(CNN)Creflo Dollar is hoping a few folks will see fit to bless him. The minister, known for being a prosperity preacher at his Atlanta-area World Changers Church International, is seeking "200,000 people committed to sow $300 or more (to) help achieve our goal to purchase the G650 airplane." The figures were presented Friday in a nearly six-minute video on the Creflo Dollar Ministries website and total more than $60 million needed to buy the Gulfstream G650, which goes for a reported $65 million. The page featuring the video and information on the fundraiser has been taken down, but those wishing to donate are still able to do so on the church's gift page. The project isn't limited to member donations, as the site states that "we are asking members, partners and supporters of this ministry to assist us in acquiring a Gulfstream G650." The request goes on to detail that the luxury jet will transport Pastors Creflo and Taffi Dollar and member of the Dollars' church around the globe to help them spread the gospel. Prosperity gospel is a theology that promises wealth and health to those who tithe 10% of their income to the church. The video includes parishioners, a pilot, a project manager and even the President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, advocating on behalf of the pastor. On the video, the pastor chronicles incidents involving his current jet, which has been in service for more than three decades: The right engine went out en route to Australia, but the plane was able to safely land at its destination thanks to the experience of the pilot and crew. During another trip, mechanical failure caused the jet to skid off a runway in London while Taffi Dollar and their three daughters were aboard. Dollar attributed his family's safe arrival to "a grace working on that airplane, that brought my girls back home to me, you understand what I am saying?" he said from the pulpit to thunderous applause. Dollar said that after those incidents, he "knew that it was time to begin to believe God for a new airplane." The Gulfstream G650 would comfortably allow the ministry make its way around the world. It seats up to 14 passengers with berthing for six, according to gulfstream.com. The jet comes with two Rolls-Royce engines, high-speed Internet and two multichannel satellites and allows for a four-and-a-half-hour commute from New York to Los Angeles. "The G650 is the biggest, fastest, most luxurious, longest range and most technologically advanced jet -- by far," according to the site. In soliciting the donations, Dollar's site states, "We need your help to continue reaching a lost and dying world for the Lord Jesus Christ. Your love gift of any amount will be greatly appreciated." Attempts to contact Dollar's ministry for comment were unsuccessful.

Summary: Link to video asking church members to pledge goes to error page . The preacher wants to buy a new jet, as his current one is more than 30 years old . The jet would be used to help spread the gospel, Dollar says .


(CNN)Jeffrey Williams admitted he fired the shots that struck two officers in Ferguson, police said, but claimed he wasn't aiming for them. Nonetheless, the 20-year-old from the St. Louis area has been arrested for the shootings of two police officers during last week's protests in Ferguson, Missouri, a prosecutor said Sunday. Williams has been charged with two counts of first-degree assault, a count of firing a weapon from a vehicle and three counts of armed criminal activity, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch said. He described Williams as a frequent protester in the city -- which some took issue with. Bishop Derrick Robinson, an area organizer, said he spoke to Williams on Sunday. "I asked him why would he say that he was a protester because it makes us look bad -- because so many things that we've done to rebuild our community," Robinson said. "It sets us like five steps back to say that it was a protester who did it, but he admitted to me that he'd never protested." For more than 200 days, protests have taken place in Ferguson since the August shooting death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown. Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson was not indicted. At the time of his arrest, Williams was on probation for receiving stolen property. The prosecutor thanked the public for the information that led to the arrest. He said police served a search warrant on Williams' residence where they seized a .40-caliber handgun, "which has been tied to the shell casings that were recovered" at the scene of the shooting. Williams is being held on a cash-only $300,000 bond, McCulloch said, adding that it's possible Williams could face more charges and that others could be charged in the case. One element of the case that authorities have yet to sort out is intent, McCulloch said, adding that Williams has acknowledged firing the shots but has said he wasn't aiming at the police officers. Investigators are not sure they "buy" Williams' claim that he opened fire after a dispute with other individuals, McCulloch said, but he didn't rule it out. "It's possible he was firing at someone else," he said, urging any other witnesses with information to come forward. The shots rang out from a hill overlooking the city's police station shortly after midnight Wednesday, at the end of a protest against the Ferguson Police Department, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said at the time. Officers saw "muzzle flashes ... about 125 yards away," Belmar said. "We could have buried two police officers," Belmar told reporters last week. "I feel very confident that whoever did this ... came there for whatever nefarious reason that it was." Public donations poured in to be used toward a reward to find the gunman and any accomplices, Belmar said. Authorities offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of person or persons responsible for the gunfire upon the two officers, according to the St. Louis Regional CrimeStoppers website. McCulloch said the tipster whose information led to Williams' arrest is eligible to

Summary: Jeffrey Williams, 20, is charged with two counts of first-degree assault, prosecutor says . Prosecutor thanks the public for leading police to a .40-caliber allegedly used in shooting . Two officers, neither from the Ferguson Police Department, were shot during protests last week .


Omaha, Nebraska (the Heartland Project)When Ryan Sallans, an activist in the Nebraska transgender community, first went to the doctor in 2005 to talk about what he medically needed to do for his gender transition, his doctor wanted to offer medical help. That was the good news. The disconcerting news was the doctor had to Google the issue first to figure out the best medical advice. "My provider just did a Web search to figure out what dose of hormones I should be on, and put me on the highest dose," Sallans said. That could have been a dangerous choice. "Starting too high of a dose too quickly can cause a lot of health problems, particularly to cardiovascular health." Fortunately, Sallans didn't have any health complications. But his experience left him with a mission. He volunteers to speak with medical institutions, as well as with businesses and colleges, to urge them to be more LGBT inclusive. While a growing number of medical schools are teaching future doctors how to address health concerns that can be specific to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, studies show current doctors only get about five hours of training, if they get any at all. The transgender life: What to know, say and understand . For members of the LGBT community who live in more rural and conservative areas like Nebraska, the struggle to get good, or at least up-to-date, medical care may be even more difficult. In general, legal protections and institutional supports for LGBT Nebraskans are already thin, spotty or nonexistent. On March 2, the United States District Court struck down Nebraska's ban on marriage for same-sex couples, but that ruling is on appeal. Then there were 12: Nebraska ordered to end same-sex marriage ban . Without the legal institution of marriage, LGBT Nebraskans typically lack family health benefits, unless their employers provide them to same-sex partners. A 2014 study from the Williams Institute at the University of California Los Angeles found that states without LGBT legal protections in place see lower rates of health insurance coverage for LGBT residents than states with protections. That plays out in Nebraska. A 2014 study from researchers at the University of Nebraska Omaha found that LGBT residents in the rural parts of the state have lower rates of health insurance coverage than their counterparts in urban areas. Time to close HIV's racial disparities . Even when LGBT Nebraskans have health insurance, they struggle to find providers versed in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender heath care needs. Research shows that LGBT individuals often experience health issues linked to being regular targets of discrimination or social stigma. Discrimination has been linked to higher rates of substance abuse, suicide and stress-related illnesses, which can include heart problems, obesity, eating disorders and cancer. If the available doctors are not familiar with the increased rates of these issues, they may provide inadequate care. Patients who find their doctors do not understand their issues may also delay treatment, often with bad health outcomes, said Jay Irwin, an assistant professor of sociology at the University

Summary: A 2014 study finds LGBT residents in rural parts of Nebraska have lower rates of health insurance coverage . People who wait to seek care, worried they won't find an LGBT-friendly doctor, can face serious medical consequences .


(CNN)Sorry, Spotify, but it appears Taylor Swift has found someone else to fill that "Blank Space." Billboard reports that most of Swift's albums are streaming on TIDAL, the music service recently purchased by Jay Z via his S. Carter Enterprises. In November, Swift refused to allow from Spotify to stream her new album "1989" and pulled the rest of her catalog from the site. The singer has been outspoken about her beliefs that the current state of the music industry is making it hard for artists (Spotify reportedly pays between $.006 and $.0084 per stream) and has endorsed the buying and selling of digital and physical albums rather than streaming. Taylor Swift pulls her music from Spotify . Music sales have declined sharply in the past few years, and in July, Swift wrote an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal about the future of the music industry in which she touched on the issue. Customers "are buying only the (albums) that hit them like an arrow through the heart or have made them feel strong or allowed them to feel like they really aren't alone in feeling so alone," she wrote. "It isn't as easy today as it was 20 years ago to have a multiplatinum-selling album, and as artists, that should challenge and motivate us." Spotify CEO Daniel Ek responded in a blog post to the singer/songwriter's decision to deny her music to his 40 million-plus customers. His company was not the enemy, he said. "Spotify has paid more than two billion dollars to labels, publishers and collecting societies for distribution to songwriters and recording artists," Ek wrote. "When I hear stories about artists and songwriters who say they've seen little or no money from streaming and are naturally angry and frustrated, I'm really frustrated too. The music industry is changing -- and we're proud of our part in that change -- but lots of problems that have plagued the industry since its inception continue to exist." In January, Jay Z's company bid more than $56 million for TIDAL, which is billing itself as "the first music streaming service that combines the best High Fidelity sound quality, High Definition music videos and expertly Curated Editorial." It's available in the U.S. and UK for $19.99 a month. According to Billboard, Swift's "1989" album, which was the biggest seller of 2014, is not currently on TIDAL. But it does include new releases like Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly" and Modest Mouse's "Strangers to Ourselves."

Summary: Swift pulled her music from Spotify last year . Jay Z bid more than $56 million for the streaming site . It's being billed as a high end streaming report .


(CNN)England's abject cricket World Cup record endures. Its team has been eliminated before the group stages of the competition has even finished after a demoralizing defeat to Bangladesh, who qualified for the quarterfinals. It means England, who invented the game of cricket but has never won the World Cup, still hasn't been past the last eight stage of the one-day tournament since 1992. Chasing a target of 276 off its 50 overs in Adelaide, Australia, England slumped to 260 all out, with only Jos Buttler offering any meaningful resistance. The wicketkeeper struck a brisk 65 after England's top order failed to lay a platform for victory, before he was dismissed by Taskin Ahmed. England captain Eoin Morgan failed again with the bat, lasting just three balls before succumbing to Rubel Hossain for no score. It marks another miserable display from one of cricket's supposed powerhouses on the world stage, its only victory in the 2015 competition coming against minnows Scotland. Whereas other teams in the tournament have taken an aggressive approach, some posting totals of over 400, England's modus operandi has looked slovenly and outdated. "Pretty poor to be knocked out of a World Cup so early, it is very disappointing," Morgan said at the post-match presentation. "I can't put my finger on it at the moment. I'm gutted. We've struggled and fought our way since we arrived -- one of our big things was to fight hard and try to get through to the quarterfinals. "Our expectations are much higher than this. I've no idea what happens from here -- it's a surprise we're out this early. There will be an inquest over the next few weeks and we'll go from there." Coach Peter Moores is bound to come in for renewed criticism, and the clamor for the return of one of England's best one-day players -- Kevin Pietersen -- is sure to grow louder. South African-born Pietersen was sacked after the disastrous tour to Australia in 2014/15, the England and Wales Cricket Board saying he was a disruptive dressing room influence. "It's a hollow feeling at the moment," Moores said after England's defeat. "You feel like you have let people down." Despite committing a year to prepare for the World Cup, England dismissed Alastair Cook as skipper less than two months before the tournament in Australia and New Zealand began. Mahmudullah was Bangladesh's hero, scoring the country's first ever century at the World Cup, as it recorded one of the biggest wins in its history. England now face a dead rubber against Afghanistan on Friday while Bangladesh has cemented its place in the last eight.

Summary: England knocked out of the Cricket World Cup after defeat to Bangladesh . It hasn't gone past the quarterfinal stage of the competition since 1992 . England has just one win to its name at the tournament, over Scotland . Bangladesh through to the knockout stages of the tournament .


(CNN)Britain's Lewis Hamilton made the perfect start to his world title defense by winning the opening race of the F1 season in Australia Sunday to lead a Mercedes one-two in Melbourne. Polesitter Hamilton controlled the race on the Albert Park street circuit to win from teammate Nico Rosberg of Germany. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel took the final podium position for his new team Ferrari, holding off Felipe Massa in the Willams. It was the 34th career victory for two-time world champion Hamilton and underlined the continued dominance of Mercedes as he and Rosberg pulled well clear of their nearest challengers. Hamilton, who was forced to retire early in last year's Australian Grand Prix, was taking the checkered flag in Melbourne for the first time since 2008, when he claimed his first world title for McLaren. It had all gone completely to plan until coming face to face on the victory podium with movie legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was conducting the post-race interviews. "Hey man, WOW," said a surprised Hamilton. "It is an incredibly feeling to continue winning but also great to be up here with you." Then taking his courage in his hands, Hamilton cheekily told 'The Terminator' "I thought you were taller!" After getting the thoughts of Rosberg and Vettel, who said it was a "very big honor" to gain his first points for Ferrari, Schwarzenegger turned his attention back to Hamilton. The pair signed off by saying together: "I'll be back," the catchphrase from Schwarzenegger's iconic 1984 film. With Hamilton winning his seventh race from eight starts, his F1 rivals would probably rather he stayed away and Rosberg admitted "he was driving to his max" but could not match the pace of his teammate. Only 11 cars finished the race from a depleted grid of 15 cars, with Valtteri Bottas unable to start for Williams due to a back injury. Pastor Maldonado crashed out on the first lap as the safety car was deployed, while his teammate Romain Grosjean retired early in the 58-lap race to complete a miserable afternoon for Lotus. Britain's Jenson Button in an uncompetitive McLaren was the only driver to finish without a point in 11th place. His regular teammate Fernando Alonso sat out the race after his nasty crash in pre-season testing in Barcelona, while stand-in Kevin Magnussen retired after the warm-up lap. Kimi Raikkonen looked set to underline Ferrari's improvement when running in fifth place, but had to retire the car, with TV replays indicating his left rear tire was not fitted properly after a pit stop. It left the way clear for rookie Felipe Nasr of Brazil to claim an unexpected fifth place for Sauber, which went through the 2014 season without claiming a single point, and also took eighth spot with Marcus Ericsson. Home hopes rested with Daniel Ricciardo, third in last year's title race, but he looked off the pace in the Red Bull in sixth place. Force India pair Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez finished seventh and 10th, with Carlos Sainz Jr. impressing on his F1 debut for Toro

Summary: Lewis Hamilton wins opening race of 2015 F1 season in Australia . Mercedes 1-2 with Nico Rosberg in second place . World champion Hamilton had started from pole position . Sebastian Vettel claims final podium place for Ferrari .


(CNN)The flight crew of the Delta Air Lines plane that skidded into a fence at LaGuardia Airport last week cited brake issues during the landing, according to an update on Monday from the NTSB. The crew said they did not sense any deceleration from the wheel brake upon landing, despite the auto brakes being set to "max," according to an ongoing investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. The runway appeared all white in the moments before landing, according to the report. They based their decision to land after receiving a brake action report of "good" from air traffic control, the NTSB said. "The automatic spoilers did not deploy," the crew told the NTSB, "but that the first officer quickly deployed them manually." The captain said he was unable to stop the aircraft from drifting left, according to the report. The Boeing MD-88 sustained significant damage to the left wing, flight spoilers, the nose of the plane and the left wing fuel tank, according to the NTSB. Delta Flight 1086 departed from Atlanta shortly after 9 a.m. Thursday. LaGuardia was dealing with snow and freezing fog as the flight approached its destination about two hours later. The aircraft briefly circled New York because of issues with snow and ice before touching down shortly after 11 a.m. The plane slid off the runway with its nose busting through a fence before skidding to a halt mere feet from frigid waters. Twenty three passengers received minor injuries, and others were transported to the hospital for evaluation. An NTSB meteorologist is examining the weather conditions at the time of the accident, said the report. The cause of the accident has not been determined.

Summary: Delta Air Lines Flight 1086 skidded into a fence last week at a LaGuardia Airport beset by winter weather . The NTSB says the crew reported they did not sense any deceleration from the wheel brake upon landing .


(CNN)There can be no March without the madness. When it comes to college basketball, the first month of spring ushers in a frantic slew of games to determine seedings for one of the most fervently watched sporting events in the U.S., known simply as the NCAA Tournament, or more often, March Madness. Like English soccer's FA Cup, much of the 68-team tournament's appeal is its egalitarian system of pitting traditional powerhouse programs like Duke, UCLA and Kentucky against relative minnows like Saint Mary's, Butler and Davidson. And both competitions offer the carrot of being able to impress scouts from top pro teams -- a first-round NBA pick can expect to earn anywhere from $755,000 to $5.75 million. Not bad for a graduate. Last year's tournament reached 102 million viewers, while almost 740,000 fans attended the 36 sessions. "When you go to college, maybe your number one goal before you graduate is you want to be able to play in the NCAA tournament," says Bryce Drew, head coach and former player at Valparaiso University in Indiana (28-5, Horizon League champions). "It's the biggest stage for college basketball, and it's one of the biggest national events in all of America." Drew knows just how big an impact that high-profile stage can have on aspiring professionals from beyond the major college ranks. His last-second shot for Valparaiso to beat the University of Mississippi in the first round of the 1998 tournament is one of the most replayed moments in March Madness history. How it works: . Selection Sunday (March 15) A 10-member panel determines seedings for the 68 teams that make the knockout tournament . First Four (March 17-18) A format started in 2011, 8 teams compete to qualify in the main draw . Second round (March 19-20) 64 teams split into 4 regions: Midwest, West, South and East . #1 plays #16 in each group . Third round (March 21-22) Down to 32 teams . Regional semifinals (March 26-27) Known as the "Sweet Sixteen" Regional finals (March 28-29) The "Elite Eight" National semifinals (April 4) The "Final Four" is played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis; minimum capacity 70,000 . Championship Game (April 6) One of the most-watched events in U.S. sport . "I had always dreamed of winning the game in the NCAA tournament (and) always dreamed of making the last-second shot. For God to bless (me) with both of things at one time is something that I'll always cherish and remember," Drew says. His father, Homer Drew, was Valparaiso's coach at the time, and his brother Scott (now men's basketball coach at Baylor University) was an assistant, completing the Hollywood scenario. "I don't think any of us realized that they would show that replay the next year, and even the next year, and the next year. We were just so happy in the moment and never thought that we'd be able to talk about it over a decade later," he says. Showing the highlight is virtually a prerequisite whenever Drew coaches a nationally televised game, and is sure to come up next

Summary: Field of 68 gives small colleges a chance to shine . Bryce Drew turned tournament fame into lasting pro career . Pro scouts look for diamonds in the rough .


(CNN)ISIS militants kidnapped 20 foreigners working at a Libyan hospital, then released them -- under the condition, if they want to live, that they stay put so they can treat members of the Islamist extremist group, a hospital official said. About 30 gunmen tied to the group calling itself the Islamic State stormed Ibn Sina Hospital in Sirte on Monday while a bus was waiting to take the workers to Tripoli, Libya's capital. The medical workers were later released and sent back to their homes near the medical facility, a hospital official said Tuesday. But they can't go far, with ISIS militants ordering them not to leave Sirte, according to the official. One of those kidnapped, a doctor from Uzbekistan, was told he is safe as long as he didn't leave, and he treated any militants who were wounded, the hospital official said. "They told him that, for your life, you (stay) and work in the city," the official added. Like the doctor, the other medical workers aren't Libyan. Most are from the Philippines, with others from Ukraine, India and Serbia. The kidnappings came days after people of Filipino, Austrian, Czech, Ghanaian and Bangladeshi descent were taken from Libya's Al-Ghani oil field, an operation that Libya's internationally recognized government blamed on "ISIS militias." The abductions are more evidence of the turmoil Libya has experienced since 2011, the start of an uprising against longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Sirte was Gadhafi's hometown, where he was killed, and where his loyalists held out the longest. In the years since, Sirte has become a home to ISIS. The coastal city, halfway between Tripoli and Benghazi, is where terrorists kidnapped 21 Coptic Christians from Egypt in separate incidents in December and January. That mass abduction was followed by mass slaughter -- one that, in ISIS' distinctive, depraved style, was videotaped and disseminated as propaganda, showing jihadists standing behind their orange-clad, handcuffed victims and then beheading them. "The sea you have hidden Sheikh Osama bin Laden's body in," a masked English-speaking jihadi said on the video, "we swear to Allah, we will mix it with your blood." Like the Egyptians, the medical workers kidnapped Monday are foreigners, having come to Sirte to work. They also have skills that could help ISIS. The Ibn Sina Hospital official believes the extremist group went after the workers -- who'd been trying to flee Sirte's precarious security situation -- because they make up the only medical team there and might be needed to treat ISIS militants. The large-scale kidnapping illustrates how ISIS has become a disruptive force in Africa. The group's main foothold is in Iraq and Syria, where it has ruthlessly conquered territory and threatened to take more despite efforts by local governments and a U.S.-led air campaign. ISIS branched out into Libya last year, with CNN reporting in November that fighters loyal to the group had complete control of Derna, a city of about 100,000 near the Egyptian border. Militants who've pledged allegiance to ISIS also have made their mark in points westward, forming chapters in cities including Sirte, Benghazi

Summary: ISIS tells doctor to stay, treat militants, hospital official says . About 30 gunmen stormed the Sirte hospital, took 20 foreigners captive . ISIS has been active in Sirte, where it also abducted Christians from Egypt .


(CNN)After weeks of controversy and the sudden departures of two co-hosts, "Fashion Police" is going on an extended break. The fashion commentary show on E! channel announced Tuesday that it will be on hiatus until September. "We look forward to taking this opportunity to refresh the show before the next awards season," it said in a statement. The announcement caps a rocky few months. Last week, co-host Kathy Griffin bid the show bye-bye after seven episodes, saying her style did not blend in with her co-hosts. She made a dig at the show on her way out. "There is plenty to make fun of in pop culture without bringing people's bodies into it," she said in a statement. "I do not want to use my comedy to contribute to a culture of unattainable perfectionism and intolerance towards difference." Shortly before her departure, co-host Giuliana Rancic faced backlash last month for suggesting that Disney star Zendaya Coleman's dreadlocks smelled of marijuana. Rancic later issued an on-air apology to the 18-year-old after social media jumped to the teen's defense. But her apology was not enough for co-host Kelly Osbourne, who criticized her remarks and quit a few days later. Rancic and fellow co-host Brad Goreski will return in September, along with executive producer Melissa Rivers.

Summary: Fashion commentary show will be on hiatus until September . Co-hosts Giuliana Rancic and Brad Goreski will return in September .


(CNN)I can't remember exactly when my teenage fascination with computers collided with the federal government, but I will never forget the morning in 1983 when two FBI agents showed up on my parents' doorstep. I had gone to bed around 4 or 5 a.m. after spending hours on my computer, which was pretty common for me back then, at age 18. A few hours later, my mom woke me up telling me there were a couple of men here to see me and that they said something about it being official or federal business. I had a slight fear this day would come, because only a couple of days earlier, I had a strange call from a friend asking me what I would do if we were visited by the police or some type of investigation team. Two men sitting at my kitchen table pulled out badges and stated they were with the FBI. They said they needed to talk to me. Let me start with a little history: I got my first taste of computers in the mid-1970s in junior high school. We had a teletype terminal that had been brought to our school with an acoustic modem attached. We were shown how it worked and some of us had a chance to do some math testing. I did not get to use it the first time, but I stayed after school that evening to see if I could get a chance to try it out. The teacher dialed into the central office computer, logged in and started the math program. I felt like a new world opened for me. For the first time in my life, I saw something that made me imagine what I wanted to do when I grew up. That junior high school computer math program lead me to computer classes in high school. There, I learned of an Explorer Scout group sponsored by IBM. For the next couple of years I built a friendship with a group of people who had interests similar to mine -- some closer than others. We would play with computers at school, in Explorer Scouts, in stores like Radio Shack and at home. Finally in 1982, I bought my first computer. Some of my friends already had computers and now my time came and I finally got my own. I purchased a Heathkit H-89, which we built in a friend's basement. At the same time I also bought a Hayes 309 baud Smartmodem. I used my computer and modem to log onto electronic bulletin board systems, or BBS, and create more friendships and acquaintances. We were a curious group and we were eager to learn more and more about the different computers made and how they worked. We ended up getting into about a dozen computer systems -- from the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York to a major international bank system in Los Angeles to the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, one of only two U.S. laboratories dedicated to nuclear weapons research. We were really just looking

Summary: As a teen, Timothy Winslow fell in love with exploring computer systems around the nation . When the FBI showed up, that exploration caused some trouble .


Selma, Alabama (CNN)Crowds massed at a bridge in Selma, Alabama, Sunday to remember and reflect upon the sacrifices of another crowd that gathered at the same bridge half a century ago on a day that came to be known as "Bloody Sunday." Walkers marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in the afternoon to commemorate those freedom-marchers who were clubbed and tear-gassed by state troopers as they peacefully filed across on March 7, 1965. The crowd was massive. It was shoulder to shoulder near the bridge and several blocks away. There were so many people that walking is a bit misleading -- people just really moved inch by inch along the way. The protest decades ago against the denial of civil rights to Americans based solely on the color of their skin, and the television coverage of the bludgeoning dealt them, hastened the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. On Sunday at Selma's Brown Chapel AME, a historically black church, leaders in the religious and political realm as well as community organizers gathered to hear speeches, sing hymns and remember what happened 50 years ago. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was in the audience. Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke, as did Rev. Al Sharpton. An important figure in the decades-long fight for civil rights, former Atlanta Mayor and U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young remembered the struggle in the 1960s but wanted everyone to keep pushing forward and thinking about achieving economic equality today. "We've got to focus on ourselves not as problems but as visionaries," he said. "We have come a long, long way, but I have enjoyed every bit of it," Young remarked. Several people remarked at how much it meant that the day before, on Saturday, America's first African-American President, Barack Obama, made a rousing speech on racial progress in a diverse country. He said that the struggle against discrimination continues today. Looking back, the "Bloody Sunday" march was triggered when a law officer shot a black man dead the month before. But it was about more -- the right to vote for all Americans. About 600 people were going to march 50 miles to the state capital in Montgomery before they were forcibly stopped. Sunday's festivities started with a breakfast and end late with a dance. A string of parades, receptions, reflections, films and discussions will fill the time in between. The commemoration marking 50 years since "Bloody Sunday" continues on Monday. "Our march is not yet finished. But we are getting closer," Obama said Saturday, his words echoing into a crowd of thousands lined up in front of him. Obama emphasized that a day of commemoration is not enough to repay the debt paid by the marchers who were beaten 50 years ago as they demonstrated for voting rights. "If Selma taught us anything, it's that our work is never done," the President said near Edmund Pettus Bridge. Read President Obama's prepared remarks . The President said that what civil rights marchers did years ago "will reverberate through the ages. Not because the change they won was preordained; not

Summary: A large crowd walks the footsteps of those who marched 50 years ago . They are crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge, named for a former KKK leader . President Obama called Saturday for renewal of Voting Rights Act .


(CNN)Food & Wine magazine has released its annual list of the best new chefs across America. Making the cut in 2015 are a chef with a doctorate in neuroscience, a one-time "Top Chef" contestant and a culinary artist who plays blues guitar in his free time. The 11 chefs and their restaurants, which will be profiled in the July issue of Food & Wine, span the country as well as the culinary spectrum, specializing in Spanish tapas, rustic Italian, modern American, farm-to-table and even the breakfast and lunch rush. What they all have in common is a willingness to take risks while satisfying the palates of many, says Food & Wine Editor in Chief Dana Cowin. "I was surprised, and delighted, by how personal these restaurants are," said Cowin. "The chefs seem to be cooking to please themselves, and in the process have dazzled diners." Cowin noted a trend: The chefs are nodding toward the past while innovating. "Chefs are also looking to their families as touchstones," she said. "We've seen a lot of paeans to grandmothers. In fact, Olamaie is named for one of the two chefs' grandmothers. Tim Maslow of Ribelle took over his father's restaurant, Strip T's, and reinvented the food, while leaving the décor the same. Carlos Salgado of Taco Maria was born into a family that had a Mexican-American restaurant and now he's elevated that traditional cooking." Though many of the chefs are looking to a simpler time in their lives for inspiration, picking the top cooks in the country is no simple task. First, Food & Wine editors reach out to a "trusted group of nominators" around the country, which includes writers for the magazine, past honorees and industry insiders, for their picks. They're looking for chefs who have been creating dishes and running a professional kitchen for five years or less. Editors also comb local magazines and newspapers to find out who is generating buzz regionally. Once the group of candidates is whittled down, Food & Wine visits the restaurants to taste the local fare anonymously. This year's selections include a former scientist, chef Katie Button of Curate in Asheville, North Carolina; "Top Chef" season 4 contestant Zoi Antonitsas of Westward in Seattle; and blues-lover Bryce Shuman of Betony in New York City. "Top Chef" host Tom Colicchio, famed restaurateur Thomas Keller and international megachefs Daniel Boulud and Nobu Matsuhisa are past honorees. The July issue of Food & Wine hits newsstands in mid-June, and the honored chefs will be in attendance at the annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado, that month. A complete list of this year's Food & Wine top chefs is below. See the gallery above for more on the chefs and their cuisine. Bryce Shuman; Betony; New York City . Michael Fojtasek and Grae Nonas; Olamaie; Austin, Texas . Zoi Antonitsas; Westward; Seattle . Jake Bickelhaupt; 42 Grams; Chicago . Jonathan Brooks; Milktooth; Indianapolis . Katie Button; Curate; Asheville, North Carolina . Jim Christiansen; Heyday; Minneapolis . Tim Maslow; Strip T's and Ribelle; Boston . Ori Menashe; Bestia; Los

Summary: Food & Wine magazine picks a crop of promising chefs annually . This year's chefs include specialists in tapas, Mexican food and rustic Italian fare .


(CNN)Iran's judicial system believes in the ancient concept of "an eye for an eye" -- literally. On Tuesday, a man convicted of blinding another man in an acid attack was himself forcibly blinded in one eye, according to Amnesty International and Tasnim News, a semi-official news website. The punishment is believed to be Iran's first case of Qasas, meaning retribution in kind, Tasnim News said. Amnesty International denounced the sentence. "This punishment exposes the utter brutality of Iran's justice system and underlines the Iranian authorities' shocking disregard for basic humanity," said Raha Bahreini, Amnesty International's Iran researcher. "Meting out cruel and inhuman retribution punishments is not justice. Blinding, like stoning, amputation and flogging, is a form of corporal punishment prohibited by international law. Such punishments should not be carried out under any circumstances." The acid attacker had been hired by the victim's wife to throw acid in his face, Tasnim News said. Amnesty International said the attack occurred in 2009 in the city of Qom. The defendant was blinded in his left eye at Rajai Shahr Prison, but the blinding of his right eye was postponed, Amnesty International said. The man was ordered to pay "blood money" and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Amnesty International said punishment has been delayed for another Iranian man in a "retribution in kind" case. That man had been sentenced to be blinded and made deaf, Amnesty International said. CNN's Shirzad Bozorgmehr in Tehran and Elwyn Lopez in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Summary: Iran's judicial system blinded a man in his left eye on Tuesday, Amnesty International reported . He had been convicted of putting acid on another man's face, causing him to be blinded .


(The Hollywood Reporter)It's official: AMC's "The Walking Dead" companion series has a title. Executive producer Robert Kirkman announced Friday that the companion series, which starts as a prequel to the original, will be titled "Fear The Walking Dead." Read more: "Walking Dead" from comics to the small screen . The news comes as the companion went through development season -- and was picked up to series and preemptively renewed for a second season — under code names including "Cobalt" and "Fear The Walking Dead." On March 9, AMC announced the series pickup and renewal for the then-untitled series. Kirkman, who created "The Walking Dead" comic series, co-wrote the pilot with Dave Erickson of "Sons of Anarchy." Kirkman and Erickson will executive produce alongside "Walking Dead's" Gale Anne Hurd and Dave Alpert. Erickson will serve as showrunner, and Adam Davidson will direct the pilot. "Walking Dead" visual effects guru Greg Nicotero will also executive produce the series. While AMC has been tight-lipped on the series' premise, sources tell "The Hollywood Reporter" that the drama is a prequel that takes place in Los Angeles at the onset of the zombie outbreak. AMC confirmed that the companion series is set in Los Angeles but revealed nothing more beyond that it will focus on new characters and storylines. Read more: "The Walking Dead's'"Most Shocking Deaths . Cliff Curtis ("Gang Related") stars as Sean Cabrera, a teacher who shares a son with his ex-wife. "Sons of Anarchy's" Kim Dickens is set to co-star as Nancy, a guidance counselor who works at the school with Sean and is seeing him romantically. Frank Dillane ("Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince") co-stars as Nancy's son Nick, who has battled a drug problem. And Alycia Debnam Carey ("Into the Woods") is will play Nancy's ambitious daughter, Ashley, who is the polar opposite of Nick and dreams of leaving Los Angeles for Berkeley when the apocalypse strikes. "Fear The Walking Dead" will premiere in the late summer with season two set for 2016. An official premiere date has not yet been announced. The season five finale of the flagship series airs Sunday at 9 p.m. Read more: How "The Walking Dead" stumbled in its storytelling this season . ©2015 The Hollywood Reporter. All rights reserved.

Summary: Show will star "Sons of Anarchy's" Kim Dickens and Cliff Curtis of "Gang Related"


(CNN)When Longmont, Colorado, police officer Billy Sawyer responded to a 911 call from a pregnant woman who was stabbed and had her fetus ripped out, he wasn't prepared for what they would see. "She was barely conscious. It was very hard to keep her attention at the moment," Sawyer told CNN's Erin Burnett. " And she was covered in blood. It was one of the most horrific crime scenes I have seen." The officer grabbed a pair of gloves and tried to find where she was injured. Michelle Wilkins was weak and in shock when police arrived. Despite her shock, Wilkins was able to tell Sawyer that she had responded to a Craigslist ad and had been attacked. She didn't know at that moment that she had lost her child, but her ability to communicate the events helped save her own life. "She's an amazing woman to have that will and that drive to survive and do what she did and be able to contact the police and tell us where she was at, where inside of that location she was at, and speak to me as I entered the residence, direct me to her location," Sawyer said. "I mean, she is the only reason why she's alive right now." The grisly cutting of the fetus from Wilkins began when she responded to a Craigslist ad about baby clothes for sale. The 26-year-old Wilkins, who was seven months' pregnant, arrived at the seller's home Wednesday in Longmont. Stabbed in the stomach and bleeding, Wilkins called 911. Another officer, Phil Piotrowski, told CNN affiliate KDVR. that the scene was almost too much to bear. He had to take a moment to collect himself. "When I walked in and looked at her for a short moment, I actually had to walk out for a second because my head wasn't able to wrap around it." Still, given what Wilkins had endured, it left him impressed. "She is probably one of the strongest people I've ever had the pleasure to meet," Piotrowski said. Michelle Wilkins' uncle Chris Wilkins said, "She's alive because professional first responders execute perfectly." But Piotrowski believes Wilkins is the one who "saved her own life." The fetus died, but the mother survived and "is improving minute by minute, hour by hour," according to Chris Wilkins. She's reported to be in critical but stable condition. Dynel Lane, 34, a former nurse aide, is being held on $2 million bail while prosecutors weigh charges against her, including murder. Lane is accused of stabbing Wilkins and removing a female fetus. The murder charge would reportedly depend on whether the fetus was old enough to have lived outside of her mother's body. In a statement obtained by KDVR, Michelle Wilkins' family says, "We cannot begin to fathom the depths of depravity and evil which drove her attacker, and trust that between law enforcement and our legal system; they will make sure justice is carried out." CNN's John Fricke contributed to this report.

Summary: Officers responding to 911 call found Michelle Wilkins covered in blood . Wilkins was stabbed and had fetus torn out after she answered a Craigslist ad .


Fall River, Massachusetts (CNN)Is there hidden meaning in recorded jailhouse calls with former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez after his arrest? Defense attorneys and prosecutors are in a pitched battle over whether a jury should be able to hear them during his ongoing murder trial in its eighth full week of testimony. Snippets of the conversations are contained in motions filed by both sides. The transcribed excerpts include Hernandez talking with his fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins, and also with his cousin Tanya Singleton. There's also a debate about calls between Singleton and co-defendant Ernest Wallace. Prosecutors contend calls involving Wallace, Singleton, and Jenkins, in particular, are proof of an ongoing conspiracy to conceal evidence after the June 17, 2013, killing of Odin Lloyd. The defense argues the calls are irrelevant, prejudicial and contain hearsay. Aaron Hernandez trial: The latest developments . Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to orchestrating Lloyd's killing with the help of Wallace and Carlos Ortiz. Wallace and Ortiz have pleaded not guilty and are being tried separately. Singleton and Jenkins both face charges of their own stemming from Lloyd's killing. Singleton has pleaded not guilty to being an accessory after the fact, accused of helping Wallace escape to Florida. Singleton, suffering from terminal cancer, is expected to be called as a state's witness. She previously served time for contempt of court for refusing to testify before a grand jury. In calls between Singleton and Wallace -- after he was arrested but before she was jailed on the contempt charge -- prosecutors contend she is passing on information from Wallace to Hernandez. At trial, authorities suggest Hernandez was reaching out to Wallace the night Lloyd's bullet-riddled body was discovered. Jurors have been shown surveillance video and phone records authorities say show Hernandez borrowing his attorney's cell phone to call Wallace that night from the North Attleboro police station parking lot after Hernandez took apart his own phone. During previous cross-examination, the defense has argued there is no proof of what that call was about and there was nothing unusual about taking a battery out of a cell phone, then putting it back together. Hernandez's fiancée, Jenkins, has pleaded not guilty to lying before a grand jury. Prosecutors suspect her of getting rid of the murder weapon after receiving a coded text message from Hernandez a day after Lloyd's killing. The jury has seen a home surveillance video of her removing a trash bag from the house and driving away with it in a car. The handgun, believed to be .45-caliber Glock, has never been found. Court documents state all jailhouse calls are recorded, and detainees are notified by signs and recorded messages that their phone conversations are being monitored. Below are excerpts of some of the calls the defense wants to quash and prosecutors want the jury to hear: . July 12, 2013 -- Call between Tanya Singleton and Ernest Wallace . Wallace: "You tell Ink, tell Ink, I love him, man. I love him." Singleton: "I will." Wallace: "Tell him no matter what, don't think I'm la-la-la'ing. I'll never

Summary: Prosecutors contend recorded jailhouse calls are proof of conspiracy to conceal evidence . Aaron Hernandez's defense argues the calls are irrelevant, prejudicial and contain hearsay . Judge to hear arguments and then decide whether state can admit the calls as evidence .


New Delhi (CNN)Thankfully, no one was wounded after crude bombs were hurled at a Tamil news station in India on Thursday. But the loud explosions injured a vital part of the world's largest democracy: free speech. Last week, when India's government and a British documentarian faced off over a film featuring a man imprisoned for a 2012 gang rape in South Delhi, a little-known channel hundreds of miles away in southern India was waging its own battle. Hardline Hindu groups were angry with broadcaster Puthiya Thalaimurai for filming a show about the relevance of a traditional necklace -- called mangalsutra in Hindi and thaali in Tamil -- worn by married Indian women. For them, the contents, as shown in the promos, were offensive to Hindu culture. The station planned to release the program Sunday, International Women's Day. But it canceled the telecast after demonstrations took place outside its office. Protesters allegedly attacked one of its cameramen. Four days later, the channel came under fire again, when four men on two motorbikes threw bombs into its compound in a predawn attack, authorities say. Six people involved in the bombing have been arrested, said S. George, the commissioner of the southern Indian city of Chennai. Their leader turned himself in separately, claiming responsibility for the attack, police said. "The show wanted to give women a platform. We welcome all opinions and thoughts. But you cannot strangle freedom of free expression by violent means and threats," said Shyam Kumar, the CEO of New Generation Media Corp., which runs Puthiya Thalaimurai. "We condemn the attack in the strongest possible terms," he told CNN. 'India's Daughter,' the film banned by India: What did it show? But India is no stranger to censorship imposed legally or forced by rowdy protesters. The country's constitution guarantees freedom of expression, but not without restrictions. Communities or people claiming their religious sentiments were hurt by anyone else's opinion can file a lawsuit. Authorities can seek restraining orders from local courts -- as they did to ban the recent BBC documentary "India's Daughter" -- by citing potential disorder. Earlier last year, Penguin India withdrew "The Hindus: An Alternative History," a book by American academic Wendy Doniger, after a local advocacy group accused the writer of denigrating Hinduism. In December, a Bollywood movie, "PK," came under attack over similar accusations when mobs tore apart its posters in parts of India. A satire on religious rituals, "PK" became a roaring success by being one of the country's highest-grossing movies. But India, home to one of the world's largest film industries, has blocked several movies from screening. At least two films were not allowed last year. One of them featured the lives of the Sikh assassins of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and the other centered on the violence in Sri Lanka in the closing months of its civil war. Hounded by protests over his novel, Perumal Murugan, a Tamil author, announced quitting writing in a dramatic post on Facebook in January. "Perumal Murugan, the writer is dead. As he is no God, he is not going

Summary: Indian broadcaster Puthiya Thalaimurai drew protests for a show about traditional necklaces worn by married women . This comes after India banned a film featuring a man imprisoned for a gang rape in South Delhi . "There's a growing intolerance towards different shades of opinion," a broadcasting company CEO says .


(CNN)The HBO documentary "Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck" is already drawing rave reviews on the film festival circuit, including sold-out showings at both Sundance and the True/False fests before its television premiere on May 4th. However, anticipation for the film's soundtrack is about to hit fever pitch as director Brett Morgen revealed that the accompanying album will feature "a mind-blowing 12-minute acoustic Cobain unheard track," the filmmaker tweeted (via Loudwire). Kurt Cobain documentary set to premiere at Sundance . Morgen didn't share any other details regarding the song other than it will feature on the "Montage of Heck" soundtrack. While an April 7th release date has been scheduled for the film's companion book, which features "a mixture of animation stills, rare photography and other treasures from Kurt Cobain's personal archive," no date or further information has been announced regarding the film's soundtrack. Kurt Cobain doc 'Montage of Heck' adds rarities-filled companion book . Rolling Stone talked to Morgen at the Sundance Film Festival, and the filmmaker revealed that the documentary's score "is all unreleased Cobain music." "They don't have titles. Before people saw the movie, there were these weird press releases focusing on the unreleased music. And it's like: It's a movie. We're not going to stop it and play a song for four minutes," Morgen said. "But nobody in Kurt's life — not his management, wife, bandmates — had ever heard his Beatles thing [a snippet of 'And I Love Her']. I found it on a random tape. It's a Paul [McCartney] song. How's that for shattering the myth?" Sundance 2015: Intimate 'Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck' doc stuns at premiere . Morgen added that he hoped to put out one of the Cobain's personal cassettes - "Tape 59: Montage of Heck" - as a special release on "Independent Record Store day, like unannounced, but it didn't happen." See the original story at RollingStone.com. Copyright © 2015 Rolling Stone.

Summary: The album will feature a 12-minute acoustic Cobain unheard track . The doc is already winning rave reviews . Filmmaker wants to release one of the Cobain's personal cassettes .


(CNN)She stood there, injured and holding a knife, outside her Florida home. That image is horrifying enough, but nothing compared to what police say they found inside. All three of that woman's children were unresponsive when officers encountered them Friday evening, including a 7-year-old girl who was reported dead soon thereafter, according to the Palm Bay police department. One of them, a 6-year-old boy, died later. A 5-month-old boy is seriously injured. Their mother, identified by police as Jessica Lacey McCarty, didn't comply to officers' request that she drop her knife. So officers fired several "less lethal" bean bag rounds at her, after which she was taken into custody, according to police. And on Saturday, Palm Bay police announced on the department's Facebook page that McCarty was being charged with two counts of murder in connection with her children's deaths. The 33-year-old woman is also facing an attempted murder charge regarding her infant son, who was in critical condition at a nearby hospital. After initially being taken to a hospital after suffering what police called "non-life threatening injuries," McCarty was moved to the Brevard County Detention Center, where she's being held without bond. She will face a judge within 24 hours to address the charges, according to the Palm Bay post from around midday Saturday. "A crime like this is beyond words," police Capt. Josh Resh said. "It is unthinkable that someone could do this to innocent children." Authorities' first indication of trouble came in a 911 call just before 6 p.m. Friday from a woman claiming to have killed her three children. McCarty's boyfriend -- the father of one of the children -- placed his own call to police seconds later, after arriving home to the grim scene. How and why did the children die? Authorities are waiting on results from an autopsy, scheduled for Sunday, to definitively figure that all out. "We are still trying to verify the sequence of events, how and why they occurred," Palm Bay police Lt. Mario Augello said. "... This is still a very active criminal investigation." Regardless, the episode shook those in the victims' neighborhood in Palm Bay, which is about 70 miles southeast of Orlando on Florida's Atlantic coast. It started with the sirens and about 10 armed officers coming down the street, telling him to get inside, neighbor Davion Lewis CNN affiliate WESH. But for neighbor Becky Johnson, learning why they had come was even more horrifying. "It's inexcusable, unthinkable, ... shocking," Johnson said. "You think of your own kids."

Summary: Police fired "less lethal" bean bag rounds at woman with knife after she didn't comply . An autopsy set for Sunday could help determine how the children died, police say . 3 children are found unresponsive at a home in Palm Bay, on Florida's East coast .


March 9, 2015 . This week marks the anniversary of several historic events: a civil rights march to Selma, Alabama's Edmund Pettus Bridge, the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines flight, and the commemoration of International Women's Day. We'll cover all of them this Monday on CNN Student News, and we explain why the latest U.S. unemployment report is a mixed bag. On this page you will find today's show Transcript and a place for you to request to be on the CNN Student News Roll Call. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show. ROLL CALL . For a chance to be mentioned on the next CNN Student News, comment on the bottom of this page with your school name, mascot, city and state. We will be selecting schools from the comments of the previous show. You must be a teacher or a student age 13 or older to request a mention on the CNN Student News Roll Call! Thank you for using CNN Student News!

Summary: This page includes the show Transcript . Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary . At the bottom of the page, comment for a chance to be mentioned on CNN Student News. You must be a teacher or a student age 13 or older to request a mention on the CNN Student News Roll Call.


(CNN)Stylists, a fashion commentator and a luxury-brand exec are speaking out about a movement that sneers at Hollywood's implicit deal: gratis gowns in exchange for money or mentions. Not surprisingly, fashion designers providing free couture dresses don't exactly feel the same way. "Because it has now become a thing where people spend months and make five dresses for them," Tom Ford has said. "If you wear one of those dresses and a company has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars or has paid you, then yeah, you say who it is." In other words, ladies who look like a million bucks (and have been paid that much or more from deals with brands like Dior or Chanel) can't expect not to be asked about what they're wearing. Reese Witherspoon supports #AskHerMore: "It's hard being a woman in Hollywood" Notes Hollywood stylist Cristina Ehrlich of awards-season red carpets: "These women in many cases are being paid a great deal of money to wear these dresses. It's serious business. Is this the venue to get into baby seals or Save the Whales? I'm not sure it fits." One vice president of a major European fashion house asks: "If you asked these actresses straight out, 'Which is more important to you, the money you're paid to wear these dresses or talking about issues?' They'd take the money any time, believe me." Is red carpet coverage sexist? Battle lines drawn at Oscars over #AskHerMore . Stylist Karla Welch suggests a two-pronged response: "How about ask her both? Feminism and turning it out on the carpet shouldn't be mutually exclusive. There needed to be a backlash to mani-cams and, to be honest, there could be some better journalism from fashion experts." Outgoing Fashion Police host Kathy Griffin agrees: "Any actress can choose to steer the conversation. The worst [media] can do is nervously cut to commercial. I support any movement that gives women increased power from where their only recourse was just to wear Spanx and smile. Men, however, should be asked exclusively about their penis size." The Hollywood Reporter's 25 most powerful stylists of 2015 . What do you think celebs should do? ©2015 The Hollywood Reporter. All rights reserved.

Summary: Reese Witherspoon was among the actresses at the Oscars who called for red carpet interviewers to #AskHerMore . While red carpet fashion is a big draw for awards, women in Hollywood say they want to talk about more than their gowns . However, in many cases stars are paid to wear and promote the designer dresses. Can they do both?


Kano, Nigeria (CNN)Hundreds of troops from Chad and Niger launched a ground and aerial offensive against Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria on Sunday, according to residents and military sources from Niger. The sweeping offensive is taking place along the Niger-Nigeria border, sources said, effectively opening a new front in the fight against the Islamist terror group. This comes a day after Boko Haram pledged allegiance to ISIS in an audio message purported to be from leader Abubakar Shekau. Latest developments in the fight against ISIS . "Early this morning, troops from Niger and Chad launched ground and air raids against Boko Haram into Nigeria, and the operation is still continuing," said a military official in the border town of Diffa, Niger. "It is an intensive operation that is aimed at pulverizing Boko Haram and crippling their capability," according to the source. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to comment publicly about the operation. Residents said artillery fire and fighter jets pushed Boko Haram fighters into the Damasak district of Nigeria, which is a Boko Haram enclave. "Around 6 a.m., soldiers from Niger and Chad in huge numbers confronted Boko Haram around the Doutchi area outside Diffa and later crossed the bridge into Nigeria," said Diffa resident Ari Boubakarna. "We heard huge explosions from artillery fire and fighter jets, but the explosions receded as the troops moved further into Nigeria," Boubakarna continued. A journalist working in Diffa saw troops headed toward the border with Nigeria, where Boko Haram fighters had taken up positions. "They left in a huge convoy of over 200 vehicles, some of them fitted with machine guns, including armored tanks, ambulances, water tankers and cargo trucks, which indicate they were going for a prolonged operation," the journalist said. Residents lined up the streets to offer water and tea as the troops drove out of Diffa, residents said, adding that soldiers promised to capture Shekau alive. . Another contingent of troops, backed by air support, moved out from the town of Bosso, Niger, according to residents. "Soldiers in large numbers crossed into Nigeria this morning, and we could hear thunderous sounds of gunfire and explosions coming from the direction of Malam Fatori," Bosso resident Tandja Moumouni said. Nigeria and its neighbors have recently mounted a coordinated offensive against Boko Haram militants in the Borno state, where the Islamist group has seized a large swathe of territory. Nigeria shares a border with Niger, Chad and Cameroon there. As a part of this alliance, thousands of troops from Niger and Chad were stationed in Bosso and Diffa in January. The offensive has succeeded in reclaiming some of the territory seized by the group. Nigeria has vowed to liberate all of its territories from Boko Haram before the general elections, which begin on March 28, to enable displaced residents return to their homes for the elections.

Summary: Troops from Chad and Niger launch offensive against Boko Haram . The offensive is part of a coordinated regional campaign .


(CNN)While Boston and other New England cities have suffered through their snowiest seasons, other parts of the country have some unexpected good news to go along with the record-breaking winter conditions. All that cold air and a stuck weather pattern are keeping tornadoes to historic lows so far this year. March is typically a transitional month, where warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico collides with cold Arctic air to produce severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. This year, however, the jet stream pattern responsible for all the cold air and snow in the East remains stuck in more of a winter mode. "We're in a persistent pattern that suppresses severe weather, and the right ingredients -- moisture, instability and lift -- (have yet to come together)," said Greg Carbin, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The group is responsible for issuing the tornado and severe thunderstorm watches that warn the public of impending severe weather. So far this year it's been extremely quiet. By this time in mid-March the center would have issued 52 tornado watches nationwide. This year they have issued a paltry four. Both January and February were well below normal. March has been even quieter. At a time where the tornado season usually ramps up considerably, there has not been a single report this month of a tornado. "We are in uncharted territory with respect to the lack of severe weather" Carbin said. In fact if we make it through the entire month of March without any tornado reports it would be a first, according to the center. There have been around 20 tornadoes reported since January 1, well below the 10-year average of 130 for the period from the beginning of the year until mid-March. This year comes on the heels of what was has been a welcome lull of tornadoes across the United States the past several years. In 2014, we ended the year with a count of 881, well below the average of 1,253. Meteorologists don't fully understand why we have seen the recent drop in tornadoes, but one possible answer is the development of El Nino, a warming in the equatorial Pacific, which can influence weather patterns globally. Recent studies point to lower tornado counts in the United States during these events. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently said that a weak El Nino had developed. So while all agree this is good news so far this year, it is clear that it is no guarantee that the rest of the season will remain this quiet. Weather patterns can change quickly. In 1984, for instance, there was a very similar slow start through mid-March and the number of tornadoes ended up well above average by the end of June, according to data from the storm center. It's also important to note that even in years where the tornado counts are low, you can still have very violent tornadoes -- 2013 being a perfect example. The year ended being roughly 30% below normal for the number of tornadoes, yet

Summary: There have been only four tornado watches in 2015 . El Nino might be helping keep the numbers down . Slow start doesn't mean it will be quiet for entire season .


(CNN)In the final days of the Israeli election campaign, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disavowed the two-state solution and said there would be no Palestinian state on his watch. He also earned universal condemnation for his panicked warning to his followers on election day that Arabs were "voting in droves" -- a comment that will resound to his shame and can neither be forgiven nor forgotten unless he apologizes clearly, sincerely and without reservation. And now, facing international uproar and a stern U.S. response, Israeli officials have started backing away from these statements. The Israeli ambassador to Canada, Rafael Barak, said Wednesday on CBC TV, "This is an election campaign and you have to take with a grain of salt what was said at the last minute when the polls say you are going to lose." Netanyahu himself, in an interview on NBC, tried to qualify his words about a two-state solution, saying what he meant to say was that a Palestinian state was not viable under present conditions. He knows that stance is totally unacceptable to Israel's chief ally, the United States, and to the rest of the international community. And he should not be allowed to slip off the hook so easily. Indeed, far from taking this statement with a grain of salt, the world is likely to look back at his previously stated support for a two-state solution and take that with more than a grain of salt. The fact is, rhetorical if not actual support for a two-state solution has served Netanyahu well for the past several years, and has provided him with a convenient shield against international pressure to end the almost 48-year occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Also helping Netanyahu was the presence in his Cabinet of Israeli politicians who actually do believe in a two-state solution and worked hard to make it happen -- notably former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who headed up the failed 2014 negotiations with the Palestinians. Livni wanted to move forward in the talks, but found herself hemmed in and frustrated by Netanyahu's aides -- and apparently by the prime minister himself -- at every turn. Now, as he constructs a coalition of ultranationalists and ultra-Orthodox, those shields have been stripped away. Netanyahu must now face the world having bared his true face and exposed his true beliefs -- and the international community, led by the United States, must respond accordingly. What should this involve? To begin with, Washington should not wait for others to draft a U.N. resolution condemning the settlements. It should take the initiative, in consultation with its international partners, in drafting a resolution that lays out the detailed parameters for an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The resolution should of course state unequivocally that the solution rests in an Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 lines, with equivalent land swaps to incorporate some of the major settlement blocs within Israel. It should also reiterate Israel's right to security. And it should state clearly and unambiguously that the settlements are illegal under international law and must stop. Words

Summary: Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed idea of Palestinian state during campaign . Alan Elsner: Israeli officials have started backing away from his statements .


(CNN)Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu coasted to victory in Tuesday's elections, defying pre-election polls showing his Likud party trailing his main rival, the center-left Zionist Union. Ever the master politician and brilliant tactician, he used the politics of fear to galvanize his right-wing base, which ultimately secured him a fourth term. Israel, however, may not fare as well as its leader did at the polls. In a matter of days, Netanyahu exposed his true attitude toward Israel's conflict with the Palestinians, in the process threatening to further erode an already strained relationship with the White House. Less than two weeks ago, Netanyahu declared that his speech of June 2009 at Bar-Ilan University, where he publicly endorsed a demilitarized Palestinian state, is no longer relevant. On Monday, he continued on this theme, announcing that a Palestinian state would not be established under his watch. These comments were tactical moves aimed at mobilizing his base, but so was his Bar-Ilan speech a maneuver aimed at appeasing U.S. President Barack Obama and quelling criticism from abroad. Ultimately, political expedience led Netanyahu to reveal what many critics had long suspected: He has never supported a two-state solution. In the last six years of his premiership, Netanyahu has spoken out repeatedly against a withdrawal to the 1967 borders, with mutually agreed land swaps -- the basis for a two-state solution; insisted that Palestinians recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people -- a condition no Palestinian leader can accept; and presided over unprecedented settlement activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians regard as their future capital. Meanwhile, the Israeli Prime Minister has disparaged Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at every opportunity, asserting that he encourages terrorism -- a claim that was contradicted by the head of Israel's top security service -- and repeating the mantra that Abbas is not a legitimate peace partner. In 2011, he reportedly quashed the Palestinian leader's draft peace agreement that had been secretly negotiated with former Israeli President Shimon Peres. In a less guarded moment, Netanyahu told Israeli writer Etgar Keret that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was "insoluble." Netanyahu's duplicity on the Palestinian issue has led to a highly dysfunctional relationship with the Obama administration, which has tried, in vain, to broker an Israeli-Palestinian agreement. He made a farce of last year's John Kerry-brokered peace talks by increasing settlement work fourfold during this negotiating period. Adding fuel to the fire, Netanyahu has repeatedly injected himself into U.S. politics, most recently with his acceptance of an invitation by House Speaker John Boehner to address Congress -- a move that was widely seen as a partisan ploy to undercut the White House. Obama has yet to respond to Netanyahu's most recent statements, which can only serve to further damage Washington's ties with Jerusalem while contributing to Israel's growing isolation. One European government after another has begun to turn its back on the Israeli government, taking steps to recognize a Palestinian state since it appears less and less likely that one will emerge as a result of negotiations. But criticism of

Summary: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won re-election Tuesday . Guy Ziv: Netanyahu has repeatedly injected himself into U.S. politics .


(CNN)Britain's Prince Harry is preparing for a new chapter in his life. After nearly a decade with the British military, he has announced in a statement that he is leaving the armed forces. "Moving on from the Army has been a really tough decision," he said in a statement released Tuesday. "I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had the chance to do some very challenging jobs and have met many fantastic people in the process. ...[T]he experiences I have had over the last 10 years will stay with me for the rest of my life." "Captain Harry Wales," as he is known, from his official title and name of His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales, began his formal military duties in 2005 at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. The younger son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana seemed to thrive in a military setting. He managed to curb his wild ways (for the most part), served two tours in Afghanistan and achieved the rank of captain in 2011. He has also qualified as an Apache Aircraft commander. Prince Harry does have a few more responsibilities before he returns to civilian life. He'll spend the last two months of his operational service attached to Australian Defence Force units in Darwin, Perth and Sydney. "We have prepared a challenging program that will see Captain Wales deploy on urban and field training exercises, domestic deployments, as well as participate in Indigenous engagement activities," said Air Chief Marshal Mark Binski of the Australian Defence Force. "While all our units are highly capable, we have selected those units that best utilise Captain Wales' skill sets and give him some experience of the diverse range of capability we have within the ADF." Work with wounded soldiers will prepare the prince for the position he will take up in August. He will work in a volunteer capacity with the Ministry of Defence's Recovery Capability Programme and the London District Personnel Recovery Unit. Both groups assist wounded or sick soldiers either return to duty or transition to civilian life. "Wounded warriors" are a special interest for Prince Harry. He helped spearhead and continues to champion the Invictus Games, a competition for former military personnel who have been wounded in the line of duty. Prince Harry will still have royal duties to attend to while he is finishing his military service. He will accompany Prince Charles on a trip to Turkey at the end of April, for commemorations marking the battle of Gallipoli. And he will undertake an official Royal tour of New Zealand in May, after his service with the Australian Defence Force is complete. "This is a big, bold step for Prince Harry," said CNN Royal Correspondent Max Foster. "The military provided him with an escape from public life. He thrived being 'just one of the guys.' But, as I understand it, he feels he's reached a natural crossroads in his career. The next steps would be staff college and desk jobs and that's not for him. He's passionate about the military, though, and I don't think

Summary: Statement: Prince Harry to leave military service in June . The prince is set to continue work with wounded veterans .


(CNN)Serena Williams has won 19 grand slam singles tennis titles, including six U.S. Opens and five Wimbledons. She has four Olympic gold medals. For years, she's had a reputation as one of her sport's top players. Yet for all her myriad accomplishments, Williams says one of her "biggest ... and proudest moments" came Friday night -- in the second round of a tournament in Indian Wells, California. It's not who she was playing, but where. The Indian Wells Tennis Garden is where Williams was booed during the 2001 finale. Her older sister, Venus, got similar treatment in the stands, and her father Richard told USA Today he was subjected to racial abuse. Afterward, Serena Williams vowed she'd never go back. She kept true to that promise for 14 years, a time when she often dominated her sport. On Friday, Williams was back. And instead of jeers, there were cheers. And tears, shed by Williams during the crowd's loud, boisterous, more than minute-long ovation. "I knew that I really wanted to do it," Williams said afterward of her return to Indian Wells. "But up until that moment, I didn't really know if it was the right thing for me to do. "And I feel like that's when I felt it was the right thing," she said of her welcome. "... Receiving the love from the crowd here, it really meant a lot to me." The BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, just east of Palm Desert, California, isn't a grand slam but is one of the top tournaments in tennis. As such, top players go there to battle the best and prove their mettle. That's what brought Serena Williams to Indian Wells in 2001. The then-19-year-old got to the finals after her scheduled semifinal foe -- sister Venus -- pulled out minutes before the matching, citing a knee injury. Amid whispers he'd predetermined the outcome, Richard Williams told USA Today that he "had trouble holding back tears" given the treatment he got in the stands. According to him, one man said, "I wish it was '75, we'd skin you alive." (Charlie Pasarell, the tournament director at the time, denied any racial abuse in the same story; CNN didn't hear back from him after requesting an interview.) Serena Williams scored a three-set win over Kim Clijsters. But she didn't celebrate. She spent hours crying in the locker room. "(I drove) back to Los Angeles feeling as if I had lost the biggest game ever -- not a mere tennis game but a bigger fight for equality," Serena Williams wrote in TIME magazine in February. "Emotionally it seemed easier to stay away." Serena speaks about nerves before 1st match back at Indian Wells . The roller-coaster ride back to Indian Wells started when Williams accepted a wild-card invitation to play in this year's tournament, a difficult decision she recounted in TIME. Her father and sister, Venus, still stayed away. While she's been on her sport's biggest stage for well over a decade, the world's No. 1-ranked played admitted being nervous in the weeks, days and

Summary: Serena Williams' father claimed he was racially abused at Indian Wells in 2001 . She returned to the event Friday night, being met with raucous cheers -- not jeers .


(CNN)The "Fifty Shades" series will have to handcuff a new director. Sam Taylor-Johnson, who directed "Fifty Shades of Grey," told Deadline.com that she won't be back for the sequel, "Fifty Shades Darker." "Directing 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' has been an intense and incredible journey for which I am hugely grateful," she said in a statement to the site. "While I will not be returning to direct the sequels, I wish nothing but success to whosoever takes on the exciting challenges of films two and three." 'Fifty Shades of Grey': What fans hoped for? The first film in the best-selling book series has been hugely successful, pulling in more than $550 million worldwide since it premiered in mid-February, but there have been rumbles that creative clashes were in the offing for the sequel. Author E L James has a great deal of control in how her books are presented on screen, and she made it clear that she wanted to write the screenplay for the second film, Variety reported last month. Kelly Marcel wrote the screenplay for "Fifty Shades of Grey." The story behind Mr. Grey's suits . The film stars Jamie Dornan as billionaire Christian Grey -- a man of certain sexual proclivities -- and Dakota Johnson as his romantic partner, Anastasia Steele.

Summary: Sam Taylor-Johnson bows out of the "Fifty Shades" sequel . Author E L James wanted more control over the second pic . The first film has made $550 million worldwide .


(CNN)Wrapped up in a long brightly-colored scarf, which does little to contain her free-flowing curly hair, Nneka sits back quietly as she tries to bring to mind her very first memory of music. "I was a kid," the Nigerian singer finally says, her thoughts traveling back to Warri, the Niger Delta city where she grew up. "While I was doing my domestic work in the house, sweeping, waking up at 5am in the morning, there was this bird [singing] -- and I never forgot the melody," she continues, breaking a warm smile. "Funny wise, like 25 years later I was in Lagos and I heard the same melody -- it was amazing!" Nneka's first musical recollection might be firmly rooted in her birthplace, but the award-winning singer's career was destined to begin thousands of miles away from home -- the daughter of a Nigerian father and a German mother, Nneka moved to Hamburg at the age of 19 to study anthropology. Whilst attending university, she also started exploring her musical talents, and soon found herself performing in various clubs opening up for top reggae and hip-hop names. In 2005, she released "Victim of Truth," a much-lauded debut that fused soulful beats, tasty hip-hop-and reflective ballads with politically-charged lyrics and black consciousness. Since then, she went on to enjoy further chart success, tour extensively and collaborate with global stars like Lenny Kravitz and Damian Marley. And now, the soulful singer is back with a brand new, self-released album -- "My Fairy Tales" is a formidable collection of rich afrobeat grooves, reggae-tinged beats and uplifting rhythms that reaffirm her place as one of the continent's most exciting -- and relevant -- artists. CNN's African Voices caught up with Nneka in London to talk about music, memories and the current situation in Nigeria -- as well as present her with the questions you sent via the #AskNneka and #CNNAfrica hashtags. CNN: In the past, you've dealt with issues ranging from the environment and politics, to religion and love -- what are the themes that you're emphasizing at this moment? Nneka: What is happening in Africa at present concerns me a lot. Boko Haram has always been an issue obviously for the past five, six years -- funny wise, there's a track in the album called "Pray For You" which I recorded when not too many people knew what was going with Boko Haram in the West. I'm talking about the problems and possible solutions, and what are the reasons for the problems that we have. We as Nigerians, we're not united, that has always been the issue... that's our problem, tribalism, and what belongs to whom. I also talk about children and the future, bringing children into this world... Everyone's living in a cage and then you bring your child into that kind of society, where your child is forced to live in fear. People are afraid to express themselves politically, and even in their home -- I remember the way we grew up, I didn't look my father in the eye until I was

Summary: Nigerian singer Nneka releases latest album, "My Fairy Tales" She combines reggae and afrobeat with powerful lyrics tackling politics, love and forgiveness .


Los Angeles (CNN)Conrad Hilton, the younger brother of celebrity heiress Paris Hilton, has reached a plea deal: He would admit guilt to misdemeanor assault against flight attendants in exchange for a federal felony charge being dropped, court papers says. The deal would require prosecutors to recommend probation for Hilton, who also allegedly called passengers "peasants" on a London-to-Los Angeles flight last summer. Hilton, 20, is scheduled to appear Thursday in federal court, but he is not expected to plead guilty at that time, said spokesman Thom Mrozek of the U.S. Attorney's Office. Hilton, who is free on $100,000 bond, was initially charged with a felony that could have carried a prison sentence up to 20 years upon a conviction. The misdemeanor charge carries up to a six-month prison sentence and a fine of at least $5,000, but federal prosecutors have agreed that they would "recommend that defendant be sentenced to a term of probation," court records said. The class B misdemeanor accuses Hilton of assaulting two flight attendants aboard a British Airways flight on July 31, 2014, "by intentionally using a display of force that reasonably caused (the attendants) to fear immediate bodily harm," according to court documents filed last week. Hilton signed court papers last week that state he "repeatedly entered the bathroom to smoke marijuana and tobacco" during Flight 269 from London to Los Angeles, court papers said. Read the plea deal . "He also become belligerent toward some of the flight attendants," according to court papers signed by Hilton and his attorney. His attorney couldn't be immediately reached for comment Wednesday. At one point, Hilton told one flight attendant multiple times that "I am going to f------ kill you," according to the court papers. Hilton also "punched at, but missed" another flight attendant, the court documents said. A more complete description of events aboard the flight was provided in initial court papers filed in early February. Those alleged Hilton threatened and intimidated flight attendants, scared parents and disengaged a bathroom smoke alarm. The court documents alleged Hilton punched the bulkhead next to an attendant's head, missing his face by about 4 inches, and told the crew, "I could get you all fired in five minutes. I know your boss!" "My father will pay this out, he has done it before. Dad paid $300,000 last time," Hilton allegedly told a flight attendant. Hilton's father is Rick Hilton, the grandson of the Hilton Hotel empire's founder, Conrad Nicholson Hilton. Rick Hilton and his wife of more than 30 years, Kathy, are parents of four children: Paris, Nicky, Barron and Conrad. Conrad Hilton left his seat five minutes after takeoff, even though the "fasten seat belt" sign was still on, authorities said. Another flight attendant said Hilton rose from his seat at least 20 times during the 10½-hour flight, court documents said. Read the initial federal complaint (Warning: profane language) When Hilton became enraged because a flight attendant was following him, he shouted several times that "I am going to f------ kill you!" and used other vulgarities, court papers said. Passengers became

Summary: Conrad Hilton, younger brother of Paris Hilton, will admit to misdemeanor assault . Penalty for the charge is up to six months in prison, but prosecutors will recommend probation . Hilton signs court documents stating he smoked pot on flight, "became belligerent"


Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (CNN)Jaquita Gonzales still tries to call her husband on his cellphone. A pair of work shoes still sits outside the front door of their home in Kuala Lumpur waiting to be reclaimed. His uniform still hangs in a cupboard. Twelve months after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished without a trace, Gonzales hasn't given up hope. She can't. Neither can her children, other family members and friends. Not until there is some conclusive evidence on the fate of the airliner -- one way or another. "Now and then, every once in a while I call his phone and it goes to voicemail," she says. "You never know, he might pick it up, or someone who has them would let them have the phone and you know, the hope is still there." She's not alone. Families of victims we spoke to hold on to the slimmest belief that MH370, which disappeared barely an hour into its flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 last year, did not crash and that the 239 passengers and crew on board are alive. "No evidence means there is still a little bit of hope. We tap into that hope in order to go on day by day," says Gonzales. But she lives a life in limbo. Neither able to move on, nor go back. Her comfortable home in the suburbs of Malaysia's capital remains virtually the same since her husband of nearly 30 years, Patrick Gomes, left for work on the evening of March 7 as lead purser on the MH370 red-eye bound for the Chinese capital. The only real sign that time has moved on, amid the family photos and plaques celebrating her husband's work achievements is a newspaper on top of a stack in the living room with the word "LOST" splashed across its front page. Gonzales' lifeline, apart from family, is her work. She runs a private school and daycare center for about 70 children and spends about 12 hours a day there. Keeping busy, she says, keeps her sane. But not a day goes by without her thinking of Patrick. "I can be driving and I just have to pull off the road and weep. Everywhere I go I see Patrick," she says. "In our home, with my children, with our friends. There are so many times around the home when I say Patrick you are supposed to be doing this for me, where are you. He helped me with ironing, with cooking." Like Gonzales, many other families CNN has spoken to say they live in hope that their loved one are still alive even though it seems now a virtual impossibility. But along with hope and the pain, many families also share a deep anger. Anger at the Malaysian authorities and Malaysia Airlines who, Gonzales says, are ignoring them. Requests for information are unanswered and attempts to talk to key officials are rebuffed, she says. Grace Nathan's mother was on MH370. For almost a year she and her family grieved in private. But now she has gone public

Summary: Jaquita Gonzales' husband was a member of the cabin crew on board MH370 . She says she's unable to move on until she knows what happened to plane . She's one of many relatives of passengers who are angry with how authorities have treated them .


(CNN)Outside of Israeli politics, Isaac Herzog is not a well-known name. That may change on March 17, when Israelis head to the polls for election day. In the final round of polling before the elections, Herzog's Zionist Union party is in the lead, holding a four-seat edge over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party. "I believe in a certain type of leadership that is not always customary in this region. I'm not a general. I don't give orders. I know how to work together," he says. Throughout the campaign, Herzog has been seen as an underdog, lacking the charisma and the English fluency of Netanyahu. Herzog says that doesn't bother him at all. "I have always suffered from a certain underestimation," Herzog said, "and I have always surprised." He promised, "I will surprise again, and I will show my leadership and stamina." Herzog began his political career in 2003, when he first won a seat in the Knesset with the Labor Party. He held a variety of ministerial positions, including minister of housing and construction, minister of tourism, and minister of welfare and social services, before becoming leader of the Labor Party in 2013. In those elections, he also became the leader of the opposition, as Benjamin Netanyahu won another term as prime minister. But when Netanyahu called for early elections in 2014, Herzog pegged his bid for the premiership on social reform. "What I run for is social justice. I will change the nature of the division of wealth in a fair and more balanced way, close inequality and give a sense of purpose to the people here in the workplace, in the housing, and in the cost of living," promised Herzog. Before the election, the issue of a nuclear Iran garnered international headlines as it further aggravated tense relations between the White House and Netanyahu. Herzog, in a speech almost immediately after Netanyahu's address to Congress, promised to work with the United States and European powers, not against, to ensure the safety of Israel. He echoed that sentiment in an interview with CNN's Elise Labott. "A nuclear-armed Iran is dangerous to world peace, is dangerous to our region, is dangerous to Israel. As leader of Israel, I will never accept a nuclear-armed Iran. Never. And all options are on the table." In these elections, negotiations with the Palestinians haven't been one of the major issues, but Herzog promised to restart the stalled peace talks with the Palestinian Authority. "I will do my best to ignite a political process with our Palestinian neighbors. ... Although I cannot promise 100% results, I promise 100% effort." Herzog comes from Israeli political royalty. His grandfather, Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog, was the first chief rabbi of the state of Israel. His father, Chaim Herzog, was an Army general, an ambassador to the United Nations and the president of Israel. Herzog believes it is his destiny to be the next prime minister of Israel. "What I carry with me is a unique legacy, a family legacy, but most important, an experience that brings me to be

Summary: Polls show Isaac Herzog's Zionist Union party four seats ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu's party . Israeli parliamentary elections will be on March 17 .


(CNN)You think March Madness is all about basketball? Think again. Sure, millions will be watching the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament to see whether Kentucky's bid for an unbeaten season can be quashed or whether a 14 seed can make it to the Final Four. But the popularity of the tournament also spawns another kind of madness -- one that includes college applications, vasectomies and HDTV upgrades. What are the odds? (Probably a heck of a lot better than picking a perfect bracket.) Here are some of the more unusual aspects of the Big Dance: . Glass slipper, golden payoff . Cinderella teams don't just provide a couple weeks' entertainment; according to some studies, their success has long-term effects. Thanks to exposure from the NCAAs, such teams as Florida Gulf Coast and George Mason see rises in applications and endowments. Academics call it the "Flutie Effect" after the charge Boston College received from a last-second 1984 win against Miami, thanks to a Hail Mary pass from quarterback Doug Flutie. (Go ahead and watch it again, we'll wait.) Experts debate how much of an influence athletic wins have on admissions, but there's no question a Cinderella turn gives schools greater exposure, which certainly can't hurt. George Mason, which went to the Final Four in 2006, and Gonzaga, which broke into nationwide consciousness in the late '90s, saw applications go up after their turn on stage. Money in the basket . March Madness pulls in more national TV revenue (as of 2013) than any other postseason sports franchise: $1.15 billion. A lot of that money comes from fast-food franchises, which know you like to eat while watching the games. And those franchises may benefit more from losses than wins. According to WalletHub, there's a 19% increase in pizza orders and a 9% rise in dessert orders by fans after their teams lose. Investors certainly know it: Buffalo Wild Wings stock has traditionally gone up in March. Making the cut . Doctors report up to a 50% rise in the number of vasectomies during the NCAA tournament. Well, if you have to spend a few days resting on the couch ... Everybody into the pool . According to a survey by the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, 50 million Americans participate in March Madness pools. Productivity, shmoductivity, part 1 . All that bracket-filling costs employers an estimated $1.2 billion in unproductive workers (assuming each worker spends an hour filling out a bracket). That may be low. WalletHub puts the figure at $1.9 billion. For all that, employers say the tournament is a net positive on morale. Productivity, shmoductivity, part 2 . Twenty-seven percent of respondents to one 2014 survey say they watch games at work. (That could explain the morale situation.) Would you like an upgrade with that? According to the same 2014 survey, 12% would upgrade to HDTV if their favorite team made it to the Sweet Sixteen. (As of 2014, 59% of U.S. households have HDTV.) Bet on the humans . Of the 76 champions, almost one-third -- 25 -- have had

Summary: March Madness inspires men to get vasectomies, discourages working . Pizza sales go up after losses -- and so do dessert sales . Will your team make it to the Sweet 16? Might be time to upgrade your TV .