(CNN)Arsenal crashed out of the Champions League at the last 16 stage for the fifth time in succession after falling agonizingly short in Monaco. The Premier League side recorded a 2-0 victory on the night but went out on away goals after the tie finished level at 3-3 on aggregate. Monaco, which won 3-1 in the first leg, was overwhelmed for much of the contest and was fortunate to escape without being dumped out of the competition. Olivier Giroud's first half strike and Aaron Ramsey's 79th minute effort ensured a tense finale but the visiting side was unable to find a winner. No team had ever overcome a two-goal first leg deficit away from home in the Champions League and progressed -- but Arsenal's first half display gave it hope. Giroud, who has often been criticized this season for failing to take his chances, lashed in from close range with nine minutes of the first half remaining. Ramsey, a substitute, drove the ball into the net after Theo Walcott's effort had struck the post and Monaco's defenders hesitated. Giroud had a chance late on to cap a dramatic fightback but his effort was saved on the line. "The best team went through," Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker told ITV. "Monaco deserved it because they played much better in the first leg. We played well today but it was a massive deficit, and it wasn't enough tonight. "We came here and tried absolutely everything, and when you look at the game we could have scored more than two. "Monaco deserve it and that's absolutely fine. They caused a lot of problems away from home. We have to admit that we regret the first game. "But if we continue to play like that we'll do well in the FA Cup and the league. But play as badly as we did in the first game and you're out of the Champions League. Monaco deserved it." Arsenal's exit means Manchester City is England's sole representative remaining in the competition. It faces Barcelona on Wednesday needing to overturn a 2-1 deficit. Monaco, which which the final in 2004, joins Paris Saint-Germain in the quarterfinals.

Summary: Arsenal out of the Champions League despite 2-0 win at Monaco . Premier League club exits on away goals . Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey on target for visiting team . Monaco won first leg 3-1 in London .


(CNN)You're late for your flight, sweaty from having dragged your luggage to the check-in counter, and stressed about making it through security before boarding begins. For some of us, this is the rule, not the exception. For most of us, it's a pretty unremarkable scenario. Not so fast, says the Transportation Security Administration. Typical airport behavior like this could make you a suspicious traveler who should be subjected to questioning and additional screening -- and possibly referred to the police for investigation, detention or arrest. That should seem far-fetched, but it isn't. The TSA continues to use pseudo-scientific "behavior detection" techniques that have given rise to persistent allegations of racial and ethnic profiling at our nation's airports. Through a program called Screening Passengers by Observation Techniques, or SPOT, the TSA employs thousands of "behavior detection officers" who scrutinize travelers to look for signs of "mal-intent" in airport screening areas. The officers typically spend less than 30 seconds scanning an average passenger for over 90 behaviors the TSA associates with stress, fear or deception. When the officers perceive clusters of such behaviors in any given individual, they refer that person for secondary inspection and questioning. The SPOT program relies on theories about "micro-expressions," involuntary facial expressions that supposedly appear for milliseconds despite one's efforts to conceal them. Behavior detection officers look for such micro-expressions while scanning passengers' faces or engaging in casual conversation with them. It's as nutty as it sounds. Setting aside that the officers' perception of these behaviors is inherently subjective, there's just no evidence that deception or "mal-intent" can reliably be detected through observation, especially in an unstructured setting like an airport screening area. The fact that many people find such settings inherently stressful only compounds the problem. If TSA's behavior detection officers look for stress in a stressful environment, they're going to find it, along with plenty of false positives. Just about everyone outside the TSA who has reviewed the SPOT program has decided that it's unscientific and a waste of money. An exhaustive review by the Government Accountability Office found the SPOT program lacked a scientific basis, that the behavioral indicators it relied on were subjective, and that the TSA had no effective means to test its effectiveness. In no uncertain terms, the GAO recommended that Congress curtail funding for the program. An independent scientific advisory group that reviewed the SPOT program also concluded that "no scientific evidence exists to support the detection or inference of future behavior, including intent." And during a congressional hearing on the program, Republican Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina observed, "To my knowledge, there has not been a single instance where a behavior detection officer has referred someone to a law enforcement officer and that individual turned out to be a terrorist." Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, stated, "I am concerned that TSA will continue to spin its wheels with this program instead of developing a more effective and efficient approach." Despite this withering criticism, SPOT remains in place and has cost taxpayers

Summary: TSA's SPOT program screens passengers for "micro-expressions" to determine if a person is suspicious . Hugh Handeyside: SPOT program is unscientific, has wasted over $1 billion of taxpayer money and should be terminated .


New York (CNN)The house is primitive, constructed of baked mud and stone. The landscape is sparse and mountainous, with snow cover in the winter. The terrain is rugged and challenging for the long walks the owner liked to take with his sons. Photographs quietly introduced as evidence in the latest major terrorism trial in Manhattan federal court offer a rare look inside Osama bin Laden's lair -- years before al Qaeda flew hijacked planes into buildings or bombed U.S. embassies in Africa and even before the FBI placed bin Laden on its Most Wanted List. Still, bin Laden was preparing, hiding out in a remote, mountainous area of Afghanistan known as Tora Bora. A remarkable set of photos -- the first showing bin Laden in the hideout where he would seek refuge after 9/11 -- came to light only last month in the terrorism conspiracy trial of bin Laden lieutenant Khaled al-Fawwaz, a communications conduit for al Qaeda in London in the mid-1990s. Al-Fawwaz would arrange bin Laden's first television interview for CNN's Peter Arnett and Peter Bergen in 1997 and a sit-down for ABC News' John Miller a year later. But before then, al-Fawwaz called on a Palestinian print journalist, whose 1996 journey to Afghanistan yielded these photos. Bin Laden had declared war on the United States and wanted more people to know it, especially in the Arab world. He reached out to Abdel Barri Atwan, the founder and then-editor-in-chief of Al-Quds Al-Arabi, an independent Arabic weekly published in London that had been critical of certain Arab regimes and the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Atwan had broken the story about bin Laden's first fatwa, or religious decree, stating his grievances against the United States, such as the presence of U.S troops in Saudi Arabia. He published the entire screed in August 1996. The next month, al-Fawwaz went to Atwan's office to offer him the first print interview with the emerging jihadist leader in Afghanistan. "I was told that Osama bin Laden was fond of my writing, he liked my style, and he wanted to meet me personally," Atwan recalled in an interview for Bergen's 2006 book, "The Osama bin Laden I Know." "I was hesitant, because it was very dangerous." Danger aside, in November 1996, Atwan was airborne to Afghanistan. The date-stamped photographs from his trip -- which Scotland Yard detectives discovered two years later in a search of al-Fawwaz's London home -- show a healthy, relaxed, sometimes smiling bin Laden, not yet 40, conversing, hiking, videotaping pronouncements, surrounded by children. The photos also show rare images of another man who has become an influential ideologue in the global jihadist movement -- Mustafa Setmariam Nasar, better known as Abu Musab al-Suri, a Syrian now in his mid-50s who has not been seen in public or heard from in a decade. Still, al-Suri is arguably the most influential strategic thinker in Islamist militant circles today. "A generation of jihadis were influenced by his teachings," said Paul Cruickshank, a CNN terrorism analyst who has written about al-Suri. "He wanted a global jihadist intifada,

Summary: Photos from terrorism trial offer rare glimpse of Osama bin Laden's hideout before 9/11 . Palestinian journalist went to interview bin Laden in 1996 in Afghanistan's Tora Bora area . Abu Musab al-Suri, an influential figure in global jihadist movement, appears in images, too .


(CNN)Cabela's not a cat, but the young pit bull mix apparently had a few lives to spare. Tampa police found her shot and bleeding, tied to a set of railroad tracks in the city's Sulphur Springs neighborhood on Wednesday. Folks called after they heard someone fire a gun. Cabela was hit by three shots -- two to the neck and one to the shoulder. Officers freed the pup from the tracks and rushed her to Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Center, where Dr. Jamie Davidson and staff stabilized and named her. The dog will have to have her front right leg removed because of the damage from the gunshots, but should be rehabilitated within a week, the vet said. "Dogs rebound quick," said Davidson, adding Cabela is in great spirits. "Really, after everything that this dog has gone through ... she's the sweetest," she said. "I mean she's not angry with people. She's not growling. She's been really really good." The cost of Cabela's treatment will run several thousands dollars, but will be picked up by the clinic. Once she's healthy, Cabela will be spayed, vaccinated and set up for adoption, where she will be paired with a "good family," Davidson said.

Summary: Police found the pup after neighbors heard gunshots . Cabela is expected to be rehabilitated within a week . Her treatment cost several thousand dollars .


(CNN)How can I describe life in Crimea after a year under Russia's control? You start saying things like "Let's not talk about this on the phone" and become careful about the Facebook pages you "like." Because total surveillance and control has become routine -- like it was in the Soviet Union. In just one year so much has been lost and many Crimeans seem to have forgotten rights that were part of everyone's life. There is a growing level of censorship, inequality and political repression of those who don't agree with the government. In everyday communication, Crimeans, including those who support Putin and Russia, have to think about what they do and say. Thanks to the activities of the FSB (Russia's secret police) denunciation -- where a citizen tells the authorities about the wrongdoing of another -- is popular again. In the Soviet Union, especially in the late 1930s, denunciations written by Soviet citizens about their neighbors, friends and even relatives resulted in millions of victims in prisons and Gulag camps. Now in Crimea, no one feels safe. Anyone who doesn't like you can write a denunciation and the next day you will take part in a "joyful" conversation with the security services. Significant changes have also taking place in the most basic of rights, like freedom of movement. Now, there are two borders manned by armed -- and sometimes angry -- men who always have questions about where you are going and why you want to pass. For ethnic Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, things have been very difficult and thousands fled to mainland Ukraine in the first months after annexation. Their fears were confirmed when Ukrainian activists and young Tatars began to disappear. Some were later found dead, others are still missing. Ukrainian patriots also left in the first month or two after occupation -- it would have been dangerous and uncomfortable to continue living on the peninsula. The next wave of migrants were those who hoped to adjust to the new rules, but could not. They started leaving when it became clear that things would get worse economically and politically. They have been replaced by a new set of arrivals from Russia: Officials, police, FSB and other authorities. After annexation, many who had worked for the Ukrainian government in the police, army and security services swapped allegiances to the Russian side. The Kremlin was happy to have them but has put special stamps the new recruit's personal files, which say they are "inclined to betrayal." One of the main arguments of pro-Russian locals is that the average salary in Russia is much higher. Indeed, since annexation, salaries have increased, especially in the public institutions like hospitals and schools. The salary increases caused a kind of post-referendum euphoria, which quickly fizzled in late 2014 when a strong dollar meant higher prices for everything from food to gadgets. Then wages were cut again, by anywhere from 30% to 70% depending on the industry. Many doctors and teachers were greatly dissatisfied with wage cuts, but no one protested because in Russia, you must

Summary: Life under total surveillance and control now the norm in Crimea, says writer . Old Soviet practice of denunciation has become commonplace, he says . He writes: The harder life gets in Crimea, the more people support Putin .


(CNN)For those who hoped that the coming presidential election would usher in the dawn of a new, more inspiring politics, this past week has been deeply discouraging. In two key moments, leaders from both sides of the aisle have acted like the Bourbons of France, who famously remembered nothing and forgot nothing from battles of their past. The first and substantively more important moment was the sending of that letter by Republican senators to the Iranian regime. The second, and perhaps more important politically telling moment, was Hillary Clinton's handling of her emails. The two cases are oddly related. In both instances, the principals started with legitimate concerns but have wound up making things worse. In both cases, the principals have also created divisive issues that will deepen polarization through the campaign and probably into the next presidency. Both have diminished the chances for breaking out of today's ugly politics. Republicans in Congress have reason to press hard with their views as negotiations with Iran enter the home stretch. They, like many others -- including a sizable number of Democrats, the current Israeli government, and friendly Arab nations -- fear the Obama administration will cut a weak, leaky deal that will allow Iran to come perilously close to having nuclear weapons. Just as importantly, Republicans believe, with cause, that as he negotiates, President Barack Obama has tried to sideline Congress in general and them in particular. Who can blame them for arguing that if the President insists any agreement needs only executive approval -- not approval by Congress -- then the next chief executive should not be legally bound by its provisions? Their basic concerns were not unreasonable. Thus, if they had sent exactly the same letter to the President, they would have caused a stir but would have been seen as within the norms of politics and statecraft. Instead, they made the mistake -- a wicked one -- of sending it to the terrorist leaders of Iran, leaving a clear impression they were out to sabotage both the deal and the President. We have had renegade members of Congress try to interfere with presidential negotiations in the past -- remember Sen. Jesse Helms? -- but never 47 members of the United States Senate tossing a hand grenade into delicate, life-or-death negotiations conducted by seven major nations and led by the United States. Ayatollah Khamenei made clear this week that he may use the Republican letter as a pretext for rejecting any deal. Where do we go then? Will talks collapse? Will an Iranian rush toward the bomb set off a nuclear arms race, starting in Saudi Arabia, which is already taking preliminary steps? Will the United States then be compelled to use military force against Iran? Who knows for sure? What we do know is that Iran is now almost certain to become a central issue in the 2016 presidential campaign and that the Republican nominee will be under relentless pressure from the right to adopt a hard, unyielding line. One can just imagine a number of GOP candidates pledging that

Summary: David Gergen: Iran almost certain to become big issue in 2016 campaign . Clinton's mistakes did not start with creating email protection system, he says .


Washington (CNN)Ted Cruz is back in his favorite place: the spotlight. As the first candidate to quit the charade of "exploring" a presidential run and actually jumping in, the Texas Republican senator presented an image Monday of decisiveness and vision -- all before an auditorium of mostly supportive young evangelicals. Now comes the hard part. Cruz must make inroads with wide swaths of the GOP if he hopes to break through as a top-tier candidate. He doesn't have many friends in the party establishment thanks to his hard-line tactics on issues like Obamacare. And he's facing steep competition for the conservative vote from the likes of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Even evangelicals, Cruz's target audience during his launch speech at Liberty University, aren't firmly in his column. The firebrand's decision to jump-start the 2016 election season now is an implicit admission of the daunting challenges he will face in a crowded GOP field where multiple Republicans will vie for the same social and evangelical support base. "Ted is clearly a player," said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a Christian public policy ministry. "But the competition this cycle is very steep." By choosing Liberty University in Virginia, which was founded by fundamentalist preacher Jerry Falwell, to roll out his long shot campaign, Cruz made clear he won't cede the Christian right to another candidate. "From the dawn of this country, at every stage, America has enjoyed God's providential blessing," said Cruz, roaming the stage with a microphone like a megachurch preacher on a Sunday morning. "Over and over again, when we faced impossible odds, the American people rose to the challenge. You know, compared to that, repealing Obamacare and abolishing the IRS ain't all that tough." Liberty offered Cruz a ready-made crowd: young evangelicals in a vast auditorium who had little choice but to pack the stands, because the announcement came during their compulsory weekly convocation. This is exactly the kind of coalition of youthful Christian idealists Cruz must win over and get to work in early voting states if his presidential hopes are to catch fire. But Cruz won't have this political territory all to himself. Several students sat in the audience within view of the cameras wearing red T-shirts emblazoned with "Rand," referring to Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who is also likely to make a play for young conservatives. Meanwhile, Walker, with his governing record and history of facing down a recall and trade unions, seems to have eclipsed Cruz in the minds of many conservatives who are desperate to take back the White House. "When the grass roots look at a guy like Scott Walker -- he can not only bridge the divide, we believe, in the Republican Party, but he might be the one who can bridge the divide like he did in Wisconsin," said Jennifer Stefano, a Pennsylvania tea party activist. "That's what I think is dominating Ted Cruz -- he has not made as many headlines as in 2013, as when he tried to stop and defund Obamacare." Cruz must also face off against

Summary: Ted Cruz's decision to jump-start the 2016 election season is an implicit admission of the challenges he faces . Cruz will fight a bevy of other candidates for the votes of the Christian right .


(CNN)In 1984 Margaret Thatcher met Mikhail Gorbachev (before he became Soviet leader) for the first time. Asked of her impressions, she said: "We can do business together. We both believe in our own political systems. He firmly believes in his; I firmly believe in mine. We are never going to change one another." "Doing business together" might sum up the Washington-Tehran relationship today. They have overlapping interests in Iraq, Afghanistan, perhaps even in Yemen -- as well as the shared goal of an agreement on Iran's nuclear program, if not how to reach it. The Obama administration has a keen interest in coaxing Iran back into the "community of nations" because it is a regional power, a major player in a volatile part of the world. Were the nuclear talks to leave Iran as a "threshold state" -- capable of becoming a nuclear power in short order -- Turkey, Egypt and others in the region also might be tempted also to go nuclear. And Israel might carry out its threat of a military strike on Iranian facilities. But U.S. and Iranian interests converge in more immediate ways. Defeating the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) -- the most high profile and urgent objective of U.S. foreign policy -- requires Iranian help, and quite a lot of it. Beyond coalition airstrikes, ground forces are comprised of the Iraqi security forces, Shia militias and Iranian advisers and officers. In some areas, the Iranian air force has been active. On Sunday, Iraqi troops and the militias began an offensive to retake Tikrit and the province of Salahuddin from ISIS. Next to Mosul, Tikrit may be ISIS' most important holding in Iraq. On the frontlines, according to the Iranian Fars news agency, was none other than the leader of Iran's Quds Force (or Revolutionary Guard Corps), Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani -- often dubbed Iran's spymaster -- has huge influence in both Baghdad and Damascus. And the Revolutionary Guards have influence over the powerful Shia militia in Iraq known as Hashid Shaabi that is an important component of the fightback against ISIS. The Institute for the Study of War observed that "the presence of an Iranian general, other Iranian advisers, and Shia militias on the ground alongside Iraqi Sunni fighters to retake a major Sunni provincial capital will be a significant test case for the success of similar future anti-ISIS operations." And not only is Iranian help needed in defeating ISIS, but Iranian restraint will be required in preserving Iraq as a single and (dare one hope) stable state thereafter. To many observers, former Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki set the stage for ISIS' rise through his increasingly sectarian and anti-Sunni policies. But now the excesses of some Shia militia in Iraq threaten to alienate the Sunni tribes that Maliki's successor, Haidar al-Abadi, is trying to woo. In a veiled reference to alleged abuses by Shia militia of Sunni civilians, Prime Minister Abadi ordered all forces taking part in the Tikrit operation to take "utmost care in protecting civilian lives and property." But he needs Tehran's help

Summary: Longtime foes U.S. and Iran now find themselves on same side of some critical conflicts . A nuclear deal would loosen sanctions on Iran, and allow it to devote more resources to propping up Assad regime in Syria .


Islamabad (CNN)Pakistan has ordered a stay of execution of a man who was convicted of manslaughter while he was 14 years old. Shafqat Hussain, 24, was scheduled to be hanged on Thursday, but a government official confirmed Wednesday night with a tweet that Hussain will not be hanged and that his case will be reviewed for another 72 hours. "We are still unclear on what investigation can be done in 72 hours," said Shahab Siddiqui, Hussain's lawyer. "We will be coordinating with the government and are happy to provide any documentation they would need." Hussain's case has triggered outrage from human rights campaigners, who complain he did not get a fair trial and had confessed to murder after being severely tortured by the police. His family says Hussain, at the age of 14 was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for kidnapping and killing a child while he was employed as a security guard in 2004. Unable to afford legal counsel the state appointed him a defense lawyer, whom, according to human rights groups, failed to provide any evidence or claim that Hussain was a juvenile. This meant Hussain was tried as an adult in an anti-terrorism court. A social media campaign with the hashtag #SaveShafqat trended in Pakistan and a small protest was held in the capital to raise awareness about his case. Shafqat was calm when he thought he was going to be executed, Manzoor Hussain, his brother told CNN. "He had said that if I don't get justice in this world, I will get it in my afterlife." "I can't tell you what kind of night my family has had. I close my eyes and I want to forget. I can't express the agony we have gone through, waiting and not knowing." Hussain was initially due to be hanged on January 19, but under international pressure, Pakistan's Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar called for a stay order. Addressing parliament, the minister called for an investigation into the young man's age. Two months later, another death warrant was issued for Hussain, with an execution date set for March 19. Since then Hussain's lawyers handed in a plea of clemency to the president's office with documentation that the inmate was a minor at the time of his arrest. Attention to his case comes in the wake of an announcement by Pakistan that it would lift its moratorium on the death penalty for all cases -- not just for those tried in anti-terrorism courts. Pakistan lifted the death penalty moratorium for terrorism cases following the attack on an Army Public School in Peshawar, which left at least 145 teachers and students dead. It was the deadliest act of terror in the country's history. The decision to lift the moratorium on all cases affects more than 8,000 prisoners currently on death row, the largest number in the world. The lifting of the moratorium has caused an uproar of criticism by human rights groups in Pakistan and abroad. "It's like responding to a blood bath by indulging in blood lust themselves," Zohra Yusuf, the chairperson of the

Summary: Pakistan postpones inmate's execution for the second time . Shafqat Hussain was convicted at age 14; his family says confession extracted under torture .


(CNN)You may have heard that Israeli politics is extremely complex. But one of the most important forces at play there is actually rather straightforward: When Israelis feel safe and strong they tend to support moderate parties. When they feel vulnerable they move to the right. Understand that, and you will understand Israel -- and why President Barack Obama may have inadvertently given Benjamin Netanyahu a helping hand. Israelis know they need American support to survive in a hostile, increasingly unstable and radicalized neighborhood, but they don't believe they can trust Obama to help keep them safe. And the president, despite taking numerous measures to support the Jewish state, has done a dismal job of persuading Israelis that he has their back. This reality helps explain how Netanyahu and his rightist Likud party pulled off an upset victory this week, despite opinion polls showing them trailing the main opposition Zionist Union heading into Tuesday's election. Clearly, it's not all Obama's fault. Netanyahu's opponents also failed to address security issues, believing a focus on pocketbook matters would be enough. And Netanyahu is a skilled, articulate and shrewd politician. But Obama, like it or not, was one of the reasons for Likud's success. When Netanyahu traveled to Washington a couple of weeks ago to warn the U.S. Congress about an impending "bad deal" with Iran over its nuclear program, Obama refused to meet with him, claiming he didn't want to influence Israel's elections. Few believed this was the real reason -- it's no secret the two men don't particularly like one another. Through much of his presidency, Obama has failed to convince Israelis thay they can trust him. And his handling of the recent spat with Netanyahu only added to the problem. By appearing to dismiss Netanyahu's warning of a "nuclear nightmare" over the Iran talks by arguing that the prime minister was offering no "viable alternatives," Obama missed an opportunity to reassure security conscious Israelis that the United States will safeguard their survival. His tacit acknowledgment that there might be no alternative to an imperfect deal was of little comfort to Israelis who have spent years hearing genocidal threats from the Iranian regime. Opinion: Will Netanyahu win seal Iran deal? The fact that Obama has become one of the key reasons why Netanyahu continues to win elections in Israel is ironic considering Israelis are profoundly worried about the deteriorating ties with the United States, a relationship they consider key to ensuring their country's survival. One recent poll showed only 37% of Israelis believe Obama has a "positive" position towards Israel, a mood that has undoubtedly helped Netanyahu enormously, despite the fact that large numbers of former security officials have said Netanyahu is endangering the country by undermining ties with Washington, and despite Israelis saying close relations with the United States are the second most important factor for Israel's security, behind only Israel's own military strength. All this left a genuine opening for Obama to influence the Israeli electorate, because Israelis desperately want to trust the American president -- and they remain America's biggest, most

Summary: Benjamin Netanyahu secured re-election in Israeli election on Tuesday . Frida Ghitis: Israeli sense of security key to understanding how they vote .


(CNN)A year ago, when Dr. Stephane Hugonnet was dispatched to Guinea to investigate a series of unexplained deaths, he had little idea that he'd be contending with an outbreak that would quickly spread from a small southern rainforest village, across borders, and around the world. The Ebola outbreak, ravaging primarily Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, is a year old today. According to one official count, it's infected 24,000 people and killed 10,000. And it's managed to do so because of an institutional failure on several levels: weak public health systems locally and a painfully slow response globally. But in order to get to where we are, we need to go back to how it began. It takes a village . Before the virus ravaged West Africa, before the deaths soared into the thousands, before the outbreak triggered global fears, Ebola struck a toddler named Emile Ouamouno . The 2-year-old boy is who researchers with The New England Journal of Medicine believe was the first person to contract the disease in December 2013. Emile lived in a rainforest village in southern Guinea. How he got infected, no one is sure, but Ebola can be spread from animals to humans through infected fluids or tissue. One thing that is certain, within a month Ebola not only took Emile's life, but also those of his mother, sister and grandmother. From there, it spread like wildfire, passing to neighboring villages and beyond when people attended the grandmother's funeral. Where they went, the virus followed. By the time Dr. Hugonnet landed in Guinea, he didn't yet know that it was already too late. Hugonnet leads the Global Capacities, Alert and Responses team of the World Health Organization, and was one of the first doctors on the ground. "We were following this rumor of a small cluster of unexplained deaths in Guinea," he said in a first-hand account of the early days of the crisis. "When the lab results came back, we learned that there was Ebola Zaire in West Africa. This was a first." Hugonnet was working with a team of logisticians, a medical anthropologist, laboratory technicians, virologists and infection prevention and control specialists. It was an impressive collection of professionals with the goal of rapidly assessing the situation and getting it under control, keep it localized. But this outbreak was different, Hugonnet said. "Person-to-person transmission had quickly spread from a rural area to a large urban city," making it harder to contain, he said. "And, the outbreak was becoming multi-national; cases were confirmed in Liberia and were suspected in Sierra Leone." From those early days, the outbreak would mushroom. In July, Patrick Sawyer became the first American citizen to die at a hospital in Monrovia, Liberia. His case raised fears the virus could spread beyond the countries at the heart of the outbreak. And it does. International flights took the disease as far as Spain and the United States. On August 6, a businessman with Ebola died in a hospital in Saudi Arabia. He had been to Sierra Leone for work. Five days later, a Spanish

Summary: The world was just starting to become aware of the Ebola outbreak a year ago . The director general for Doctors Without Borders calls the outbreak "tragic and avoidable"


(CNN)Once again the global community waits to see if the United States and its partners can really halt Iran's quest for nuclear power through a verifiable accord or if Tehran is trying to buy more time for a clandestine nuclear weapons program it is suspected of having. True, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently denied it seeks anything more than nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. But Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's repeated claims in public forums that "We do not have nuclear weapons, and we do not intend to produce them," have failed to convince the United States, European Union and Israel. Suspicion is well-warranted. Iran reluctantly disclosed to the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA — only after U.S.-led detection — its clandestine enrichment of uranium at an underground facility near Qum, testing of bridge wires to explode the detonators of atom bombs at the Parchin military facility near Tehran, and development of an advanced multipoint trigger system for nuclear warheads. Even the IAEA director noted on March 2 that the agency still could not "provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran and therefore to conclude that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities." As a result, the chief ayatollah's words seem more intended for defusing the international storm rather than changing domestic policy. Moreover, Khamenei has made it amply clear to Iran's citizens in the text of an infographic on his website, also reproduced by the state-controlled news media, that "Iran must not cease or slow down" but should "continue nuclear research, expansion, and progress." He has threatened as well, repeatedly, that Iran will unleash a "crushing response" against any nation with which it clashes, making his stated intent to continue nuclear activities more ominous. However, economically strapped and internationally isolated, Iran's citizens are putting pronounced pressure on President Hassan Rouhani and Khamenei. A November 2014 Gallup Poll indicates 70% of Iranians hope their leaders will accept an agreement. They expect the country's economy will jump-start through reduction or elimination of sanctions. So Iranian politicians and clerics, even those on the National Security and Foreign Policy Parliamentary Committee, have gradually begun acknowledging that sooner or later "some sort of a result [i.e., nuclear deal]" will have to be accepted by Tehran. Ordinary Iranians' desire to reach a pact with the West is understandable. Iran's economy ranks only 32nd in the world, according to data from the World Bank, despite its vast energy resources and well-educated public. Consequently its people's prosperity has fallen to a lowly 107th among the world's societies, according to the Legatum Institute. Plunging oil prices have recently added to domestic woes, with that country facing deeper deficit in revenues much needed for development projects. Iranian leaders realize their regime remains vulnerable not only to externally imposed sanctions, but more so to internally generated widespread discontent, which erupted and was violently repressed in 2009. Regime preservation has multiple facets, however. It's not just about keeping citizens fiscally happy. Nuclear weapons work well in deterring external

Summary: Authors: Iran's people want a deal in hopes of a better economy . They say Iran's leaders recognize that having a nuclear program can elevate its international clout .


(CNN)Smoking Man, time to light another cigarette. Fox announced Tuesday that "The X-Files," the series about the paranormal that ran for nine seasons in the '90s and early '00s, is returning for a special six-episode "event." Stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are both back to play Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, those FBI agents who always got a little too close to the truth. " 'The X-Files' was not only a seminal show for both the studio and the network, it was a worldwide phenomenon that shaped pop culture -- yet remained a true gem for the legions of fans who embraced it from the beginning. We're ecstatic to give them the next thrilling chapter of Mulder and Scully they've been waiting for," Fox executives Dana Walden and Gary Newman said in a statement. Anderson wasted no time in tweeting the news. "The X-Files" concerned Mulder, an FBI agent who believes in paranormal phenomena, and Scully, who served as a check on his impulses. The series produced some memorable characters -- particularly the Smoking Man, a key focal point of the series' various conspiracy theories -- and resulted in two movies. Vince Gilligan, who later created "Breaking Bad," got his start on "The X-Files" and occasionally paid tribute to the show on his later series. Show creator Chris Carter, who will also oversee the new series, said he thought of the hiatus between 2002, when the "X-Files" went off the air, and this year as "a 13-year commercial break." But the timing is perfect, he added in a statement. "The good news is the world has only gotten that much stranger, a perfect time to tell these six stories," he said. No premiere date was announced.

Summary: The rumors are true: "X-Files" is returning . David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson and producer Chris Carter are all back . Carter: "The world has only gotten that much stranger" since the show went off the air in 2002 .


(CNN)If Azealia Banks is asked to leave the United States, that will probably be OK with her. "I hate everything about this country," the rapper told Playboy interviewer Rob Tannenbaum. "Like, I hate fat white Americans. All the people who are crunched into the middle of America, the real fat and meat of America, are these racist conservative white people who live on their farms. Those little teenage girls who work at Kmart and have a racist grandma -- that's really America." Those comments were preceded by remarks about race and racism, topics she frequently addresses on her no-holds-barred Twitter feed. "It's always about race. Lorde can run her mouth and talk sh*t about all these other b***hes, but y'all aren't saying she's angry. If I have something to say, I get pushed into the corner," she said. "Really, the generational effects of Jim Crow and poverty linger on. As long as I have my money, I'm getting the f**k out of here and I'm gonna leave y'all to your own devices." Her comments weren't limited to issues. Banks also lashed out at fellow artists Pharrell, Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West. "In American society, the game is to be a nonthreatening black person," she said. "That's why you have Pharrell or Kendrick Lamar saying, 'How can we expect people to respect us if we don't respect ourselves?' He's playing that nonthreatening black man sh*t, and that gets all the white soccer moms going, 'We love him.' "Even Kanye West plays a little bit of that game," she added. She did approve of Jay Z, noting that "hasn't played any of those games." The interview appears in Playboy's April issue.

Summary: Azealia Banks sounds off on "fat white Americans," "racist conservative white people" Banks: "The generational effects of Jim Crow and poverty linger on" The rapper gives an interview in the April issue of Playboy .


(CNN)My vote for Father of the Year goes to Curt Schilling. The former Major League Baseball pitcher recently fired off a series of fastballs and mowed down a group of Twitter trolls who made the mistake of tweeting vulgar and sexually-explicit comments about Schilling's teenage daughter. The drama started, innocently enough, on February 25, when Schilling played the role of a proud father. He sent a tweet congratulating his daughter, Gabby, on being accepted to Salve Regina University, where she'll play softball. It read: "Congrats to Gabby Schilling who will pitch for the Salve Regina Seahawks next year!! — Curt Schilling (@gehrig38)" Almost immediately, responses came in from young men, complete strangers who apparently followed Schilling on Twitter. The tweets quickly went from immature, to creepy, to repugnant. Threats of rape were common. The tweets were deleted, and the accounts were closed after this story went viral. But not before Schilling captured some of the images and posted them on his blog. What was said about 17-year-old Gabby Schilling wasn't just obnoxious. It was vile and obscene. What was said wasn't just mean and ugly. It was threatening and scary. As a parent, it's the kind of thing that makes you rethink your opposition to public caning as a logical punishment for such transgressions. These misogynistic cowards may have thought they could hide in the darkness of anonymity, the sort that many have come to expect from social media sites, where you feel free to be a despicable human being because, you think, no one will ever find out who you really are and hold you accountable for your words. If so, they thought wrong. They couldn't hide. They were found out, and they got the throttling they so richly deserved. Thanks to dad. According to Schilling, who made it his mission to track down these cretins and make sure those they associate with know who they really are, two people have already paid a price due to their tweets. One was a student disc jockey at a community college in New Jersey, who was suspended, and the other was a part-time ticket seller for the New York Yankees, who was fired. Concerned that this is an example of exactly the kind of cyberbullying that leads some teenagers to commit suicide, Schilling is also thinking about taking legal action against some of the other people involved. Bravo for him. I'm sure that, all across America, dads with daughters -- after reading some of the horrible things that were said about this young girl -- are marveling at Schilling's self-control. I have two daughters of my own, and he's a better man than me. If ever there was a case where profanity-spewing malcontents deserved to have their mouths washed out with soap, this is it. So what additional insights can we draw, and what larger lessons can we learn, from this unexpected but predictable collision of old-fashioned parenthood and newfangled media? There are a few. The first is about accountability, the very thing that the young men who posted these hurtful messages were

Summary: Ruben Navarrette: Schilling deserves praise for taking on online haters for offensive comments about his daughter . Navarrette: In protecting his child, Schilling set a model for parenting and taught us a lesson about social media .


(CNN)There's a steady stream of blood flowing down his face from a cut just above his eye. His rapid, open-mouth breathing inadvertently draws some of the blood inside, discoloring his teeth. He appears dazed, probably with a concussion. But there are no trained physicians around to evaluate. And even if there were, it's doubtful anything a doctor could say would stop him from fighting. The crowd that has gathered in this backyard of a Miami suburb won't let him. They have too much money invested. Besides, this illegal fight is the safest way he can make money. And his best chance of reaching the American Dream. When I first saw this footage from the documentary "Dawg Fight," I recoiled. Here we are recognizing the 50th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday" in Selma, Alabama, and in the next state over there are desperate, unemployed black men beating the hell out of each other for a hundred bucks. While the 1999 cult classic "Fight Club" made organized street fights look like a sexy form of psychotherapy for repressed men (and some of the guys who participate in street fights do fit the bill), the vast majority in the documentary just need the money. Because in the Miami area the poor reportedly live on $11 a day. And in West Perrine, the suburb where "Dawg Fight" takes place and where nearly 75% of the residents are black, unemployment remains high. "This is the future of America," said the film's director, Billy Corben. "When you look at the incarceration rate, especially for black men, and income inequality, the life you see in 'Dawg Fight' is where we are headed. "We have these ridiculous drug laws, which makes it nearly impossible to get a job once you've been arrested. And if you can get a job, it doesn't pay enough to feed a family." The numbers speak for themselves. The United States has 5% of the world's population but 25% of its prisoners -- by far the most of any country. Meanwhile, between 2009 and 2012, the top 1% of Americans captured 95% of all income growth. So while it is true unemployment is down and Wall Street is booming, the combination of a debilitating criminal justice system and low wages has created an environment in which men such as those featured in "Dawg Fight" feel backyard fights are actually one of the less nefarious ways they can make money. Sens. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, and Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, have become interesting bedfellows as they work to address the country's runaway prison industry. This week, the pair, along with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, introduced a medical marijuana bill as another step toward decriminalizing the drug. This is a welcome step, because of the 8.2 million marijuana arrests between 2001-2010, nearly 90% was for simple possession, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. And while whites and blacks use the drug at the same rate, blacks were arrested four times as often, the ACLU said. That's not to say all of the ex-cons in the 12-by-12 ring are

Summary: The documentary "Dawg Fight" shows men fighting in a Miami suburb for money . LZ Granderson: It's the only chance for some ever to reach the American Dream .


(CNN)The cost of college has rapidly increased over the past 30 years. Students today face annual costs, between tuition and living, that can easily exceed $10,000 at a community college, $18,000 at a public four-year college (in-state), and $40,000 at a private four-year school. It's unsurprising that today's students often graduate with large debt loads. More than two-thirds of students graduate with debt. And the average amount of debt owed is about $30,000. Given the cost of college, students and families need to know that they're making a good investment. That's why we need to move to a system where we measure learning outcomes, not just time spent in a classroom accumulating credits. A college degree is the only sure path to middle-class security, and because young people and their parents know that, the cost of college, and the availability of loans and other aid, has become a powerful political issue. But for all the attention paid to the price of college, we haven't given enough thought to whether students and their families are getting their money's worth. Is American higher education worth the price? Are students and their families getting what they're paying for? There's plenty of evidence that for many of them, the answer is no. In 2006, a government study found that nearly 70% of college graduates could not perform basic tasks like comparing opposing editorials. In a 2011 book, "Academically Adrift," researchers studied 2,000 students at two dozen universities over four years and found that 45% of them showed no significant gains on a test of critical thinking, complex reasoning, and communication skills after two years of college. Even at the end of four years, 36% of the students hadn't gained those skills. Given the evidence, maybe it's not a surprise that employers aren't impressed by recent college graduates. Employers want the skills that higher education says it provides to students: the ability to critically think, communicate, work in a team, write effectively, and adapt. Yet only about one-quarter of employers say that colleges and universities are doing a good job in preparing students effectively for the challenges of today's global economy. A recent Gallup poll found that only 11% of business leaders strongly agreed that college graduates have the skills necessary to succeed on the job. In addition to money, these graduates have spent hours and hours in classrooms and taking tests, but the time doesn't seem to have translated into learning. Why is this? Perhaps it's as simple as this: We measure education in terms of time, rather than learning. A four-year degree attests that you have acquired 120 credits. That's an accidental result of the credit hour system, which was created by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie more than 100 years ago, for the purpose of providing struggling professors with pensions. At the turn of the 20th century, Carnegie created a $10 million free pension fund to help professors retire. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, which was set up to administer the fund, determined that only "full-time" faculty would qualify for pensions, which they

Summary: Is American higher education worth the price? Are students and their families getting what they're paying for? Amy Laitinen: The big problem is that we measure education in terms of time, rather than learning .


(CNN)To beat the world's best golfers you often have to be flawless -- and that's what Inbee Park managed at the HSBC Women's Champions tournament, playing 72 holes without dropping a shot. The South Korean triumphed by two strokes from teen prodigy Lydia Ko, who took Park's world No. 1 ranking last month -- at 17 the youngest player of either gender to reach the summit. Ko, born in Korea but raised in New Zealand, had to settle for second place at Sentosa in Singapore on Sunday -- International Women's Day -- after winning her previous two events. "She played great all week," Ko said of her 26-year-old rival, who will stay second when the new rankings are released next week. "No bogeys around here and on a course where you can hit a good shot and you can get bad luck. That's pretty phenomenal." Park, who finished 15 under par, won not only $210,000 for winning the LPGA event but also $7,500 from a bet with her dad -- with the stakes at $500 for a birdie and $1,000 for a bogey. "This week was just incredible," said Park, who has held the No. 1 ranking for a total of 73 weeks in two periods and now has career prize money of nearly $10.3 million. "I don't think I can even believe myself that I didn't make any bogeys for 72 holes." Park led the tournament from start to finish, and closed with two-under-par 70 -- a score matched by Ko -- as she claimed her 13th LPGA Tour title. She has now played 92 holes without dropping a shot, going back to the third round of last week's Honda LPGA Thailand, where she tied for seventh. "It's good to have a family here and they are big energy," said Park, who got married last October. "This week just went so quick. I didn't have to think about golf when I'm not on the course, so I think that was a big help." Former world No. 1 Stacey Lewis finished third, two shots behind Ko, as the American finished with a par 72. "It was fun being in the final group. That's where you want to be. But even par usually doesn't cut it," said Lewis, who won the tournament in 2013.

Summary: Inbee Park wins LPGA Tour event in Singapore on Sunday . South Korean denies No. 1 Lydia Ko her third successive victory . Ko finishes second, with former No. 1 Stacey Lewis third . Park has now played 92 holes without dropping a shot .


(CNN)Don't listen to the haters, Dakota Johnson: You made your famous mother proud. The "Fifty Shades" actor received mixed reviews for her appearance this weekend on "Saturday Night Live." Despite a few crowd-pleasing moments, a controversial sketch starring Johnson as an ISIS recruit dominated conversation of the episode. Amid the furor, Johnson's mother, Melanie Griffith, chimed in Sunday with a totally unbiased view. "She killed it!!! Wow! I loved her poise, her comic timing, her grace, loved everything she did!!" Griffith said on Twitter.

Summary: Actress Dakota Johnson hosted "Saturday Night Live" this weekend . Her mother, actress Melanie Griffith, was pleased with the performance . But some reacted negatively to Johnson's ISIS-related sketch .


(The Hollywood Reporter)Melissa Benoist is suited up and ready to fly in CBS' "Supergirl." Producer Warner Bros. Television has released the first-look photos of the "Glee" and "Whiplash" breakout in the official costume as DC Comics character Supergirl. See more: The Faces of Pilot Season 2015 . The costume was designed by three-time Oscar-winner Colleen Atwood, who also served in the same capacity for WBTV/The CW's DC takes 'Arrow" and "The Flash." "In designing Supergirl, I wanted to embrace the past but more importantly, thrust her into the street-style action hero of today," said Atwood, who earned Oscars for "Into the Woods," "Snow White and the Huntsman" and "Sweeney Todd." Production on the pilot started this week in Los Angeles. Read more: TV Pilots 2015: The Complete Guide . The drama centers on Kara Zor-El (Benoist), Superman's cousin, who was born on the planet Krypton and escaped amid its destruction years ago. After arriving on Earth, Kara was taken in by a foster family, the Danverses, who taught her to be careful with her extraordinary powers (which she shares with her famous cousin). "Brothers & Sisters" and "Ally McBeal" alum Calista Flockhart co-stars as DC Comics character Cat Grant, "True Blood's" Mehcad Brooks is set as Jimmy Olsen; "Homeland's" David Harewood is DC Comics character Hank Henshaw; and "Grey's Anatomy's" Chyler Leigh plays Alexandra "Alex" Danvers, the confident foster sister of Kara. Laura Benanti will recur, while former Supergirl Helen Slater and former Superman Dean Cain will guest-star in the pilot. "Arrow" and "Flash's" Greg Berlanti and his "No Ordinary Family" cohort Ali Adler ("The New Normal") as well as "Arrow" and "Flash" EP Andrew Kreisberg will pen the script and executive produce the drama via Berlanti Productions' Warner Bros. Television-based banner. Berlanti Productions' topper Sarah Schechter also is on board to executive produce. ©2015 The Hollywood Reporter. All rights reserved.

Summary: Photo of Melissa Benoist as Supergirl released . New show about character currently in production for CBS .


London (CNN)At the time it probably seemed like fun: Jeremy Clarkson and a crew from the top-rated BBC TV show Top Gear driving a Porsche in Argentina. The only problem was that the car's registration plate, H982 FLK, appeared to refer to the 1982 Falklands War between the UK and Argentina, fought over a remote British colony off the coast of Patagonia, which both countries claim. The conflict, which claimed the lives of 655 Argentinian servicemen and 255 Britons, ended with a British victory. Clarkson and the rest of the production team were in the country filming a TV special on a remote highway that passes through Chile and Argentina, and the number plate sparked anger among locals over the perennially touchy subject of the war. As the crew attempted to flee by road to Chile, they were attacked by an angry crowd who hurled rocks and bricks at the Porsche and other cars in the convoy. Clarkson, who fronts Top Gear, later said an angry mob tried to attack them with pickax handles and shouted "burn their cars." "This was not some jolly jape that went awry. For once, we did nothing wrong," he told The Sun. Top Gear producers said the numbers and letters on the registration plates had not been chosen deliberately. The motoring show, fronted by Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, has made a name for itself globally with risky stunts and a brand of blokish humor that often treads the line and regularly steps over it. Clarkson is determinedly anti-politically correct among the topics he rails about, both on the show and in his newspaper and magazine columns. Favored topics include environmentalism, traffic laws and liberals. The latest "fracas" has seen Clarkson suspended by the BBC, which broadcasts Top Gear, for allegedly hitting a producer. The presenter, who is one of the BBC's highest earners, has previously caused offense during shoots in foreign countries and regularly court controversy at home. In July 2014, Clarkson came under fire for a racist comment made during a Top Gear special in Myanmar. The slur came during a show segment which showed hosts Clarkson, Hammond and May looking at a bridge they had built over the River Kwai as a local man walked over it. "That is a proud moment. But there's a slope on it," Clarkson said. "You're right," co-star Hammond replied. "It's definitely higher on that side." Following complaints, the UK's media watchdog, Ofcom, said the use of the word "slope," which is a derogatory term, was offensive and that the episode broke broadcasting rules. The show's executive producer Andy Wilman said in a statement, that they "[regretted] any offense caused," adding, "when we used the word 'slope' ... it was a light-hearted word play joke referencing both the build quality of the bridge and the local Asian man who was crossing it." Over the years, Clarkson has been in trouble for an apparent series of racist comments including characterizing Mexicans as "lazy and feckless" and saying that everyone who traveled to India got "the trots." He was

Summary: Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson is determinedly anti-PC; courts controversy . Broadcaster has caused offense for racist remarks in the past . Friends with UK PM David Cameron and former news head Rebekah Brooks .


(CNN)My name is Mark Goodacre, and I am a professor of New Testament and Christian origins in the Department of Religious Studies at Duke University. I was series adviser and one of many on-camera experts on CNN's "Finding Jesus," which premiered Sunday evening. I also appear in each episode of the program. Viewers were invited to tweet and post their questions to Facebook during the show. Below are some of the most interesting, and my answers to them. Vance Lipsey: Is there a better way to check the shroud than carbon dating? I've been told carbon dating is very inaccurate. Goodacre: Actually, carbon dating is an excellent way to ascertain the date of an artifact. Many are disappointed, not surprisingly, that the shroud dated to between AD 1260 and 1390. I recall my own disappointment (but not surprise) on hearing the results back in 1988. But the scientists doing the carbon dating were not amateurs, and the samples were tested in three separate labs. Moreover, the carbon date cohered with other evidence that the shroud was a medieval forgery, like the fact that there is no evidence of its existence until the 14th century. Cynthia Restivo: So I know the carbon dating was off, but wasn't it later shown that the piece of cloth used for the testing was a section that had been repaired after some fire damage or something? Which would explain why it dated different? Goodacre: No, that's not been established. Those who defend the authenticity of the shroud often say the sample might have been taken from a part of the shroud that was repaired after it was damaged by fire in the 16th century. But this is special pleading. The scientists who took the sample knew what they were doing. Professor Christopher Ramsey noted that the unusual weave on the sample matched the weave on the rest of the shroud perfectly. Beth A Hafele: So were Jesus' wrists nailed or his hands? All shows and movies have his hands nailed. Goodacre: One of the curiosities about the Turin Shroud is that the figure appears to be nailed through the wrists. This has long intrigued those who have studied crucifixion because there is some anatomical plausibility here -- nails through the wrists would support the body better than nails through the palms of the hands. It is just possible that the bones of the only crucified victim we have, Jehohanan, show a nail mark above the wrist, but this is disputed. There are two further factors here. One is that victims of crucifixion may often have been tied instead of (or as well as) being nailed. Also, some dispute whether the shroud figure is nailed through the wrists. (See Antonio Lombatti's graphic.) Virginia McCoy: Once again, Mary Magdalene is totally ignored. They used the Gospel that described Peter as having discovered the empty tomb. When other Gospels describe Magdalene as the one that discovered it and then she called out to others. Goodacre: Well, you will be pleased to hear that there is an entire episode devoted to

Summary: Religion professor Mark Goodacre appears in each episode of the program . He defends the carbon dating used to determine the age of the Shroud of Turin .


(CNN)Police officer and former U.S. Army Ranger John Moynihan was honored at the White House less than a year ago as one of the nation's "Top Cops" for helping to save a transit officer wounded in a gunbattle with the Boston Marathon bombers. On Saturday, Moynihan, 34, was in a medically induced coma at a Boston hospital after being shot in the face at point-blank range in the city's Roxbury neighborhood the night before. The gunman was shot and killed. "He's a strong kid," Police Commissioner William Evans told reporters. "He's a fighter. He's going to pull through." On Sunday, after several hours of surgery to remove the bullet from his neck, Moynihan, who had been listed in critical condition, was in stable and improving condition, according to a Twitter posting by the Boston Police Department. A six-year police veteran and member of the youth violence task force, Moynihan was shot below the right eye. The bullet lodged behind his right ear, Evans said. In April 2013, Moynihan was among officers who helped save transit officer Richard H. Donohue Jr., who was shot during a gunfight involving Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in the days after the marathon bombings. Police fired nearly 300 rounds within five to 10 minutes. One round nearly killed Donohue. Moynihan and other Massachusetts officers were cited for their "heroic and relentless" life-saving measures on Donohue, who nearly lost his entire blood volume on the Watertown street. An officer pressed against Donuhue's chest. Another forced air into his lungs. The wound near his groin was too high for a tourniquet. A 33-year police veteran, Donohue was pale and appeared dead as four officers laid him on a gurney. "He was essentially dead," said Dr. Heather Studley, who took over his care at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge. Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed that night; his younger brother is on trial now in a federal death penalty case in Boston. At a White House ceremony last May, President Barack Obama honored Moynihan and 52 other officers as "America's Top Cops." "There are officers here who were in the thick of two attacks last year: the shooting at the Washington Naval Yard and the bombing at the Boston Marathon," Obama said at the time. "On those awful days -- and we all remember them -- amid the smoke and the chaos, the courage of these officers shone through. And their quick thinking and level-headedness undoubtedly saved lives." In a statement Saturday, Donohue wished Moynihan a full recovery, reported CNN affiliate WCVB. "John played a part in saving my life, and that's something I will never forget," Donohue said. "His record of service speaks for itself. Everyone is wishing him well and we know he has the strength to pull through." At 6:40 p.m. Friday, Moynihan and other officers pulled over a car in an area where gunshots had been reported earlier, Evans said. The primary job of the task force, also known as the gang unit, is to remove guns from the streets. Six officers in separate cars, sirens blaring, were involved

Summary: Bullet is successfully removed from officer's neck during several hours of surgery . Boston Police Officer John Moynihan was shot during a traffic stop . Moynihan helped save transit officer wounded after Boston Marathon bombing .


Mogadishu, Somalia (CNN)Gunmen detonated bombs and sprayed people with bullets as they raided a hotel in Somalia's capital late Friday afternoon, killing a Somali diplomat and at least five other people in an attack claimed by Islamic militant group Al-Shabaab, officials said. Yusuf Mohamed Ismail Bari-Bari, Somalia's permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, was among those killed in the attack at the the Makka Al Mukarama hotel in Mogadishu, the Somali government said. The attack began around 5 p.m. when a car bomb exploded at the hotel's entrance, according to witness Aden Hussein, who said he was meters away from the hotel when the blast happened. Gunmen then went inside the hotel, shooting people, Hussein said. One of the attackers, wearing a belt with explosives, blew himself up inside the hotel, police Capt. Ahmed Abdi said . A few hours after the assault began, state-run media reported that security forces stormed the building and killed the remaining assailants. The attackers killed at least six people, Abdi said. The hotel, which is along a highway leading to the country's presidential palace, is popular with lawmakers, journalists and business people. An Al-Shabaab spokesman, Sheikh Abdiaziz Abu Musab, told CNN that the group was behind the attack. He said Al-Shabaab fighters were conducting an operation at the hotel against what he said were spies and government officials. Al-Shabaab has been active in Somalia for years. Initially its goal was implementing a stricter form of Islamic law, or Sharia, by warring against the Somali government. It has since shifted its focus to launching terror attacks in Somalia and beyond. Journalist Omar Nor reported from Mogadishu. CNN's Jason Hanna wrote from Atlanta.

Summary: Somali diplomat to the United Nations in Geneva was among those killed, government says . Witness: Attackers detonated car bomb, then shot people inside hotel . Hotel is popular with lawmakers, journalists and business people .


(CNN)With the ongoing protests over the shooting death by police of black teenager Tony Robinson in Madison, Wisconsin, the racist chanting of fraternity members at the University of Oklahoma, and now the inexcusable shootings of two police officers in Ferguson, Missouri, it's safe to say that the always-strained race relations in this country are being pushed to the breaking point. And the point with the most stress is the delicate relationship between police forces and the minority communities that they serve. To approach things from a more positive angle, the situation is dire enough that we absolutely have to try to uncover the good and not dwell on the negative. The best time to make things better is when it seems that everything is getting worse. This unacceptable status quo can motivate us to take the necessary steps to address the problems, which are not going to disappear unless we honestly deal with them. When things are going wrong, responsible people can begin by saying the right things. President Obama said on Twitter, "Violence against police is unacceptable. Our prayers are with the officers in MO. Path to justice is one all of us must travel together." The Congressional Black Caucus issued a statement saying, "The CBC understands the frustrations in Ferguson, but a response of violence is not the answer during this transformative moment in our country." And Attorney General Eric Holder noted, "This was not someone trying to bring healing to Ferguson. ... This was a damn punk, a punk who was trying to sow discord." For the most part, authorities in Missouri have been careful not to blame the peaceful protesters. Surely, not all responses have been as measured, but the gravity of the situation will hopefully bring out the best in people. While we pause for a moment to let passions cool, we can use the time to consider how best to move forward with common resolve instead of mutual recrimination. The way forward is to engage citizens in the community -- to bring them into the room when decisions are being made about policing policies and procedures to make sure that those policies and procedures address the community's real concerns. And it's about putting law enforcement officers in the community as welcome members of that community -- as guarantors of the safety and security of the people instead of intimidating outside forces. This approach would benefit both the community and the police. I'm certain that officers would rather be appreciated and valued by the people they serve than be pressured to fill city coffers by issuing unnecessary citations, as noted in the DOJ report on Ferguson. Nobody becomes a cop because they secretly long to be a collection agent. One of the easiest ways to integrate law enforcement officers into the community is to physically put them on the sidewalks by increasing the number of cops who work good old-fashioned foot beats. Officers who view the world through a patrol car window are separated from the people they serve by more than a sheet of glass. Being

Summary: Latest Ferguson shootings push strained race relations to breaking point . Donna Brazile: Relationship between police forces and minority communities must improve .


(CNN)Here are some of the names you might be hearing about as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev goes on trial in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings: . • Dzhokhar "Jahar" Tsarnaev: Born July 22, 1993, Tsarnaev and his family immigrated to the United States and applied for political asylum when he was 8. A popular student, Tsarnaev attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and was captain of his high school wrestling team. He received a $2,500 scholarship from the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and attended the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Tsarnaev was known on campus for selling marijuana, according to court testimony. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in September 2012, seven months before the bombings. Federal agents say surveillance video captured him near the second blast site, where 8-year-old Martin Richards was killed. After the bombings, Tsarnaev returned to campus and stayed there until the FBI publicly identified him as a suspect. Tsarnaev texted a friend to come to his room and take whatever he wanted as he would not be coming back. He and older brother Tamerlan went on the run, allegedly killing an MIT officer, carjacking an SUV and engaging Watertown, Massachusetts, police in a firefight. Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed, and Dzhokhar was discovered the next day, badly wounded, hiding in a boat. • Tamerlan Tsarnaev: Tamerlan Tsarnaev, born October 21, 1986, was an accomplished boxer. He won the New England Golden Gloves heavyweight division in 2009-2010. Known for his flashy clothes and in-your-face self-confidence, Tamerlan aspired to join the U.S. boxing team despite being only a permanent resident and therefore ineligible. In early 2011, Russia asked the FBI to look at Tsarnaev's activities. After interviewing Tsarnaev and family members, the FBI said it "did not find any terrorism activity, domestic or foreign, and those results were provided to the foreign government." In January 2012, Tsarnaev left New York for Russia. It's not clear what he did while there, but Tsarnaev's father has said his son was with him at all times. He returned to the United States in July 2012. Seventy-two hours before the bombing, he was seen working out at the Wai Kru mixed martial arts gym with his younger brother. He was killed following a gunfight with Watertown police after his brother tried to free him with a stolen SUV but ran him down instead, according to an indictment against the younger Tsarnaev. • Anzor Tsarnaev: Anzor Tsarnaev is the father of the Tsarnaev brothers. Originally from Chechnya, the family was exiled by Russians and settled in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan before seeking political asylum in the United States. The elder Tsarnaev fixed cars for a living, making ends meet through welfare. He and wife Zubeidat divorced in 2011, and he returned to the Russian republic of Dagestan, where he now lives. • Zubeidat Tsarnaeva: Mother Zubeidat Tsarnaeva worked as a home health aide before switching to facials and skin care, both at a local spa and in her Cambridge home. She was charged with shoplifting in summer 2012 and soon after moved to Dagestan. If she returns

Summary: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is on trial in 2013 Boston Marathon bombings . His parents, who are divorced, have both moved to Russian republic of Dagestan . His sisters and brother's widow are believed to be living in New Jersey .


(CNN)Fox's smash hit series "Empire" had its season finale on Wednesday night, and the ratings once again grew. According to Deadline, the drama reached 16.5 million viewers, up 10% from the 14.9 million who tuned in the week before. The show has managed to grow its total audience every week since its premiere, a rare feat in the television landscape. Deadline notes that it's the best showing for a new series in a decade. Most fans were not disappointed with Wednesday night's season finale. As the show aired, #EmpireFinale was a worldwide trending topic on Twitter, and the show got its most tweets ever during the two-hour finale. The show about the passionate Lyon family and the drama surrounding them and their record label has been a TV phenomenon, with ratings growing weekly. Its soundtrack scored a rare success this week, debuting in the No. 1 spot on Billboard's top 200 album chart, topping Madonna's "Rebel Heart." Danny Strong told Deadline that he and fellow "Empire" creator Lee Daniels have steered the series to be both socially conscious (issues of race and sexuality were central to the plot) and night-time soapy. "I think that's one of the secrets of success to the show," Strong said. "That it's working on both levels, and the layered character drama grounds the juicy soap turns. So the soap turns are a blast, but we have this drama there that also keeps it emotional and real." In January, the network announced plans for a second season.

Summary: 16.5 million people watched the season finale . The show's first season ended Wednesday night . The soundtrack topped Billboard's album chart .


(CNN)The Palestinian issue dominates international news coverage of Israel, with images of missiles, terror tunnels and failed peace negotiations frequently splashed across TV screens and newspapers. So you would think that security would be the central issue in Tuesday's Israeli elections, right? The short answer is no. Poll after poll in Israel has confirmed that the public views the high cost of living as the top issue for voters in this election. Indeed, even a majority of Israel's Arab citizens within the pre-1967 borders -- most of whom identify with the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza -- view socioeconomic issues as the priority for Tuesday's parliamentary poll, rather than advancing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. What explains this apparent indifference? First, despite what the polls suggest, peace and security actually remain the most important underlying issue in Israeli politics. The main parties recognize that they need to cross the credibility threshold on this issue, and they therefore include former high-ranking army officers and diplomats among their ranks. Whatever they may say to pollsters, many voters continue to vote primarily on this issue. However, because most such voters are staunch supporters of the right or the left and have already made up their minds, they are unlikely to shift their vote between these two blocs, so their votes are not in play in these elections. This wasn't always the case -- a significant group of voters once swung back and forth between right and left. However, for some time now, the majority of Israelis have shared a consensual position on the Palestinian question. In principle, they continue to favor a two-state solution and they are prepared to make extensive compromises in exchange for genuine peace -- greater concessions than in the 1990s at the height of the peace process. However, in practice, that same majority believes that even if an Israeli government were to agree to more compromises than they view as acceptable, Israel would still not obtain the minimum required in terms of peace and security to make the deal worthwhile. Why? Experience has certainly taught middle Israel to be deeply skeptical of the possibility of peace with the Palestinians, irrespective of the complexion of the Israeli government. In 2000, for example, a Labor-led government agreed to a Palestinian state in all of Gaza, 97% of the West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem, including the holiest site in Judaism, the Temple Mount. Yet not only did Yasser Arafat reject the deal, but the Palestinians launched an unprecedented wave of suicide bombings against Israeli civilians. Add in the fact that subsequent unilateral Israeli withdrawals from south Lebanon and Gaza resulted in tens of thousands of rockets being launched at Israeli civilians, and the 2008 decision by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to reject Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's peace proposal -- a plan similar to the Clinton parameters that Arafat rejected in 2000 -- and Israeli wariness is easy to understand. Since then, leaks from the recent round of peace talks have only served to strengthen the Israeli public's skepticism -- the

Summary: Israel holds parliamentary elections on Tuesday . Jonathan Rynhold: Despite polls, peace and security key issue .


(CNN)A 17-year-old male fatally shot an Iraqi man watching his first snowfall in his new American hometown, targeting him and then continuing to fire as the immigrant rushed to get inside, Dallas police said Friday. Authorities don't believe the suspected shooter knew the victim, Ahmed Al-Jumaili, Dallas Police Maj. Jeff Cotner said reporters, nor do they believe he knew Al-Jumaili's ethnicity. And they haven't given any indication Al-Jumaili had anything to do with what led the teen to head out armed in the first place -- a purported shooting at his girlfriend's apartment, if that in fact happened. Cotner said that, while there have nearby shootings that might be tied to gangs, "we (have been) unable to substantiate ... whether or not there was an actual shooting at the apartment." What police do believe, based on witness testimony and other evidence, is that the teenager shot and killed Al-Jumaili, for whatever reason. "When he saw Mr. Al-Jumaili and their family, he targeted them, he shot at them with intent," Cotner said of the suspect, who is under arrest. "And as Mr. Al-Jumaili ran back toward his apartment, he tracked him with his rifle and continued to fire." Dallas police named the suspected shooter, though CNN is not identifying him yet since he's a minor and it's not clear if he'll be charged as an adult. The teen turns 18 in May, police said. Until the fatal shots ended Al-Jumalli's life, March 4 had been a day of fun and joy for Al-Jumaili and his family. The 36-year-old, who had immigrated to the United States 20 days earlier, joined his brother and wife taking pictures in the parking lot of a Dallas apartment complex amid the snow. "Just like all of us, a pretty snowfall brings the child out in us," Cotner said. Then came the gunshots and Al-Jumaili's cry, "I'm hit!" A few hours later, the Iraqi immigrant was dead. Three days later, a Dallas detective found surveillance footage from a nearby elementary school showing four people coming from the apartment complex. The black-and-white soundless surveillance video shows one person apparently carrying a rifle is seen running just ahead of a second person seemingly carrying a hand gun, Dallas police Officer Monica Cordova said. Approximately 13 seconds later, another person comes into view and passes by the camera, followed by a fourth individual who is walking, she said. Then, on Tuesday, a witness walked into the Richardson, Texas, police station and provided a nickname of a possible suspect -- Kaca. That nickname eventually led to the 17-year-old police believe shot Al-Jumaili. Investigators interviewed him for the first time Thursday, at which time he denied ever leaving his girlfriend's apartment. Then, authorities got the OK to search his apartment and found an unfired rifle cartridge, Cotner said. The teen was brought to Dallas police headquarters for another interview, and he changed his story. Yes, he had been at the scene of Al-Jumaili's killing. But no, he hadn't done it. Yet that's not what someone who'd been with him said. According to Cotner, this

Summary: Ahmed Al-Jumaili, who'd come from Iraq weeks earlier, was shot while outside watching snow . Police: Suspected shooter went out angry thinking someone shot his girlfriend's apartment . There's no indication Al-Jumaili had anything to do with that or knew the suspected shooter .


Sky have won the bidding war for the rights to screen Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao in the UK, as revealed by Sportsmail last Friday. The richest fight of all time will not come cheap either — for Sky Sports or their subscribers — even though Sky are keeping faith with their core following by keeping the base price below £20. It has taken what is described by industry insiders as ‘a very substantial offer’ for Sky to fend off fierce competition from Frank Warren’s BoxNation. Floyd Mayweather's hotly-anticipated bout with Manny Pacquiao will be shown on Sky Sports . Pacquiao headed for the playground after working out in Los Angeles previously . The price for the fight has been set at £19.95 until midnight of Friday May 1. The cost will remain the same for those paying via remote control or online, but will be £24.95 if booked via phone after Friday. Sky are flirting with their threshold of £20 by charging £19.95 a buy on their Sports Box Office channel until midnight on May 1, rising to £24.95 on May 2, the day of the fight in Las Vegas. Since they are understood to have broken past protocol by offering the US promoters a cut of that revenue as well as a hefty up-front payment, it is expected they will have to shatter the pay-per-view record in this country to break even. The current Sky record stands at 1.2million buys for Ricky Hatton’s Vegas loss to Mayweather in 2007. Warren is believed to have offered a higher lump sum than Sky in the hope of attracting another two million customers to his £12-a-month subscription channel. It is doubtful if Sky can reach that number at £20 per sale at 4am on a Sunday morning, but if they get 1.5m buys they should be out of the red. Mayweather continued to work on the pads in his Las Vegas gym as he prepares for the fight . Pacquiao will take on Mayweather at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2 in one of the biggest fights ever .

Summary: Sky has been in fierce competition with Frank Warren's BoxNation . The broadcaster has won the right to show the $300m (£200m) bout . Sky has set the price for Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao at £19.95 . The mega-fight takes place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2 . Read how Jeff Powell broke the news of Sky's deal .


Police officers failed to spot that an elderly widow whose throat had been cut had been murdered. Una Crown, 86, was repeatedly stabbed in the neck and then set on fire in the horrific attack at the bungalow where she lived alone. But detectives, paramedics and firefighters trampled through her home, ‘severely contaminating’ the murder scene, after concluding that she had somehow set herself alight after falling on her cooker. Police had found the body of the retired postmistress, pictured with late husband Jack Roland Crown, covered in blood and with her clothing 'burnt to a crisp' in the hallway . Muddy footprints were left on the floor, a detective touched her front door key with his bare hand and her grieving family was even allowed into the property to clean it up. Concerns were only raised two days later by a mortuary technician. It was another two days before a pathologist examined the body and confirmed the fatal injuries, along with multiple defensive wounds on Mrs Crown’s hands. Detectives are still hunting the killer two years after her brutal death. Coroner William Morris yesterday attacked the services involved for allowing vital clues to be lost as he recorded a verdict of unlawful killing. ‘I have to say the handling of evidence by the police has been unfortunate,’ he said. A theory was formed relatively early on by acting detective sergeant Simon Gledhill that Una Crown had fallen on the hob or cooker and somehow set fire to herself and panicked, and had a heart attack and collapsed in the hallway. ‘In this suspicious death, foul play was too readily dismissed by police officers.’ Not treating the area as a full crime scene prevented a ‘proper forensic examination’ from being carried out. Mrs Crown’s niece, Judith Paynes, told the hearing she was lost for words. ‘I cannot understand why this evidence wasn’t picked up,’ she said. Una Crown, 86, was found dead in the hallway of her bungalow in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, after family and neighbours became concerned for her welfare . Mrs Crown, a retired postmistress, was found dead at her home in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, on January 13, 2013, after family and friends became concerned about her whereabouts. She was covered in blood with her clothing ‘burnt to a crisp’ when the emergency services found her. Mr Gledhill was one of the first officers to arrive. In a statement to the inquest in Huntingdon he said there was no sign of forced entry and the death ‘looked accidental’. Emergency services collectively concluded that the fire was caused when a tea towel caught fire on the hob. Home Office pathologist Nat Carey told the hearing: ‘This was clearly a homicide from the wounds I saw – that’s not to say that’s how it was treated. ‘I concluded that she died from multiple stab wounds to her chest and neck.’ Police cordoned off the home after the original officers, paramedics and firefighters who attended the scene on January 13 2013 all decided the widow had died in an accident . Forensic teams finally investigate

Summary: Una Crown found burnt and stabbed but police initially ruled it an accident . Coroner said vital clues had been lost and death was 'clearly homicide' Initial investigation saw PC wash a blood stained key after touching it . Paramedics, fire crews and police also allowed to trample scene with mud . Murder investigation was not started until four days after body was found .


Mo Farah broke the European record on his way to an impressive victory at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday. The double Olympic champion sprinted clear of Kenyan rival Micah Kogo to cross the line in 59 minutes 32 seconds, taking 20 seconds off the mark set by Spain's Fabian Roncero 14 years ago. It was the first time a British athlete had run the 13.1 mile distance in under 60 minutes. Farah, who celebrates his 32nd birthday on Monday, has now set a world record and a European record in his two races so far this year. Mo Farah smashed the European record and completed the race in Lisbon Half Marathon in under 60 minutes . His only race of the indoor campaign, in Birmingham last month, resulted in a new world best time over two miles and this latest success on the road suggests he is in the best possible shape ahead of a season in which he will aim to retain his 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles at the World Championships in Beijing in August. 'It feels amazing, I got massive support from the crowd,' Farah said on www.iaaf.org. 'It wasn't easy, the race organisers put in a great field. To win here was hard, but it's my birthday tomorrow so It's a good birthday present. I feel so happy to break the British record and European record.' The GB Team runner takes a tumble after crossing the finish line and winning the Half Marathon . Farah finished a second ahead of Kogo after the pair had broken clear from another Kenyan, Stephen Kibet, who had to settle for third in 59:58. Farah was content to let the Kenyan pair set the pace before reeling them in with a couple of miles to go. Kibet fell back, but Kogo proved tougher to crack before Farah's superior finishing speed took him clear in the closing metres. The Briton tumbled to the ground after crossing the line, but reported no lasting damage. The runner was delighted with his performance as the outdoor seasons begins to get underway . He said: 'My legs were so tired. Normally when you cross the line you step over the tape, but I was so tired I couldn't lift my legs and tripped over it.' Farah's previous half marathon best was 60:00 at the Bupa Great North Run last September, but that was set on an overall downhill course rather than a looped route. The Lisbon course is flat and fast and was the setting for Eritrea's Zersenay Tadese's world record of 58:23 in 2010. Farah has now won four of the six half marathons he has raced, coming second in the other two.

Summary: Mo Farah smashed the European Half Marathon record by 20 seconds . The GB runner is the first British athlete to run 13.1 miles in under an hour . Farah has a record of four wins in six races in this special event .


Revealing satellite images show how Syria has been flooded with darkness since the beginning of the civil war with 83 per cent of the country's lights being extinguished since 2011. In a picture taken four years ago, the nation's heavily-populated cities are clearly visible due to the dense cluster of lights they emit. But in a photo taken this month, major cities including the war-torn country's capital Damascus, have all but disappeared from sight due to destruction, power shortages and people fleeing their homes. Scroll down for video . Then: A satellite picture taken of Syria before civil war began in 2011 shows the country's major cities emitting a dense cluster of lights at night . Now: Four years later and 83 per cent of the country's night-time light has disappeared due to destruction, power shortages and people fleeing their homes . Scientists based in China analyzed night-time satellite images and were stunned by the proportion of lights that have disappeared. The study was backed by 130 international NGOs that are part of the #withSyria coalition, which aims to raise awareness about the ongoing conflict. Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who briefed the media on the results of the analysis, said: 'What is happening on the ground in Syria is a humanitarian and human rights catastrophe of the first order. 'I believe it is the single most important issue in the Middle East today, yet it sometimes feels as though the world has forgotten about it. Destruction: Once Syria's commercial hub, Aleppo has been devastated by fighting and has lost 97 per cent of its night-time light . The war-torn city of Aleppo, pictured last week, barely shows on the satellite images after four years of civil conflict . 'The international community can and must supply more intense political pressure to stop the violence and human rights abuses that are fueling this crisis.' More than 200,000 people have been killed and another four million have fled the country since the conflict between rebel groups and President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011. In this period, the Islamic State has seized control of large swathes of territory in their bid to establish a caliphate across the Middle East. One of the most prominent eclipses depicted in the satellite images has taken place in the northern city of Aleppo where fierce fighting between rebels and Government forces has decreased the night-time lights emitted by 97 per cent. In Government-held cities such as Damascus, the change has been less dramatic with a 35 per cent reduction in light output. Also affected: The nation's capital Damascus has also been hit by fighting since 2011 with satellite imagery showing how night-time light has been reduced by 35 per cent . People fleeing their homes, power shortages and physical destruction can all contribute to the decline in night light, which offers a unique glimpse into the destruction wrought by the violence in Syria. According to research leader Dr. Xi LI, the fall in night light over the course of the conflict is similar to what was

Summary: Satellite photos show how country has been affected by four years of war . Aleppo is the worst hit with 97% reduction in its night time light output . Government-held Damascus also affected, with 35% of lights disappearing . More than 200,000 people have been killed since war began in March 2011 .


Teacher Jennifer Thompson, 52, failed to report a student who allegedly took moonshine to class . A longtime science teacher in Ohio has been reprimanded for failing to report a student who allegedly took a bottle of illegal liquor he had produced to class. Jennifer Thompson, 52, who has taught at Riverside middle school in De Graff for more than 20 years, reportedly tipped the moonshine down the drain when she was shown it but did not alert authorities. According to Dayton Daily News, she was issued with a formal warning letter as a result, while the pupil in question was suspended from school. Thompson apparently knew the 13-year-old boy and another 14-year-old had created a still and were starting to produce alcohol. While she warned the duo it could be 'dangerous', investigators claim the tutor took no strict action to stop the operation. In January, a report from the Logan County Sheriff says the student brought some of the liquor to show in science class. Thompson disposed of it instead of alerting the principle. Under Ohio law, the illegal manufacture of moonshine is considered a first-degree misdemeanor - carrying the same charges as crimes including petty theft or assault. It is unclear whether the boy who took the moonshine to class will face juvenile delinquency charges in the case. Wrong move: The science teacher reportedly tipped the alcohol down the drain when she was shown it but did not alert authorities . Scene of the incident: An aerial shot of Riverside Local Schools School in Ohio . In the meantime he is said to be awaiting an expulsion hearing led by Riverside Schools. It is unclear how the news of the incident emerged. Riverside Local Schools Superintendent Scott Mann said he doesn't believe the student realized the seriousness of his actions. 'I think he wanted to show his science teacher and I don’t think there was malicious intent at all,' he noted.

Summary: Jennifer Thompson, 52, who has taught at Riverside middle school in De Graff for more than 20 years, reportedly tipped the moonshine down the drain when she was shown it but did not alert authorities . She was issued with a formal warning letter as a result . The pupil in question was suspended from school . Under Ohio law, the illegal manufacture of moonshine is considered a first-degree misdemeanor .


She posed in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and had gelato in Cinque Terre in Italy, but the last place Jessica Weller thought she would have her photograph taken was inside a chemotherapy suite in London. The 29-year-old, from Ohakune in New Zealand, had plans to see the world and enjoy her once-in-a-lifetime holiday around Europe but three months into her trip, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Rather than head home, the school teacher was determined to continue with her adventure - and even gave the cancer the pet name 'Mr Lumpy' and treated it like a bad travel companion. Jessica Weller outside Hampton Court Place in London as she sits by her favourite flower - daffodils . The 29-year-old spent four amazing days by herself backpacking through Paris in February 2014 . In May 2013, she found herself tossing and turning in bed as she struggled to sleep with the sharp and unusual pain coming from her chest. 'I felt like there was a large ball of gristle trapped inside my left chest,' Ms Weller told Daily Mail Australia. 'There were veins appearing on the surface of my breasts and it didn't look or feel normal - I was in a lot of pain - I couldn't even touch them. 'I knew something was wrong and I remembered the phrase "early detection is your best protection". Ms Weller with her giant backpack when she 'moved houses' from West London to North in September 2013 . She met Kirsten (left) on her way to the UK. Ms Weller (pictured right with a blonde wig) took a trip to Cambridge and they went punting on the River Cam in September 2013 . She went into radiation five days a week for a month (20 sessions). She walked to the hospital after work . She was 27 when she frantically waited at the North London's Whittington Hospital for the test results to return after getting the symptoms checked. 'I tried my best to prepare myself for the worst a week prior to getting the results but deep down, I knew it wasn't going to be good news,' she said. 'When the doctors sat me down and told me, it felt like someone was screaming into my ears. 'I felt helpless, completely helpless and numb as if every single ounce of control you had was gone. It's not a feeling that I ever want to feel again - I felt like I couldn't breathe.' Ms Weller with her friend Kate for Christmas in December 2013 - She was not far from finishing chemo . Ms Weller with her 'Cancerversary' 'boob cake' on June 10, 2014 - one year after being diagnosed . Ms Weller (pink wig) with her friends during the Waitangi Day Pub Crawl in February 2014. 'We were dressed as the Maori colour song. So nice not to be the only one wearing a wig - Head was still freezing!' she said . The pain she had endured in her chest was from a three centimetre

Summary: Jessica Weller set off on an epic adventure of a lifetime in 2013 . But after three months of travelling she was diagnosed with breast cancer . The 29-year-old received 18 months of chemotherapy and five surgeries . She treated her cancer like a travel companion and named him 'Mr Lumpy' She pushed through and continued to travel and work . Cancer was removed last January and has not returned .