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FALLUJA , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Like many young boys , Khidir loves playing with toy cars and wants to be a policeman like his father when he grows up . But it was his father 's very job that caused the tiny child to suffer the unimaginable . Khidir , now 8 , was kidnapped and held hostage for two years by operatives with al Qaeda in Iraq . Khidir was just 6 years old when he was savagely ripped away from his family , kidnapped by al Qaeda operatives in Iraq . `` They beat me with a shovel , they pulled my teeth out with pliers , they would go like this and pull it , '' said Khidir , now 8 , demonstrating with his hands . `` And they would make me work on the farm gathering carrots . '' What followed was even more horrific , an ordeal that would last for two years in captivity . Khidir and his father spoke to CNN recently , more than half a year after his rescue by Iraqi police . Watch boy describe torture '' `` This is where they hammered a nail into my leg and then they pulled it out , '' he says , lifting up his pant leg to show a tiny wound . He says his captors also pulled out each of his tiny fingernails , broke both his arms , and beat him repeatedly on the side of the head with a shovel . He still suffers chronic headaches . He remembers them laughing as they inflicted the pain . `` I would think about my mommy and daddy , '' he replies , when asked how he managed to get through the agony . His father , Abdul Qader , struggles for words . `` When he tells me about how they would torture him , I ca n't tolerate it . I start crying , '' he says . `` What hurts me the most is when they hammered a nail into his leg . '' The father , a police officer , was sleeping at the police station in Falluja when his son was kidnapped . It was too dangerous to go home regularly . Although Falluja was no longer controlled by insurgents , assassinations against police were common . `` I woke up to the sound of a huge explosion ... and then I heard my name on the radio . I ran outside and they came to me saying your house was blown up , '' he says . `` When the police patrol came back , they all started kissing and comforting me , '' he continues . `` I was asking , ` What 's going on ? Where is my family ? ' They told me that they took my son . This was a disaster . I went mad that day , I was n't normal , I was hysterical . '' Khidir 's grandmother was at home with the family at the time . `` The kidnappers climbed the fence and kicked in the door , '' she says . `` They were screaming for Abdul Qader . I told them he 's not here . They called me a liar and said we want his son . His son was hiding behind me , clutching my clothes . I said this is not his son . They hit me on the back with a rifle and ripped him out of my arms . '' The last thing she remembers were his screams of `` Granny , Granny ! '' The attackers rigged the house with explosives and demolished it before taking off with the 6-year-old . The boy 's grandmother and seven other family members rushed out of the home before it exploded . `` The kidnappers called me on the phone and demanded that some prisoners that we had be released or they would slit his throat , '' Khidir 's father says . `` But I said no to the release . I would not put killers back out on the street that would hurt other Muslims . So I thought to myself , ` Let my son be a martyr . ' '' He even held a secret funeral for his little boy . He did n't want to tell the rest of the family that he had refused the kidnappers ' ultimatum , allowing them to hope that he was still alive . Last December , nearly two years later , police in Taji , about 45 miles -LRB- 70 kilometers -RRB- away , received a tip that terrorists were holding kidnapped children . `` We thought that it was just a tip to ambush us , but we considered the mission as a sacrifice , '' said Iraqi police Capt. Khalib Ali . `` Either we find the children and free them or face the danger and take the risk . '' The tip led the Iraqi police to a rundown farm and a series of mud huts . Khidir 's tiny body was twisted abnormally . And in another hut , they found another child . Two children are still believed to be with the kidnappers . Al Qaeda in Iraq has historically kidnapped children for money , to pressure officials , and even to use in terrorist attacks . For Khidir 's father , it was as if his son had come back from the dead . `` He did n't recognize his mother or his grandmother , '' Abdul Qader says . `` But then he saw me in uniform and ran to me . I went flying toward him to hug him . People said be careful ; both his arms are broken . So I held him from his waist , and he hugged me , kissed me , smelled me , and then broke into a smile . '' The father flips through old family photos -- all they were able to salvage from their destroyed home -- and notes some of the kidnappers are still at large . He still fears for his son 's safety , but says he wo n't quit the police force . `` Never , never , '' he says . `` If I leave the police force , if others leave the force , who will protect us from the terrorists ? We are the only ones . '' CNN 's Yousif Bassil contributed to this report . | Iraqi boy survives two-year hostage ordeal by al Qaeda in Iraq operatives . Terrorists took the boy to blackmail his father , who was a police officer in Iraq . `` They pulled my teeth out with pliers , '' the boy tells CNN . Dad says he wo n't leave police force despite intimidation , threats . | [[245, 251], [280, 344], [735, 746], [752, 791], [499, 519], [3181, 3207], [4883, 4885], [4926, 4964]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Britons including Prime Minister Gordon Brown have leapt to the defense of their creaking healthcare service after President Barack Obama 's plans for a similar system in the United States were branded `` evil '' by Republicans . British Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued a heartfelt message of support for the NHS via Twitter . Tens of thousands of people have joined a Twitter group expressing pride in the UK 's National Health Service -LRB- NHS -RRB- , which offers free taxpayer-funded medical care to all British residents , while leading politicians have spoken out in support . Republican former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin earlier this week condemned Obama 's plans to introduce a public heath insurance scheme as an `` evil '' move that would result in `` death panels '' deciding who would live or die . Her criticism has been echoed by fellow Republicans in direct attacks on Britain 's NHS . In an article , Former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich said British healthcare was run by `` Orwellian '' bureaucrats who put a price tag on life . Sound off : What do you think of the British healthcare model ? The comments caused a storm of protest in the United Kingdom , with Prime Minister Brown wading into the argument via micro-blogging site Twitter , where a conversation chain , '' #welovetheNHS '' , is generating huge online traffic . Britons react to the U.S. healthcare debate '' A posting on the 10 Downing Street Twitter site on Wednesday read : `` PM : NHS often makes the difference between pain and comfort , despair and hope , life and death . Thanks for always being there . '' The message was followed by another , from Brown 's wife Sarah , adding : '' #welovetheNHS -- more than words can say . '' Professor Stephen Hawking , author of `` A Brief History of Time '' , also spoke out in favor of the British system , telling the Guardian newspaper that he owes his life to NHS treatment for the neuro-muscular dystrophy he has suffered from for 40 years . `` I would n't be here today if it were not for the NHS , '' he said . `` I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived . '' Despite the support , the 51-year-old NHS is regularly the target of criticism at home , with opposition politicians accusing Brown 's government of mismanagement resulting in long waiting lists and a `` lottery '' in deciding who gets life-saving drugs and surgery . Nevertheless , opposition Conservative Party leader David Cameron also added his voice to the defense campaign with a posting on his party 's Web site . '' Millions of people are grateful for the care they have received from the NHS -- including my own family . `` One of the wonderful things about living in this country is that the moment you 're injured or fall ill -- no matter who you are , where you are from , or how much money you 've got -- you know that the NHS will look after you . '' His statement followed comments from one of his own party members backing the Republican criticism of the NHS . Dan Hannan , a Conservative member of the European Parliament reportedly said in an interview that `` he would n't wish it on anyone . '' | Britons leap to defend National Health Service after U.S. criticism . Prime Minister Gordon Brown among those expressing pride in system . NHS offers free health care to all UK residents . | [[9, 224], [9, 224], [452, 491], [500, 565]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The much-maligned symbol of motoring in Communist East Germany , the Trabant , is set to make an unlikely comeback as a concept car at this year 's International Motor Show in Frankfurt . The old-style Trabi is a common sight in Germany where tourist operators use the car for local tours . Designers have replaced the car 's smoke-belching two-stroke engine with electric fuel cells and solar-powered air-conditioning . This , they promise , is not the four-wheeled object of ridicule that rolled off production lines in East Germany from 1957 until 1991 . This is the new Trabant , or Trabi as they 're known , an energy-efficient city car for modern drivers . `` I think the market will be people who say the old Trabant was a cool car , and people who want to have a stylish car , and want to have a green car , '' Daniel Stiegler , of Herpa Miniaturemodelle , told CNN . Herpa is not a carmaker , at least not in the traditional sense . It makes model cars and airplanes , of the type that sit in display cabinets , not garages . Two years ago , a member of its management team , Klaus Schindler , decided it was time to make a miniature model of the Trabant . Herpa took it to the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in 2007 and were stunned by the response . `` We had a special folder where people at the fair could fill out and give it back to use . We had about 14,000 reactions on that , and most of them , 90 percent , said ` Yes , the Trabant is a really cool car , let 's bring it back , ' '' Stiegler said . Herpa teamed up with German auto parts maker IndiKar , which has designed a prototype to be unveiled at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in September . They hope to attract enough interest to put the car back into production . The early response of Trabi enthusiasts to an electric version of their much-loved cars has been encouraging . `` This will be an ideal vehicle to try it on , '' Geoff Armitage , who had been the president or chairman of the Wartburg Trabant IFA Club UK on and off for some 18 years . `` If they go for the same type of cladding of duroplast , or western-style glass fibre , you have a light body which obviously will be an advantage for an electric car . '' The original exterior of the cars was made from duroplast , a blend of cast-off cotton fibers from Russia mixed with glue . Armitage bought his first Trabant in the Netherlands in 1987 , two years before the fall of the Berlin Wall . Over the years , he 's owned around 20 of the German cars , adding `` we have several restoration projects in the yard at the moment . '' Like many admirers , he appreciates the Trabi 's simplicity . `` They are basic technology . There is absolutely nothing that we ca n't repair ourselves . If we ca n't get the parts we can usually make them , '' he laughed . `` If they can do the electrical conversion , for want of a better term , in a relatively low-tech way so they keep it simple I think it could be a success , '' he said . German filmmaker Maximilian Spohr spent four years making a documentary about the Trabant . He became fascinated about the car 's origins as a child growing up in the East where residents faced up to a fourteen-year wait for delivery of their vehicles . `` There was only a certain contingent , a certain amount , allowed every year , because they did n't have enough screws , they did n't have enough parts , '' he said . For his documentary , `` A Car For A Dollar , '' he interviewed former Trabant engineers and owners and found an abundance of nostalgia for the old-style vehicles , despite their association with Communist repression . `` People remember it as their only partner in crime , '' Spohr said . `` It was the one and only thing that brought them around the country . They were n't allowed to go far . This was the only vehicle they could use and it was always reliable , most times . '' Many of the cars were dumped by their owners as soon as they 'd driven them to freedom over the border from East to West . Spohr said it did n't take long for nostalgia to kick in and the first Trabi appreciation meeting was held in 1990 , just one year after the fall of the Berlin Wall . Of plans for a new , eco-friendly Trabi , Spohr says , '' `` I think it 's great . People would probably love it , I think it will sell . Big time . '' If the modern Trabant fails to materialize , there 's always the option to step back in time in the original version . Trabis can still be seen slowly weaving through traffic , particularly in Berlin and Dresden , where Trabi-Safari leads tourists in a procession of up to six cars to local points of interest . | Relic of Communist East Germany to be revived as eco-friendly city car . New electric Trabant to be unveiled at International Motor Show in Frankfurt . Car was once the only vehicle available in East before fall of Berlin Wall . Trabi enthusiasts admire the car 's simplicity , ability to make running repairs . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [105, 223], [2649, 2689]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I have vivid memories of childhood . The 5-year-old girl with endless questions ; she wanted to discover the secrets of the entire world within minutes . She dreamed of being a doctor once , an engineer another time , and a mother of lovely kids . A dreamer , this is how I would describe the little girl Reem . Reem is a 22-year-old student living in Gaza City . Days passed fast . Reem could n't remember a lot of them , but she had some moments left in her memory -- usually the happy moments of her life -- and those memories were the basis for today 's Reem , the 22-year-old girl who is ME . I remember how happy I was when my teacher announced to the school that I was first in my class . I remember my mother 's voice singing to me before I fell asleep ; I remember my father running behind my kite when I lost it in the air , and I remember me asking my parents for a real monkey as a pet . I ca n't forget the day I finished high school ; I felt so grown up . I remember the day when the school announced the exam results and the tears of happiness my mother shed when I received a grade of excellent , and then I decided to enroll in the college of Business Administration . I can call Gaza City the city of qualifications , where a lot of youth are qualified for good jobs . I am one of those youth who is volunteering in organizations , participating in community service activities , getting trained in various skills and getting more qualified day by day . But many young people like me can not find jobs . See perspectives from Palestinian youth '' Sometimes , I feel disconnected from Gaza , but whenever I see the photos of Jaffa , I realize that it 's where I and a thousand refugees belong . I find myself crying , missing a place I have never been to , but it 's where my parents and my grandparents lived . I remember all those bedtime stories my grandmother used to tell me about the land , the fence of roses they had , and her climbing trees and cutting fruits . How I miss that place . But life must go on . My day starts with the smile of optimism and the plan of my day . Waking up early to go to my university ; I have to attend all of my lectures even though some are boring . My friends are a big part of my day . We start with our updates and then go to courses where we can develop our skills . When I arrive home , I feel so exhausted , but still I continue working and studying hard . I am always looking for chances for personal development , whether through volunteer work or at school . I was offered a great opportunity to volunteer with the aid organization Mercy Corps as a founding member of the Why Not ? youth program , and then I had the pleasure of seeing this program blossom into the Global Citizen Corps , or GCC , a cultural exchange between Palestinian and American students . I believe this program is deeply important because it changes the negative impression of Palestinian youth that is too often spread by media . All my friends and 1,000 others are engaged in this program , which develops our personalities , our skills and serves the community . We use digital media as a tool to express what we feel and what we do . We make changes in ourselves , in our community , and we pave the way for global change . We are thinking globally and acting locally . My ambition is to be a researcher in business studies all over the world . I finished my B.A. and a diploma of business studies , and I hope to obtain a scholarship to do graduate work in media and development . I am also interested in the field of project management and human interaction management . I know it is a good ambition to be Ph.D. holder and a worldwide researcher , but as Palestinian girl , I have fewer opportunities , not because I am not qualified or hard-working enough but because I am Palestinian . Usually Palestinian students have fewer opportunities than others to get scholarships , because it 's hard for them to leave the Gaza Strip , as all of the borders are closed . But I have not lost hope , and I will not . I will keep trying to pursue my dream of being the researcher I want to be . It 's true that I am a girl , and girls face some challenges in our society . For example , I ca n't stay a late hour at work . But I am so happy and honored to be a Muslim ; putting the scarf on my head is something that I love . To many foreigners , it might seem to be against women 's freedom , but I can tell that when a lady is convinced of it , it becomes part of her self-esteem , her self-confidence and her protection each day . I feel sad when the world gets angry at Muslim girls while they are peaceful and happy , enjoying their choices and freedom . I found that I 'm not that different from Catherine , who lives in the United States and whom I contact through the Global Citizen Corps . I have realized how similar Palestinian youth are to youth all over the world . Catherine likes some of the food I like , and she loves swimming just like I do . There are also lovely differences between us : I tried to cook what she taught me once , and she is learning Arabic now . Maybe our lifestyle is different . I focus on my own development ; I spend most of my time working to become a more qualified person with more knowledge and skills . I do not work hard because I am super girl or I aspire to be one but because I always want to be ready for the worst situation . In Palestine where I live , surprises can happen at any time , and I do n't want to be caught off guard . I want to make my future secure by being a really good person . I deserve to live . I enjoy my life as it is now , but I hope that when I find a scholarship and live in the West , I will not be obliged to take off my scarf and wo n't hear negative comments about me because I am Muslim . I consider religion a personal freedom that is related to your beliefs and what you feel in your heart . I love letting others live in peace . ... Why ca n't we enjoy peace , too ? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer . | Reem calls Gaza City the city of qualifications , but many ca n't find jobs . She describes her day filled with school work , friends , studying and volunteering . She says she realizes Palestinian youth are similiar to youth all over the world . For more , go to In Depth : Generation Islam . | [[1205, 1252], [1495, 1540], [2226, 2263], [2394, 2438], [4855, 4934], [4875, 4934]] |
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An illegal immigrant dishwasher who lost $ 49,000 to the U.S. government as he tried to take it home to Guatemala will get some of the money back , his attorney said Wednesday . Pedro Zapeta , an illegal immigrant , managed to save $ 59,000 while working as a dishwasher for 11 years . Pedro Zapeta was `` very , very happy '' when he learned about a federal appeals court ruling that says he is entitled to recover some of the money , said attorney Robert Gershman , who handled the financial end of Zapeta 's case . Zapeta was carrying $ 59,000 in cash when he was stopped at a security checkpoint at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in 2005 . He told authorities he was returning home to Guatemala with the money he had saved working illegally as a dishwasher over 11 years . But federal law requires that anyone leaving or entering the country with $ 10,000 or more must declare it . Because Zapeta had not done so , he was detained , and his money was seized . The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the judge who fined Zapeta applied an incorrect standard in determining the amount to be forfeited . The appeals court ordered a hearing to set a new fine . `` I am extremely happy , '' Gershman said . `` Even though he is not a citizen , it shows he has equal rights . '' Gershman has said Zapeta , who does not speak English , was not trying to conceal the money but did not know the law . Zapeta had paid taxes on the earnings , he said , and under legal guidelines should be fined at most $ 5,000 for failing to report that he was traveling with the cash . Circuit Court Judge James Cohn instead fined Zapeta $ 49,000 , all the money he was carrying over the $ 10,000 limit . `` The government always acted as if the money was their own , '' Gershman said . `` They acted almost entitled to it . But it 's not their money . It was Pedro 's , and the -LSB- appeals -RSB- court affirmed that . '' Zapeta said last year that he had saved the money to build a house for himself and his family in his home village in the Guatemalan mountains . He returned to Guatemala this year under the threat of deportation , but his lawyers continued to argue that his fine was excessive . Federal prosecutors in Miami did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the decision or on whether they will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court . As Zapeta 's case was publicized , U.S. residents donated money to him , and Gershman set up a trust . It has received about $ 15,000 in donations , he said . | Pedro Zapeta was stopped in 2005 trying to take $ 59,000 home to Guatemala . Zapeta had paid taxes on the money , did n't know he had to declare it , attorney says . He was fined $ 49,000 and left U.S. under threat of deportation . New ruling says judge applied wrong standard and Zapeta should get some back . | [[111, 175], [553, 695], [590, 695], [183, 212], [1465, 1502], [35, 66], [71, 148], [1634, 1694], [2116, 2182], [384, 414], [420, 468], [1016, 1155]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Al-Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Hajj arrived home in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum early Friday after nearly six years in the U.S. Navy prison camp at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . Al-Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Hajj at a hospital in Khartoum after his release from Guantanamo Bay . `` I was so happy that I cried , '' al-Hajj told the Qatar-based Arabic news network by phone from his hospital room , where he was taken after arriving at the airport . `` It is our right to be happy and to rejoice , but we also miss our brothers that we left behind and who live in very difficult conditions . '' An official with the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum said the transfer brought to an end a matter that the United States and Sudan considered to be `` of great mutual concern . '' Al-Hajj , a Sudanese citizen in his late 30s , was captured in Afghanistan in December 2001 by Pakistani intelligence officers and handed over to the United States , which accused him of being an `` enemy combatant . '' A senior Pentagon official confirmed the journalist 's release . Al-Hajj was held without being charged or given a trial , Al-Jazeera reported . The cameraman was on a legitimate assignment and carried a work visa at the time of his capture , the network said . It also reported that the U.S. plane that carried al-Hajj had about 20 other former detainees aboard who also had been released from Guantanamo Bay . The plane dropped off a Moroccan national , identified as Al-Saeed Bou Jaadiya , the network said . Al-Jazeera aired video showing a bearded al-Hajj being carried from the plane in Khartoum by U.S. military personnel and laid on a stretcher . He was transported to Al-Amal Hospital . `` He was brought in here by ambulance and entered to the intensive care unit on a stretcher , '' said Al-Jazeera Director General Wadah Khanfar from the hospital . `` He was exhausted and very sick , and he 's receiving the necessary care in the hospital . '' Khanfar said he was awaiting word from doctors on his medical condition . In a statement , U.S. Charge D'Affaires Alberto Fernandez of the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum said the transfer `` is a result of many factors and the work of many hands . An important one was the cooperation between the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum and the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Intelligence and Security Service . '' Al-Hajj had been on a hunger strike for more than a year and was being force-fed , said Zachary Katznelson , a lawyer who has worked on al-Hajj 's case since August 2005 and last visited him three weeks ago . `` Al-Hajj is remarkably thin , '' Katznelson said . `` He looks like an ill man . '' The journalist was conscious , but did not appear to speak to anyone as paramedics rolled his stretcher inside . Family members stooped to kiss him as the gurney passed . `` I would have hoped they were here with me now . I look forward to the moment , '' al-Hajj said told Al-Jazeera before being reunited with his family . Earlier , al-Hajj 's wife spoke to the network about his release . `` Now I can think differently , '' Asma Ismailov said . `` Now I can plan my life differently . Everything will be all right , God willing . '' Al-Hajj 's young son , Mohammed , said he would `` kiss his head '' when he sees his father . `` I 'll tell him that I love him and I need him . '' The Sudanese government told Al-Jazeera that al-Hajj faced no charges in Sudan and is a free man . The network also said the United States placed some conditions on al-Hajj 's release , including one that prevents him from any political activity . Reporters Without Borders , which campaigned for al-Hajj 's release , said in a statement that the cameraman `` never should have been held so long . '' `` U.S. authorities never proved that he had been involved in any kind of criminal activity , '' the worldwide press freedom group said . The organization said al-Hajj was accused of gun-smuggling for al Qaeda and running an Islamist Web site , although no evidence supporting those charges was produced . `` We are delighted that Sami al-Hajj can finally be reunited with his family and friends , '' said Joel Simon , executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists . `` But his detention for six years , without the most basic due process , is a grave injustice and represents a threat to all journalists working in conflict areas . '' E-mail to a friend . | Sami al-Hajj arrives home in Sudan and is taken to hospital , network says . Pakistani intelligence officers captured him in Afghanistan in December 2001 . Al-Hajj was transferred to U.S. custody and held without charges or trial . Al-Jazeera said he was on an assignment when he was apprehended . | [[1245, 1263], [1495, 1513], [782, 789], [823, 908], [1067, 1105]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- New details have emerged about a Jewish immigrant who fled Austria as World War II was brewing , lived frugally in New York and left an estate whose size -- $ 300,000 -- astounded some . Ida Blumin fled Austria in 1938 for the U.S. and married Walter Fischer , who earned money performing odd jobs . In a story published Monday , CNN and other news organizations reported neither the woman 's name nor much else about her , except for the fact that she had donated half of her estate to Hebrew University in Jerusalem , a school with which she had had no known contact . Since then , CNN has contacted two of her friends and a relative , who have identified her as Ida Fischer , who was born Ida Blumin in 1911 in Vienna . They said she was neither a concentration camp survivor nor had she ever been homeless , as the school originally reported . Her life story , however , was still remarkable . In 1938 , she , her mother , her sister and her sister 's husband fled Austria , said Peter Last , a Jewish collectible coin and banknote wholesaler who lived on East 32nd Street and befriended Fischer 20 years ago , when she lived a block away . The Blumins made their home in New York , where they had relatives . The 5-foot-2-inch immigrant married Walter Fischer , another Austrian , who earned money performing odd jobs . The couple lived with Fischer 's mother ; Ida Fischer earned money from a variety of office jobs . Fischer , who was in her mid-70s when Last met her in the late 1980s , gave the impression that she was just scraping by , he said . `` She hung around on the street and talked to everybody and people gave her food and clothes , '' he said . `` She was very thrifty . '' She once traveled with her mother to Israel , but did not appear particularly religious , Last said . Gabor Szanto , who met Fischer nearly 40 years ago upon his arrival in the United States from Hungary by way of Italy , disagreed , saying his friend observed all the high holidays . `` I used to take her to the synagogue , '' said the hair colorist who has a shop on the Upper West Side and cut Fischer 's hair for free . He received 25 percent of her estate . `` She was a great believer in God . '' He described her as `` a free spirit . '' `` She would say she liked weak men and strong coffee , '' he said . `` She was always being taken out to eat by one person or another ; people bought her things , bought her food , bought her newspapers . But she was n't a down-and-out bag lady with a pushcart like the people in the movie . She was very neat , clean and she was a decent person . '' He said her penny pinching was understandable `` because she lived through the Depression . '' Last said that , throughout the years he knew Fischer , she lived on East 31st Street in a 10th-floor , sparsely furnished one-bedroom apartment in a building for senior citizens . Her rent -- about $ 145 per month -- was even lower than it would have been because she reported housing code violations in her apartment to authorities , who then declined to approve rent hikes , Last said . But Fischer spent much of her time outside the building , where she sat on a bench dressed in old clothes and carried on a busy social life . `` Everyone knew her , '' he said . `` Everybody in the diner on the corner knew her . '' Among her coterie was Rue McClanahan , who played Blanche Devereaux on `` The Golden Girls '' and lived on the block , he said . Neighbors would sometimes give her items they no longer wanted . Fischer 's frugality was legend : She recycled greeting cards , crossing off the name of the original recipient and replacing it with the new one . `` She 'd write on the top of it : ` From Ida , ' '' Last said . Instead of paying extra to get an unlisted telephone number , she simply listed it under someone else 's name , he said . Occasionally , Last , now 74 , would treat his neighbor to a meal at the diner or a nearby delicatessen , where her favorite dishes included lox . Though she was not thin , she would rarely finish what was on her plate . `` A lot of it , she would take home , '' he said . `` She 'd take all the sugar and all the napkins ; she 'd bring extra jars to take coffee home in . '' He always picked up the tab . `` There was never any question , '' he said . `` I do n't think she ever bought anything . '' Last , who was also born in Austria , helped Fischer increase her monthly pension from the Austrian government . He also helped her augment her income , giving Fischer $ 5 to sit in his Peugeot on days when the street sweeper went by so that he would not get a parking ticket . One day , Fischer asked Last about a flier she had received offering to help residents write their will for free . `` I looked into it and I found that this was the Brooklyn Law School ; they would send a lawyer who would take two students to people 's houses and do their wills , so I said , ` It 's OK . ' '' Fischer asked Last to serve as executor and he agreed . She also told him that she would leave him money , but Last was unimpressed . `` I never thought she had any real money , '' he said . `` She was enough of a pest that I told her , ` No , I do n't want it . ' '' She took him at his word . Instead , she left a quarter of her $ 300,000 estate to Last 's wife , Silvia , a quarter to Szanto and half to Hebrew University in Jerusalem , where a spokesman said the school was grateful for the donation , but had no idea what inspired it . Though Fischer remained alert until the end , she faltered physically during her final months , when she `` very reluctantly '' hired a woman to take care of her . `` She did n't want to pay for it , '' Last said . Fischer died in 2007 of heart failure , he said . Last said Fischer had told him she had no relatives , but he discovered after her death that she had not been truthful . `` It turned out there was a sister and a nephew that she was n't on speaking terms with , '' he said . Even after Fischer died , Last continued to learn about his friend 's penurious ways . When he went to a bank to carry out his duties as executor of the will , a vice president told him Fischer had taken advantage years before of a promotional offer of a year 's free access to a safe deposit box , Last said . But after the year elapsed , she refused to pay the $ 100 annual fee , he said . So the banker told him he kept Fischer 's Series E savings bonds for $ 60,000 in his desk drawer , Last said . Though the size of her total savings surprised him , Last said her dogged thrift could have explained it . He calculated that -- between her pension from Austria and her $ 800 monthly check from Social Security -- her monthly income was about $ 2,000 , of which she spent only about $ 500 . Fischer 's sister -- from whom she had long been estranged -- died a few months ago , said Fischer 's nephew , Peter Lynwander , who lives in Ridgewood , New Jersey . He said he last saw his aunt more than three decades ago at a family get-together . `` She was a live wire , '' quick to pound out a waltz on the piano or to dance . He was not surprised at the sum of her savings : `` She worked all her life and she did n't live high . So I do n't think that 's all that unusual . '' CNN 's story published Monday quoted a spokesman for the school as saying Fischer had survived a concentration camp and lived homeless on the streets of New York . Her friends and her nephew said neither was true . On Friday , school spokesman Richard Dukas said the discrepancies were the result of a miscommunication . Hebrew University `` regrets misinterpreting the facts about Ida 's amazing and generous story , '' he said . `` What is clear is that Ida was a remarkable woman who has made a difference by supporting research and education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem , something that will have an impact far beyond the borders of the state of Israel . '' | Ida Fischer a Jewish immigrant who fled Europe before WWII . Fischer lived in New York ; her frugality was legend among friends , neighbors . She re-used greeting cards , got supplies from restaurants , paid rent of $ 145/month . She left half her estate to Hebrew University in Jerusalem . | [[50, 68], [73, 101], [0, 15], [116, 142], [3523, 3554], [3557, 3584], [319, 329], [349, 536]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Driving over a pothole may not be a big deal for most people , but for Jeff Bell , it was a source of endless frustration . Jeff Bell found treatment for OCD very difficult , but says it helped him turn his life around . Afraid that he had injured a person , he would drive back to each pothole again and again to check , and he lost a lot of time in the process . `` I knew that my behaviors made no sense . I knew that my thoughts that were triggering these behaviors made no sense , and yet I felt so helpless to do anything about it , '' he said . Bell , a news anchor with KCBS Radio in San Francisco , California , now knows that his condition has a name : obsessive-compulsive disorder . He frequently speaks out about it and has written a memoir called `` Rewind , Replay , Repeat . '' Psychologists are debating where OCD belongs in relation to other psychiatric disorders , and whether certain symptoms are actually part of other conditions . The condition affects as many as 4 million Americans , according to the International OCD Foundation , for which Bell is a spokesman . In a class of its own ? Currently , OCD sits with anxiety disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , published by the American Psychiatric Association to help diagnose mental illness . The next edition will be released in 2012 , according to the APA . Many experts , such as Jonathan Abramowitz , professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , believe OCD should stay with anxiety disorders . That 's because people with the disorder tend to engage in repetitive behaviors to reduce anxiety . Watch CNN 's Elizabeth Landau talk more about OCD '' There is mixed evidence based on brain scans that OCD has a separate biological mechanism , leading some psychiatrists to favor classifying it separately , Abramowitz said . `` We have n't exactly pinned down what might be the problem , '' he said . Categorizing related symptoms . Checking for evidence of harm done , as in Bell 's case , is one of many manifestations of OCD . Some people are overly afraid of germs , while others are overwhelmed by thoughts of violence or sex , or fear that they have `` sinned , '' and still others spend countless hours arranging objects , said Jeff Szymanski , executive director of the International OCD Foundation . There are also people with OCD who repeat behaviors a fixed number of times because `` it will undo the thought or image that came to mind that you did n't want , '' he said . Behaviors such as compulsive gambling are in a different category , Abramowitz said . A key difference is that those people enjoy gambling , while a person with OCD does not get pleasure from the behaviors he or she repeats . There is also controversy over whether trichotillomania -- compulsive hair pulling -- falls under OCD , because it is characterized by a repetitive behavior , but not necessarily obsessive thoughts , Szymanski said . Tics and Tourette syndrome also are OCD-related . Most people with OCD realize that their compulsions are irrational , but about 4 percent do not , Abramowitz said . Hoarders , who compulsively acquire objects without throwing anything away , tend to have less `` insight into the senselessness of their symptoms '' than others with OCD , he said . This is one of the reasons that hoarding may be distinct from OCD altogether , he said . Hoarders also do not respond as well to traditional treatments . Randy Frost , psychologist at Smith College , said only 5 percent of hoarders have an OCD basis for it ; the rest may have other OCD-related problems or none at all . Treating OCD and hoarding . Doctors may prescribe drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for OCD symptoms . But for some people this is only part of the solution , Szymanski said . The other first-line treatment is called exposure and response prevention , which forces people with the condition to confront their fears . This helps some people to stop engaging in behaviors , such as checking potholes , which would normally be their means of escaping those fears . Bell found this treatment so difficult that he initially lied to his therapist about doing the homework she assigned . But once he became serious about the therapy , he felt as if he was turning his life around . He also learned to externalize the force behind intrusive thoughts -- he calls it the `` doubt bully . '' `` The key is to find those things in life that motivate us to sit with the discomfort of our anxiety through this treatment process to get better , '' he said . Researchers at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut , and Smith College and Boston University in Massachusetts , are collaborating on a new treatment for hoarders . They 've just finished collecting data from 46 participants , Frost said . The treatment targets acquisition , discarding , and disorganization , Frost said . That 's because people who compulsively hoard tend to buy or pick up too many things , keep things rather than throw anything out , and create clutter . To help with `` acquisition , '' therapists try to help people understand their attachment to their possessions . For example , the therapist will ask the patient how upset he or she will be if a piece of paper is thrown away , and then test that prediction by throwing it away . Researchers have found that participants who hoard do not get as upset as they anticipated when they dispose of the paper , Frost said . OCD is sometimes as hard on loved ones as on the patients themselves , Bell said . Family members may even become enablers , unintentionally fueling the cycle , he said . `` Often times , it involves family members meeting with a trained therapist who can help give them guidelines as to what is helpful and what 's counterproductive , '' he said . For more information , visit the International OCD Foundation or Jeff Bell 's outreach site Beyond the Doubt . | As many as 4 million Americans suffer from obsessive - compulsive disorder . There is some debate about whether it is an anxiety disorder or something else . Compulsive gambling is not a symptom of OCD . Hoarding may be separate from OCD , and there is a new treatment for it . | [[972, 1024], [2772, 2780], [2786, 2875], [3365, 3414], [4621, 4656], [4675, 4727], [4730, 4781]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What is it about Woodstock ? Jimi Hendrix closed the Woodstock festival on Monday morning , August 18 , 1969 . The 1967 Monterey Pop Festival was arguably more influential and , like Woodstock , spawned a terrific film , D.A. Pennebaker 's `` Monterey Pop . '' The 1969 Isle of Wight Festival in England , two weeks after Woodstock , included the elusive Bob Dylan . And there were several other gatherings during the late - '60s and early - '70s festival frenzy , including the ill-fated Altamont festival in 1969 and the record-setting Watkins Glen festival in 1973 . But nobody talked about a `` Monterey Nation '' or a `` Wight Nation '' or , God forbid , an `` Altamont Nation . '' No other festival prompted Charles M. Schulz to name a `` Peanuts '' character after it . No other festival has maintained a viable name for four decades . And no other festival is still so present in the public and media consciousness . With Woodstock 's 40th anniversary Saturday comes a plethora of releases , including CDs , DVDs , a VH1 documentary airing Friday , the new movie `` Taking Woodstock '' and several books . Watch Woodstock co-founder Michael Lang talk about the festival '' `` There 's a quality to Woodstock that has to do with the ... hugeness of it , '' said festival co-founder Joel Rosenman . `` We seem to remember that it involved the whole generation . '' LIFE.com gallery : Chaos , nudity , spirit . Many members of that generation , he added , were n't aware there were so many others like themselves . `` They had ... been reading in the establishment media they were a splinter here and a fragment there , '' he said . `` And all of a sudden , they get to Woodstock ... and saw the entire world as -LSB- they -RSB- knew it was on -LSB- their -RSB- side instead of the side you thought it was on . ... It was pretty heady stuff . '' iReport : Memories of Woodstock . By now , the basics of Woodstock have passed into legend . How four men -- Rosenman , his business partner John Roberts , entrepreneur Michael Lang and record executive Artie Kornfeld -- wanted to put on a concert for the counterculture . How their site choices fell through . How Max Yasgur rented his dairy farm with a month to go . How the event drew half a million people , more than twice what had been expected . How it caused a huge traffic jam . How it became a free concert . How it rained . And how everyone -- concertgoers and security , musicians and authorities , visitors and residents -- got along and made the most of the three days with minimal violence and lots of joy . Watch why Woodstock made a difference '' As a resident of the Woodstock Nation might say , the vibes were good . But that does n't explain how the event gave way to the myth . Elliott Landy , a photographer best known for his `` Music from Big Pink '' and `` Nashville Skyline '' portraits of The Band and Bob Dylan , respectively , believes part of Woodstock 's aura came from its isolation . `` In the full Woodstock experience , you were cut off from the rest of ... everyday life , '' he said . `` It was kind of a magic land . '' Rock critic Dave Marsh , who said he was offered a ticket but did n't go , puts it succinctly : `` Woodstock was an accident . God liked that one . '' But Woodstock was also at the nexus of so many swirling currents of the '60s : the generation gap , the antiwar movement , the evolution of rock music , the growth of the youth culture . One person in Barbara Kopple 's VH1 documentary said , with still-discernable anger , `` They -LSB- the establishment -RSB- were trying to kill us , '' and he was n't kidding ; the draft was ever-present , with the threat of Vietnam hanging over many heads . Music was just as divisive . Unlike today , when underground acts quickly become mainstream through word-of-Internet , the underground in 1969 was truly underground . Only the most popular rock acts appeared on prime time television , and a 1966 Harris poll reported a plurality of people over 21 disliked rock 'n' roll . `` Longhair '' and `` hippie '' were n't descriptions ; they were epithets . Woodstock gave the baby boomers a rallying point . If the special editions of magazines trumpeting its success were n't enough , the movie and the soundtrack album were huge hits upon their 1970 release , bringing elements of the Woodstock experience to millions . Santana drummer Michael Shrieve , whose drum solo during the band 's `` Soul Sacrifice '' became an indelible Woodstock moment , remembers how fame caught him by surprise . He was waiting in line to see `` Woodstock '' with other band members . As the previous show let out , `` We noticed that people were looking at us and pointing at us , and we did n't know what was going on . '' The band found out soon enough : On a tour of Europe , Shrieve stopped at a newsstand to pick up a magazine , and he was on the cover . `` I realized this was taking off , '' he said . Though much is made of the Woodstock spirit -- the camaraderie , the cooperation through the rain and the mud and the traffic -- not everybody bought into it . The Who 's Pete Townshend has often criticized Woodstock , disparaging The Who 's performance and calling the audience `` a bunch of hypocrites '' ; he later plowed his Woodstock-era alienation into such songs as `` Wo n't Get Fooled Again . '' -LRB- Townshend has also acknowledged that the Woodstock gig was `` important . '' -RRB- . Marsh , who wrote a recent cover story on Woodstock for Relix magazine , admires the festival 's optimism but not many of its realities : the poor sanitation , the hype , the idea that getting away from society was going to solve its problems . `` We were ambitious as people , and our ambition was to create a beautiful new society . ... And this seemed like a step on the road to a lot of people , '' he said . `` I never bought the thing that the artificial wilderness was a solution to our social problems . ... I think a lot of people thought if you got stoned and bonded together with a bunch of people to whom on Monday you did n't feel bonded at all , that that was a step on the journey . '' For all of the good will Woodstock created , it 's also blamed for what it did n't do . The war did n't end . Altamont , the hope for a West Coast Woodstock , culminated in an audience member 's slaying . And members of the `` Woodstock Nation '' went their separate ways . Woodstock also was the beginning of a new era in the music business -- it became a `` music industry , '' Woodstock co-founder Lang noted . Producer-engineer Eddie Kramer , a Jimi Hendrix colleague who recorded the festival , agreed the music world changed after Woodstock . `` You have to realize that , in 1969 , agents and managers were in the background , '' he said . `` And the musicians were n't really competing with each other . They were friendly to each other and were eager to help . '' As much as `` getting back to the garden , '' in Joni Mitchell 's words , Woodstock now also symbolizes baby boomer nostalgia . Among the related products and events are a 6-CD box set -LRB- Rhino -RRB- ; an `` Ultimate Collector 's Edition '' DVD reissue of director Michael Wadleigh 's Oscar-winning documentary -LRB- Warner Home Video -RRB- ; the new Ang Lee film `` Taking Woodstock '' ; `` Woodstock Experience '' remastered CDs of complete live sets by such performers as Santana and Janis Joplin -LRB- Sony/Legacy -RRB- ; Friday 's VH1 documentary by Oscar-winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple ; a tour by the `` Heroes of Woodstock '' ; an anniversary concert at the Woodstock site in Bethel , New York ; and several books , including works by Lang and Landy . That 's a lot to pile on to what was , at its heart , a music festival , and perhaps people have expected too much from Woodstock . Just a year after the event , critic J.R. Young reviewed the soundtrack in Rolling Stone and gave voice to the disappointment and cynicism . `` That 's why there will never really be a Woodstock Nation , '' said a character in the review , which was written as a short story . `` You wo n't let anybody live on your land . '' And yet `` Woodstock '' remains a magic word -- one that , finally , refuses to reveal its secrets . Woodstock co-founder Rosenman ends up reaching for the elation of Keats ' poem `` On First Looking into Chapman 's Homer '' -- `` Then felt I like some watcher of the skies / When a new planet swims into his ken '' -- when trying to describe the festival 's thrill . But he stops short of adding up the details . It was the people , he said , who made Woodstock . `` That half a million-strong audience created something -- they created a legend , '' he said . `` I actually do n't think it 's possible to do the making of that legend and explain it to the satisfaction of almost anybody . I think you 'd still come away wondering , ` What the heck made that happen ? ' '' And Shrieve , who 's long since come to terms with being known as `` the guy who did the drum solo at Woodstock , '' is equally philosophical about how the festival is portrayed . `` It 's interesting to observe history from the viewpoint of having been there . It also gives you some insight into everything else , '' he said . `` I mean , any historical moment , there are people that are there and people who are not there . And when it grows into something that becomes more mythological , you see people telling the story of how it happened , and you go , ` Wait a minute ! That 's not what happened ! ' '' | Woodstock festival was 40 years ago Saturday . Festival represents idealism , music , money , mud , depending on who you ask . Festival co-creator : It was the audience who `` created a legend '' | [[7694, 7698], [7702, 7778], [1280, 1323]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cheryl Morse was 19 years old when she hitchhiked more than 700 miles from Chicago , Illinois , to Bethel , New York . She was determined to make it to the Woodstock music festival . An estimated 400,000 people attended the Woodstock music festival in Bethel , New York , in August 1969 . Although Morse , now 59 , no longer recalls details such as how long it took to get there or what food , if any , she ate , she still vividly remembers the music . When Crosby , Stills , Nash & Young opened their set with `` Suite : Judy Blue Eyes , '' she said the energy in the crowd was intoxicating . And she can still picture folk musicians Arlo Guthrie and Joan Baez performing in the rain Friday night . `` It was like being totally shut off from the rest of the world for three days , with nonstop music by world-class musicians playing their hearts out ... for our party , '' she said . Forty years later , the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair remains a major cultural touchstone . Held in Bethel on August 15 , 16 and 17 , 1969 , the music festival welcomed some of the biggest musicians of the era and legions of fans from across the United States . Despite the concert 's size -- an estimated 400,000 people attended the festival -- it seems the idea of Woodstock is bigger than the actual event was . It is remembered as a peace - and love-filled celebration , an out-of-this-world experience fueled by rock 'n' roll music and copious drugs . See Woodstock 40 years ago , and what the site looks like today '' Like many others , it was n't until Morse left the festival grounds and re-entered the outside world that she began to realize Woodstock 's impact . She stopped at a local market on her way out of town and saw news coverage of the festival on television . `` Until -LSB- then -RSB- , I had not thought about the outside world at all , '' Morse said . `` That was when I slowly began to comprehend the impact the gathering was having on the country . '' Woodstock , Morse explained , `` came at a pivotal point in history , '' when the Vietnam War and subsequent anti-war movement were in full swing . The festival , a massive event that was largely peaceful and free of riots , was considered exceptional for the time . Years later , Morse realized that Woodstock `` would never be forgotten , '' she said . `` It took you 10 years to realize you were part of history , '' said Lenny Eisenberg , who made the journey to Bethel to see Jimi Hendrix perform . `` At the time , it was just another great show . '' Part of the concert 's lasting power was fueled by the Oscar-winning documentary `` Woodstock , '' which also led to a blurred perception of the festival , Eisenberg said . `` I have some distorted ideas of what happened , '' he said . Still , Eisenberg recalls Hendrix 's performance that famously closed the festival on Monday morning . The aspiring photographer saved one of the three rolls of film he brought with him to document the guitarist 's set . The wait was worth it , he said . Eisenberg captured several shots of Hendrix , including one of the guitarist with his middle finger in the air , seconds after he flashed a peace sign to the audience . iReport.com : See Eisenberg 's photos . `` It 's really hard to pin down a best memory , '' said Thomas Burke , who was 19 years old when he went to Woodstock . `` The whole place was a memory . '' Burke still has his Woodstock tickets along with the check his mother wrote for them . His memories from the event are fond , but fuzzy . `` I remember some of the acts , but not the order or where I was when they played , '' he said . He recalls seeing Richie Havens and Jefferson Airplane , and ca n't forget Hendrix 's legendary performance of `` The Star-Spangled Banner . '' `` Woodstock marked a big turning point in my life , '' said Burke , who was drafted into the Army soon after returning home from the festival . `` It was a fitting end to the '60s . '' `` It was the experience of a lifetime . I 've always been proud of the fact that I was there , '' said Ralph Chin . He remembers the rain and mud , nonstop music , free-flowing drugs and conversations with strangers . For Chin , nothing can recapture Woodstock . `` I went to a couple other festivals after Woodstock , but they fell short on the overall feeling , '' he said . iReport.com : ` The experience of a lifetime ' `` Woodstock was like a big party with all your friends there , whereas the festivals afterward felt more like you were an independent entity and had no connections to anyone else . '' `` I think it was the ultimate spontaneous thing . It just happened , '' said John Laferlita , a photographer who attended Woodstock at 23 . Laferlita heard about the festival on the radio and thought , `` Why not ? '' He hopped on a bus from Manhattan , New York , on Saturday , with little more than his camera and tickets . Like many others , he slept on the ground that night . `` There has n't been anything like it , '' added Laferlita . `` Everything else is planned to the minute , but this was spontaneous . That 's what made it so special . '' | As Woodstock celebrates 40 years , the music festival still looms large . Memories of the event are distorted by media coverage , movies , some say . `` It took 10 years to realize you were part of history , '' said Lenny Eisenberg . iReport.com : Were you at Woodstock ? Share your memories , photos . | [[904, 921], [924, 995], [2634, 2636], [2648, 2691], [2714, 2758], [2339, 2395], [2694, 2710]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The sleek , dark wood has all the characteristics of endangered mahogany from Peru 's Amazon rainforest . Kebony is targeting decking manufacturers and boat builders as potential clients of its modified sustainable wood . In reality , it was manufactured in Norway , in a five-day process that instills all the qualities of rare , tropical hardwood into sustainable softwood . The company that makes it , Kebony , says it comes with none of the environmental cost . `` This is a mega turn , people have to act , '' Kebony CEO Christian Jebsen told CNN . `` We have a green solution for the tropical wood market and we are there to take that market or at least be part of it . '' Christian Jebsen talks to CNN '' The global market for wood products from tropical forests is estimated to be worth some $ 20 billion each year , according to the International Tropical Timber Organization . Most of the wood on the world market now comes from Southeast Asia and Africa , according to the Rainforest Foundation Norway . Tighter controls on logging in Brazil have reduced the amount of hardwood being shipped out of the Amazon , once a popular source for the finest quality mahogany , teak and cedar . `` Each tree is worth maybe $ 25,000 - $ 40,000 on the international market . And there are lots of trees being taken out -LSB- worldwide -RSB- -- so this is a large business , a huge business , '' said Lars Løvold , director of the Rainforest Foundation Norway . The United Nations estimates some 13 million hectares of forest are lost worldwide each year , equivalent to an area the size of Greece or Nicaragua . Their absence is said to contribute more carbon emissions each year than the global transport sector . Demand for luxury hardwood is by no means the main cause of deforestation . Clearing land for agriculture and the collection of wood for fuel are the main drivers , but Løvold said the lucrative market for hardwood provides a compelling incentive for loggers to move into previously untouched areas . `` Almost all deforestation starts with the logging , '' Løvold told CNN . `` The logging does n't necessarily end up in the total clearance of an area , it just opens up the area , it takes out all the valuable trees and makes it much easier . '' Kebony 's move into the global wood market follows more than a decade of research started in the late 1990s by Canadian scientist Marc Schneider of the University of New Brunswick . Rigorous testing took place before the first trial production in 2004 . Strong demand for the product convinced the company to build a new plant with ten times the production capacity , which opened in January . `` What we are doing with our technology is to permanently transform the wood so it does n't change . Our process is 100 percent environmentally friendly , '' Jebsen told CNN . The process involves injecting softwood with a patented formula which includes Furfuryl alcohol , a waste by-product of sugar cane production . The wood is then subjected to pressure , heated and dried before being cured at high temperatures to create a product that the company says is stronger , more stable than untreated softwood and weather-proof . Kebony 's environmental credentials have been endorsed with the receipt of the Nordic region 's eco-label , the Swan . It 's also received Norway 's national environmental prize , the `` Glass Bear . '' On a cost basis , the company says it can compete with the price of authentic teak on the European market . `` You can buy a cubic meter of teak in Europe for anything between 3,000 euros -LRB- $ 4,000 -RRB- up to 10,000 euros -LRB- $ 14,000 -RRB- , depending on the quality . I would say we are competitive with that , '' Jebsen said . Kebony is `` slightly more expensive '' when compared to pressure-treated wood , but it does n't contain any of the potentially harmful metals or pesticides that are commonly used to improve the wood 's durability . Jebsen sees some of the company 's best opportunities in the boat-building industry , where rare teak from Myanmar is being used at the luxury end of the market . `` We believe multiple boat manufacturers will start to use Kebony very soon -- some have already started , '' he said . The company is also planning a move into the U.S. decking market where it 's scouting for clients and recruiting distributors . `` The U.S. decking market , which is using toxic impregnated , metal-based wood modification methods , together with tropical wood , is -LSB- worth -RSB- about five billion dollars , so the market is obviously enormous , '' Jebsen said . | Norwegian company has developed eco-friendly way to simulate hardwood . Kebony uses sustainable wood including maple , pine and beech . Wood is treated to give it the same look , performance as tropical hardwood . Product widely used in Norway , now the company is expanding internationally . | [[306, 324], [330, 412]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It is not often that football players are actively encouraged to play dirty -- unless of course they are taking part in a unique variant of the game called `` Swamp Soccer '' when it is virtually unavoidable . The competition is fierce in the 2009 Swamp Soccer World Championship held in Scotland . Originating from the bogs of Finland , the game was started by cross-country skiers who used the football matches in knee-deep mud to strengthen their leg muscles . The first tournament took place in 1997 with 13 teams , but now annual events take place in Sweden , Iceland , Russia and Brazil which can often feature over 200 teams . What do you think of Swamp Soccer ? Do you prefer Beach Football of another form of the game ? Let us know your thoughts on the ` Sound off ' box below . Glasgow Rangers fan Stewart Miller imported the concept to the United Kingdom after a chance meeting with founder Jyrki Vaananen while on a business trip to Iceland . Miller launched the first UK tournament in 2005 and now teams travel from all over the globe to the Scottish village of Strachur to try and become the annual Swamp Soccer World Champions . Watch the action from the bog '' . `` We had teams coming from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand to take part in the tournament this year so there is an international flavor to the event , '' Miller told CNN . `` There is a huge appetite to try out new things and I think that 's why Swamp Soccer is able to capture the imagination of people . `` The basic rules of football also apply to Swamp Soccer with the exception that matches are played in thick mud with six players on an oversized five-a-side pitch . `` It 's probably one of the only sports in the world where the worse the conditions are the better the sporting spectacle ! '' There is no offside in Swamp Soccer while kick-offs , throw-ins , corner kicks , free kicks and penalties are taken by using the hands to drop the ball onto a chosen foot . Teams are also allowed to make unlimited substitutions although no shoe changing is allowed for the match duration . Miller believes that the oft-used quote that the state of a pitch can bridge the gap between two unevenly match teams is even more applicable with Swamp Soccer . `` You could put the Brazilian national side up against an amateur team and you would n't know who would come out on top -- the pitch really does prove to be a leveler in this instance , '' he said . `` Although professional footballers are precious commodities these days -- I 'm not sure we 'll see any stars getting caked in mud too soon , most of them are far to pampered for that . `` Nobody 's ever been injured seriously playing in the swamp , sometimes somebody 's got a cut or two but nothing big -- so maybe when they retire from the game they might be prepared to give it a go . '' The imaginatively titled Real Mudrid , Mudchesthair United and Cowdungbeath were unable to make it past the group stages in the 44-team event which was won by FC Full Gunge from Poole in England who retained their title with a 1-0 victory over The Chocolate Men . This year 's Swamp Soccer tournament was held in a village in the Scottish countryside but Miller revealed that he intends to bring the mud game to metropolitan areas . He added : `` The future for Swamp Soccer is in the city and of course I 'm certain we 'll bring all the mud with us . It will certainly make a great spectacle if set up a swamp in the middle of Glasgow or Edinburgh , so watch this space . '' If you are interested in taking part in the 2010 Swamp Soccer World Championships visit the official Web site of the tournament . | Swamp Soccer was started by cross-country skiers on the bogs of Finland . The 2009 World Championships have just been held in Strachur , Scotland . Competitors came from all over the world to take part in the tournament . | [[335, 371], [374, 418], [275, 334], [3137, 3223], [1043, 1119], [1218, 1285]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Preakness Stakes favorite Rachel Alexandra lived up to her billing Saturday , thundering past an all-male field of competitors and becoming the first filly to win the Triple-Crown 's second jewel since 1924 . Saturday 's victory for Rachel Alexandra , who raced from the 13th and furthest stall , was the filly 's fifth straight win . `` She 's the greatest horse I 've ever been on in my life , '' jockey Calvin Borel said after the race . `` She did not handle the track 110 percent and still won . '' Long-shot Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird fell short in his improbable bid to compete for horse-racing 's Triple Crown , but showed his Derby victory was no fluke -- charging hard to finish second . Musket Man finished third . Rachel Alexandra 's win was historic for multiple reasons and capped a run of five straight victories that included a blowout of the field in the all-filly Kentucky Oaks . She became the first horse to win from the race 's 13th stall -- the furthest from the inside of the track . Borel became the first jockey to ride a winner in the Kentucky Derby -- he steered 50-1 underdog Mine That Bird to the win -- and then choose to ride another horse in the Preakness . Watch why Preakness was viewed as battle of sexes '' She ran at the front of the mile-and-one-sixteenth race for almost the entire time . Mike Smith , Mine That Bird 's jockey on Saturday , said Borel gave him advice on how to run the undersized champion on Saturday . The two chatted after a finish in which less than a single horse-length separated the two . `` I said if I 'd had that rail trip , it might have been a different outcome , '' said Smith , who 'd hoped to take Mine That Bird to the inside of the track just as Borel did in the May 2 Derby . `` They knew I was going to do it so everybody was just sticking on it . '' | Rachel Alexandra is first filly to win the Triple-Crown 's second jewel since 1924 . `` She 's the greatest horse I 've ever been on in my life , '' jockey Calvin Borel said . Borel first jockey to ride separate horses to victory in Kentucky Derby , Preakness . | [[97, 107], [150, 227], [357, 412], [415, 459], [1036, 1104]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Defying many predictions , Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad held a commanding lead in the presidential vote count early Saturday , election officials with Iran 's Interior Ministry said . Men choose their candidates before voting Friday at a mosque in Tehran , Iran . With 72 percent of ballot boxes counted , Ahmedinejad had 65.7 percent of the vote while his chief rival Mir Hossein Moussavi had 31.4 percent , election officials said . Moussavi , widely regarded as a reformist , had been expected to do well as his campaign caught fire in recent days , triggering massive street rallies in Tehran . An `` unprecedented '' voter turnout at the polls Friday was also expected to boost Moussavi 's chances of winning the presidency . Iran 's Interior Minister Seyed Sadeq Mahsouli said 70 percent of 46 million eligible voters had gone to the polls Friday , according to Fars , another semi-official news agency . Both candidates claimed victory . Moussavi 's camp accused the Iranian establishment of manipulating the vote . Watch why each side is claiming victory '' Voting was supposed to end after 10 hours , but because of the massive turnout , officials initially said polling stations would remain open until everyone in line had a chance to vote . However , Moussavi alleged that doors were being closed with people still waiting outside . Some private news agencies reported many Iranians were milling about on the streets late into the night . Mehr reported that the chief of police declared public gatherings of candidate supporters illegal . Earlier in the day , voters crowded the steps of one polling place in Tehran , some waiting more than three hours underneath the hot sun to cast their ballots . Some were lining up even before the polls opened at 8 a.m. Moussavi is the main challenger among three candidates vying to replace Ahmadinejad . The other candidates are former parliament speaker and reformist Mehdi Karrubi , and Mohsen Rezaie , the former head of Iran 's Revolutionary Guards . Mehr reported Rezaie had 1.72 percent of the vote and Karrubi had 0.87 percent . If no single candidate reaches a simple majority -- 50 percent plus one vote -- a runoff election will be held on Friday , June 19 . It was unclear where the ballots that had been counted so far had been cast . Ahmadinejad still has staunch support in Iran 's rural areas , but has been blamed for much of Iran 's economic turmoil over the last four years . If he loses , it would be the first time a sitting Iranian president has not won re-election to a second term in office . Fawaz Gerges , an academic and author who studies the region , said Friday 's vote is really `` a referendum on Ahmadinejad , '' who has been in office since 2005 . `` The unemployment rate is 30 percent ... the largest in the third world , inflation is -LSB- in the -RSB- double digits in Iran , '' Gerges told CNN 's `` American Morning . '' `` We focus in the United States a great deal on his inflammatory rhetoric on the Holocaust , on nuclear weapons . We tend to forget that Ahmadinejad has basically done a great deal of damage to the Iranian economy , on social policy . '' While Moussavi 's campaign has energized key segments of Iranian voters -- particularly women -- Gerges noted that `` Iranians have surprised us many times . '' Moussavi 's supporters crowded the streets of Tehran this week , wearing the candidate 's trademark color green . His campaign has also energized Iran 's youth , many of whom did not take part in the 2005 election . Yasmin , a 21-year-old university student , said she cast her ballot on Friday for Moussavi . CNN 's Christiane Amanpour reports emotions on the street '' `` I 've never even been interested in the politics of my country until today . It was my first time voting , and I am so excited about it , '' she said . `` We are all yearning for change , and I believe Moussavi will bring much more freedom to Iran and our lives . That is why I cast my ballot for him . There is so much anticipation in the air . '' Moussavi 's supporters hope that he follows in the same footsteps as Mohammed Khatami , a reformist candidate who overwhelmingly won the presidency in 1997 , raising hopes that the reformist movement would bring religious and democratic freedoms to the Islamic republic . But the real power in Iran rests in the hands of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei . By the time Khatami left office in 2005 , he was unable to make major changes because of the opposition of hard-line elements in Iran 's clerical establishment . `` The elected president is not the commander in chief , he does not make decisions of war and peace , '' Gerges noted . `` The major decision maker -LSB- in Iran -RSB- is the unelected supreme leader , that is Ali Khamenei , along with a National Security Council . '' But Gerges noted that the `` the style of the president '' and his `` posture '' have a great deal of influence on Iran 's relations with other countries , particularly the United States . Watch CNN review the unprecedented online presence of candidates '' No matter who wins Friday 's vote , analysts say it is unlikely any of the candidates would change Iran 's position on its nuclear program , which the Islamic republic insists is for civilian purposes but the United States and other Western powers believe may be a cover for a weapons program . Iranian-American analyst and scholar Reza Aslan said that while Moussavi is `` a little bit more of a moderate when it comes to the nuclear issue ... all four candidates agreement with Iran 's right to develop nuclear . '' Nevertheless , Aslan said that all four candidates also `` recognize it 's time to open up to America and to the international community because there 's no other option with regard to the economy . '' CNN 's Christiane Amanpour , Samson Desta and Mitra Mobasherat contributed to this report . | Officials : 72 percent of votes in , incumbent president has 65.7 percent . Large turnout was expected to benefit Ahmadinejad 's main rival , Moussavi . Moussavi camp accuses Iranian establishment of manipulating the vote . None of candidates expected to change Iran 's position on its nuclear program . | [[306, 345], [395, 448], [477, 485], [509, 565], [641, 772], [641, 697], [716, 772], [1813, 1867], [987, 1064], [1012, 1064], [5164, 5266]] |
MEXICO CITY , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Officials in Mexico 's Chiapas state postponed classes Friday for more than 1 million students in an effort to avoid a resurgence of H1N1 flu , which has sickened thousands throughout Mexico this year . After the first confirmed swine flu reports in April , Mexico shut down all of its schools and many public venues . Chiapas Education Secretary Javier Alvarez Ramos and state Health Secretary James Gomez Montes said classes will start August 31 for middle and high school students and September 7 for elementary pupils , the state-run Notimex news agency said . About 1.55 million students will be affected , 850,000 of them in elementary school , Notimex said . This is not the first instance of officials in Mexico altering schedules to combat the disease . The first cases of H1N1 , also called swine flu , were confirmed in Mexico in April . Within days , the government closed all schools and most public venues . In Mexico City , officials shut down all bars , theaters and public gathering places and limited restaurants to take-out orders . About 35,000 businesses were affected . All non-essential federal government offices also were closed nationwide for several days . The World Health Organization declared a global pandemic in early June . As of August 6 , the WHO reported more than 177,450 confirmed cases in 170 nations . The Western Hemisphere has the most cases , with nearly 103,000 confirmed instances of the disease and almost 1,300 deaths . The WHO is no longer providing a country-by-country breakdown , but the United States , Argentina and Mexico have had the most cases and fatalities . In the United States , federal officials released new guidelines this month for containing the spread of the virus across the nation 's school system . Government officials have warned of a possible resurgence in the H1N1 virus this fall . Among other things , health officials urged local administrators to exercise caution and restraint when deciding whether to close a school in response to an outbreak , noting that the costs of shutting down institutions often outweigh the benefits . Officials also confirmed that a new vaccine to combat the virus is likely to be ready by October . The revised federal guidelines advise parents to keep children infected with the H1N1 virus out of school for 24 hours after the fever has gone away . Parents were previously advised to keep their children out of school for seven days after the end of a fever caused by H1N1 . The virus has spread around the world with unprecedented speed , according to the WHO . Past influenza viruses have needed more than six months to spread as widely as the current H1N1 virus spread in less than six weeks , the WHO said . | Officials in Chiapas delay school in effort to avoid flu resurgence . 1.55 million students affected , 850,000 of them in elementary school . U.S. officials urge restraint when shutting schools , because of cost . | [[0, 11], [14, 36], [77, 147], [138, 181], [605, 649], [1897, 1915], [1918, 2062]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was absent again Tuesday from his Senate impeachment trial , but state senators who will decide whether to remove him from office heard him loud and clear on FBI recordings of his phone calls . Gov. Rod Blagojevich talks to CNN 's Campbell Brown Tuesday night about his impeachment trial . Only four snippets of conversations were played for senators in the second day of the impeachment trial , and all pertained to horse-racing legislation . Prosecutors said the brief recordings focused on the governor 's efforts to apparently raise campaign contributions in exchange for signing a horse-racing bill . In one recording from December 3 , a lobbyist assures the governor that a race-track owner has pledged his `` commitment . '' `` He goes , ' I hope I 'm gon na have it next week , but you have my commitment . I 've always been there . I 'm gon na be there , ' '' the lobbyist told Blagojevich of the race track owner . None of the recordings mentions money specifically . Meanwhile , Blagojevich continued an ambitious media blitz , appearing in interviews with CBS , CNN , Fox and The Associated Press . A day earlier , he appeared on CNN 's `` Larry King Live , '' ABC 's `` Good Morning America '' and `` The View . '' Watch Blagojevich on `` Larry King Live '' '' `` I hate all of this , '' Blagojevich told CNN 's Campbell Brown in an interview Tuesday . `` This is a life-changing thing . I am about to be thrown out of office for accusations that are false and not true . '' Watch Brown interview Blagojevich '' He added , `` But there 's principles involved . And that is I did nothing wrong and I 'd like an opportunity to prove it . '' The governor has railed against state Senate rules that restrict the calling of some witnesses and the presentation of some evidence . State Sen. Matt Murphy , part of the nine-member committee that put the Senate trial rules together , has said U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald asked both sides to `` defer to the criminal prosecution '' of Blagojevich and `` limit witnesses . '' The House prosecution in the Senate trial is operating under the same restrictions , he said . Senators also heard testimony Tuesday from FBI Special Agent Daniel Cain , author of a 76-page affidavit released in December , when the governor was arrested on federal corruption charges . Watch proceedings from Tuesday 's trial '' Among other allegations , federal prosecutors said the governor tried to trade or sell the Senate seat that would become vacant after Barack Obama became president . Cain testified about transcripts of federal tapes in the affidavit , mostly replying in the affirmative when House prosecutor David Ellis asked whether the portions of the affidavit were accurate . `` In the end , we were very confident that it was the governor 's voice in those conversations , '' Cain told House prosecutor David Ellis . Cain said FBI agents repeatedly listened to the governor 's recorded conversations to make sure they were accurate . `` Agents would listen to the recordings repeatedly as many times as necessary to verify the accuracy and quote , '' he said . Later , as senators tried to ask Cain about the recordings , a representative from the U.S. attorney 's office was on hand to block some answers . After Blagojevich 's arrest , the state House impeached the two-term Democratic governor in two votes , with only one dissenting vote each time . The second vote was needed because of the seating of a new House . Blagojevich has said the House impeachment vote was politically motivated . | State senators heard recorded phone calls about horse-racing legislation . Governor absent from trial , holding interviews with media outlets . Senators also heard testimony from FBI agent who wrote affidavit . U.S. attorney has asked both sides to `` defer to criminal prosecution '' | [[110, 128], [133, 242], [114, 242], [449, 492], [1027, 1036], [1039, 1151], [1039, 1050], [1061, 1085], [1088, 1159], [2178, 2186], [2192, 2250], [1836, 1894], [1938, 2061], [1947, 2079]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Achtung , baby ! Sacha Baron Cohen stars as a flamboyant Austrian fashionista in `` Bruno . '' There 's a British theory that everything sounds funnier delivered with a Teutonic accent . That 's tested to the limit in Sacha Baron Cohen 's newest provocation , `` Bruno , '' but it 's not what comes out of his mouth that makes the Austrian fashionista such a handful . The man in the tight yellow lederhosen knows that in our visually overstimulated culture , a picture is vorth a thousand vords . More if there 's significant skin involved -- and he 's happy to show us his wurst . Cohen seems to believe that prudery is the enemy . Certainly , bad taste is his Trojan horse . An early montage of romantic coupling , Bruno-style , is enough to get tongues wagging -- or clucking in disapproval . It 's the closest thing to gay porn most heterosexuals will see this side of `` 300 . '' Either way , Cohen 's laughing : Properly managed , outrage is a useful marketing tool , as `` Borat '' showed . Apparently permanently airbrushed right down to his backside , Bruno looks nothing like his hirsute Kazakh cousin , but the men share an ego ; they 're equally insensitive to other people and oblivious to notions of social decorum and the politically correct . And they both invest heavily in the American Dream . Bruno hungers after fame as hungrily as Borat lusted for Pamela Anderson . After a brief prologue in Europe -- and the distressing revelation of the vacuity of the fashion scene -- he sets out for Los Angeles , determined to become Austria 's `` biggest superstar since Hitler . '' Perhaps inspired by another Cohen creation , Ali G , he sets out to make a celebrity interview show -- but sadly , the only dupes ignorant enough to participate are `` American Idol '' judges -LRB- Paula Abdul chats about her philanthropic pursuits while perched on the back of an immigrant laborer -RRB- and presidential candidates -LRB- take a bow , Ron Paul -RRB- . It 's not just about the scarcity of the guests , though . Bruno does n't draw them out the way Borat did . Quite the opposite : Mostly they 're wary and guarded , or downright hostile -- and understandably so , often enough , given Bruno 's shock tactics . Yes , it 's funny seeing him fire up a predominantly African-American TV studio audience by announcing that his `` adopted '' black baby is named O.J. , but still , the scene tells us more about Cohen 's need to provoke than about the crowd 's supposed homophobia . The same goes for his brief stint in a U.S. Army training facility . The actor 's quick wit and virtuoso physical comedy skills carry the day , but just as Bruno is forced to abandon one dead-end celebrity scheme after another , the movie too seems to be casting about haphazardly for some real comic traction . Evidently it 's not easy testing taboos in 2009 . Wherever Bruno turns , he seems to be following in someone else 's footsteps . Peace talks in Israel -LRB- what Bruno calls `` Middle Earth '' -RRB- ? Morgan Spurlock has been there , done that . Camping out with the gun lobby ? Michael Moore , `` Bowling for Columbine . '' Gay conversion ? Did n't director Larry Charles go there with Bill Maher just last year in `` Religulous '' ? Meanwhile , Bruno 's love-hate relationship with his assistant , Lutz -LRB- Gustaf Hammarsten -RRB- , only highlights how similar the new film 's few narrative pegs are to `` Borat . '' Some sketches do hit much closer to home . A series of interviews with stage moms and dads who eagerly sign up their infants to work with hornets , wasps , dead or dying animals , antiquated heavy machinery and sundry toxic substances is a real jaw-dropper , though the kicker is tempered by Bruno 's behavior . And , to its credit , the film saves the best for last . In a show-stopping climax -LRB- which I do n't propose to spoil here -RRB- Cohen puts it all on the line and definitively nails gay-bashers where it hurts : right between the eyes . iReport.com : `` Bruno '' vs. Borat '' : Preview audience weighs in . It 's an elaborate -- and brave -- stunt by which Bruno ultimately achieves the fame he craves . And it does more than enough to validate the film 's fast and loose play with stereotypes and questionable undercover tactics . `` Bruno '' has its problems , but the finale makes it a winner . `` Bruno '' is rated R and runs 83 minutes . For Entertainment Weekly 's review , click here . | `` Bruno '' is Sacha Baron Cohen 's new film ; he plays gay fashionista . Film attempts to show homophobia but in some cases pushes too hard . Still , last scene makes it worth it , says reviewer Tom Charity . | [[36, 110], [4321, 4351]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Britain 's Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a new medal Wednesday to honor the families of British service personnel killed while serving their country . The Elizabeth Cross may be given to family members of service personnel who have died since 1948 . The Elizabeth Cross will be given to the next of kin of armed forces personnel killed on operations or as a result of terrorism `` as a mark of national recognition for their loss , '' the Defense Ministry said . It is the first time the name of a reigning monarch has been given to a new award since the queen 's father , King George VI , instituted the George Cross in 1940 . That medal recognizes acts of bravery of both civilians and military personnel . The most prestigious medal , the Victoria Cross , was introduced by Queen Victoria in 1856 for acts of gallantry by the armed forces . `` This seems to me a right and proper way of showing our enduring debt to those who are killed while actively protecting what is most dear to us all , '' the queen said in a message to the armed forces . `` The solemn dignity which we attach to the names of those who have fallen is deeply ingrained in our national character . As a people , we accord this ultimate sacrifice the highest honor and respect . '' The Elizabeth Cross is a sterling silver emblem in the shape of a cross over a wreath . In the center is the queen 's monogram , EIIR , which stands for Elizabeth II Regina , or Queen Elizabeth II . At each of the four tips of the cross are floral symbols : a rose for England , a thistle for Scotland , a shamrock for Northern Ireland , and a daffodil for Wales . The reverse of the cross will be engraved with the name of the person who died . The name will also be written on a scroll signed by the queen , to be given to family members along with the medal , the Defense Ministry said . The award may be given to family members of all service personnel who have died since 1948 . Charles Mosely , the former editor in chief of Debrett 's , an authority on etiquette , said the Elizabeth Cross is a good way to recognize the sacrifice made by members of the military and their families . `` It seems very praiseworthy and very overdue , '' he said . It makes sense for the medal to be named after the reigning monarch , he said , because she is head of the armed forces . `` They have personal allegiance to the sovereign , a personal loyalty , '' he said . | Elizabeth Cross for next of kin of armed forces personnel killed on operations . Medal is a sterling silver emblem in the shape of a cross over a wreath . First time name of a reigning monarch has been given to an award since 1940 . Most prestigious medal , Victoria Cross , introduced by Queen Victoria in 1856 . | [[122, 184], [185, 256], [284, 362], [1290, 1377], [497, 604], [2258, 2310], [743, 769], [785, 877]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday lifted sanctions placed on the Navy over its underwater sonar testing , a setback for environmental groups that claimed the warfare technology was harming whales and other marine mammals . An endangered blue whale surfaces off the coast of Southern California in July . At issue in the 5-4 ruling was whether the Navy 's need to conduct exercises to protect the country from enemy submarines outweighed concerns raised by environmental groups . The case focused on whether the president had the power to issue executive waivers allowing such tests and whether federal judges can issue preliminary injunctions blocking them . The high court ultimately sided with claims of national security over environmental concerns . Those environmental interests , said Chief Justice John Roberts for the majority , `` are plainly outweighed by the Navy 's need to conduct realistic training exercises to ensure that it is able to neutralize the threat posed by enemy submarines . '' Roberts said a lower federal court `` abused its discretion '' by imposing a 2,200-yard perimeter for testing and ordering a shutdown of sonar use during surfacing exercises . But in dissent , Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg warned that the ecological damage was significant . `` This likely harm can not be lightly dismissed , '' she said , `` even in the face of an alleged risk to the effectiveness of the Navy 's 14 training exercises . '' Justices David Souter , Stephen Breyer and John Paul Stevens also questioned the Navy 's arguments . The exercises have continued while the case was under appeal . Environmentalists had sued the Pentagon over the practice , and a federal judge ordered major changes to the Navy 's annual offshore training exercises in March . President Bush had issued an emergency waiver to allow the exercises to go on without the filing of an environmental impact study , but the lower court ruling blocked the use of sonar . That federal judge , in ruling against the government last March , said it was `` constitutionally suspect '' for Bush to issue the national security exemption to allow skipping the impact study . Military officials argued that the restrictions could hamper readiness in time of war , because new sonar technology is needed to detect increasingly sophisticated enemy submarines . `` This case was vital to our Navy and nation 's security , and we are pleased with the Supreme Court 's decision in this matter , '' Navy Secretary Donald Winter said . `` We can now continue to train our sailors effectively , under realistic combat conditions . '' One of the environmental organizations that sued the Defense Department told the justices that the exercises had been planned in advance and that the Navy was required under law to conduct more extensive environmental tests than it had . The waters of southern California are home to dozens of species of whales , dolphins , seals and sea lions , nine of them federally listed as endangered or threatened . Federal courts have cited scientific studies and the Navy 's own conclusions that high levels of sonar can cause hearing loss and disorientation in the animals . In February , the U.S. Navy demonstrated for CNN its onboard procedures for turning down mid-frequency sonar when whales come within 1,000 meters and shutting it off completely when they approach 200 meters . The sonar sounds like a `` ping , ping '' noise , and it can be reduced as necessary , officers said . But environmentalists say that the sonar can hurt whales much farther than 1,000 meters away and that the noise created by the sonar `` was like having a jet engine in the Supreme Court multiplied 2,000 times , compensating for water , '' attorney Richard Kendall told the justices . Reacting to the ruling , Kendall said , `` It is gratifying that the court did not accept the Navy 's expansive claims of executive power and that two-thirds of the injunction remain in place . '' In 2000 , 16 whales beached themselves in the Bahamas , and the Navy concluded that too many sonar ships had been operating in a narrow underwater channel . The service says it is funding $ 16 million in independent research to minimize sonar 's effect on marine mammals . | NEW : Navy secretary says ruling allows sailors to train under `` realistic '' conditions . By 5-4 vote , Supreme Court allows Navy exercises in whale habitat . Sound waves can permanently harm sea mammals , environmentalists argue . Fleet 's safety and need to train trump concern for whales , chief justice writes . | [[893, 896], [910, 1000], [2535, 2628], [147, 167], [173, 249], [133, 167], [181, 192], [204, 249], [3517, 3721], [686, 780], [864, 909]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When powerlifting coach Nicola Vaughan-Ellis wanted to create a winning formula for her athletes , she did n't head to the weight room . Instead , she found herself in the classroom . Coach Nicola Vaughan-Ellis with athletes from Great Britain 's powerlifting team . Head coach of Great Britain 's powerlifting squad , Vaughan-Ellis participated in a course that 's designed to boost the leadership and management skills of coaches . Vaughan-Ellis 's responsibilities run the gamut from identifying up-and-coming talent to developing training programs . She had friends who were corporate performance directors , and realizing the skills they had were applicable to her own line of work , she decided to pursue a professional development course designed for coaches . `` We expect athletes to be the best they can be . Our responsibility as coaches is to be the best we can be , '' Vaughan-Ellis told CNN . In pursuit of becoming better managers and leaders , players in the business world have long turned to executive education programs . Elite coaches are taking a cue from business and turning to tailored programs too . In the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games in London , the desire to develop high caliber coaches is ramping up in the UK , said John Neal of Ashridge Business School , where Vaughan-Ellis took the coaching course . `` A lot of coach development work -LSB- in the UK -RSB- is ad hoc . It 's becoming more clearly defined , but our vision is to establish a more development pathway for coaches , '' he told CNN . Vaughan-Ellis trains about 20 powerlifters as part of a program that was established to prepare athletes in Great Britain for major competitive events like the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics . Nutritionists , psychologists , fitness coaches and sports scientists are all focused on a goal of helping athletes achieve a performance edge , she says . But coaches also need to make sure they make the best decisions for their athletes . That requires a broad range of skills , from understanding the athlete experience and identifying particular challenges they may encounter as well as having a firm understanding of where funding comes from and making sure it 's spent wisely . `` We prepare our athletes to be the best in the world . But we also have to make sure that we are making the best choices for them , '' she said . Ashridge , which specializes in customized education programs , has been running sport coaching courses since 2001 . Its core World Class Sport Coach Development program is endorsed by the British Olympic Association . The course is made up of 10 one-day master classes that are spread out over a period of about 10 months . In a typical meeting , coaches are given scenarios , break up into groups for discussion and then present their responses to the class . The program is flexible so coaches can focus on the skills they want to improve . A wide range of topics are covered , from communication , negotiation and team building skills to body language , motivation and development of young players . Neal estimates that about 160 coaches have completed the coaching program since it was launched . Most participants are UK-based , but coaches come from around the world and represent a long list of sports that includes diving , swimming , rugby , hockey , shooting and cricket . Coaches have few opportunities to share their knowledge . According to Neal , that 's one reason why the course has been popular . One measure of its success : Many coaches , like Vaughan-Ellis , participate more than once . Due to a lack of funding , however , coaches oftentimes end up paying for the course themselves . Ashridge heavily subsidizes the program and charges # 2,000 , just about a quarter of what it actually costs to run it . But in return , the business school gets a unique perspective on decision making that is fed back into its executive education programs , Neal said . Elite coaches have a lot to offer companies , especially in the current economic downturn , Neal said . More businesses are under pressure to maximize efficiency , and many want to learn from the sport experience , since coaches are required to achieve results quickly . With 2012 less than three years away , Vaughan-Ellis is planning to return to Ashridge for a refresher . She says one of the advantages of the program is that it helps coaches deal with pressure by teaching them how to cope with and embrace change . That 's an invaluable skill in athletics . `` Sport is change , '' she said . `` You 're only as good as your last competition or as strong as your weakest link . You have to move forward and constantly evolve . '' | With 2012 Games approaching , focus on coach development on the rise in UK . Elite coaches turn to program run by Ashridge Business School to build skills . Course designed to transfer lessons from business world to sport . | [[1161, 1210], [1213, 1279], [1485, 1550], [725, 803], [1077, 1160], [1077, 1090], [1126, 1160]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three women who were seized along with six other foreign workers in Yemen have been killed , Yemeni government officials said Monday . South Korean officials discuss the kidnappings Monday . A South Korean woman reportedly was killed . `` It is with profound sorrow that the Yemeni government reports finding three bodies , '' according to a statement from Mohammed Albasha , a spokesman for Yemen 's Embassy in the United States . The statement said the dead were identified as a South Korean teacher and two German nurses in training , all in their 20s . They were found in the Noshour Valley in Safrah district in the province of Saada . The women were abducted Sunday along with five other Germans , including three children , and a Briton , according to Yemen 's state-run SABA news agency . Earlier , the Yemen Post said seven of the nine hostages were killed , citing the country 's interior ministry . But SABA reported later Monday the remaining six were believed to be alive , and security forces were searching for them . Albasha said the nine foreigners left the city of Saada without police escorts that are required due to the `` heightened security situation '' in the area . `` This event was a heinous crime and constitutes not only a violation against the peaceful principles of Islam , but also the precepts of humanity , '' the embassy spokesman said . `` Moreover , it does not reflect the good traditions and culture of Yemen . '' The Germany Foreign Ministry said it is in close contact with the German Embassy in Yemen but could n't confirm any details at this stage . Initial official statements said the group was apparently seized by Houthi rebels , Shiite militants who have been fighting the government for years , according to SABA . The militants are hoping to derail the peace and reconstruction process in Saada , which has been rocked by war in the past year , according to SABA . However , the news agency later reported Houthi rebels accused drug cartels of abducting the group and killing the three . In addition , SABA said a spokesman for the rebels accused regional tribes of being behind the kidnappings and slayings . Sunday 's abduction was the latest in a string of kidnappings of foreign workers in Yemen this year . All the previous hostages had been released unharmed , including 24 medical workers whom armed tribesman seized last week in Yemen 's Amran province . CNN 's Caroline Faraj , Diana Magnay and Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report . | South Korean teacher , two German nurses in training found dead , Yemen says . Initial reports cited Shiite militants in abductions . But Houthi rebels blame drug cartels and regional tribes , news agency says . | [[290, 340], [451, 575], [465, 554], [1944, 2056], [2071, 2167], [2097, 2178]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Les Paul never stopped tinkering , said Henry Juszkiewicz . Les Paul was constantly making recommendations on how to improve guitars , says the CEO of Gibson . Juszkiewicz , the chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitars , remembers getting calls from his company 's partner -LRB- and famed client -RRB- , offering recommendations on how to change or market his eponymous Gibson guitars . Sometimes , Juszkiewicz recalls , the two would go out for Chinese food . Paul was very particular , desiring a dish called Chicken Subgum . The two would have to search Chinatown for a restaurant that knew how to cook it , he says with a chuckle . Les Paul died Thursday of pneumonia . He was 94 . Juszkiewicz talked about his friend and colleague Thursday afternoon . The following is an edited version of the interview . Watch how Les Paul helped invent modern music '' CNN : Tell me about working with Les Paul . Henry Juszkiewicz : I 've been with Gibson about 25 years and known Les pretty much through that entire period . ... Les was a very kind person . He was a visionary . In the early days , Gibson was doing very poorly as a company , and I got involved essentially to turn the company around . ... We had many , many conversations about the guitar business and what to do . ... A lot of the things we talked about and implemented were very successful . CNN : What was distinctive about the Gibson Les Paul when it came out , and what remains distinctive about it ? Gallery : Guitarists pay tribute to Les Paul '' Juszkiewicz : When it first came out , it was extremely controversial , and it was not really successful . It took years for Gibson to actually come to terms with Les . He had been pitching the head of what was Gibson 's parent company , CMI , for three or four years until they finally decided to give it a try -- and only then when he became very famous and a television personality . And they were right , actually , because a solid-body guitar was considered silly . ... It really was n't until 1965 , '66 that the guitar took off and became popular . In fact , in the early '60s , the guitar was discontinued for several years . One of the -LSB- prized -RSB- Les Pauls was the 1959 Les Paul -- that 's sort of the holy grail of Les Pauls -- and one of the reasons is there were only 300 units made in 1959 . And 300 units was not really that successful for Gibson ; it was a powerhouse guitar builder in 1959 . So Les was always ahead of his time . He was someone who could see what was going to happen 50 years in advance , and very often , he was able to bring his vision to reality and share it with the entire musical community . ... The -LSB- Les Paul -RSB- guitar shines in modern music . ... In the '50s and before the '50s , the -LSB- standard -RSB- guitar was amplified , but it was just louder . In other words , it still sounded just like an acoustic guitar , but you could turn it up . What Les did was turn it into a whole new instrument . When he was playing ... you will hear this rich context that 's kind of normal today . ... CNN : Les Paul being Les Paul , I assumed he continue to play with things over the years . Juszkiewicz : Yeah , he would call me all the time and give me suggestions . It 's really hard to answer your original question , what makes it -LSB- distinctive -RSB- . ... As a guitar player , when I pick it up , I know it 's a Les Paul . I can feel the sustain . It 's got a certain feeling . ... There 's a lot of things in it . But it 's the package that 's kind of magic . In the modern world , working with modern equipment , it 's incomparable . CNN : How many Les Pauls do you sell nowadays ? Juszkiewicz : A lot . Many , many thousands . I 'll share with you : We had a big debate when we first got involved in the business . When I was a young guitar player , Les Pauls were always very expensive ... and they 're very expensive today . -LSB- Paul -RSB- said , `` You know , Henry , you really have to make a less expensive Les Paul . '' ... We argued about it for a year and a half , and finally I gave in . I said , `` OK , Les , it 's your guitar . '' ... And it was an instant success . And all of a sudden , people that could n't touch that magic got a shot at it , and he was pleased as punch , and we were as well . He was a renaissance man . ... What a life . And what a wonderful , warm gentleman . | Gibson CEO : Les Paul made frequent recommendations on how to improve guitars . Les Pauls were n't particularly popular when introduced . Paul , legendary guitarist and inventor , died Thursday at 94 . | [[83, 151], [79, 87], [154, 178], [193, 231], [317, 399], [687, 698]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- They poured in to Los Angeles from places far-flung , an army of Michael Jackson fans hoping to collectively mourn their idol in a massive ceremony at the Staples Center downtown Tuesday . A fan leaves a note on a Michael Jackson memorial outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles . The singer 's memorial service Tuesday will be a star-studded affair , with singers Mariah Carey , Usher and Stevie Wonder among the participants , according to an announcement released on behalf of the Jackson family . Also participating in the event will be basketball stars Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson , and singers Jennifer Hudson , John Mayer and Smokey Robinson , the family said . The Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III will be among others taking part . Ken Ehrlich , known for producing the Grammy Awards , is producing the memorial show , his company said . Kenny Ortega , who was to have co-directed Jackson 's series of concerts in London , England , this summer , will direct it . Mayer posted on Twitter on Monday afternoon saying `` I 'm going not to ` perform ' but to contribute . '' `` I 'm honored to have been asked to play at MJ 's memorial service . I will be representing all of us who ca n't be there , '' Mayer tweeted . `` Going to say goodbye from all us kids . '' One notable who wo n't be attending : longtime Jackson friend Elizabeth Taylor , who put out a message on Twitter that she `` can not be part of the public whoopla . '' `` I just do n't believe that Michael would want me to share my grief with millions of others , '' Taylor tweeted . `` How I feel is between us . Not a public event . '' `` I love him too much , '' she added , `` and I can not guarantee that I would be coherent to say a word . '' Debbie Rowe , Jackson 's former wife and the mother of his two oldest children , will not attend the memorial service , her lawyer Marta Almli said Monday . `` Although Debbie had originally planned to attend tomorrow 's Staples Center memorial service , we have concluded with Debbie that she will not be attending , '' a statement from Almli said . `` The onslaught of media attention has made it clear her attendance would be an unnecessary distraction to an event that should focus exclusively on Michael 's legacy . Debbie will continue to celebrate Michael 's memory privately . '' Fans without tickets to the memorial are being asked to stay away from downtown Los Angeles and watch the service on television . Details : See who will be there , map of area '' The family decided to provide a free live video feed to networks so it would be televised everywhere . `` Everything about the memorial has to do with accommodating as many fans as possible , '' Ken Sunshine , the Jackson family spokesman , said . While Jackson 's family remains tight-lipped about the singer 's burial arrangements , sources told CNN that relatives will hold a private gathering at the Forest Lawn cemetery in Los Angeles Tuesday morning ahead of the public service . The California Highway Patrol will escort their motorcade , the sources said . The gathering is scheduled for 8 a.m. -LRB- 11 a.m. ET -RRB- -- two hours before the service at the Staples Center arena . Cemetery officials have not commented on the matter . While there are five Forest Lawn cemeteries in the Los Angeles area , media trucks and crews have been parked at the gate of the Hollywood Hills facility for several days in anticipation of Jackson 's possible interment there . Fans claim tickets . On Monday , fans chosen by random lottery for Jackson 's memorial began arriving at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles to pick up their tickets . Full story . Los Angeles Police Capt. Bill Murphy said the distribution process was going smoothly . One person tried to pass off a photocopied voucher ; he was ejected , Murphy said . The 8,750 fans have until 6 p.m. PT to claim their tickets . iReport.com : `` Surreal journey '' to get Jackson tickets . Each winner gets two tickets , bringing the number awarded in the lottery to 17,500 . Just 11,000 of those are for seats inside the Staples Center . The other 6,500 would be for viewing the memorial telecast at the adjacent Nokia Theater . AEG Live , the promoter of Michael Jackson 's London shows , owns and operates both venues . Deka Motanya , 27 , who works in a doctor 's office in San Francisco , scrambled Sunday night to line up plane tickets so she and her boyfriend could fly to Los Angeles on Monday . `` Oh , yeah , I 'm going , '' she said . `` I 'm e-mailing my boss saying I 've got to leave early because I 'm going to L.A. '' Executors control Jackson 's assets . A Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted control of Jackson 's assets to the executors of his will Monday . The executors -- John Branca , Jackson 's longtime personal attorney , and John McClain , a music industry executive and longtime friend -- had sought immediate control of the entertainer 's assets at a hearing before Judge Mitchell Beckloff . The judge appointed the men as special administrators until another hearing August 3 . He said they will be responsible for protecting the estate from immediate losses . The men can enter into new ventures only with court approval , Beckloff said . Jackson died June 25 . Since the next day , his mother , Katherine , has been administering the assets . Lawyers for Jackson 's mother objected to Beckloff 's decision , saying that `` irreparable damage '' could be done to the estate if Branca is allowed to take control . `` To award unfettered control to the other side would not serve justice , '' said attorney Burt Levitch . Katherine Jackson 's lawyers argued that Branca was removed from several critical roles by Jackson after the signing of the will . They argued that the removal from those business roles should also exclude Branca as executor . `` Quite frankly , Mrs. Jackson has concerns about handing over the keys to the kingdom , '' Levitch said . But Branca 's lawyer , Paul Hoffman , said Branca had represented Jackson off and on since he was 21 , that he was his lawyer at the time the will was written and that he was rehired in mid-June . Branca represented Jackson from 1980 until 2006 and was hired again before the singer 's death . He helped acquire Jackson 's music catalog , which is worth millions . McClain is a longtime Jackson friend who has worked with him and his sister Janet . The judge ruled that Michael Jackson felt strongly enough about these executors to name them in his will . He required the two men to acquire a $ 1 million bond to insure their work as executors . The judge said he hopes the two sides can come to an agreement -- a `` free flow of information '' -- by August 3 . Hoffman said the two sides met for four hours over the weekend but were unable to reach `` an acceptable accommodation . '' In their filing for control of the estate , the men said it would allow them to tend to Jackson 's numerous outstanding debts , legal cases and business obligations . At a hearing Wednesday , Beckloff had appointed Katherine Jackson the temporary administrator . Levitch said Monday that a second will has surfaced and that it was written in 1997 . The lawyer said that he has n't looked at it and that it was given to the court for safekeeping . However , the 1997 document will have no bearing unless the later one is discredited , which the lawyers do n't expect . CNN 's Linda Hall , Nicole Saidi and Henry Hanks contributed to this report . | Elizabeth Taylor and Debbie Rowe , Jackson 's former wife , not attending memorial . Musicians , famed athletes slated for Michael Jackson memorial . Private gathering expected to be held at 8 a.m. PT Tuesday . | [[1780, 1791], [1794, 1858], [1861, 1897], [327, 395], [552, 635], [2795, 2800], [2882, 3032], [3112, 3172]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The killer of `` Harry Potter '' actor Rob Knox has been given four life sentences and told he will be behind bars for at least 20 years . The parents of Robert Knox read a statement outside the Old Bailey after Karl Bishop was found guilty of his murder . A judge at the Old Bailey court in central London sentenced 22-year-old Karl Bishop on Thursday , the day after he was convicted of the attack on Rob Knox and four of his friends in southeast London last May . Bishop stabbed them 10 times in less than two minutes , the court heard . Knox , 18 , had rushed out of the bar after he heard that Bishop had threatened his younger brother Jamie but he ended up being stabbed five times , once in a main artery . He died in hospital later that night . The judge , Mr Justice Bean , told Bishop : `` You are at present a highly dangerous man , '' the Press Association reported . `` There is plainly a very significant risk to the public of serious harm caused by your committing further offences of violence . `` Because you had threatened his younger brother , Rob Knox was among those who tried to disarm you . He paid for his bravery with his life . `` The truth is that you simply could not care less whether you killed him or not . When you learned that you had killed Rob your only response was to say ` Yeah , sweet . ' '' Days before the attack , the actor had finished filming on `` Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince , '' due for international release in July , in which he played the role of Marcus Belby . He was set to reprise the part in future `` Harry Potter '' films . Knox 's father Colin told mourners at his funeral , including co-star Rupert Grint , that his son had been `` living the dream , '' PA said . The Knox family left the court without commenting , but earlier Rob 's mother Sally said of Bishop : `` Once he 's got his sentence and he 's gone , I will not waste my time thinking about him . `` I just think maybe somebody like him may have some kind of disturbed mind , which may not be due to the life he 's had , it just may be something in him . '' Knife crime in Britain is a political hot topic due to a spate of recent killings of mainly young people in major cities . UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has urged tougher sentences for those caught carrying knives . He told the Daily Telegraph last month : `` By carrying a knife you are not only endangering the lives of others , but you are more likely to be killed , or end up in jail . `` We need to change the way young people think about knives , we need families and communities working together ... to get this message across and help stamp out knife crime and get weapons off our streets . '' | The killer of `` Harry Potter '' actor jailed for life , must serve at least 20 years . Karl Bishop , 22 , attacked Rob Knox with 2 knives in southeast London last May . Knife crime in Britain is political hot topic due to spate of recent killings . | [[9, 32], [123, 174], [405, 502], [2125, 2247]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British lawmakers demanded answers Thursday after a newspaper reported that a UK tabloid illegally hacked the phones of thousands of public figures including Gwyneth Paltrow , George Michael and Elle MacPherson . Britain 's News of the World tabloid is at the center of the phone-hacking allegations . Prosecutors said they would look again at claims of alleged phone hacking by the News of the World . However police said they would not conduct a new investigation into the claims by the Guardian newspaper . Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates said officers had seen no additional evidence since its last investigation . Earlier Thursday the Guardian reported the cell phones of `` several thousand public figures '' were hacked into by reporters and staff of the News of the World tabloid during one month in 2006 . The public figures named by the Guardian as victims of the phone hackings include lawmaker John Prescott , who was then the deputy prime minister ; Tessa Jowell , who was the secretary of state for culture , responsible for the media ; and London Mayor Boris Johnson , who at the time was the Conservative Party spokesman on higher education . The Guardian said actress Gwyneth Paltrow , model Elle MacPherson , actor Jude Law , singer George Michael , celebrity chef Nigella Lawson , celebrity PR agent Max Clifford , and actors union Equity were also victims of the hacking . `` The allegations -- the enormity of it -- is just unbelievable , '' Prescott told the BBC on Thursday morning . `` I think it is outrageous , '' former Home Secretary Charles Clarke , who was not named among the alleged victims , told the BBC . `` I think we do need action immediately . '' Thursday 's revelations in the Guardian come from a case last year in which Gordon Taylor , the head of the Professional Footballers ' Association , was suing the News of the World for illegally intercepting messages on his cell phone . The tabloid paid Taylor more than # 400,000 -LRB- $ 800,000 at the time -RRB- to settle the case , the Guardian said . The case file was sealed , but the newspaper said it obtained the suppressed evidence . That evidence , the Guardian said , shows that journalists working for the News of the World paid private investigators to illegally hack the cell phones of several thousand public figures . The staff then paid for the information the investigators obtained , the Guardian said . News International , the parent company of the News of the World defended its journalists and said it would not `` shirk from vigorously defending our right and proper role to expose wrongdoing . '' In a statement News International , the UK subsidiary of News Corporation , said it was prevented by `` confidentiality obligations from discussing certain allegations made in the Guardian newspaper today . '' But the statement stressed its staff have been told they must operate within the law and the industry 's code of conduct . Police and prosecutors also came under scrutiny in the Guardian 's report . It said the Metropolitan Police were aware of the hackings and raided the offices of some of the private investigators but did not inform those whose phones allegedly were targeted . The paper also said prosecutors decided not to take any legal action over the claims . Prescott demanded to know why -- if those allegations are true -- he was n't told that his phone had been allegedly been hacked . `` I am writing to the chief of police to ask him and the Met authorities , did you know that many of our phones were being tapped ? Did you tell the public prosecutor ? Did the prosecutor then say ` no further action ' ? '' Prescott told the BBC . `` I ca n't believe that such legal authorities -- on such serious charges , if these allegations are right -- did nothing , and I want to know from them . '' A spokeswoman for Jude Law said the actor was not commenting on the Guardian 's report . Other celebrities contacted by CNN had no immediate comment . A spokesman for Equity said the union was writing to the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police to ask for evidence accompanying the claims . The Guardian reported that Equity was targeted as a way to get actors ' addresses . `` We have no evidence to support the claims in today 's Guardian story that Equity was conned into giving out information and we have received no complaints from any of our members that the details we hold on their behalf have been improperly accessed , '' Equity 's letter states . `` We do , however , take the claims very seriously . We will be investigating the alleged breach in our security . '' | Guardian newspaper : Cell phones of `` several thousand public figures '' hacked . Celebrities include Gwyneth Paltrow , George Michael and Elle MacPherson . Allegations against News of the World staff during one month in 2006 . London 's Metropolitan police rule out a new investigation . | [[9, 16], [36, 218], [86, 248], [677, 772], [736, 872], [873, 977], [2204, 2221], [2224, 2378], [86, 248], [1217, 1402], [249, 337], [736, 872], [447, 545]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dry conditions and strong winds in California left much of the state vulnerable to massive fires , with blaze-starters ranging from a cooking fire at a drug trafficking operation to a bird flying into a power line . Drop in humidity , high temperatures could hamper efforts to contain the Lockheed Fire in Santa Cruz County . `` It really goes to show you that it does n't take much with these dry conditions to start a fire , '' CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant told CNN Sunday . The fire sparked by a bird hitting a power line ignited a series of blazes in Yuba County , forcing some 1,300 firefighters to the scene and officials to declare evacuations in the town of Dobbins , he said . Authorities have battled the Yuba fire since Friday and expect containment by Thursday . In Southern California 's Santa Barbara County , a weeklong blaze has charred more than 84,000 acres , investigators said . The fire originated at an illegal marijuana camp believed to be run by a Mexican drug organization , the Santa Barbara County Sheriff 's Narcotics Unit said in a news release Saturday night . `` I have n't heard of any other fire starting that way , '' said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Carol Underhill , referring to the so-called La Brea Fire . More than 2,000 firefighters are fighting the blaze , which is 35 percent contained , authorities said . Some homes around the Los Padres National Forest have been evacuated . Narcotics investigators have secured the area after working for the past month to eradicate marijuana operations in the remote and steep terrain , the release said . `` It is also believed that the suspects are still within the San Rafael wilderness trying to leave the area on foot , '' officials said . Twenty firefighters sustained minor injuries while trying to contain a complex of smaller fires in Northern California 's Shasta County that have burned nearly at least 17,623 acres , authorities said . Watch fire in Santa Cruz Mountains '' CalFire spokesman Brent Saulsbury said 37 of the 40 fires -- known as the Shasta Lightning Complex -- are under control . The area is dense with timber , giving the fires serious fuel . Rugged terrain , limited access to fire trucks and the length of time it takes to reach wildfires have hindered firefighters in recent days , he said . CNN 's Nick Valencia contributed to this report . | Blaze-starters include cooking fire at drug trafficking camp , bird flying into power line . CalFire spokesman : `` It does n't take much with these dry conditions to start a fire '' Thousand of firefighters battle blazes in steep terrain across the state . | [[148, 222], [226, 259], [525, 614], [525, 572], [617, 675], [947, 995], [373, 452], [432, 468], [1297, 1370], [2205, 2274], [2293, 2344]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 20-year-old Wisconsin man accused of attacking the mayor of Milwaukee with a metal pipe has been arrested , police said Sunday . Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett , seen in a file photo , was attacked Saturday night , police say . Mayor Tom Barrett was in stable condition Sunday at a Milwaukee-area hospital after he was attacked the night before at the Wisconsin State Fair in nearby West Allis , police said . Barrett was leaving the event with his family when he heard a woman crying for help , police said . When Barrett began calling 911 , the man who had been attacking the woman charged at him and began battering him with a metal pipe , police said . `` He not only risked serious injury but endured serious injury in order to defend somebody who was weaker than their assailant , '' Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn told CNN Radio . Police arrested Anthony Peters in connection with the attack . Watch the mayor 's brother talk about what happened '' West Allis Police Chief Michael Jungbluth said the attack on the woman stemmed from a domestic situation , when an intoxicated Peters wanted to see his 1-year-old daughter , and had threatened to shoot himself and others . CNN 's Chuck Johnston and CNN Radio 's Shelby Erdman and Ninette Sosa contributed to this report . | NEW : Police arrested Anthony Peters , 20 , in connection with the attack . Police : Man beat Mayor Tom Barrett with metal pipe at state fair on Saturday . Barrett heard a woman screaming and tried to help her , dialing 911 . Man who had been beating the woman then started hitting Barrett , police say . | [[19, 108], [0, 15], [109, 126], [129, 135], [861, 923], [19, 108], [150, 177], [203, 230], [324, 411], [528, 558], [561, 568], [621, 658], [428, 511], [150, 177], [203, 230], [559, 616]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- West Indies cricket coach John Dyson has been dismissed from his job with immediate effect . Australian John Dyson had been in charge of the West Indies cricket side since 2007 . The West Indies Cricket Board -LRB- WICB -RRB- said they were terminating the contract of the Australian , according to a statement on the cricket board 's Web site . The decision comes after recent Test and one-day series losses to Bangladesh , although in both defeats the West Indies were forced to put out weakened sides because of a dispute between players and the cricket board over contracts . Dyson , a former opening batsman who played 30 Tests for Australia , took charge of the West Indies in 2007 . He enjoyed early Test series wins over South Africa and England but was heavily criticized for misreading the rain regulations in a one-day event with England in Guyana in March , an error that ultimately handed England the series . Earlier in his career he was appointed Sri Lanka coach in 2003 despite having only limited coaching experience at higher levels . The 55-year-old was due to lead the West Indies into next month 's International Cricket Council Champions Trophy . The WICB offered no reason for Dyson 's sacking but in a statement on their Web site confirmed that the assistant coach David Williams would take over as coach on a temporary basis for the upcoming tournament , which gets started in South Africa on September 22 . The contract dispute means the West Indies will be forced to take a second-string side to South Africa . The statement added that `` in view of the special circumstances pertaining to this tour '' the former West Indies vice-captain and off-spin bowler Lance Gibbs had been appointed team manager . | Former Australian batsman John Dyson sacked as coach of the West Indies . Dyson , the former Sri Lankan coach , took charge of the West Indies in 2007 . He was due to take them to next month 's Champions Trophy in South Africa . The West Indies Cricket Board offered no reason for Dyson 's sudden dismissal . | [[0, 15], [45, 111], [112, 197], [112, 197], [599, 604], [668, 708], [1072, 1187], [1072, 1087], [1096, 1187], [1369, 1398], [1405, 1417], [1427, 1433], [1373, 1396], [1410, 1451], [1188, 1272]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Financing for DreamWorks Studios ' partnership with one of India 's richest men was finalized Monday , giving Steven Spielberg and partner Stacey Snider money to resume making movies . From left to right , Steven Spielberg , Anil Ambani , Stacey Snider and Amitahb Jhunjhunwala . The deal with Anil Ambani , chairman of India 's Reliance BIG Entertainment , provides Spielberg 's DreamWorks Studios with $ 875 million , coming from Ambani , the Walt Disney Co. and loans made by a syndicate of banks . Disney will distribute and market about six DreamWorks Studios films around the world each year , with the exception of India , where Reliance will have those rights . Spielberg and Snider found themselves in need of financial partners last year when he cut ties with Paramount Pictures and began rebuilding DreamWorks into an independent studio . Although the deal , which was announced last year , has been characterized in some reports as `` Hollywood meets Bollywood , '' Spielberg and partner Stacey Snider will have creative control over productions . `` This will allow us to move ahead quickly into production with our first group of films , '' Snider and Spielberg said in a joint statement . Reliance BIG Entertainment is part of the Reliance group controlled by billionaire Ambani . `` Our partnership with Stacey and Steven is the cornerstone of our Hollywood strategy as we grow our film interests across the globe , '' Ambani said . `` Given our faith in the business plan that they presented to us and despite the current economic climate , we were always confident that this day would come . Now Stacey and Steven can focus on producing more of the great films for which they are renowned . '' Ambani , whose company owns hundreds of theater screens across South Asia , has also invested development money this year with other Hollywood production companies , including those owned by actors Nicolas Cage , Tom Hanks , George Clooney and Jim Carrey . A DreamWorks announcement said that J.P. Morgan brought together the syndicate of banks to provide about $ 325 million in funding . The banks include Bank of America , City National Bank , Wells Fargo , Comerica , Union Bank of California , SunTrust , California Bank & Trust , and Israel Discount Bank . One of the first movies to go into production will be `` Harvey , '' an adaptation of the play that won a Pulitzer for playwright Mary Chase . The tale about a man and his invisible bunny friend was first made into a movie , starring Jimmy Stewart , in 1950 . Spielberg 's long career as a screenwriter , director and producer has included classic blockbusters `` E.T. : The Extraterrestrial , '' the `` Indiana Jones '' series and `` Saving Private Ryan . '' | Steven Spielberg finalizes partnership with Indian tycoon , gets cash infusion . Partnership with Anil Ambani provides $ 875 million for DreamWorks . Spielberg 's first film planned : remake of classic `` Harvey '' | [[0, 144], [324, 349], [402, 442], [0, 144], [324, 349], [402, 442], [411, 461], [2318, 2341], [2364, 2381]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In recent seasons , `` Dancing With the Stars '' has given exposure to such unlikely dancers as `` Cheers '' and Pixar favorite John Ratzenberger , magician Penn Jillette and Oscar-winning octogenarian actress Cloris Leachman . Kathy Ireland is among the contestants who will take part in the `` Dancing With the Stars ' '' ninth season . But this year , the show is adding an even more unusual guest : A Hammer . Former Republican Majority Leader Tom DeLay -- known as `` the Hammer '' for his tough-minded tactics -- is among the contestants for the show 's ninth edition , ABC announced Monday . Host Tom Bergeron and contestant Donny Osmond appeared on the network 's `` Good Morning America '' to make the announcement . `` This is the season where we have a cast that is as big as some of your family reunions , '' Bergeron joked to Osmond , a member of the Osmond family of entertainers . Blog : Are these really ` Stars ' ? Joining Osmond and DeLay will be Kelly Osbourne ; former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin ; models Kathy Ireland and Joanna Krupa ; singers Macy Gray , Mya and Aaron Carter ; actresses Melissa Joan Hart and Debi Mazar ; Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin ; ex-UFC fighter Chuck Liddell ; snowboarder Louie Vito ; and actors Mark Dacascos and Ashley Hamilton . Bergeron said this season will be a bit different as the show will have double elimination in the middle of the season . `` It will be a ballroom bloodbath , '' Bergeron said . The new season of `` Dancing With the Stars '' begins September 21 . Last season 's winner was gymnast Shawn Johnson . | Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay among `` DWTS '' contestants . Also scheduled for the ninth season : Melissa Joan Hart , snowboarder Louie Vito . Show adding a double-elimination period : `` It will be a ballroom bloodbath , '' host says . | [[264, 285], [290, 327], [433, 476], [538, 592], [1304, 1424], [1354, 1424], [1426, 1459]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After a town hall meeting on health-care reform in Belgrade , Montana , President Obama will escape to Big Sky country on Friday evening where he 'll spend time with family and go fly-fishing for the first time . White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel carries fly-fishing tackle to Marine One on Friday . Fly-fishing requires a singular focus , much like golf . Having newly discovered the sport myself , it occurred to me as I watched Marine One lift off the South Lawn on Friday that there are probably some lessons on the river that could apply to Obama 's presidency . Thinking like a producer , I called an expert -- fly-fishing instructor Tony Derosier , who described the evolution most fishermen go through . `` Usually , when you first go fishing , all you want to do is catch a fish , and then all you want to do is catch a lot of fish , and then you just want to catch the larger fish . After you 've caught a lot of large fish , you kind of go back to square one and catch just one fish , '' said Derosier , manager at Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Aspen , Colorado . `` You basically just want to go fishing -- the numbers , the size , it does n't matter any more . '' Obama is in the `` big fish '' stage of his presidency : He 's trying to get health-care reform legislation passed hook , line , and sinker . If he 's successful , anything else he gets passed will be icing on the cake . Learning the fundamentals of fly-fishing can serve as a metaphor for health care reform . Obama just needs to look at hooking and landing Blue Dog Democrats and Republicans like he would trout . The first step -- learn how to cast . `` Fly-casting is all about maximizing the energy you put in your rod and you lose energy if you wait too long , '' Derosier said . `` And conversely , if you do n't wait long enough , your line will crack like a whip . '' Obama has to strike the right balance between rushing things through and losing momentum ; and maintaining support while bringing others over to his side . The second step -- reading the water : `` Instead of blindly casting anywhere in the river you want to understand where you might find fish , '' Derosier explained . Obama zeroed in on a fairly conservative state , Montana , where he faces a land full of skeptics about his health care reform plan . Third -- hook and land the fish : Derosier said once you hook the fish you have to know how to play the fish , which is a delicate balance between applying pressure but not so much that the line breaks -- much like the delicate balance of Obama 's courting members of Congress . `` The ultimate goal is to gain an advantage over the fish so that you can land him , '' he said . `` It 's the hardest thing to teach when it comes to fly-fishing , '' he said . Out in Montana , the game is catch-and-release trout . But in Washington , Obama is trying to hook Congress and take home health care reform , or risk it being the big one that got away . | CNN White House producer : Fly-fishing is a metaphor that fits Obama 's presidency . Beginning anglers desire to catch bigger and bigger fish , expert says . Obama is in the `` big fish '' stage of his presidency , Shawna Shepherd writes . Delicate processes of political success are like casting , reading the water , etc. . | [[549, 561], [567, 603], [888, 928], [1208, 1262]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When pro quarterback Michael Vick pleaded guilty to bankrolling a dogfighting operation in 2007 , there was a spike in reports of dogfighting in the United States . One of six dogs recovered from a Sumter County , South Carolina , dogfight waits in a kennel last week . But when the headlines faded , the blood sport grew stronger and went even more underground , with thugs taking inventive precautions to keep police at bay , animal cruelty experts say . `` They know it 's just not smart to have large crowds anymore , so we 've seen fights where you 've got the two handlers , a referee and Web cams everywhere broadcasting the fight on the Internet , '' said Mark Kumpf , an investigator based in Ohio who directs the National Animal Control Association . Fights are also being staged on the move -- in 18-wheelers . `` These guys are very sophisticated , '' Kumpf said . `` If you 're driving down the road , there could be dogs in that truck driving next to you that are dying . '' Dozens more dogfighting cases have been investigated and prosecuted since the Vick case , said Alison Gianotto , who runs the database PetAbuse.com . The computer programmer , horrified when a neighbor 's cat was set on fire eight years ago , created the California-based organization to track animal cruelty cases and animal abusers . The database , which logs media stories , has also become a popular place for law enforcement to send reports . `` There 's not a central body keeping track of what 's happening nationally , which is unfortunate when you consider that a lot of these cases cross state lines , '' she said . Still , detectives , animal welfare professionals and prosecutors agree that the attention the Vick case has brought to dogfighting has been positive because more people are inclined to report their suspicions . Dogfighting is illegal in all states ; penalties vary but usually include heavy jail time or steep fines . The National Football League suspended Vick indefinitely in August 2007 after he pleaded guilty to a federal charge of bankrolling a dogfighting operation at a home he owned in Virginia . Vick , 29 , was freed from federal prison in Leavenworth , Kansas , on May 20 and returned to Virginia to serve the last two months of his 23-month sentence in home confinement . `` At the height of attention on the Vick case , things quieted down across the country with some of these dogfighters getting out of the business , '' veteran animal abuse investigator Tim Rickey said . `` But then , the headlines went away , and people thought the attention was off . It just started right back up , almost stronger than before . '' `` Every Saturday night in every county in Missouri , there is a dogfight going on , '' Rickey said . While the Vick case was making its way through the court system , Rickey , who directs the animal cruelty task force at the Humane Society of Missouri , was initiating what would become an 18-month investigation linking dogfighting rings in eight states . That probe led to the July 8 arrest of 28 people from eight states . As many as 400 dogs were confiscated in raids coordinated by federal , state and local law enforcement agencies , Rickey said . He said it was the largest such case involving dogfighting in the U.S. . While those involved with the national case declined Monday to give details about that investigation , CNN spoke with several detectives across America who have worked other dogfighting cases . Among the abuses they 've uncovered : . • Dogs with missing ears and patches of skin . • Animals with teeth shaved down to the bone . • `` Vets '' who have used leg splints that are to tight to `` treat '' animals in dogfighting rings . • Contraptions , usually fashioned out of wood , much like a treadmill , that force chained dogs to run or be choked . Detective Keith Coberly of the police vice squad in Dayton , Ohio , described a case he recently investigated that resulted in the convictions of three men . A neighbor called police when she saw a mangled dog that had apparently escaped from a home where investigators found 60 chained pit bull terriers , many being starved and wallowing in their own waste . There were thousands of hypodermic needles scattered across the ground . `` They were using steroids on the animals , '' he said . `` There was one dog -- in such bad shape , man -- tethered to a logging chain , and another was kept in a two-foot shed without ventilation or food . '' The suffering is incalculable , and the cost of caring for the animals is steep . Because the national investigation originated in Missouri , the state is harboring about 400 of the rescued dogs , some that have had puppies recently . `` These dogs are bred to attack each other , so just caring for them is a tremendous job . You have to keep them separate , and you have to protect volunteers who are devoting 12 , 14 hours of their day , '' Rickey said . `` And we 're doing all of that in this economy . '' Investigating dogfighting is dangerous -- and hugely popular in Russian mafia circles and with drug traffickers in Mexico , experts say . Dogfighting is reliant on word of mouth , and on what one undercover officer described as `` bad character '' references . `` If you can get someone to vouch for you , a match is set up , '' Kumpf said . `` They 'll have everyone go to a hotel and come pick you up and drive you around in an unmarked van . '' Driving around town helps shake any police tail , he said . Those betting on fights are n't likely to get paid on site any more . Money is often kept at another location , making it more difficult to make arrests . In late July , NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell conditionally reinstated Vick , who said on `` 60 Minutes '' on Sunday night that he cried in prison because of the guilt he felt about dogfighting . Vick 's agent announced Thursday that the former Atlanta Falcon signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles , which reportedly could be worth more than $ 6 million . `` I hope people realize -LSB- dogfighting -RSB- is not just about Michael Vick , '' Rickey said . `` It 's a lot bigger than him . '' | Dogfighters are using Web cams , staging fights in 18-wheelers to avoid police . Vick case brought attention to dogfighting , but cases have not decreased . Detective : Anyone who wants to get into dogfighting needs `` bad character '' reference . | [[544, 622], [600, 672], [780, 840], [5199, 5267]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Inside a freezer in a research laboratory at the University of Washington are blood and blood plasma samples from 92 people who suffer from mysterious illnesses , including tremors , memory loss and severe migraine headaches . Terry Williams hugs her two boys -- Jake , left , and Zack -- in 2006 , before she says toxic cabin air made her sick . They are mostly pilots and flight attendants who suspect they 've been poisoned in their workplace -- on board the aircraft they fly . Clement Furlong , University of Washington professor of medicine and genome sciences , leads a team of scientists who have been collecting the samples for 2 1/2 years . Furlong said his team is a few months away from finalizing a blood analysis test that will be able to definitely confirm whether the study participants were indeed poisoned by toxic fumes . Results of Furlong 's research could expand recognition of what a select group of researchers believes is a largely unrecognized risk of flying : the chance that poisonous fumes enter the cabin . `` There 's a danger of inhaling compounds that are coming out of the engine , '' said Furlong in his laboratory . See a diagram of how the air is circulated '' The air we breathe on board a plane is a 50-50 mix of filtered , recirculated air and so-called `` bleed air '' -- which bleeds off the engines , and then is pressurized and cooled before being sent into the cabin through vents . If an engine oil seal leaks , aviation engineers and scientists say , the bleed air can become contaminated with toxins . In 2002 the National Academies of Sciences ' National Research Council reported `` contaminant exposures result from the intake of chemical contaminants -LRB- e.g. , engine lubricating oils , hydraulic fluids , deicing fluids and their degradation products -RRB- into the Environmental Control System and then into the cabin . '' Of particular concern are toxic anti-wear agents in the oil , designed to prolong an engine 's life , called tricresyl phosphates . `` The engine seals fail and there 's very potent toxins that can come on board , '' said Furlong . Neuropsychologist Sarah Mackenzie Ross of University College London studied 27 British pilots who claimed they had inhaled contaminated air and subsequently had difficulty processing information and slowed reaction times . Her testing confirmed their symptoms . `` They did appear to underperform on tasks that required attention , processing speed , reaction time , and what we call executive functioning , which is high-level decision making , '' said Ross . Former flight attendant Terry Williams believes she is a victim of such a `` fume event . '' She complains of debilitating migraine headaches , tremors , and blind spots in her field of vision . `` It 's been so constant and just continues to worsen so it 's extremely frustrating , '' said Williams , who is suing Boeing , the owner of McDonnell Douglas , which made the MD-82 aircraft on which she worked . `` I 'm frustrated that I do n't feel any better and it 's over two years after the exposure . '' Boeing told CNN , `` It is our belief that air quality on airplanes is healthy and safe . '' In its response to Williams ' suit , the company said : `` The potential for bleed air contamination has been known through the aviation industry for many years . '' But Boeing denies any responsibility for Terry Williams ' illness . While Williams ' symptoms appear to be quite rare , it appears that fume events occur with regularity . A British study for the House of Lords found fume events in 1 of every 2,000 flights . In the U.S. , airlines are required to report `` fume events '' to the Federal Aviation Administration . There were 108 such reports last year . So why would n't more flight attendants , pilots and passengers suffer symptoms ? Furlong said a small percentage of people -LRB- how small is not known -RRB- appear to be highly sensitive to the most toxic chemicals . They may be genetically disposed to a strong reaction , possessing multiple genes of metabolizing proteins in their livers , or temporarily have high enzyme levels -LRB- which can be triggered by prescription drugs -RRB- that will act on the inhaled chemicals to magnify their toxicity . `` If you happen to be taking a medication that turns on the protein that converts pre-toxin to very potent toxin , you 've got an issue , '' said Furlong . As a result , someone sitting next to a victim may have inhaled the same contaminated fumes , but not suffer the same reaction . How might you know that you may have been exposed to a `` fume event '' while flying ? Experts say the telltale sign is a `` dirty sock '' smell . That 's butyric acid from engine oil , which itself is not highly toxic . But along with it comes the deadly nonodorous compounds tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate and mono-ortho-cresyl phosphate . Boeing 's new plane , the 787 Dreamliner , has been designed so that air entering the cabin from outside will not `` bleed '' off the engines . The company says that 's only for fuel efficiency purposes , not because of any concern about the quality of bleed air in its current fleet of aircraft . Indeed , Boeing and the FAA say the air quality on airplanes is as good or better than that of the average office building or home . CNN 's Jessica Ravitz contributed to this report . | Results of scientist 's research could expand recognition of `` bleed air '' Bleed air is air that passes through the engines of a plane , then into cabin . Boeing and FAA say air quality on airplanes is as good as in office or home . Flight attendant Terry Williams believes she is a victim of fumes in cabin air . | [[860, 1003], [3142, 3188], [5191, 5197], [5200, 5323], [318, 365], [393, 410], [415, 464], [1022, 1055], [2592, 2681], [2640, 2681]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iran has released a French academic from prison , though it 's not clear when Clotilde Reiss can return home , French President Nicolas Sarkozy 's office announced Sunday . French national Clotilde Reiss , right , and British embassy worker Hossein Rassam , far left , in court . Reiss , 24 , is the second French woman facing charges as part of mass trials in Iran who was released on bond . French authorities are now demanding that Iran drop all charges against Reiss and Nazak Afshar -- an employee of the French embassy in Tehran who was released August 8 , the statement from Sarkozy 's office said . They were arrested in connection with protests after the June 12 presidential election . Reiss will stay at the French embassy in Tehran while she awaits her return to France , the statement said . She has spoken with her father and is good health and spirits , it said . Iranian media reported Reiss admitted to crimes in court Saturday in connection with protests after the presidential election , and asked for clemency . `` I should n't have participated in the illegal demonstration and should n't have sent the pictures , I am regretful , '' the semi-official Fars news agency has quoted her as saying . `` I apologize to the Iranian people and court and I hope the people and the court forgive me . '' Human rights groups and Iran 's opposition leaders have accused the government of forcing people to make such confessions . Iranian authorities arrested about 4,000 people amid protests against the controversial election , judiciary spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi has said , according to the Iran Labor News Agency . He said 3,700 were released in the first week . But 100 defendants , including Afshar , Reiss , and an Iranian employee of the British embassy , appeared this month in Tehran 's Revolutionary Court at a mass trial on charges related to recent post-election violence . Thousands of Iranians took to the streets to protest the official result of the vote -- the re-election of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad . The government said he won by a landslide , but his opponents accused officials of rigging the results . A crackdown by security forces followed , and at least 30 people died in the violence . | Not clear when Clotilde Reiss can return home , French officials said . Reiss , 24 , is second French woman facing charges released on bond . Reiss and Nazak Afshar arrested in connection with protests after June 12 election . | [[90, 141], [313, 318], [326, 398], [391, 398], [403, 425], [640, 728], [1880, 1930]] |
Melissa Harris-Lacewell is associate professor of politics and African-American studies at Princeton University . She is the author of the award-winning book `` Barbershops , Bibles , and BET : Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought '' and writes a daily blog titled The Kitchen Table . Melissa Harris-Lacewell says African-Americans remain skeptical about racial progress in the U.S. PRINCETON , New Jersey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- America was proud of itself for electing Barack Obama . The pride was not just partisan and ideological ; it was also specifically and clearly racial . The morning after Obama 's win , The New York Times declared `` Racial Barrier Falls in Decisive Victory . '' The Los Angeles Times asserted that `` for the first time in human history , a largely white nation has elected a black man to be its paramount leader . '' Some black commentators openly wept on election night , thrilled with witnessing the election of our first black president . Even Sen. John McCain , conceding defeat , pointed to the greatness of the American promise fulfilled in the election of his opponent . Obama 's victory offered the possibility that the scars of America 's racial legacy were healed or , at least , that they were less raw . For many African-American citizens , the election of the first black U.S. president was cause for celebration and open-mouthed wonder about an outcome that seemed so unlikely just two years earlier , when Obama announced his bid . Despite this joy , many black citizens were dubious that his victory represented the destruction of any particular racial barrier . African-Americans were both proud of and excited about Obama , but in the 45 years since the passage of the Civil Rights Act , black Americans had seen doors to power , influence and wealth open just enough to admit just a few without fundamentally altering opportunities for the majority . Indeed , responses to a recent CNN/Essence Magazine/Opinion Research Corp. survey indicate that black enthusiasm about Obama exists side-by-by side with deep skepticism about America 's racial progress . This atmosphere of both enthusiasm and doubt has sparked discussion about whether we have entered a post-racial era in American politics . It is a difficult debate , because the term `` post-racial '' is not clearly defined . Race itself is a slippery idea . Typically , we treat race like a fixed , unchanging , biological category . But race is none of these things . Race is a social construct . Though it is based in physical traits , race is a category developed through social practice , law and history . As a nation , we made blackness through our politics , developing a category of people who could be enslaved and later segregated . So when we talk of a post-racial America , we are not pointing to the massive demographic shifts that are unalterably changing the racial , ethnic and linguistic landscape of America . Instead , `` post-racial '' is an expression of social and political longing . For most , this means an America free of racism and discrimination , but others seem to hint at a society entirely free of racial identity or recognition . The idea of a post-racial America has been upheld as an achievable ideal where people would receive equal treatment and fair outcomes regardless of their race . It has been critiqued as an impossible dream unlikely to exist in a nation with a history of slavery and legal discrimination . It has been denounced as an unworthy goal that would require black Americans to reject their cultural specificity and unique social and political concerns . Undoubtedly , the 2008 election broke formerly entrenched racial trends . Obama was elected just as the depth and breadth of the American economic crisis was becoming clear . Some suggested that his victory could be explained by the nation 's fiscal difficulties because he was the candidate of the out-party , which often wins when times are hard . But this analysis forgets the cross-cutting history of race . When the economic pie shrinks , Americans rarely form multiracial political coalitions led by minority candidates . Obama 's victory countered the trend toward racial balkanization more typical in tough economic times . The changing dynamics of racial politics were further evidenced when Obama won both Virginia and North Carolina . In these Southern states and in many blue states throughout the country , Obama shattered the `` Bradley Effect , '' often getting a higher percentage of the white vote than polls predicted . There was little evidence that white voters rejected Obama based on his race , and few white Democrats crossed party lines to vote for McCain . For these reasons , Obama 's win offers evidence of a post-racial American electoral politics . And if not post-racial , these data at least point to a much less racist American voting public than what existed 40 years ago . Still , the election of a black president has not changed the material realities of racial inequality . African-Americans are significantly more distressed than their white counterparts on every meaningful economic indicator : income , unemployment , wealth , education , home ownership and home foreclosures . African-American social realities are equally grim . Blacks are far more likely to be arrested and more harshly sentenced than whites . African-Americans are less likely to marry , more likely to divorce and more likely to live in single - parent households . Compared with whites , blacks are more likely to suffer infant mortality , cancer , diabetes and premature death . Substantial evidence shows that the economic , social and even political gains made by African-Americans in the 1960s and 1970s have leveled off or reversed in the past decade in areas such as urban education , the number of black elected officials and the racial wealth gap . The murder of a security guard at the national Holocaust museum by a racist anti-Semite reminded the nation that old-fashioned , violent bigotry still has life in America . These sobering realities indicate that race still vastly over-determines the life chances of Americans . These differences can not be explained away by class alone , because most of these inequalities persist even when controlling for income . To be born black in America is still a tremendous disadvantage compared with being born white in this country . Herein lies the challenge facing Americans in this new racial era . For much of the 20th century , the battle for civil rights rested on a belief that political equality would translate into social and economic justice . There can be little doubt that many of the substantive battles for political power and representation have been won . In that sense , Obama 's election is the fulfillment of a post-racial political promise . It is equally clear that this political arrival has not ushered in the other substantive racial changes that the civil rights movement hoped to achieve . In many ways , political equality is just the beginning of the process . The work of politics is to collectively craft the nation we want to have . The election of Obama does not indicate the realization of post-racial America , but it does allow us the opportunity to engage in renewed , collective questioning of what a racially just nation is like . Having achieved so much politically , there is still real debate about how to end overt racism , structural discrimination and persistent inequality . Some want a country where the black kids do n't sit together in the cafeteria , while others hope black kids being together will provoke neither comment nor anxiety . Some want a nation where no one notices race , while others hope that their racial identity can be both recognized and appreciated . Some worry that eliminating racial barriers will only solidify economic differences , while others suspect that economic justice can not be achieved without grappling with race . Some want the end of all inequality , while others simply hope disparities will be based on `` merit '' rather than race . As citizens in a democracy , we can choose the future of our racial politics . Not all at once and not without struggle , but we can make new choices . And this time , African-Americans participate in the process of remaking America 's racial story from a very different position than we have occupied in the past . Rather than being solely on the margins of national power , black Americans , through the person of Obama , have achieved a new kind of citizenship more empowered to recreate American race . This does not mean black people have equal political or economic power , but it does mean that the election of Obama encourages black Americans to even more loudly and clearly articulate our varied aspirations for our country . In November , we did a marvelous thing . Now , the work begins . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Melissa Harris-Lacewell . | Melissa Harris-Lacewell : Barack Obama 's election celebrated as racial triumph . She says it represented real progress in the arena of politics . Harris-Lacewell : In many other areas , issues of race remain significant . | [[848, 871], [904, 972], [1247, 1281], [1284, 1397]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Anita Davenport 's curiosity about her family 's past began with the photographs that surrounded her . She said she wanted to know the stories behind the images of her parents and uncles . Anita Davenport 's grandfather , Walter , was stationed in Battle Creek , Michigan , during World War I . The stories she found -- and shared during several phone conversations from her home in Culver City , California -- parallel the African-American journey during the past century . The search took her to 1894 , when her grandfather , Walter , was born in Stone Mountain , Georgia . Walter Davenport moved to Wedowee , Alabama . During World War I , Davenport was stationed at Fort Custer in Battle Creek , Michigan , Anita said . Thousands of other African-Americans were also on the move , mainly to the Northeast and the Midwest , eager for opportunities related to the war and industrialization , according to Howard Dodson , a historian and the director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture . Walter Davenport later returned to Alabama , married and had nine children , one of whom was Anita 's father , Frank . Walter was fond of Battle Creek and regaled his family with stories , Anita said . The stories must have been convincing . The eldest of his nine children , also named Walter , moved north to Battle Creek in 1951 . Frank Davenport , Anita 's father , later joined his older brother in Michigan . Anita was born in Battle Creek . Between 1940 and 1970 , more than 5 million African-Americans left the South , migrating to cities like Boston , Massachusetts ; Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ; Chicago , Illinois ; Detroit , Michigan , and New York . `` You have this incredible movement of black people across the width and breadth of this land and -LSB- they -RSB- establish themselves as a national presence , rather than a regional one -LSB- based -RSB- in the South , '' Dodson said . Interactive : Explore the African-American journey . That movement of African-Americans -- called `` the Great Migration '' -- had a clear and direct impact on the country . `` It made race a national issue , '' said Nicholas Lemann , author of `` The Promised Land : The Great Black Migration and How It Changed America . '' `` You could say it was always a national issue and have a very powerful case ... but it was possible to say , ` It 's a Southern issue , ' '' he said . `` After the Great Migration , it was no longer possible . '' African-American culture was interacting with other cultures across the whole of American society , Lemann said , `` affecting everything from government policy and music to sports and everything in between . '' The return South . Civil rights legislation passed during the 1960s helped set the stage for the next era of African-American migration : A return to the South . Around 1970 , many African-Americans began moving back to the South , historians and demographers say . The trend accelerated during the 1990s and this decade , according to William Frey , a demographer at the Brookings Institution , a Washington-based think-tank . From 1965 through 1970 , the South experienced a net migration loss -- the number of people who moved into the region compared to the number of people who moved out -- of more than 287,000 African-Americans . Thirty years later , the numbers were nearly the opposite . From 1995 through 2000 , the South saw a gain of nearly 350,000 African-Americans . iReport.com : Share your family 's story . The statistics come from an analysis of census data conducted by Frey in 2004 . The numbers of African-Americans returning to the South are not as large as those seen during the Great Migration , but the trend has resonance because of the place the region occupies in black history and mythology . The ascendance of the South 's economy was a key factor behind the return migration , Frey said . `` I think there 's a push and a pull involved with the movement , '' he said . `` A lot of it had to do with the decline of heavy industry , which employed a lot of blacks and blue-collar whites , in a whole set of Rust Belt states , '' he said . Meanwhile , states like Georgia , Florida , Texas , and increasingly the Carolinas , Virginia and Tennessee were booming , Frey said . Civil rights legislation and a more educated society made the South more tolerant and hospitable . The booming economy provided jobs and opportunity . But there is also an emotional element for many African-Americans when it comes to the region . `` I think a big part , aside from the economy , is the kind of historic roots that blacks have had there , '' Frey said . `` There is something culturally attractive about the South to the African-American population even though they spent many decades surviving brutal treatment during the Jim Crow period and a lot of the racial discrimination that occurred . '' Dodson , the historian , said many people , especially retirees , made decisions to return out of a desire to connect with ancestral homes , churches and communities . Anita 's parents still live in Battle Creek , though they spend the winters in the South . Her uncle , Walter Davenport , moved to Stone Mountain , the place of his father 's birth , in 1998 . When asked for the reasons behind her uncle 's move , Anita said it was a love of the land , the slower pace and something almost `` mysterious . '' `` They wanted to get out of the South , but it still calls them , '' she said of her family 's journey during the past few decades . There 's `` something about the land and it just calls them back like a song . '' CNN 's Christina Zdanowicz contributed to this report . | For much of the 20th century , many African-Americans left the South . Census statistics suggest many are returning to the region . An economic boom in the Sun Belt states was a key factor , experts say . Interactive : Explore the different African-American migrations through history . | [[314, 342], [430, 493], [1475, 1496], [1499, 1551], [3255, 3261], [3266, 3319], [3805, 3888], [4151, 4160], [4163, 4271], [1930, 1941], [1944, 1982]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former high school cheerleader who sued over injuries caused when a teammate failed to catch her during a routine , lost her appeal before the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday . The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday a cheerleader could n't sue her teammate . The seven state justices unanimously concluded cheerleading is a `` contact '' sport , and therefore neither the male student cited nor the school district was liable for damages . The opinion also said the stunt in question did not create a `` compelling danger '' to students . It is the first legal decision of its kind , according to the National Cheer Safety Foundation , a group founded by parents . The case was closely watched by school districts and parents around the country concerned about whether they would have immunity from lawsuits involving unintentional injuries from certain extracurricular activities . Brittany Noffke was a varsity cheerleader at Holmen High School , about 14 miles from La Crosse , in western Wisconsin . Her team was practicing a `` post to hands '' stunt before a basketball game in 2004 , and after being lifted up to stand on the shoulders of a fellow student , Noffke fell backward , striking her head on the floor . The 16-year-old male cheerleader who lifted her , and then was supposed to be a spotter , failed to catch her . The girl 's family sued the boy and the school district , claiming the coach was negligent by not having a second spotter and not providing safety mats . State law does not specifically spell out which high school activities involve `` contact , '' but they typically involve sports such as football or lacrosse in which opposing teams compete against each other . But the Wisconsin high court concluded that `` cheerleading involves a significant amount of physical contact between cheerleaders that at times results in a forceful interaction between the participants . '' Justice Annette Ziegler cited the `` spirit rules '' of the National Federation of State High School Association 's handbook , which contained pictures illustrating various cheerleading stunts . She said all but one photo showed at least two cheerleaders in contact with one another . Because the male cheerleader just made a mistake by being out of place when Noffke fell , the court found he did not act `` recklessly , '' the only legal standard that would have permitted a lawsuit to proceed . Although it is not considered a sport at many high schools and colleges , cheerleading has grown increasingly popular over the years , and the stunts have become more complex and dangerous , sports injury experts say . A University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill study found cheerleading accounted for about two-thirds of some 93 `` catastrophic '' sports injuries -- including head and neck damage -- among high school girls in the past 26 years . But the study noted that other sports such as football produce far more devastating injuries , though fewer in number . Cheerleading advocates say the activity has become much safer in the past 15 years , following greater awareness of the risks and better coordination among state and national groups . The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators estimates about 4 million people are involved in the activity . | Justices rule cheerleading is `` contact '' sport , therefore teammates , school not liable . Brittany Noffke sued claiming negligence after she fell during a stunt . Opinion said stunt in question did not create a `` compelling danger '' Cheerleading group calls ruling the first legal decision of its kind . | [[201, 285], [243, 285], [286, 370], [395, 466], [1729, 1855], [467, 478], [484, 565], [566, 608]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two monorail trains at Walt Disney World collided early Sunday , killing a 21-year-old driver . A 2 a.m. ET monorail crash at Disney World killed one person , a park spokesman said . A witness said one of the trains rammed into the back of a stationary train about 2 a.m. at the resort 's Ticket and Transport Center . There were eight people on board at the time , the Orange County Sheriff 's Office said . A second employee was taken to a hospital to be checked ; the six guests -- members of a single family -- were evaluated by paramedics at the scene and released . Disney World officials said none of the seven was injured . Authorities identified the driver as Austin Wuennenberg , a senior at Stetson University studying computer science . `` It 's a terrible day for us , '' said Mike Griffin , Disney 's vice president for public affairs . `` Our hearts go out to Austin and his family . '' A statement from Wuennenberg 's family said , `` He always enjoyed his work at Disney , and especially enoyed his work as a monorail pilot . He has many great friends who he has positively influenced ; everyone will truly miss this dynamic young man . '' The theme park is working with county authorities and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the investigation . `` The safety of our cast and our guests is legendary and it 's our top priority , '' Griffin said . Disney World calls its employees `` cast members . '' The monorail was shut after the accident , Griffin said . Images from the scene showed the front car of a train badly damaged where it hit the other train at a station . | Driver identified as Austin Wuennenberg , 21 . Eight people were aboard , including family of six . Crash occurred about 2 a.m. at Ticket and Transport Center . Witness says one monorail train rammed into a stationary train . | [[0, 15], [84, 114], [651, 706], [338, 382], [484, 575], [486, 530], [580, 590], [224, 337], [202, 234], [224, 337]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- He burst on the music scene in the 1970s with the Commodores and then went on to a major solo career with hits such as `` All Night Long '' and `` Hello . '' Lionel Richie and his daughter , Nicole , gave their first joint TV interview in six years to CNN 's Larry King . She made a name for herself on the TV series `` The Simple Life , '' which followed the exploits of her and fellow socialite Paris Hilton , and in the tabloids . Father-and-daughter Lionel and Nicole Richie have been making news for decades , but rarely together . In their first TV interview together in six years , they talked with CNN 's Larry King about their relationship ; her time in rehab ; Lionel 's first grandchild , Harlow ; their growing family ; and more . The following interview , scheduled to air Thursday night , has been edited for brevity and clarity : . Larry King : You did `` American Idol . '' A European tour . A new CD . You ever give thoughts of just cooling it ? Lionel Richie : My answer to that is very simple . I do n't like fishing . I 'm pretty much like you . This is my hobby . King : What 's the new album -LSB- `` Just Go '' -RSB- about ? Lionel Richie : You know what I decided to do on this album ? Something different . Instead of controlling , which is what I love to do -- I 'm the writer , I 'm the arranger , I 'm the producer , I 'm the singer -- I decided -LSB- to -RSB- start another way . I just gave up the power completely . There is only one song on this album that I actually wrote , called `` Eternity . '' King : The `` American Idol '' thing . Was that fun ? Why did you do it ? Lionel Richie : It 's the best fun in the world . Danny -LSB- Gokey -RSB- was so wonderful . He kept saying , `` Suppose I mess up or suppose I sing your line instead of my line , '' and I said , `` You ca n't mess this one up . And if you feel like you want to sing my part , sing it loud and strong . '' And of course he nailed it . It was so much fun to watch everybody backstage . The tension of what goes through that show , I do n't think I -LSB- could -RSB- do it . -LSB- Nicole Richie joins the interview -RSB- . King : What is it like to be with her in this setting ? Lionel Richie : I 'm so proud of her right now . There is such a pride that she has turned this corner . She is an amazing mother . I want the world to know where she is . King : Now you 're pregnant with a second child , right ? Nicole Richie : Yes , yes I am . King : And the father -LSB- Joel Madden -RSB- is the same ? Nicole Richie : Yes . King : You going to get married ? Nicole Richie : Eventually , yes . King : But that 's not important or paramount ? Nicole Richie : I think for both of us , we are going to do it because we want to , not because that 's what you do . King : What kind of grandfather is he ? Nicole Richie : Well , he 's very animated . He smiles like this all the time , and so he 's nothing but fun for Harlow . She absolutely loves him . Watch Nicole Richie talk about her daughter '' King : Nicole , you 've been through some turbulent times . You 've had drug abuse , wild-child behavior . Entered rehab in 2003 . How have you come through all of that ? Nicole Richie : With the support of my family , really . I 've always stayed really close with my mother -LSB- Brenda -RSB- and my father . I have really great friends . And I just have a really great circle around me who support me no matter what , do n't judge me no matter how low I 've ever gotten . King : How did you deal with it , Lionel ? Lionel Richie : It gave me an amazing opportunity to step up to the plate . I said to her one day : I have some good news and I have some bad news . I said the bad news is that Nicole is going to die . The good news is , she does n't have to . I remember that look on her face of sheer panic . And I said the only person who is going to be able to save Nicole is Nicole . And she went away and about three weeks later I got a phone saying , ` Dad , I want to go into rehab . ' And when she checked into rehab , her mother and I checked into rehab with her . King : What was the toughest part about rehab ? Nicole Richie : It was right before `` The Simple Life '' came out . Just the fact that I could n't do it in private really was unfortunate . But we did n't watch TV there or -LSB- had no -RSB- connection to the outside world , which I thought was really great . So I just focused on being positive there and focused on myself . And my parents were there with me . They came for family week . And so I just focused on that and everything just kind of fell in place . Watch Nicole Richie talk about rehab '' King : When all of those troubles were going on , did n't it affect -LSB- your -RSB- performance ? Lionel Richie : Thank God for the stage . What the stage was for me was an outlet . It gave me a chance to kind of get away from it for a moment . King : You said that you were not a good dad to Nicole growing up ... was n't there for her . Do you regret that ? Lionel Richie : I was trying to be Lionel Richie . There is a part of -LSB- me -RSB- that 's guilty because I wish I could have been there more for her , but I was trying to make it as the solo guy at that time . King : What kind of dad was he ? Nicole Richie : I really hate when he says that . I hate when he says that he was n't a good dad because my memory of my childhood was nothing but good memories . I remember him coming down in the kitchen in the morning and singing songs and us playing . Was he gone a lot ? Yeah . But he also toured a lot . Even when he and my mom divorced , it was kind of like he was on tour , so I was kind of OK with it . And he 's not perfect , he 's a human and we went through phases of not speaking . I could sit here and I could say that I was a terrible daughter , too , but I am not going to say that . King : How do you like her boyfriend -LSB- Joel Madden -RSB- ? Lionel Richie : Love him . Love him . King : Do n't you want them to get married ? Lionel Richie : I want them to take their time . I 'm more interested in whether they like each other and whether they 're best friends . Because that means they 'll be great parents forever . King -LSB- to Nicole -RSB- : You were adopted . Nicole Richie : Yes . Lionel Richie : When we adopted , -LSB- she -RSB- was 8 , yes . When we first met her , she was 3 1/2 . King : Took five years ? Lionel Richie : She stayed with us for two years before we even thought about legal guardianship . King : Was there a doubt about doing it ? Lionel Richie : It was a tremendous responsibility , but I fell in love . Brenda fell in love . And once you fall in love , you do n't know anything else . | Lionel Richie likes father of his grandchild ; says Nicole should n't rush marriage . Nicole Richie says parents ' love and support helped her make it through drug rehab . Nicole on Lionel : `` I hate when he says that he was n't a good dad '' How was his `` American Idol '' appearance ? `` It 's the best fun in the world '' | [[4471, 4506], [5272, 5305]] |
MOSCOW , Russia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A leading human rights activist was abducted and killed in Russia Wednesday , the organization she worked for told CNN . Estemirova , pictured in 2007 , had been openly critical of Chechnya 's president , Ramzan Kadyrov . Natalya Estemirova , of the Russian human rights group Memorial , was kidnapped outside her home in Grozny , Chechnya , Oleg Orlov said , citing eyewitness reports . She was later found dead in the neighboring Russian republic of Ingushetia , said Orlov , the head of the organization 's Moscow office . Estemirova , 50 , was a leading human rights activist in the North Caucasus area who had been openly criticizing Chechnya 's authoritarian president , Ramzan Kadyrov , and his methods . Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed indignation at the murder and said her killers should be punished to the full extent of the law , his office said . He expressed his condolences to her family , press secretary Natalya Timakova said . Estemirova shouted that she was being kidnapped as she was forced into a white Lada automobile that had stopped on the road in front of her house at 8:30 a.m. -LRB- 12:30 a.m. ET -RRB- , Orlov said . An unidentified man grabbed her and shoved her into the car , he told CNN . `` This is a kidnapping , '' she yelled , he said . Estemirova studied history at Grozny University , then taught history before turning to journalism and human rights in 1998 , Memorial said . She joined the organization in March 2000 . In a written statement , U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the United States is `` deeply saddened '' by the report of Estemirova 's death . `` We call upon the Russian government to bring those responsible to justice , '' he said . He described Estemirova as `` uncompromising in her willingness to reveal the truth regardless of where that might lead . She was devoted to shining a light on human rights abuses , particularly in Chechnya . '' The Committee to Protect Journalists , in a written statement , demanded that the killing be thoroughly investigated immediately . `` As she uncovered massive , ongoing human rights violations in Chechnya by the federal and regional authorities , Estemirova was often at odds with Chechen authorities , according to her colleagues , '' the advocacy group said . She won three international awards for human rights activities -- including the inaugural Anna Politkovskaya Award , named for the Russian investigative journalist who was herself murdered almost three years ago . Estemirova was Politkovskaya 's `` most frequent companion during travel and investigations in Chechnya , '' the organization Reach All Women in War said in announcing the prize for Estemirova . `` They investigated a number of cases together -- about which Anna wrote for -LRB- the newspaper -RRB- Novaya Gazeta and Natalya wrote for Memorial 's Web site and for local newspapers . '' `` President Medvedev must make good on his promise to investigate this shocking killing by ensuring that the inquiry is thorough and transparent , '' said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney . `` The killers of this courageous reporter , one of the few left in Chechnya , must not be allowed to walk free like so many before them . '' CNN 's Maxim Tkachenko in Moscow , Russia , contributed to this report . | Natalya Estemirova abducted outside her home in Grozny , Chechnya . Estemirova later found dead in neighboring Russian republic of Ingushetia . Estemirova openly critical of Chechnya 's authoritarian president , Ramzan Kadyrov . | [[257, 363], [423, 436], [443, 497], [423, 426], [431, 497], [156, 166], [188, 237], [615, 641], [646, 746]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The City of Brotherly Love is n't exactly embracing the news that one-time quarterback phenom and convicted dogfighter Michael Vick is joining their Philadelphia Eagles . Former Atlanta Falcon Michael Vick , right , was known more for his elusiveness than his throwing prowess . Vick 's agent announced Thursday that the former Atlanta Falcon signed a two-year deal with the Eagles , which reportedly could be worth more than $ 6 million . He wo n't be able to play a regular season game until week six in October , and then , only if the National Football League fully reinstates him . `` Too bad they do n't have him for the whole year , '' Eagles fan Charles James told CNN affiliate philly.com . The NFL indefinitely suspended Vick in August 2007 after he pleaded guilty to a federal charge of bankrolling a dogfighting operation in Virginia . Vick , 29 , left a Kansas prison in May to serve the last two months of his 23-month sentence in home confinement . Some Eagles fans do n't think Vick 's punishment was sufficient and were trying to unload their game and season tickets on craigslist.com , making it clear they were less than eager to see Vick in Philly green . iReport.com : What do you think of Vick 's return ? A post from one irked fan looking to peddle two lower-level season tickets said : `` The last thing my son and I want to see is Michael Vick in an Eagles jersey . We made up our mind to sell the tickets ... $ 3000 cash gets the tickets . Any info feel free to ask , serious buyers only , I want the deal done fast . '' Lower-level season tickets were selling on an unrelated auction site for as much as $ 10,000 a pair . Bob Jenkins of northeast Philadelphia predicted most Eagles fans -- known to be some of the nation 's most demanding -- wo n't be badmouthing the decision . `` The only people who wo n't be quiet are the people who do n't like the Eagles , '' Jenkins told philly.com . `` Of course , they 're going to be talking because he 's going to be throwing some touchdowns . '' Despite Jenkins ' assumption , it 's unclear what role Vick will play on the team . A gifted athlete known more for his dazzling runs than his pinpoint throws , Vick 's last season in 2006 was a bit of a disappointment to Atlanta fans . The Falcons finished 7-9 , and Vick had a completion percentage of 52.6 . He also threw for 2,474 yards , more than 1,000 fewer yards than the Patriots ' Tom Brady , who completed 62 percent of his passes , and almost 2,000 yards behind the Colts ' Peyton Manning , who completed 65 percent of his tosses . However , Vick also ran for 1,039 yards , the most ever by a quarterback . Mike Giunta of Tabernacle , New Jersey , told CNN affiliate WPVI-TV in Philadelphia that signing Vick would spawn `` dissension '' among the Eagles , who made it to their conference championship last season , losing to the Arizona Cardinals . Giunta predicted the move would create consternation between Vick and five-time Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb . `` McNabb 's going to be looking over his shoulder constantly now , '' Giunta said . McNabb said in a Thursday news conference that he welcomed the addition of Vick and he `` pretty much lobbied to get him here because everybody deserves a second chance . '' Several Eagles fans concur . One of them , Leroy Emerson of north Philadelphia , told philly.com , `` That was the best move the Eagles ever made , one of the best . '' Some fans , however , were licking their wounds and pointing to the most severe dogfighting allegations leveled against Vick : that he hanged dogs from trees , electrocuted and drowned them . The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have both skewered Vick . The latter alluded to Vick being a `` psychopath '' earlier this year and released a statement Friday saying , `` Millions of decent football fans around the world are disappointed '' in the Eagles . `` PETA certainly hopes that Vick has learned his lesson and feels truly remorseful for his crimes -- but since he 's given no public indication that that 's the case , only time will tell , '' the statement said . Upon being conditionally reinstated to the NFL last month , Vick acknowledged making `` terrible mistakes '' and said he had used the past two years to re-evaluate his life . The Humane Society of the United States has said Vick also offered to work with the organization on its anti-dogfighting campaign . To some Eagles fans , though , the nature of Vick 's crimes is too much to forgive . `` I 'm just a little upset with it because I 'm such an animal lover , '' Susan Wilson of Pitman , New Jersey , told WPVI . Kelley Williams of Phoenixville , Pennsylvania , told the station that she , too , had trouble accepting Vick 's signing . `` I think he should be out of the NFL altogether , '' she said . Sports talk shows already are predicting that Vick can redeem himself only by making big plays , and at least some of the Philadelphia faithful concur he can shut up his critics on the field . `` If they keep him , '' fan James told philly.com , `` he 'll be the man . '' | Michael Vick signs deal with Philadelphia Eagles , could play in October . Craigslist ticket seller says he , son do n't want to see `` Vick in an Eagles jersey '' Several Eagles fans tell CNN affiliates they are excited by prospect of Vick 's arrival . Animal lovers still reluctant to give Vick a chance after almost two years in prison . | [[298, 400], [1247, 1326], [1329, 1409], [659, 718]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Renee Pernice , a 35-year-old mother of two young children , vanished from her home in Kansas City , Missouri , shortly after New Year 's this year . She has n't been heard from since . Renee Pernice is pictured here with her two sons and husband , Shon . Police believe foul play is involved , yet they have not found her body . No one has been arrested in the case . Police have not named her husband , Shon Pernice , as a person of interest or a suspect in the case . However , `` he 's the last known person to see her alive , '' said Doug Niemeier , a sergeant with the Kansas City Police Department . Six months after Renee Pernice disappeared , police say they still have questions about her husband in the days after her disappearance , including why he allegedly accessed a local fire department 's hazardous materials building around 4:30 a.m. January 3 . `` It should be noted that multiple types of cleaners , solvents and cleaning supplies are stored at Station # 5 , '' a police affidavit says . Attorneys for Shon Pernice declined to comment for this story . Police and family say Renee was pursuing a divorce around the time she disappeared . A local firefighter , Shon Pernice has said he was not involved in her disappearance . He told a local activist in March that `` I did n't harm my wife one bit . Not at all . '' In that interview , one of the few in which he 's referenced his wife 's disappearance , he added , `` It 's gut-wrenching thinking that either she 's got a rich-ass doctor boyfriend somewhere and she 's happy , or she 's dead . '' Since his wife disappeared , Shon Pernice has been arrested twice on unrelated charges : once for allegedly stealing a neighbor 's gun and another time for disturbing the peace in an incident with that same neighbor this past July Fourth weekend . `` As everybody knows , my wife has been missing since January 2 , '' he told CNN affiliate KCTV5 . `` This is what it stems from . Basically what the media ... has portrayed of me -- of the whole situation . There 's a lot of people that do n't like me . '' The couple 's two sons , ages 6 and 9 , remain in the care of the father , although Renee Pernice 's mother has sought custody of them . `` There is a lot that just is n't right , '' said Rick Pretz , the missing woman 's father . `` It 's not a stable environment for the children . '' Renee Pernice was known for being a caring mother , a talented nurse at St. Luke 's Hospital and a gentle animal lover always surrounded by dogs . Neighbors say they last saw her in her backyard with her dogs the morning of Friday , January 2 , 2009 . When police searched the home , they say they found her purse , coat and other items still in the house . Her car was in the garage . Police say her cell phone was missing from the house . A homeless man found the phone in grass about 15 miles from her home , in an area Renee Pernice was not known to frequent , police say . It was found around midnight January 3 , the affidavit says . Since then , police and volunteer teams have searched the area extensively , but they have found nothing . `` Family members and common friends of both Shon and Renee told police that Renee was not the kind of mother who would separate herself from her children for any reason , '' the affidavit says . `` Family members advised that finding Renee 's purse at the residence was highly unusual as she never went anywhere without her purse . '' According to the affidavit , investigators watched Shon Pernice drive away from the home with his wife 's dog and drop it off at a park a few days after he reported his wife missing . The affidavit also alleges that a drop of blood was found in the garage . However , authorities have not released whether it matched Renee Pernice or her husband . According to Renee Pernice 's family , she was not the kind of person to take off on her own without letting her family know where she was . `` I spoke to her just the night before at 7 p.m. on the phone , '' her father told CNN . `` She would never leave her two sons like this . '' The family is offering a $ 25,000 reward for any information leading to the whereabouts of Renee Pernice . A white truck that could be related to her disappearance was captured on a surveillance tape in the area where her cell phone was found , and police have released a photo of it . Anyone who may have lent such a truck at the time the surveillance image was taken is being asked to come forward . Renee Pernice is white , stands 5 feet , 7 inches tall , and has brown hair and blue eyes . Anyone with information is urged to call the Kansas City Police Department at 1-816-474-TIPS . CNN 's Wayne Drash contributed to this report . | Renee Pernice disappeared from her home shortly after New Year 's this year . Police believe foul play is involved , although they have not found a body . Police say her husband accessed a HazMat building shortly after she disappeared . Attorneys for husband , Shon Pernice , declined comment for this report . | [[0, 15], [80, 117], [275, 311], [318, 348], [3099, 3128], [626, 668], [671, 846], [1029, 1092]] |
Editor 's note : Abigail Thernstrom is the author of `` Voting Rights -- and Wrongs : The Elusive Quest for Racially Fair Elections , '' published last month by AEI Press . She is the vice-chairwoman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and an adjunct scholar at the American Enterprise Institute . Her writing can be found at http://www.thernstrom.com/ . Abigail Thernstrom says an impressive biography is n't a qualification for the Supreme Court . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Judge Sonia Sotomayor is all but certain to be confirmed as an associate justice on the Supreme Court . It is close to unimaginable that the Republicans will peel off enough Democratic votes to stop Senate confirmation . She 's a first : a Latina . And she has an impressive life history : Raised in a housing project by a single mother , she went to Princeton and then to Yale Law School . It 's a classic American overcoming-the-odds story , but , while admirable , it is not a qualification for the highest court in the land . Democrats themselves have often implicitly made the same point -- about other minority appointees , in fact . They never saw the much humbler origins of Justice Clarence Thomas as an argument for his elevation to the Court . And they used a filibuster to stop Bush appointee Miguel Estrada from getting a seat on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals , which they feared would be a springboard to the Supreme Court . Estrada is a Honduran who arrived in America at age 17 with only limited command of English ; he was also raised by a single mother and made it to Harvard Law School , where he was editor of the law review . Supporters of Sotomayor argue that she will add needed `` diversity '' to the Court . Yet , with her confirmation , there will be six Catholics , two Jews and one Protestant . For many Americans , religious affiliation is more important in defining an individual than race or ethnicity . But no one is complaining about `` too many '' Catholics or Jews -- thankfully . America is supposed to be a land in which individuals are seen as ... individuals . Too many , too few : that is the language of un-American quotas . Sotomayor has suggested that race and ethnicity , to a substantial degree , define individuals . `` Whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences ... our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging , '' she said in a 2001 speech . At her confirmation hearings , she will undoubtedly dance away from such ethnic determinism . But it would appear to be what she believes , since she has reiterated the point several times in different venues . Her supporters also emphasize the `` empathy '' she would bring to the court . It is a quality the president promised he would look for in making court appointments . In a July 2007 campaign speech , he said , `` We need somebody who 's got the heart -- the empathy -- to recognize what it 's like to be a young teenage mom . The empathy to understand what it 's like to be poor or African-American or gay or disabled or old , and that 's the criteria by which I 'll be selecting my judges . '' Evidently , however , not all impoverished backgrounds leave you empathetic . The proof is in the pudding , and the pudding appears to be party membership . By definition , conservatives are assumed to lack empathy . As Berkeley professor George Lakoff has argued , `` Empathy is at the heart of progressive thought . ... Progressives care about others as well as themselves . '' And , by implication , conservatives do n't . Empathy has thus become a code word for progressive politics -- the likelihood that , as a justice , the nominee will take politically liberal positions . Public policy preferences driving Supreme Court decisions ? What a shock . Some justices have much more respect for the law than others , but if the opinions were not often judgments driven by political values as well , they would be less predictable . Most court-watchers thought -LRB- correctly , as it turned out -RRB- that the recent New Haven firefighters ' case would come down four-four , with only Justice Anthony Kennedy 's vote hard to call . The results of an exam for promotion within the New Haven fire department had been thrown out because , with one exception , all of the successful candidates were white -- the `` wrong '' color , according to the reasoning of the city and Sotomayor . One can argue that race discrimination decisions do not involve ideology and are based on strictly legal grounds , but if so , it is passing strange that in busing , affirmative action and other race-related cases , even before the oral argument is heard we almost always know which justices will take what positions . Liberals still support busing , for instance ; conservatives oppose it . Sotomayor will replace another reliable liberal , Justice David Souter , and so the ideological balance on the court will not change . And yet , perhaps as a consequence of her implicit embrace of quotas and identity politics , she has come to the Senate hearings with public support that is unusually low ; only 47 percent of Americans say they want her confirmed , a recent CNN poll found . Nevertheless , Republicans are likely to tread softly in the hearings . Race-related issues make them nervous , and Latinos are a fast-growing group with increasing political clout , especially in such swing states as Colorado , Florida , New Mexico and Virginia . Barring the totally unexpected , Sotomayor 's confirmation will thus be a cakewalk . Let us hope that the public 's pessimism proves to be misguided and she turns out to be a lawyer 's lawyer and not an ethnic activist who tends to let the usual political definition of `` empathy '' drive her opinions . There is reason to worry : She will have lifetime tenure on an institution with enormous power . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Abigail Thernstrom . | Abigail Thernstrom : Sonia Sotomayor 's life story is a compelling one . She says Democrats have n't honored such humble beginnings in GOP nominees . She says Sotomayor 's `` empathy '' may be code word for one brand of politics . Thernstrom : I 'm concerned that judge may have more fidelity to activism than to law . | [[1112, 1226], [3568, 3628]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Launched in 1995 , the Airbus A330-200 is the newest member of the European aircraft manufacturer 's twinjet family . The incident involves an Air France Airbus A330-200 . With a range of 12,500 km -LRB- 6,750 nautical miles -RRB- and the capacity to carry 253 passengers , the A330-200 is extremely well-regarded as a medium to long-range airliner . There are 600 currently in service with 82 airlines , including Air France , worldwide . Airbus has a further 300 orders for the aircraft . According to aviation expert Kieran Daly , the A330-200 is a `` reliable , ultra-modern , state-of-the-art airplane , '' with an impeccable safety record . He told CNN that there has only been one reported incident when an aircraft of this type has crashed . `` The incident took place in 1994 before the aircraft came into service , '' he said . `` It was being flown in test-mode by pilots who were putting it through some extreme maneuvers before it came down . `` Therefore the crash was not caused by the plane itself . `` It is very well-designed and well-equipped , with equally modern and reliable General Electric CF-6 engines . '' Air France has said that Flight AF 447 sent an automatic signal indicating electrical problems while going through strong turbulence early in its 11-hour flight from Rio de Janeiro to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris . Why it took so long to report the aircraft missing '' However , Daly said that it would take extremely violent weather conditions to cause the catastrophic failure of an aircraft of this size . `` These planes are extremely robust and widely used on transatlantic routes and across Asia , '' he said . `` They are equipped with an array of sophisticated communication equipment , so it must have been something extremely sudden to cause the loss of contact . '' There has also been speculation that the Paris-bound flight was struck by lightning , but that should not bring down a modern airliner , former Airbus pilot John Wiley told CNN . According to Air France , the captain of Flight AF 447 had a record of 11,000 flight hours and had already flown 1,700 hours on Airbus A330/A340 aircraft . Of the two first officers , one had flown 3,000 flight hours -LRB- 800 of which on the Airbus A330/A340 -RRB- and the other 6,600 -LRB- 2,600 on the Airbus A330/A340 -RRB- . The aircraft had totaled 18,870 flight hours and went into service on 18 April 2005 . Its last maintenance check in the hangar took place on 16 April 2009 . The larger A330-300 aircraft from Airbus entered service in 1993 and has a capacity of up to 335 passengers . It too has an impressive safety record , despite a couple of incidents in the last 10 years . In August 2001 , a Canadian airliner operated by Air Transat experienced double engine failure while traveling to Portugal . Miraculously the captain was able to perform an emergency landing in the Azores by gliding the powerless plane for almost 18 minutes . Last year , an A330-303 was forced to make an emergency landing in Australia after a sudden change in altitude injured 74 passengers . Qantas Flight 72 was flying from Singapore to the western Australian city of Perth when a sudden change of altitude caused abrasions , contusions , fractures and other injuries . The cause of the sudden drop remains under investigation . | The Airbus A330-200 was launched in 1995 . There are 600 currently in service with 82 airlines , including Air France . Expert : A330-200 is reliable , ultra-modern , state-of-the-art airplane . Air France said Flight AF 447 reported electrical problems . | [[0, 15], [19, 35], [370, 458], [410, 421], [424, 444], [553, 665], [1151, 1371], [1176, 1331]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- AC Milan have swooped to sign Standard Liege defender Oguchi Onyewu on a three-year contract -- making him the first American to appear in Serie A since Alexi Lalas in 1996 . Onyewu will become the first American since Alexi Lalas to appear in Italian Serie A after joining AC Milan . Onyewu , who has also played in the English Premier League with Newcastle United , has moved to the San Siro on a free transfer after impressing with some superb displays during the United States ' run to the Confederations Cup final . The 27-year-old has played 38 times for his country , scoring five goals.Latest transfer gossip and rumors . `` This transaction shows once again the excellent friendly relationship between our club and Belgian club Standard Liege , particularly their executive vice-president Luciano D'Onofrio , '' said a statement on Milan 's official Web site . The six-foot four-inch player was born in Washington DC to Nigerian parents but began his club career at Metz in France in 2002 . He was loaned out to La Louviere in Belgium in 2003 and his form there earnt him a move to Liege , where he won two Belgian titles . He then joined Newcastle on loan , playing 11 league matches . However , the transfer is unlikely to appease the Milan supporters who are unhappy with the summer sale of Brazilian superstar Kaka to Real Madrid -- and the departure of coach Carlo Ancelotti to Chelsea . About 300 fans protested outside the club 's Milanello base on the first day of pre-season training on Monday , complaining at the lack of big name signings . | AC Milan swoop to sign up American international defender Oguchi Onyewu . The 27-year-old joins from Belgians Standard Liege on a three-year contract . Onyewu is the first American to appear in Serie A since Alexi Lalas in the 90s . | [[19, 111], [19, 111], [0, 15], [115, 193], [194, 249], [238, 303]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hope was 14 years old when her uncle raped her . Betty Makoni founded the Girl Child Network to help Zimbabwe 's young sexual abuse victims . `` He trapped me to the ground and covered my mouth with his hand , '' said the 18-year-old from Zimbabwe . `` He threatened to kill me if I ever told anybody . '' So , she kept quiet . `` After a while people around the villages started saying that I looked pregnant , '' she said . Hope was not only pregnant , but her uncle had infected her with HIV . Like many young girls in Zimbabwe , Hope was the victim of a widely held belief that if a man with HIV or AIDS rapes a virgin he will be cured of his disease . This so-called virgin myth , perpetuated by Zimbabwe 's traditional healers , has led to the rape of hundreds of girls , according to UNICEF . Some of those victims are too young to walk , much less protect themselves . Betty Makoni has fought for nearly a decade to protect her country 's young girls from sexual abuse . And she 's witnessed some of the worst cases of the myth in action . `` The youngest girl I ever came across was a day-old baby who was raped , '' said Makoni , 37 . Through her Girl Child Network -LRB- GCN -RRB- , Makoni has helped rescue 35,000 girls from abuse -- including Hope ; thousands more have found an empowering community and a public forum in which to speak out . `` Ten girls per day report rape cases , '' she said . `` It means if we keep quiet , at least 3,600 girls per year may just be contracting HIV and AIDS . '' Makoni 's own tragic experiences fuel her fierce determination . `` I was raped when I was 6 years old , '' she recalled . Her attacker was a local shopkeeper . Makoni said her mother would not allow her to report the abuse . `` She said , ` Shh , we do n't say that in public , ' '' Makoni remembered . `` I had no shoulder to cry on . '' Three years later , she witnessed her father murder her mother . In that moment , Makoni said she realized the potentially deadly consequence of a woman 's silence . `` I told myself that no girl or woman will suffer the same again , '' she said . Believing an education would provide her the best opportunity and means to speak out , Makoni earned two university degrees and became a teacher . While teaching , she noticed that girls were dropping out of school at an alarming rate . She approached her students with an idea . `` I -LSB- said -RSB- to girls , ` Let 's have our own space where we talk and find solutions , ' '' Makoni said . Girl Child Network was born . Watch Makoni help young girls find safety and empowerment in Zimbabwe '' By the end of the first year , there were 100 GCN clubs throughout Zimbabwe where girls could find support . Makoni said she was not surprised : `` Every woman and girl identified with the issues that we were raising , '' she said . In 2000 , she quit her teaching job to volunteer with GCN full time . `` I decided to become an advocate because I walked my own journey to survival , '' she said . The following year Makoni successfully procured a piece of land and opened the organization 's first empowerment village , designed to provide a haven for girls who have been abused . Girls are either rescued or referred to the village by social services , the police and the community . The healing begins as soon as a girl arrives . `` In the first 72 hours , a girl is provided with emergency medication , reinstatement in school , as well as counseling , '' said Makoni . It is important to her that the girls are in charge of their own healing . `` It gives them the confidence to transform from victims to leaders , '' she explained . The process helped Hope work through the times when she said `` I thought my life had come to end . '' `` They offered all they could ... as I was in a traumatized state , '' she said . `` I really appreciate what -LSB- Betty Makoni -RSB- has done and is doing in my life . '' Today , GCN has grown to 700 girls ' clubs and three empowerment villages across Zimbabwe . An estimated 300,000 girls have received assistance . For those who were at greatest risk , Makoni believes that help was especially critical . `` If my organization did n't exist , the 35,000 girls I 've saved from rape and abuse could have died by now , '' she said . But for Makoni , speaking out came with a high personal cost . In 2008 , she was forced to flee her native country . `` I left Zimbabwe because my life was in danger as a result of my project being interpreted politically . '' Watch Makoni describe her reasons for leaving her homeland '' Today , she lives with her family in the United Kingdom . She still serves as executive director of her organization and shows no signs of slowing down . GCN has partnered with the DOVE project , a group based in Essex , England , that deals with domestic violence . `` We are now bringing the girls from a local community to the international scene , '' she said . Her efforts in Zimbabwe will also be highlighted in an upcoming documentary , Tapestries of Hope . Makoni says nothing will end her fight for the rights of women and girls . `` This is the job I have always wanted to do , because it gives me fulfillment . And in girls I see myself every day . '' Want to get involved ? Check out the Girl Child Network and see how to help . | Many in Zimbabwe believe a man raping a virgin can cure him of HIV or AIDS . Betty Makoni 's Girl Child Network cares for Zimbabwe 's young sex abuse victims . The organization has rescued more than 35,000 girls . Do you know a hero ? Nominations are open at CNN.com / Heroes . | [[569, 658], [592, 692], [85, 177], [106, 177], [1228, 1296]] |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Just after midnight on July 16 , 1969 , Jack King kissed his wife goodbye at their Cocoa Beach , Florida home , jumped in his car , and drove to Dunkin' Donuts for a doughnut and a cup of coffee . Jack King became the voice of the Apollo 11 launch . `` It was quite a thrilling time , '' he says . It was the start of a big day : the launch of a Saturn V rocket , lifting man from the face of the Earth to the face of the moon . King , the chief of public information at Kennedy Space Center , would become known that day as the voice of Apollo 11 . In the wee hours of the morning , he followed his launch-day routine . But as he headed across the causeway to the space center , King lost sight of the lagoon he normally passed -- the view obstructed by RVs and trailers that had secured their spots for a view of the moon launch . `` The town was very much alive ; the vibrancy was entirely different . Three-quarters of a million people had come into the area to view the launch , so it was quite a thrilling time , '' says King , now 78 . `` When I 'd cross the bridge over the Banana River heading to the Space Center , I 'd pull off onto the side of the road , get out of the car , and there was the Saturn V , bathed in the floodlights , just glowing . '' Hear the voice of King , watch as Apollo took off for moon '' `` It was a just a very impressive , majestic rocket . '' Launch manager Paul Donnelly recalls , `` We launched at 9:32 that morning . '' He reported for work the night before to oversee the hazardous and delicate operation of fueling the three-stage rocket . `` Everything on Apollo 11 went just beautiful , no real problems . '' He says he always told the astronauts , `` The launch crew wishes you good luck and Godspeed . '' As the hatch closed that day , he says he was thinking , `` Go ! Go ! Go ! Let 's do it . '' See the men who 've walked the moon '' Forty years after America 's launch of Apollo 11 , the U.S. space program is at a different crossroads , challenged in recent years to return to the moon and to recapture the ambition that launched the space race in 1961 . Back then , a dazzled nation heard the big dreams of a youthful Ivy League-educated , senator-turned president . `` I believe , '' President John F. Kennedy told Congress , `` that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal , before this decade is out , of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth . '' That was the same year Barack Obama was born . Forty-eight years later , Obama , a similarly youthful Ivy League-educated former senator , is now in charge , and the nation wonders what his vision is for the U.S. space program . Watch Buzz Aldrin : U.S. should go to Mars '' Donnelly , now 86 , says he recalls the launch of Apollo 11 as if it were yesterday . He also says he believes President Obama could re-energize the space program . Donnelly believed the moon mission would ultimately come to pass , even after Kennedy had been assassinated . `` It did n't distract me or the people here , '' Donnelly said referring to the launch team . The pressure was on for the United States to get to that fateful launch day , especially given the intense competition between the United States and the Soviet Union . `` It was a missile race before it was a space race , '' said King , a former reporter for The Associated Press . By the time Alan Shepard became the first American in space in 1961 , the Russians had already flown two cosmonauts . The Russians , backed by Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev , were also working with a much more powerful rocket . `` The challenges were tremendous . Khruschev appeared at the U.N. , slammed his shoe and said -- ` We 're going to bury you , ' '' King recalls . `` Looking back it was a critical decade , the '60s . '' John Logsdon , who holds the Charles A. Lindbergh chair in aerospace history at the Smithsonian Institution 's National Air and Space Museum , says for the Kennedy administration , the moon mission was about more than the space race itself . It was also an exercise in soft power -- `` an attempt to show the world the technological strength of the United States in a very visible but peaceful way . '' In striking out for the moon , the United States started on fairly equal footing with the Soviets because at that time , neither had a rocket large enough for a moon mission . One advantage for the United States was the expertise of rocket scientist Werner Von Braun . In 1945 , Von Braun and his team of engineers were brought from Nazi Germany , where during World War II they advanced the science of rocket propulsion for military applications . `` Von Braun and his rocket team had plans for space exploration for a long time , and they had designed increasingly larger rockets , '' Logsdon says . `` Their first thought was to build a really large rocket called ` Nova ' that would be 50 percent bigger than the Saturn V that we used to go to the moon . It would have been a gigantic rocket . '' In the launch control center at what was then known as Cape Kennedy , on July 16 , 1969 , there were about 400 engineers and technicians who had worked together to this point , for years . `` We were close , '' says Donnelly . Were there nerves and emotions inside Mission Control ? Donnelly says there was a sense of confidence , but beyond that , the team worked methodically through the hundreds of steps involved in the moon launch . Once the astronauts were in the space capsule and the hatch closed , Donnelly says , emotions picked up . Jack King recalls that day as `` one of the smoothest Saturn V countdowns that I ever went through . For most of the count , we were probably 10 or 15 minutes ahead . '' Then , with the launch seconds away , `` We 'd go , ` Guidance is internal 15 , 14 , 13 , 12 , 11 , 10 , 9 ; ignition sequence start , 6 , 5,4,3 , 2 ; all engines running , commit , liftoff . ' '' King recalls looking over his shoulder and seeing the 365-foot rocket glowing in the morning sun . `` I see this magnificent thing is sitting in a bed of flames there on the launch pad , '' he says . Unlike the jackrabbit-launch of a space shuttle , King says the moon rocket lumbered away . `` The Saturn V took close to seven seconds just to clear the tower . '' Forty years later , `` the future is under review , '' says Logsdon . A blue-ribbon panel , led by former Lockheed Martin chief Norm Augustine , is taking stock of the nation 's human space flight program , with a report to President Obama due by the end of this summer . `` There is a high degree of uncertainty right now , '' says Logsdon . Among the biggest questions : Will the United States return to the moon by 2020 , as envisioned by former President George W. Bush , or will they lead a coalition of countries into space in the same way the international space station has operated ? For Donnelly , it only makes sense for the United States to push on toward Mars . `` Oh yes , '' says Donnelly . `` Great things can happen . '' CNN 's Louise Schiavone contributed to this report . | Apollo 11 took off for the moon 40 years ago today . Jack King , voice of Mission Control , says , `` It was quite a thrilling time '' `` Everything on Apollo 11 went just beautiful , '' says launch manager Paul Donnelly . Donnelly says man should now head for Mars . | [[1313, 1335], [1338, 1371], [1347, 1374], [1936, 1984], [1987, 2038], [303, 332], [1037, 1066], [1433, 1469], [1473, 1494], [1635, 1702], [5265, 5283], [7020, 7038]] |
Editor 's Note : This is the fourth in a five-part series exploring Judge Sonia Sotomayor 's background and life with those who know her , revealing the experiences that might shape her views as a Supreme Court justice . Sonia Sotomayor is flanked by her supervisor , Warren Murray , and D.A. Robert Morgenthau , right , in 1983 . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor graduated with honors from Ivy League schools . But she may have learned some of her most memorable lessons as a young prosecutor , following police into abandoned tenements and tracking down witnesses on the grimy streets of New York . Sotomayor joined the Manhattan District Attorney 's office in 1979 during an epic crime wave . Muggings , burglaries and assaults were rampant ; homicides topped 1,800 a year . She was recruited from Yale Law School by Robert M. Morgenthau , Manhattan 's district attorney . She was 25 , and her starting salary was $ 17,000 . The cases in Trial Bureau 50 seasoned the idealistic young lawyer and honed her trial skills . She could shred a witness on cross-examination and move a jury to tears , former colleagues recalled . New York City was awash in heroin , street crime and gun violence . To prepare for trials , she followed police into tenement shooting galleries , scaled rickety staircases in dilapidated buildings and fought off the stench of squalor to talk to reluctant witnesses . Sotomayor 's former colleagues and her legal foes describe her as intense , driven and politically astute . As a prosecutor , she had a commanding presence and put in long hours , chugging several cans a day of the diet soft drink Tab and chain-smoking cigarettes . -LRB- She no longer smokes . -RRB- Watch how she made an impression on fellow prosecutors '' Trial Bureau 50 , with its crowded cubicles and walls painted the color of putty , has sent many lawyers onto distinguished careers in public service , including the late Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and John Kennedy Jr. . Sotomayor 's five years there , say Manhattan prosecutors past and present , make her uniquely qualified for the nation 's highest court . If confirmed , she would be the only justice who prosecuted criminal cases , presided over them and handled criminal appeals . See what would set Sotomayor apart on the court '' `` If you can handle a felony case load in New York County , you can run a small country , '' said Warren Murray , who ran the bureau when Sotomayor worked there , and still does . `` I think Sonia 's most interesting days were in the district attorney 's office , '' said Hugh H. Mo , a former homicide prosecutor who supervised Sotomayor and tried cases with her . `` You can grow up in the projects and still be very sheltered . She got her education on the streets of Harlem . '' Like most rookies , Sotomayor started with misdemeanors , juggling 60 to 80 cases at a time , working 12-hour days in the 1930s-era building on the tip of Manhattan , and pulling an occasional shift in night court . `` Some of the judges liked to use the new assistants to clear their calendars , '' Morgenthau recalled . `` She quickly established herself as somebody the judges could n't push around . '' On her second trial , Sotomayor met Dawn Cardi , a rookie Legal Aid lawyer who was trying her first case . They became best friends . `` We were both baby attorneys , '' Cardi said . `` She 's really , really smart and very well-prepared . She was an excellent trial attorney . She had a talent for it . '' Another defense attorney , Gerald Lefcourt , recalled Sotomayor as `` a very zealous prosecutor , '' adding , `` She did n't see gray . She only saw black and white . '' Sotomayor moved up quickly in the D.A. 's office . It was n't long before she was prosecuting murder cases . To prepare for trials , she hit the streets , working junkies and street characters for information and comforting grieving families . The work was sometimes unnerving , but it could also provide an adrenalin rush . `` You could feel the violence . It was palpable , '' said Mo , who with Sotomayor accompanied detectives of Harlem 's 28th precinct into top-floor apartments in six-story tenements to prepare for what became known as the `` Tarzan Burglar '' case . `` Normal people do not walk into these buildings , '' he recalled . `` They were hangouts for drug addicts . '' Robert M. Morgenthau remembers Sotomayor for her role in both the Tarzan Burglar case and in winning the office 's first conviction under a rewritten child pornography law . Sotomayor mentioned the lessons of the Tarzan case during her confirmation hearings . She said the case taught her `` the tragic consequences of needless deaths . '' A family was destroyed after one of the siblings was killed by a bullet in the head , she said . `` They scattered to the four winds , and only one brother remained in New York who could testify , '' she said Tuesday . The Tarzan case was Sotomayor 's rite of passage as a prosecutor . She sat second chair , meaning she assisted Mo , the lead prosecutor , at the murder trial of Richard Maddicks . Read the complaint -LRB- pdf -RRB- . Maddicks earned his nickname by swinging from building to building with rope and cables , Mo said . Along his route , he burglarized top-floor apartments , robbed residents and shot people who got in his way . Sotomayor convinced Maddicks ' girlfriend , Mabel Ivey , to testify , pointing out that she could shave years off her sentence in another case if she cooperated . They linked the murder weapon to Maddicks through a neighbor who sold liquor after-hours through a hole cut in the door of his basement apartment . Sotomayor questioned the man , Charles `` Wirdell '' Brown , in court , Mo recalled . It was a high point in the colorful trial . She had the jury in tears as she questioned the girlfriend of a man fatally shot by the Tarzan Burglar . Sotomayor impressed Mo with her organizational skills and ability to boil a complicated case into the essential elements that resonate with jurors . She helped write his opening statement for the five-week trial and -- long before computers and PowerPoint -- crafted People 's Exhibit One , a large poster-board chart illustrating the pattern linking the Tarzan Burglar to his crimes . The chart somehow survived nearly three decades in Mo 's basement laundry room . During the trial , Sotomayor handled the questioning of half the 40 witnesses . Maddicks was convicted of murder , robbery and related crimes and sentenced to 62 1/2 years to life in prison . He 's still serving time `` upstate , '' as Manhattan 's prosecutors say . Even 30 years ago , it was obvious Sotomayor was going places . See her life story told in pictures '' `` Did anybody think she was going to the Supreme Court ? Of course not , '' said Cardi . `` But when you look back , you see she always stood out . She was always really a cut above . '' `` She was very focused , very ambitious , very competent , very hardworking , '' Mo recalled . What struck him most , he said , was her confidence . `` She wanted to reach the highest pinnacle of the profession and did n't think that was far-fetched . You could see it . She wanted to make history , '' Mo said . | Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor began her legal career as a prosecutor . She worked in the Manhattan DA 's office from 1979 to 1984 . Her former colleagues remember Sotomayor as driven and focused . Manhattan DA Robert M. Morgenthau on Thursday 's Senate witness schedule . | [[634, 728], [1130, 1158], [1427, 1534], [1427, 1476], [1503, 1509], [1514, 1534], [6935, 7008]] |
JAKARTA , Indonesia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held a commanding lead in national elections Wednesday , according to the latest exit polls . A woman votes at a polling station in Indonesia . An average of six exit polls showed the incumbent holding about 60 percent of the vote compared to 27 percent for former President Megawati Sukarnoputri and 12 percent for Yudhoyono 's vice president , Yusuf Kalla . Official results are expected no sooner than next week . Indonesia has 175 million registered voters spread over 17,000 islands . It was the country 's second direct election since the authoritarian regime of dictator Suharto fell in 1998 , in the wake of the Asian financial crisis . Analysts and polls , ahead of the vote , predicted Yudhoyono -- riding high on the country 's economic strength -- would win a second term . Watch as incumbent expected to win election '' In 2004 , Yudhoyono defeated then-incumbent Megawati in a runoff election . Watch more on the election '' Yudhoyono `` has positive global image ; relations with the American government have been the best in all the time that I have been here , the last 30 years , '' said James Castle , who analyzes Indonesia 's politics and economy . `` He 's very popular in the foreign community and , to be honest , if he 's not re-elected , the markets will react negatively for a month or so . '' Yudhoyono 's Democratic Party was the only single party to get enough votes in April 's legislative elections to nominate a candidate on its own . Kalla 's Golkar Party came in second and Megawati 's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle , or PDI-P , placed third . Kalla and Megawati had to form coalitions with other parties to run for president . Kalla had hoped voters would give him some of the credit for Indonesia 's economic successes which occurred under his term as vice president . Kalla and Megawati had to form coalitions with other parties to run for president . See a photo slideshow of Indonesians talking about who they will vote for '' Yudhoyono is known as `` Mr. Clean '' because of his anti-corruption efforts . He has gained popularity for his handling of the 2004 tsunami recovery and the country 's battle against terrorism . Indonesia has had impressive economic growth over the past five years , though how much direct credit Yudhoyono can take for that is questionable . And despite Indonesia posting an average of 5.9 percent annual growth during his presidency , little of that has trickled down to the country 's poor . Yudhoyono 's opponents say he is too liberal , is too skewed toward the west , and does n't pay enough attention to the 40 million Indonesians living below the poverty line . Still , the country is exhibiting surprising resilience in the face of the global economic downturn . Growth topped 6 percent last year , and Indonesia was the fastest-growing economy in southeast Asia in the first quarter of this year . `` All off a sudden , everybody is contracting except for Indonesia , '' Castle said . `` We 've had more visiting regional heads and so on in the last six months than we had in the last six years . '' | NEW : Polls close ; Official results expected no sooner than next week . Three familiar faces competed : current president , his deputy and an ex-president . Analysts and polls have Yudhoyono -LRB- known as SBY -RRB- tipped to win a second term . SBY is riding high on the country 's economic strength . | [[445, 501], [730, 748], [771, 790], [833, 870], [871, 917], [781, 790], [794, 841], [2258, 2327]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A woman and three children were killed in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , when a suspected robber fleeing in a car jumped a curb and struck them , police said Thursday . Four people were killed after a car fleeing police struck a home in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , on Wednesday . `` He literally cut a tree in half , '' Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey said , `` then hit the 1-year-old , -LSB- who -RSB- was in a stroller . The other individuals were on the front porch of their own home . He struck with such force that it knocked the concrete steps loose . '' Latoya Smith , 22 , died Thursday from injuries in the crash , which occurred shortly after 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Fentonville area of north Philadelphia , police Capt. James Clark said . Smith 's daughter , Remedy Smith -- who would have turned 1 on Friday -- died at the scene , as did Alicia Griffin , 6 , and Gina Rosario , 7 , Clark said . Video of the scene showed a crumpled silver Pontiac on the sidewalk , pushed up against the front steps of a house and wedged against a tree . Watch police commissioner describe carnage '' Donta Cradock , 18 , the alleged driver of the gray Pontiac , faces charges for theft of a motorcycle , the crime that allegedly triggered his flight , police said . Other charges are pending approval from the district attorney 's office , police said . `` We 're hopeful that it will be four counts of murder , '' Clark said . Cradock and an alleged accomplice , Ivan Rodriguez , 20 , stole a motorcycle at gunpoint around 7:30 p.m. , he said . Rodriguez fled the scene on the motorcycle , while Cradock drove away in the Pontiac , Clark said . An unidentified person told a traffic police officer in the area about the alleged robbery and pointed out the Pontiac , he said . The police officer followed the car and tried to stop it at a traffic light , Clark said . `` At that point the Pontiac fled at a high rate of speed , '' he said . The officer followed the vehicle , but lost sight of it , Clark said . The officer was not close enough to chase the car , police said , but eventually came across what Clark called a `` horrific accident . '' Cradock was thrown from the Pontiac and is in the hospital , Clark said . He said a gun was recovered on the suspect . Rodriguez was arrested at his home , Clark said , and faces a theft charge . Both men have `` very extensive criminal histories , '' Ramsey said . Bench warrants were out on them at the time of their arrest , Clark said . It was not immediately clear if the two had retained attorneys . CNN 's Mark Norman contributed to this report . | Donta Cradock , 18 , allegedly fled scene of motorcycle robbery in silver Pontiac . Police chase ends when car hits home , killing Latoya Smith , 3 kids . `` He struck with such force that it knocked the concrete steps loose , '' police say . Cradock and accomplice face motorcycle theft charges ; others pending . | [[96, 145], [91, 131], [164, 186], [1147, 1185], [1623, 1656], [0, 15], [19, 73], [187, 237], [217, 267], [516, 584], [547, 584], [1278, 1291], [1366, 1379], [1126, 1139], [1188, 1227], [1292, 1363], [1454, 1487], [1490, 1504], [1512, 1559]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Agents arrested 20 out of 42 people accused in a California Medicaid fraud ring that allegedly bilked the state out of nearly $ 4.6 million and put the lives of disabled children at risk , a prosecutor said . The defendants are accused of either posing as licensed nurses or organizing a scheme to send unlicensed nurses to provide home - or school-based care to disabled patients , many of them children with cerebral palsy or other developmental disabilities , the office of the U.S. attorney for central California said in a written statement . The long defendant 's list makes the case the largest of Medicaid fraud in California , U.S. Attorney Thomas O'Brien said in the statement . Each defendant has been charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and at least one count of health care fraud , according to the statement . Some parents and patients became suspicious of the nurses when they noticed their lack of skills . `` In one case , a ` nurse ' was unable to replace a tracheotomy tube that had fallen out of a young patient 's neck . In another case , an impostor nurse simply fled a medical situation when she apparently was unable to provide assistance , '' according to the statement . Some of the unlicensed nurses had foreign training , but never passed a U.S. qualifying nursing exam , the attorney 's office said , while others had no medical training at all . Two defendants -- Susan Bendigo and Priscilla Villabroza , the accused ringleaders -- were charged separately . Bendigo and Villabroza instructed the workers to lie about their status and used the names of licensed nurses on documents , the indictment says . Villabroza operated a home health agency -- the Santa Fe Springs company Medicare Plus Home Health Providers -- the indictment said . Villabroza , a registered nurse , knowingly hired unlicensed nurses and billed Medi-Cal , California 's Medicaid program , for the work of licensed vocational nurses from August 2004 through 2007 , the indictment alleges . Villabroza pleaded guilty last year to five federal counts of health care fraud , the attorney 's office said . Bendigo , a registered nurse , was also director of Santa Fe Springs ' Excel Plus Home Health Services , which provided nurses to home health agencies , according to the indictment . Bendigo also was charged last year but fled the country , the statement said . Officials think she is hiding in the Philippines , said U.S. attorney 's spokesman Thom Mrozek . Villabroza is awaiting sentencing , and could be sent to prison for up to 50 years , Mrozek said . Each of the 42 new defendants faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each charge if convicted , according to the statement . | Prosecutor : Long defendants list makes case the largest Medicaid fraud in California . `` Nurses '' cared for disabled patients , many of them children , in homes , schools . Patients became suspicious of nurses when they noticed their lack of skills . Ringleaders accused of telling workers to lie about status , using real nurses ' names . | [[45, 98], [208, 227], [567, 652], [305, 399], [859, 957], [922, 957], [1523, 1645]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A leader of the conservative `` Blue Dog '' Democrats told CNN Wednesday he and other group members may vote to block House Democrats ' health care bill from passing a key committee if they do n't get some of the changes they want . Rep. Mike Ross , D-Arkansas , is a leading negotiator for the Blue Dog Democrats on health care . `` We remain opposed to the current bill , and we continue to meet several times a day to decide how we 're going to proceed and what amendments we will be offering as Blue Dogs on the committees , '' said Rep. Mike Ross , D-Arkansas . Ross said the bill unveiled Tuesday by House Democratic leaders did not address concerns he and other conservative Democrats outlined in a letter late last week to Speaker Nancy Pelosi . The conservative Democrats do n't believe the legislation contains sufficient reforms to control costs in the health care system and believe additional savings can be found . Their letter to leaders raised concerns about new mandates on small businesses . Blue Dogs also say the bill fails to fix the inequities in the current system for health care costs for rural doctors and hospitals . The Energy and Commerce committee , along with two other House committees , is scheduled to take up the bill Thursday . Democrats outnumber Republicans 36-23 on the Energy and Commerce committee , which contains eight Blue Dogs , including Ross . If seven Democrats vote with Republicans against the bill , it would fail to advance to the House floor . Asked whether the Blue Dogs on Energy and Commerce are considering voting as a group against the bill if it remains unchanged , Ross replied , `` absolutely . '' He did n't give details on changes the Blue Dogs want . But he did say he was n't satisfied with the penalty exemption for small businesses that do n't provide health insurance for employees . An earlier draft of the Democrats ' bill exempted businesses from paying a penalty if their payrolls were less than $ 100,000 . Democratic leaders raised that payroll amount to $ 250,000 . | Rep. Mike Ross : House Democrats ' bill does n't address group 's concerns . Blue Dog Democrats : Bill does n't control costs in the health care system . If committee 's Blue Dogs and Republicans vote against it , bill wo n't advance . | [[597, 711], [607, 721], [1040, 1049], [1055, 1173], [103, 211], [1424, 1478], [1479, 1526]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Paul McCartney has come to New York and he wants to shout it from the rooftops . Paul McCartney performs Wednesday on the roof above the marquee of New York 's Ed Sullivan Theater . To promote his concert at Citi Field this Friday , the former Beatle performed Wednesday afternoon on the roof above the Ed Sullivan Theater marquee before his appearance on `` Late Night with David Letterman , '' which is taped in the theater . Wednesday 's performance began at 5:30 p.m. ET and included a set of classics including `` Get Back , '' `` Band on the Run , '' `` Helter Skelter '' and `` Back in the USSR . '' Sporting a pink button-up shirt and suspenders , McCartney played to a huge crowd that blocked off traffic near the intersection of 53rd Street and Broadway . McCartney occasionally waved to occupants of nearby buildings as they gathered at their windows to listen to the concert . McCartney will be the first music act to play at Citi Field , and that concert will kick off his summer U.S. tour . The Ed Sullivan Theater , named for the late variety-show host , has special meaning for McCartney as it was the site of the Beatles ' historic televised performance in 1964 . | McCartney performs songs before appearance on `` Late Night with David Letterman '' Former Beatle promoting his Friday concert at New York 's Citi Field . Ed Sullivan Theater was site of Beatles ' historic 1964 TV performance . | [[261, 386], [210, 258], [109, 209], [261, 386], [1033, 1056], [1098, 1208]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A drunk passenger who tried to set the curtains of a Boeing 767 on fire during a trans-Atlantic flight is in custody in Vienna , Austria , the Transportation Security Administration said Thursday . A drunk Delta passenger was placed in custody after he tried to light curtains on fire during a flight . There was no apparent connection to terrorism , officials said . Zoltan Lensky , 25 , a Slovakian citizen , was on Delta Flight 40 from Atlanta , Georgia , to Vienna Wednesday night when flight attendants refused his request for more liquor . According to TSA spokesman Christopher White , Lensky slapped a flight attendant on the hand , moved forward in the cabin , pulled out a lighter and tried to ignite the curtains around the flight attendants ' rest area . A federal air marshal on the flight arrested Lensky and put him in handcuffs , White said . Lensky was handed over to authorities in Vienna when the flight landed . It is policy for air marshals never to fly alone . According to White , the other air marshal , or marshals , on the Delta flight remained undercover in case Lensky was being used as a diversion . However , `` he was nothing but an intoxicated passenger , '' said White . | A drunk passenger tried to set the curtains of a Boeing 767 on fire . Zoltan Lensky , 25 , a Slovakian citizen , was on Delta flight from Atlanta to Vienna . He slapped a flight attendant 's hand when she refused to provide more booze . Lensky was handed over to authorities in Vienna when the flight landed . | [[30, 47], [52, 132], [228, 332], [280, 332], [623, 629], [725, 796], [398, 416], [441, 476], [520, 575], [623, 668], [889, 961], [942, 961]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Members of the international community have reacted to the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president of Iran and the oppostion protests which have accompanied the result . Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pictured at a rally held in Tehran Sunday to celebrate his re-election as Iranian president . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement Saturday : `` We are monitoring the situation as it unfolds in Iran but we , like the rest of the world , are waiting and watching to see what the Iranian people decide . `` The United States has refrained from commenting on the election in Iran . We obviously hope that the outcome reflects the genuine will and desire of the Iranian people . '' White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Saturday the administration was `` impressed by the vigorous debate and enthusiasm that this election generated , particularly among young Iranians . '' U.S. Vice President Joe Biden , commenting on NBC 's `` Meet the Press '' Sunday , said : `` I have doubts , but withhold comment . '' He added that the Iranian government had suppressed crowds and limited free speech , which raised questions . He also said that the strong showing by Ahmadinejad was `` unlikely , '' based on pre-election analysis . Gallery : Emotions run high after election '' Israel 's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman said in a statement that `` the problem which Iran poses for the international community is not personal in nature , but derives from its policy . `` In any case , in light of Tehran 's ongoing policy , and even more so after Ahmadinejad 's re-election , the international community must continue to act uncompromisingly to prevent the nuclearization of Iran , and to halt its activity in support of terror organizations and undermining stability in the Middle East . In a statement Saturday the EU Presidency said it was `` concerned about alleged irregularities during the election process and post-electional violence that broke out immediately after the release of the official election results on 13 June 2009 . `` The Presidency hopes that outcome of the Presidential elections will bring the opportunity to resume the dialogue on nuclear issue and clear up Iranian position in this regard . The Presidency expects the new Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran will take its responsibility towards international community and respect its international obligations . '' UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Saturday that the UK government had `` followed carefully , and admired , the passion and debate during the Iranian election campaign . `` We have also heard the concerns about the counting of ballots expressed by two of the candidates . This is a matter for the Iranian authorities to address . We will continue to follow developments . Our priority is that Iran engages with the concerns of the world community , above all on the issue of nuclear proliferation . '' Fawzi Barhoum , spokesman for Hamas , the militant Palestinian movement backed by Iran , welcomed the results . He urged the world to respect Iranian democracy and accept the results of the elections . The office of Afghan President Hamid Karzai said in a statement Sunday that he had congratulated Ahmadinejad on his victory . It added that Karzai believed `` relations between the two Muslim nations of Afghanistan and Iran expanded during Mr. Ahmadinejad 's first term and hoped that these relations get stronger during his second term . '' German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told ARD Sunday that the Iranian ambassador in Berlin would be summoned to explain the treatment of protesters against the result . `` I have already prompted Iran , together with European colleagues today , to quickly shed light on what has happened there -- if one can take the announced election results there seriously or not , '' he added . Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan have offered their congratulations to Ahmadinejad , the official Anatolian Agency reported Monday . It said that they `` called Ahmadinejad on the phone and congratulated him for his success in the election . '' Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon told reporters in Niagara Falls , Ontario , Canada , Saturday , that Canada was `` deeply concerned '' about allegations of voting irregularities . `` We 're troubled by reports of intimidation of opposition candidates ' offices by security forces . We 've asked our embassy officials in Tehran to closely monitor the situation , and Canada is calling on Iranian authorities to conduct fair and transparent counting of all ballots . '' CNN 's Shira Medding in Jerusalem and Greg Clary in Washington contributed to this report . | U.S. Vice President Joe Biden : Questions need to be asked about vote . UK : We admire passion of the election , Iran needs to address fears about fairness . EU Presidency : Hopes outcome sees opportunity for dialogue on nuclear issue . Turkish media : President , prime minister have offered congratulations . | [[718, 907], [758, 840], [791, 896], [2469, 2504], [2574, 2581], [2584, 2587], [2106, 2277], [2135, 2286], [3180, 3305], [3916, 4036]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of gay men have been tortured and killed in Iraq in recent months , some by the nation 's security forces , Human Rights Watch said Monday . Iraqi clerics say homosexuality must be eradicated but warn against anti-gay violence . Interviews with doctors indicate hundreds of men had been killed , but the exact number was unclear because of the stigma associated with homosexuality in Iraq , the New York-based watchdog group said in its report . `` Iraq 's leaders are supposed to defend all Iraqis , not abandon them to armed agents of hate , '' said Scott Long , director of the Lesbian , Gay , Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch . `` Turning a blind eye to torture and murder threatens the rights and life of every Iraqi . '' Four victims who spoke to CNN gave accounts of the attacks , which they say have intensified in the past few months . `` In 2004 , militias and unknown groups started to go after the gays ... but the peak was six months ago , '' said Qaisar , who uses a pseudonym for fear of reprisal . `` It has become wide scale war against gays in Iraq . '' Iraqi officials acknowledged that the nation 's culture stigmatizes homosexuality , but said the government does not condone such attacks . Authorities are unable to provide homosexuals with special protection , said government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh . According to Human Rights Watch , which is urging a government crackdown , attackers target people on the streets or storm homes , where they conduct interrogations and demand names of suspected gay men . Many end up in hospitals and morgues , the organization said , basing its conclusion on reports from doctors . Men have been threatened with `` honor killings '' by relatives worried that their `` unmanly behavior '' will ruin the family 's reputation , Human Rights Watch said . Watch Iraqi men discuss attacks '' Killings , kidnappings and torture of those suspected of homosexual conduct have intensified in areas such as the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City , the watchdog said . `` The Shiite people started this war and especially what happened in Sadr City , '' Qaisar said , adding that his sister-in-law had warned him against going to the area . Muqtada al-Sadr 's Mahdi Army militia , which is active in Sadr City , has joined in the attacks and defends its actions as a way to stop the `` feminization '' of Iraqi men , the report said . `` We have testimony that indicates that the nation 's security forces are taking part in the attacks , '' Long said . The group interviewed more than 50 people who gave accounts of abuses , beatings and stops at security checkpoints , he said . `` When the gay killings started and when they started go -LRB- ing -RRB- after them at checkpoints ... we started to change our look , '' said Basim , who also used a pseudonym . `` These killings point to the continuing and lethal failure of Iraq 's post-occupation authorities to establish the rule of law and protect their citizens , '' said Rasha Moumneh , Middle East researcher for Human Rights Watch . A provision from the Saddam Hussein era endorses crimes committed `` with honorable motives , '' according to the organization . The government spokesman said the provision was popular during the Saddam era , but is not used today . He added that there is a push to educate police about human rights . Attacks against civilians , including homosexuals , are not allowed , al-Dabbagh said . | Human Rights Watch says people are targeted on the streets and interrogated . Group : Killings , kidnappings and torture of suspected homosexuals are escalating . Attacks against civilians , including homosexuals , not allowed , Iraq spokesman says . | [[1399, 1430], [1474, 1527], [1536, 1603], [0, 7], [10, 30], [46, 72], [843, 857], [866, 916], [1919, 2066], [1144, 1159], [1232, 1283], [1284, 1295], [1356, 1398], [3413, 3462], [3465, 3480]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will decide this week whether to allow gays and lesbians who are not celibate to serve as clergy members and lay leaders , a spokesman said Tuesday . Current Evangelical Lutheran Church policy allows gay and lesbian clergy , lay people to serve only if celibate . Spokesman John Brooks said the church 's 1,045 voting members , who are at a weeklong Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis , Minnesota , will vote Friday on whether to change its policy regarding gay clergy members . The policy allows gays and lesbians to serve as clergy members and lay leaders if they are celibate , Brooks said . Heterosexual clergy are allowed to have sex within marriage . The new policy would allow gays and lesbians in `` publicly accountable , lifelong , monogamous , same-gender relationships , '' to serve as clergy and lay leaders , according to the proposal . Lay leaders are people other than clergy members who are on the professional rosters of the church . A simple majority will decide the vote , Brooks said . He said there is a `` wide range of opinions '' on changing the policy . The body is also scheduled to vote Wednesday on a social statement on sexuality that has been eight years in the making , he said . `` It 's important for us because it informs the basis for policy , '' he said . According to its Web site , the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has 4.6 million members . The church is not the only denomination that has dealt with the issue of gay clergy . Last month , the Episcopal Church 's House of Bishops voted by a wide margin to allow gays and lesbians to become bishops , Episcopal Life reported . In April , the Presbyterian Church -LRB- USA -RRB- voted against allowing openly gay pastors to serve , according to the Presbyterian News Service . | Evangelical Lutheran Church in America meeting in Minneapolis this week . Policy allows gays , lesbians to serve as clergy , lay leaders if they are celibate . If approved , new policy would allow them to serve if in monogamous relationships . Spokesman says simply majority vote of 1,045 members to decide issue . | [[353, 356], [367, 387], [394, 446], [212, 284], [212, 254], [287, 325], [541, 619], [845, 882], [719, 844], [185, 211], [326, 387], [1014, 1052]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Disney stunt performer died Monday night after suffering an injury during a rehearsal , company and local officials said . A performer was injured during rehearsal for the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Hollywood Studios . Walt Disney World spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said the performer was injured while performing a tumbling roll for the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney 's Hollywood Studios , part of the Orlando , Florida , theme park . It was the third fatal incident at the park in less than two months . Earlier this month , a performer was injured in a pirate show and later died . In July , two monorail trains collided , killing a driver . '' ` We feel a sense of loss for these valued cast members , '' Suarez said . She said a review would be conducted on each incident . Performers receive extensive training , she said . The Orange County Sheriff 's Department identified the performer in the latest incident as Anislav Varbanov , 30 , and said he had been pronounced dead at a hospital . Watch a report on the incident '' Security personnel at Hollywood Studios called 911 Monday evening to say a cast member had suffered a head injury during the rehearsal , the sheriff 's department said . No other details were given . The sheriff 's department said the incident is under investigation . CNN 's Carolina Sanchez contributed to this report . | Man hurt while rehearsing for Indiana Jones stunt show at Hollywood Studios . Two people died after incidents at Orlando , Florida , theme park this summer . Sheriff 's department is investigating death of Anislav Varbanov . | [[0, 15], [44, 106], [62, 136], [144, 252], [253, 483], [302, 476], [1280, 1348]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Undercover officers rescued a baby gorilla from suspected animal traffickers in the Democratic Republic of Congo , a national park in the country announced Tuesday . This baby gorilla was rescued from a suspected trafficker in the Democratic Republic of Congo . The gorilla , thought to be about two years old , was hidden at the bottom of a bag and covered with clothes when Congolese Wildlife Authority officers arrested the suspected trafficker on Sunday , Virunga National Park said . The gorilla , a female , was overheated and dehydrated after six hours in transit . She also had a puncture wound on her right leg , among other injuries , and is malnourished , but is responding to treatment , the park said in a statement . It is not clear if the young gorilla 's mother is alive or dead , park spokeswoman Samantha Newport said . `` You can assume that a gorilla family was attacked in order for the traffickers to obtain a baby -- but it is impossible to know if a whole family was wiped out , just a few individuals , or none at all , '' she said . `` In most cases gorillas have to die to get a baby -- but we can not know specifically for this case . '' The animal is now being looked after by specially trained carers , Newport said . `` This is of course not an ideal replacement for a mother -- but the best option we have , '' she told CNN via e-mail . Carers often have some veterinary training , but are not fully fledged vets , she added . But gorillas do not do well in situations like this , she warned . `` Gorillas , it is worth noting , are notoriously difficult to keep alive , '' she said . `` Chimps are fighters , as are bonobos . But gorillas -- when the going gets tough -- tend to just shut down . So it really is a critical time right now to ensure she gets the veterinary attention and human warmth that she needs to get through this . '' The suspect was getting off a plane from the interior of the country , near the gorillas ' habitat , the park said . One person has been charged under the country 's law forbidding the destruction of flora and fauna , Newport told CNN . The park did not name the suspect . Gorillas can fetch up to $ 20,000 on the black market , the head of Virunga National Park said . `` Investigations have yet to reveal where these animals are being sent and who is buying them , but on the ground sources tell us that a baby gorilla can fetch up to $ 20,000 , '' said Emmanuel de Merode , the director . `` We must remember that for each trafficked baby gorilla , several gorillas have probably been killed in the wild . '' He led the three-month undercover operation that netted the suspect and the gorilla , the park said . The gorilla is a lowland eastern gorilla -LRB- Gorilla beringei graueri -RRB- , also known as the Grauer 's Gorilla , a subspecies of Eastern Gorilla only found in the forests of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo , according to the park . Virunga National Park calls itself the oldest national park in Africa , established in 1925 . It lies in a region that has been badly affected by the long-running war in the Democratic Republic of Congo . The gorilla section is in a strategically important area near the borders of Rwanda and Uganda . A ranger was killed earlier this year , and rangers lost control of a large part of the park to rebels for over a year . But a census earlier this year suggests mountain gorillas are surviving despite poaching and war . Officials have long said that the 250-square kilometer gorilla reserve in the southern part of Virunga National Park is where around 200 of the world 's 700 mountain gorillas live . | Undercover officers rescue a baby gorilla from suspected animal traffickers . Congolese Wildlife Authority officers find gorilla hidden in bag . Female gorilla was overheated and dehydrated after six hours in transit . | [[19, 131], [185, 280], [281, 292], [331, 364], [508, 519], [533, 591]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dr. Conrad Murray , the physician under investigation in the death of singer Michael Jackson , said in a video posted online Tuesday that he has `` faith the truth will prevail . '' In Dr. Conrad Murray 's video , posted on YouTube , he tells supporters he has been receiving their messages . Murray , who was with Jackson when he died , recorded the one-minute video in Houston , Texas , on Wednesday and it posted on YouTube Tuesday , the spokeswoman for his lawyer said . `` I have done all I could do , '' Murray said . `` I told the truth , and I have faith the truth will prevail . '' The video is the first public comment by Murray since Jackson 's June 25 death . `` I want to thank all of my patients and friends who have sent such kind e-mails , letters and messages to let me know of your support and prayers for me and my family , '' Murray said . Watch the statement from Jackson 's doctor '' `` Because of all that is going on , I am afraid to return phone calls or use my e-mail . Therefore , I recorded this video to let all of you know that I have been receiving your messages , '' he said . Murray , a cardiologist , owned and operated two medical clinics -- in Las Vegas , Nevada , and in Houston -- but he took a full-time job as Jackson 's personal doctor in May as the pop singer prepared for his comeback concerts scheduled to start in July . He was at Jackson 's Los Angeles home when the entertainer was found unconscious and rushed to a hospital . Investigators have searched Murray 's home and clinics for evidence related to the anesthetic propofol , according to documents filed in court . A source close to the investigation told CNN that Murray is believed to have administered the drug -- also known by the brand name Diprivan -- to Jackson within 24 hours of his death . Murray has been `` under siege '' by the media and targeted by death threats in recent weeks , according to the spokeswoman . `` I have not been able to thank you personally , which , as you know , is not normal for me , '' Murray said in the video . `` Your messages give me strength and courage and keep me going . They mean the world to me . Please , do n't worry . As long as I keep God in my heart and you in my life , I will be fine . '' | Dr. Conrad Murray was Michael Jackson 's doctor ; he 's under investigation . Murray made video , posted to YouTube , in which he thanks supporters . Spokesperson : Murray has been `` under siege '' in recent weeks . | [[0, 61], [139, 154], [233, 255], [258, 275], [226, 255], [278, 336], [481, 518], [1848, 1881], [1848, 1854], [1899, 1940], [1848, 1854], [1943, 1973]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Welcome to democracy , Afghan-style . An Afghan woman in a burqa veil holds up a photograph of President Hamid Karzai . An incumbent president and 38 challengers , including two women , are vying for the votes of 17 million registered Afghans against a backdrop of war , graft , poverty and illiteracy . More than 3,000 donkeys , 3,000 cars and three helicopters will traverse harsh terrain to carry voting materials to remote polling stations . And 30 observer groups , domestic and international , will be on hand to help guard against fraud . This Thursday , Afghanistan holds its second-ever popular election , the results of which will put into office a new president and 420 provincial council winners . Preliminary results are scheduled September 3 , with final results expected two weeks later . At the heart of every vote will be the two biggest impediments to progress for one of the poorest nations in the world : stifling corruption and an increasingly bloody Taliban resurgence . The number of Afghan civilians killed increased 24 percent in the first six months of this year compared with the same period last year , according to the United Nations . NATO and U.S. forces have suffered record losses this summer , with 75 troops killed in the month of July alone . Amid the violence , the candidates continued their last-minute campaigning , with the hope that the elections can showcase Afghanistan 's fledgling democracy . `` We hope that this election will go ahead in accordance with the constitution of this country and the rightful freedoms of our people , in the best manner possible , so that the Afghan nation can determine its future , '' said historian Omar Khan Massoudi , director of the National Museum in Kabul . Watch young Afghans talk about their hopes '' International donors are helping pay for the $ 223 million undertaking , and hundreds of U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers have moved into southern Afghanistan to protect voters against possible Taliban attacks . The top U.S. envoy to the region , Richard Holbrooke , expressed optimism that Thursday 's vote would be Afghanistan 's moment to shine . It 's tough to organize elections during a war , he said , but the reality is that violence during elections is common place in many parts of the world . `` Afghanistan has never had a contested election , '' Holbrooke said . `` So this is a remarkable experiment in democracy and something that Afghanistan needs to give legitimacy to the new government . '' That legitimacy has become a key issue in the campaign . Frontrunner President Hamid Karzai 's chief challengers -- former finance minister Ashraf Ghani and former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah -- have both lashed out at the incumbent for failing to rein in corruption . In its annual global corruption perception index in 2008 , Transparency International ranked Afghanistan 176 out of 180 countries and said graft was `` a major factor impeding the country 's stability and future growth . '' Ghani told CNN the most significant challenge Afghanistan 's next president faces is earning back the trust of the people . `` This government has lost it , '' he said in a recent interview . `` There is no sense of trust , not only in the current leadership , but in the political class as such . And in the capacity of the state or the international community to improve the lot of our people . '' Ghani characterized Karzai as a `` very poor manager '' who failed to deal with pressing issues and create any sense of momentum for the nation moving forward . As a guest on CNN 's Fareed Zakaria GPS earlier this month , Ghani said Afghanistan 's corruption had become a cancer that was `` eating through the society . '' Babrak Babarkhale , a former journalist and Mujahadeen fighter in the war to end Soviet occupation in the 1980s , said he planned to vote for Abdullah because he was fed up with corruption . `` We want to support Dr. Abdullah Abdullah to be our future president , to take all Afghans out of this corruption , away from this weak government , '' he said . Abdullah argued that people 's dissatisfaction with the Karzai government has helped strengthen the insurgency . `` There is no doubt there is a hardcore element in it , '' he told CNN . `` But there are thousands of people under the same brand , Taliban , -LSB- who -RSB- have joined the insurgency because of other reasons . '' The insurgents are filling a vacuum left by Afghanistan 's Western-backed government , which foreign diplomats and military commanders concede now suffers from nepotism , corruption and predatory practices . During a political debate Sunday , Karzai admitted that corruption was a problem but offered no specific cures . He also has been blamed for what has become the bloodiest summer since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 . Abdullah said last week that Karzai 's government had failed to capitalize on the opportunities presented by international aid and troops . The government , Abdullah said , had failed to `` stabilize Afghanistan to the extent that eight years down the road , we would have been able to say less troops rather than more . '' Most polls , however , show Karzai with a commanding lead . Latifa , a Kabul housewife , said she was pleased with Karzai 's stewardship and would vote for him . `` Like raising a child for seven years , in seven years he has helped our Kabul , our Afghanistan , stand on its own two feet , '' she said . `` We did n't know an election before , we had n't seen a parliament . '' But can a nation as troubled as Afghanistan carry out fair and free elections ? Some observers of Afghanistan and human rights activists have voiced their doubts . Kai Eide , the United Nations special representative in Afghanistan , said Thursday 's election will be the most difficult he has encountered in his life . Besides the violence and corruption , weak infrastructure and a high illiteracy rate will add to election woes , he said . A new Gallup Poll found that fewer than one in four voting-age Afghans are confident the election will be fair and transparent . Voting in Afghanistan , Eide said , is not yet the kind of democratic expression understood in the West . `` If you look at the well-established democracies in the West , for instance , that 's not possible under these circumstances , '' he said . `` But ... my objective is that we have credible , inclusive elections where the result will be accepted by the people . That is our level of ambition , and I think we will achieve that . '' Eide said a significant number of polling stations in strife-torn Helmand , Kandahar , Ghazni and Wardak provinces will not be able to open due to security reasons . He said ballots ought to be counted at the polling center itself instead of transporting them elsewhere and increasing the possibility of fraud , encountered in the last election in 2004 . Eide said 3,000 donkeys were `` mobilized '' to carry ballots to remote mountainous regions . Of the 4.6 million new registered voters , 39 percent are women . So thousands of women had to be employed to search burqa-clad female voters . Human Rights Watch , however , said Tuesday that the recruitment drive for women began too late , and as a result , not enough women will be available for security checks . `` Women voters have been badly let down by their government and its international backers , '' said Brad Adams , the organization 's Asia director . Women 's votes are key in Afghanistan , where the Taliban stripped women of equal rights and education . Human Rights Watch also said Tuesday that election-related violence was a serious impediment . Between April 25 and August 1 , the rights group documented at least 13 political killings and at least 10 abductions of electoral commission officials , candidates and campaign workers . It said provincial council candidates had withdrawn after receiving death threats . The overall security situation is `` considerably worse than during the last elections , '' Human Rights Watch concluded . But despite the violence , despite the threats from the Taliban to disrupt the voting , enthusiasm filled the air Monday as the presidential candidates wrapped up their campaigns . A campaign rally resembled more a rock concert than a political event in Afghanistan , as Kabul stadium transformed into a sea of blue , Abdullah 's campaign color . Supporters hoisted banners and sported T-shirts emblazoned with Abdullah 's face . `` I believe there is a dire need for a change of course in Afghanistan , irrespective of who becomes the president , '' said Rauf Roashan of the Institute for Afghan Studies , a scholarly center founded by Afghans living abroad . Not yet old enough to vote , Ferishta , 15 , a beauty school student , echoed Roashan 's sentiments . If she could , she 'd cast a ballot for Ghani . `` We want a president who is peaceful and caring , '' she said . `` We do n't want any more bombs . In these bombs , so many Afghans have died , one person 's son , one person 's child . '' No one can say with any certainty whether abounding energy will translate into high turnout . Not in a war-ravaged nation . As though to serve reminder of the high stakes , Kabul came under attack again on Tuesday -- just two days before the polls open . CNN 's Ivan Watson , Kevin Flower and Moni Basu contributed to this report . | More than 17 million Afghans are registered to vote . Elections are scheduled amid increasing violence . A key issue for voters is government corruption . Some observers concerned elections will be neither fair nor free . | [[7613, 7631], [7637, 7707], [5661, 5744], [6024, 6152]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ancient man may have started global warming through massive deforestation and burning that could have permanently altered the Earth 's climate , according to a new study by researchers at the University of Virginia and the University of Maryland-Baltimore County . Primitive slash-and-burn agriculture permanently changed Earth 's climate , according to a new study . The study , published in the scientific journal Quaternary Science Reviews and reported on the University of Virginia 's Web site , says over thousands of years , farmers burned down so many forests on such a large scale that huge amounts of carbon dioxide were pumped into the atmosphere . That possibly caused the Earth to warm up and forever changed the climate . Lead study author William Ruddiman is a professor emeritus of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia and a climate scientist . `` It seems like a common-sense idea that there were n't enough people around 5 , 6 , 7,000 years ago to have any significant impact on climate . But if you allow for the fact that those people , person by person , had something like 10 times as much of an effect or cleared 10 times as much land as people do today on average , that bumps up the effect of those earlier farmers considerably , and it does make them a factor in contributing to the rise of greenhouse gasses , '' Ruddiman said . Ruddiman said that starting thousands of years ago , people would burn down a forest , poke a hole in the soil between the stumps , drop seeds in the holes and grow a crop on that land until the nutrients were tapped out of the soil . Then they would move on . `` And they 'd burn down another patch of forest and another and another . They might do that five times in a 20-year period , '' he said . That slashing and burning on such a large scale spewed enormous amounts of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere and warmed the planet , the study says . Ruddiman has studied and researched the idea of ancient man contributing to climate change for years now . And he 's endured plenty of criticism over his theories . Ken Caldeira , a climate scientist at the Carnegie Institution 's Department of Global Ecology in Stanford , California , is among those who disagree with Ruddiman . He said Ruddiman is `` exaggerating the importance of early man . '' Caldeira told CNN that while ancient farmers may have played a tiny role in climate change , `` it just was n't a significant factor . '' He added , `` There are actually studies showing if you cut down forests for farmland , you actually cool the planet , because of the glare from the cleared land . '' Ruddiman and study co-author Erle Ellis , an ecologist with UMBC , acknowledge that some models of past land use show it 's only been in the past 150 years -- with a huge population explosion , the onset of the Industrial Age and the rise of fossil-fuel burning -- that global warming has accelerated . But Ruddiman said , `` My argument is that even at the beginning , they just used much more land per person , so even though there were n't that many people , they used enough to start to push these greenhouse gas concentrations up . '' Ruddiman 's research also argues that the Earth was on its way to another ice age 10,000 years ago and that ice sheets were already forming in northern latitudes when ancient man started his slashing and burning method of farming . | Study : Ancient people were fewer in number , but burned 10 times as much land . William Ruddiman : People would slash , burn `` five times in a 20 year period '' Ken Caldeira , a climate scientist , says study exaggerating impact of early man . | [[284, 320], [360, 386], [550, 607], [1048, 1191], [2957, 2970], [2973, 3109], [2973, 3111], [1726, 1775], [2276, 2341]] |
LEXINGTON , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A pack of dogs brought down and killed an animal-loving couple last weekend in rural northeastern Georgia , and a similar tragedy could occur anywhere dogs roam freely , authorities say . Two dogs from the pack that killed two people await euthanasia Tuesday at a shelter in northeast Georgia . Sheriff 's deputies , code enforcement officers and other officials spent most of Monday and Tuesday rounding up 11 adult dogs and five puppies , Oglethorpe County Sheriff 's Capt. Shalon Huff said . One more was trapped Wednesday morning , leaving one still to be captured , she said . `` We 're just lucky this has n't happened before , '' said Susan Fornash , director of the Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter in Danielsville , where the captured dogs were held before being euthanized Tuesday under orders from a local judge . `` We 've had people bring in a dog because it killed a goat or chased their horses or something like that . And to me , that was just the forerunner of something like this . '' Investigators say they believe that University of Georgia librarian Sherry Schweder , 65 , went for her usual morning walk Saturday down Howard Thaxton Road , the narrow dirt lane that runs alongside the couple 's property . The dogs were familiar in the area , investigators say , having been left behind when the person who had been caring for some of them moved out of a home at the end of the lane . Authorities theorize that halfway down the lane , about a quarter-mile from her home , Sherry Schweder was confronted by the dogs , which knocked her down and killed her . Her husband , retired UGA language professor Lothar Schweder , became concerned when she did n't return and went out in their Honda CRX to look for her . When he found her lying in the lane and got out to shoo away the dogs , they attacked and killed him too , investigators believe . Although no blood was seen on the dogs , other evidence and autopsy results convince authorities that the pack killed the Schweders , said Jim Fullington , special agent in charge of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation 's office in nearby Athens . Watch what investigators learned '' Black bears occasionally pass through the area , but none have been reported recently , said Sgt. Doyte Chaffin , a wildlife officer with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources . Investigators found no prints other than those of dogs and humans , Fullington added . Humans can appear threatening to dogs that run in packs , said Bonnie Beaver , a professor in the department of small animal clinical sciences at Texas A&M University and an expert in pack behavior . `` From their perspective , a person is an alien , if you will , '' Beaver said . `` It would be the same as we would relate to a grizzly bear . '' Dogs kill an average of 10 to 20 people each year in the United States , Beaver said . The vast majority of those cases involve a single dog attacking a small child , she said . As few as two or three dogs , whether urban , suburban or rural , can behave like a pack , Beaver said . And when pack mentality takes over , `` they do insane things that they would not do '' under normal circumstances , she said . `` My bet is there was one ringleader who kind of started it '' in the Georgia case , Beaver said . Something as simple as making eye contact may have made one dog in the group feel threatened , and its body language put the other dogs on edge , triggering an `` escalation , '' she said . Even though none of the dogs weighed more than about 40 pounds , their numbers would have overwhelmed the victims . Screaming , flailing or trying to run would only make things worse , Beaver said . `` To be slight people , as I 'm told they both were , and the ages that they were , I do n't know what they could have done . I do n't know what I would do , '' Fornash said . Jehovah 's Witnesses walking up the lane to visit the lone house found the Schweders ' mutilated bodies lying next to the car and called 911 , Fullington said . He added that a sheriff 's deputy had to fire a shot in the air to scare the dogs away . The house the evangelists had intended to visit was unoccupied , but it was home to at least some of the dogs , Fullington said . The owner , Howard Thaxton , had moved out some months earlier because of health and financial problems but had someone drive him every other day to leave food for the dogs , said GBI Special Agent Christopher Bish . Several empty 40-pound bags of Ol' Roy dog food were strewn about the property Tuesday . Thaxton , an amputee who Bish said was recently released from a hospital , has been cooperating with authorities . Thaxton does n't believe that those animals were capable of killing people , law enforcement officials said . He has not been charged . `` We are still in discussions with the district attorney about culpability and what have you , but no decisions have been reached yet , '' Bish said . Bish said it took 14 visits to Thaxton 's house to make initial contact with him . CNN 's efforts to find Thaxton for comment were unsuccessful . Stopping the dogs from reproducing might have prevented the tragedy , Fornash said . Just a few dogs can multiply rapidly into a menace , she added . Watch how dog bites might be prevented '' `` In the blink of an eye , we have a pack of 50 dogs because people do n't spay and neuter , '' she said . It took about 90 minutes to euthanize all 16 dogs , several of which were maggot-infested , Fornash said . No one asked that they be checked for rabies , and the sheriff directed that the carcasses be cremated immediately , she said . `` I 'm heartbroken for the family , '' Fornash said . `` I ca n't even imagine how they must feel . And I 'm also very sad for those animals , because if they had been cared for the way they should have been , this would n't have happened . It 's not their fault . '' The Schweders ' seven dogs and four of their cats were to be brought to the shelter Wednesday and eventually adopted out , she said . Thaxton 's wood frame house that served as the dogs ' home sits at the edge of a forest dotted with hunting campers and abandoned 1950s vehicles . Empty 5-gallon water bottles fill a ravine behind the house , and a derelict 1980s Chevy Caprice crouches next to a rusting John Deere tractor under a shade tree . After all the sheriff 's deputies and trappers had left Tuesday afternoon , a scruffy red dog appeared , ears up , next to the tractor . The animal , alone , scampered off into the woods . | Dogs attacked woman , husband who tried to help her , Georgia authorities say . Sixteen animals euthanized ; couple 's pets to be adopted at same shelter . Pack instincts make untamed dogs dangerous , expert says . Spaying and neutering of pets might have prevented tragedy , shelter director says . | [[1773, 1842], [1845, 1858], [5923, 5972], [6021, 6043], [3094, 3124], [3207, 3217], [5119, 5186]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Samina Rajput speaks in hushed tones about her husband , Asif , who was killed alongside former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in the December 27 attack that convulsed the nation . Suicide bombings have killed 400 people and wounded nearly 1,000 others in the last three months . `` He always used to say ... ' I am ready to sacrifice my life for the party and my country , ' '' Rajput says . She clings to a weathered book with newspaper clippings of her husband , a 28-year-old Bhutto supporter who had great political ambitions . He wanted a brighter and freer Pakistan , Rajput says , as she turns the delicate pages of the scrapbook . The clippings on the faded pages offer little comfort . But a picture of their wedding day less than two years ago , buried among the pages , makes her face light up somewhat . `` As the widow of a martyr , one has to keep dignity , and I will do this up to my last breath , '' Rajput says , clasping her hands and rubbing them together . Suicide bombings like the attack that killed Bhutto and more than 20 of her supporters , including Asif , have intensified in recent months in Pakistan . Watch the devastating effects of bombings '' On Thursday , a suicide bomber killed at least 23 people and injured more than 58 others outside a court in Lahore , police said . The attack brought to 20 the number of suicide attacks in Pakistan in the last three months , including a failed attack on Bhutto 's life in October . The bombings have killed close to 400 people and wounded nearly 1,000 others in the last three months , according to government officials . Pro-Taliban militants with ties to al Qaeda are carrying out the attacks , according to analysts and government officials . CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen says the number of suicide bombings in Pakistan has `` reached unprecedented levels in the past year . '' Previously , Bergen says , such attacks were rare . `` The reason for this rise is because al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban have morphed together ideologically and tactically , and both see themselves at war with the Pakistani state , '' Bergen says . `` Many of the suicide attacks have been aimed at Pakistani politicians , officials and soldiers . '' Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has vowed to fight militancy and religious extremism , going after Taliban and al Qaeda within the country . Pakistan 's ambassador to the United States , Mahmud Ali Durrani , recently told CNN that the Pakistani military is `` totally focused on destroying al Qaeda and the Taliban network and not just one person . '' Still , the suicide bombers are succeeding , targeting political parties , rallies , military installations and anyone seen as a threat . Meanwhile , civilians are caught in the crossfire . `` They would like to destabilize our country , '' Azhar Hamdani , who survived a July attack , says of suicide bombers . Clutching a walker , Hamdani recalls the blast that changed his life . On July 17 , 2007 , a suicide bomber targeted a rally for Pakistani Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry , who was stripped of power by Musharraf . The explosion killed at least 12 people and wounded 35 others in the capital , Islamabad . Hamdani remembers a strong blast throwing him several yards . When he regained consciousness , he was missing his left eye and his right leg was severely injured . `` My leg was totally damaged , '' he says . `` My one left eye was damaged and I have several other injuries on my body . '' But at the time of the blast , Hamdani was not focused on his own pain , he says , because he was surrounded by the bodies of his dead friends lying in pools of blood . The bombings , he says , must be stopped . `` I hope that we will succeed and , God willing , we will try to stop these bloody cowards , '' he says . `` I do n't think they are Muslim . '' `` Innocent people are suffering . '' E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Wayne Drash contributed to this report . | 19 suicide bombings have rocked Pakistan over the last three months . Terror analyst : Number of attacks `` unprecedented '' as Taliban , al Qaeda join forces . Man wounded in attack says `` bloody cowards '' must be stopped . | [[230, 246], [274, 328], [1028, 1060], [1127, 1181], [1358, 1442], [1861, 1910], [3712, 3724], [3737, 3754], [3804, 3846]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Texas agency is installing videocameras and hiring security officers at a state school for mentally handicapped adults after allegations emerged that workers there staged `` fight club '' battles among residents . Admissions to the Corpus Christi State School in Corpus Christi , Texas have been suspended . The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services also announced Tuesday that it is suspending admissions to the Corpus Christi State School in Corpus Christi . A cell phone containing videos of the alleged abuse at the school was turned over to police last week , and authorities are expecting to file arrest warrants this week , Corpus Christi Police Capt. Tim Wilson said Tuesday . The incidents are believed to have taken place in a school dormitory , Wilson said , adding , `` this has been going on for some time . '' Watch how the ` fight club ' scandal unfolded '' The school 's workers `` are charged with the care and custody of these clients , and they are exploiting -LSB- them -RSB- , '' he said . In addition to the videocameras , the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services said it is increasing supervision of night shifts at the school . It also said state school representatives would be making random , unannounced inspections during evening and overnight shifts . Seven school employees have been placed on paid leave by the agency , according to department spokeswoman Cecilia Fedorov . Those employees are barred from coming onto the campus but must sign in at the gate every day they are on leave , she said . State officials are awaiting the outcome of the investigation to determine whether they should take further action , she said . Some former workers also will be interviewed , authorities said . Fedorov said the Department of Aging and Disability Services was told Friday by the state Department of Family and Protective Services that it was opening an investigation into possible abuse or neglect after being alerted to the situation by police . Wilson said those involved are likely to face charges of injury of a disabled person , which can range up to a third-class felony , depending on the extent of a person 's involvement . The actual charges , however , will be left up to the Nueces County district attorney , who is participating in the investigation along with the Texas Inspector General 's Office , he said . Corpus Christi police received the cell phone a week ago , Wilson said , after someone found it and gave it to an officer working security at a hospital . The officer looked at several of the videos and then gave the phone to the police 's forensic unit for analysis . More videos were found in the phone 's memory . `` It appears it was some sort of a fight club , '' Wilson said . Twenty videos were found on the phone , with dates going back about a year . All the videos featured the school 's `` clients , '' who are severely mentally handicapped , he said . On the videos , the clients `` are not upset like they are being forced , '' Wilson said . `` They are being more goaded into it . There 's a lot of voices on there from workers ... saying , ` Look at that , ha ha ' ... laughing , stuff like that . '' No clients are seen crying , upset or injured on the videos , he said , but none of the workers is seen stopping the fighting . `` The fighting entails pushing , wrestling and some shoving , '' Wilson said . The Department of Aging and Disability Services said Tuesday that the residents in the images had been assessed and were found to be free of injuries . They are receiving additional counseling , the agency said . Wilson said that four or five clients had been identified , as well as at least five workers , possibly as many as 10 . The clients are all adult males , ranging in age from their late teens into their 30s , he said , and as part of the investigation , the inspector general 's office has interviewed some of them . Police believe , based on the videos , that the `` fight club '' was confined to one dormitory , Wilson said . CNN 's Tracy Sabo and John Murgatroyd contributed to this report . | Texas authorities install cameras in school for mentally disabled . Admissions also suspended in wake of `` fight club '' scandal . Seven school employees placed on leave ; arrest warrants are pending . | [[0, 15], [19, 139], [329, 382], [388, 493], [1327, 1394], [1327, 1349], [1397, 1450]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The gunman who opened fire at Washington 's U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum this week is no better than a suicide bomber , a survivor of the Holocaust said . Sel Hubert , seen here with his wife , says education is the best weapon against bigotry . Sel Hubert , 83 , of Rye Brook , New York , said he also fears that through the shooter 's `` ultimate act of Holocaust denial , '' he has invigorated others who embrace hate and who might wish to exact violence against others . `` By doing this , he gives worldwide notoriety to himself and his ideals of hatred , '' said Hubert , who at 13 escaped Germany on a transport to England just weeks before World War II erupted . `` He chooses martyrdom to glorify his hatred similar to a suicide bomber . '' Authorities have charged James von Brunn with murdering Stephen Tyrone Johns , 39 , a security officer who opened a museum door Wednesday for the 88-year-old reputed white supremacist . Watch more on who von Brunn is '' Authorities say von Brunn acted alone , but Hubert says he represents all those who share his views . `` This empowers these people to think that this is how you get to be famous , gain notoriety , and they hope other people will mimic him -- and that 's scary , '' he said . Eva Rich Blumberg , 85 , of Rockville , Maryland , also worries that the shooting may have emboldened others to attack Jews and symbols of Jewish culture , she said . Blumberg , whose father was killed by Nazis and who spent about a year at Majdanek concentration camp in Poland in 1942 , was scheduled to speak Sunday at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington , but is now having second thoughts . Watch author discuss importance of combating Holocaust denial '' `` I lost everyone in the Holocaust . This incident just shook me up so that I do n't know what to say , '' she said . Anytime a group asks Blumberg to speak about the Holocaust , she obliges , she said , out of a sense of duty to educate people so that the atrocities perpetrated by Nazi Germany are never repeated . However , she said Thursday , the shooting at the museum leaves her wrestling with the decision on whether to deliver her speech this weekend . `` I 'm frightened . I do n't know what to do , '' she said . `` I could n't sleep all night because things keep coming back . '' Regina Spiegel , 83 , also of Rockville , believes education is one of the best weapons against bigotry . She volunteers at the museum on Wednesdays and was there when von Brunn allegedly opened fire with a .22 - caliber rifle . See photos from the museum '' Fortunately , Spiegel was downstairs and did n't hear the shots , but that did not dampen her anger and disgust over the incident . Spiegel , who met her husband of more than 60 years , Samuel , at a slave labor camp in Auschwitz , teaches children to shun hate in hopes they will blossom into productive adults unfettered by ignorance and prejudices -- `` just the opposite of what he is , '' she said , referring to the museum shooter . `` We do n't teach hate , '' she said firmly . `` This guy , every time I think about it , it makes me sick that there are such people around . '' Hubert , who is a board member of the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center , said the Holocaust museum stands as an important educational tool , particularly to young Americans , for providing lessons on the follies of hatred and genocide . Map of museum '' `` It 's an ultimate act of Holocaust denial and I and all Jews -- especially survivors -- feel violated all over again , '' he said . `` To attack that symbol is striking at the very heart of what the museum is trying to do , what America stands for -- the fight against bigotry and hatred . '' The Southern Poverty Law Center has described von Brunn as a `` hardcore neo-Nazi '' and Internet postings attributed to von Brunn allege that the Holocaust and Christianity are hoaxes . The postings further state that President Obama is a tool of `` Jew owners '' and that Adolf Hitler 's worst mistake was `` he did n't gas the Jews . '' Watch debate on free speech , hate crimes '' Hubert and Blumberg both expressed concern that von Brunn was able to express his hateful views on Jews and minorities via the Internet . Neither is impressed with the freedom-of-speech defense . `` Hitler 's Germany , they had freedom of speech and look what happened , '' Blumberg said . `` Freedom of speech has to be controlled . '' Added Hubert , `` It 's the uncontrolled Internet which provides the tools and means for this scourge to spread , and it 's a very dangerous thing that 's happening . '' While Hubert believes the United States should strengthen its laws to prevent these types of incidents from occurring again , he also concurs with Blumberg and Spiegel that the best way to counter bigotry is `` by placing greater emphasis on prejudice and hatred for next generation , '' he said . `` The lesson is we need to be vigilant and proactive in combating hatred , '' Hubert said . | Holocaust survivors fear museum shooting emboldens others who embrace hatred . Shooting leaves Eva Rich Blumberg pondering whether to deliver speech Sunday . Blumberg : `` I could n't sleep all night because things keep coming back '' Shooting highlights importance of `` placing greater emphasis on prejudice , hatred '' | [[396, 445], [1267, 1304], [1323, 1420], [1434, 1442], [1645, 1676], [2167, 2203], [2269, 2330], [4758, 4760], [4766, 4914]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The largest mass transit project in the country got under way Monday with the help of federal stimulus dollars , as public officials broke ground on a second passenger rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River . Work on the country 's largest mass transit project began Monday . The new tunnel will link New Jersey with New York and eventually will double capacity on the nation 's busiest rail corridor , running from Washington to Boston , Massachusetts , officials said . Officials participated in the groundbreaking for the $ 8.7 billion project as commuter trains passed behind them in North Bergen , New Jersey , before entering the existing train tunnel , which went into operation in 1908 . `` As we start digging this tunnel , I think that what really it means , we are digging our way out of an economic crisis , '' said Sen. Bob Menendez , D-New Jersey . `` As we 're getting under way , we 're seeing the dividends of the Recovery Act being paid right now . '' The Department of Transportation announced Monday that it will commit $ 3 billion to the project over its lifespan . Of that , $ 130 million is coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , the department said . . It is the largest commitment to any transportation project anywhere in the United States in the history of the Department of Transportation , according to administrator Peter Rogoff of the Federal Transportation Administration . `` This is what President Obama means by recovery . It means putting people back to work now to improve the lives of so many others for years to come , '' Rogoff said . The project -- known as ARC , for Access to the Region 's Core -- is expected to create 6,000 design and construction jobs . `` This is going to promote mobility , reduce commuter congestion , staunch carbon emissions , enhance regional competitiveness and lay a foundation for an extraordinary expansion of mass transit in the most densely populate state in the nation , New Jersey , '' New Jersey Gov. John Corzine said . New Jersey Transit says 170,000 passengers now travel through the existing train tunnel beneath the Hudson River to New York each day . When completed , the second tunnel will enable that figure to increase to 255,000 passenger trips . The additional passengers will disembark at a new concourse to be built at Penn Station in New York , 150 feet below street level . | Tunnel will link New Jersey with New York , doubles commuter rail capacity . Part of project financed by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act . ARC , Access to the Region 's Core , expected to create 6,000 jobs . | [[302, 351], [302, 316], [356, 426], [2179, 2193], [2196, 2278], [1123, 1194], [1619, 1681], [1685, 1743]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A collision involving two big-rigs and a car Wednesday caused an explosion that sent flames and clouds of smoke billowing and collapsed a highway overpass just north of Detroit , Michigan . Fire rages at the site of a tanker crash and overpass collapse on I-75 north of Detroit , Michigan , Wednesday . One of the tankers was traveling on the Interstate 75 about 8:30 p.m. in Hazel Park , near the Nine-Mile overpass , when the collision caused an explosion , said Lt. Shannon Simms of the Michigan State Police . It was headed northbound , said Bill Shreck of the Department of Transportation . Hazel Park is about 10 miles north of downtown Detroit . The explosion erupted upward , causing the overpass , carrying two lanes in each direction , to collapse , Simms said . Watch footage of fire '' Firefighters put out the blaze late Wednesday and were able to locate all three drivers of the vehicles involved in the crash . The three suffered minor injuries . One of the tankers was filled with thousands of gallons of fuel , Simms said . `` I just saw a huge ball of flame go up when I was at the red light , just went up in flame , '' said witness Mary Greib . `` I took off running . '' Said another witness , who did not want to be identified : `` We had a woman in a light-colored , midsized vehicle of some sort that was hesitant to pass the tanker . A number of vehicles were attempting to go around her in different directions . '' He said he was one of them , and passed her on the right , after which the explosion occurred . `` We are not sure what happened , '' he said . Vince Brennan said he was on the eighth floor of a nearby building when he heard the explosion coming from where `` a vicious curve '' exists on the highway . `` I heard a whole bunch of boom , boom , boom , '' he said . He ran to the window and looked down on a McDonald 's restaurant . `` You could n't even see it , it was so black with smoke , '' he said . `` The flames had to be 30 , 40 feet in the air . '' | Collision involving two big-rigs and a car erupts in a fiery explosion . Force of explosion causes overpass to collapse onto I-75 , police say . Three drivers involved in crash escape with minor injuries . Witness who saw huge ball of flame `` took off running '' | [[19, 73], [0, 15], [74, 140], [443, 476], [1063, 1094], [1074, 1152], [0, 15], [145, 195], [945, 980], [1063, 1094], [1074, 1152], [1187, 1207]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From Yellowstone National Park to the Everglades , America 's 391 national parks are in need of repair -- and thanks to the economic stimulus signed into law , help is now underway . President Obama and his family visit the Grand Canyon in Arizona , a national park . President Obama 's $ 787 billion economic stimulus plan passed in February and designated $ 750 million dollars to the national parks . But not all of the stimulus money is being used -- and the parks are facing a $ 9 billion backlog in maintenance projects . So far , nearly 10 percent is in the pipeline . `` We are picking away at it as much as we can and we 've been fortunate to have the recovery act money , '' said Jeffrey Olson of the National Park Service . Olson said half of the $ 9 billion is slated to go for road repairs . `` Half of that -LSB- $ 9 billion -RSB- is roads and about $ 2 billion of that are the most pressing needs -- those we get some help from the stimulus . The president 's budget proposal is calling for more maintenance and construction money , '' Olsen said . Dan Wenk , the acting director of the National Park Service says most of those pressing needs include , `` camp grounds , camp sites , it 's amphitheaters for evening programs . It 's the bathrooms . It 's literally everything we have to make our visits enjoyable . '' And those needs , Ranger Rocky Schroeder hopes , will be fulfilled soon . Watch more on the national parks facelift '' Schroeder patrols Prince William Park , about 35 miles outside the nation 's capital . It has more than a dozen historic cabins slated for repair and is just one of the 250 national parks getting a face lift because of the stimulus package . `` The stimulus will help keep our visitors here , keep them happy and keep them coming back , '' Schroeder added . And the numbers are good for national parks . As of the end of July , attendance at the parks is up roughly 3 percent from the same time last year , according to the parks service . In 2008 , nearly 275 million people visited the national parks compared to 272 million in 2006 . At Prince William Forest park , officials are hoping to start putting the money to use next month -- and said they 've had overwhelming interest . For these stimulus projects , they need to hire six additional people . So far , they 've received nearly 200 applications . The Interior Department estimates the stimulus allocation will create around 8,000 jobs over two years -- though many will be temporary . `` It 's stimulus because we are putting people to work ... but it 's also stimulus because we 're creating a better place ... increasing the visitor experience , '' Wenk said . Some Republicans , however , are skeptical . `` Clearly we need to improve our national parks ... but nobody should confuse that with economic stimulus . I mean frankly that 's just false advertising , '' Rep. Jeb Hensarlin , R-Texas , says . For Ron Tipton of the National Parks Conservation Association , the funding is vital . `` We must ensure our national parks are well funded to address the parks ' crumbling historic buildings and trails , enhance the Park Service 's ability to protect wildlife , and provide needed public education and services , '' he said on the association 's Web site . Olson believes that when economic times are tough -- especially during the current recession -- parks are an economically friendly alternative to more expensive getaways . `` We rise above other things like theme parks , '' he says . `` When times are tough economically , people turn inward and ask some really basic questions and there is nothing like being in a national park to ask those questions . '' Olson adds that 147 parks in the United States and in the nation 's territories have an entry fee , which ranges from $ 5 to $ 25 ; 244 do not have an entry fee . But when it comes to this money , the key question being asked : How is the stimulus money being used ? Nearly $ 56 million is for Washington landmarks , which some say are in dire need of repair . More than $ 14.5 million is going to Mesa Verde National Park and nearly $ 11 million has been allocated for the Grand Canyon . Schroeder said he is confident the infusion of stimulus dollars is a worthwhile investment . `` The national parks are our past , our history . '' | Obama plan designated $ 750M stimulus dollars to the national parks . There are 391 national parks across the country and in U.S. territories . Park Service is dealing with a $ 9 billion backlog of maintenance needs . An official says the popularity of parks is high because of hard economic times . | [[287, 342], [366, 422], [478, 546], [3297, 3468], [3317, 3389], [3393, 3468]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The newly named lawyer for Michael Jackson 's children makes her first court appearance Monday as a judge decides if he 'll approve a contract between Jackson 's estate and concert promoter AEG Live . Michael Jackson 's estate will be the subject of a court hearing today . Jackson 's mother , Katherine Jackson , who has custody of the three children , objected to provisions of the deal that would give AEG Live a share of rights to video of her son 's final rehearsals . Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff appointed estate law expert Margaret Lodise last week to represent the children after he decided their interests might sometimes conflict with their grandmother 's . Despite warnings by estate lawyers that a delay could cost millions of dollars , Beckloff delayed his decision on the AEG Live contract one week to give the children 's new lawyer time to weigh in on the deal . The contract would provide for an exhibition of Jackson memorabilia that would travel to at least three cities , according to Kathy Jorrie , a lawyer for concert promoter AEG Live . `` The longer we wait , the more time passes , frankly , the less interest there will be on the part of the public to come see it , '' Jorrie said . The judge has already approved a contract to allow Columbia Pictures to use video that AEG Live shot of Jackson 's last rehearsals for a documentary due out this fall . Columbia is a division of Sony Pictures . Sony Pictures said it would deliver the movie -- `` This Is It '' -- to theaters starting October 30 `` with the full support of the estate of Michael Jackson . '' Court papers filed last week revealed that Columbia Pictures would pay a minimum of $ 60 million for the rights to make the Jackson movie . Katherine Jackson 's lawyers , while endorsing the movie deal , have objected to terms given to AEG , saying they are too generous to the company . Jackson 's lawyers objected to the estate 's agreement to let AEG recover all its expenses from that money , then take 10 percent of the remainder . It also gives the company a perpetual share of the profits from the video rights . AEG Live 's lawyer said the company had made many concessions to the estate and could not make more . The judge previously has said he might approve the contracts even over Katherine Jackson 's objection . Jermaine Jackson , Michael Jackson 's older brother , told CNN 's Larry King recently that he likes the deals , which he said could bring in nearly $ 100 million into the estate . Katherine Jackson and Michael Jackson 's three children are the main beneficiaries of the estate , which is controlled by Jackson 's former lawyer , John Branca , and longtime Jackson friend and music executive John McClain . Branca and McClain were named in Jackson 's will as executors . Katherine Jackson is considering a challenge of their control of the estate . | Judge appointed attorney for interests of Michael Jackson 's children . Discussion between estate , AEG Live is ongoing . Executors have deal in mind , Katherine Jackson has expressed objections . | [[44, 98], [518, 655], [318, 335], [398, 432]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A newspaper aligned with Iranian reformist Mehdi Karrubi , who recently made headlines for claims that post-election detainees in Iran were raped behind bars , was shut down for running `` unlawful '' material , state-run media reported Monday . Mehdi Karrubi says an `` impartial committee '' is needed to investigate alleged mistreatment of detainees . An investigating judge said the popular newspaper , Etemad-e Melli , was ordered closed for what has been described as `` publishing unlawful and criminal material , '' state-run Press TV reported . Protesters outside the newspaper offices clashed with police Monday , the network also reported . On Sunday Masih Alinejad , a reporter and columnist with the paper , told CNN that officers from Iran 's judiciary confronted employees of Etemad-e Melli after hours as they were getting the Monday 's edition to print . She and Karrubi 's son , Hossein , said the newspaper had planned to run a firm response from Karrubi to his opponents , who have dismissed the allegations of detainee rapes . The officials told the employees that they `` were not allowed to come to the newspaper tomorrow , '' Alinejad , who is temporarily in the United States for a reporting assignment , told CNN . In a statement on Saham News , the official Web site of his father 's party , Etemad-e Melli , or the National Trust party , Hossein Karrubi said that the paper was forced to temporarily shut down . He cited the pending publication of his father 's response to `` the insults '' recently hurled at him for the shutdown . Early Monday , Etemad-e Melli 's Web site was still up with a report about a ban on the newspaper . It was not printed , and its offices were closed , Alinejad said . Hardliners have criticized Karrubi for openly describing the mistreatment of detainees arrested in the aftermath of the Islamic republic 's disputed June 12 election and calling for an investigation into prison conditions . Karrubi and fellow reformist candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi ran against hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , who was declared the overwhelming winner and was recently sworn in for his second term . The treatment of detainees at Iran 's prisons has increasingly become a high-profile issue , with human-rights groups accusing guards of conducting harsh interrogations , beatings , sleep deprivation , and threats of torture to coerce false confessions . In an August 8 posting on the Etemad-e Melli party 's Web site , Karrubi said he had heard descriptions of torture and violence that made his `` body shake . '' `` Some of the former detainees have told of such brutal and violent , repeated rapes of the young women -LSB- in detention -RSB- that have caused irreparable damage to their reproductive systems , '' Karrubi said . `` Others have raped our detained young men with such brutality that they -LSB- the victims -RSB- have been afflicted by depression and are no longer speaking with anyone and refuse to leave the dark corners of their houses . '' He added that an investigation would `` teach a lesson to the thugs and criminals in the future and prevent the smearing of the reputation of the Islamic Republic . '' Iran 's influential parliament speaker dismissed the allegations , calling them `` sheer lies , '' state-run media reported last week . Ali Larijani said a special panel of Iran 's parliament , or Majlis , conducted a `` precise and comprehensive inquiry '' into the treatment at Tehran 's Evin and Kahrizak prisons , and found `` no cases of rape or sexual abuse , '' Press TV reported . He challenged Karrubi to `` present evidence of such outrages '' for the Majlis to investigate , according to Press TV . Earlier Sunday , Iran 's official Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Karrubi had backed off the statements , quoting him as saying , `` I did not say that such things have certainly occurred , rather I said that there are rumors of such ugliness having taken place and I reiterated that God willing it is a lie and nothing but rumors . '' Alinejad questioned the legitimacy of the report , saying Karrubi 's real response would have been in Monday 's edition of Etemad-e Melli . | Karrubi was to run response to opponents in Monday edition , son and reporter say . Protesters outside newspaper offices clash with police , state-run Press TV reports . Hardliners criticize Karrubi for openly describing mistreatment of detainees . Human-rights groups accuse guards of conducting harsh interrogations . | [[905, 927], [940, 1023], [4074, 4082], [4125, 4213], [245, 278], [554, 586], [606, 654], [3313, 3352], [3583, 3605], [3606, 3608], [3703, 3726], [58, 89], [96, 190], [1762, 1848], [2286, 2387], [2315, 2412]] |
LOCKERBIE , Scotland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi 's fate hangs in the balance . The Libyan man convicted for the 1988 Lockerbie bombings has terminal prostate cancer and , according to his lawyers , just weeks to live . Mourners at the 20th anniversary memorial service for the victims of the Lockerbie bombing . Scotland 's Justice Minister Frank MacAskill is weighing up whether to release him on compassionate grounds so he can die at home ; to transfer him to a Libyan jail under a prisoner transfer agreement drawn up between Libya and the UK ; or whether to keep him in a Scottish jail for the rest of his days . That is certainly the preferred option of the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who last week wrote to Mr MacAskill urging him not to send Al Megrahi home . In Lockerbie itself , matters of politics seem far removed . George Stobbs was one of the first policemen on the scene when the Boeing 747 crashed into Sherwood Crescent . `` I 've never talked about the politics of the thing because I had no interest , '' he says . `` People here are n't interested in the politics , they just want to carry on with their lives . '' Stobbs has vivid memories of the night of December 21 , 1988 -- the `` shortest and darkest night of the year , '' he says . `` The houses were just slowly burning and more houses were catching fire . The windows were popping , the gutters were burning , everything was burning . It was like hell . I remember seeing a wrought iron gate in the distance and I remember it was dripping like molten butter , drip drip dripping away . '' At first Stobbs thought it was a military aircraft which had crashed into the town . Then he heard that the nose cone of a 747 had landed in a field three miles from Lockerbie and he knew that he was dealing with far greater numbers of dead . `` We were told about the 747 , '' he says , `` and we realized we were n't looking for twenty people but for 300 . But where were they ? '' There is a small memorial room beside the little church of Tundergarth , across the road from where the nose cone landed . Inside are inscriptions from visitors commemorating the huge loss of life and photographs of each of the 270 people who died in the Lockerbie bombing . `` Gentle Lockerbie '' reads one of the inscriptions from a family member who lost a loved one . `` Some say the land there is now tainted , I say it is blessed . '' In the field itself there are no marks to suggest where the nose cone landed . The local farmer points to the horizon across the rolling Scottish hills . `` Between here and the top of the hill , here on my father 's farm , we found 120 bodies , '' he says . The force of the explosion and the wind that night blew bits of the plane , personal possessions and body parts across a vast area . Stobbs , and hundreds of policemen and other volunteers combed 845 square meters of land looking for clues as to what brought the plane down . Documents from the plane were even discovered in the North Sea , 60 miles away . The crucial piece of evidence that implicated Al Megrahi was a scrap of clothing wrapped around a part of the device used to detonate the suitcase bomb . It was traced back to a Maltese boutique whose shop-owner recognized Al Megrahi . Lockerbie local John Gair said he was never entirely convinced of Al Megrahi 's guilt . `` I did feel that some of the evidence was circumstantial , '' he says . `` I think partly out of compassion and partly out of a possible element of doubt , he should be allowed out . '' As he looks down Sherwood Crescent at the neat rows of houses , not yet twenty years old , he says : `` Life goes on and once a tragedy like this is over people pick up the threads of their lives . And they do n't forget but they do n't dwell on it . Because there 's no earthly point in dwelling on any of this . '' 270 people from 21 nations lost their lives in the beautiful hills around Lockerbie . Some of them had been so badly incinerated no trace of them was ever found , just their personal belongings and the Pan Am passenger list which proved they 'd been on board . Twenty years later in the town of Lockerbie , the streets have been rebuilt , the past buried , but not forgotten . | CNN 's Diana Magnay travels to Lockerbie , Scotland 20 years on from the air tragedy . Retired police inspector George Stobbs recalls the scene of devastation . Hundreds of policemen and other volunteers combed 845 square meters of land . Lockerbie local John Gair said he was never entirely convinced of Al Megrahi 's guilt . | [[2838, 2913], [3285, 3372], [3316, 3372]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For many graduate students seeking an advanced education degree , obstacles abound . Issues of finance , time management and family logistics often get in the way of students furthering their education and their dreams . Palestinian Sawsan Salameh is attending an Israeli university after years of negotiations and court proceedings . For Sawsan Salameh , the obstacles also involved politics . Several years ago , Salameh , a 31-year-old Palestinian from the West Bank village of Anata , was granted a scholarship to study at Hebrew University of Jerusalem . Although her town is only a few miles from the university , access to the school was out of reach because of an Israeli military ban that limited Palestinian students ' access to Israeli universities , on security grounds . But she was far from giving up on her goal of pursuing her education . `` When I was in high school , it was a dream that I should finish my Ph.D. , '' Salameh said . After obtaining a master 's degree at Al Quds University , a Palestinian school in the West Bank , Salameh was granted full scholarships at several international schools , including Hebrew University . With the military ban in place , Salameh considered studying at a university abroad . `` I started to think I should get up and take this offer to leave , but it 's not easy to go abroad , and the only chance is for me to study in Israel , because it 's important for me to stay close to my family , '' Salameh said . Salameh sought the support of the Israeli human rights organization Gisha , which submitted a petition to Israel 's Supreme Court on her behalf in 2006 . The Supreme Court responded by asking the military to lift the ban and allow Salameh to study at Hebrew University , where she is pursuing a Ph.D. in pharmacology . `` We argued Sawsan 's case for 2 1/2 years , and at the end of the day , the military agreed to let Sawsan study , '' said Sari Bashi , director of Gisha . `` It was impossible to deny her incredible talents and the example she set for women and girls throughout the West Bank , '' Bashi says . The Israeli military agreed to review all future requests for Palestinians in the West Bank wishing to pursue a degree at an Israeli university on a case-by-case basis , based on specific criteria . The criteria include that the potential student clear all necessary internal security checks , that the student pursue a degree in a discipline that would encourage regional cooperation and develop area coexistence , and that the area of study not have the potential to cause damage to Israel , says Maj. Guy Inbar , spokesman for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories . The area of study must be supported by an international organization -LRB- such as the U.N. or the Red Cross -RRB- and approved by the Ministry of Education and must also be a degree unique to an Israeli university -LRB- not offered at a Palestinian university -RRB- . The request must come with a recommendation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , according to Inbar . After Salameh 's victory , Gisha , with the support of a number of Israeli academics , further appealed to the court to push the military to ease these limitations . The Israeli military 's heightened security concerns reflect heightened tensions in the region due to the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict . In July 2002 , a bomb exploded in the student cafeteria of Hebrew University , killing seven people . The Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas claimed responsibility for the explosion , according to Palestinian sources . Still , some academics at Hebrew University believe qualified students like Salameh pose no security risk , and their acceptance to Israeli universities could even foster better relations in the region . Professor Alon Harel , a law professor at Hebrew University , pushed for the appeal to lift the military 's criteria on Palestinian students . He believes that the admission of Palestinian students from the West Bank would enrich the academic environment at the university , particularly in the study of law . `` It 's particularly important for classes to be diverse , for people to have familiarity with Arabic studies and Islamic law , '' he said . Other academics agree that qualified students such as Salameh can only add to the diversity of the campus , where thousands of Israeli Arab students are enrolled . `` My personal feeling is that we should do everything we can to allow Palestinian students to study at Hebrew University , '' said Yaacov Schul , vice rector at Hebrew University . Salameh is a devout Muslim with a traditional background yet shirks pressure from family members to focus on marriage and motherhood . `` Everyday I have to hear something about -LSB- not being married -RSB- from relatives and aunts , '' she says . `` It 's become -LSB- the -RSB- usual . '' Salameh , who also provides valuable resources for young women at a women 's center she opened in her community , says she hopes her pursuit of higher education will open even more doors for young women also wishing to pursue a higher education and achieve their academic goals . `` I get lots of phone calls every day from girls in the West Bank who ask me how to apply to universities in Israel , '' Salameh said . `` Maybe they can become more than just a wife and mother and at least finish their first degree , '' she said . Salameh says she enjoys the collegial atmosphere at Hebrew University , where she studies among Israeli Arab , international and Israeli students . She is considering pursuing another degree after completing her Ph.D. in two years . `` I would like to help other people , and I hope the political situation will become better and things will become easier , '' she said . | Palestinian Sawsan Salameh faced many obstacles before attending Israeli school . She hopes she can open doors for other students to study where they want . She also has become a role model for girls in the West Bank to pursue education . | [[240, 353], [4894, 4901], [5008, 5156], [2022, 2033], [2038, 2086]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Jackson will be buried Saturday , August 29 , on what would have been the singer 's 51st birthday , according to a statement from publicist Ken Sunshine . Katherine Jackson has proposed she or one of her children be added as an executor to Michael 's will . The private ceremony will take place at Holly Terrace in The Great Mausoleum at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale , California , and `` will be limited to family and close friends , '' the statement said . Jackson died June 25 of cardiac arrest . The famed entertainer was 50 . Other Jackson plans have moved sluggishly . Monday , a judge delayed his approval of the exhibition agreement between concert promoter AEG Live and the Jackson estate until Friday , when he will hear testimony about why Michael Jackson 's mother , Katherine Jackson , thinks it should be renegotiated . The three-city exhibition of Jackson memorabilia could be derailed , as relations between Jackson 's mother , the men Jackson named as executors of his will and the promoter of his planned comeback concerts have been challenging . Questions surrounding Michael Jackson 's death and AEG Live 's role in his last days are an `` obvious source of tension '' as Katherine Jackson objects to the agreement , Jackson attorney Burt Levitch said . Michael Jackson 's family has `` floated '' the possibility of filing a wrongful-death lawsuit against AEG Live because of its `` very , very active role in Michael 's life during the last six months , '' Levitch said Monday . Levitch said AEG Live `` apparently paid for the services of Dr. Conrad Murray , who we 're told is under criminal investigation in connection with the decedent 's death . '' Warrants used to search Murray 's home and clinics indicated police were investigating his role in Jackson 's June 25 death . A source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN that Murray gave the anesthetic propofol to Jackson in the 24 hours before he died . `` There 's an obvious link between AEG and concerns that we have about the decedent 's demise , '' Levitch said . `` So , that 's one obvious source of tension right now . '' Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff set a November trial date to hear Katherine Jackson 's potential challenge of John Branca and John McClain , who were named as executors in Michael Jackson 's 2002 will . Katherine Jackson has proposed that she or one of her children be added as an executor . `` We think it 's important for the family to have a seat at the table , '' Levitch said . `` It 's not just a matter of making a quick buck here . '' A Jackson family member would be in the best position to guide Michael Jackson 's legacy , he said . Beckloff delayed a decision until Friday on Katherine Jackson 's objection to the agreement made by Branca and McClain , who are serving for now as special administrators of the estate , to allow AEG Live to produce a Michael Jackson exhibition . Jackson lawyers argued in Monday 's hearing that the 50-50 split of profits for the exhibition was too generous to AEG Live , but estate lawyers said they negotiated the best terms possible . AEG Live lawyer Kathy Jorrie said any further delay in approval would cause the company to abandon the deal and the company would not renegotiate . AEG Live would hold the exhibition just as a documentary about Jackson 's last months hits theaters at the end of October . `` It 's important to the world that we present them with the memorabilia at the time the movie is released , '' Jorrie said . The judge has approved a merchandising agreement and the movie deal , both of which were adjustments to the contract Jackson signed with AEG Live earlier this year for a string of 50 comeback concerts that were to start last month in London , England . Estate lawyer Howard Weitzman said canceling the exhibition deal could cost the Jackson estate $ 5 million . | NEW : Michael Jackson to be buried Saturday , August 29 . Judge delays approval of agreement between AEG Live , Jackson estate until Friday . Jackson family hints at possibility of filing wrongful-death lawsuit against AEG Live . AEG lawyer : Further delay in would cause company to abandon the deal . | [[0, 11], [44, 83], [645, 651], [654, 780], [2757, 2848], [1344, 1438], [1375, 1455], [3196, 3283], [3272, 3303]] |
Editor 's note : Rep. Jared Polis , a Democrat , represents Colorado 's 2nd Congressional District and is appearing in CNN.com 's `` Freshman Year '' series along with Rep. Jason Chaffetz , a Republican from Utah . Jared Polis says America 's immigration system is broken and urgently needs reform . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Twelve-year-old Josh Garcia courageously took the stage . Fighting back tears , he told how he came home from school one day to find that his father had been taken into an immigration detention facility . His father , an entrepreneur who had created dozens of jobs , was `` exactly the kind of person we want in this country . '' And there was n't a dry eye in the place as this young American boy told the audience how the next time he saw his father , he was traumatized to find him `` in a prison '' surrounded by men with guns . On June 13 , I sponsored an immigration town hall in my home state of Colorado to discuss the harm our broken immigration system is causing American families and the urgent need for comprehensive immigration reform . More than 1,600 attendees , including representatives from Protestant , Catholic , Jewish and Muslim faiths , filled the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Center in Northglenn and spilled outside onto the lawn in the hot June sun . Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput -- despite our many differences -- joined me onstage to urge people of faith to stand up for immigration reform . The audience listened with rapt attention as Josh and several other Americans directly impacted by our broken immigration laws recounted their haunting tales . Our current immigration system is broken and greatly in need of reform . In order to create real , long-lasting reform , we must create a pathway to legal status for the millions of undocumented immigrants who have made lives for themselves and their families in the United States . It is essential for our national security to know who resides within our borders . And this phenomenon is not unique to Colorado ; throughout the country , Americans agree that it is time to reform our broken immigration system . According to a recent poll of 1,000 voters by the Benenson Strategy Group , more than eight in 10 Democratic , Republican and independent voters support Congress passing comprehensive reform , as do 86 percent of voters who are undecided on the 2010 congressional race . Only 14 percent oppose the reform . Americans agree that comprehensive immigration reform is fair to both taxpayers -LRB- 81 percent agree -RRB- and illegal immigrants -LRB- 79 percent agree -RRB- , and 91 percent agree that the comprehensive proposal would help taxpayers by making illegal immigrants pay taxes . If we secure our borders and crack down on employers who illegally hire , and deport illegal immigrants who have committed crimes , nearly seven in 10 -LRB- 68 percent -RRB- voters argue that the remaining 12 million illegal immigrants should be required to register , meet conditions and eventually be allowed to apply for citizenship . A whopping 62 percent of self-identified Republicans say they should be allowed to stay and apply for citizenship . Clearly , Americans agree that the economic and national security burdens placed on state and local governments -- not to mention the incredible hardships placed on immigrant families -- because of the failures of federal immigration policy are unfair and that we desperately need meaningful reform . It is rare to find this kind of across-the-board consensus , and it indicates that rather than demagoguery , the American people want action . Our town hall 's other special guest , my colleague Rep. Luis Gutierrez , D-Illinois , formed the United Families movement . It works to bring diverse groups to the table from faith-based organizations , civil rights groups , unions and businesses to demand comprehensive immigration reform . Thanks to their leadership , progressives and conservatives in Colorado and across the country are working to urge President Obama and Congress to take it up this year . Amnesty alone is not the solution . We need real reform . We tried amnesty in the late 1980s , and because we never took serious steps at enforcement , we wound up in precisely the same predicament 20 years later . If all we do is pass amnesty , we will likely be having the same debate again a few years . Likewise , the `` enforcement-only '' policies of the past few years have failed and have resulted only in even more illegal immigration and the separation of American families . Trying to enforce our out-of-touch laws is as foolish and impossible as trying to enforce a law requiring that water flow uphill . The good news is that we can solve this issue . We can pass practical comprehensive immigration reform . Crafting a solution to this complex problem will require a debate , which should begin without delay . Citizens and elected leaders of this great nation must realize our common goal of putting an end to illegal immigration and demand immigration reform now . We are a nation of immigrants . Our diversity has always been our strength . We should be thankful that we have even have this problem to consider , thankful that America continues to be a beacon of hope and liberty , and thankful that the best and brightest from across the globe are fighting to start a better life in our country and take part in the American dream . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jared Polis . | Jared Polis : America urgently needs to reform broken immigration system . He says the public supports comprehensive immigration reform . America 's strength comes from being a nation of immigrants , Polis says . | [[215, 299], [232, 271], [232, 239], [276, 299], [951, 1068], [3421, 3460], [4103, 4124], [4955, 4958], [4971, 5041], [5048, 5079]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Travelers do n't always have to fight the masses and schlep overseas to find exotic vacation thrills . Safari West near Sonoma , California , offers a taste of Africa in North America . If you know where to look , you can find destinations closer to home that offer relief from crowds and pricey travel arrangements . The right location can generate the makings of an African or European vacation -- without leaving North America . Along the same lines , wine-lovers yearning for a taste of the Napa Valley do n't necessarily have to travel to California . Watch more about getaways with an exotic vibe '' Africa-like safari . If you 've always wanted to take an African safari but do n't have the time or money , Sarah Kantrowitz of Travel + Leisure recommends traveling to Sonoma , California , for a host of wild adventures . In the heart of wine country , Safari West offers a slice of Serengeti life with 400 acres of preserve . `` You 'll be able to visit almost 500 animals including cheetahs , zebra and wildebeest , '' says Kantrowitz . Climb aboard their Classic Safari Truck tour to observe over 80 species of wild animals in a natural habitat . Safari West 's director of communications Aphrodite Caserta calls the tour a `` do n't miss experience . '' `` Simply , '' she says , `` it 's a rare opportunity to experience an authentic African adventure without a passport and without the jet lag . And , without spending thousands of dollars . '' Safari West also offers private truck tours , educational animal presentations and overnight tent accommodations . They even offer many seasonal specials to make your stay more affordable . Check out http://www.safariwest.com/ for information on their Full Moon Madness package . You can save 50 percent off room rates on or around the full moon each month . Napa Valley-esque wine tastings . If it 's wine you want , find an alternative to Napa Valley in Michigan 's Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas . Here you 'll discover more than 850 acres of land and more than 20 wineries for your choosing . The area offers tastings and gourmet meals , and Kantrowitz says , `` The region is particularly known for its great pinot blancs . '' It also boasts plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities like scenic bike tours of the wine trails and camping on the lakeshore . Andrew MacFarlane , spokesperson for the Leelanau Peninsula Vintner 's Association , considers Michigan wine country unique because the effects of the Great Lakes perfect the wine and the atmosphere . He says , `` It 's blue skies , no humidity . It 's an absolutely beautiful place to come in any season . '' Check out Leelanau 's and Old Mission 's Web sites for winery lists , wine trail maps , special events and more . Pseudo-European getaways . With the Euro still dominating the American dollar , try looking in your own backyard for European flair with a considerably smaller price tag . You can get a taste of France without breaking the bank in Quebec . Quebec City , the province 's capital , offers an experience rich in cultural heritage . Settled about 400 years ago by French fur traders , the city hosts many examples of 18th and 19th century architecture and the distinction of being the only fortified city north of Mexico . `` Consider walking the streets and exploring the wonderful shops that sell wine , cheese and delicious baguettes , '' says Kantrowitz . Visit http://www.quebecregion.com/e/ for Quebec City 's calendar of events and recommendations for dining , shopping and lodging in the area . Here you can also find information on different tours and package deals . If it 's Spanish culture that interests you , look no further than St. Augustine , Florida . The nation 's oldest city was founded more than 400 years ago , and its Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum gives visitors the opportunity to see what life was like in the city when it was still an outpost of the Spanish empire . Through the state 's preservation effort , many of the colonial buildings in St. Augustine have been restored to their original appearance . Kantrowitz suggests taking a pedestrian route through the city . She says , `` Try a walking tour to see a lot of architecture that is very reminiscent of Spain itself . '' Head over to http://www.visitflorida.com/ for St. Augustine photos , up-to-date deals and user-generated activity suggestions . | St. Augustine , Florida , offers Old World Spain without leaving North America . 400-year-old Quebec City is the only fortified city north of Mexico . California has a slice of Africa 's Serengeti : cheetahs , zebra and wildebeest . Michigan 's Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas offer excellent wine tourism . | [[3649, 3670], [3692, 3726], [3102, 3151], [3154, 3291], [3739, 3800], [953, 1041], [1873, 1883], [1895, 1982]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South African teenager Caster Semenya won the women 's 800 meters gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin , just hours after the sport 's governing body asked for the 18-year-old 's gender to be verified . Semenya celebrates her gold , which came just hours after the IAAF called for a gender test on the athlete . Semenya crushed her rivals by streaking away to secure victory in a time of one minute 55.45 seconds -- the best time in the world this year . Defending champion Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya took the silver with Briton Jennifer Meadows claiming bronze . However , the race was run amid controversy following the announcement by the International Amateur Athletics Federation -LRB- IAAF -RRB- . Watch outrage over allegations '' `` The gender verification test is an extremely complex procedure , '' said IAAF spokesman Nick Davies -- who revealed the question of Semenya 's gender was first raised after her astonishing African junior championship displays . `` In the case of this athlete , following her breakthrough in the African junior championships , the rumors , the gossip were starting to build-up , '' Davies added to reporters . There have been precedents in such cases , the most famous being that of Polish athletics great Stella Walsh , who won Olympic gold in the 100 yards at the 1932 Olympics and silver in the same event in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin . However , after she was shot dead during an armed robbery in 1980 , the subsequent autopsy revealed she possessed male genitalia , although she also had female characteristics as well . Meanwhile , Yusuf Saad Kamel secured Bahrain 's first-ever medal with a superb late surge to claim gold in the men 's 1,500 meters . Kamel , who until 2003 competed for Kenya as Gregory Konchellah and is the son of former two-time world 800m champion Billy , won in a time of three minutes 35.93 seconds . Ethiopia 's world indoor champion Deresse Mekonnen claimed a surprise silver with defending champion Bernard Lagat , also Kenyan-born but now competing for the United States , in bronze . '' `` It 's amazing to win a world title just like my father . The only thing left for me to do is to beat his times and win more medals and get to the front of my family , '' Kamel told reporters . Olympic silver medallist Asbel Kiprop of Kenya could only finish fourth after leaving himself too much to do down the home straight . Elsewhere , sprint king Usain Bolt produced an effortless run to coast into the men 's 200m final and remain on course to claim a world sprint double to add to his Olympic sprint double from Beijing . The 22-year-old Jamaican , who set a new world record of 9.58 seconds in winning the 100m on Sunday eased home to win his semifinal in 20.08 seconds and only injury looks like depriving him of gold . `` I just try and get through and make it as easy as possible , '' Bolt told reporters . `` I 've been training for this for a long time now . I know what I have to do . '' There was more sprint joy for Jamaica when Bolt 's compatriot Brigitte Foster-Hylton ran a season 's best time of 12.51 seconds to finally claim gold in the women 's 100m hurdles . The 34-year-old , who won world bronze in Helsinki in 2005 and silver in Paris in 2003 , secured her first global title by edging out Canada 's Olympic bronze medallist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep . Another Jamaican , Delloreen Ennis-London , took the bronze medal . However , the biggest cheer of the night at an electric Olympic Stadium was reserved for Germany 's Robert Harting , who dramatically won the men 's discus gold with his sixth and final throw of 69.43 meters . Poland 's long-time leader Piotr Malachowski won silver with a throw of 69.15 m with defending world and Olympic champion Gerd Kanter of Estonia claiming the bronze with 66.88 m . The victory was host nations Germany 's second of the championships after Steffi Nerius claimed gold in the women 's javelin on Tuesday . | Caster Semenya wins women 's 800m gold at World Athletics Championships . South African secures victory after IAAF asked for gender test on the teenager . Yusuf Saad Kamel claims Bahrain 's first-ever medal with gold in men 's 1,500 m . | [[0, 15], [19, 142], [162, 225], [196, 242], [301, 351], [1607, 1616], [1619, 1696], [1677, 1739]] |
SOWETO , South Africa -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's late Sunday morning inside a cavernous Salvation Army Church in Soweto , South Africa . Services , complete with African and traditional music , have just finished and a catchy drum beat with a distinctly American hip-hop sound is coming from the stage . Laura DiFilippi , 12 , gets ready to board the bus in Bushwick , Brooklyn , to go to the airport . The group of teenagers dancing around the drums is 8,000 miles and an 18-hour plane ride from their New York home . They are mostly from Bushwick , Brooklyn -- a community of about 109,000 people only five miles from Manhattan . For some of these kids , it 's their first time away from home . Unfamiliar with Bushwick ? It 's mostly a working class neighborhood where families have often struggled . For years it was a community with a thriving drug trade , severely under-achieving schools , extreme poverty and a staggering rate of teenage pregnancy . It was ravaged by fires and looting during the summer of 1977 and hit hard by the crack epidemic in the 1980s . Bushwick is recovering now , but half of the children under age 18 still live below the poverty line . A quarter of the adults never make it past the ninth grade and more than half never graduate from high school . The children on this trip to South Africa are what educators and social workers call `` at-risk '' -- at risk of having babies as teenagers ; at risk of never finishing high school or achieving their dreams ; at risk of never knowing the world beyond their neighborhood . Thirty of these children , between the ages of 12 to 16 , have been paired up with college-aged mentors and brought to South Africa by Malaak Compton-Rock , the wife of comedian Chris Rock . She brought them to volunteer -- to serve the impoverished and the AIDS orphans in this country with the highest HIV-infected population in the world . Watch the kids ' video diaries from South Africa '' Compton-Rock has carved her own niche in espousing service -- giving back . She often quotes her mentor Marian Wright Edelman , founder of the Children 's Defense Fund : `` Service is the rent we pay for living . '' The South Africa trip is Compton-Rock 's brainchild -- to broaden the horizons of young teens and give them perspective on their own lives . Watch : The kids witness devastating effect of AIDS in South Africa '' `` I believe by traveling you open up your life , '' Compton-Rock tells a crowd gathered for a press conference the morning after the group has arrived . `` You do n't think locally , you start to think globally and internationally and I think it gives you a sense of confidence . '' She also wants the children to know , `` that in the United States of America , even in Bushwick , we have certain services that I want the children to understand that they need to take advantage of . '' Compton-Rock is talking about access to free public education , food , knowledge and social mobility -- elusive things for South Africa 's impoverished and particularly so for 1.4 million AIDS orphans there . One of the mentors on this trip is 20-year-old Alicia Gerald . `` I know that in my own experience , '' Alicia says . `` Just having someone put their hand out and say ' I believe that you can be great , ' has really helped me rise to those expectations . '' Photos : Meet some of the kids '' Alicia is from Bedford-Stuyvesant , a troubled community just blocks away from Bushwick . It 's also where Compton-Rock 's husband grew up . Compton-Rock has required all of the children selected for the trip to sign one-year contracts to become `` global ambassadors . '' As ambassadors they are required to tell their friends and neighbors about their experiences -- through writing , blogging , photographs and speeches . The idea , Compton-Rock explains , is that if a child is given a unique opportunity , she or he , is `` obligated to bore a hole and take someone through with you . '' Among the children on Compton-Rock 's `` Journey for Change '' mission is Laura DiFilippi , a quiet girl who 's overcome a lot of challenges in her 12 years . Constant moving and instability in her family life meant it was tough to find the documents needed for travel . For a while , it seemed as thought she would n't be able to get her U.S. passport . With the help of Compton-Rock 's assistant , Cece Falls , Laura got the paperwork done and her passport was issued just 24 hours before the kids piled onto the bus for the airport . There is also 15-year-old Jeremy Baker , with a broad smile and slight frame . He is growing up in the projects with four siblings and hits the basketball courts every morning before breakfast during the summer . His dream ? `` Senior year I 'd get a scholarship to Connecticut , UConn , play there , '' says Jeremy . `` Then , like after my sophomore year in college , go to the NBA , get drafted by Detroit . '' It 's a dream of many young black men , but a recent study suggests only .03 percent of the youngsters playing ball as seniors in high school actually make it to the NBA . Another young man , who makes magic with the drums and also smiles broadly , is 14-year-old Jonathan Severe . Compton-Rock snaps pictures while dancing to the beat and tapping on a nearby African drum . She is shaking her head in both joy and disbelief , clearly thrilled by what she sees . It 's been less than 48 hours since the group has arrived ; they have n't even begun their service yet , and already the young man is opening up in a way she had never expected . Jonathan said maybe six words during his interview for entry to the program , and despite Compton-Rock 's best mothering skills he never lifted his eyes from the floor . His grandmother came with him to the interview and kicked his leg under the table to get him to speak . It did n't work . He barely spoke and when he did , you could hardly hear him . It was n't easy for Compton-Rock to decide to take him to Africa . Her selection committee feared he did n't have the communication skills needed to be an ambassador . Two days into the trip and Jonathan is effusive . I literally have to cut him off in interviews to get a word in . To see that , so early on , has been one of the thrills of this trip for me . Two days in and I can already tell this experience will be life-changing for all of us . What will they learn and discover about themselves , and the world ? I 'll let them tell you . All the kids have been asked to blog about the joys and the challenges , the things they 're learning and the disappointments . We 're taking photos and documenting every step they take in South Africa . The Bushwick kids came to make a difference in the lives of these vulnerable kids in South Africa . It will be equally interesting to see how South Africa 's children make a difference in the lives of these children from Bushwick . | Thirty kids from Bushwick , Brooklyn , took part in `` Journey for Change '' Malaak Compton-Rock spearheaded the mission to empower `` at-risk '' youth . Kids , ages 12 to 15 , volunteered to serve the impoverished , AIDS orphans . Kids were required to sign one-year contracts to become `` global ambassadors '' | [[1758, 1775], [1779, 1897], [1746, 1749], [1779, 1825], [3568, 3637]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A United Nations court convicted a former governor of Rwanda to life in prison for his role in a 1994 genocide that left about 800,000 dead in the central African country . An estimated 800,000 people -- mainly Tutsis -- were killed in Rwanda in 1994 . Tharcisse Renzaho was found guilty of genocide , crimes against humanity and war crimes . The verdict , delivered Tuesday , is the third judgment on charges of genocide delivered this year by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda -LRB- ICTR -RRB- . The U.N. court is holding hearings in Arusha , Tanzania , where it is based . Renzaho was governor of the capital , Kigali , and a colonel in the Rwandan Armed Forces in 1994 during the country 's genocide , when extremist militias made up of ethnic Hutus slaughtered ethnic Tutsis across Rwanda . It began in April of that year and within 100 days , an estimated 800,000 people were killed . The court found that Renzaho ordered soldiers , police and militias to set up roadblocks to identify Tutsi civilians to be executed . It found he ordered the distribution of weapons to people who then killed Tutsis . Renzaho also supervised a selection process at a refugee site where about 40 Tutsis were abducted and killed , the court found . Renzaho participated in an attack at the Sainte Famille church in which more than 100 Tutsis were killed . People across Rwanda sought refuge in churches all over the country as the genocide unfolded . He also made remarks encouraging the sexual abuse of women , according to the court , and was found criminally liable for the rapes that followed . The genocide ended when Tutsi-led militias backing Rwandan President Paul Kagame ousted the Hutu government supporting the massacre . Renzaho was arrested in September 2002 in the Democratic Republic of Congo . His trial began in January 2007 and closed in September that year after hearing from 53 witnesses , including Renzaho . Throughout the trial , Renzaho maintained his innocence and said he had no association with the militia . Renzaho 's lawyer blamed the case on political interference by the Rwandan government . Renzaho has the right to appeal the verdict . The decision is the third judgment on charges of genocide delivered this year by the tribunal . Emmanuel Rukundo , a former military chaplain , was convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity and sentenced to 25 years in prison . The court found Rukundo had a history of contempt for Tutsis and his fellow clergymen , and that he ordered the killings of Tutsi civilians . Callixte Kalimanzira was sentenced to 30 years in prison for genocide and incitement to commit genocide . The court found that Kalimanzira , a senior civil servant who at one point worked with the Interior Ministry , participated in various massacres of Tutsi civilians and actively encouraged other crimes against them . Prosecutors at his trial said he beat some Tutsis to death and called for the elimination of all Tutsis , including pregnant women and their babies . | Tharcisse Renzaho guilty of genocide , crimes against humanity , war crimes . 3rd genocide judgment this year by International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda . Renzaho governor of Kigali in 1994 during the country 's genocide . Court : Renzaho ordered roadblocks to identify Tutsi civilians to be executed . | [[272, 361], [2286, 2302], [2334, 2387], [399, 499], [362, 375], [396, 440], [2190, 2247], [2206, 2285], [114, 129], [135, 191], [608, 704], [944, 1039], [971, 1056], [2523, 2567]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A United Nations court convicted a former governor of Rwanda to life in prison for his role in a 1994 genocide that left about 800,000 dead in the central African country . An estimated 800,000 people -- mainly Tutsis -- were killed in Rwanda in 1994 . Tharcisse Renzaho was found guilty of genocide , crimes against humanity and war crimes . The verdict , delivered Tuesday , is the third judgment on charges of genocide delivered this year by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda -LRB- ICTR -RRB- . The U.N. court is holding hearings in Arusha , Tanzania , where it is based . Renzaho was governor of the capital , Kigali , and a colonel in the Rwandan Armed Forces in 1994 during the country 's genocide , when extremist militias made up of ethnic Hutus slaughtered ethnic Tutsis across Rwanda . It began in April of that year and within 100 days , an estimated 800,000 people were killed . The court found that Renzaho ordered soldiers , police and militias to set up roadblocks to identify Tutsi civilians to be executed . It found he ordered the distribution of weapons to people who then killed Tutsis . Renzaho also supervised a selection process at a refugee site where about 40 Tutsis were abducted and killed , the court found . Renzaho participated in an attack at the Sainte Famille church in which more than 100 Tutsis were killed . People across Rwanda sought refuge in churches all over the country as the genocide unfolded . He also made remarks encouraging the sexual abuse of women , according to the court , and was found criminally liable for the rapes that followed . The genocide ended when Tutsi-led militias backing Rwandan President Paul Kagame ousted the Hutu government supporting the massacre . Renzaho was arrested in September 2002 in the Democratic Republic of Congo . His trial began in January 2007 and closed in September that year after hearing from 53 witnesses , including Renzaho . Throughout the trial , Renzaho maintained his innocence and said he had no association with the militia . Renzaho 's lawyer blamed the case on political interference by the Rwandan government . Renzaho has the right to appeal the verdict . The decision is the third judgment on charges of genocide delivered this year by the tribunal . Emmanuel Rukundo , a former military chaplain , was convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity and sentenced to 25 years in prison . The court found Rukundo had a history of contempt for Tutsis and his fellow clergymen , and that he ordered the killings of Tutsi civilians . Callixte Kalimanzira was sentenced to 30 years in prison for genocide and incitement to commit genocide . The court found that Kalimanzira , a senior civil servant who at one point worked with the Interior Ministry , participated in various massacres of Tutsi civilians and actively encouraged other crimes against them . Prosecutors at his trial said he beat some Tutsis to death and called for the elimination of all Tutsis , including pregnant women and their babies . | Tharcisse Renzaho guilty of genocide , crimes against humanity , war crimes . 3rd genocide judgment this year by International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda . Renzaho governor of Kigali in 1994 during the country 's genocide . Court : Renzaho ordered roadblocks to identify Tutsi civilians to be executed . | [[272, 361], [2286, 2302], [2334, 2387], [399, 499], [362, 375], [396, 440], [2190, 2247], [2206, 2285], [114, 129], [135, 191], [608, 704], [944, 1039], [971, 1056], [2523, 2567]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Marching in dramatic silence , many with tape over their mouths , hundreds of thousands of Iranians kept alive public support for opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi Wednesday even as the government stepped up efforts to thwart daily protests calling for a new presidential election . Supporters of defeated reformist candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi line the streets of Tehran Wednesday . Large crowds gathered in Haft-e-Tir Square in central Tehran Wednesday evening for a fifth day of protests , according to witnesses . The demonstrators are demanding that officials throw out the results of the balloting Friday that kept hardline incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power . More protests are expected Thursday after Moussavi , in a message on his Web site , called for an afternoon `` ceremony of mourning , '' which he planned to attend . Referring to those who have died or been wounded `` as a result of illegal and violent clashes '' with his opponents , Moussavi urged people to gather in mosques and holy sites and wear `` mourning symbols '' in a show of sympathy and support for the families . The protests have claimed at least eight lives , according to Iran 's government-funded Press TV . The eighth death was included in a report the Intelligence Ministry provided to parliament Wednesday , the network said . View a map of major rallies in Tehran '' The National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Majlis briefed lawmakers `` about the current situation in the country , '' Press TV reported . No details of the report have been made public . Iran is also investigating reports of violence at a Tehran University dormitory in the wake of rallies sparked by last week 's disputed election . Moussavi and former President Mohammad Khatami sent a joint letter asking Iran 's courts to quell post-election violence and release protesters who have been arrested . The letter , posted on Moussavi 's Web site , said , `` the use of violence against ordinary people , raiding people 's residences just because they chant the sacred phrase of Allh-o-akbar -LRB- Allah is great -RRB- , beating up women and men , destroying buildings '' is not in line with the standards of the Islamic Republic . For a second day Wednesday , pro-Moussavi marchers urged their peers to march silently -- perhaps as a way of keeping a low profile in the face of riot police , witnesses told CNN . Protesters held placards and posters reading , `` Where is my vote ? '' and `` Freedom , '' the witnesses said . Some held signs that said `` Silence '' and put their finger to their lips . Several business owners reported that they closed up shop early so their employees could attend Wednesday 's rally . The government cracked down by banning international media from covering the protests and blocking access to Web sites . Watch Christiane Amanpour on media restrictions '' A CNN iReporter who is not being identified said Wednesday 's rally ended without incident . `` The people of Iran are finally fed up with the lies , the temperament , the foolish actions of Ahmadinejad , '' a 20-year-old Iranian man told CNN . Authorities in Tehran transported dozens of protesters to jail Tuesday and blocked access to social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook . The government accused international reporters of being the `` mouthpiece '' of `` hooligans '' who have created unrest , and said it could not guarantee the safety of those reporters . -LRB- Full story -RRB- . `` I do believe them because the militia , they do n't care who you are . If they see a camera , you will be a target , '' said a CNN producer who is not being identified for his safety . He was referring to the Basij , a volunteer paramilitary force that takes its orders from the Revolutionary Guard and is suspected of being behind most of the violent acts . Citizens were barred from using typical means of getting Iran 's stories to the outside world , but amateur videos and photos blossomed on sites such as YouTube and CNN 's iReport . The content was impossible to verify in most cases , and much of it was posted anonymously or through third parties , some with little information . iReport.com : On the ground in Iran . Iran 's Revolutionary Guard corps said it will pursue legal action against Web sites that it said were inciting people to riot . The Guard , a military unit that enforces the government 's Islamic codes and morality , blamed U.S. , British and Canadian companies , including American intelligence agencies , for financially and technically supporting the Web sites . Despite the Guard 's threats , defiant Moussavi backers stood firm . `` We are fighting with our lives and the world is just watching , '' said Ali , a Tehran University student who requested his last name not be used . `` They see how the government is trying to silence us , how they are beating us -- but they do n't come to our help . It 's OK . We will succeed , even if we have to fight alone . '' Though the focus of demonstrations has been in Tehran , reports of protests and violence sprouted in all corners of Iran . Human rights group Amnesty International , which is monitoring the situation through media reports and a network of local correspondents , said people had protested in Tabriz and Bobol in the north , Shiraz in the south and Mashad and Zahedan in the east . It reported several deaths in Oroumiye and Shiraz as well as beatings by police , use of tear gas and the detention of hundreds of protesters . A video on CNN 's iReport site by a third party showed several people who apparently had been shot , purportedly in the city of Esfahan , about 200 miles south of Tehran , and others attempting to treat them without medical supplies . In Shiraz , 28-year-old Najmeh said she has taken to the streets every day since Saturday -- much to the chagrin of her worried parents . But Wednesday , the hospital nurse said no more . `` The police are everywhere you look , '' she said . `` They hurt and arrested so many people last night that no one wants to go out . '' Thousands of miles away , members of Iran 's national soccer team sported green arm and wrist bands Wednesday during their World Cup qualifying match against South Korea . The team does not normally wear bands of green , the venerated color of Islam that has been adopted by Moussavi supporters , and many Iranians viewed the gesture as a sign of support , although that has not been confirmed . -LRB- Full story -RRB- . Meanwhile , the Swiss ambassador to Iran -- the protecting power of the U.S. in Iran -- was called into the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday to hear Iranian complaints regarding U.S. interference in Iran 's election process , P.J. Crowley , assistant secretary of state for public affairs , told reporters in Washington . U.S. President Barack Obama has voiced `` deep concerns '' about the elections , as has the European Union . But neither has dismissed the election results outright . Counter-demonstrations by Ahmadinejad backers have also drawn thousands , reflecting a deep fissure in the country . Iran 's all-powerful leader , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , appealed to the citizenry to stand behind the Islamic republic . He is to deliver a sermon Friday that will be closely watched for a sign of how the government plans to resolve the stalemate . On Tuesday , Khamenei -- who has given his blessing to the election results -- asked the country 's election authority , the Guardian Council , to recount some of the votes . But Moussavi is asking for fresh elections . CNN 's Samson Desta and Reza Sayah in Tehran , and Mitra Mobasherat and Saeed Ahmed in Atlanta , contributed to this report . | Thousands protest in Tehran in support of opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi . Iranian elite military warns of legal action against social networking Web sites . Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei urges Iranians to stand behind republic . | [[99, 201], [321, 423], [424, 518], [4264, 4348], [7153, 7180], [7208, 7272]] |
Editor 's note : Wendell Potter has served since May 2009 as senior fellow on health care at the Center for Media and Democracy , a nonprofit organization that says it seeks to expose `` corporate spin and government propaganda . '' After a 20-year career as a corporate public relations executive , Potter left his job last year as head of communications for one of the nation 's largest health insurers , CIGNA Corporation . Ex-insurance company spokesman Wendell Potter says the industry seeks to drive the health care debate . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Having grown up in one of the most conservative and Republican places in the country -- East Tennessee -- I understand why many of the people who are showing up at town hall meetings this month are reacting , sometimes violently , when members of Congress try to explain the need for an expanded government role in our health care system . I also have a lot of conservative friends , including one former co-worker who was laid off by CIGNA several years ago but who nonetheless worries about a `` government takeover '' of health care . The most vocal folks at the town hall meetings seem to share the same ideology as my kinfolks in East Tennessee and my former CIGNA buddy : the less government involvement in our lives , the better . That point could n't have been made clearer than by the man standing in line to get free care at Remote Area Medical 's recent health care `` expedition '' at the Wise County , Virginia , fairgrounds , who told a reporter he was dead set against President Obama 's reform proposal . Even though he did n't have health insurance , and could see the desperation in the faces of thousands of others all around him who were in similar straits , he was more worried about the possibility of having to pay more taxes than he was eager to make sure he and his neighbors would n't have to wait in line to get care provided by volunteer doctors in animal stalls . Watch Potter interview with Sanjay Gupta '' Friday morning my former CIGNA buddy sent me an e-mail challenging something he said his wife heard me say in a radio report about my press conference in the Capitol on Wednesday with Rep. Louise Slaughter , D-New York , chairwoman of the House Rules Committee . `` She heard you say that these protestors are funded by the insurance companies . Frankly , nothing would surprise me , but certainly not each and every person , '' he wrote . `` If there was a meeting near me , I certainly would tell my local representative how I feel about this entire subject -LRB- and it would n't be pretty -RRB- , and I certainly am not funded by anyone . So I am ultimately wondering what proof there is that seemingly ordinary Americans are finally protesting what is going in Washington and there are all of these suggestions of a greater conspiracy . '' If the radio report had carried more of my remarks , he might have a better understanding of how the health insurance and its army of PR people are influencing his opinions and actions without his even knowing it . Until I quit my job last year , I was one of the leaders of that army . I had a very successful career and was my company 's voice to the media and the public for several years . It was my job to `` promote and defend '' the company 's reputation and to try to persuade reporters to write positive stories about the industry 's ideas on reform . During the last couple of years of my career , however , I became increasingly worried that the high-deductible plans insurers were beginning to push Americans into would force more and more of us into bankruptcy . The higher I rose in the company , the more I learned about the tactics insurers use to dump policyholders when they get sick , in order to increase profits and to reward their Wall Street investors . I could not in good conscience continue serving as an industry mouthpiece . And I did not want to be part of yet another industry effort to kill meaningful reform . I explained during the press conference with Rep. Slaughter how the industry funnels millions of its policyholders ' premiums to big public relations firms that provide talking points to conservative talk show hosts , business groups and politicians . I also described how the PR firms set up front groups , again using your premium dollars and mine , to scare people away from reform . What I 'm trying to do as I write and speak out against the insurance industry I was a part of for nearly two decades is to inform Americans that when they hear isolated stories of long waiting times to see doctors in Canada and allegations that care in other systems is rationed by `` government bureaucrats , '' someone associated with the insurance industry wrote the original script . The industry has been engaging in these kinds of tactics for many years , going back to its successful behind-the-scenes campaign to kill the Clinton reform plan . A story in Friday 's New York Times about the origin of the absurdly false rumor that President Obama 's health care proposal would create government-sponsored `` death panels '' bears out what I have been saying . The story notes that the rumor emanated `` from many of the same pundits and conservative media outlets that were central in defeating Bill Clinton 's health care proposal 16 years ago , including the editorial board of The Washington Times , the American Spectator magazine and Betsy McCaughey , whose 1994 health care critique made her a star of the conservative movement -LRB- and ultimately , the lieutenant governor of New York -RRB- . '' The big PR firms that work for the industry have close connections with those media outlets and stars in the conservative movement . One of their PR firms , which created and staffed a front group in the late '90s to kill the proposed `` Patients ' Bill of Rights , '' launched a PR and advertising campaign in conservative media outlets to drum up opposition to the bill . The message : President Clinton `` owed a debt to the liberal base of the Democrat Party and would try to pay back that debt by advancing the type of big government agenda on health care that he failed to get in 1994 . '' The industry goes to great lengths to keep its involvement in these campaigns hidden from public view . I know from having served on numerous trade group committees and industry-funded front groups , however , that industry leaders are always full partners in developing strategies to derail any reform that might interfere with insurers ' ability to increase profits . So the next time you hear someone warning against a `` government takeover '' of our health care system , or that the creation of a public health insurance option would send us down the `` slippery slope toward socialism , '' know that someone like I used to be wrote those terms , knowing it might turn many of the very people who would benefit most from meaningful reform into unwitting spokespeople for the industry . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Wendell Potter . | Wendell Potter : In my former job , I helped shape public opinion on health care . He says insurance companies quietly seek to counter reform measures . Potter : Industry worked to kill the Clinton health reform plan . He says he did n't want to be part of another effort to kill a health care plan . | [[4838, 4913], [3885, 3945]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former motor-racing engineer has unveiled a prototype of a new hydrogen-powered city car which claims to emit less than one third of the carbon emissions produced by its nearest rival . The Riversimple Urban Car has been nine years in the making and needs further funding for city trials . The creators of the ` Urban Car , ' UK-based company Riversimple , say the vehicle emits less than 30 grams per kilometer of carbon dioxide , less than one third of the carbon produced by the Polo Bluemotion . Riversimple founder Hugo Spowers has spent nine years researching and developing the prototype car . `` I think that the auto industry is focusing a lot of money on research and development at a basic science level on hydrogen storage and fuel cell technology . We do n't think it 's necessary to do that , '' Spowers told CNN . `` We can use existing technology and integrate it into a whole system design approach -- that is where the breakthrough has come . '' Spowers is searching for extra funding to put the ` Urban Car ' on the streets , but he says at this stage they wo n't be for sale . Riversimple plans to lease the car to customers for a monthly fee of # 200 -LRB- $ 330 -RRB- . Hydrogen fuel for the cars will cost just 15 pence -LRB- 25 cents -RRB- per mile . It 's a long way from the fuel-guzzling world Spowers used to inhabit as a designer and developer of high-powered racing cars . It was the industry 's appalling environmental record that encouraged him to leave to try to find a way to make driving greener . `` Certainly the first five or six years were hard work because I did have an awful lot of people telling me I was mad , '' Spowers told CNN , at the launch of the Riversimple Urban Car in London . `` Gradually it all sort of gathered steam , '' he said , adding `` I 'm absolutely convinced that we 're offering a better solution for a segment of the transport problem and we 'd be crazy not to pursue it . '' The Urban Car 's power comes from hydrogen fuel cells which are linked to four electric motors situated over each of the car 's wheels . Almost all of the braking is done by the electric motors , which then capture the energy of the car in motion and store it in a bank of ultracapacitors . In conventional cars , the energy generated through braking is lost as heat . The energy stored in the Urban Car 's electric motors is enough to power 80 percent of the car 's acceleration . That reduces the energy demands on the hydrogen fuel cell , meaning it can be one fifth of the size of one used in a normal car . The lighter fuel cell also makes it more energy efficient . A large part of the funding for the car 's development came from the family of Ernst Piëch , the eldest grandson of Ferdinand Porsche who founded the motor company of the same name in 1931 . Ferdinand Porsche 's great-grandson Sebastien Piëch is a partner in Riversimple . He says the company 's nimble size has given it an advantage over larger car manufacturers whose future he says concerns him . `` It concerns me massively , because I do n't see that the model they have now is very relevant to where consumers are going . Consumers are looking for a different solution . I 'm not sure if what they 're producing is working , '' he said . Riversimple plans to share the designs for its car through open-source licence agreements , a system more commonly used in the software industry . Designers and manufacturers will be invited to make improvements so the car evolves into the most efficient vehicle it can be . `` We do n't believe that making money on IP -LRB- intellectual property -RRB- is really what 's actually happening even now . We believe that service and providing the solution for customers will be where we make money , '' Piëch told CNN . The next step now is to find further financing , another # 20 million -LRB- $ 33 million -RRB- , to build and test ten cars . Fifty prototypes will then be built for a pilot project in a small city . The location is still to be confirmed , but Riversimple has narrowed down its options to small towns in the United Kingdom , perhaps Oxford or Peterborough . `` I 'm very confident we 'll get it to market , '' Spowers said . `` I could n't say hand on heart that I 'm confident that we 'll achieve what I think technically can be done . That 's a bit in the lap of the gods and it 's all to do with people , politics and business -- all a bit more unpredictable . '' | Riversimple launches car prototype with lowest level of carbon emissions . Car is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and four electric motors over the wheels . Company 's looking for $ 33 million dollars to build ten cars for trials . Designer Spowers used expertise he gained in motor racing to build prototype . | [[95, 109], [110, 191], [95, 126], [133, 191], [1982, 2035], [2011, 2035], [2042, 2076], [2056, 2118], [3925, 3940], [538, 570], [608, 638]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Afghanistan officials said 26 people across the country were killed in election day violence , although they hailed Thursday 's vote as a success . A woman dips her finger in ink to show she voted in Bamiyan , one of Afghanistan 's more peaceful provinces . Nearly 95 percent of the more than 6,000 polling stations across Afghanistan opened on Thursday , according to government and electoral officials . Counting is under way but initial results are not expected for another 36 to 48 hours , while final results will not be certified until mid-September . Officials extended voting until everyone waiting in line had a chance to cast their ballots . `` At some -LSB- polling stations -RSB- there is a very large line , '' said Azizullah Ludin of Afghanistan 's Independent Electoral Commission . `` We have to complete all these people that are coming here . '' It is the nation 's second presidential election since the 2001 fall of the Taliban . Ludin said the decision to add more time to vote was because of a large turnout at some stations and technical issues that delayed voting for others . There were no official details on voter turnout and it has been difficult to get an accurate count of how many Afghans voted in defiance of threats of violence from the Taliban . CNN 's Atia Abawi said election officials at one polling station in Kabul had already begun counting ballots after a low turnout when the order to extend voting reached them . Afghan voter turnout low as presidential election nears end '' When asked how many ballots had been counted , an election official said 1,000 -- which seemed high to the CNN crew that had been at the polling station all day . `` We were there all day and we did not see 1,000 people , '' CNN 's Kevin Flower said . Election workers in central Bamiyan province immediately began reopening the polls after the order to extend voting . `` Election workers had put up security tape barriers and even tied down the flaps to their voting tents shortly after 4 p.m. local time , '' CNN 's Ivan Watson reported from the province . `` The security tape has been removed and voters are straggling in again . '' Election observers from 30 groups -- both domestic and international -- said voting in Kabul province was fairly smooth , though a few reports surfaced of irregularities at various polling stations . Afghans were electing a president from 40 hopefuls and 420 members of the provincial council in what was seen in the international community as a high-stakes test for the fledgling South Asian democracy . The Taliban had vowed to disrupt the voting and the risk factor in some areas may have been too high for some Afghans to venture out to vote . Watch an election monitor in Kabul discuss what 's being examined '' The government ordered a ban on media coverage of incidents of violence in an effort to `` ensure the wide participation of the Afghan people '' as 300,000 NATO and Afghan soldiers were out in force to safeguard voters . The independent Pajhwok Afghan News , which had announced it would not heed the media ban , posted online reports of deadly attacks across Afghanistan . CNN has not confirmed those incidents . Afghan security officials said voting day violence claimed the lives of 17 Afghan policemen and soldiers , and another nine civilians . An American service member was killed in a mortar strike in eastern Afghanistan , the U.S. military said . It did not say where the attack took place . Major fighting continued for a second day in the city of Baghlan , north of Kabul , security sources said . Rockets were fired at the town throughout the day , a day after heavy fighting that claimed the life of the city 's police chief , the sources said . Afghans in Baghlan are afraid to leave their homes to cast their ballots , Afghan security officials said . In the eastern city of Gardez , four rockets pounded the outskirts of the city , while a roadside bomb struck in another area , the local security chief said . There were no casualties from either incident . But other parts of Afghanistan have been largely spared the daily drumbeat of car bombs , assassinations and whizzing rockets . Enthusiasm filled the air as voters lined up to have their say . Pajhwok reported brisk turnout in western Herat province , which borders Iran . Khwaja Mahboob told Pajhwok that he voted for a woman for a provincial council seat because he believed women should have a stronger say in Afghanistan . Watch what ranks high among Afghan concerns '' In central Bamiyan province , where predominantly ethnic Hazaras suffered under Taliban rule , thousands of voters cast their ballots behind cardboard screens inside dust-caked tents . Police struggled to hold back and search the crowd and at one point , people pushed through , breaking off one of the gates to the polling center . After voting , one elderly man admitted he was n't sure who he voted for . `` Whoever God wants will be king , '' he said . Many Afghans are illiterate and rely on symbols like light bulbs and books to identify their candidates on the ballot paper . Organizers from Afghanistan 's Independent Election Commission said 11 polling centers in Daikundi province were closed because of security concerns . Some polling stations in eastern Kunar and Nuristan provinces did not open and others , including 100 in Ghor , opened without a security presence , according to Pajhwok . Afghanistan observers and experts said a high turnout would help marginalize the Taliban which ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until the 2001 U.S.-led invasion . Incumbent President Hamid Karzai , dressed in his traditional purple and green striped robe , cast his vote shortly after the polls opened and had his finger stained with ink that is supposed to last for two weeks , a measure intended to thwart fraud by preventing people from voting multiple times . `` I 'm sure this will be for peace , for progress and for the well-being of the Afghan people , '' Karzai said . But at some Kabul polling stations , the ink apparently was not potent enough , according to Damaso Magbual , an observer from the Asian Network for Free Elections . At another station , a boy who successfully voted with a fraudulent registration card , admitted to being only 13 , Magbual said . Karzai 's top rival was his former finance minister Abdullah Abdullah , who once served as a confidante of Ahmed Shah Massoud , the charismatic leader of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance killed by al Qaeda . Who are the candidates ? How does the voting work ? Read here '' The other candidate who gathered steam in the campaign was former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani , a Western-educated man who served as a World Bank analyst . Karzai was named interim leader after the fall of the Taliban regime and won the 2004 election by a significant margin . His popularity , however , has waned in recent months as Afghanistan has been crippled by corruption and increasing bloodshed . Both Abdullah and Ghani hailed anti-corruption measures and government transparency as centerpieces of their campaign platforms . Women 's votes were seen as crucial after an especially repressive period for women under the Taliban when they were stripped of rights . But in some polling stations Thursday , women voters were greatly outnumbered by men . What do Afghans want ? See in photos here '' Habiba Surobi , the female governor of Bamiyan , said women who live in remote Afghan villages are still not aware of their rights . `` This is something to be concerned about , '' she said , adding that it was the responsibility of Afghanistan 's women leaders to ensure better awareness and education . About 15 million of Afghanistan 's 33 million people are registered to vote . Earlier , officials had estimated that number as 17 million . CNN 's Atia Abawi and Ivan Watson contributed to this report . | 26 people killed in election day violence , Afghan officials say . Vote hailed a success by officials as the count begins . The Taliban had vowed to disrupt the voting . More than 3,000 candidates vie for 420 provincial seats ; 40 standing for president . | [[8, 19], [39, 94], [66, 131], [3227, 3362], [143, 186], [445, 466], [2601, 2678], [2396, 2582]] |
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning Thursday for the Atlantic island of Bermuda as Category 3 Hurricane Bill neared . Hurricane Bill 's projected path shows it moving north toward New England and then Canada . The warning from the National Hurricane Center means tropical storm conditions , including winds of at least 39 mph -LRB- 63 kph -RRB- , are expected on the island within 24 hours . A hurricane watch was also in effect , meaning hurricane conditions , including winds of at least 74 mph -LRB- 119 kph -RRB- , are possible within 36 hours . As of 11 p.m. ET Thursday , Bill 's center was about 510 miles -LRB- 825 kilometers -RRB- south of Bermuda , and about 975 miles -LRB- 1,570 kilometers -RRB- southeast of Cape Hatteras , North Carolina , the hurricane center said . The storm was moving northwest at near 18 mph -LRB- 30 kph -RRB- , and is expected to continue that motion overnight , with a gradual turn to the north-northwest on Friday followed by a turn toward the north on Saturday . `` The core of the hurricane is expected to pass between Bermuda and the east coast of the United States on Saturday , '' forecasters said . See Bill 's projected path '' However , Bill is considered a large hurricane , with hurricane-force winds extending out 115 miles -LRB- 185 kilometers -RRB- from the center and tropical storm-force winds extending out 260 miles -LRB- 418 kilometers -RRB- , so Bermuda is likely to feel its effects as it brushes by . Bill 's maximum sustained winds had increased slightly to 125 mph -LRB- 205 kph -RRB- , with higher gusts , the hurricane center said . It was downgraded to a Category 3 storm from Category 4 status early Thursday , after its top sustained winds slipped below 131 mph -LRB- 211 kph -RRB- . Fluctuations in intensity are likely over the next 12 to 24 hours , however , and Bill could regain Category 4 strength Friday , forecasters said . Large swells generated by Bill were affecting the northern Leeward Islands on Thursday , along with Puerto Rico and the island of Hispaniola , shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic . The East Coast of the United States should start seeing large swells during the next few days , along with the Bahamas , Bermuda and the eastern coast of Canada , the hurricane center said . `` These swells will cause extremely dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents . '' Bill is forecast to diminish into a Category 1 hurricane by Sunday evening , when it could make landfall near Nova Scotia or Newfoundland , Canada . | Bermuda on alert as Hurricane Bill gets closer . Hurricane Bill downgraded to Category 3 storm . U.S. East Coast expected to have large swells during the next few days . Bill expected to make landfall near Nova Scotia or Newfoundland , Canada on Sunday . | [[126, 160], [1641, 1718], [2131, 2224], [161, 252], [2490, 2550]] |
-LRB- WIRED -RRB- -- The wind blowing through the streets of Manhattan could n't power the city , but wind machines placed thousands of feet above the city theoretically could . A prototype of a high-altitude wind turbine made by Magenn Power . The first rigorous , worldwide study of high-altitude wind power estimates that there is enough wind energy at altitudes of about 1,600 to 40,000 feet to meet global electricity demand a hundred times over . The very best ground-based wind sites have a wind-power density of less than 1 kilowatt per square meter of area swept . Up near the jet stream above New York , the wind power density can reach 16 kilowatts per square meter . The air up there is a vast potential reservoir of energy , if its intermittency can be overcome . Even better , the best high-altitude wind-power resources match up with highly populated areas including North America 's Eastern Seaboard and China 's coastline . `` The resource is really , really phenomenal , '' said Christine Archer of Cal State University-Chico , who co-authored a paper on the work published in the open-access journal Energies . `` There is a lot of energy up there , but it 's not as steady as we thought . It 's not going to be the silver bullet that will solve all of our energy problems , but it will have a role . '' For centuries , we 've been using high-density fossil fuels , but peaking oil supplies and climate concerns have given new life to green technologies . Unfortunately , renewable energy is generally diffuse , meaning you need to cover a lot of area to get the energy you want . So engineers look for renewable resources that are as dense as possible . On that score , high-altitude wind looks very promising . Wind 's power -- energy which can be used to do work like spinning magnets to generate electricity -- varies with the cube of its speed . So , a small increase in wind speed can lead to a big increase in the amount of mechanical energy you can harvest . High-altitude wind blows fast , is spread nicely across the globe , and is easier to predict than terrestrial wind . These properties have led inventors and scientists to cast their hopes upward , where strong winds have long been known to blow , as Etzler 's dreamy quote shows . During the energy shocks of the 1970s , when new energy ideas of all kinds were bursting forth , engineers and schemers patented several designs for harnessing wind thousands of feet in the air . The two main design frameworks they came up with are still with us today . The first is essentially a power plant in the sky , generating electricity aloft and sending it down to Earth via a conductive tether . The second is more like a kite , transmitting mechanical energy to the ground , where generators turn it into electricity . Theoretically , both approaches could work , but nothing approaching a rigorous evaluation of the technologies has been conducted . The Department of Energy had a very small high-altitude wind program , which produced some of the first good data about the qualities of the wind up there , but it got axed as energy prices dropped in the 1980s and Reagan-era DOE officials directed funds elsewhere . The program has n't been restarted , despite growing attention to renewables , but that 's not because it 's considered a bad idea . Rather , it is seen as just a little too far out on the horizon . `` We 're very much aimed these days at things that we can fairly quickly commercialize , like in the next 10 years or so , '' said National Renewable Energy Laboratory spokesperson George Douglas . Startups like KiteGen , Sky Windpower , Magenn , and Makani -LRB- Google 's secretive fundee -RRB- have come into the space over the last several years , and they seem to be working on much shorter timelines . `` We are not that far from working prototypes , '' Archer said , though she noted that the companies are all incredibly secretive about the data from their testing . Magenn CFO Barry Monette said he expects `` first revenue '' next year when they sell `` two to four '' working prototypes of their blimpy machine , which will operate at much lower altitudes . `` We do think that we 're going to be first -LSB- to market -RSB- , unless something happens , '' Monette said . In the long term , trying to power entire cities with machines like this would be difficult , largely because even in the best locations , the wind will fail at least 5 percent of the time . `` This means that you either need backup power , massive amounts of energy storage , or a continental - or even global-scale electricity grid to assure power availability , '' said co-author Ken Caldeira , an ecologist at Stanford University . `` So , while high-altitude wind may ultimately prove to be a major energy source , it requires substantial infrastructure . '' Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2009 Wired.com . | Study : Wind machines placed thousands of feet above New York could power the city . Enough wind energy exists at high altitudes to meet global demand 100 times over . A kite-like device could transmit energy to generators that turn it into electricity . Startups are developing turbines , although they are still in the prototype stage . | [[102, 177], [245, 395], [2538, 2653], [245, 395], [384, 445], [2538, 2653], [2760, 2797]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Web designer in London was amazed to discover that Iranian election protesters are attacking the Iranian president 's Web site using software he developed in his spare time , he told CNN Wednesday . Ryan Kelly : `` I suppose I am taking sides but I have no problems with it being used in this way . '' With anti-government activists in Iran sidestepping official attempts to silence them on the Internet by posting photos , videos and blogs on sites like Facebook and Twitter , others are using a site that automatically refreshes a Web page every few seconds , potentially overloading the host server . The page reboot software means that dissidents can `` attack '' sites with a barrage of hits -- known as a denial of service attack -- causing them to appear to users as `` unobtainable . '' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's Web sites was one of those displaying this message on Monday , according to Britain 's Channel 4 News , although on Tuesday it was loading correctly . The freely available page refresh site was partly developed by Ryan Kelly for use with sports results sites and eBay . He said he was unaware it was being used by Iranian protesters to stop the government from getting out its message until Tuesday when he received an email from an unknown source asking him to take the site down . `` Can you please shout -LRB- sic -RRB- down the website for few weeks . Currently they are using that website to attack other websites , '' stated the anonymous e-mail seen by CNN . Kelly , who works for contract publisher Wardour , then discovered that hits on his own site had risen from 700 on a normal day to 41,000 on Monday . `` I was shocked when I heard my site was being used in this way , '' the 25-year-old told CNN . `` This exemplifies the power of the Internet that something happening in London can affect events thousands of miles away in Tehran . It 's great it 's being used in this way . '' The heavy traffic forced Kelly to temporarily suspend his site , but only because it was exceeding the volume of traffic on his server . He said he later received dozens of e-mails requesting him to restore the site , and he did so . One message seen by CNN said : `` Please bring your site back up as fast as you can . We need your help in Iran against Ahmadinejad . '' Kelly said he supported the protesters in their battle to have the results of the disputed presidential election overturned . `` I suppose I am taking sides because I 've put the site back up , but I have no problems with it being used in this way . '' | Iranian protesters use site that refreshes Web page to hack official sites . Page reboot software means dissidents can `` attack '' sites with barrage of hits . Heavy traffic forced Ryan Kelly to temporarily suspend it , but he later restored it . | [[514, 641], [642, 734], [642, 734], [1968, 2030]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pet owners know that their furry friends can add a little something extra to the spring cleaning chores . CNN spoke with `` the Queen of Clean , '' Linda Cobb , a New York Times best-selling author and television personality . Cobb , who owns three cats , knows a thing or two about getting the best of pet messes . CNN : What can pet owners do about pet hair ? Cobb : You can use what 's called a soot and dirt removal sponge . You simply run it over a lampshade -LSB- or the -RSB- upholstery on your furniture , and it actually pulls the hair right off . You can also use a damp sponge . Another good thing to use is rubber gloves . Dip them into water -- keep a bucket of water near you -- shake off the excess water and rub that over the upholstery , and the hair will collect on the rubber gloves . It does a great , great job . The other thing you need is a really good vacuum cleaner . I have found that I prefer one that has a bag in it . I use an Oreck XL . If you 're using a canister vacuum , you have to take it out and then shake it into the trash , which puts all of that dust and that dander and that cat hair and everything else back up into the air . Another good vacuum that is newer to the market is the Halo -LSB- UXV Ultraviolet Vacuum Cleaner -RSB- . That 's the one with the ultraviolet light that kills germs and bacteria as you vacuum . Now , you have to vacuum correctly and go back over the area of the carpet enough times , but that 's a very good vacuum too . If you have someone in the house that is sensitive to cats , has an allergy from them or something like that , there is a product called Allerpet that you can actually just spray on to your pet , and it neutralizes the enzymes in the saliva , which is what people are usually allergic to . This is something that even if the cat licks itself , it wo n't hurt it . CNN : What about pet accidents ? Cobb : If you 've got a hairball , or spaghetti did n't agree with the dog , accident on the carpet , the first thing you do is scream and run to get the paper towels and start trying to pick it up , which drives it down into the carpet fibers . Instead , reach for your baking soda . Sprinkle on a really heavy coat , and I mean heavy , so that it 's completely covering it totally . Walk away . The baking soda will pull the liquid , the bile , the acids from the accident up into it away from the carpet . Once it 's dry , you take the suction hose from your vacuum and simply vacuum that up , and many times you ca n't even tell there was an accident there . For pet urine , the first thing you want to do is put a very heavy , heavy pile of paper towels on it , stand on it , draw all the urine you can away from the carpet . Then pour on club soda and do the same thing . Then you can go in to neutralize it with about a half a cup of water quarter cup of white vinegar . -LSB- Then -RSB- blot that dry . If you have any odor , you want to use an odor eliminator to remove that . Now , that 's not a spray that smells like lavender or oranges or flowers . An odor eliminator has no odor . A really , really fine one is Odorzout . It 's all-natural , so it ca n't hurt the pet . The man who invented it powdered his grandson 's little butt with it when he changed his diaper , that 's how natural it is . If there 's a larger accident and you have a bowel movement on the floor , as long as it 's not diarrhea-like , you can pick that up with a paper towel . I recommend that you immediately treat that with Odorzout , because if your pets can smell what they 've done , they 'll go back to that area because they think it 's OK . CNN : What about the litter box ? Cobb : Cats like to be very , very clean , so to avoid having accidents in other areas because their litter 's dirty , you want to clean every day . If you 're using a regular litter box , there is a product called a Litter Locker ; it 's a little sanitary container for the -LSB- waste -RSB- removal . It 's a fantastic product . I use it for my cats , and I just love it . Now , if you 're using -LSB- an automatic cleaner -RSB- , every few days , you need to make sure that the catch basin is cleaned out . If it overfills and the cat smells that , they do n't want to go in , and then they 're going to start using corners of your house . And you know what ? That 's not their fault . That 's our fault if we do n't keep their litter clean . CNN : How do you keep your pets safe when you 're doing a big spring cleaning ? Cobb : Well , you look for natural products . Do n't use harsh chemicals ; it 's not necessary . Disinfectants have to stay wet on the surfaces for five to 10 minutes to work ; then they have to be rinsed off . They 're not safe for food surfaces . You know what that says ? They 're not safe for your pets to walk on , either . Read when you go to the grocery store . If there 's a natural seal or if they have a green cross on it , they 're a natural , safe , organic product . I recommend so highly the ACT Natural microfiber products from Sweden , the cloths and the mops . Because with nothing but water , they remove 99.9 percent of germs and bacteria and soiling from surfaces . You 're not getting any residue on surfaces , and you 're not spending any money on chemicals , and you 're saving the environment and your health too . | Use rubber gloves to attack pet hair on furniture . Reach for the baking soda in case of wet pet messes . Allergic to cats ? Spray the cat down with Allerpet . Use natural cleaning products to protect your pets . | [[609, 653], [2151, 2158], [2161, 2189], [4515, 4546]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ten climbers have died on two mountains in northern Japan , police said Friday . Hokkaido 's mountains and scenery are a big drawcard for climbers and tourists . Eight of the climbers who died on Mount Tomuraushi were in a group organized by a tourist company , according to Yuji Kikuchi , a spokesman for Hokkaido police . A ninth man was climbing alone . One more climber died on Mount Biei , Kikuchi said . Another 10 people survived on both mountains in Hokkaido , according to Kikuchi . Except for a 32-year-old survivor , all the climbers were in their late 60s , the spokesman said . The cause of their deaths was not available . The area has experienced heavy rain and gusty winds in the past two weeks due to a persistent area of low pressure , CNN 's meteorologist Jennifer Delgado said . The storm system has also brought flooding to North and South Korea , she added . CNN 's Junko Ogura and Elizabeth Yuan contributed to this report . | 10 climbers have died on two mountains in northern Japan , police said Friday . Eight climbers who died on Mount Tomuraushi were in tourist group . Except for a 32-year-old survivor , all the climbers were in their late 60s . | [[0, 15], [19, 76], [79, 99], [429, 446], [488, 510], [190, 202], [207, 231], [181, 202], [232, 247], [547, 586]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Debris from Air France 447 , which crashed en route from Brazil to France last month , killing 228 people , has arrived in France , the French air accident investigation agency BEA said Wednesday . Searchers have discovered hundreds of pieces of wreckage from Air France Flight 447 . `` The debris ... will be sent to Toulouse where they will be examined at the Center of Aeronautics Tests of Toulouse -LRB- a branch of the Defense Ministry -RRB- under the control of the police and the BEA investigators , '' said the French air accident investigation agency BEA . The wreckage was transported to France from Brazil by the ship `` La Ville de Bordeaux , '' according to the plane 's manufacturer Airbus . It will be taken overland to Toulouse by truck . Flight 447 went down in the Atlantic Ocean in stormy weather as if flew from Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris , France on June 1 . Only 51 bodies were recovered , and the search is ongoing for the cause of the crash . The search for the data and voice recorders from the plane entered a second phase last week , according to France 's accident investigation agency . The flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder -- commonly known as `` black boxes '' -- stop giving out acoustic broadcasts after 30 days . But investigators decided to continue listening for the `` pings '' for another 10 days after that . On July 10 , two U.S. naval vessels and the French Navy submarine called off their search for the recorders , which investigators hope will shed light on exactly how and why the plane crashed . The second phase of the search will involve France 's oceanographic ship `` Pourquoi Pas ? '' which carries specialized exploration and intervention vehicles , according to the BEA . The French vessel will conduct new searches using diving equipment and towed sonar , the BEA said . Finding the recorders is of `` capital importance '' and `` no effort must be spared in achieving this end , '' Air France has said . `` We want to stress that for the sake of the families , we hope that the search for the black boxes will be successful , '' an Air France representative told CNN . The crash was the worst in Air France 's 75-year history . Earlier this month , investigators revealed that the plane bellyflopped intact into the Atlantic Ocean . Investigator Alain Bouillard said it was still not clear what caused the crash . The mountainous ocean floor in the search area ranges from 3,280 to 15,091 feet , BEA officials have said in the past , making the search for the recorders -- and the rest of the plane 's debris -- difficult . `` It is as if it fell in the Andes -LRB- mountains -RRB- , '' Olivier Ferrante , chief of the BEA search mission said . Brazil called off the search for bodies on June 27 , having found 51 of the 228 people who died , according to the military . Investigators have also found more than 600 parts and structural components of the plane , along with luggage , Bouillard said . | Debris from Air France 447 , which crashed last month , has arrived in France . Plane went down off Brazil on June 1 , killing all 228 aboard . French oceanographic ship will conduct new searches for data recorders . | [[46, 60], [69, 118], [232, 317], [46, 60], [69, 118], [0, 5], [8, 30], [121, 139], [2862, 2876], [2881, 2885], [1038, 1129], [1632, 1704], [1815, 1897]] |
MINNEAPOLIS , Minnesota -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A federal grand jury has indicted two Minnesota men in connection with the recruitment of Somali immigrants to fight with Islamic insurgents in their home country . Jamal Bana is one of several missing Somali-Americans believed to have fought with an Islamist insurgency . Salah Osman Ahmed and Abdifatah Yusuf Isse are charged with one count each of providing material support to terrorists and conspiracy to kill , kidnap , maim or injure people overseas , the indictment states . The recruiting effort took place between September 2007 and December 2008 , according to the charges . Ahmed also is charged with two counts of making false statements to investigators . According to the indictment , he told FBI agents that he had traveled alone on a flight to Somalia when , in fact , he and another person were going together `` so that they could fight jihad in Somalia . '' Ahmed was arrested Saturday , FBI Special Agent E.K. Wilson told CNN . Isse had been in custody for some time , said Omar Jamal , the head of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center in Minneapolis . Both were from Minnesota and in their 20s , Jamal said . Jamal said Ahmed and Isse were `` foot soldiers '' carrying out the work of others , and that he expected more indictments `` in a week or two . '' The FBI has been investigating what appears to be a massive recruiting effort by the al Qaeda-linked Somali insurgent group al-Shabaab in immigrant communities in the United States . More than a dozen young men of Somali descent have disappeared from the Minneapolis area in recent months , and at least three have been killed in Somalia , community leaders have said . The latest , Jamal Bana , was confirmed dead over the weekend , his family said Sunday . The same day , Somalia 's president -- a former member of the Islamist movement himself -- issued a plea to Somali-Americans not to join the fight in his country . `` I am saying to those young men from abroad : ` Your families fled your home to America because of insecurity . You should not return here to foment violence against your people , ' '' President Sheik Sharif Ahmed said . Al-Shabaab has ties to al Qaeda and has recruited foreign fighters to join its battle to overthrow the Somali government , U.S. officials said . It remains entrenched in the northeast and in sections south of Somalia 's capital , Mogadishu , after fighting that has uprooted more than 200,000 people since early May , according to the United Nations . Wilson said the number of missing men believed to be in Somalia is `` in the 10s , '' but their recruitment is `` a significant concern and one that we 're giving our highest priority . '' In October , Shirwa Ahmed , 27 , a Somali-American believed to have been radicalized by al-Shabaab , traveled from Minneapolis to Somalia and blew up himself and 29 others . It was the first suicide bombing by a naturalized U.S. citizen , and it raised red flags throughout the U.S. intelligence community and sparked an investigation by the FBI . Burhan Hassan , a 17-year-old Somali-American high school student in Minneapolis , went missing eight months ago , around the same time as Bana . Last month , his family learned that he was killed in Somalia . Neither family has any idea why the young males left the United States , where they came as young boys , and Bana 's family believes he was being held against his will , said Omar Jamal , head of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center in Minneapolis . `` Only one time he placed a phone call -LSB- in mid-November -RSB- , he did n't say much , '' Jamal said . `` He spoke as if he was being held hostage . He could n't be speak freely . They asked him to cut the conversation short . '' Hassan 's uncle , Abdirizak Bihi , said a fourth man -- 30-year-old Zakariya Maruf -- was killed Friday , but Jamal said Maruf may only be injured . Maruf was the first of the missing Somalis to head overseas , said Bihi , who has become a spokesman for the families of the missing men . Bihi called him a `` leader '' whom the others consulted on travel plans . Many of the missing Somali-Americans are believed to have left for Somalia when Ethiopian forces were still on the ground . Ethiopia invaded Somalia to push the Islamists out of Mogadishu in December 2006 , but their presence in the country was an outrage to most Somalis and became a rallying cry for al-Shabaab . Ethiopian troops left Somalia this year , leaving Ahmed 's weak transitional government to battle the insurgents . CNN 's David McKenzie and Tricia Escobedo contributed to this report . | Two defendants were mere `` foot soldiers , '' their legal advocate says . Two charged with conspiracy , providing material support to terrorists . FBI investigating Somali militants ' recruiting effort in immigrant communities in U.S. The militant group in Africa has ties to al Qaeda . | [[1172, 1254], [316, 449], [1320, 1502], [1320, 1327], [1351, 1437], [1320, 1327], [1364, 1502], [2950, 2952], [3017, 3054], [2166, 2197]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Tennessee man accused of selling the gun used to kill former NFL quarterback Steve McNair is in custody facing a federal charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm , authorities said Friday . Police say Adrian Gilliam admitted he sold Sahel Kazemi the gun she used to kill NFL quarterback Steve McNair . `` This is another example of what can happen with a gun when a felon is selling it on the street with little to no interest other than just selling it for 100 bucks , '' said Nashville , Tennessee , Police Chief Ronal Serpas . Authorities said federal agents traced the gun used in the Fourth of July murder-suicide to Household Pawn in Nashville , which sold it in January 2002 . `` Further investigation revealed the 9 mm pistol was later sold for approximately $ 100 to Adrian Gilliam approximately one to one and a half years ago , '' Nashville police said in a news release . Gilliam , 33 , of LaVergne , Tennessee , told detectives that on July 2 he sold the gun for about the same price to Sahel Kazemi outside a shopping mall . Police said Kazemi , McNair 's 20-year-old girlfriend , used the gun two days later to fatally shoot McNair -- a former Tennessee Titans quarterback and married father of four -- and herself in McNair 's condominium in downtown Nashville . Gilliam had been convicted of second-degree murder and attempted armed robbery in Florida in 1993 , according to the new release , and those felony convictions meant that he could not legally be in possession of a firearm . Along with Serpas , the announcement of the arrest was made by Edward M. Yarbrough , the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee ; James M. Cavanaugh , the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms & Explosives ' Nashville Division ; and Mark Gwyn , director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation . CNN 's Shelby Lin Erdman contributed to this report . | Police say Adrian Gilliam told them he sold gun to McNair 's girlfriend on July 2 . On July 4 , Sahel Kazemi shot the quarterback to death , then killed herself . Gilliam had felony convictions in Florida from 1993 , police say . | [[233, 296], [927, 953], [968, 998], [289, 296], [301, 344], [590, 692], [1322, 1329], [1377, 1419]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Eight-time gold medal winner at the Beijing Olympics and multiple world-record holder Michael Phelps warmed up for the Swimming World Championships in Rome by setting a new men 's world record in the 100 meters butterfly . Michael Phelps attacks the pool in Indianapolis to set a new world mark in the 100m fly . The 24-year-old American shaved 18-hundredths of a second from the previous mark set by compatriot Ian Crocker in 2005 , with a time of 50.22 on the third day of competition at the U.S. National Championships in the Indianapolis . `` I was pretty happy with my swim . I really wanted to break 50 seconds , but that is something to shoot for , '' Phelps told the event 's official Web site . `` Ian Crocker texted me after prelims . He wished me all the luck . That really meant a lot to me as a competitor and as a friend , '' he added . The new time takes Phelps 's personal tally of individual world records to five , to add to the three he can claim from relay events , and means he has qualified for three events at the upcoming World Championships in Rome thus far . Places were booked with wins in the 200m freestyle and 200m butterfly on Wednesday while a further slot could be confirmed via the 100m freestyle . Phelps , who was banned for three months when he was pictured smoking drugs at a party after returning from Beijing , has been eager to regain his Olympic form after his enforced exile from the pool . `` This is something that I really , really wanted to accomplish , '' Phelps told the LA Times . `` Crock and I had a lot of great history , a lot of great races with one another . I 've wanted that record ever since he took it in '03 worlds ... . After the race , you could tell I was pretty fired up and excited . '' Elsewhere , twelve-time Olympic medallist Dara Torres qualified for the World Championships team in the 50m freestyle . The American told the LA Times there was still work to do despite the result : `` My coach was telling me I probably lost four or five tenths -LSB- of a second -RSB- on the start , '' said Torres . `` The adrenaline kind of took over so I did n't really feel -LRB- my knee injury -RRB- . It 's a great feeling to be able to be out there and still race -LSB- at age 42 -RSB- , but that time wo n't medal at the world championships , '' Torres added . The men 's 50m freestyle saw four Olympians battled for the gold , with Nathan Adrian beating his 2008 Olympic teammates Cullen Jones and Garrett Weber-Gale by 0.3 seconds . | Michael Phelps sets new men 's 100m fly world record time of 50.22 . The American has now qualified for three events at the World Championships . Phelps , 24 , now holds five personal world records in the pool . New time went better than the mark set by compatriot Ian Crocker in 2005 . | [[0, 15], [175, 241], [242, 331], [265, 331], [870, 882], [1009, 1103], [0, 15], [72, 174], [870, 949], [395, 450]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Kids dig in the sand at the beach all the time , but the fun nearly turned fatal for an 11-year-old Pennsylvania boy this week . The 11-year-old was given CPR and revived before being taken to a local hospital . The boy was digging a tunnel with friends on a beach in Ocean City , Maryland , on Tuesday when part of it collapsed on top of him , authorities said . Lifeguards rushed to pull him out , but it first appeared that they were too late . The boy was not breathing , and he had no pulse , Beach Patrol Capt. Butch Arbin told CNN on Wednesday . But rescue crews revived the boy by performing CPR , said Arbin , who was at the scene . There was a lot of emotion on the beach when the boy 's pulse came back , he said . `` He basically went from dead to life , '' Arbin said , adding that the boy 's mother called the rescue a `` miracle . '' As he was being rolled into an ambulance on a stretcher , the boy -- perhaps not realizing the trauma he had just survived -- complained to his mother that he had sand in his eyes , Arbin said . The child , whose family did not want to be identified , was initially taken to Atlantic General Hospital and later flown to the A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Delaware , he said . He 's recovering there and probably will be released later Wednesday , Arbin said . | Boy , 11 , was digging a tunnel with friends on a beach in Ocean City , Maryland . Lifeguards rushed to help ; boy had no pulse and was n't breathing . Beach Patrol captain : `` He basically went from dead to life '' Boy recovering in hospital , expected to be released later Wednesday . | [[231, 297], [383, 416], [467, 492], [499, 514], [748, 783], [1250, 1266], [1277, 1318]] |
-LRB- Sunset -RRB- -- Great things to do and see , and memories -LRB- you can still make -RRB- of summer at the lake . With clear blue water and picturesque boulders , Sand Harbor is the place to swim in Lake Tahoe . The scene . Families dot the beaches , and boaters dominate the lake ; traffic slows on State 89 , and the Truckee River overflows with inner-tubers . Still , from North Lake to Emerald Bay , and South Lake to Incline Village , you 'll find plenty of peace , quiet , and to-die-for beauty . Cruise the lake . Skip the stern-wheeler paddleboats packed with tourists for a wine-and-cheese sunset sail on the Tahoe Cruz . Departs daily from Tahoe City Marina in Tahoe City , California ; $ 60 ; reservations required ; tahoesail.com or 530/583 -6200 . Walk on water . Stand-up paddleboarding is the latest craze . Give it a shot , or go for a sit-on-top kayak from Tahoe Paddle & Oar -LRB- paddleboard or kayak rental from $ 20 per hour ; 8299 N. Lake Blvd. / State 28 , Kings Beach , California ; tahoepaddle.com or 530/581 -3029 -RRB- . Sunset.com : Lake Tahoe landmarks . Jump in . Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park 's Sand Harbor area is popular for its gentle turquoise coves and fine white sand . Get there before 10 a.m. to avoid the crowds . $ 8 per vehicle ; on State 28 , 3 miles south of Incline Village , NV ; parks.nv.gov or 775/831 -0494 . Skinny-dip . For a quiet swim , hike 0.5 mile to Secret Cove and Chimney Beach , where those who hate tan lines like to hang out . Trailhead is off State 28 , 2 1/2 miles south of Sand Harbor ; 530/543 -2600 . Wine and dine . Christy Hill serves a killer chile relleno with an equally killer lake view . -LRB- Closed Mon ; 115 Grove St. , Tahoe City , California ; average entrée price around $ 30 ; 530/583 -8551 -RRB- . The deck at Sunnyside Resort has a party scene and the best Hula Pie this side of Hawaii . -LRB- Most entrées between $ 20 and $ 30 ; 1850 W. Lake Blvd. / State 89 , 2 miles south of Tahoe City , California ; 530/583 -7200 -RRB- . Sunset.com : Make your own lake dinner menu . Hang with the locals . Built in 1859 , Chambers Landing Bar and Restaurant is set at the end of a pier . Arrive by boat or car , but if you 're the designated driver , steer clear of the Chambers Punch . Most entrées $ 12 or less ; 6400 W. Lake Blvd. / State 89 , Homewood , California ; 530/525 -9190 . Stay in a cabin . Carved wooden bears are everywhere at the woodsy Cottage Inn . From $ 158 , including breakfast ; just south of Tahoe City , California ; 800/581 -4073 . Sunset.com : The West 's best national parks . Splurge on a room . Book a suite at the West Shore Cafe & Inn , then wait for a bald eagle to fly past your window . Rooms from $ 350 ; Homewood , California ; 530/525 -5200 . Pitch a tent . Easy swimming access and hot showers make for blissful family camping at D.L. Bliss State Park -LRB- from $ 25 ; reserveamerica.com or 800/444 -7275 -RRB- . For views , the best sites are 148 , 149 , 151 , 153 , and 156 . If Bliss is full , try Nevada Beach Campground , on the east side -LRB- from $ 28 ; recreation.gov or 877/444 -6777 -RRB- . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright 2004-2009 Sunset magazine . All rights reserved . | Consider a wine-and-cheese sunset sail on the Tahoe Cruz . Take a dip at Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park 's Sand Harbor . Try the best Hula Pie this side of Hawaii at Sunnyside Resort . | [[531, 635], [168, 216], [1099, 1211]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The White House did not intend to show any disrespect toward Nancy Reagan when it failed to invite the former first lady -- a vigorous supporter of stem-cell research -- to a bill-signing ceremony on the subject , White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday . Nancy Reagan watches President Obama sign the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act Tuesday . `` I think she speaks in real personal terms about the issue , '' Gibbs told reporters . `` And I think her candor and her courage have been heartening , and we certainly meant no slight to her whatsoever . '' On Monday , Vanity Fair published an interview with Nancy Reagan on its Web site in which she suggested the Obama administration missed an opportunity by not inviting her to witness President Obama signing a measure in March expanding federal support for stem-cell research . The former first lady has long promoted such steps despite objections from many in the GOP . She has argued that expanded stem-cell research could have helped her husband , who suffered from Alzheimer 's disease . `` I would have gone , and you know I do n't like to travel , '' she told the magazine . Watch more on Gibbs ' reaction to the controversy '' `` Politically , it would have been a good thing for -LRB- Obama -RRB- to do . Oh well , nobody 's perfect . He called and thanked me for working on it . But he could have gotten more mileage out of it , '' she said . Gibbs ' comments also come the same day Mrs. Reagan attended a White House ceremony marking Obama 's signing of legislation authorizing a Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission . The 11-member commission will plan activities marking Ronald Reagan 's 100th birthday on February 6 , 2011 . Watch Obama laud Reagan 's optimism '' Mrs. Reagan is slated to attend the unveiling of a new statue of President Reagan on Wednesday morning at the Capitol and then share a private White House lunch with first lady Michelle Obama . Obama issued an apology to Mrs. Reagan earlier this year after joking in a news conference that she held seances during her years in the White House -- an apparent reference to reports she consulted with astrologists during her husband 's presidency . | Former first lady Nancy Reagan is a strong supporter of stem-cell research . Mrs. Reagan tells magazine : Obama should have invited me to stem-cell bill signing . She 's slated to attend the unveiling of a new statue of President Reagan Wednesday . She witnesses signing of Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission legislation . | [[882, 974], [674, 686], [696, 881], [1158, 1184], [1780, 1897], [300, 395], [1568, 1631]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Anger is growing in Mexico over a fire at a government-run day care center that claimed its 46th child this weekend . Maria Jesus Coronado Padilla mourns for her 2-year-old daughter , who died in the Hermosillo fire . Parents of the dead children and their supporters have held two noisy rallies in Hermosillo , the city in northwestern Mexico where the fire broke out June 5 . They blame the government for laxity in enforcing safety regulations , for conducting a weak investigation and for failing to punish anyone in the 10 days since the fatal blaze . `` It is my fault for trusting them , '' parent Roberto Zavala said at a rally Saturday in front of the Sonora governor 's office . `` I am responsible for the death of my child . Mr. Governor : Here is one of those responsible you are looking for . Come get me . I am waiting for you . '' The rally was televised nationwide by CNN affiliate TV Azteca . `` If there is no justice from the authorities , there will be vengeance from the people , '' Zavala shouted to great cheers . The crowd chanted `` renuncia , renuncia '' -LRB- `` resign , resign '' -RRB- toward the office of Sonora Gov. Eduardo Bours Castelo . He did not appear at the rally . Bours told CNN on Monday that he understands parents ' anguish but has not heard any calls for his resignation . `` What we are seeing is natural , '' he said . `` There are destroyed families . It 's natural that people express their sadness and , in some cases , anger . And there are those who are using this for political purposes . '' The investigation , he said , is `` complex and advancing . '' Mexican President Felipe Calderon has promised a full investigation . Officials have said an air-conditioning unit in a government-run warehouse in the same building as the ABC day care center caused the fire . The privately owned day care was leased by the government to provide low-cost service to parents . Many prominent Mexicans have joined the parents in saying the government is not doing enough to find out what happened and to punish the responsible parties . `` There are 46 children , and nothing is happening , '' said radio and TV commentator Eduardo J. Ruiz-Healy . `` Nobody is responsible . Federal authorities say nothing major happened . There are 46 dead children , and no one will go to jail for it . '' Ana Maria Salazar , another TV and radio commentator , also has voiced her anger -- in newspaper columns , on Facebook and on her blogs . Salazar , who lives in Mexico City , grew up in Sonora state and traveled to Hermosillo last week . `` I just returned from Hermosillo , Sonora , '' she wrote Wednesday on her blog . `` Sorrow for the death of the -LSB- then -RSB- 44 children is now transforming into outrage . The death of these children has impacted Hermosillo , the state of Sonora and Mexico . '' She 's still angry , she told CNN on Monday . `` My concern is that there are 46 children who died in what appears to be negligence and that nobody 's going to be punished , '' Salazar said . In addition , she said , the government has not conducted any investigations to see if other day care centers are safe . `` What is unacceptable , '' Salazar said , `` is that nothing has been done to make sure this does n't happen again . '' The United Nations Children 's Fund 's representative in Mexico , Susana Sottoli , said all day care centers in the nation should be investigated , the state-run Notimex news agency reported Monday . Last week , Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora said officials had found safety irregularities at the ABC day care center in 2005 . He declined to detail those irregularities but said authorities are investigating if anything was done about them . ABC day care officials denied Monday ever being told of safety problems . Critics point to cozy business relationships between the owners of the ABC day care and government officials . News reports have said one of the co-owners is a cousin of Calderon 's wife . Two state government officials whose wives also are ABC co-owners resigned last week . In all , six officials have resigned or been fired since the blaze . The well-regarded El Universal newspaper published a column and a story Monday taking the government to task . The article says a Universal investigation revealed that family members and political allies of the governor own at least 13 day care centers in Sonora state . The ABC day care is not one of them . Bours , who was elected governor in 2003 , called the article `` malintentioned . '' `` Some of my relatives had those -LSB- day care centers -RSB- since before I was governor , '' he said . `` This is a low blow by people who want to link one thing with another . '' But Ruiz-Healy calls the day care industry in Mexico `` a business run by politicians and politicians ' wives . '' And he rails at what he sees as arrogance by government officials , whose actions , he said , have led to `` a total crisis of credibility . '' `` There have been a series of events that insult our intelligence , '' Ruiz-Healy said . `` The political class is divorced from reality and from the rest of the country . '' | Parents , their supporters have rallied in Hermosillo , where fire broke out June 5 . They say government did n't enforce safety rules , is conducting weak investigation . Sonora governor says investigation is `` complex and advancing '' UN representative says all day care centers in Mexico should be investigated . | [[237, 328], [343, 362], [369, 396], [397, 465], [397, 401], [468, 507], [483, 503], [508, 575], [1938, 2096], [1974, 2096], [3064, 3072], [3075, 3170], [3634, 3636], [3681, 3749], [1585, 1592], [1595, 1624], [1565, 1582], [1595, 1624], [3293, 3356], [3376, 3438]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Events commemorating the bombing of an American airliner over the Scottish town of Lockerbie were taking place Sunday in both the UK and the U.S. to mark the 20th anniversary of the attack which killed 270 people . Mourners gathered at a wreath-laying ceremony Sunday to mark the Lockerbie bombing . All 259 people on board Pan Am flight 103 from London to New York were killed when the plane exploded in midair on December 21 , 1988 . A further 11 people died on the ground as debris rained down on Lockerbie . In Scotland , mourners watched as a commemorative wreath was laid at Dryfesdale Cemetery , the site of a permanent memorial and remembrance garden to the victims of the attack . Canon Michael Bands , who led the service , said that the disaster had `` long ceased to be a Lockerbie event and become a world event . '' `` It is awful that we should gather today on this stormy sort of day to feel the sadness again of the tragedy that took place here 20 years ago , '' Bands said , according to the UK 's Press Association . Services marking the exact time of the attack at 1903 GMT were also due to take place later in local churches . A private service for relatives of victims and former Pan Am employees will also take place at London 's Heathrow airport , where the airliner began its final flight . In the U.S. , remembrance services were scheduled to take place at Arlington National Cemetery and at New York 's Syracuse University , which lost 35 students in the bombing . Scotland 's First Minister Alex Salmond said the anniversary marked an opportunity to reflect on `` the lasting links that have been established with those in other nations who were touched by the disaster . '' `` I know that through the events being organised in Lockerbie , at Syracuse University , and at other locations in the UK and the U.S. , that fitting tribute will be paid to those who so tragically lost their lives and those , in the south of Scotland and beyond , whose lives have been affected by the atrocity . '' A former Libyan intelligence officer , Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi , was convicted of the bombing in 2001 . Al Megrahi , who is serving a life sentence in Scotland 's Greenock Prison , last month lost an appeal to be released because he is suffering from advanced prostate cancer . Al Megrahi has always denied any involvement in the bombing . He was convicted after prosecutors argued he had placed the bomb , hidden in a suitcase , on a flight from Malta to Frankfurt , Germany . There , prosecutors said , the bomb was transferred onto the Pan Am jet that went first to London 's Heathrow Airport and then was to continue to New York . The prosecution maintained that Megrahi , who worked at Malta 's Luqa Airport , was an agent for the Libyan intelligence services and had been seen buying clothes that were in the suitcase that contained the bomb . In 2007 Scottish judges granted Megrahi the right to make a second appeal against his conviction on grounds that he may have suffered a miscarriage of justice . That process is ongoing . Another man -- Al-Amin Khalifa Fahima -- was also tried in the bombing but was acquitted . Libya has formally accepted responsibility for the bombing , though Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi later denied any culpability . The north African country has paid out more than $ 500 million to the families of victims of the attack as part of a wider $ 1.5 billion settlement to end its legal liability in U.S. terrorism cases and restore diplomatic full relations with Washington . | Events marking 20th anniversary of Lockerbie airliner bombing to be held Sunday . 270 killed when Pan Am flight from London to New York exploded in midair . Services to be held in Scotland , at Heathrow Airport and in U.S. Libyan intelligence officer convicted of attack in 2001 currently serving life sentence . | [[36, 128], [0, 6], [9, 32], [119, 224], [965, 976], [982, 1010], [1072, 1183], [214, 224], [231, 250], [336, 471], [419, 471], [0, 6], [9, 32], [119, 224], [1184, 1305], [1352, 1363], [1366, 1485], [1742, 1874], [2057, 2093], [2131, 2169], [2170, 2180], [2187, 2244]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States on Tuesday imposed financial sanctions on an Iran-based company that it said is a cover for North Korea 's missile proliferation network , the Department of the Treasury announced . Hong Kong Electronics in Kish Island , Iran , was added to the list of `` designated proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters '' for working with two others already on the list : North Korea 's Tanchon Commercial Bank and the Korea Mining Development Trading Corp. -LRB- KOMID -RRB- , according to a Treasury news release . The designation under Executive Order 13382 freezes any U.S. assets of Hong Kong Electronics and prohibits any transactions with the company by U.S. individuals , companies or financial institutions , the statement said . `` North Korea uses front companies like Hong Kong Electronics and a range of other deceptive practices to obscure the true nature of its financial dealings , making it nearly impossible for responsible banks and governments to distinguish legitimate from illegitimate North Korean transactions , '' said Stuart Levey , the undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the Treasury . `` Today 's action is a part of our overall effort to prevent North Korea from misusing the international financial system to advance its nuclear and missile programs and to sell dangerous technology around the world . '' The Treasury statement alleged that Hong Kong Electronics has transferred millions of dollars of proliferation-related funds on behalf of Tanchon and KOMID since 2007 . It also accused Hong Kong Electronics of facilitating the movement of money from Iran to North Korea on behalf of KOMID . Tanchon , a commercial bank based in Pyongyang , North Korea , is the financial arm for KOMID , which the Treasury statement described as North Korea 's premier arms dealer and main exporter of goods and equipment related to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons . Both Tanchon and KOMID were previously subjected to sanctions under Executive Order 13382 and sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council , according to the Treasury statement . It said both also had ties with other sanctioned entities , including Iran 's Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group , which it called the Iranian organization responsible for developing liquid-fueled missiles . | Hong Kong Electronics called a cover for North Korea 's missile proliferation network . U.S. Treasury says company 's U.S. assets frozen , transactions in U.S. prohibited . It says company worked with bank , arms dealer tied to other sanctioned entities . Goal is to stop misuse of financial system to advance arms programs , Treasury says . | [[117, 119], [125, 184], [579, 671], [2157, 2265], [187, 229], [1250, 1321], [1261, 1417]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Music fans who buy concert tickets during Live Nation 's `` No Service Fee Wednesday '' may be surprised when they check their receipt and see some service fees were charged . Concertgoers expecting service-free tickets during a Live Nation promotion may still find fees . Live Nation 's announcement for the promotion -- and stories based on their news release -- did not mention the concert promoter 's narrow definition of a `` service fee . '' `` Fans will still be asked to pay parking fees -LRB- usually $ 6 -RRB- as well as in some cases facility fees and/or charity fees , '' Live Nation spokesman John Vlautin wrote in a reply to CNN 's request for clarification . Still , the promotion will save consumers several dollars on amphitheater lawn seats bought from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Wednesday . Vlautin did not respond to CNN 's question about why the promotion was called `` No Service Fee Wednesday '' if there were still fees added to the base cost of each ticket -- or why it was not disclosed in the announcement . Service fees tacked on to ticket purchases -- averaging a third of the base price -- have long been a source of grumbling from concertgoers . `` People get a little ticked off when they think they 're paying $ 20 for a ticket and as they progress along the various pages of the electronic transaction they see more fees added along the way , '' said Ray Waddell , who writes about live music tours for Billboard magazine . When buying tickets online using a credit card , the buyer does not see the total charged -- with the added fees -- until after they 've submitted the order . Live Nation discloses this in its `` terms and conditions '' statement : . `` Live Nation Ticketing may assess a convenience charge on each ticket purchased and/or ordered for certain events . '' The parking fee , which does not actually pay for a parking space , is on each ticket -- even if the fan does n't drive to the show . `` We have always charged it this way to alleviate traffic issues that occur when the fee is taken at the lot entrance , '' Vlautin said . A facility fee is `` charged at some venues and goes to defray the cost of venue maintenance , '' he said . Vlautin did not respond to CNN 's request for a detailed list of service fees that will be waived during `` No Service Fee Wednesday . '' Live Nation only began selling tickets to its own concerts last year , just months before announcing plans to merge with Ticketmaster -- the world 's largest ticket-seller . Before that , Live Nation promoted shows but had no infrastructure to sell tickets , and it contracted out to Ticketmaster or others to sell them . The Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger plan has drawn criticism . The Justice Department launched an investigation of the proposed merger in February . Neither Live Nation nor Ticketmaster executives would respond to questions about the merger . However , Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff did talk about it before a U.S. Senate subcommittee earlier this year . '' -LSB- The merger -RSB- will give us greater flexibility in how we promote , market and sell tickets to events . It will give us a pathway to alternative pricing and fee structures . And we will be better able to develop new and innovative products and services that enhance the fan experience and make all forms of entertainment more accessible to everyone . '' | Live Nation promotion does n't mention narrow definition of a `` service fee '' Company says no service fees charged from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Wednesday . Spokesman tells CNN : Fans will still pay parking , facility or charity fees . Billboard writer says `` people get a little ticked off '' when they see the charges . | [[317, 377], [409, 488], [2298, 2370], [220, 304], [310, 316], [220, 294], [299, 316], [492, 622], [1077, 1119], [1162, 1171], [1177, 1218], [1077, 1119], [1172, 1218], [1222, 1377]] |
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