again came to the rescue after Xavi played in Messi again . Raul had the ball in the net for Real in the final frantic moments but it was chalked off for a handball by Karim Benzema and Barca held on for a deserved three points to cap a superb week which has seen them reach the Champions League semifinals where they will face Inter Milan . Inter were also in action in the Italian League on Saturday , held to a disappointing 2-2 draw by Fiorentina . Keirrison put Fiorentina ahead in the 11th minute but Jose Mourinho 's men then took apparent control through Diego Milito -LRB- 75 -RRB- and Samuel Eto'o -LRB- 81 -RRB- . But Per Kroldrup equalized for the Viola a minute later to leave Inter two points clear of Roma who can top them on Sunday with a win against Atalanta . | Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2-0 in the Bernabeu to go three points clear in Spain . Lionel Messi with his 40th of the season scores the opener for Barca . Pedro Rodriguez adds the second after the break to clinch victory for champions . Inter Milan held 2-2 by Fiorentina in Serie A to lead Roma by two points . | [[19, 192], [193, 241], [242, 384], [369, 420], [1958, 1963], [2020, 2068], [2245, 2281], [2297, 2336]] |
-LRB- Reader 's Digest -RRB- -- Spare the rod , period . That 's what parents across the globe told us when we asked how they discipline their children . Respondents in all 16 countries in this month 's global survey picked a good talking to as the best tactic for teaching a lesson , by a wide margin . Taking away a privilege placed second . Two other traditional forms of discipline - sending kids to their rooms and spanking - were the least favored choices in all but two countries . Among respondents who did favor physical punishment , men outnumbered women in every country except Canada , France , and India . Not a single woman in the United States expressed a preference for spanking . See the full set of results here . | Taking away a privilege away from children was voted in placed second . Not a single woman in the United States expressed a preference for spanking . | [[304, 343], [316, 343], [619, 696], [619, 658], [682, 696]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Texas child welfare officials have asked a judge to order a teenage member of a polygamous sect to let them take DNA from her infant so they can determine the father 's identity , according to court documents filed in the case . An aerial view taken last year shows some living quarters at polygamist leader Warren Jeffs ' Texas ranch . The teenager , who is younger than 18 , is a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . She is believed to have had the baby in June , Texas Department of Family and Protective Services attorneys said in the documents , filed earlier this month . Child welfare authorities also believe the teenager was married at 14 to an adult male , department attorney John Dolezal writes in the motion . `` In order to determine the identity of the sexual perpetrator who engaged in sexual intercourse with -LSB- the girl -RSB- while she was a minor , which act consequently led to this pregnancy , the department is required to perform genetic testing on the child so as to determine who that individual is , '' the motion said . CNN is not naming the teenager , as authorities allege she is a victim of sexual abuse . A hearing on the matter was conducted Tuesday . Patrick Crimmins , spokesman for DFPS , said the teenager showed up without the baby . An agreement was reached by both sides during the hearing , Crimmins said , but the judge ordered that the agreement not be made public . The department has attempted to resolve the issue with the teenager but had not been successful , the motion said . The FLDS was thrust into the spotlight in April , when child welfare workers removed more than 400 children from the sect 's Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado , Texas , citing allegations of physical and sexual abuse . Following a court battle , the Texas Supreme Court ordered the children returned , saying there was no evidence they faced imminent danger of abuse on the ranch . Critics of the FLDS say the sect forces girls into marriage with men . To date , 12 FLDS members have been indicted on charges including sexual assault of a minor , conducting unlawful marriages involving a minor and bigamy as part of an ongoing investigation , according to Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott 's office . They include Warren Jeffs , the FLDS leader and `` prophet . '' Jeffs was already facing charges of sexual assault of a child in Texas , which carries a sentence of up to life upon conviction , when he was indicted earlier this month on a first-degree felony count of aggravated sexual assault . He is also facing a sentence of up to life in Utah , where he was convicted on accomplice to rape charges for his role in the marriage of a sect member to a 14-year-old . He is awaiting trial in Arizona , where he faces similar charges . The FLDS is a 10,000-member offshoot of the mainstream Mormon church . It openly practices polygamy on the ranch , as well as in two towns straddling the Utah-Arizona border . | Texas child welfare officials trying to determine father 's identity . Court documents : Authorities believe baby 's mother was 14 when married . Agreement said to have been reached during hearing , but details not released . More than 400 children removed from FLDS compound in spring . | [[152, 196], [155, 159], [199, 227], [212, 247], [635, 660], [666, 721], [1331, 1388], [1411, 1468], [1640, 1745]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A car bomb exploded outside a British army base in Northern Ireland early Monday , injuring one person . The blast went off about 12:30 a.m. -LRB- 7:30 p.m. Sunday ET -RRB- outside the Palace Barracks in the Belfast neighborhood of Holywood where Britain 's MI5 intelligence service has its regional headquarters . The incident occurred just 30 minutes after police powers were transferred from London to Belfast . According to a statement from the Police Service of Northern Ireland , the bomb was placed in a stolen taxi which had been hijacked late Sunday in North Belfast . The taxi driver was held by three males for almost two hours before being told to drive his silver Skoda to the base . Police added that security staff at the facility were made aware of the abandoned vehicle just before midnight and commenced evacuation procedures . One elderly male , who was walking past the barracks at the time of the explosion , sustained minor injuries after the bomb detonated . There was no immediate report of a claim of responsibility for the blast , though the BBC reported that the Real IRA , a republican splinter group , admitted being behind the attack . `` Clearly the people responsible for this showed absolutely no regard for human life , '' said local police commander , Chief Superintendent Nigel Grimshaw . `` There is no question in my mind , this was designed for one thing and one thing only -- to kill or cause serious injury to people and that 's exactly what it would have done were it not for the actions of my officers and military colleagues in the Barracks and the community themselves working together . `` Thankfully we were able to evacuate people from the immediate area of the explosion . `` The people responsible for this cowardly attack refuse to accept that Northern Ireland is moving on and that peace is working here . They are callous criminals who simply want to drag everyone back to the past to suit their misguided objectives . '' Recent attacks in Northern Ireland have been blamed on dissident Irish republicans who reject the 1998 Good Friday accords , which sharply reduced violence in the British-ruled province . Northern Ireland was wracked for decades by violence between pro-British unionists and republicans who wanted Northern Ireland to join the rest of Ireland . About 3,000 people died in the `` Troubles , '' as the violence was known , before the tenuous peace agreement was hammered out . There has been sporadic violence since then . A booby-trapped car exploded on January 8 , severely injuring Constable Peadar Heffron . A car bomb partly exploded outside the headquarters of the Policing Board of Northern Ireland on November 21 , and another under-car booby trap exploded on October 22 in east Belfast , injuring a woman , the PSNI said . | Bomb goes off in Belfast neighborhood . No immediate claim of responsibility . Other recent attacks blamed on dissident Irish republicans . Occured just 30 minutes after police powers transferred from London to Belfast . | [[1001, 1073], [1994, 2076], [334, 433], [372, 433]] |
BERLIN , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- German investigators raided the Frankfurt offices of KFW bank Wednesday in an investigation into a payment of more than $ 400 million made in error to failed U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers . Investigators from Germany 's Federal Criminal Office and the state prosecutor 's office conducted the raid and searches at Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau -LRB- Credit Agency for Reconstruction -RRB- , or KFW , spokesman Wolfram Schweickhardt said . The government-owned KFW bank group transferred $ 319 million -LRB- $ 412 million -RRB- to Lehman Brothers on September 15 , after the U.S. bank filed for bankruptcy , the state prosecutor 's office in Frankfurt said in a statement . Authorities are investigating KFW board members and bosses on suspicion of embezzlement , the prosecutor 's office said . They want to know whether KFW officials were criminally negligent by failing to prevent the money transfer despite knowing about Lehman 's liquidity problems and the impending international banking crisis . `` We are fully cooperating with the authorities and will provide them any documents they wish to see , '' Schweickhardt said . Schweickhardt said the money was transferred to Lehman on the morning of Monday , September 15 , as part of a long-standing two-part transaction that had been in motion since July . The transaction was among about 1,000 automated transactions set up for that morning -- a normal volume for the agency , he said . Although `` people had discussed over the weekend the fact that Lehman Brothers was in trouble , no one thought to check the actual transfers in the system , '' Schweickhardt said . The mistake was spotted only a couple of hours later and the agency 's chief executive was informed , he said . The following Thursday , the company suspended three directors ; they were fired on September 29 , he said . The firing of the three directors was widely reported in Germany , with the tabloid Bild showing a picture of them with the headline , `` Germany 's dumbest bankers . '' News headlines have since referred to KFW as `` Germany 's dumbest bank . '' CNN 's Frederik Pleitgen contributed to this report . | Investigators raid KFW bank offices over payments made to Lehman Brothers . KFW transferred $ 412M to Lehman after the U.S. bank filed for bankruptcy . Authorities investigate board members , bosses on suspicion of embezzlement . | [[9, 32], [36, 169], [146, 169], [184, 232], [484, 606], [615, 649], [718, 805]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The death of a British soldier on an explosives-clearing operation in Afghanistan has pushed the British death toll there past that of the 1982 Falklands War , the Ministry of Defence announced Tuesday . The soldier 's death brings to 256 the number of British troops killed in Afghanistan since operations there began in 2001 , the defense ministry said . The British death toll from the Falklands conflict was 255 . The soldier , from the 36 Engineer Regiment , died Monday from an explosion in the Nad-e-Ali district of Afghanistan 's southern Helmand Province . He was part of a task force to clear roadside bombs . `` He was leading a team conducting route-clearance operations at the time , making the way ahead safe for others to follow , '' said Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield , a spokesman for Task Force Helmand . `` His indomitable courage and fortitude , the hallmark of his profession , will not be forgotten . '' The Ministry of Defence did not release his name , but said his next of kin had been informed . Two soldiers from The Royal Scots Borderers , 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland , were killed by an explosion Monday , also in Helmand Province , the defense ministry said . The deaths of those soldiers , whose names were not released , meant the total death toll matched that of the Falklands . `` Sad milestones such as this naturally attract attention in the UK , but in theater our people continue resolutely and courageously with the task of assisting Afghans to build their own future , '' said Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup , chief of the British Defense Staff . `` We should not forget that each and every death of a member of our armed forces is a tragedy of equal proportion , '' British Defense Secretary Bob Ainsworth said . `` Our thoughts at this time lie firmly with the families and friends of all the brave men and women fallen in Afghanistan , and we should all remember that every one of them has given their lives in defense of their -- and our -- country . '' The Falkland Islands are a British territory located 670 miles -LRB- 1,000 kilometers -RRB- from the coast of Argentina . Argentina has claimed sovereignty over the islands since they were occupied by the British in 1833 . Argentine troops invaded the islands in April 1982 , sparking a two-month war with intense land and sea battles . Argentina surrendered June 14 , having lost nearly 650 troops . | Latest casualty brings to 256 number of UK troops killed in Afghanistan . Figure surpasses death toll sustained by British forces in 1982 Falklands war . Most recent death sustained during explosive-clearing operations . | [[9, 32], [106, 193], [240, 303], [289, 348], [9, 32], [106, 193], [393, 453]] |
Fort Lauderdale , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 13-year-old who witnessed another teen being set on fire last month apologized Tuesday , saying he is praying for the boy 's recovery and he is sorry for what happened . Reading to reporters from a statement , Jeremy Jarvis -- whose older brother has been charged in the incident -- said that victim Michael Brewer is in his prayers . `` I want to read something I wrote last night , '' Jarvis said . `` I want to express my deepest sympathy to Mikey and his family . I will pray for Mikey to grow stronger every day and for Mikey 's speedy recovery . '' Brewer , 15 , remains in guarded condition at the University of Miami 's Jackson Memorial Hospital Burn Center . He suffered third-degree burns over 65 percent of his body in the Deerfield Beach , Florida , incident October 12 , authorities have said . Police have been able to interview Brewer for the first time since the incident , the Broward County Sheriff 's Office said . Hospital officials have said Brewer can communicate only in one - or two-word answers . `` The more information we have , the better position we are in to make the right decision '' as far as charges and how to proceed , said Maria Schneider , a prosecutor with the state attorney 's office in Broward County . `` I would say he -LSB- Brewer -RSB- needs a little more time to be fully prepared to provide a detailed account of the incident . '' `` It was difficult . It was difficult for him to talk about . Difficult for us to listen to , '' she said of the interview . `` Just difficult all around , heart-wrenching . He 's doing so much better , but it 's such a terrible situation . '' Jeremy Jarvis was arrested as a juvenile after Brewer was burned and spent about 30 days in juvenile detention . However , prosecutors have not filed charges against him . He still could be charged , as prosecutors have 90 days from his arrest to decide whether to move forward with the case . He has not been interviewed by police or prosecutors , Schneider said . `` He has invoked his rights to counsel and has invoked his rights to silence . '' His brother , Denver , 15 , is among three teenagers charged as adults with one count of attempted second-degree murder in the attack . He has pleaded not guilty . `` I want to tell my brother D.C. I love and miss him , '' Jeremy Jarvis told reporters Tuesday . `` I just hope and pray we all get through this . '' The boy 's attorney , Stephen Melnick , would not allow reporters to ask him questions . The extent of Jeremy Jarvis ' involvement remains under investigation , Melnick said , adding that police took a statement from Brewer on Monday . `` As far as we know , he -LSB- Jeremy Jarvis -RSB- just followed and watched what happened , '' he said . Denver Jarvis and Matthew Bent , also 15 , are accused along with a third teen , Jesus Mendez , 16 , of being in a group that poured alcohol over Brewer and set him ablaze in a dispute over $ 40 , a video game and a bicycle . All three pleaded not guilty in an appearance last week in Broward County Circuit Court . If convicted , they would face a sentence of up to 30 years in prison . Detectives say eyewitnesses told them that Mendez used a lighter to set fire to Brewer after Denver Jarvis allegedly poured alcohol over him . Bent allegedly encouraged the attack , police said . Brewer jumped into a pool at his apartment complex to put out the flames . Authorities have said Mendez admitted setting Brewer on fire . According to an arrest transcript , the boy said he made a `` bad decision . '' Dr. Michael Brannon , a court-appointed forensic psychologist , interviewed both the Jarvis brothers . `` I can describe both of them as being afraid , being fearful , '' he told CNN earlier this month . `` I can describe both of them as being tearful at various times during the interview , especially when talking about the specific incident which led to the injuries of the victim . '' The Jarvis family met at Melnick 's office Tuesday , shortly before the boy read the short written statement to reporters . He took no questions . During the meeting , Jeremy Jarvis played with Melnick 's dog . Although the state can still file charges against him , `` it did n't matter to him , '' Melnick said . `` It was important to say how this really bothers him and how much he loves his brother and how much he hopes Michael gets better . '' He said Brewer is a close friend of Jeremy Jarvis , and the boy is troubled by Brewer 's injury as well as by his brother facing criminal charges that could land him in an adult prison if convicted . Doctors had planned to perform skin graft surgery on Brewer last Friday , but decided to wait and let him heal a bit more first , hospital officials said . His doctor has said he faces several more months in the hospital and will need multiple skin grafts and surgeries . Melnick would not say whether Jeremy Jarvis is cooperating with prosecutors , but said he did n't believe the boy 's apology would affect whether charges are filed . `` It 's something he 's been wanting to say from the start , '' he said . `` He 's been asking every day if he could say something . '' Broward County schools expelled the seventh-grader after his arrest , Melnick said . He is being home-schooled , and his family is exploring alternative education arrangements . Jeremy Jarvis turned 13 about a month ago , but `` he understands what 's happening , '' Melnick said . `` He spent 30 days in a jail . '' | Jeremy Jarvis , 13 , who saw teen set on fire , apologizes , says he 's praying for recovery . Authorities say police have been able to interview victim for first time since incident . Victim , Michael Brewer , 15 , is in guarded condition at University of Miami hospital burn center . Jeremy Jarvis not charged ; extent of his involvement under investigation , attorney says . | [[45, 58], [63, 133], [0, 41], [136, 200], [257, 270], [330, 381], [4386, 4416], [602, 608], [616, 714], [2524, 2593]] |
SAN FRANCISCO -LRB- CNET -RRB- -- Google plans to unveil a service called Google Voice on Thursday that indicates Google wants to do with your telephone communications what companies such as Yahoo have done with e-mail . Google unveils a phone service Thursday in which the search giant acts like a phone middleman . Google Voice , the new version of the GrandCentral technology Google acquired in July 2007 , has the potential to make the search giant a middleman in an important part of people 's lives , telephone communications . With the service , people can pick a new phone number from Google Voice ; when others call it , Google can ring all the actual phones a person uses and handle voice mail . The old version could let people centralize telephone services , screen their calls , and listen to voice mail over the Web . But the new version offers several significant new features , though . Google now uses its speech-to-text technology to transcribe voice mail , making it possible to search for particular words . Gmail 's contacts now is used to instruct Google Voice how to treat various callers . And Google Voice now can send and receive SMS text messages and set up conference calls . Existing GrandCentral users should get the option to upgrade Thursday , and Google plans to offer it to the public after `` a number of weeks , '' said Craig Walker , product manager of real-time communications and head of Google Voice . As interesting as the service itself , perhaps , is that Google plans to offer it at no cost . Google is in the midst of a profitability push , trying to wring more money from existing sites , adding advertisements to properties such as Google Maps , Finance , and News that previously lacked them , and canceling many projects such as Google Lively that did n't pass financial muster . With Google Voice , though , the company is showing more of its earlier , more patient approach . `` Our goal is to be able to offer it to people for free , '' Walker said in an interview at Google 's offices here . Asked what the revenue model is for Google Voice , he offered only an indirect answer : `` Let 's get a bunch of happy users engaged in Google properties and getting their voice mail through this . Google gets value out of having happy Google users . '' Money is n't completely absent from the picture . The company does charge for international calls , and it would n't rule out advertising in the future . GrandCentral has appeared largely dormant from the outside since the Google acquisition , leading some to spotlight it as an example of a promising technology that was squelched by an acquisition . But , Walker said , there was plenty of work going on behind the scenes . `` In addition to innovation , there 's been a process of getting migrated and integrating with the Google infrastructure , '' he said . One big possible difficulty for people could be the issue of changing phone numbers . People 's phone numbers can form a piece of their identity , in particular with home phone numbers held for years and number portability making it possible for people to keep their mobile phone numbers even if they change carriers . Even leaving aside the issue of the hassle of changing phone numbers , sharing your Google Voice number means committing your telephony to Google 's services . Another possible hitch is offering phone numbers that match where people actually live or work . Here , Google hopes to have things under control , though there were no numbers in the 415 area code for my test of the service . `` Our goal is to offer numbers to virtually everyone who wants to sign up . There are a finite number of numbers in the U.S. , but we have n't reached anywhere near depletion , '' Walker said . `` We hope to have a pretty good footprint -LRB- for area code choices -RRB- so that people will have really good choices . '' Google Voice , hands on . Overall , I found Google Voice to be potentially useful , with the most compelling option the imperfect but still very useful transcription . The first promise of Google Voice is to simplify your phone communications . You do n't have to worry about which number to hand out to people , and if you 're sitting with your cell phone next to you home or work phone , you can choose which to answer . If you have the `` screen calls '' option enabled , Google Voice will tell ask you if you want to accept the call or send the person to voice mail . -LRB- Google Voice asks first-time callers to identify themselves . -RRB- . In practice , virtualizing your profusion of real-world phone numbers with one that redirects is handy . You can set various preferences -- for example , calls from your family members get a custom answering message ; calls from your parents do n't ring your work number ; and calls from your spouse are answered directly when you pick up the phone rather than run through the Google Voice options such as answering the call , sending it to voice mail , or listening in on the voice mail . But I thought Google Voice 's most promising aspect is voice mail transcription . Today , voice mail is a something of black hole for me . It 's a pain to check , and I just tell people to send me an e-mail if they get my voice mail . When I 'm on the road or at home , I check my e-mail much more frequently than my voice mail . And e-mail means I have their contact information and a record that they contacted me , all in a handy form that shows up through search . Transcription brings some of these advantages to voice mail . Because Google Voice e-mails you the text as soon as it 's ready , you can quickly scan it to see if it 's important . That 's a lot less obtrusive than calling your voice mail system in the middle of a meeting . Also , reading the text lets you quickly home in on the caller 's phone number without having to wait through the whole message . On clever phones such as the Apple iPhone or T-Mobile G1 , the phone number is highlighted in the e-mail so you can click it to call back , too . However , the text-to-speech conversion is imperfect , to say the least -- for example , it thought `` Steve and Mary '' was `` Steven Mary . '' And here 's an amusing sample of one transcribed voice mail I left myself : `` hey i 'm just testing the grand central transcription service to see if it really can do a good tax to speech recognition and that they believe in bed that 's little voicemail and a web page because what would not be exciting what time you get in bed a voicemail on the web page . '' The Web site uses bolder type for words it 's more sure of , so you can make better guesses about . Walker said it takes roughly 30 seconds to translate a 30-second voice mail , which is pretty good turnaround . My timing test of a rambling , 1:45 voice mail took just almost exactly twice that time to show up translated in my inbox , though the voice version was available over the Google Voice Web site almost immediately . Shallow Gmail integration . You do n't need a Gmail account to use Google Voice -- any Google account will do -- but if you have one , you can customize the system 's behavior for existing groups or individuals . When a message from an unknown number arrives , you can save it with the caller 's name through the Google Voice interface , and it will show up in your Gmail contacts , too . A `` contacts '' tab at Google Voice borrows heavily on the Gmail contacts tab . However , Google left me wanting deeper integration . Where are Gmail 's filters and labels ? Google Voice is a big step toward the long-promised utopia of unified communications , but instead it presents me with a new inbox to check . When I asked Walker whether Google Voice would be unified with Gmail more thoroughly , he would n't say , but indicated it 's on Google 's to-do list . `` There are a host of things we 're working on , '' Walker said . `` We want to get the core telephony from GrandCentral to Google Voice , to get that ironed out first . '' Even where there is integration , for example with the Gmail contacts page , there are some shortcomings . For example , I have a Gmail mailing list for `` family , '' and I doubt I 'm not the only one . My wife is a member of the list , but Google Voice by default opted to use the settings for its `` friends '' category . Apparently the reason for the issue is that Google Voice is case-sensitive : it created its own `` Family '' group , with an uppercase F , that has no members in it . Changing my existing group to `` Family '' in Gmail merely created two groups with that name , so to work around the issue I copied all the `` family '' members to `` Family . '' I deleted the original to avoid the messy annoyance of keeping the two identical groups synchronized . Tussling with carriers ? Another interesting possibility , given Google 's Internet expertise and Google Voice 's Web-based interface , would be to offer direct calling using VOIP -LRB- voice over Internet Protocol -RRB- . Google Voice already has the potential to shift some of the customer relationship and valuable services from phone service companies to Google , and offering VOIP service would increase that potential . Walker would n't comment that possibility , though he did point out that Google Voice can work with the Gizmo VoIP service . For the regular public switched telephone network , people still have to spend money with AT&T , Verizon , T-Mobile , Vodafone , and others . `` The point was to allow your existing services to work better together , '' Walker said . `` You have to come with your own underlying phones and services for it to work . '' © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. . All rights reserved . CNET , CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. . Used by permission . | Google announces Google Voice , a phone service over the Internet . The service offers `` speech-to-text '' transcriptions of voice messages . Head of Google Voice : company plans to offer service for free . Public users sign up for service starting in `` a number of weeks '' | [[34, 98], [221, 316], [6899, 6982], [9012, 9024], [9161, 9182], [903, 973], [1442, 1471], [1491, 1536], [1927, 1983], [1280, 1345]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rapper Lil Wayne will go directly to jail after he is sentenced by a Manhattan judge Tuesday afternoon for a gun conviction , according to a person familiar with the case . Dwayne Carter , as he is known legally , pleaded guilty to felony gun charges in a deal with prosecutors October 2009 . He is expected to get a one-year prison sentence . His sentencing was delayed three weeks so he could get some dental work done , including removal of his diamond-studded braces . The person familiar with the case would not confirm where Wayne would serve his sentence . The plea agreement was a result of the rapper 's 2007 arrest outside New York 's Beacon Theater . According to police , Wayne had a .40 - caliber pistol on his tour bus . `` It 's not his gun , they know whose gun it is , '' Wayne 's attorney , Stacey Richman , said after a hearing last month . In an unrelated case , Wayne also faces felony drug possession and weapons charges in the state of Arizona . Lil Wayne is a multiplatinum-selling and Grammy-winning rap artist . His hits include `` The Block is Hot '' and `` Lollipop , '' and his album `` Tha Carter III '' was the top-selling disc of 2008 . His latest album , `` Rebirth , '' was released last month . CNN 's Jennifer Rizzo contributed to this report . | Rapper Dwayne Carter will be sentenced for a gun conviction . Carter 's sentencing was postponed so he could get dental work . Work includes removal of diamond-encrusted braces . | [[372, 410], [411, 448], [451, 500]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michelle Timberlake did n't expect to venture into the weekend blizzard that blanketed much of the mid-Atlantic . But the interior designer who normally wears high heels to work found herself running through hip-high snow Saturday morning when about 40 cows escaped from the pasture on her and her husband 's Boyce , Virginia , farm in search of food and shelter . `` This was not what I imagined for myself , '' she said Sunday , laughing at the memory . Luckily , the cows were corralled -- thanks to a bale of hay -- and the snow stopped , but not before more than 30 inches had been dumped over two days in parts of the region . Timberlake said she and her neighbors were gearing up for the next weather system , expected to hit the area as early as Tuesday . The National Weather Service is forecasting more than 5 inches of snow and winds up to 25 mph in the Washington and Baltimore , Maryland , areas . `` Everybody 's just trying to clean up and get a little bit ahead of the game before the next round comes , '' said Timberlake , whose farm is located about two hours west of Washington . More than 300,000 people from Pennsylvania to Virginia were without electricity Sunday , utility companies said . In many cases , heavy snow brought down power lines . `` I 'm not sure how many people will have their power back on by Super Bowl time , but things are going really well today , '' said Joe Gilbert with a Dominion Power crew working Sunday afternoon to restore power to about 3,000 in one McLean , Virginia , neighborhood . `` It 's good weather and we 're making good progress so hopefully everybody 's power will be back on . '' Timberlake said homes around the corner from her farm are without power and have been told it wo n't be back on until Friday . `` Since the heavy , wet snow is still bringing trees down , we are still seeing new outages occur , '' Allegheny Power said in a statement Sunday . `` Damage assessment is ongoing , but overall estimated times for the restoration of service have not been determined . '' The utility company provides electricity to customers in Pennsylvania , Maryland , West Virginia and Virginia . Nearly 135,000 of its customers had no power , the majority of them , or 92,295 , reside in Pennsylvania , the company said . Outages were also reported in Delaware and New Jersey . Residents , businesses and airports were trying to dig out Sunday . Good Samaritans in McLean , Virginia , stopped to help drivers stuck in snow drifts . `` So much for going to the Kennedy Center today , '' said one woman behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz as about five men shoveled and pushed her car out of deep snow . `` We 're going home . '' CNN iReporter Sean Conrad described his town of Rockville , Maryland , Saturday as empty and photos showed streets recognizable only by traffic lights . The city got 25.5 inches . Conrad told CNN that many roads still were covered by snow Sunday , even though snow plows were working 24 hours a day to clear them . Only a few businesses opened Sunday , and those that did operated with skeleton crews , Conrad said . Federal offices in Washington will be closed Monday , though emergency employees still are expected to work , the U.S. Office of Personnel Management said Sunday . Air traffic in Washington picked up slowly Sunday after a day of cancellations . A record 32.4 inches of snow fell on Dulles International Airport over two days , breaking a January 7-8 , 1996 , record of 23.2 inches . The quick-falling flakes forced Dulles and the other two main Washington-Baltimore area airports to cancel all flights Saturday . Dulles reopened Sunday to limited service , according to Rob Yingling , spokesman for Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority . Airport personnel were still removing snow from the Baltimore-Washington International Airport on Sunday , and it remained uncertain when flights would resume , spokesman Jonathan Dean told CNN . Reagan National Airport was still closed early Sunday afternoon as crews continued to plow snow and chip away at 5 inches of ice that developed overnight , Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority spokeswoman Tara Hamilton said . The airport accommodates just under 700 flights a day , she said . Philadelphia International Airport in Pennsylvania racked up 28.5 inches of snow , the National Weather Service . The airport was closed Saturday , but it reopened Sunday and was expected to operate at 60 percent capacity , spokeswoman Victoria Lupica said . Amtrak canceled several trains Sunday after trees and power lines fell onto portions of its tracks , the transit company said . Dozens of Greyhound routes in the Mid-Atlantic states also were canceled , the bus company said on its Web site . And state officials have advised drivers to stay off the roads . CNN 's Sarah Aarthun , Justin Lear , Sarah Lee and Rachel Rodriguez contributed to this report . | NEW : Federal offices in Washington will be closed Monday . More than 300,000 from Pennsylvania to Virginia without electricity Sunday morning . Dulles Airport resumes some flights ; flights still canceled at Reagan National , BWI . 32.4 inches of snow at Dulles breaks old record . | [[3125, 3176], [1119, 1205], [3289, 3369], [3551, 3637], [3638, 3679], [3370, 3449], [3370, 3398], [3452, 3498]] |
Editor 's Note : The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE , an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn , New York . VBS.TV is Vice 's broadband television network . The reports , which are produced solely by VICE , reflect a very transparent approach to journalism , where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process . We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers . Brooklyn , New York -LRB- VBS.TV -RRB- -- Based on the sheer volume of bodies , Hajj should not work . As the world 's largest pilgrimage and one of the Five Pillars of Islam , each year about 3 million people cram themselves into the relatively small holy city of Mecca , Saudi Arabia , to offer up this , the holiest of Islamic rites . In late 2008 , I accompanied my parents on Hajj and managed to sneak a VBS video camera past state security and capture the trip as we saw it . The scene was insane , beyond what I could have ever imagined . Over a four-day period , Mecca 's population is more than doubled , with legions of devout Muslims making their way shoulder to shoulder through the dozen rituals that comprise Hajj . If it were n't for the solemn and religious underpinnings , it would be an unnerving assembly of human beings for such a concentrated space -- like what Woodstock might have been , but less annoying and without the hippies , drugs , and Carlos Santana . Many Hajj rites have been dramatized in movies and elsewhere , but it is essentially a highly choreographed succession of religious tasks : circling the Ka ` bah at the center of Masjid Al-Haram -LRB- the Grand Mosque -RRB- , Sa`I -LRB- pacing between two holy sites -RRB- , the famous Stoning of the Devil , loads of deep prayer and meditation . The point is to purge believers of sins and free them for the next chapter in their lives . It is required that each Muslim of means make the trip at least once . See part two of Mecca Diaries at VBS.TV . Given the number of pilgrims and the extremely short span of time Hajj covers , it is virtually impossible to make the journey without the help of a tour group . There are dozens of agencies available to help usher visitors through the masses and ensure that all the requisite rituals are met . But even with their guidance , completing all the tasks , navigating the various holy sites , and sticking to the hurried itinerary is extremely challenging . Compound the situation with several million people of every economic class and comfort from 100-plus countries across the globe -- many lined up asleep on the side of the road , praying on hilltops , and making their way to and from holy sites -- and it 's no surprise that some pilgrims ca n't complete all the rituals . But despite this monumental challenge , the bottom line was that doing the Hajj was amazing . It took us to another plane of existence , it forced a detachment from our lives , and it was unlike anything I 've ever experienced . | Three million people take part in the world 's largest annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia . VICE founder Suroosh Alvi went with his family in 2008 and shot footage . Alvi : Experience was `` beyond what I could have ever imagined '' | [[817, 829], [832, 864], [817, 829], [832, 833], [869, 945], [817, 829], [832, 833], [929, 960]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- Your mission , if you choose to accept it , is to seek out covert items at fast food chains around the country . Not all food items are always listed on restaurant menus . Be warned , this mission includes very real dangers such as hardening arteries and skyrocketing cholesterol . We 've compiled a list to get you started . 1 . If you 're at Starbucks and in need of just a little caffeine , do n't worry -- there 's a tiny option for you . It 's the Short size , and they do n't advertise it . It 's like a little baby cup of coffee . It also comes in handy when you 're scrounging for change and do n't have enough for a tall -LRB- not that that has ever happened to me -RRB- . 2 . It 's a good thing we do n't have Jamba Juice here in Iowa , because I would be all over candy-based smoothies . Because it 's considered a health-food chain , Jamba Juice does n't officially list these on their in-store menus , but the Web site Mighty Foods assures us that the secret flavors exist . The ones they confirmed with the company 's headquarters include Strawberry Shortcake , White Gummy Bear , PB&J , Various flavors of Starbursts , Fruity Pebbles , Push-Up Pops , and Skittles . Other tantalizing flavors that are rumored to exist : Chocolate Gummi Bear , Apple Pie , Sourpatch Kid , Tootsie Roll , and Now and Later . 3 . This one might be my favorite . At Fatburger , you can order a Hypocrite -- a veggie burger topped with crispy strips of bacon . 4 . Chipotle has a whole secret menu that is limited only by your imagination -- they have a store policy that says that if they have the item available , they will make it for you . Things that have been tested include nachos , quesadillas , taco salads and single tacos . Some stores are testing out quesadillas as a regular menu item , however , so maybe someday soon you wo n't need a super-secret handshake to order one . Mental Floss : 7 food promotions gone horribly wrong . 5 . If you 're at Wendy 's and you 're really hungry -- like , three-patties-just-won ` t-cut-it hungry -- go ahead and order the Grand Slam , which is four patties stacked on a bun . This option is only available at select Wendy 's , and it 's also known as the Meat Cube . 6 . Several places , including McDonald 's and In-N-Out , will serve you the Neapolitan milkshake . It 's just what it sounds like -- chocolate , vanilla and strawberry shakes layered in a cup . 7 . In-N-Out Burger 's `` secret menu '' is n't so secret these days -- in fact , they 've posted it on their Web site . But in case you 're not in the habit of surfing fast food Web sites , here 's the skinny on their rather un-skinny items : ordering something `` Animal Style '' at In-N-Out means you 're going to get it with lettuce , tomato , a mustard-cooked beef patty , pickles , extra spread -LRB- it 's sort of Thousand-Islandy -RRB- and grilled onions . You can even get your fries Animal Style . Mental Floss : Why is it called `` Thousand Island '' dressing ? `` Protein Style '' is a burger wrapped in a lettuce leaf instead of a bun . A Grilled Cheese is two slices of American cheese , lettuce , tomato and spread on a bun -LRB- grilled onions if you so choose -RRB- . And you can get just about any combo of meat and cheese that you want if you order it like you 're ordering lumber : 3 × 3 gets you three beef patties and three slices of cheese , 4 × 4 gets you four of each , and so on . According to photos posted at SuperSizedMeals.com , one gluttonous patron requested and received a 100x100 at a Las Vegas store a few years ago . One item not listed on the Web site secret menu : the Flying Dutchman , which is two slices of cheese sandwiched between two patties , hold the bun . 8 . Feeling a little health-conscious at Popeye 's ? If you are , you really should have gone somewhere else . But there 's a little hope for you -- ordering `` naked chicken '' will get you breading-free poultry . The word is that this is on the menu at some Popeye 's , but not all of them , although it is an option at all of them . 9 . Like Chipotle , Taco Bell will make you just about anything within reason as long as they have the ingredients for it . Since most of the food at Taco Bell is made out of the same basic items , that means you can probably ask for most discontinued items and get them . One `` secret , '' though , is that they have a not-advertised green chili sauce at most locations , and apparently it 's excellent . 10 . Some Subways will still make you the popular pizza sub from the 1990s . Once the chain decided to make their focus healthy eating , the pizza sub disappeared from the menu in most places -LRB- the word is that Canadian and Mexican Subways still offer them on a regular basis -RRB- . But if you ask , lots of places will still make it for you . Be warned , though -- Jared would not approve of the nine slices of pepperoni and copious amounts of cheese slathered in marinara sauce . Mental Floss : Brief history of dubious dieting . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | Some fast food outlets have not-on-menu items you can get if you ask for them . Fatburger 's Hypocrite is bacon-topped veggie burger ; Popeye 's offers naked chicken . Some Subways will still make the popular pizza sub from the 1990s . Wendy 's offers the Meat Cube ; McDonald 's has a Neapolitan milkshake . | [[1486, 1559], [1385, 1444], [1429, 1481], [4485, 4508], [4514, 4556], [4485, 4556], [2243, 2294], [2297, 2338]] |
Washington -- Good night , Loran . In a series of small ceremonies , the U.S. Coast Guard on Monday shut down Loran-C , a navigation and timing system that has guided mariners and aviators since World War II . The death blow came last May when President Obama called the system obsolete , saying it is no longer needed in an age in which Global Positioning System devices are nearly ubiquitous in cars , planes and boats . Killing Loran-C will save the government $ 190 million over five years , Obama said . But supporters of Loran -- including the man known as `` the father of GPS '' -- say the nation 's increasing reliance on GPS paradoxically has increased the importance of maintaining Loran as a backup . Supporters also argue that the mere existence of Loran makes the GPS satellite system a less attractive target for cyber-thugs , terrorists or future military adversaries . GPS systems today are used not only for navigation , but also to provide precise timing for ATM machines , cell phone towers , water plants and other enterprises , and positioning information for precision-guided weapons for the military . GPS disruptions can be costly to business , dangerous for travelers , and debilitating to the military . Supporters of Loran -- short for long range navigation system -- say the system is a near-perfect backup because it provides similar information to GPS , but has dissimilar infrastructure . GPS is based on a constellation of at least 25 satellites ; Loran is based on 24 ground stations in the United States , and others elsewhere . GPS transmits a very faint signal and is vulnerable to interference or jamming ; Loran has a high-power signal which can penetrate obstacles like foliage and is harder to interrupt . GPS is powered by solar panels ; Loran is tied to ground power . And while GPS operates in outer space , outside of controlled perimeters , Loran operates inside controlled perimeters in the United States . The vulnerability of GPS and the consequences of an outage became evident in 2007 during a Navy training exercise in the Port of San Diego , California . Participants unintentionally jammed GPS signals in the region , shutting down satellite navigation and cell phone service up to 10 miles inland for three hours . The satellite-based system 's vulnerability became apparent a second time that year , when China tested an anti-satellite weapon , destroying one of its own aging weather satellites . Indeed , in recent years , as the popularity of GPS soared and the number of Loran users dwindled , the fate of the Loran system has followed a meandering path of near-death and rebirth experiences that even the most sophisticated navigation system would have difficulty tracking . During the Bush administration , the system was at one point placed on the chopping block , but was resurrected amid a flurry of reports from Loran backers . In late 2006 , an Independent Assessment Team headed by Bradford Parkinson , known as the `` father of GPS , '' unanimously recommended that an enhanced version of Loran , known as eLORAN , `` be completed and retained as the national backup system for GPS , '' saying it had `` critical safety of life , national and economic security , and quality of life applications . '' The assessment team recommended that the government complete the eLORAN upgrade and commit to eLORAN as the national backup to GPS for 20 years . But the Obama administration has described Loran as unnecessary and antiquated . In a May 7 speech , Obama used Loran as an example of government waste . `` This system once made a lot of sense , before there were satellites to help us navigate , '' Obama said . `` Now there 's GPS . And yet , year after year , this obsolete technology has continued to be funded even though it serves no government function and very few people are left who still actually use it . '' So at 3 p.m. Monday , the U.S. Coast Guard turned off Loran signals at 19 of the 24 Loran stations . Signals remain at five stations because of agreements with Russia and Canada , but the Coast Guard expects those stations to be decommissioned by June after the United States receives verification that those countries have been notified of the change . The five stations that temporarily remain on line are at Attu , in Alaska 's Aleutian Islands , and Caribou , Maine ; Nantucket , Massachusetts ; Shoal Cove , Alaska ; and George , Washington . Chief Warrant Officer 4 Dave Robbio said the Loran signals at the 19 closed stations will be on a `` hot stand-by '' for the next week , allowing the signals to be turned back on if something unforeseen occurs . If there are no problems , the transmitters will be completely powered down next Monday . Some congressional critics say it is a mistake to shut down the system . In a November letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano , two top members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee urged that Loran-C be spared . Deploying an enhanced Loran , or eLORAN , would cost about $ 100 million , Sens. Joseph Lieberman , I-Connecticut , and Susan Collins , R-Maine , wrote -- about one half the amount of placing one new GPS satellite in orbit , they said . But the case for dismantling Loran also has its advocates , including the U.S. Coast Guard . In a submission to the Federal Register , the Coast Guard said Loran-C was not established as , nor was it it intended to be , a backup for GPS . Other radio navigation systems , or operational procedures , can be used as backups for GPS navigation and other critical applications , the Coast Guard said . The Department of Homeland Security says it is currently reviewing the nation 's critical infrastructure `` to determine if a single , domestic system is needed as a GPS backup . '' `` The continued active operation of Loran-C is not necessary to advance this evaluation , '' DHS said . But hope springs eternal for some Loran supporters , who hope the Coast Guard will mothball the system rather than destroy it . Mothballing the stations would allow the government to resurrect the system if ongoing studies show Loran is the appropriate backup for GPS . But one Loran supporter acknowledged that hopes of reviving the system , at this point , may just be `` wishful thinking . '' | U.S. shut down 19 of 24 land-based Loran-C navigation stations on Monday . Administration says Loran no longer needed in era of Global Positioning System . Critics warn GPS is vulnerable to cyber-attacks , suggest keeping Loran as backup . | [[35, 66], [69, 117], [1479, 1538], [3908, 3986], [244, 259], [289, 328], [3416, 3496], [513, 553], [631, 634], [649, 712], [2894, 2906], [3003, 3152], [3270, 3415]] |
Editor 's note : Junot Díaz 's novel `` The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao '' won the Pulitzer Prize in 2008 . -LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- It was n't that I could n't write . I wrote every day . I actually worked really hard at writing . At my desk by 7 a.m. , would work a full eight and more . Scribbled at the dinner table , in bed , on the toilet , on the No. 6 train , at Shea Stadium . I did everything I could . But none of it worked . My novel , which I had started with such hope shortly after publishing my first book of stories , would n't budge past the 75-page mark . Nothing I wrote past page 75 made any kind of sense . Nothing . Which would have been fine if the first 75 pages had n't been pretty damn cool . But they were cool , showed a lot of promise . Would also have been fine if I could have just jumped to something else . But I could n't . All the other novels I tried sucked worse than the stalled one , and even more disturbing , I seemed to have lost the ability to write short stories . It was like I had somehow slipped into a No-Writing Twilight Zone and I could n't find an exit . Like I 'd been chained to the sinking ship of those 75 pages and there was no key and no patching the hole in the hull . I wrote and I wrote and I wrote , but nothing I produced was worth a damn . Want to talk about stubborn ? I kept at it for five straight years . Five damn years . Every day failing for five years ? I 'm a pretty stubborn , pretty hard-hearted character , but those five years of fail did a number on my psyche . On me . Five years , 60 months ? It just about wiped me out . By the end of that fifth year , perhaps in an attempt to save myself , to escape my despair , I started becoming convinced that I had written all I had to write , that I was a minor league Ralph Ellison , a Pop Warner Edward Rivera , that maybe it was time , for the sake of my mental health , for me to move on to another profession , and if the inspiration struck again some time in the future ... well , great . But I knew I could n't go on much more the way I was going . I just could n't . I was living with my fiancée at the time -LRB- over now , another terrible story -RRB- and was so depressed and self-loathing I could barely function . I finally broached the topic with her of , maybe , you know , doing something else . My fiancée was so desperate to see me happy -LRB- and perhaps more than a little convinced by my fear that maybe the thread had run out on my talent -RRB- that she told me to make a list of what else I could do besides writing . I 'm not a list person like she was , but I wrote one . It took a month to pencil down three things . -LRB- I really do n't have many other skills . -RRB- I stared at that list for about another month . Waiting , hoping , praying for the book , for my writing , for my talent to catch fire . A last-second reprieve . But nada . So I put the manuscript away . All the hundreds of failed pages , boxed and hidden in a closet . I think I cried as I did it . Five years of my life and the dream that I had of myself , all down the tubes because I could n't pull off something other people seemed to pull off with relative ease : a novel . By then I was n't even interested in a Great American Novel . I would have been elated with the eminently forgettable New Jersey novel . Oprah.com : The real meaning of your `` true calling '' So I became a normal . A square . I did n't go to bookstores or read the Sunday book section of the Times . I stopped hanging out with my writer friends . The bouts of rage and despair , the fights with my fiancée ended . I slipped into my new morose half-life . Started preparing for my next stage , back to school in September . -LRB- I wo n't even tell you what I was thinking of doing , too embarrassing . -RRB- While I waited for September to come around , I spent long hours in my writing room , sprawled on the floor , with the list on my chest , waiting for the promise of those words to leak through the paper into me . Maybe I would have gone through with it . Hard to know . But if the world is what it is so are our hearts . One night in August , unable to sleep , sickened that I was giving up , but even more frightened by the thought of having to return to the writing , I dug out the manuscript . I figured if I could find one good thing in the pages I would go back to it . Just one good thing . Like flipping a coin , I 'd let the pages decide . Spent the whole night reading everything I had written , and guess what ? It was still terrible . In fact with the new distance the lameness was even worse than I 'd thought . That 's when I should have put everything in the box . When I should have turned my back and trudged into my new life . I did n't have the heart to go on . But I guess I did . While my fiancée slept , I separated the 75 pages that were worthy from the mountain of loss , sat at my desk , and despite every part of me shrieking no no no no , I jumped back down the rabbit hole again . There were no sudden miracles . It took two more years of heartbreak , of being utterly , dismayingly lost before the novel I had dreamed about for all those years finally started revealing itself . And another three years after that before I could look up from my desk and say the word I 'd wanted to say for more than a decade : done . Oprah.com : 4 writers answer `` What makes you you ? '' That 's my tale in a nutshell . Not the tale of how I came to write my novel but rather of how I became a writer . Because , in truth , I did n't become a writer the first time I put pen to paper or when I finished my first book -LRB- easy -RRB- or my second one -LRB- hard -RRB- . You see , in my view a writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily , because she has amazing talent , because everything she does is golden . In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope , even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise , you keep writing anyway . Was n't until that night when I was faced with all those lousy pages that I realized , really realized , what it was exactly that I am . Oprah.com : 11 ways to find your calling . By Junot Diaz from O , The Oprah Magazine , November . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2010 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved . | Junot Diaz almost quit writing years before he won a Pulitzer Prize . He had 75 good pages but could n't write anything else he liked . After putting away hundreds of filled pages , he tried to think of other professions . Says a writer is someone who ca n't stop writing -- even though no hope , no promise . | [[442, 487], [530, 537], [540, 579], [4812, 4834], [4837, 4921], [1905, 1940], [5974, 5999]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An 11-year-old boy is facing adult charges in the shooting death of his father 's pregnant girlfriend , authorities said Saturday . Police say Kenzie Marie Houk 's daughter found her shot to death in her bed on Friday . Police say the boy shot Kenzie Marie Houk , who was eight months pregnant , once at point-blank range in her farmhouse in western Pennsylvania . The boy , whose name was withheld by CNN because he is a juvenile , was charged with one count each of criminal homicide and homicide of an unborn child in the death of Houk , 26 , Lawrence County District Attorney John Bongivengo told CNN . Houk 's 4-year-old daughter found her in her bed Friday , according to police . The child alerted landscapers working near the home , who then called authorities . Watch a community in shock '' `` This is something that you would n't even think of in your worst nightmare , that you 'd have to charge an 11-year-old with homicide , '' Bongivengo said , according to CNN affiliate WTAE . `` It 's heinous , the whole situation . '' Under Pennsylvania law , anyone over the age of 10 accused of murder or homicide is charged as an adult . If convicted , the boy faces a maximum sentence of life in prison , Bongivengo said . Authorities said the boy is the son of the victim 's live-in boyfriend at the home in Wampum , about 35 miles northwest of Pittsburgh . `` At this point , we do n't believe it 's accidental , '' Bongivengo said . The weapon was a youth model 20-gauge shotgun , designed for use by children , that belonged to the boy , according to investigators . Bongivengo told reporters the household has no history of child abuse , but that an investigation is ongoing . Calls to the boy 's public defender , Dennis Elisco , went unanswered Saturday . CNN 's Chloe Melas and Kristin Hamill contributed to this report . | Kenzie Marie Houk 's 4-year-old daughter found her shot to death in bed Friday . Houk , 26 , was eight months pregnant . Boy charged as an adult with criminal homicide , homicide of an unborn child . The 11-year-old is the son of Houk 's boyfriend . | [[151, 201], [162, 238], [626, 681], [263, 280], [287, 312], [0, 15], [19, 120], [1249, 1384], [1266, 1384]] |
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