article
stringlengths 256
1.03k
| summary
stringlengths 62
3.88k
|
|---|---|
(CNN) -- For more than a year, the spacecraft Kepler has been combing the vastness of space looking for Earth-like planets. On Thursday, NASA scientists will share news of what they are calling the "discovery of an intriguing planetary system." Since its launch on March 6, 2009, the space observatory has recorded tiny blips from more than 150,000 stars. If a planet happens to cross -- or transit -- in front of a star, the star dims in brightness. That is how Kepler determines it may have come across a planet. In June, NASA announced that the space observatory had identified more than 700 planet candidates, including five solar systems that had more than one transiting planet. But scientists need to examine further to make sure it is indeed a planet that is crossing in front of a star, and not another orbiting star. | The Kepler observatory has been recording blips from 150,000 stars . The stars dim in brightness if a planet crosses in front of them . So far, Kepler has identified more than 700 planet candidates . |
New York (CNN) -- Whew!! Something stinks! But before you run to take out the trash, check the stack of mail you just carried inside. A few thousand New York household received an odoriferous gift in the mail from Carl Paladino, the Republican nominee for governor - and it doesn't smell like roses. Paladino's campaign mailed out garbage-scented fliers declaring "Something Stinks in Albany" and featuring photos of seven New York Democrats whose political careers were marred by scandal. "It's basically a folder and then when you open it, when the oxygen hits the card the stink starts," Paladino explained to Anderson Cooper on "AC360" Thursday night. "The longer you keep it open the worse the stink gets. That's our analogy of Albany," he added. Paladino claims no one has complained about the pungent mailings and they have been well received. | Candidate says stinky mail is referring to problems in New York politics . Smelly mail was sent to a few thousand New Yorkers . |
(CNN) -- Just a few weeks after the Los Angeles Unified School District approved thousands of pink slips for employees, incoming superintendent John Deasy has requested a pay cut. The superintendent position pays an annual salary of $330,000. But Deasy, who is currently serving as deputy superintendent, sent a letter to the district requesting he keep his current salary of $275,000, according to A.J Duffy, president of the teachers union. Duffy said the request comes as the district is dealing with budget shortfalls and after it approved layoffs for more than 5,000 teachers, and health and human services personnel. The teachers union is praising Deasy's decision. "Bravo John, you did the right thing," Duffy said. Deasy was appointed superintendent in January and will begin his new job on April 15. | Position pays an annual salary of $330,000 . Deasy is currently serving as deputy superintendent . He seeks to keep his current salary of $275,000, teachers union leader says . |
(CNN) -- At least four people were shot Sunday in a Walmart parking lot in central Texas, police said. A suspect was arrested at the scene, they said. The shooting took place very early in the morning in Cedar Park, which is just north of Austin. Early indications were that a group of people met in the parking lot to fight and that at least one person then opened fire, police said. No Walmart employees or customers were wounded, police said. The names of those involved in the shooting were not immediately released. An investigation is ongoing. Are you there? Share images, videos and stories. In the wake of shootings, attitudes on gun control haven't changed . By the numbers: Guns in America . After D.C. shooting, fingers point over blame . | The early morning shooting took place in a parking lot . No Walmart employees or customers were wounded . Police say they have a suspect in custody . |
An Arizona man accused of threatening to blow up Philadelphia's Liberty Bell was charged Sunday, police said. Carlos Balsas, 41, of Tempe, Arizona, is charged with terroristic threats, bomb threats and several other offenses, police spokeswoman Christine O'Brien said. Prosecutors approved the charges and will take up the case Monday, she said. It was unclear whether Balsas had retained an attorney. Authorities say Balsas claimed to have explosives as he entered the historic site. Later, two black backpacks were found in front of the Liberty Wheels wheelchair and scooter rental shop in downtown Philadelphia. Police said a bomb squad was called in and secured the scene but found that the bags did not contain explosives. "I have no idea why" the man allegedly did this, O'Brien said. The bell is considered an iconic monument to American independence. | Arizona man charged in threat to blow up the Liberty Bell . Police say a bomb squad was called in but found that the bags did not contain explosives . The bell is considered an iconic monument to American independence . |
(CNN) -- Ivo Josipovic won the runoff election Sunday for Croatia's presidency, a spokesman for the election commission told CNN. Social Democratic Party candidate Josipovic won 60.3 percent of the vote, or about 1.3 million of the nearly 2.3 million votes cast, said spokesman Hrvoje Sadaric of the Croatian State Election Commission. Milan Bandic, an independent and eight-year mayor of the Croatian capital of Zagreb, garnered 39.71 percent of the vote, or just over 880,000 votes. He was once a member of Josipovic's party, Sadaric said. Slightly more than half of voting eligible Croatians voted in the runoff and more than 99 percent of votes had been counted, Sadaric said. Josipovic, 52, a law professor and classical music composer, had earlier garnered the most votes in the first round of voting. His campaign focused on cleaning up corruption in government. | Ivo Josipovic of Social Democratic Party beats Milan Bandic, says commission . Josipovic won 60.3 percent of the vote, says Croatian State Election Commission . Milan Bandic, eight-year mayor of capital, Zagreb, garnered 39.71 percent, commission says . |
(CNN) -- A Dutch court Friday ruled against letting a 14-year-old girl sail solo around the world, saying she is not experienced enough to make the trip on her own. Laura Dekker would be allowed to travel from July 1 of next year if she fulfills certain requirements the court established for her to sail. In August, Dutch authorities placed Dekker under state care for two months, following her parents' refusal to prevent her from undertaking the potentially dangerous voyage. Dekker is seeking to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world. The current record holder is 17-year-old British teenager Mike Perham who completed his nine-month voyage in August. | Dutch court rules 14-year-old Laura Dekker cannot embark upon solo sailing trip . Plans to ensure Dekker's safety during planned trip insufficient Judge said . Dutch authorities placed Dekker under state care in August . |
(CNN) -- A strong earthquake struck southern Peru on Sunday evening, injuring at least two people and damaging buildings, authorities said. A house was destroyed and 19 other buildings were damaged, including a hospital, Peru's Emergency Operations Center said. The 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit a mountainous area 43 kilometers (27 miles) east-northeast of Tambo at a depth of 101 kilometers (63 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The USGS revised down the quake's strength from the magnitude of 7.0 that it initially reported, as well as adjusting its data on the location and depth of the epicenter. The damaged buildings included 14 houses, three schools and a church, according to authorities. The emergency center also reported minor landslides in two areas. | The quake hits a mountainous area, causing damage to buildings . At least two people have been injured, authorities report . The USGS revises down the quake's magnitude from 7.0 to 6.9 . |
(CNN Student News) -- April 27, 2012 . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . Liberia & Sierra Leone . Netherlands . California . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. | The daily transcript is a written version of each day's CNN Student News program . Use this transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary . Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News . |
(CNN) -- FACETIME: Ahmed El Borai, former Egyptian Minister of Labor . Providing employment for the rising number of young people in the region is a huge challenge for governments -- and was the key focus at the 39th Arab Labor Conference in Cairo. MME caught up with former Egyptian Minister of Labor Ahmed El Borai to discuss what needs to be done to tackle the issue. IN FOCUS: Private-sector push . As concern over high unemployment continues to grow in the region, it is hoped that the private sector could pave the way for new job creation. Entrepreneurial spirit is relatively low in the region --- but MME investigates one initiative hoping to give private investors a boost. Marketplace Middle East airs weekly at the following times (all GMT): . Thursdays: 1545, . Fridays: 0845, . Saturdays: 0615, . Sundays: 0515, 1545 . | Youth unemployment statistics continue to rise in the region . Ministers recently gathered at the 39th Arab Labor Conference in Cairo . MME talks to former Egyptian Minister of Labor about overcoming this growing issue . |
(CNN) -- A British Airways plane was damaged while taxiing at a South African airport Sunday, the company said. "The 182 customers disembarked safely and there were no reported injuries onboard the aircraft," spokesman Philip Allport said in a statement. The statement did not detail how the Boeing 747 was damaged in Johannesburg, but photos on social media sites show the right wing of a plane apparently collided into a brick building. British Airways said it has launched an investigation and is assisting the independent South African Civil Aviation Authority on the case. | British Airways says a plane was damaged but did not detail how . The incident took place while the plane was taxiing in Johannesburg, South Africa . |
(CNN) -- Security forces in Syria killed seven people in two towns Friday, an opposition activist group said. A security raid in the town of Halfaya in Hama province killed five people and wounded 11 others, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Security forces killed two people in the Idlib province town of Jabal al-Zawiya, the group said. State TV, meanwhile, said gunmen in the Daraa province opened fire on a checkpoint, killing one "martyr" and wounding four. More than 2,600 people have died in Syria since mid-March, when demonstrations critical of the government were met with a fierce security crackdown. Accounts of clashes inside Syria are difficult to independently confirm. The Syrian government has prevented international journalists from reporting without restraint inside the country. | Syrian forces killed seven people in two towns on Friday, opposition group says . Over 2,600 people have died in the country since mid-March . |
(CNN) -- The frail, humble man wrapped in a loincloth wearing round-rimmed spectacles is a symbol of India's independence from British rule that happened today, 66 years ago. The late Mohandas Gandhi (1869 - 1948) is affectionately known as Mahatma (Sanskrit for "great soul") and the father of the nation -- the instigator of peaceful, nonviolent protest that influenced social and political change. Today, who carries the torch and continues this future superpower's fight for a land that's fair and free? CNN has compiled the following list of a handful of India's modern day activists on Twitter, in no particular order: . . | India marks Independence Day on August 15 . 66 years since independence from British rule . |
(Mashable) -- Facebook has launched a page devoted to U.S. politics, located at Facebook.com/USpolitics. Rolled out at the Personal Democracy Forum in New York City, the page monitors how U.S. politicians, elected officials and political campaigns use Facebook to connect with citizens. Facebook is an important part of U.S. politics today. Barack Obama has an incredibly popular page, with more than 8.6 million fans. Recently, U.S. President George W. Bush started his own Facebook page, amassing over 70,000 fans in a very short timespan. Facebook also has a similar page devoted to sports, as well as all of the celebrities who use Facebook. © 2010 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved. | Facebook has launched a page devoted to U.S. politics . The page monitors how politicians use Facebook to connect with citizens . Barack Obama has more than 8.6 million fans . |
La Paz, Bolivia (CNN) -- A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Bolivia Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake's epicenter was about 185 kilometers (115 miles) south-southeast of Santa Ana, Bolivia, the agency said. It struck at a depth of about 530 kilometers (330 miles). The shaking was felt in the country's capital, La Paz, about 350 kilometers (215 miles) away. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The state-run Bolivian Information Agency said residents of various La Paz neighborhoods, particularly in the city's center, reported feeling the quake around 3 p.m. Some evacuated their homes, particularly those who live in taller buildings, the agency reported. Preliminary estimates put the magnitude at 6.7, but authorities later revised the number. Journalist Gloria Carrasco contributed to this report. | NEW: Report: Some residents of La Paz evacuate their homes . The quake's center is about 185 kilometers from Santa Ana, Bolivia . The earthquake was felt in the country's capital . There are no immediate reports of injuries or damage . |
(EW.com ) -- Is it easier being green or going viral? Disney has launched a new digital series starring the Muppets in support of "The Muppets Most Wanted" release on Blu-ray and DVD August 12. The series, called "Disney Drive-On with The Muppets," follows the characters' adventures in the movie industry and as they interact with various celebrities. Disney has already released episode 1 of the six-part series, in which Pepe the King Prawn is left in charge of the office and struggles to network with the stars. The remaining episodes, debuting on Fridays, will be available on Disney Movies Anywhere . See the original story at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Disney has launched a new digital series . It stars the Muppets and various celebs . The first episode has been released . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a funeral procession that killed at least 37 people in northwest Pakistan. More than 50 others were wounded when the bomber detonated explosives during a funeral on the outskirts of Peshawar, said police official Kalam Khan. He said a hand grenade was found at the site after explosion. Security forces promptly defused it. The attack occurred at the funeral of the wife of a member of a pro-government militia group, said Muhammad Ejaz Khan, a senior city police official. A few hours after the blast, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban said his group was behind the blast. "We will keep continuing such attacks on all those who support U.S. and the Pakistan military," said spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan, referring to pro-government militia groups. Journalist Nasir Habib contributed to this report . | NEW: A grenade is found at the site of the blast, police say . NEW: The Taliban says it will continue to attack those who support the United States . The incident occurs at a funeral in northwest Pakistan . Police say the woman was the wife of a member of a pro-government militia group . |
(CNN) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is set to arrive in Iran on Monday to discuss the expansion of relations between the two countries, according to Iran's semiofficial Fars News Agency. Chavez will stay for two days in Tehran, and will be accompanied by a Venezuelan delegation, Fars said. He will meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other officials. Chavez and Ahmadinejad are also expected to discuss regional and international issues, Fars said. | Hugo Chavez is expected to arrive in Tehran, Iran, on Monday for a two-day trip . He and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will talk about expanding relations . |
Washington (CNN) -- Now that the leaders of Russia and the United States have Twitter accounts, perhaps communications can move past Cold War-era technology, President Barack Obama joked Thursday. At a joint news conference with visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Obama noted that his counterpart set up a Twitter account this week during a visit to Twitter Inc. in California. "I have one also, so we may be able to throw away those red phones that have been sitting around for so long," Obama said to laughter. The red phone is an icon of the Cold War that was first established after the Cuban Missile Crisis. It served as a direct line between the White House and the Kremlin in the event of a nuclear confrontation that required immediate consultation. | Obama noted Medvedev set up a Twitter account . Obama joked "...we may be able to throw away those red phones..." The red phone is an icon of the Cold War . |
In focus -- Iraq's Economic Revival Iraq is experiencing a massive construction boom, especially in Baghdad where greater security has led to many companies investing in real estate projects. But it is mostly foreign companies that are benefiting from the boom while many Iraqi companies feel abandoned by their government, having to lay off workers or shut down completely. MME looks at the highs and lows of this burgeoning property boom. Facetime -- Kurdish Prime Minister Barham Salih Iraq is improving its economy and conveying its objectives, rebuilding and investment. Since 2007, Kurdistan has attracted more than $12 billion from local and foreign investors. But investing in Kurdistan can have a ripple effect throughout the whole country as the regions Prime Minister Barham Salih explains to MME. Watch the show this week at the times (GMT) below: . Friday: 0915, 1745 Saturday: 0445 Sunday: 0615,1745 . | MME takes a look at Iraq's current construction boom . The boom means profits for foreign firms but not for Iraq's construction companies . Plus MME talks to the Kurdish Prime Minister about the growing investment to the region. |
London, England (CNN) -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is launching a Flickr photostream Monday, Buckingham Palace announced. She's already on YouTube and Twitter. The British Monarchy stream on the photo-sharing website launches with more than 600 historic and current photos of the royal family. The White House has had a Flickr stream since April 2009. The British Monarchy stream includes photos going back to Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, dating from about 1861. It also has photos of eminent Victorians such as the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, as well as baby pictures of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, the heir to the throne. Most of the photos show the royal family going about their public business, from the queen's recent trip to Canada and New York to her summer garden party last week. | The British queen's photostream officially goes live on Monday . She's already on YouTube and Twitter . The Flickr stream includes pictures going back to Victoria and Albert 150 years ago . Most of the photos show the royal family at public engagements . |
A vicious attack at an anti-racism demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden, on Sunday proved the protesters have a legitimate concern. A group of 40 far-right extremists threw stones, bottles and fireworks at a group of 200 people holding an organized, legal demonstration to oppose racism and growing neo-Nazi sentiment in the area, Stockholm police spokesman Sven-Erik Olsson said Sunday. Two demonstrators and two police officers were injured and taken to the hospital, Olsson said. The incident led to 28 arrests, and the suspects could face a maximum charge of attempted murder, though Olsson said more likely, those arrested will be charged with assault and violence against a police officer. The suspects will likely appear in court Sunday night and be released pending trial, according to Olsson. Demonstrators chose the Kalltorp area of Stockholm for their event because neo-Nazi graffiti recently has blighted buildings there, Olsson said. | 40 neo-Nazis confronted 200 anti-racism demonstrators in Stockholm on Sunday . 28 of the right-wing extremists were arrested after throwing bottles, stones at the protesters . Four people were injured, including two police officers . Police says the suspects will likely be released Sunday night pending trial . |
(Mashable) -- Stuart Hughes, the British jeweler known for his expensive remakes of popular gadgets, is at it again, this time with a diamond-clad iPhone 4 with a price tag of 5 million pounds, or roughly $8 million. The handmade bezel contains approximately 500 individual flawless diamonds that total more than 100 carats. There's 53 additional diamonds in the back, and the main navigation button is made of platinum, holding a single cut 7.4 carat pink diamond. If you know diamonds, all of this probably means something to you. To us, it just sounds really, really expensive. Only two of these will ever be made, so don't worry: if you buy one, the chances of bumping into someone who has the exact same phone at a party are quite slim. © 2011 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved. | Stuart Hughes is known for his expensive remakes of popular gadgets . Only two of these iPhone 4s will ever be made . The device has a price tag of 5 million pounds, or roughly $8 million . |
(CNN) -- Don't miss a goal during Euro 2008! Get all the latest goals and match updates on CNN's Euro 2008 mobile site: http://cnnmobile.com/euro2008 . Plus, the first 10,000 people to sign up will get FREE SMS goal and match alerts. To subscribe, send a SMS to +447800001266 with your favorite team's country code as the message: AT, CH, CZ, DE, ES, FR, GR, HR, IT, NL, PL, PT, RO, RU, SE, TR. To unsubscribe, send a SMS with text 'ALERTS STOP' to +447800001266. For questions about the service e-mail [email protected] . Visit http://cnnmobile.com for more details. For terms and conditions, click here. | Get goal alerts, Euro 2008 news on the move at http://cnnmobile.com/euro2008 . Visit http://cnnmobile.com/ for details about using CNN Mobile . |
(CNN) -- Dry ice in a plastic bottle exploded in an employee restroom at Los Angeles International Airport, causing a brief shutdown of one terminal, the FBI said. The restroom is an area of Terminal 2 not open to the general public, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said in a statement. The FBI and other agencies "will investigate the incident to determine the individual or group responsible," Eimiller said. No injuries were reported, and Terminal 2 resumed operations after a brief evacuation. Terminal 2 is the airport's "secondary international terminal," airport spokesman Nancy Castle said. | NEW: Small explosion happened in employee restroom, FBI says . NEW: FBI, other agencies seeking 'individual or group responsible' Terminal 2 serves international flights . |
(CNN) -- Bel Kaufman, author of the bestselling 1960s classic "Up the Down Staircase," has died at 103. Kaufman's digital publisher Open Road Media said the writer died on Friday. Kaufman, also a teacher and lecturer, was probably best known for her 1965 novel "Up the Down Staircase, " about a young teacher battling the New York public school bureaucracy. Born in Germany and raised in Russia, Kaufman came to the United States with her family when she was 12. She was a graduate of Hunter College and Columbia University and worked as a New York City high school teacher for three decades before launching a second career as an author. People we've lost in 2014 . | Author and dedicated teacher Bel Kaufman dies at 103 . Kaufman rose to fame after penning "Up the Down Staircase" in 1965 . She was a graduate of Hunter College and Columbia University . |
(CNN) -- Five occupants of a church van were killed when it crashed Monday morning in Vandalia, Illinois, according to Deputy Shawn Carter with the Fayette County Sheriff's Office. According to a preliminary report from the Illinois State Police, the 15-passenger van was headed east on Interstate 70 when it veered off the roadway and flipped several times. Several occupants were ejected from the van. There were 11 men in the one-vehicle crash. The other six passengers were transported to hospitals. Their conditions are unknown. Why the van left the highway is still under investigation, the state police said. CNN's Carma Hassan contributed to this report . | Church van was headed east on I-70 when it went off the roadway . It flipped multiple times and several men were thrown from the vehicle . Five people were killed, the other six were injured . |
Berlin (CNN) -- A chemical accident involving chlorine gas injured nearly 40 people Tuesday at a plant for security technology in Bruhl. Of the 39 victims, seven were seriously injured, according to Markus Brachschoss, a spokesman for the local fire department. Around 300 people were inside the plant at the time of the accident. The incident occurred when two chemicals -- sodium hypochlorite and hydrochloric acid -- came into contact, emitting chlorine gas. Air tests were conducted inside the building where the accident occurred and in surrounding buildings, Brachschoss said. The fire department determined no threat was posed to the surrounding community. More than 46,000 people live in Bruhl, about 10 miles south of Cologne. | Sodium hypochlorite and hydrochloric acid came into contact, emitting chlorine gas . Seven people were seriously injured . The incident occurred at a security technology plant in Bruhl . |
The staggering death toll from the Syrian conflict has grown even further as at least 200 people were killed Tuesday, an opposition group said. About 60 of them were killed in regime air strikes, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Well over 190,000 people have died in Syria in the country's three-year civil war, which is now complicated by violent takeovers of cities by the militant group ISIS. The SOHR said an ISIS fighter took down a regime fighter jet over Raqqa, a stronghold of ISIS. Editor's note: An earlier version of this story contained reporting about ISIS and education. CNN has concerns about the interpretation of the information provided and we will update the story when we can verify what is happening. | Government airstrikes blamed for dozens of deaths . U.N.: More than 190,000 people have been killed in the Syrian crisis . |
(CNN) -- George Michael spent two days in a London hospital last week, but his representative is not revealing why. The singer was admitted for treatment on Thursday, May 22, and was "well and resting" after he was discharged over the weekend, according to Michael rep Connie Filippello. Nothing more will be made public "given the personal nature of this matter," she said. Filippello used the media spotlight drawn by the illness to make sure fans know the singer has new music coming out this summer. "He is very much looking forward to the release of his new single in July," she said. Michael turns 51 in June. George Michael: 'Incredibly fortunate to be here' CNN's Joan Yeam contributed to this report. | George Michael was discharged over the weekend, his rep says . No details are revealed "given the personal nature of this matter," rep says . Michael has a new song due out in July . The singer turns 51 in June . |
(CNN) -- Another Paris Fashion Week has come to an end with a bang. Over the past week, CNN brought you all the action from behind the scenes and in the spotlight -- from head-turning looks on the catwalk, glamorous models and breathtaking set design, to the omnipresent Kardashians hitting up the town in force and uber-fashionista Carine Roitfeld's exclusive party. If you missed out, never fear. With a little help from Bryanboy, Chiara Ferragni and FaceHunter who are part of a new blogging elite redefining the rules of fashion -- we bring you an Instagram roundup of the hottest looks, people and parties. . | CNN helps you catch up on Paris Fashion Week . Check out all the action with Instagram photos from fashion insiders . |
(CNN) -- President Barack Obama on Tuesday will sign an executive order outlining standards that companies operating critical infrastructure should follow to protect from cyberattacks, a source informed of the planning told CNN. The order will also include an information-sharing provision to enable data exchange between the private sector and the government, the source said. Obama has been considering such an order since last year, after Congress failed to move forward on cybersecurity legislation. Administration officials have said that the failure to pass legislation has given the executive branch the incentive to fill in the gap with an executive order. The administration still wants the Department of Homeland Security to regulate critical infrastructure and for Congress to pass legislation, the source said. | The order will provide standards for companies operating critical infrastructure . It also aims to enable data exchange between the private sector and the government . Source says the administration still wants Congress to pass cybersecurity legislation . |
(CNN) -- Forty-four workers were evacuated from a natural gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday after a blowout occurred, according to officials. Crew members aboard the Hercules 265 were preparing the well for production when they hit an unexpected pocket of gas. No injuries were reported. Officials had said earlier that 47 workers were evacuated. While gas is flowing from the well, "no oil is being released," according to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. The platform, about 60 miles southwest of Grand Isle, Louisiana, is leased by Houston-based Walter Oil & Gas Corporation. The company did not respond to CNN's requests for comment Tuesday. A light sheen about a half-mile wide was spotted by environmental inspectors, but was "dissipating almost immediately," the safety bureau said. March: Relief wells, 'heavy mud' plug used in North Sea gas leak . | No oil is leaking from the well, agency says . The blowout occurred on a platform roughly 60 miles off Grand Isle, Louisiana . |
(CNN) -- The crew of the International Space Station marked Thanksgiving with zero-gravity-friendly packets of smoked turkey, rehydrated cornbread dressing and a Russian side dish high above Earth. U.S. astronaut Kevin Ford, the commander of the three-man Expedition 34 crew, showed off the menu in a NASA video. He said he and his Russian crew mates, Evgeny Tarelkin and Oleg Novitskiy, would eat the traditional meal in orbit, adding a Russian mashed-potato-and-onion dish to the American holiday's traditional favorites and washing it down with a cranberry-peach drink. Ford, Tarelkin and Novitskiy arrived at the station in late October for a five-month stint. The previous crew returned home Sunday night -- but not without leaving behind a jar of marshmallow cream for Ford's candied yams. Three additional members are slated to join the Expedition 34 crew in late December. What are you thankful for? Thanksgiving by the numbers . | Smoked turkey, cornbread dressing and Russian potatoes for space Thanksgiving . The current station crew is made up of an American and two Russians . |
(CNN) -- A space rocket carrying communications equipment exploded soon after takeoff Saturday evening in India, a news agency reported. The unmanned rocket strayed from its flight path and broke into pieces, according to the Press Trust of India. Video of the incident showed huge plumes of white and copper-colored smoke streaming across the sky. CNN's sister network, CNN-IBN, reported that the rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. Its launch was originally scheduled for December 20, but had been postponed because of an engine leak, CNN-IBN said. It was not immediately clear what caused the failure, which the Press Trust called a setback to India's space program. | An unmanned rocket carrying communications equipment exploded, media reports . The rocket's launch had been delayed due to an engine leak, according to CNN's sister network . There was no immediately indication as to what caused the launch's failure . |
(CNN)Not every woman can say they have made out with both Ashton Kutcher and his fiancee, Mila Kunis. Kunis revealed during an Ask Me Anything chat with fans on Reddit on Thursday that there is one actress with whom both she and Kutcher have locked lips. "But here's a little-known fact: there's one person in the world that both Ashton and I have kissed, and that's Natalie Portman," said Kunis, who was promoting her new film, "Jupiter Ascending." Kunis had some steamy kissing with Portman in the critically acclaimed film 2010 "Black Swan." Kutcher co-starred, and locked lips, with Portman in 2011's "No Strings Attached." So, Is Portman a good kisser? Kunis says yes. "She's a lovely kisser, very polite," Kunis wrote. The actress and Kutcher, co-stars in TV's "That '70s Show," have been engaged since February 2014. They welcomed daughter Wyatt in October. | Kunis did a Reddit AMA chat ahead of her new movie, "Jupiter Ascending" She revealed that both she and Kutcher have kissed Natalie Portman . Portman was a "lovely kisser," Kunis said . |
(CNN) -- A transatlantic American Airlines flight was delayed Sunday after a passenger noticed a portable Wi-Fi connection named "Al-Quida Free Terror Nettwork." American Airlines Flight 136 was scheduled to fly from Los Angeles International Airport to London, but a passenger's discovery of the poorly spelled Wi-Fi network initially delayed the flight for three hours during an investigation, according to CNN affiliate KABC. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials cleared the flight, but the flight crew didn't want to fly Sunday afternoon, according to KABC. Eventually, the flight was rescheduled for Monday afternoon. "It must have been somebody on the aircraft," passenger Elliot del Pra told KABC. "Thank goodness that we did not fly because you just don't know," del Pra said. "It's very scary to think somebody would actually do that, especially on an international flight." | Wi-Fi hot spot named for al Qaeda terror network delays American Airlines flight . The flight was delayed until Monday afternoon . One passenger was grateful he did not fly Sunday . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud is alive and remains in hiding, a spokesman for the group told CNN Thursday. "Hakimullah Mehsud is alive and he is our chief," said spokesman Azim Tariq. "All the reports regarding his death are propaganda." Tariq said Mehsud remains in hiding because he is being targeted by U.S. drone attacks but "is still in command of the mujahedeen." Authorities have been looking into reports that Mehsud died after being wounded last month in a drone attack. One news report, citing local sources and a correspondent, said he died and was buried. But Pakistani and U.S. officials said they have not been able to confirm Mehsud's status. | Hakimullah Mehsud previously reported dead, buried . He is "alive and he is our chief," Taliban spokesman Azim Tariq says . Tariq: Mehsud remains in hiding because he is being targeted by U.S. drone attacks . Pakistani and U.S. officials said they have been unable to confirm Mehsud's status . |
(CNN) -- The annual sporting jamboree is the highlight of the social calendar for rugby fans who flock to the Hong Kong Stadium in their thousands. Fancy dress and beer-fueled boisterousness are the order of the day for many of the 40,000-strong crowd as a party atmosphere descends on the city for three days at the end of March. On the pitch, 28 teams will battle it out in a total of 71 matches with defending champions Fiji looking to repeat their recent success at the Japan Sevens. | Hong Kong provides the social showpiece of the HSBC Sevens World Series . The rugby tournament has been running for four decades . Fiji has won the title for the past two years . |
(CNN Student News) -- June 1, 2012 . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . Syria . New York City; Michigan . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. | The daily transcript is a written version of each day's CNN Student News program . Use this transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary . Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News . |
(CNN)When the Avengers return to the big screen in May, expect destruction, superheroes coming to blows and lots of brooding. Things don't seem to be working out so well for Iron Man, Captain America and the rest. The much-anticipated sequel sees Ultron -- an artificial intelligence who turns on humanity -- and his forces laying waste to the world, with the Avengers not quite up to the task of stopping them. The trailer has a lot of images that will be analyzed by Marvel Comics fans for the next few months (like who is that disrobing in the distance?). Best of all, we get a better look at the brawl between the Hulk and Tony Stark's Hulkbuster. Needless to say, "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" looks to be the movie to beat this summer, when it hits theaters on May 1. | "Avengers: Age of Ultron" debuted new trailer Monday night . Superhero team's battle with Ultron looks to be brutal . New look at movie's special effects . |
Los Angeles (CNN) -- A private jet carrying Chris Brown made an emergency landing in Burbank, California, Monday after smoke filled the cockpit, the singer's representative confirmed Tuesday. The incident, first reported by TMZ, happened as Brown was on his way from Los Angeles to New York to attend Monday night's Met Gala event. The Gulfstream jet quickly returned to the Burbank airport when passengers and crew noticed the smoke just minutes after take off, TMZ reported. Brown resumed his trip without incident on another jet later, but missed the event, TMZ reported. He did attend an after-party, it said. CNN's Carolyn Sung contributed to this report. | Brown was on his way from Los Angeles to New York . He was on his way to attend Monday night's Met Gala event . Brown resumed his trip without incident on another jet . |
(CNN) -- Four people were presumed dead Monday after a small airplane crashed near the John C. Tune Airport in Nashville, Tennessee, authorities said. Four members from the same family were believed to be on board, and there were no survivors, said Don Aaron with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The airplane crashed beside the Bellevue YMCA. No other injuries were reported. The flight left Great Bend Municipal Airport in Great Bend, Kansas, and was preparing for a second approach to the Nashville airport when the accident occurred, Aaron said. The cause of the crash was not clear. The Federal Aviation Administration was on scene, and the National Transportation Safety Board was expected to be there by Tuesday morning. Video shows plane's fatal crash landing in Aspen, Colorado . Wreckage of downed plane carrying software president found in Idaho . CNN's Dave Alsup contributed to this report. | The four people on board are believed to be from the same family . The airplane crashed beside a YMCA; no other injuries were reported . The cause of the crash is not clear . |
Bamako, Mali (CNN) -- At least two militants were killed as Islamists and troops clashed Sunday in northern Mali, a military official said. The fighting between Islamists and French and Malian forces began in Timbuktu, Mali, after a car bomb blast at the city's western entrance Saturday night, Malian Army Capt. Modibo Naman Traore said. After the suicide blast, which injured one Malian soldier, Islamists launched an attack on the city, Traore said. "Fighting is heavy and still ongoing," Traore said Sunday. "We are now focusing on encircling the Islamists to drive them out of town." The clashes come two months after French-led troops launched an effort to flush out militants in northern Mali. | "Fighting is heavy and still ongoing" in Timbuktu, Mali, a military official says . At least two militants are killed in clashes, which started after a bomb blast . The fighting comes months after French-led troops launched an effort to flush out militants . |
(CNN) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales reinstated 17 of his 20 ministers and replaced three in a Cabinet shakeup Sunday, the state-run ABI news agency reported. All 20 ministers had stepped down earlier in the day to coincide with the start of the president's sixth year in office. Morales replaced his production, environment and energy ministers with Ana Teresa Morales, Julieta Monje Villa and Jose Luis Gutierrez respectively, ABI reported. The shakeup comes one month after the government ended fuel subsidies. As gas prices shot up, major protests erupted, forcing Morales to reinstate the subsidies at the end of December. The president asked members of his new Cabinet for "compromise" and "sacrifice" as they begin their work, ABI reported. | Evo Morales reinstates 17 of the 20 ministers in his Cabinet . He replaces the energy, environment and production ministers . The shakeup is timed to coincide with the start of his sixth year in office . |
(PEOPLE.com) -- Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher announced their split on Thursday, but tensions have been building for some time. "Ashton is unhappy; [Demi]'s unhappy," a source tells PEOPLE. "It just got to a point where they had to end it." Despite longtime problems, the exes did try to work on their relationship. Unfortunately, their issues -- which went beyond Kutcher's alleged infidelities -- couldn't be resolved. "The fighting could get pretty intense," an additional source says of Kutcher, 33, and Moore, 49. "Whatever counseling they did was fine for a quick fix but could not get to the heart of the problem." See the full article at PEOPLE.com. © 2011 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | A source says tensions between Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore have been building for some time . "It just got to a point where they had to end it," the source says . "The fighting could get pretty intense," another source says . |
(CNN) -- Approximately 2,000 bodies were found Monday in Miyagi Prefecture on Japan's northeast coast, the Kyodo news agency reported. If confirmed, the discovery would be the largest yet of victims from last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami. Roughly 1,000 bodies were found coming ashore on Miyagi's Ojika Peninsula, while another 1,000 were seen in the town of Minamisanriku, where some 10,000 people are unaccounted for, Kyodo reported. Officials said earlier Monday that the official death toll from the disaster stands at 1,627, with more missing. As of 10:00 a.m. Monday (9:00 p.m. Sunday ET), at least 1,720 people were missing and 1,962 injured, according to the National Police Agency Emergency Disaster Headquarters. The number of dead is expected to go up as rescuers reach more hard-hit areas. | The bodies were spotted in two locations, Kyodo news agency reports . The discovery would be the largest yet of victims from last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami . The official death toll is expected to go up as rescuers reach more hard-hit areas . |
(CNN) -- The daughter of Sen. Dick Durbin died Saturday from a congenital heart condition, the Illinois Democrat's office said. "Chris Durbin, 40, fought a heroic lifelong battle with heart disease and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Durbin family," said Durbin's spokesman, Joe Shoemaker. Chris Durbin worked for 16 years for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington. Survivors include her husband, Marty Johnson, and son, Alex. Her death comes as Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, seeks a third term in Tuesday's general election. Funeral arrangements for his daughter were not immediately announced. | Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin's daughter dies . Chris Durbin, 40, had a congenital heart condition . Funeral arrangements are pending . |
(CNN) -- An earthquake struck late Saturday off Papua New Guinea's eastern coast with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake struck at 11:27 p.m. (9:27 a.m. ET) and occurred at a depth of 19 miles (32 km), the USGS said. It was centered 47 miles (75 km) southwest of Panguna, Papua New Guinea. After the quake, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning for Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, but then canceled it. Saturday's incident is the latest in a series of seismic events in the region over the week. They began with magnitude-7.1 and magnitude-6.5 earthquakes on April 11, just to the northeast and southeast, respectively. Since then, 45 earthquakes of magnitude-4.5 or greater have occurred nearby. Earthquakes with magnitudes between 7.0 and 7.9 are classified by USGS as "major," second only to "great," which are 8.0 and up. | NEW: A tsunami warning issued for Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands has been canceled . The quake was centered 47 miles southwest of Panguna, Papua New Guinea . Quakes with magnitudes between 7.0 and 7.9 are classified as major . |
(CNN) -- In the rich man's world of diversified asset portfolios and international investment opportunities, luxury property in the right market equals hot property. But where do speculating millionaires and billionaires get the most bang for their buck? Is it in the suave sophistication of New York City, the ornate splendor of London's townhouses or the ultramodern apartments of central Shanghai? We've compiled the following list using data gleaned from the Knight Frank Wealth Report 2013 to show the most valuable locations for luxury properties. | Monaco ranks first as most expensive per square meter . Ranking taken from Knight Frank Wealth Report 2013 . Three Asian cities make the top ten for most expensive luxury properties . |
Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Cuban President Raul Castro announced on Monday that the Communist Party will hold a long-delayed congress next April as the country struggles to reshape its Soviet economic model. There hasn't been a congress since 1997. Castro postponed one scheduled for the end of 2009 so the government could focus on preventing a full-blown economic crisis. Castro made the announcement alongside Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at an activity to renew a social and economic pact between the two countries. The congress will also be important because it will determine if Fidel Castro will stay on as the head of the Communist Party, the only legal party in Cuba. He stepped down in 2006 and has renounced all other titles. This will be the party's sixth congress since Fidel Castro seized power in 1959. The meetings are used to set policy. | Cuba's last Communist Party congress was in 1997 . The meetings are used to set policy . The congress also will determine if Fidel Castro will stay on has head of the party . He renounced all other government titles after stepping down in 2006 . |
Masato Mizuno was made president of the Mizuno Corporation, which was founded by his grandfather in 1906, in 1989. Masato is not just a businessman, but is also an avid supporter of the Olympians, athletes, the Olympic Movement, sport and environmental protection. Masato Mizuno, who has a strong commitment to environmental protection, is a Member of the IOC Sport and Environment Commission. He was awarded the Olympic Order in 2001 for his outstanding services to the Olympic Movement and has served as President of the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry, of which he is now Vice President. In 2004 he was awarded the Medal with Blue Ribbon by his native Japan, for his services to public welfare, and his philanthropy. E-mail to a friend . | Masato Mizuno became president of Mizuno in 1989 . Mizuno was founded by his grandfather in 1906 . Awarded Olympic Order in 2001 for services to the Olympic Movement . |
Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- A North Korean torpedo attack was the most likely cause for the sinking of a South Korean warship last month, according to a US military official. The US believes the ship was sunk by the blast of an underwater explosion, but that the explosive device itself did not come in contact with the hull of the South Korean ship, the official said. This is the same conclusion expressed by South Korean military officials. | U.S. official: North Korean torpedo probably sank S. Korean ship . Explosion occured near, but not in contact with hull, official says . Conclusion matches that expressed by South Korean officials . |
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Timothy Joseph Russert Sr., the father of the late Tim Russert of NBC's "Meet the Press," died from natural causes Thursday, according to his family. He was 85. The elder Russert was the subject of his son's 2004 book "Big Russ and Me." The New York Times bestseller captured the lessons passed down from father to son. "While he was affectionately known to the world as 'Big Russ,' he carried no more important nor meaningful titles than those of father, grandfather, great-grandfather, patriot and friend," the family said in a statement. The younger Russert, who became one of the mainstays of television journalism's political talk as the host of "Meet the Press," died from a heart attack in June 2008 at age 58. | Timothy Joseph Russert Sr. was the father of the late journalist Tim Russert . He was also the subject of his son's 2004 bestseller, "Big Russ and Me" His son was the host of "Meet the Press" and died from a heart attack last year . |
(CNN) -- President Barack Obama will make his first overseas trip since taking office at the end of this month, visiting England, France, Germany and the Czech Republic, the White House said Thursday. President Obama wil travel with first lady Michelle Obama to four European nations in the coming weeks. The trip is scheduled from March 31-April 5. Obama, who will be joined by first lady Michelle Obama, will first visit London, where he will attend a summit with other world leaders. He is to meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on April 3. Obama will also attend NATO summit meetings in Strasbourg, France, and Kehl, Germany, then travel to Prague, Czech Republic, to meet with Czech leaders and leaders of other European Union nations. His first trip outside the United States was to Canada last month. | The trip is scheduled from March 31-April 5 . Obama first heads to London, where he will attend a summit of world leaders . He will also join NATO meetings in France and Germany . His first trip outside the United States was to Canada last month . |
(CNN)A senior commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Syria over the weekend, Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency reported. Gen. Mohammed Ali Allahdadi was killed in the same Sunday airstrike that killed six others during a field inspection in Quneitra, a Hezbollah statement said. The Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on the strike. The son of a late Hezbollah commander was also killed in the airstrike, Hezbollah said. Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of Imad Mughniyeh, was born in 1989. His father was assassinated in Syria in 2008. According to a statement from the Lebanon-based militant group, a group was doing a field inspection in Quneitra when a helicopter opened fire. CNN's Amir Daftari, Hamdi Alkhshali and Kareem Khadder contributed to this report. | Gen. Mohammed Ali Allahdadi of Iran's Revolutionary Guard killed in strike, report says . Six others, including the son of a late Hezbollah commander, also killed in strike, Hezbollah says . |
Moscow (CNN) -- Six people died in a plane crash in western Russia on Saturday, an emergency official said. The victims were all crew members on an Antonov An-148 plane belonging to an aircraft factory, Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman Elena Smirnykh said. The crash, which occurred in the Belgorod region, did not involve any casualties or damage on the ground. The state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported that the plane was being tested prior to delivery to Myanmar, which had ordered two An-148 aircraft last year for government use. At least two of the victims were from Myanmar, the news agency said. The An-148 can seat up to 100 passengers, according to RIA Novosti. CNN's Arkady Irshenko contributed to this report. | An Antonov An-148 aircraft crashes in Belgorod region . An emergency official says the victims were crew members . Report: An aircraft factory was testing the plane before it was delivered . |
Sanaa, Yemen (CNN)At least seven Yemeni soldiers were killed and nine others wounded after suicide car bomb attacks on a military base in the city of Seyoun in southern Yemen on Tuesday. Two car bombs detonated at the military headquarters in Hadramout province in the northeast of the country, Yemeni intelligence officials told CNN. Ansar al Sharia, an al Qaeda affiliate, claimed responsibility for the attack. "The first vehicle targeted the main gate of the compound and the second targeted the building inside," it said in a statement. Medical officials said the death toll could rise. "A number of the injured are in critical condition," a medic at Seyoun General Hospital said. "Some of the injured were not close to the explosions but it was a powerful attack." | Ansar al Sharia, an al Qaeda affiliate, claimed responsibility . Medical officials said the death toll could rise . |
(CNN) -- A Russian spacecraft was launched Sunday in Kazakhstan, carrying crew members from three countries to a four-month deployment aboard the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Japan's Aki Hoshide and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko will join other crew members on the station, according to NASA. The Soyuz TMA-05M was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, according to NASA. The Soyuz is expected to dock with the orbiting complex on Tuesday, NASA said. The launch and docking of the Expedition 32 crew members coincides with the 37th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first docking of an American spacecraft with a Russian spacecraft. | NEW: Spacecraft is launched in Kazakhstan . Soyuz spacecraft taking three crew members to space station . The Soyuz is expected to dock with the station on Tuesday . |
(CNN) -- The captain of an Italian cruise ship foiled an attack by pirates off the coast of Somalia on Saturday by ordering his security crew to fire back, Italy's ANSA news agency reported. Six armed pirates in a speedboat attacked the ship, which had about 1,500 people onboard, ANSA said. They fled after the security crew fired back. The cruise ship Melody, which is owned by an Italian company, was on its way back to Italy after a cruise, ANSA said. No one was injured in the attack about 180 miles north of the Seychelles. Piracy is rampant off the coast of Somalia despite the presence of foreign navies. The area hardest hit off the coasts of Somalia and Kenya, including the Gulf of Aden, is more than 1.1 million square miles -- four times the size of the state of Texas. | Six armed pirates attacked cruise ship Melody in a speedboat . Captain of cruise ship ordered security crew to fire back . Cruise ship was on its way back to Italy when attack took place . |
Washington (CNN) -- France's newly elected President Francois Hollande said Friday that he is sticking to his campaign pledge to remove his country's forces from Afghanistan by the end of the year. After an Oval Office meeting at the White House with the U.S. president, Hollande told reporters, "I reminded President Obama that I made a promise to the French people to the effect that our combat troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of 2012." But, he added, the French government "will continue to support Afghanistan in a different way, our support will take a different format." As the Frenchman spoke, Obama looked on but made no comment. According to the website of the International Security Assistance Force, France has 3,308 troops in Afghanistan. | Hollande reminds Obama "that I made a promise to the French people" But France will continue to support Afghanistan "in a different way" France has more than 3,300 forces in Afghanistan . |
Taipei (CNN) -- A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan on Sunday, killing at least one and sending panicked residents dashing to the streets. The quake rattled buildings in central Taipei. Its epicenter was near Jenai town in Nantou county. Local hospital officials reported one death. Measuring the magnitude of earthquakes . The quake was 20 km deep (12.4 miles), and hit 728 km (452 miles) east northeast of Hong Kong. In March: Strong Taiwan quake kills 1 . In March: 5.6 earthquake strikes northeastern Taiwan . | The quake rattles buildings in central Taipei . Panicked residents run to the streets . Its epicenter was near Jenai town in Nantou county . |
New York (CNN) -- Police issued an "all clear" after an electronic greeting card prompted employees at a commercial Israeli bank in New York to call emergency personnel, according to Paul Browne, a New York City Police Department spokesman. Authorities said they initially X-rayed the package and were concerned that it was "a possible letter bomb," he said. The card contained interconnecting wires and batteries and drew a New York bomb squad to investigate. A law enforcement source told CNN that the letter was addressed to a bank employee. Multiple emergency vehicles and as many as 20 firefighters gathered around the building in Manhattan. Employees who left the building were not permitted re-enter it, according to CNN producer Kiran Khalid, but authorities did not evacuate the area. CNN's Allan Chernoff and Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report . | Card containing wires and batteries drew a bomb squad to investigate . It was received at an Israeli bank in Manhattan . Multiple emergency vehicles and up to 20 firefighters had gathered at the building . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A powerful bomb planted in a car killed nine people and injured 21 others in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, a senior police official said. The bomb rocked a neighborhood in the outskirts of Peshawar and destroyed several shops, said Peshawar police chief Liaqat Ali Khan. A police station was nearby but it's not clear if security forces were the target of the blast, Khan said. Peshawar is the gateway to the country's tribal region where security forces have been battling an insurgency led by the Pakistani Taliban. Local reports on Pakistani TV showed the charred remains of a car, several shops that were gutted by the explosion and rescue crews carrying victims to safety. | The blast goes off in the outskirts of Peshawar . Police: It is unclear if security forces were the target of the blast . |
(CNN) -- Boy howdy, does the CNN Living team love a house tour! There's just something captivating about walking through a beautiful house, being inspired by design choices and seeing the personal treasures that make a home. And what better place to start a home tour than the front door? Starting this week, we're selecting user-submitted photos for the CNN iReport Open House Project. For our debut tour, we've chosen "front porches." Each week, we'll feature a different area of the home and learn how homeowners create beautiful spaces. Next week: foyers. Do you have a grand, eclectic or otherwise unique foyer? Submit a photo for the gallery at CNN iReport! See more iReport galleries: travel photos, otherworldly landscapes . | CNN Living is starting a weekly house tour with user-submitted photos . This week, we're featuring lovely front porches . Foyers are up next week, so send in photos! |
(CNN) -- Russian authorities detained 140 people -- more than 30 of them foreign nationals -- on Friday in a raid targeting suspected members of Islamic extremist groups, state media reported. The operation was conducted at a place of worship in Dar Ul-Arkam in southern Moscow, state-run RIA Novosti reported, citing information from law enforcement agencies. Members of Russia's Federal Security Service, or FSB, carried out the raid along with police. Russia Today, a state-funded television network, said the FSB issued a statement about the raid. This site has been visited in the past by suspected radicals -- some from the North Caucasus region, which includes Chechnya -- the RIA Novosti report said. | State news: The operation targeted suspected members of Islamic extremist groups . More than 30 of those detained are foreign nationals . |
(CNN) -- Colombia's soccer officials announced Wednesday they will suspend a defender for the Deportivo Pereira for two games and fine him $560 for kicking an owl on the Junior Barranquilla home field on Sunday. The bird, a mascot for the Junior Barranquilla team, had landed on the field during a game shortly before Luis Moreno trotted over to it and launched it aloft with his foot. It landed a few yards away. Monday, it died. "The animal was practically a symbol for the Barranquillera fan and, given that the aggression occurred in their own stadium and in direct view of all the assistants, such an attitude can validly be interpreted as being within the range of public provocation that is regulated by the disciplinary code of the Colombian Football Federation," soccer officials said in a statement. Newspaper reports quoted Moreno as apologizing for the act. | Colombia's Luis Moreno also fined $560 after kicking an owl . Bird was "practically a symbol for the Barranquillera fan," soccer officials said . Owl, which landed on field during game, died a day after incident . |
Moscow (CNN) -- Former Soviet spy Leonid Shebarshin, who was very briefly head of the KGB, was found dead Friday in his apartment in Moscow, an apparent suicide, officials said. The 76-year-old left a suicide note, the state-run news agency Itar-Tass reported Friday, citing city police. A weapon was found near the body, Investigation Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said. The contents of the note were not disclosed "in the interest of the investigation," according to police, the news agency said. Shebarshin was alone in the apartment, it added. According to Itar-Tass, Shebarshin was born in Moscow in 1935. He served as an intelligence officer under diplomatic cover in Pakistan, India and Iran and took high-ranking positions in the KGB beginning in 1983. He was appointed deputy chairman in 1989. He led the KGB for one day only, on August 22, 1991, and retired the following month. | Former KGB chief Leonid Shebarshin is found dead in his apartment in Moscow . A weapon is found near the body, an official says . A suicide note is also found, police tell state news agency . |
Editor's note: This post was created as a collaborative effort between the editorial staffs of BuzzFeed and CNN. (BuzzFeed/CNN) -- There's probably no wrong way to ask the person you love to spend the rest of their life with you. There are, however, some methods that are way more awesome than others. When it comes popping the question, a special few went above and beyond to prove their love not only to their significant others, but to the world. A recent viral proposal video starring Zach Braff was so adorable we decided to dig through the vault and find some of our favorites from over the years. If you are reading this on mobile or some outdated browser, click here instead. . | Some go above and beyond to prove their love to significant others, everyone else . Zach Braff stars in man's proposal video . Follow CNN Living on Facebook and Twitter . |
(CNN) -- An earthquake with preliminary magnitude of 5.6 struck eastern Venezuela on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The quake's epicenter was about 25 miles from Carupano, near the Caribbean coast in northeastern Venezuela, the agency said. It was 7 miles deep. The geological survey revised its estimates after initially reporting the quake as having a 5.7 magnitude and an epicenter slightly closer to Carupano. The revised location is about 235 miles east of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. Are you in Venezuela? Share your images, video . | NEW: USGS revises Venezuela quake's magnitude to 5.6 . NEW: No damage or casualties immediately reported . Earthquake occurs 235 miles east of the capital Caracas . Quake is 7 miles below surface, U.S. Geological Survey says . |
Editor's note: This post was created for your reading pleasure as a collaborative effort between the editorial staffs of BuzzFeed and CNN. (CNN/BuzzFeed) -- In some ways, it has been a pretty tough year for America -- and a year for tough Americans. The year started in the shadow of the Sandy Hook school shooting. Then, the Boston Marathon bombing brought the country to a standstill, followed by a spate of natural disasters and leading into a summer wracked with unsettling details about government spying. But sometimes the lowest moments can bring out the best in Americans. Here are 10 stories from this year that might make you feel a little prouder to be an American this Independence Day. If you are reading this on mobile or an outdated browser, you won't be able to see this story in all its glory. Click here instead. . | Hard times brought out the best in Americans this year . Here are 10 stories that might make you feel a little prouder to be an American this July 4th . Share your moments of American pride with us on CNN Living on Facebook and Twitter . |
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Margaret Pellegrini, one of the last surviving Munchkins from the original production of "The Wizard of Oz," died Wednesday, the Munchkins spokesman said. She was 89. Pellegrini played the flowerpot Munchkin and one of the sleepy head kids in the classic 1939 film, according to spokesman Ted Bulthaup. She suffered a stroke at her home in Phoenix Monday, Bulthaup said. Behind the scenes of the original 'The Wizard of Oz' Flowers were placed on the Munchkins' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Wednesday. Pellegrini's death leaves just two surviving Munchkins, including Lollipop Kid Jerry Maren, 93, who lives in Los Angeles, and Ruth Duccini, 95, who lives in Phoenix, Bulthaup said. People we've lost in 2013 . CNN's David Daniel contributed to this report. | Margaret Pellegrini played the flowerpot Munchkin and one of the sleepy head kids . Two Munchkins survive, including Lollipop Kid Jerry Maren, 93, and Ruth Duccini, 95 . "The Wizard of Oz" is a 1939 movie classic . |
Los Angeles (CNN) -- In this week's episode of Justin Bieber's brush with the law, the pop singer has been accused of attempted robbery, police said. It sounds worse than it may be: The alleged incident is apparently over a cell phone. Los Angeles Police Department robbery detectives were investigating a report of an alleged robbery Monday night "between an individual and Mr. Bieber near the batting cages" on Los Angeles' west side, a police statement said Wednesday. "The case remains under investigation with detectives conducting numerous interviews," police said. A source close who's close to Bieber and is familiar with the situation played down the incident. | LAPD robbery detectives are investigating an incident involving Bieber, police say . Source close to Bieber says incident "wasn't a big deal" People were "taking pictures, some more aggressive than others," source says . The pop star has been in a whirlwind of controversy this year . |
(CNN) -- Two pilots safely ejected before an F-16 crashed during a training mission on Wednesday night near Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona, an Air Force spokeswoman told CNN. They were recovered a short time later by an ambulance crew, CNN affiliate KPHO reported. Air Force officials reported both pilots were uninjured. Witnesses said they could tell the plane was sputtering and popping just before it went down. "The jet exploded. It went boom," Eva DelaCruz, who lives near the base, told KPHO. "It exploded again and we looked up and saw the jet with a lot of flames. Like a lot of fire and I said that's not normal because we see jets left and right." The Air Force will investigate the crash, according to KPHO. | Air Force officials report both pilots are uninjured . The fighter jet sputtered and popped before gong down, witnesses said . |
New Orleans (CNN) -- Two people were killed and more than 50 others injured Thursday in a 40-car pileup that shut down Interstate 10 in eastern New Orleans, authorities said. Both eastbound and westbound lanes were closed following the crashes, which began about 4 a.m. local time (5 a.m. ET), said Garry Flot, New Orleans police spokesman. It was unknown how long the interstate would be closed, he said. Twenty-two people were transported to hospitals with minor to critical injuries. Another 37 complained of minor injuries at the scene but refused medical care, Flot said. One firefighter suffered a cut on his face while performing his duties at the scene, Flot said. He was taken to a local hospital for stitches. The area was experiencing heavy fog at the time the crashes occurred, according to CNN meteorologists. CNN's Sara Pratley contributed to this report. | The crashes began occurring about 4 a.m. local time . Heavy fog was in the area at the time . I-10 is shut down in both directions . |
Hairspray your hair into an '80s one-sided ponytail, put your Devo tape into your tape deck and get ready to dance to Delta Air Lines' latest safety video. An homage to the 1980s, this is the airline's fourth new safety video in two years, says Delta spokeswoman Leslie Scott. "We want people to stay engaged while watching such an important message," wrote Scott, via e-mail. "We knew it was something that would resonate with many of our most frequent travelers who have an emotional connection to that decade -- whether it's a fond memory or produced some cringeworthy fashion/hair choices." There are special guest stars from the 1980s sprinkled among the actual Delta pilot and flight attendants, decked out in 1980s uniforms from the Delta museum. | It's blast from the 1980s past in this Delta video . Make sure your nail polish is shiny when you buckle up . A certain redhead shows up again in this video . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Pakistani Taliban declared Friday they will target the weddings and funerals of anyone involved in pro-government activity against them. The threat came as the Taliban claimed responsibility for Thursday's suicide blast targeting a funeral procession for a member of an anti-Taliban militia. "Anyone who supports the U.S. and Pakistani military will face the same fate," Taliban spokesman Siraj-ud Din said. "We will target funeral processions and wedding ceremonies of those who support the U.S." Din said Friday that the deceased and his attendants were enemies of Taliban because of their pro-government activity. Police say a suicide bomber blew himself up standing in a funeral procession in the northwestern Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Saleem Murrawat, the police chief of the province's Lower Dir district, told CNN that the explosion killed 40 people and injured 67 others. | The Taliban says they will target enemies' weddings, funerals . Thursday's explosion killed 40 people and injured 67 others . |
(CNN) -- An airstrike targeted a key Palestinian militant involved in numerous rocket attacks on Israel, the latter's military said Sunday. Abdallah Kharti is a key operative for the Popular Resistance Committees, according to the Israel defense forces. The group opposes peace talks with Israel. The Israeli air force conducted the airstrike on Gaza on Sunday, the military said. Conflicting reports emerged on Kharti's condition. The Israeli military said Kharti was killed, but the Popular Resistance Committees group said one of its members survived an attack in Gaza. It did not identify that person. Thirty-three rockets have been launched from Gaza into Israel this year, according to the Israeli military. CNN's Talal Abu-Rahma contributed to this report. | The Israeli military conducted the airstrike on Gaza on Sunday . 33 rockets have been launched from Gaza into Israel so far this year, it says . |
(CNN) -- A series of four strong earthquakes spanning just over an hour struck the Philippines' Moro Gulf on Saturday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Three of the four earthquakes had magnitudes between 7.3 and 7.6; the other came in at a 5.4 magnitude. The first quake struck at 6:08 a.m. (6:08 p.m. ET Friday) and the fourth hit at 7:15 a.m. The last quake ran the deepest at 616 (382 miles) kilometers. The epicenters of the quakes were about 100 kilometers (62 miles) off the coastal city of Cotabato and roughly 950 kilometers (590 miles) southeast of Manila. No tsunami warning was immediately issued for any of the quakes. There were no reports of damage, said Rona Faeldin of the Philippines Coast Guard. CNN's Katy Byron contributed to this report. | NEW: Four earthquakes hit waters south of Philippines . NEW: Three of the four have magnitudes above 7.0 . No tsunami warning was immediately issued . |
(CNN) -- Four people died when a small plane with 10 aboard crashed in southwestern Alaska on Friday evening, authorities said. The Cessna 208 went down near St. Mary's village after it was reported missing the same day. Its wreckage was later discovered. The relatives of the deceased have been notified, said Megan Peters, a spokeswoman for Alaska State Troopers. The deceased are Rose Polty, Richard Polty, Wyatt Coffee and the pilot, Terry Hansen. No more information was available on the victims. The U.S. Coast Guard, state troopers and Life Med Alaska responded to the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, the agency said in a tweet. | NEW: NTSB is investigating . The Cessna 208 went down near St. Mary's village . It was reported missing the same day . The relatives of the deceased have been notified . |
Buenos Aires, Argentina (CNN) -- Authorities in Argentina's capital are searching for at least three people who allegedly broke into a bank through an underground tunnel, state media reported. Investigators believe the thieves entered the bank through a 30-meter (98-foot) tunnel -- replete with rugs, lighting and ventilation, the state-run Telam news agency said. "It was truly impressive," prosecutor Martin Niklison told Telam. Authorities traced the tunnel to a rented business space on the same block in Buenos Aires where the bank is located. It was rented in July, Niklison said, according to Telam. The suspects broke into more than 130 safe-deposit boxes during the robbery, which occurred when the branch of Banco Provincia de Buenos Aires was closed over the New Year's holiday weekend, Telam said. Bank security cameras recorded images of the suspects leaving with money and stolen objects, the news agency reported. | Investigators find a tunnel between a bank and a nearby rented business . The robbery occured over the New Year's holiday weekend . The bank says suspects broke into at least 130 safe-deposit boxes . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, was briefly evacuated Wednesday after an alarm was raised over a suspicious envelope containing white powder, Stockholm police said. Stockholm police are moving the envelope to a secure location in order to examine it, police spokesman Albin Navery said. "The embassy has been evacuated and we are working with Swedish authorities to investigate the incident," a U.S. State Department official told CNN. All employees are accounted for, the official said. The all-clear has now been given and staffers have begun to return to the building, CNN affiliate TV4 said. CNN's Saskya Vandoorne and Jamie Crawford contributed to this report. | The embassy was briefly evacuated after a suspicious envelope sparked an alert . The envelope contained white powder, Stockholm police said . Stockholm police will examine the contents of the envelope in a secure place . The all-clear has now been given, CNN affiliate TV4 reports . |
A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck early Sunday off Indonesia, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake rattled a remote swath of sea between the Pacific and Indian oceans, north of Australia and east of Timor-Leste, some 5.6 miles (9 kilometers) deep, according to the U.S. agency. It was centered approximately 212 miles (340 kilometers) west-northwest of Saumlaki in Indonesia's Tanimbar Islands, 217 miles east-northeast of Dili, Timor-Leste, and 226 miles of Ambon, Indonesia. Neither the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center nor the Japan Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings or advisories immediately after the tremor. | The quake rattles a remote swath of sea between the Pacific and Indian oceans . It is 9 kilometers deep and was centered 212 miles from Saumlaki, Indonesia . No tsunami warnings or advisories are immediately issued . |
(CNN) -- A Yemeni government aircraft mistakenly bombed its own troops, killing 29 soldiers, a security official told CNN on Sunday. The incident occurred Saturday night in southern Abyan province, where Yemeni forces have been battling Islamic militants, said the Yemeni security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "The attack was an accident, and many lives were lost," said the official, who was not authorized to speak to the media. State-run Saba News Agency denies an attack took place against soldiers in Abyan. The soldiers were using a school on the outskirts of Zinjibar, the capital of the Abyan province, as a launching pad to strike at militants in the area when they were bombed, the official said. Militants have been fighting government forces since May, when they announced the province was an Islamic emirate. | Official: "The attack was an accident and many lives were lost" The soldiers were struck while using a school as a launching pad to strike at militiants, the official said . State-run Saba News Agency denies the attack took place . |
(CNN) -- The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in Arrowhead Stadium, ending the defending Super Bowl champions' quest for a perfect season. The Packers, who were 13-0 this season, were defeated 19-14 by the 5-8 Chiefs. Despite the loss -- the Packers' first in 20 games -- Green Bay remains firmly atop the NFC standings. The Chiefs are in last place in the AFC West. Kansas City executives on Monday fired head coach Todd Haley after the team lost four of its previous five games. Sunday's win was the first under interim head coach Romeo Crennel. Crennel was previously the team's defensive coordinator. Also Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts ended their winless season with their first victory, beating the Tennessee Titans 27-13. The Colts, previously 0-13, have been struggling without star quarterback Peyton Manning as he recovers from neck surgery. | NEW: Indianapolis Colts win their first game of the season . Chiefs beat Packers 19-14 at Arrowhead Stadium . The Packers were 13-0 this season and had won 19 straight . |
(CNN) -- Israeli forces killed two militants in Gaza on Sunday morning, Palestinian officials said. The forces said they saw suspects "planting explosives along the security fence along the southern Gaza Strip." A spokesman for the forces confirmed the attacks, saying there were "direct hits," but did not provide the number of people killed. Palestinian officials confirmed an exchange of fire occurred between Israeli forces and "Islamic jihad militants" east of Khan Younis. Saraya al-Quds militants said in a statement that two of their fighters were killed. | Israeli forces say they saw suspects planting explosives . A militant group says two of its fighters were killed . |
Miami, Florida (CNN) -- Bermuda's weather officials have relaxed local storm advisories after news arrived that Fiona is downgraded to a tropical depression. But Gaston, however, can still regain strength in the next two days and become a tropical cyclone, U.S. forecasters said Friday. Fiona's center -- which was expected to pass near Bermuda on Saturday morning -- put officials on alert as it promised heavy winds and downpours. But as of 8 p.m. ET, Fiona's wind speed had decreased to about 16 miles per hour. Fiona's is expected to continue its course north to northeast at about 16 mph with some increase in forward speed, brushing east of Bermuda. Some rainfall is expected. Gaston, churning westward, is between the Cape Verde Islands off Africa and Lesser Antilles. | NEW: Fiona is now a tropical depression . Fiona expected to pass near Bermuda Saturday . Gaston could become a tropical cyclone in 48 hours . |
(CNN) -- All passengers aboard a passenger train that fell into a river in southwest China's Sichuan ProvinceThursday got out alive, state-run CCTV reported Friday. The accident occurred in Guanghan at about 3:20 p.m. Thursday on the Shi-ting-jiang Bridge, part of the railway line that links Chengdu and Baoji, in northwestern Shaanxi Province. Floods caused the bridge piers to collapse, which forced the train from its track, local officials said. It was not immediately known how many passengers were inside the carriages, which a firefighter said were swept 200 meters downriver. Hundreds of people aboard five other carriages were taken to safety. The train was traveling from Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi, to Kunming, the capital of southwestern Yunnan Province. | NEW: All passengers got out alive . Floods caused the bridge piers to collapse, forcing the train from its track . The train was traveling from Shaanxi to Yunnan Province . |
(CNN Student News) -- March 8, 2013 . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . North Korea . California; Florida . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. | The daily transcript is a written version of each day's CNN Student News program . Use this transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary . Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News . |
New Delhi (CNN) -- An Indian freelance journalist working for an Iranian news outlet has been arrested in connection with the bombing of an Israeli embassy car in New Delhi last month, authorities said Wednesday. The suspect has been identified as Syed Mohammad Kazmi and is being held on charges of plotting the attack, according to Ashok Chand, deputy commissioner of police. A court remanded Kazmi, 50, in police custody for questioning, Chand told CNN. Authorities did not say which Iranian media organization Kazmi allegedly worked for. The device attached to the Israeli vehicle wounded several people when it exploded. The same day, another device was found on an Israeli Embassy car in Tbilisi, Georgia, and safety detonated. A day later, a series of bombs went off in Bangkok, Thailand. Israel has alleged that the Iran is behind the attacks, an accusation that Tehran denies. | NEW: The man is being questioned by New Delhi police . The police have detained him as part of an investigation into a bombing last month . A device attached to an Israel Embassy vehicle exploded, wounding several people . Israel has accused Iran of being behind the attacks, a claim that Tehran denies . |
(CNN) -- Taliban insurgents have killed 14 Afghan National Security forces, including two policemen, in northern Afghanistan, government officials said. About 180 Afghan security forces were traveling in a convoy Sunday when more than 200 Taliban fighters attacked them in a very remote part of Sar-e-Pul province, Gov. Abdul Jabar Haqbeen told CNN. The Taliban captured six soldiers, 17 others were injured, and 23 Taliban insurgents were killed in the fighting, Haqbeen said. Also on Sunday, a suicide attack in Wardak province killed 14 people, including nine civilians, a province spokesman said. A car full of explosives blew up near an Afghan National Army vehicle, according to Wardak officials. Two other vehicles with civilians were also destroyed in the blast, and six people were injured, officials said. Drone strikes kill 8 in Afghanistan, Pakistan . Mohammad Ehsan Popalzai contributed to this report. | Insurgents strike a military convoy in northern Afghanistan and kill 14 people, officials say . 200 Taliban fighters attack 180 Afghan forces in a remote part of Sar-e-Pul province . Taliban capture six soldiers, Afghan forces kill 23 Taliban in the fighting, officials say . A suicide car bomb in Wardak province kills 14 people, including nine civilians . |
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Three members of the Afghan National Security Forces have been killed after a helicopter was hit by munitions fired into Bagram Airfield, a NATO official said Tuesday. Four rounds landed in the airfield on Monday around 10 p.m., said Lt. Col Hagen Messer, a spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). One of the rounds struck an ISAF helicopter, killing the three Afghan troops and wounding two ISAF service members, Messer said. ISAF is not yet able to confirm the type of the rounds or whether they were rockets or mortars, said Messer. He added that an investigation was under way to establish the details of what happened. Rewarding Afghanistan's torturers? | Two ISAF service members are wounded in the incident . A helicopter is hit after rounds are fired into the airfield . ISAF has begun an investigation into what happened . |
(CNN) -- After a dramatic end to a year-long qualifying campaign, the 16 teams competing in the 2012 African Cup of Nations have learned their group stage opponents after the draw for January's tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea was made. The two-yearly tournament will be without some of African football's most successful teams, with seven-time winners Egypt and 1980 and 1994 champions Nigeria both failing to qualify for the showpiece competition. Cup of woe: Why have African football giants fallen short? In their place will be a trio of tournament debutantes, with Equatorial Guinea, Niger and Botswana all making their first appearance in the competition. The first match will see Henri Michel's Equatorial Guinea host Libya in Bata on January 21, with the final set to take place at the Stade d'Angonde in Libreville on February 12. | The draw has been made for the 2012 African Cup of Nations . The tournament will get underway with Equatorial Guinea v Libya on January 21 in Bata . Stade d'Angonde in Libreville will host the final on February 12 . |
(CNN) -- Hate to break it to you, girls -- and guys. John Legend tied the knot. To his model girlfriend. In Italy. Legend, 34, married Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, Chrissy Teigen, on Saturday in Lake Como. The lovebirds' wedding comes as no surprise. Teigen keeps an online blog, where she posts recipes and tidbits about her life with the famed crooner. Last September, she posted that it was their sixth anniversary. "He still amazes me, loves me, frustrates me as much as he did years ago," she posted. It has been a busy few weeks for the acclaimed singer. He released his latest album, "Love in the Future," two weeks ago. | Legend marries model girlfriend in Italy . The acclaimed singer's latest album is called "Love in the Future" |
(CNN) -- Twelve Lebanese soldiers have been killed in the southern city of Sidon since Sunday, in fighting with armed followers of Lebanese Sunni hardline cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir, according to the Lebanese state news agency. Despite the casualties, the National News Agency reported that the Lebanese army had tightened its control over the al-Asir compound. Al-Asir is a vocal supporter of the Syrian rebels who have been fighting Hezbollah and the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The violence from the ongoing civil war in Syria has frequently spilled over into Lebanon in recent months. | Lebanese state news agency: Government troops surround Sunni cleric's compound . Civil war violence from Syria spills over to Lebanon . |
(CNN) -- IN FOCUS: Oil Price at OPEC . This week Marketplace Middle East is in Vienna, where energy ministers gathered for the 161st OPEC Meeting. Several issues are being discussed, but MME takes a look at one of the most deliberated -- the price of oil. FACETIME: Abdul-Hussain Ali Mirza . Unlike its neighbors, the Kingdom of Bahrain doesn't have much oil wealth. Nevertheless the country is going to boost its production. MME spoke to Bahrain's energy minister who says that they're planning to double production over the next five years. Marketplace Middle East airs weekly at the following times (all GMT): . Thursdays: 1545, . Fridays: 0845, . Saturdays: 0615 . | As energy ministers gather in Vienna for OPEC Meeting, MME looks at oil prices . Despite not having much oil wealth, Bahrain plans to boost its production . Bahrain's energy minister tells MME the output will double over the next five years . |
(CNN) -- One of the worst-hit cities in the Philippines, Tacloban, has been completely devastated by Typhoon Haiyan. The capital city of Leyte province, nearly 400 miles south-east of Manila, was one of the first places hit by the storm. Around 200,000 people were made homeless in a matter of hours as a wall of ocean water flattened their houses. Tacloban City Stadium was one of just a handful of structures in the area to withstand the storm, despite its coastal location. It is now being used as a refugee center where thousands of people have taken shelter. Scroll the slider above to see the stadium before and after the storm. CNN's Ivan Watson toured the typhoon-devastated Tacloban region by air, read his personal account of the destruction he saw. | The stadium was one of just a handful of structures in Tacloban to withstand the storm . It is now being used as a refugee center where thousands have taken shelter . Scroll the slider above to see the Tacloban stadium before and after the storm . |
(CNN) -- Jessica Alba gave birth Saturday to her second daughter with husband Cash Warren, according to a post Sunday on the actress' Facebook page. Haven Garner Warren weighed in at 7 pounds and measured 19 inches long, Alba said in the posting. "Healthy and happy! Big Sister Honor couldn't be more excited about the new addition to our family," the post read. She concluded the post by thanking fans for their support during her pregnancy. "It means the world to me." | Haven Garner Warren is the couple's second daughter together . She was born Saturday . |
(CNN) -- How do the world's busiest airports rate when it comes to getting planes off the ground on time? We've taken the top 20 airports in terms of total passenger numbers and ranked them according to how often flights take-off with 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time. The figure for each airport is the percentage of flights that depart on time. Tokyo's Haneda tops the list with on average 9 out 10 flights departing on time, but don't expect to leave China's main airports on time -- they prop up the list with only 1 out of 4 flights hitting their allotted take-off slot. Read more: How airports cope with bad weather . Statistics courtesy of Flight Stats taken from airport information for 2012 . | Tokyo Haneda ranks the best for on-time departures . Despite a patchy reputation, Atlanta comes in second . Airports in China have the worst record for timely take-offs . |
(CNN) -- Tropical Storm Cristobal formed early Sunday in the Caribbean, having strengthened from a tropical depression, the National Hurricane Center said. It has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. The hurricane center issued tropical storm warnings on Sunday for the southeastern and central Bahamas as well as for the Turks and Caicos Islands. Cristobal is moving to the northwest but is expected to turn to the northeast in the coming days and miss the U.S. coastline. | It has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph . Tropical storm warnings have been issued in parts of the Bahamas . NWS forecast puts the storm east of the United States early next week . |
Subsets and Splits