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-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the rev. jeremiah wright on monday said the black church , not him , had been subjected to attacks in the 2008 presidential campaign . speaking before the national press club , sen. barack obama 's former pastor sought to give insight into the black church and clarify some of his remarks that have sparked a firestorm . earlier this year , some of wright 's sermons , circulated and widely discussed on the internet and on television , became an issue in the democratic presidential race because of the former pastor 's ties to obama . wright is a retired pastor from the trinity united church of christ in chicago , illinois , where obama worships . in one sermon , wright said the u.s. had brought the september 11 attacks upon itself and said `` america 's chickens are coming home to roost . '' asked to explain those remarks , wright said , `` have you heard the whole sermon ? ... no , you have n't heard the whole sermon . that nullifies that question . '' watch as wright explains his 9/11 comments '' wright said those who heard the entire sermon would have known that he was quoting the ambassador from iraq and keeping in line with biblical principles . `` jesus said , ` do unto others as you would have them do unto you . ' you can not do terrorism on other people and expect it never to come back on you . those are biblical principles , not jeremiah wright bombastic principles , '' he said . watch as wright questions his critics ' patriotism '' wright shot back at the notion that obama has walked away from him , saying the candidate `` distanced himself from some of my remarks . ... he had to distance himself , because he 's a politician , from what the media was saying i had said , which was un-american . ''<doc-sep>obama , when asked what he could do to keep wright 's latest comments from dragging him down , replied : . `` i think people will understand that i am not perfect and that there are going to be folks in my past like rev. wright that may cause them some concern -- but that ultimately , my 20 years of service and the values that i 've written about and spoken about and promoted are their values and what they 're concerned about . and that 's what this camp has been about and what it 's going to continue to be about . '' wright said sound bites from his sermons were taken out of context and said the black religious tradition , despite its long history , is in some ways `` invisible to the dominant culture . '' the theology of the black church is a `` theology of liberation , it is a theology of transformation and it is ultimately a theology of reconciliation , '' he said . wright 's remarks came a day after he addressed an audience of 10,000 at a dinner sponsored by the detroit chapter of the national association for the advancement of colored people . watch as wright answers his critics at the naacp event '' reiterating some of the same points from that dinner , wright said , `` being different does not mean one is deficient -- it simply means one is different , like snowflakes . '' wright said reconciliation means `` we embrace our individual rich histories . '' he said it also means rooting out `` any teaching of superiority , inferiority , hatred or prejudice '' and recognizing that each person `` is one of god 's children ... no better , no worse . '' `` only then will liberation , transformation and reconciliation become realities and cease being ever-elusive ideals , '' he said .<doc-sep>at the height of the wright controversy , obama gave a speech on race relations , rejecting his ex-pastor 's controversial comments but saying he could not repudiate the man himself . `` i 'm not here for political reasons , '' wright said sunday . `` i am not a politician . i know that fact will surprise many of you because many in the corporate-owned media have made it seem as if i had announced that i 'm running for the oval office . i am not running for the oval office . `` i 've been running for jesus a long , long time , and i 'm not tired yet . '' sen. john mccain , the presumptive gop nominee , weighed in on the controversy monday , saying he does not think obama and wright share the same `` extremist views . '' watch mccain comment on wright '' mccain on sunday broached the topic of wright unprompted for the first time despite previous suggestions the issue would be out of bounds in the presidential race . mccain said his shifting stance was justified because obama told `` fox news sunday '' the controversy surrounding his ex-pastor was `` a legitimate political issue . '' the senator from arizona last week told the north carolina gop not to run an ad linking the state 's democratic candidates for governor -- richard moore and beverly perdue , both obama supporters -- to wright . but on monday , mccain said he would no longer get involved in such matters . `` i will not be a referee , '' he said . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. barack obama said saturday that he has resigned from the church where controversial sermons by his former pastor and other ministers created political headaches for his campaign . `` we do n't want to have to answer for everything that 's stated in the church , '' the democratic front-runner said . `` we also do n't want the church subjected to the scrutiny that a presidential campaign legitimately undergoes . '' obama said he was resigning `` with some sadness . '' `` this is not a decision i come to lightly , '' he said . watch obama discuss departure '' the resignation comes days after the rev. michael pfleger , a visiting catholic priest , mocked obama 's democratic rival during a sermon at trinity united church of christ in chicago , illinois . in the sermon , pfleger wipes his eyes with a handkerchief and suggests that sen. hillary clinton wept because she thought that as a white person and the wife of a former president , she was entitled to the presidency . pfleger is a catholic priest at st. sabina roman catholic church on chicago 's southwest side . he is also a friend of trinity 's former pastor , the rev. jeremiah wright , from whom obama distanced himself in april . watch pfleger mock clinton '' obama said the pfleger controversy made it clear that , as long as he remained a member of the trinity congregation , remarks from the pulpit would be `` imputed '' to him , even if they conflicted with his personal views . obama said he and his wife , michelle , began discussing a departure from the church after wright spoke at the national press club on april 28 . during the appearance , wright said that obama had `` distanced '' himself the fiery pastor for political reasons .<doc-sep>wright , obama 's minister for about 20 years , drew unwanted attention for the campaign when videos of his fiery sermons surfaced . in the speeches , wright suggested that the u.s. government may be responsible for the spread of aids in the black community and equated some american wartime activities to terrorism . obama has said he was not present for the controversial sermons by wright or pfleger . his campaign condemned pfleger 's comments . `` that is why i am deeply disappointed in father pfleger 's divisive , backward-looking rhetoric , which does n't reflect the country i see or the desire of people across america to come together in common cause , '' he said in a statement thursday . obama said he and his wife had discussed and prayed on the issue with trinity 's senior pastor , the rev. otis moss , and hoped that the decision would withdraw trinity from the spotlight . `` though we are saddened by the news , we understand that it is a personal decision , '' moss said in a statement saturday . `` we will continue to lift them in prayer and wish them the best as former members of our trinity community , '' some obama supporters , including u.s. rep. robert wexler of florida , said that disconnecting from the church signaled a chance for the campaign to move on . `` i think it bodes well for us in the general election that we can put whatever issues there were behind us in respect to the church , '' wexler said .<doc-sep>ousted : juan mcfarland has been removed from the alabama baptist church he has led for 23 years . a pastor has revealed in a series of sermons that he has used drugs , has aids and knowingly had sex with parishioners in church grounds while suffering from the disease , according to reports . following his series of confessions , juan demetrius mcfarland has been removed from shiloh missionary baptist church in montgomery , alabama as his stunned congregation tries to come to terms with his revelations . mcfarland , who has led the church for 23 years , first revealed to worshipers in mid-september that he had contracted hiv in 2003 and was diagnosed with aids in 2008 . at first , the congregation offered their sympathy and support . ` the church was very accepting of reverend mcfarland and was willing to help him in any way possible , ' an unidentified church member told wsfa 12 news . but after he returned to the pulpit , he revealed that he had used drugs - including cocaine - while pastor and used church funds to pay for business trips that he then did n't take , al.com reported . and there was more . ` he concealed from the church that he had knowingly engaged in adultery in the church building with female members of shiloh missionary baptist church while knowingly having aids , ' said church deacon nathan williams jr. . shocking : mcfarland , pictured delivering a sermon at the church earlier this year , revealed that he had taken cocaine while pastor , misused church funds for trips he did n't take and had sex with churchgoers . whether or not he told all of his sexual partners that he had hiv or aids is yet to be determined , but one church-goer said she would be undergoing tests to see if she had the disease , wsfa reported . ` my heart goes out to her because she 's been a wonderful church member , and then for something like this to happen , ' the church member said . ` the fact that he did n't tell them at all . that 's a crime in itself . ' charges have not been filed against mcfarland , 47 , although some church members are calling for his prosecution . a former shiloh deacon who heard his sermons told al.com that mcfarland is not taking medicine to treat his illness . after his most recent sermons , deacons voted on october 5 to remove him as pastor . on sunday , montgomery police were called after church members started fighting with each other but no one was removed . williams said he thinks police were called on people who had voted the pastor out . scene : after being removed from the church in montgomery , alabama -lrb- pictured -rrb- , mcfarland reportedly changed the locks and now other church leaders are seeking legal counsel . the spat has since continued , with mcfarland and some newly appointed staff changing the locks on the church on monday morning , al.com reported . williams told wsfa that leaders have obtained legal counsel to save the church . ` our moves are going to come directly from counsel . we want peace and we want to do things right , legally , ' williams said . ` we are not looking to hurt him . we are looking to get the church back . ' mcfarland is also the moderator with the alabama middle district baptist association , which includes 34 churches . leaders indicated there are not yet any plans to remove him from this position .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. hillary clinton would have long ago distanced herself from the rev. jeremiah wright if she had been a member of his church , the democratic presidential candidate said tuesday . it 's the first time she or her campaign has commented directly on a controversy that has swirled around rival sen. barack obama 's campaign in recent weeks . `` i think given all we have heard and seen , he would not have been my pastor , '' clinton said in a news conference in greensburg , pennsylvania . the comments came hours after the new york senator made similar comments to the pittsburgh tribune-review in an editorial board interview . `` you do n't choose your family , but you choose what church you want to attend , '' she told the paper . clinton repeated those remarks in the news conference . watch clinton talk about wright and other issues '' an obama campaign spokesman said clinton 's comments were part of a `` transparent effort to distract attention away from the story she made up about dodging sniper fire in bosnia , '' a reference to comments clinton made last week . she later said she `` misspoke . '' `` the truth is , barack obama has already spoken out against his pastor 's offensive comments and addressed the issue of race in america with a deeply personal and uncommonly honest speech , '' obama campaign press secretary bill burton said . `` the american people deserve better than tired political games that do nothing to solve the larger challenges facing this country . '' clinton 's comments on wright came almost a week after obama delivered a speech on race and politics in philadelphia , pennsylvania , during which he denounced some of his former minister 's sermons , but said he could not repudiate the man himself . the sermons in question -- some of which were several years old -- included several racially charged remarks , and became the subject of scrutiny after a news report highlighted them earlier this month . speaking to reporters tuesday , clinton referenced a speech she gave nearly a year ago after talk-radio host don imus ' controversial remarks about the rutgers women 's basketball team . `` i said it was time for standing up for what is right , for saying enough is enough , for urging that we turn a culture of degradation into a culture of empowerment , for saying that while we of course must protect our right of free expression , it should not be used as a license or an excuse to demean or humiliate our fellow citizens . sen. obama spoke eloquently at that time as well , '' she said . `` everyone will have to decide these matters for themselves . they were obviously very personal matters , '' clinton added . `` but i was asked what i would do if he was my pastor and i said i think the choice would be clear for me . '' in his speech last week , obama said he heard his former minister make controversial remarks , but not the ones that have been the subject of recent controversy . `` did i know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of american domestic and foreign policy ? of course , '' obama said in the speech . `` did i ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while i sat in church ? yes . did i strongly disagree with many of his political views ? absolutely -- just as i 'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors , priests or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed . '' asked by cnn if her speaking openly about wright meant the issue was now on the table in the effort to win superdelegates , clinton answered : `` i was asked what i would do , and i answered the question . '' e-mail to a friend .

<t> the rev. jeremiah wright seeks to explain theology of black church . </t> <t> wright says criticisms come from those who have not heard his whole sermons . </t> <t> new : obama : `` folks in my past like rev. wright '' may cause some voters concern . </t>

obama 's ex-pastor speaks out about church , sermons<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- preliminary results of an investigation show that tuesday 's massive power outage in florida was caused by human error , florida power and light president armando olivera said friday . a field engineer was diagnosing a switch that had malfunctioned at fpl 's flagami substation in west miami . without authorization , the engineer disabled two levels of relay protection , olivera said . `` this was done contrary to fpl 's standard procedures and established practices , '' he said . standard procedures do not allow the simultaneous removal of both levels of protection .<doc-sep>`` we do n't know why the employee took it upon himself to disable both sets of relays , '' he added . a fault occurred during the diagnostic process , and because both levels of relay protection had been removed , the fault caused an outage ultimately affecting 26 transmission lines and 38 substations , olivera said . find out more about power grids and blackouts '' one of the substations affected serves three of the generation units at turkey point -- a natural gas unit and both of the plant 's nuclear units . both the nuclear units automatically shut down due to an under-voltage condition , he said . also affected were two other generation plants in fpl 's system . the total impact to the system was a loss of 3,400 megawatts of generating capacity . the error affected 584,000 fpl customers , olivera said . another 500,000 non-fpl customers also lost power .<doc-sep>that translates to about 3 million people . see photos of the blackout 's impact '' the employee has been suspended with pay as the investigation continues , he added . `` the employee realized something had gone wrong , but i think it 's fair to say the employee did n't recognize the extent or magnitude of the problem , '' olivera said . the affected region ranged from miami to tampa , through orlando and east to brevard county , home to cape canaveral and the kennedy space center . see a map of the affected areas '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . last updated at 3:26 pm on 10th september 2011 . a major power outage , which left more than six million people in california and arizona in darkness , was caused by a single maintenance worker , it has been revealed . the power cut took two nuclear reactors offline , grounded flights , caused major traffic jams and trapped people in elevators and on fairground rides in both states . san diego bore the brunt of the blackout and most of the nation 's eighth-largest city was darkened . the city trolley system that shuttles thousands of commuters every day was shut down and rush hour traffic hit gridlock . scroll down for video . darker than usual : despite lights showing in san diego buildings , the city was without power after a blackout on caused havoc on thursday . going nowhere : passenger michael moretti waits at the baggage pick-up at san diego international airport after a massive blackout hit southern california . by candlelight : the power outage did n't end the night for visitors to voyeur in san diego 's gaslamp district . the san diego county sheriff 's department and other police departments told 10news . com that they have received reports of break-ins and vandalism at homes and businesses . the sheriff 's department received reports of a glass door broken at a taco store in lemon grove and a report of a home break-in in vista during the outage . a suspect in san diego was arrested after he was found to have items from a kensington area home where neighbours had reported a possible robbery . aps , arizona 's largest electricity provider , said a utility worker doing maintenance near yuma triggered the blackout . the error , on a high-voltage power line linking arizona and san diego , causing a cascading series of electrical grid failures stretching into southern california . authorities say the outage was accidentally triggered sometime thursday afternoon when the aps electrical worker removed a piece of monitoring equipment at a power substation in southwest arizona . an aps statement said : ` the outage appears to be related to a procedure an aps employee was carrying out in the north gila substation . lights out : buildings in downtown san diego look eerily abandoned as the blackout drags on . a single worker was responsible for the power cut . inconvenience store : a shopper is forced to make her grocery choices in the dark at her local store . more than six million people and businesses were affected . ` operating and protection protocols . typically would have isolated the resulting outage to the yuma area . the . reason that did not occur in this case will be the focal point of the .<doc-sep>`` i am extremely disappointed in the power failure at the superdome during last night 's super bowl game , '' she said in a statement monday . the nfl has said the incident will not likely diminish the city 's chances of hosting another big game . the general consensus on social media appeared to be that beyonce 's high-wattage half-time performance was mostly likely to blame for the blackout . nfl commissioner roger goodell countered the virtual chatter , saying , `` there is no indication at all that this was caused by the halftime show , absolutely none . '' the blackout triggered calls by industry leaders for the building of a nationwide smart power grid , which could reroute electricity seamlessly in such cases . this would avoid such public displays of momentary weaknesses in the system , said andres carvallo , former chief technology officer at austin energy , where he says he built the nation 's first smart grid . on monday , cbs aired video shot from inside a stadium control room as the outage occurred . `` all right , we lost lights , '' says a man as the room darkens . funniest tweets of the #blackout . cnn 's brian todd , dugald mcconnell , lindsey knight , tom watkins , tina burnside , ben brumfield and chelsea carter contributed to this report .<doc-sep>mr green sued mr haynes at the high court -lrb- pictured -rrb- , where he relied on the rare defence of automatism . people claiming ` automatism ' - where they had no control over their actions through no fault of their own - has made headlines after defendants accused of sex offences claimed they acted in their sleep . it has its origins in 19th century definitions of ` insanity ' but now stands as a separate defence for people with no mental health issues . the defence is wide-ranging and open-ended - it can include sleep disorders or medical conditions such as an epileptic fit or a hypoglycaemic attack . in one criminal case in august , a driver was acquitted after a jury heard he caused a crash which killed a married couple because he was choking on a sweet . other examples could include a swarm of bees flying into a car . the defence is almost completely unheard of in civil cases , however . one person involved in mr haynes ' case said it the first example he had seen in more than 20 years . there are no statistics on how often the defence is pleaded or succeeds , and last year parliament 's law commission said it should be scrapped in criminal cases altogether . the five-strong panel led by lord justice lloyd jones said the wording should be changed to ` not criminally responsible by reason of recognised medical condition ' , making the law less open to interpretation . in his defence , mr haynes said the crash occurred after he had a blackout triggered by abdominal pain and he was in a state of ` automatism ' , meaning he was carrying out actions over which he had no control .<doc-sep>a person familiar with the menendez legal strategy said his attorney , stephen ryan , asked the justice department in a letter to investigate the cuba situation . menendez called any suggestion that he was trying to create a diversion or check the federal corruption probe with his cuba comments a `` pretty far-fetched idea . '' but he said that it `` seems to me '' the government `` has the proof , '' based on the washington post reporting . `` as far as i am concerned , you know , it is the government that should produce the information that they supposedly have within their own agencies , '' menendez said . if the cia finding is true , the person said , then the corruption probe would be tainted by the fact menendez was a victim of a foreign intelligence smear . 2013 : sen. menendez faces scrutiny over ties to florida doctor . tipster triggered probe , stories . the episode began in april 2012 when a tipster alerted the citizens for ethics and responsibility in washington , a watchdog group , that he had evidence menendez engaged in sex tourism by traveling to meet underage prostitutes in the dominican republic . an fbi agent in miami attempted to run down the tip , but nothing materialized . the tipster would n't provide additional information or talk to the agent , according to e-mail records forwarded to media . the purported prostitutes also recanted their claims . at the time , menendez was ascending to the top foreign affairs committee post in the democratic-controlled senate . the fbi 's foray into that allegation dovetailed with the wider , ongoing federal investigation focused on the florida donor , who for years has fought allegations that he overbilled medicare . the fbi 's investigation is also examining efforts by menendez to advocate on behalf of two ecuadorian brothers , whose family members are political donors to him and who are fighting extradition to their homeland to face embezzlement charges . people familiar with the investigation say the overall probe continues , with the fbi and prosecutors still examining whether menendez broke any laws in his ties to political donors . lawyer : senator and dominican prostitutes story cooked up by cuban intelligence agents . 2013 : dominican police : women were paid to lie about sen. robert menendez . 2013 report : dea agents made prostitute arrangements for secret service agent .

<t> a field engineer disabled two levels of relay protection , florida power and light says . </t> <t> fpl : actions were contrary to standard procedures and established practices . </t> <t> the employee has been suspended with pay as the investigation continues . </t> <t> about 3 million people lost power tuesday . </t>

probe : engineer 's actions triggered florida blackout<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe 's capital of harare was quiet saturday night after polls began closing for elections that will decide the future of longtime president robert mugabe . zimbabwean president robert mugabe campaigns in the capital of harare last week . results were not expected until sunday . the main opposition party , movement for democratic change , alleged widespread irregularities and promised to release its own election results , defying a government order . critics of the government have predicted that the elections will be rigged or marred by fraud , though the government has promised that they will be `` free and fair . '' at a news conference in harare , movement for democratic change secretary-general tenda biti said that some of the party 's agents have been chased away from polling stations . the party also said the zimbabwe electoral commission claimed to have lost the accreditation for agents at 19 stations and refused to let them in . biti said there was a `` massive '' deployment of soldiers and police at most stations . journalists inside the country reported a heavy presence of the army and police but disagreed with biti 's description of it as `` massive . '' police said they were investigating the bombing of a house in harare belonging to a parliamentarian candidate from mugabe 's ruling zanu-pf party . the bombing happened early saturday , and it was not immediately clear whether it was connected to the elections , police said . no one was inside the home at the time . the zimbabwean government has denied cnn and other international news organizations permission to enter the country to report on the elections . read about reporting on the elections . the elections are posing one of the toughest challenges to mugabe 's 28-year rule . two candidates , both from different factions of the opposition party , stand a good chance of unseating him . one opposition contender is movement for democratic change founder morgan tsvangirai , who fought hotly contested challenges against the president in 2000 , 2002 and 2005 . the other is mugabe 's former finance minister , simba makoni . he was a member of the zanu-pf party until he announced his bid to unseat mugabe and the party kicked him out . voter turnout was high after the polls opened at 7 a.m. -lrb- 1 a.m. et -rrb- , journalists reported , but it tapered off throughout the day . shortly before polls closed at 7 p.m. -lrb- 1 p.m. et -rrb- , `` there was a rush of people to put in their last-minute votes '' in some places , media rights activist reyhana masters said . biti also said police were assisting many voters in casting ballots . the opposition has spoken out against `` assistance '' in the voting booth , calling it an intimidation tactic , but mugabe passed a presidential decree this week that said police could help those voters who are elderly or infirm . watch zimbabweans worry their vote wo n't count ''<doc-sep>the government has warned the opposition not to release its own election results , saying that doing so is the role of the electoral commission and could spark violence of the kind seen in kenya after elections there late last year . some zimbabweans reported irregularities in saturday 's voting . eddie matsangaise of the zimbabwe exile forum said he had heard that the names of long-dead white colonialist leaders were on voter lists , but voters who thought they were registered were turned away . iden wetherell , editor of the newspaper zimbabwe independent , said the opposition had found large numbers of voters registered at one address where there is n't a building . voter confusion was also a problem . the elections are not just for president but also for parliamentary , senate and local council seats , meaning voters have to cast a number of ballots in a limited amount of time . limited voter education means many registered voters were not told which ward to go to and may turn up at the wrong polling stations . watch claims of dead voters still on the rolls '' the absence of international media and independent observers has heightened critics ' concerns . the united states this week warned of a possible unfair election , and new york-based human rights watch warned this month that the elections were likely to be `` deeply flawed . '' human rights watch said in a report that zimbabwe 's electoral commission is partisan toward zanu-pf and lacks both expertise and resources to run the elections properly . an mdc official said this week that leaked correspondence from the electoral commission showed it had asked for 3.3 million more ballots than there are registered voters , including 250,000 extra postal ballots for soldiers and police . tenda biti , the opposition 's secretary-general , said it was an indication of fraud . a hero of the country 's civil war against the white rhodesian government , mugabe became the country 's first black prime minister in 1980 . but nearly three decades later , he has consolidated his rule over all aspects of zimbabwean life , and the country does not appear better for it . his country was once revered for offering its citizens some of the best education and health care in africa , but now , schooling is a luxury and zimbabwe has one of the lowest life expectancies in the world . zimbabwe was once known as the breadbasket of southern africa , but now it is difficult to get even basic food supplies . inflation has skyrocketed to more than 100,000 percent while food production and agricultural exports have dropped drastically . watch reasons for meltdown of zimbabwe 's economy '' part of the economic freefall is traced to mugabe 's land redistribution policies , including his controversial seizure of commercially white-owned farms in 2000 . mugabe gave the land to black zimbabweans who he said were cheated under colonialist rule , and white farmers who resisted were jailed . in 2005 , mugabe launched operation clean out the trash , in which he razed slum areas across the country . mugabe denies mismanagement and blames his country 's woes on the west , saying that sanctions have harmed the economy . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's robyn curnow in beitbridge , south africa , contributed to this report .<doc-sep>united nations -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- russia and china vetoed a u.n. security council resolution friday that would have imposed sanctions on zimbabwe 's longtime president , robert mugabe , and 11 senior members of his government . zimbabwe president robert mugabe meets this week with arthur mutambara , an opposition leader . according to a draft of the resolution , the measure would have instituted a travel ban on mugabe and others in his government , frozen many of their assets and imposed an international arms embargo on the regime . the measure received nine votes -- the minimum for it to pass . however , two of the five negative votes were from russia and china , who as permanent members of the security council have veto power . one security council member abstained . the resolution was pushed by the united states after mugabe ignored the security council 's appeal to postpone the june 27 presidential runoff election . the vote initially was intended to be a runoff between mugabe and opposition candidate morgan tsvangirai . but tsvangirai withdrew days before , saying mugabe 's supporters had orchestrated a campaign of beatings , intimidation and murders against his supporters . with their votes , ambassadors for china and russia said they wanted to give the rival political parties a chance to resolve the election matter on their own terms without undue interference from the security council . representatives from mugabe 's party , the zimbabwe african national union-patriotic front -lrb- zanu-pf -rrb- , have been meeting in pretoria , south africa , with the opposition movement for democratic change this week . tsvangirai said wednesday the talks , which are being mediated by south african president thabo mbeki , are focusing on `` how to move forward . '' chinese ambassador wang guangya said his nation believes the international community should allow the talks in south africa on the zimbabwe situation a chance to progress before imposing sanctions .<doc-sep>united nations -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- russia and china vetoed a u.n. security council resolution friday that would have imposed sanctions on zimbabwe 's longtime president , robert mugabe , and 11 senior members of his government . zimbabwe president robert mugabe meets this week with arthur mutambara , an opposition leader . according to a draft of the resolution , the measure would have instituted a travel ban on mugabe and others in his government , frozen many of their assets and imposed an international arms embargo on the regime . the measure received nine votes -- the minimum for it to pass . however , two of the five negative votes were from russia and china , who as permanent members of the security council have veto power . one security council member abstained . the resolution was pushed by the united states after mugabe ignored the security council 's appeal to postpone the june 27 presidential runoff election . the vote initially was intended to be a runoff between mugabe and opposition candidate morgan tsvangirai . but tsvangirai withdrew days before , saying mugabe 's supporters had orchestrated a campaign of beatings , intimidation and murders against his supporters . with their votes , ambassadors for china and russia said they wanted to give the rival political parties a chance to resolve the election matter on their own terms without undue interference from the security council . representatives from mugabe 's party , the zimbabwe african national union-patriotic front -lrb- zanu-pf -rrb- , have been meeting in pretoria , south africa , with the opposition movement for democratic change this week .<doc-sep>harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a child cries from hunger , but no tears come from her swollen eyes . a zimbabwean family bury their relative , who died of cholera , 25km from harare , zimbabwe . malnutrition has left this baby born in zimbabwe fighting for her life . she is the face of an unfolding crisis in a country once known as africa 's bread basket . today a loaf of bread costs $ 35 million worthless zimbabwean dollars , and people are forced to sift through garbage piles for any morsel of food . others huddle for warmth around a fire burning inside the shell of a broken-down van . all of these images were captured on video recently smuggled out of zimbabwe by solidarity peace trust , a south african human rights group . watch the disturbing images '' zimbabwe 's government maintains that the situation is being exaggerated by the west in an effort to exert pressure on president robert mugabe to leave office . but the world health organization -lrb- who -rrb- says the desperate situation has triggered a widening cholera outbreak that has killed 775 people and infected more than 15,000 . `` you have to eat in the same place you sleep right next to the buckets , the same buckets that we used as toilets , '' one cholera patient says on the video . `` there is no water to bathe . '' and little to eat . women foraging for food in the bush find dry branches with only a few berries . `` this packet of juice will be my supper tonight , '' one woman says . zimbabwe 's main opposition leader morgan tsvangirai -- who is still trying to form a unity government with mugabe under a recent power-sharing deal -- said the situation can only be addressed once a `` legitimate government '' is in place .<doc-sep>harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwean president mugabe joined mourners tuesday at a church service for prime minister morgan tsvangirai 's wife , who was killed last week in a car wreck . robert mugabe speaks at the memorial service for prime minister morgan tsvangirai 's wife , susan . `` we are doing our best that we create a conducive environment and tell our supporters that the issue of violence must end , '' mugabe told hundreds of people at a service at mabelreign methodist church in harare . afterward , about 30,000 people gathered at glamis stadium in harare to remember susan tsvangirai . many wiped away tears as speakers addressed them , and some later held up signs that said , `` we miss you mother , '' and `` goodbye mama . '' tsvangirai , wearing dark sunglasses , stood impassively during one part of the ceremony . the service at the stadium was an extension of the church service , as the church could not accommodate all those who wanted to attend , tsvangirai 's spokesman , james maridadi , told cnn . watch tsvangirai at the memorial service '' `` most of us are in pain , but the majority of us are so shocked we could not feel the pain , '' movement for democratic change secretary-general tendai biti told the crowd at glamis stadium , according to a mdc statement . susan tsvangirai was `` an activist and revolutionary in her own right , '' biti said . `` she believed in the same values as her husband in wishing to bring about democratic change in zimbabwe through a new , people-driven constitution . '' biti said susan tsvangirai had given support and guidance to her husband , the longtime opposition leader and head of mdc . `` as a result , we must take her passing on as an inspiration and must stop feeling pity for ourselves , '' biti said , the mdc statement reported . the couple was traveling friday from harare to their rural home in buhera when a truck collided with their vehicle , killing susan tsvangirai . the prime minister suffered minor injuries in the wreck , which occurred along a busy two-lane highway . mark weinberg , a spokesman for the u.s. embassy in harare , told cnn the truck belonged to a u.s. agency for international development partner who delivers medical supplies as part of a u.s.-british program . edwin tsvangirai , the prime minister 's eldest son , also spoke tuesday to those gathered at the stadium , and said he saw the president differently after hearing mugabe 's words at the church service . `` i would like to thank the president of zimbabwe for his words today that made me change my understanding of him , '' he said . mugabe said the government will provide a state-assisted funeral for susan tsvangirai , who will be buried in buhera on wednesday . some people traveled long distances to attend the stadium service . marriam garwe said she traveled 200 kilometers -lrb- 124 miles -rrb- to be there . `` i want to pay my last respects to mrs. tsvangirai , '' said garwe , 43 , who is from mutoko . `` i am sad that she died before mr. tsvangirai is the president . '' members of the mdc initially said that the prime minister believed friday 's crash was an assassination attempt . tsvangirai dismissed those assertions on monday . `` when something like that happens there is speculation , but i want to assure you , if it was foul play it is one in a thousand , '' he said after returning home from neighboring botswana . `` it was an accident that unfortunately took her life . '' watch tsvangirai say there was ` no foul play ' '' after the crash , biti said police should have provided better security for tsvangirai . the wreck might not have happened , he said , if a police escort had been on hand . tsvangirai has long been a leading opposition figure in zimbabwe . his agreement to join the coalition government with mugabe last month seemed to resolve an impasse created by the disputed presidential election between mugabe and tsvangirai last year . tsvangirai received the most votes in the march 2008 election , but he fell short of the 50 percent required to avoid a runoff . he withdrew as a candidate in the runoff , citing political violence and intimidation targeting his supporters . negotiations between the two sides culminated in the power-sharing agreement . .

<t> zimbabwe 's main opposition alleges widespread irregularities in election . </t> <t> opposition party says it will release its own election results sunday . </t> <t> president mugabe faces two challengers who have good chance of winning . </t> <t> inflation is rampant in zimbabwe , once called the breadbasket of southern africa . </t>

opposition cries foul as zimbabwe votes<T>

madrid , spain -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- spanish police tuesday arrested two moroccan men suspected of having links to islamic terrorism , spain 's ministry of interior said , including one man wanted in connection with attacks in casablanca in 2003 . mohamed el bay is thought to have been trying to buy weapons and explosives . the arrests were made in melilla , a spanish enclave of about 68,000 people on morocco 's mediterranean coast , with spanish civil guards acting on international arrests warrants issued by morocco , the ministry said in a written statement . moroccan authorities have linked one of the suspects , ali aarass , to the casablanca bombings in may 2003 that killed 33 bystanders and 12 suicide bombers . he is suspected of islamic extremist activities during the past 16 years , the spanish statement said . the other man , mohamed el bay , is wanted for alleged involvement with a terrorist network that moroccan police broke up last february , when they arrested 30 people suspected of plotting attacks against moroccan government targets , it said . moroccan police seized numerous weapons in the february raids and later contacted european police for help in locating other suspects in the group . morocco authorities believe el bay may have been in charge of contacting central european arms smugglers to get weapons and explosives for the alleged plot in morocco , the spanish statement said . spanish police searched the homes of both suspects in melilla and seized documentation , it said . spain has arrested more than 300 suspected islamic extremists since the madrid train bombings of 2004 that killed 191 people , although not all of the suspects remain in jail . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>but he said police have not found explosives `` in sufficient quantity '' to have carried out the assault . `` we have found a modest quantity of explosives , '' rubalcaba said , adding that they may have been intended for use in training the suspects . the judge in his rulings wrote that the group `` had achieved human operational capacity and were very close to achieving full technical capacity with explosives , with the aim of using those explosives for a jihadi terrorist attack . '' rubalcaba said that , for any such suspected terrorist cell , `` the time from getting explosives to carrying out the attack can be very short . '' the judge wrote that police had found nitrocellulose and mechanical and electrical elements that could have been used to make one or more bombs . more than 300 suspected islamic extremists have been arrested in spain since the madrid train bombings killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,800 on march 11 , 2004 , rubalcaba said . last october , more than a dozen islamic extremists were convicted in madrid for their roles in the train bombings . the 2004 bombings came just three days before general elections , in which socialist prime minister jose luis rodriguez zapatero won an upset victory . the latest arrests in barcelona come less than two months before the next general elections , to be held march 9 , when zapatero seeks re-election . spain remains on `` permanent alert '' against islamic terrorism . al qaeda communiques regularly make specific references to spain . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>spain is on a level two anti-terrorist alert , unchanged since 2009 , on a scale of four terrorist prevention levels . level two signifies a `` probable risk '' of another attack , the interior ministry said . suspected militant returning from war in syria arrested in spain . 2013 : suspected leader of islamic militant cell arrested in spain . 2013 : spain arrests eight suspects linked to al qaeda .<doc-sep>but jose maria fuster-fabra , a private prosecutor representing victims in the case , told cnn the sentence sets a precedent in spain because the 11 defendants were convicted for terrorist group membership almost solely on the basis of a key police informant , known as f1 to protect his identity . f1 testified he was selected by the group 's leader to be a suicide bomber , and that he quickly made a secretive call from a bathroom at a barcelona mosque to warn a friend in france about an impending terrorist attack . hours later , police swooped to make arrests in january 2008 in barcelona . the protected witness denied on the stand that he worked for french or any other secret service . defense lawyer jacobo teijelo , on the team representing all 11 defendants , said the sentence lacked judicial merit and he vowed to appeal to spain 's supreme court . about 30 members of barcelona 's large pakistani community watched the trial almost daily in a bulletproof basement courtroom at the high-security national court in central madrid . a community leader told cnn the defendants were innocent and that the pakistani community in barcelona was hardworking and law-abiding . more than 300 suspected islamic extremists have been arrested in spain since the madrid commuter train bombings that killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,800 on march 11 , 2004 , spain 's interior minister has said .<doc-sep>bangkok , thailand -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- three suspects arrested in thailand on alleged terror ties have confessed to making counterfeit passports and other documents , the thai news agency reported thursday . the two pakistani men and a thai woman were part of a transnational crime syndicate that included spain , the news agency said . authorities said the three allegedly set up a base in thailand , which they used to forge passports , the news agency said . their partners in spain stole tourist passports and shipped them to thailand , where they were forged , according to the news agency . in addition to the three , seven other alleged islamist extremists were arrested in spain on wednesday , the spanish national police said . six suspects were from pakistan and one from nigeria , police said . investigators said the three arrested in thailand are accused of directing the operation in spain . they allegedly provided stolen travel documents to terrorist groups , the national police said . police say the suspects are linked to terror groups . their fake passports were also used in other crimes , including human trafficking , arms trade and illegal immigration , authorities told the news agency . according to police , the cell was dedicated to stealing travel documents , mostly passports , and sending them to thailand , where they would be falsified and turned over to groups with links to al qaeda , such as lashkar-e-taiba , a militant group based in pakistan . the documents also ended up in the hands of the tamil tigers , a rebel force in sri lanka , police said . since the march 11 , 2004 , commuter train bombings in madrid that killed 190 and wounded 1,800 , spanish police and international police forces have kept a close eye on suspected islamic radicals living in or transiting through the country . there have been numerous previous arrests for alleged support work , like these arrests , involving forged documents .

<t> two men arrested in spanish enclave of melilla , near morocco . </t> <t> one accused of involvement in bombing that killed 33 in casablanca . </t> <t> the other is believed to have been trying to buy arms . </t> <t> arrest warrants were issued after morocco broke up terror network last february . </t>

spain arrests suspected islamic extremists<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a high school valedictorian 's plans to study medicine at a california state university have run headlong into the federal government 's attempts to return him and his family to armenia . arthur mkoyan , 17 , was 2 years old when his family came to the united states . `` i have n't been in armenia since i was 2 , so i do n't really know anything about the place , '' said arthur mkoyan , 17 . `` all i 've seen is just videos my mom has watched on the internet . '' mkoyan 's long-term plans were turned upside down one morning in april when two immigration officers arrived at the door of his family 's house . `` they took both of my parents , and they released my mom because she had to take care of us , since me and my brother are minors , '' he recalled . `` but instead they took my dad away to a detention center in arizona . '' mkoyan , who has a grade-point average above 4.0 -- extra credit for advanced placement classes makes that possible -- is set to graduate next week from bullard high school in fresno , california . watch students from arthur 's school talk about his case '' ten days later , immigration and customs enforcement plans to deport him and his family to the armenian capital city of yerevan , the same city his family fled in fear 16 years ago . back then , mkoyan 's father , ruben mkoian -lrb- he and his son spell their last names differently -rrb- , was a sergeant in an armenian equivalent of a department of motor vehicles , according to a court document . `` he was approached with a bribe to register stolen vehicles . he refused . a co-worker took the bribe . mkoian reported the incident to the chief of the dmv , who told him to mind his own business , '' the document states . `` subsequently , he and his family were subjected to attacks he believed were attempts to silence him about corruption at the dmv . ''<doc-sep>in what the family considers one such attempt , their house was set on fire in 1992 . that led the father to send his family to russia and then to the united states , arthur mkoyan said . they arrived in the united states in 1995 on six-month tourist visas , according to virginia kice , a public information officer with immigration and customs enforcement . the family settled in fresno , where mkoian worked as a truck driver and his wife worked in a jewelry store . they set about living their lives , which soon included a younger brother for arthur . but after the visas expired , the family 's application to remain in the united states was denied . in 2002 , an immigration judge ruled that they had no legal basis to remain in the country , kice said . after their application to the board of immigration appeals was rejected , the 9th u.s. circuit court of appeals last year denied their petition for a hearing . the court was unpersuaded by the father 's assertion that he might still be subject to reprisal if he were to return . `` mkoian 's fear that armenian officials would be unable or unwilling to protect him seems unfounded because he provided little evidence that they were unable or unwilling to protect him in the past , '' the appeals court said . to kice , it 's a simple matter of enforcing the law . `` i would remind people that this family had ample access to due process , '' she said . `` the case has been in litigation for more than 10 years . immigration experts on every level determined that they had no legal basis to be in the united states . '' she noted that the government agreed to delay their deportation so arthur can graduate with his class .<doc-sep>arthur 's schoolmates at bullard are shocked that his academic achievements have n't helped his case . `` it 's really hard to get good grades in this school , '' freshman alex stewart told affiliate kgpe . `` it 's a challenging school , so to get a 4.0 , you really got ta try . '' still , a longer-term reprieve remains possible , if unlikely . sen. dianne feinstein , d-california , may attempt to pass a `` private bill '' that would allow the family to remain in the united states . `` our office is looking into the case , '' said scott gerber , a spokesman for the senator . but the odds against it are long . there is `` almost no chance '' that the family 's quest for a private bill will succeed , said daniel kowalski , editor-in-chief of bender 's immigration bulletin . `` very few are being passed , '' he said . in fact , of the 21 private immigration bills introduced last year , none was enacted . in 2006 , 117 were introduced , and none was enacted ; in 2005 , 98 were introduced , and four were enacted . but the filing itself would buy the family time , since it suspends any efforts to deport the family until the bill 's fate is determined . arthur appeared undaunted . he appealed to a reporter to publicize his e-mail address -lrb- artmkoyan@gmail.com -rrb- so he can forward any letters of support to feinstein . meanwhile , the academic skills he has displayed in fresno may not easily translate to college in armenia . arthur said he understands only a few words of armenian .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a florida high school valedictorian and her sister , who were facing deportation , instead were meeting with with lawmakers wednesday after being granted a reprieve . an immigration judge ruled last week that daniela pelaez , 18 , and her sister dayana were to be deported for being in the country illegally . but immigration and customs enforcement on tuesday gave the sisters a two-year reprieve . the decision was made under the policy of prosecutorial discretion , which is designed to prioritize deportation for illegal border crossers with a criminal record , instead of those who pose little or no risk . `` the agency exercises prosecutorial discretion , on a case by case basis , as necessary to focus resources on our stated priorities , '' ice spokesman nestor yglesias said in a statement wednesday . the pelaez sisters traveled to washington to meet with florida sens. marco rubio and bill nelson , and florida reps. david rivera and frederica wilson . rubio , a republican , had expressed support for finding a way for daniela pelaez to remain in the united states . `` i have always said that our country needs to figure out a way to accommodate high academic achievers brought here at a very young age by their parents but who now find themselves undocumented through no fault of their own , '' he said in a statement last week . `` from what i 've read in press accounts , the story of daniela pelaez is exactly the kind of case i have been talking about . '' the sisters and their parents came from colombia 14 years ago and never left -- overstaying their tourist visas . a miami immigration judge ruled last week that the two girls must be deported to colombia , leaving the teenagers in shock . daniela , a high school senior , has a 6.7 grade point average and is at top of her class out of 823 students , a school administrator said . the teenager wants to study cellular and molecular biology for a medical career .<doc-sep>` the ou family is deeply saddened by . this loss , and our heartfelt thoughts go to her family and friends , ' bishop said in a statement . the death of the much-loved woman , who was her class valedictorian at edmond north high school in 2008 , has come as a shock to her family and friends . her parents , richard and roslyn cooke , released the following statement after the devastating news . ` since -lsb- casey lauren cooke 's -rsb- birth , we have celebrated the life of a young woman who was loved by so many . we will always remember her beautiful smile and innocent sincerity . ` casey was a very motivated child . her academic excellence and pursuit of a medical school admission are a testament to her drive , intelligence and positive attitude about life . ` casey loved to hang out with her family and friends and was an accomplished gymnast . her athletic ability landed her a spot as a cheerleader and head cheerleader at edmond north high school , where she graduated as the valedictorian of her class in 2008 . change : flower are placed along the building where cooke fell and died as fire officials determined the external fire escapes were not needed as people can exit through an internal staircase if needed . devastating : the 22-year-old 's family said she fell from a fire escape on campus , although it is not clear why she was climbing it . ` her academic excellence continued at . oklahoma university , where she was a zoology major and planned a second .<doc-sep>another in the petraeus camp noted , on meeting her , ' i was . underwhelmed . it was surprising to me that she was his official biographer . ' but , when it came to promoting her book , for paula . establishing her own academic , military and security credentials came second . only to establishing whether general petraeus was , as jon stewart put it , ` awesome or incredibly awesome ' . she dropped academic qualifications and security clearance . the way a socialite might pepper her conversation with boasts of parties . attended and ` bffs ' made . according to broadwell , being embedded in afghanistan with petraeus was . not the huge leap many imagined because , she explained , ` we had previously met . through academia ' . she herself was a graduate of west point and a specialist in counter-terrorism with black ops . experience , high security clearance , ` and then some ' . how the suspension of that much vaunted government clearance must smart . homecoming queen 1991 , pictured here with her king , mike mccormick , high school valedictorian , all-state basketball star ... broadwell never tires of listing her many achievements . she was high school valedictorian , all state basketball . player , top of her class at west point , holder of a masters from harvard ... and . how do we know all of this ? because broadwell has taken great pains to tell us . we know that her husband scott broadwell is not ` just ' a . radiologist but an ` interventional radiologist ' . broadwell and her husband , scott , just days before the scandal broke . he is not , she relentlessly stresses , just a radiologist but an ` interventionalist radiologist ' gen petraeus and his wife , holly , at the nfl super bowl xlii . she had ` lots of good things to say , ' on reading broadwell 's biography of her husband . writing in the new republic , . noam scheiber states , ` when my friend met her , she was fond of pointing out that her husband was . no mere radiologist but a special breed known as as `` interventional . radiologist . '' she would draw out the word `` interventional '' for emphasis . ' we know that she can run six-minute miles and do hundreds of . press-ups , that she has 13 per cent body fat and is an ironman triathlete and . marathon runner . we know all this because she has told us . we know that she hosted a charity . bbq for wounded veterans because she invited jon stewart and the assembled . press . ferocious self-promoter : broadwell managed to persuade jon stewart to attend a fundraising bbq for wounded veterans in charlotte , nc . meanwhile , until she stopped posting , her twitter feed was a . dizzying mixture of her following both world-causes and the world-famous . according to the times she recently tweeted , ` heading 2 @aspeninstitue 4 the security forum . tomorrow ! panel -lrb- media & terrorism -rrb- followed by a 1v1 run with lance . armstrong ' . the political , professional and academic platform on which . she now teeters is one entirely of her own , formidable , construction : itself an .<doc-sep>by . jessica jerreat . a homeless teenager in florida who overcame a difficult childhood to graduate as class valedictorian on wednesday has a brighter future ahead of him . griffin furlong has had his college fund boosted by more than $ 91,000 by thursday morning , as details spread of the 18-year-old 's determination to succeed despite the odds . when he gave his valedictorian speech at . first coast high school on wednesday , griffin told his classmates . ` giving up is not an option ' . scroll down for video . inspiration : homeless teenager griffin furlong gives his valedictorian speech on wednesday after overcoming hardships to graduate with a 4.65 average . generous : more than $ 88,000 has been donated to a college fund for griffin , pictured second left with his brother sean . despite losing his mother to cancer when he was 6 , and being raised in a series of homeless shelters , griffin achieved a 4.65 grade average in high school . he puts his educational success down to a determination to make something of himself , telling the graduates : ' i perform the way i do in the classroom because i have everything to lose . ' before he . was selected as valedictorian at first coast high school , few of . griffin 's teachers and classmates knew about his hard life . from . the age of seven , he and his brother , sean have been moved to various . homeless shelters with their father , and often went hungry . ` every single one of my peers thinks i live and have lived a normal , everyday life . everyone thinks i try to get good grades because i 'm smart . not true , , , ' griffin said . ' i make the grades i do because i was once lost , and had nothing . ' moving : in his valedictorian speech griffin told classmates to use their past as motivation . focused : from a young age griffin realized the only way he could change his life was to work hard at school . he concluded his speech by telling his classmates : ` do n't dwell on the past , use it as . motivation for your future . ` it 's amazing what . you can do with your life when you have motivation , ambition and most . importantly , a purpose . ' griffin plans to study civil engineering at florida state university where his brother , sean , is due to graduate from this summer . he was able to secure grants to cover some living costs , but last month the teenager had still not heard back from applications to get help covering his tuition . a go fund me page was set up on griffin 's behalf , and in just two weeks more than $ 90,000 had been raised for his college fund . ` wow , this is truly a blessing ! i ca n't even fathom how much this means to me and my family , ' griffin wrote on the page last week , as he thanked his many supporters . next step : griffin , pictured with avery , wants to start a scholarship to help students in similar circumstances to his . loss : when he was just six years old , griffin 's mother died from leukemia . the amount will cover costs for griffin 's degree at florida state university , which charges students about $ 20,000 a year for tuition , accommodation , meals and books . but the teenager has said that he would also like to create a scholarship fund for other florida students in similar circumstances to himself . according to jacksonville.com , his school district has about 1,000 homeless students .

<t> arthur mkoyan , 17 , and his family are set for deportation 10 days after graduation . </t> <t> the family says they left armenia in 1992 fearing for their lives . </t> <t> immigration and customs enforcement says the family has no legal basis to stay . </t>

valedictorian 's academic plans threatened by deportation<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- she 'll never forget the day her 17-year-old son , john , asked her permission to enlist in the u.s. military . `` mom , i owe this to my country . '' samantha schroeder of chester , maryland , worries about her 19-year-old son , john , who is deploying to iraq . now , at age 19 , her son is a marine preparing to deploy to iraq . `` he does n't care if you do or do n't understand his choice ; he is n't concerned with political views , religion or race . his greatest concern is doing the job he is asked to do with skill and pride , protecting those abroad and at home and standing up to the standards he has set for himself , '' samantha schroeder said . ireporters shared an array of stories about how the iraq war has affected them over the past five years . one man said he met his wife , a fellow service member , while serving in iraq . others described the pain of having fathers so far away , especially when new children are born . some military wives said they often keep their true feelings to themselves , fearing that they would affect their husbands ' morale in the field . see photos , hear stories of sacrifice '' below are a selection of responses from ireporters , some of which have been edited for length and clarity . angela fritz of fort hood , texas `` having -lsb- my husband -rsb- gone is the worst kind of pain . it is the burden i chose to bear but am not happy to . on the outside , i have to stand strong . i have to support my country and my husband , regardless of what i feel . that is the army way . i am so proud of him for having the courage to step up and serve his country . on the inside , i am angry and worn thin . of course , i want my husband home , but it 's so much more than that now . ''<doc-sep>samantha schroeder of chester , maryland `` i am the mother of a 19-year-old marine . he joined while still in his senior year . when he came to me to sign his enlistment papers , i was hesitant . no , i was downright , ` not in a million years . ' he was only 17 . how could i give him permission ? just wait , i asked , and think about it some more . he looked at me with a mixture of fear in thinking i might not sign and anger in knowing i did n't understand . and what he said next has stuck in my head through all his training , and now he leaves in a week for iraq . he told me , ` mom , i owe this to my country . ' ... `` now , as he prepares for iraq deployment , i am a little better prepared for what the future holds mentally . but to me , he and most of the men who will accompany him are so young . they still seem like boys to me , but i know they are men . willing to serve their country . i remember 9/11 like it was yesterday , and i also remember the fear that was on that seventh-grader 's face when he was bused home early that day and watched the events unfold on the tv . and now he stands as a marine , willing to sacrifice his everyday freedoms to assure we are safe here at home . '' katherine shigekane of virginia beach , virginia `` the iraq war has changed our lives in many ways . my husband has been serving in the navy for 16 years , and since march 2003 , he has been on four different deployments . our lives have been affected in many ways . our wedding plans were changed due to the invasion . he missed most of my first pregnancy . he was able to be home for the birth of our twins but left again when they were a year old and was gone until after their second birthday . he is now gone again . ... as a family i think we have learned to appreciate the time we do spend together . '' joshm `` while serving in iraq with the united states marines , i met my wife . she is in the united states army . we met while on r&r in qatar . we did long distance for the remaining time that we had left of our deployment and then another year while i was still stationed in cherry point , north carolina . she is still stationed at fort campbell , kentucky . after i separated from the marines as a corporal , i moved to kentucky to be with her . we are now happily married , and she is on her third tour to iraq . so even though the news shows all the bad things of war , some good really does come from it . '' christopherm `` i am a soldier in the u.s. army . i am a 20-year-old combat veteran . i returned home this past summer and enrolled in college with hopes of going to law school . unfortunately , with future deployments likely to postpone my schooling , i will be in college long past traditional college years . that is just a minor nuisance compared with the fact that relating to my family and friends is infinitely more difficult since i 've returned . i find myself zoning out and going back to the war during family functions and when i 'm out with my friends , i apparently talk in my sleep about the war and occasionally sleepwalk . '' sierra derrick of waymart , pennsylvania `` this is the second time my husband is deploying to iraq , and trust me , it only gets harder !! the first time , i was 17 years old , two months pregnant and a brand-new bride . -lrb- we got married literally the day before he left . -rrb- now , exactly four years later , we are in the same situation , although things are a little different . together we have two amazingly beautiful little boys , connor and carson , ages 3 and 1 . needless to say , he is their hero as well as mine . `` the impact that this war has had on our family has been extraordinary . we are so incredibly proud of him in ways that civilian families could n't comprehend . we have been brought closer because of these deployments , and the support we have is absolutely phenomenal . `` in that sense , i believe it has been worth it . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>`` kathryn would come to us before every scene and say , ` remember at any moment you can die . ' and we kept that in mind throughout all the scenes . '' while `` the hurt locker , '' has made over $ 11 million in the u.s. , previous movies dealing with conflicts in iraq and afghanistan have struggled to make money . observers have attributed this to `` war fatigue '' suffered by audiences due to an abundance of war-stories in the media . bigelow and whitney are confident that cinema audiences have a thirst for knowledge about volatile regions like iraq and afghanistan that goes beyond what is reported on the news . `` i think the conflict -lsb- in iraq -rsb- has been somewhat abstract for the general public , certainly speaking for myself , '' bigelow told cnn . `` the film provides kind of a window , a lens onto what this particular conflict might be like , and gives it some specificity . '' david whitney hopes `` kandahar break '' can have a similar effect . `` afghanistan is at the moment quite central to global security . i think it 's good that people are looking at afghanistan , questioning it , asking all sorts of questions . if my film can play any part in that , any small part , then i 'm pleased . ''<doc-sep>this year is the centennial of the first world war . one-hundred years ago this month , in april 1914 , no one thought there would be a war . but war began , triggered by events in eastern europe , by the end of july . it came as an enormous shock , in retrospect almost like the titanic hitting an iceberg . in the end , it shattered europe , cost tens of millions of lives , bankrupted countries and changed forever those who survived the horrors . a century later , our focus is again on eastern europe , the site of a regional conflict that threatens to entangle the world 's leading powers . the situation in ukraine is a perilous one , much more so than our current debate acknowledges . in russia , we are dealing with the largest country in the world geographically , a country that possesses thousands of nuclear weapons , plenty of ballistic missiles and a ruthlessly determined leader motivated by nationalism and an imperial drive : a leader who also has an entrenched machine capable of keeping him in power for a long time . in ukraine , we are dealing with an ally that fought alongside us in iraq and afghanistan , and a nation now threatened with conquest by a much stronger neighbor against which it can not defend itself . in europe , we are dealing with a continent that for more than half a century has relied on the united states to guarantee peace , security and freedom . we have kept that promise through nato , the alliance that war in eastern europe threatens seriously to undermine . and in the united states , we are dealing with a nation weary of war after more than a decade spent in iraq and afghanistan , and a public wary of more armed intervention abroad . we need a national debate on what our policy is going to be . and then we need to engage our friends in europe on what our policy is going to be . as retired former nato commander gen. wesley clark and his colleague dr. phillip karber , a former defense department official , detail in their recent report from ukraine , the obama pentagon has adopted a position of not helping that country with any offensive weapons . offensive weapons including , for example , kevlar vests , night vision equipment and aviation fuel . so while the united states has sent thousands of meals ready to eat -lrb- army rations -rrb- to a country that is an agricultural exporter , the administration has refused to send even nonlethal equipment that would help ukraine defend itself and possibly avert war . instead of sending military supplies to ukraine , we hear talk of more sanctions . and yet , as i discuss in my podcast this week , i suspect it will be apparent very quickly that sanctions against russian president vladimir putin are going to be irrelevant . he is a very tough man . he heads a very big country with immense natural resources . he can cause pain fully as much as his neighbors can cause him pain . he can block american shipments to afghanistan from coming through russia by the northern route . he can cut off natural gas flow to western europe . he has a veto at the u.n. security council , and can obstruct further sanctions against iran . this is a very difficult situation , and we are now in two enormous dangers . first , of the obama administration doing too little , in which case the world will become less safe as we show weakness to our allies and the russians seek to reconstitute the soviet empire . and second , of doing things too clumsily , in which case , as one-hundred years ago , a bad combination of miscalculations , delusions , laws and alliances could land us in a war no one intends .<doc-sep>the more fanatical the group , the better it is doing . the radicals ' advances attract more support and make their ideology more appealing , which strengthens their numbers . and groups like isis , now flush with cash , have no intention of stopping their expansion . now the war in syria has spilled in the worst possible way into iraq , not only threatening the survival of that country but creating the very real possibility that a radical islamist state of the most extremist kind could take root across both syria and iraq , creating a base of operations for attacks on u.s. allies , with jordan first in line , and for terrorist training and planning . there 's no question that finding `` moderates '' is a very difficult task . and it 's certainly true that obama 's plan to start arming the moderate opposition is risky . the weapons could fall into the wrong hands , as they have in the past , and stepping even indirectly into a sectarian war is a perilous proposition . but this conflict has made even the most pessimistic prediction appear hopelessly optimistic . some experts are calling this middle east crisis the most dangerous one in 40 years . the scale of human suffering is staggering , and the stakes for long-term global stability enormous . the west 's decision to stand on the sidelines has allowed the worst outcome to materialize . and it is morally indefensible . the iraqi quandary now makes it all even more complicated . the united states does not want to take sides in a sunni-shiite war . america 's interest is a return to peace and victory for those -- in syria and iraq -- who would protect human rights and rule of law . washington is sending 300 advisers to work with the -lrb- mostly shiite -rrb- iraqi army . now it will help arm the -lrb- mostly sunni -rrb- moderate opposition in syria . it is walking gingerly , projecting its nonsectarian position , as it should . the turbulent middle east may look like a distant , foggy disaster area , but it has a history of sending ripples that reach close to home , changing life for people in other parts of the world . already the war in syria has attracted fighters from western countries , from europe and the united states . syria and now iraq are becoming training grounds for would-be terrorists .<doc-sep>she said it was n't relevant in this case that mr. shepherd did n't apply for conscientious objection to u.s. authorities because that would n't have stopped his redeployment . the european court of justice usually takes three to six months to make a final ruling . mr shepherd 's lawyer , reinhard marx , said the opinion backed the arguments he was already making . he said client , currently living in davaria , could face up to 18 months jail in the u.s for desertion and had only agreed to re-enlist after being told his unit would n't be sent back to iraq . the case is the first dealing with an asylum request for a u.s military employee in the eu , mr marx said . rates of desertion in the u.s.increased significantly during the iraq war . in 2007 nine in every 1,000 soldiers deserted during that financial year . the rates , however , were significantly higher during the vietnam war .

<t> ireporters share their thoughts on how the iraq war has affected their lives . </t> <t> `` having -lsb- my husband -rsb- gone is the worst kind of pain , '' one woman says . </t> <t> wife : invasion changed wedding plans , hubby missed most of first pregnancy . </t> <t> ireport.com : tell us how the war has impacted you and your family . </t>

iraq war : dealing with the ` worst kind of pain '<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the building in amstetten , eastern austria , seems innocuous enough . but it is underneath this family home -- now known as `` the house of horror '' -- that a woman was held for nearly 24 years by her father and repeatedly raped , giving birth to seven children as a result . the bathroom used by the woman , who was held captive for more than two decades , and her three children . now the first images have begun to emerge of the series of rooms in which 73-year-old man josef fritzl says he imprisoned his daughter , and three of her surviving children , in a basement 50-60 meters square that he converted himself . police and authorities who have been down into the cellar after fritzl gave them the electronic combination -- say that the rooms are very low , less than five-and-a-half feet high . the rooms included a sleeping quarters , a kitchen and a bathroom , all of which are said to be `` very dark , narrow and damp , '' reports cnn correspondent fred pleitgen . watch a report on details of the case '' elisabeth fritzl has told officers that conditions were `` dire '' and that she and her children had little food and clothing . none had seen the light of day during their entire time in captivity , she told police . one photograph shows the white-tiled walls and floors of the bathroom and some token attempts to introduce some semblance of normality . a small child-like cutout of a yellow snail has been stuck over the sink , while a large plastic elephant sits atop the green bathroom cabinet . above that , as elsewhere in the bathroom , droops a small plastic plant . other accoutrements of everyday life litter the scene , including a hot water bottle , a small wooden chair and a towel . what looks like a wooden glass-framed door has been painted red ; through the doorway is the bath itself , crammed in next to a toilet with a green seat . above the bath is what looks like a large image of a flower , aside other decorations that appear to have been put on the walls . but the overwhelming sense from the images is one of grimness . the only evident light in this windowless room comes from the small bulb set into the bathroom cabinet ; despite the whiteness of the walls , floor and bathroom fittings , it is a room that can not hide its oppression as one of the few rooms that the three children , if reports are correct , have ever known . other pictures convey the grimness of the dungeon still further . a narrow corridor , just over the width of a floor tile , leads down from what seems to be a kitchen area to sleeping quarters . a table in the foreground appear to have a cloth over it ; a dressing gown hangs from the hook . but the spartan conditions and cramped conditions can not belie the rooms ' true purpose . a third image shows a corner of the dungeon with a wooden wall and construction materials piled up in a heap . a set of tiles has been fixed to the wall in what seem to be two sides of a doorway , blocked by what looks like a white rectangular board . police at a press conference monday said that this image showed the exit from the dungeon , controlled on the other side by an electronic keyless lock . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . david gardner . if you like to play with the froth on your coffee , here 's a challenge for you -- could you make something as striking as these ? the rabbit , hippo and giraffe emerging from the coffee cups are the astonishing work of a barista in a japanese cafe . japanese latte artist kazuki yamamoto has taken coffee art to a higher level . while others may try swirling their flat images on foam , the 26-year-old specialises in building 3-d sculptures , some of them even climbing out of one cup and into another . purrr-fect coffee : these cute cats look like they 're posing for the camera . japanese latte artist kazuki yamamoto has taken coffee art to a higher level . creature coffee : tokyo resident mr yamamato , 23 , says each artwork takes between three and five minutes . the barista 's currently working in cafe10g in osaka but dreams of opening his own place in tokyo where making art , however fleeting , is more than just a perk of the job . among his temporary masterpieces are pictures of pop sensation psy , and disney characters mickey mouse , goofy and pinocchio . yamamoto has made a name for himself on twitter , where more than 82,000 followers receive daily tweets with images of his latest creations . but he 's hardly the only latte artist to emerge from japan . time for coffee : a salvador dali-esque melting clock adorns this cup of java . help me ! a polar bear struggles to escape his caffeinated peril . scare bear : customers love the japanese artist 's incredible and unique works of art . not all cute : the sculpture on the left shows the deadly protagonist of the hit japanese horror film ring . wrong side of the bed ? like many people , this cat is a bit grumpy until after his first cup .<doc-sep>it 's a well-worn tale . after too many scary stories about things that go bump in the night , imaginative children pester their parents about the monster under their bed and spiders in the basement . classic childhood fears are the subject for american photographer joshua hoffine , 40 , who has created a collection exploring the nature of a scary story . from the silhouette of a girl in pigtails being watched by a creature hiding underneath the stairs to a terrified child clutching a teddy as giant hands emerge from under her bed , the vivid images give cliched scenes an eerie feeling . watch out : a creature lurking under the staircase for the innocent child is a classic representation of the kind of cliched horror hoffine is interested in . controversial : hoffine says this picture ` crosses the line for so many people . the wolf is universally read as a sexual predator ' bedtime terrors : the figure of the devil emerging from the bedroom floor blurs the boundary between fairy tale stories and horror . mr hoffine was inspired by reading bedtime stories to his four daughters , two of whom appear in the collection . he told the observer that he featured his daughter is featured in the haunted bed picture , but he ensured she was not scared by the scene . mr hoffine said : ` she could only really perform for about a minute . i 'd have cookies baking in the background ' . he said the most controversial of the pictures is the image of a screaming child in a nappy being cornered by a wolf . close to home : the 40-year-old photographer 's daughter is pictured here . he said she could only perform in the scene for short periods of time . unusual fear : hoffine told the observer that the clown was played by his mother-in-law , but the fact that you ca n't see her face creates tension in the image . haunting : hoffine has received complaints about the sinister nature of some of his photographs . ` this one i get hate mail for - it crosses the line for so many people . the wolf is universally read as a sexual predator , ' he told an observer reporter . he is an avid fan of horror but believes it is much more than mere entertainment . the freelance photographer , who has been published in art magazines , says his love for horror goes beyond the thrill of a scary story : ' i believe that the horror story is ultimately concerned with the imminence and randomness of death , and the implication that there is no certainty to existence . ` horror tells us that our belief in security is delusional , and that the monsters are all around us , ' the 40-year-old says on his website . stuff of nightmares : a skeleton holding an umbrella on a tightrope ? this bizarre scene is enough to give anyone the creeps . disturbing : the picture on the bedside table adds to this photograph 's strange and eerie effect . fearful : hoffine received hate mate for some of his work , which people thought was ` sinister and menacing '<doc-sep>by . steve robson and mark duell . published : . 09:07 est , 13 august 2013 . | . updated : . 02:30 est , 15 august 2013 . emotions can often get the better of jubilant relatives during a wedding celebration - but rather than shedding a tear , this grandmother somehow managed to throw her drink over the bride . the awkward moment , caught on camera , happened as happy couple darren and jennifer nock emerge at their marriage reception in cornwall to be cheered by guests and showered in confetti . but in a moment of confusion , mrs nock 's grandmother threw her glass of pimm 's straight into the face of the bride - instead of her cup of confetti . scroll down for video . oops : as the bride and groom emerge , a grandmother gets confused and throws her drink instead of confetti . horror : guests react in shock as they realise the bride has been doused by the bride 's grandmother . guests put their hands to their mouths in horror , as the bride turns away to try and clean up the mess and remove fruit which went in her eye . aghast , mrs nock 's grandmother gets understandably upset , but the groom and other guests quickly rally round to comfort her . mrs nock told mailonline today : ` the wedding was in may 2009 . we only had a small wedding , . about 30 people there , and we were coming out of our reception venue . ` we 'd just .<doc-sep>drowned . but they watched on in horror as he failed to come to the surface and the reality of the situation became apparent . organisers staged a full scale rescue when he failed to emerge from the water . two frogmen were sent down to rescue the man . mr li was eventually hauled to the surface after spending around ten minutes underwater and could no be revived . ' i saw him dive into the water and not come to the surface for seconds . then i thought he might got drowned , ' one witness told the chinese state news agency . mr li 's body is dragged out of the water some ten minutes after he sank below the surface .

<t> austrian father confesses he held daughter prisoner for nearly 24 years first images emerge of the cellar dungeon in which she , three children held the rooms include a sleeping quarters , a kitchen and a bathroom . </t> <t> police are still trying to understand the purpose of all the rooms in the cellar . </t>

images emerge from ` house of horror '<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the netherlands has rejected an asylum plea by a gay iranian teenager trying to escape possible persecution in his homeland . mehdi kazemi believes he will face persecution if he is made to return to iran . mehdi kazemi , 19 , had originally sought asylum in britain , where he was taking classes on a student visa , because , he said , his boyfriend had been executed in iran after saying he and kazemi had been in a gay relationship . britain 's home office rejected his request , prompting kazemi to flee to netherlands . tuesday 's decision by the council of state -- the highest administrative court in the netherlands -- means kazemi could face deportation to britain , which he fears will send him back to iran . council spokeswoman daniela tempelman said the council decided it must comply with the dublin regulation and return kazemi to britain . watch how teenager has lost his right to remain . ''<doc-sep>under the dublin regulation , european union member nations agree that an application for asylum submitted in any eu country would be handled by that country alone . the regulation seeks to ensures that an asylum seeker is not redirected from nation to nation simply because none will take responsibility . kazemi 's initial appeal for asylum in the netherlands , made in october , was rejected . he then appealed unsuccessfully to a regional court in december . his last appeal was to the council of state in january . tempelman said that in order for the dutch court to consider kazemi 's asylum application , he needed to prove that britain did not handle his asylum application properly , but he was n't able to prove any wrongdoing on the part of the british government . kazemi now has exhausted his chances for appeal in the netherlands and , according to tempelman , could be returned to britain on a short notice . the british government about six months ago accepted the dutch request to take him back . kazemi 's lawyer will have the option of taking his case to the european court of human rights to request an `` interim measure '' that could allow kazemi to stay in europe until further notice .<doc-sep>`` if anybody signs his deportation papers and says , look , he 's got to be deported to iran , that means they have signed his death sentence , '' said kazemi 's uncle saeed , who asked cnn to withhold his last name over safety concerns . gay rights activists in europe and iran are also researching kazemi 's case . `` when britain is prepared to send a young man back to possible execution , that is inhumanity on a monumental scale , '' said peter tatchell , an activist for gay campaign group outrage . `` and i hang my head in shame , as a british citizen . '' in a written statement , britain 's home office said that even though homosexuality is illegal in iran and homosexuals do experience discrimination , it does not believe that homosexuals are routinely persecuted purely on the basis of their sexuality . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . rob cooper . published : . 09:40 est , 26 november 2013 . | . updated : . 09:40 est , 26 november 2013 . an iranian unhappy at being refused asylum by the home office has fought nine legal battles in less than five years , judges said today . the 20-year-old lost the latest round of his fight to stay in the country in the court of appeal today . but he still has another avenue of appeal open to him and could take his case to the supreme court . appeal : the 20-year-old iranian today lost a court of appeal fight against an earlier immigration tribunal hearing .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the netherlands has rejected an asylum plea by a gay iranian teenager trying to escape possible persecution in his homeland . mehdi kazemi believes he will face persecution if he is made to return to iran . mehdi kazemi , 19 , had originally sought asylum in britain , where he was taking classes on a student visa , because , he said , his boyfriend had been executed in iran after saying he and kazemi had been in a gay relationship . britain 's home office rejected his request , prompting kazemi to flee to netherlands . tuesday 's decision by the council of state -- the highest administrative court in the netherlands -- means kazemi could face deportation to britain , which he fears will send him back to iran .<doc-sep>he sent a letter to various news organizations saying he was being harassed by colleagues and he feared for his life . fearing persecution . he applied for asylum as a gay person who would face persecution if sent home . in more than eight hours of questioning , immigration officers focused on his jobs in the saudi courts and bureau of investigation . his bid for asylum was no common occurrence . the last saudi diplomat to seek asylum was in 1994 , when mohammed al-khilewi , then first secretary for the saudi mission to the united nations , was granted asylum for publicly criticizing his country 's human rights record and alleged support for terrorism . fourteen months later in october 2011 , the department of homeland security denied asseri 's application . in the rejection letter , obtained by cnn , the government says `` evidence indicates that you ordered , incited , assisted or otherwise participated in the persecution of others on account of race , religion , nationality , membership in a particular social group or political opinion . '' the case went to automatic appeal . `` they interviewed him once and it took 14 months and it showed they were going for denial , '' says ali ahmed , a saudi dissident and activist that has been helping asseri with his case . `` they used the reason that he worked for the courts to call him a human rights violator which is really bogus . '' obama on gay rights . two months later , obama signed a memorandum on international initiatives to advance the human rights of lgbt persons . it included a program to protect gay refugees and asylum seekers , including `` ensuring the federal government has the ability to identify and expedite resettlement of highly vulnerable persons with urgent protection needs . '' in the memo , obama writes that the fight to end discrimination against lgbt people is `` a global challenge '' and `` central to the united states ' commitment to promoting human rights . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- brazil has formalized its offer of asylum to sakineh mohammadi ashtiani , an iranian woman convicted of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning , brazilian state-run media said tuesday . brazilian president luiz inacio lula da silva had made a previous offer for asylum , raising ashtiani 's hopes for survival . brazil 's ambassador in tehran has now officially made the offer at iran 's foreign ministry , according to the state-run news service agencia brasil . brazilian minister of foreign relations celso amorim told reporters tuesday that he spoke last month with his iranian counterpart , manouchehr mottaki , about ashtiani 's sentence . `` i called my iranian colleague ... to say that the action hurt the sensibility of the brazilian people and that therefore i was making an appeal , i was asking to reconsider the hypothesis . in that moment , actually , the news we had was more about the stoning , which was based on a highly debatable crime in our view of the world . '' amorim described ashtiani 's threatened punishment as `` something that is really baffling to our culture and to the way we see the world . '' on saturday , lula addressed the matter in bogota , colombia , where he said he had asked amorim to ask the brazilian ambassador in tehran to talk to iranian authorities about it . `` i ca n't imagine someone being stoned , '' lula said . `` i ca n't imagine . that 's why i made the request . if there was condition to send her to brazil , we would receive her with arms wide open . '' lula added that he opposes the death penalty under any circumstances . `` i do n't think the state has the right to kill a person , '' he said . iran rejected a previous , informal offer , saying lula lacked sufficient information about the case .

<t> iranian teenager loses appeal to remain in the netherlands . </t> <t> 19-year-old had sought asylum in uk but is to be sent home . </t> <t> mehdi kazemi says he will face persecution in his homeland . </t>

gay iranian teen loses asylum appeal<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- mychal bell , a black teenager accused of beating a white classmate and who was the last of the `` jena 6 '' behind bars , was released from custody thursday after a juvenile court judge set his bail at $ 45,000 . supporters surround mychal bell on thursday after his release at the lasalle parish courthouse . bell 's release followed an announcement from lasalle parish district attorney reed walters , who said he would not appeal a higher court 's decision moving bell 's case to juvenile court . wearing a blue striped golf shirt and jeans , bell walked out of the lasalle parish courthouse a week after an estimated 15,000-plus demonstrators marched through jena -- a town of about 3,000 -- to protest local authorities ' handling of the teens ' case . `` we do not condone violence of any kind , but we ask that people be given a fair and even chance at the bar of justice , '' the rev. al sharpton said outside the courthouse . `` tonight , mychal can go home , but mychal is not out of the juvenile process . he goes home because a lot of people left their home and stood up for him , '' he said . `` let america know -- we are not fighting for the right to fight in school . we 're not fighting for the right for kids to beat each other . we 're fighting to say that there must be one level of justice for everybody . and you can not have adult attempted murder for some , and a fine for others , and call that equal protection under the law . two wrongs do n't make one civil right . '' demonstrators at last week 's march were protesting how authorities handled the cases of bell and five other teens accused of beating fellow student justin barker . many said they were angry that the students , dubbed the jena 6 , were being treated more harshly than three white students who hung nooses from an oak tree on jena high school property . the white students were suspended from school but did not face criminal charges . the protesters said they should have been charged with a hate crime .<doc-sep>bell 's attorney lewis scott said the teen was moved from jail to a juvenile facility earlier thursday . walters said his decision not to appeal was based on what he believed was best for the victim in the case . `` while i believe that a review would have merit ... i believe it is in the best interest of the victim and his family not to delay this matter any further and move it to its conclusion , '' walters told reporters . watch the rev. al sharpton discuss the teen 's release '' he said last week 's march , which included sharpton and martin luther king iii , did not influence his decision . bell , now 17 , was the only one of the jena 6 behind bars . his bond previously was set at $ 90,000 . a district judge earlier this month tossed out bell 's conviction for conspiracy to commit second-degree battery , saying the matter should have been handled in juvenile court . the 3rd circuit court of appeal in lake charles , louisiana , did the same with bell 's battery conviction in mid-september . prosecutors originally charged all six black students accused of being involved in beating barker with second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy . walters reduced charges against at least four of them -- bell , robert bailey jr. , carwin jones and theo shaw -- to battery and conspiracy . bryant purvis awaits arraignment . charges against jesse ray beard , who was 14 at the time of the alleged crime , are unavailable because he 's a juvenile . wednesday , gov. kathleen blanco announced that louisiana state police officers will protect the families of the jena 6 and investigate any threats they have received . a white supremacist web site posted the names and addresses of the six black teens after last week 's march , calling on followers to `` let them know justice is coming . '' thursday , the fbi said it had been made aware of allegations of threats .<doc-sep>`` threats are taken seriously , and as these investigations are ongoing we can not comment further , '' said sheila thorne of the fbi 's office in new orleans , louisiana . the december 4 attack on barker came after months of racial tension , including at least two instances of fighting in the town , sparked originally when three white teens hung the nooses . walters has said there was no direct link between the hanging of the nooses and the schoolyard attack , and defended the prosecutions ahead of last thursday 's peaceful march . blanco defended the prosecutor wednesday , saying , `` he has a solid record and is highly respected among his peers . '' walters also addressed the stress and notoriety the town has been subjected to , saying the only way he and other residents `` have been able to endure the trauma that has been thrust upon us is through the prayers of the christian people who have sent them up in this community . '' he also suggested that some kind of `` disaster '' was averted when thousands of marchers came to jena last week . `` i firmly believe and am confident of the fact that had it not been for the direct intervention of the lord jesus christ last thursday , a disaster would have happened , '' walters said . `` the lord jesus christ put his influence on those people , and they responded accordingly , '' he said , without explaining exactly what he meant . soon after the district attorney spoke , a local reverend took issue with his comments . `` obviously , we are serving two different gods here , '' the rev. donald sidley said . `` my bible says that we should do -- we should be loving , love your neighbor as yourself . `` for him to try and separate the community like he is and then using christ jesus to influence the people that jesus is working on their side , well , that 's -- that 's absurd . ... god is god of the human race , '' said sidley , of the new evergreen church . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>jena , louisiana -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- mychal bell , the sole defendant who remains behind bars from the group of teens known as the `` jena 6 , '' will not be released friday , a court decided . mychal bell , 17 , is accused with five others of beating justin barker in a school fight . bell , 17 , has been in jail since his arrest more than nine months ago . it was not immediately clear what happened in court friday , where bell 's attorneys had planned to push for his release . `` it is our understanding that the judge refused to give bond or bail to mychal bell today , '' the rev. al sharpton , a civil rights activist who traveled to jena for thursday 's rally , said in a written statement . a source inside the court said the issue of bond was not discussed at the hearing . attorneys did not immediately comment . the proceedings , involving a juvenile , are not open to media . bell 's mother left the courthouse in tears .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- mychal bell , a black teenager accused of beating a white classmate and who was the last of the `` jena 6 '' behind bars , was released from custody thursday after a juvenile court judge set his bail at $ 45,000 . supporters surround mychal bell on thursday after his release at the lasalle parish courthouse . bell 's release followed an announcement from lasalle parish district attorney reed walters , who said he would not appeal a higher court 's decision moving bell 's case to juvenile court . wearing a blue striped golf shirt and jeans , bell walked out of the lasalle parish courthouse a week after an estimated 15,000-plus demonstrators marched through jena -- a town of about 3,000 -- to protest local authorities ' handling of the teens ' case . `` we do not condone violence of any kind , but we ask that people be given a fair and even chance at the bar of justice , '' the rev. al sharpton said outside the courthouse . `` tonight , mychal can go home , but mychal is not out of the juvenile process . he goes home because a lot of people left their home and stood up for him , '' he said . `` let america know -- we are not fighting for the right to fight in school . we 're not fighting for the right for kids to beat each other . we 're fighting to say that there must be one level of justice for everybody . and you can not have adult attempted murder for some , and a fine for others , and call that equal protection under the law . two wrongs do n't make one civil right . '' demonstrators at last week 's march were protesting how authorities handled the cases of bell and five other teens accused of beating fellow student justin barker . many said they were angry that the students , dubbed the jena 6 , were being treated more harshly than three white students who hung nooses from an oak tree on jena high school property . the white students were suspended from school but did not face criminal charges . the protesters said they should have been charged with a hate crime .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a black louisiana teenager at the center of the racially charged `` jena 6 '' case was ordered thursday to spend 18 months in a juvenile facility , after a judge ruled he had violated his probation for earlier juvenile convictions , a source with knowledge of the court proceedings said . supporters joined mychal bell after he was released from jail last month . mychal bell , 17 , who was freed two weeks ago after his adult criminal conviction for beating a white classmate was overturned , was sent to the renaissance home for youth in alexandria , louisiana , the source said . the decision came at the end of a two-day juvenile court hearing that was closed to the media and public . carol powell-lexing , one of bell 's attorneys , said the judge 's decision would be appealed . bell was freed on $ 45,000 bail on september 27 , after an appeals court threw out his conviction on battery and conspiracy charges in adult court and remanded the case to juvenile court . but judge j.p. mauffrey agreed with prosecutors that bell had violated the probation he was given for four previous juvenile offenses , including two simple battery charges , the sources said . bell had been placed on probation until he turned 18 . civil rights activist al sharpton , who has championed bell 's case , denounced thursday 's decision as `` revenge '' by the judge and called on louisiana gov. kathleen blanco to intervene . demonstrators in september took to the streets of the small town of jena to protest how authorities handled the cases of bell and five other teens accused of beating white student justin barker in december 2006 . the incident was a culmination of fights between blacks and whites . many said they were angry that the students , dubbed the `` jena 6 , '' were being treated more harshly than three white students who hung nooses from an oak tree on jena high school property . the white students were suspended from school but did not face criminal charges . the protesters said they should have been charged with a hate crime . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a louisiana appeals court ruled it was too early to consider a motion to release a black teenager who allegedly took part in beating up a white classmate in jena , louisiana , last year . mychal bell , 17 , is accused with five others of severely beating justin barker in a school fight . the tuesday ruling is the latest turn in the racially charged saga of a group known as the jena 6 -- six black teens initially charged with attempted murder after they allegedly knocked out classmate justin barker and stomped him during a school fight . five of the teens were charged as adults . civil rights groups and other organizations have marshaled thousands of people to march on jena on thursday , a day originally slated for 17-year-old mychal bell 's sentencing hearing on battery and conspiracy convictions . however , a district judge earlier this month tossed out bell 's conviction for conspiracy to commit second-degree battery , saying the matter should have been handled in the juvenile court . on friday , the 3rd circuit court of appeals in lake charles , louisiana , did the same with bell 's battery conviction . a three-judge panel ruled tuesday , however , that it would not consider a motion to free bell from prison . `` the motion for release from custody , filed by the defendant in this court , is premature , '' the panel ruled without setting a date for considering the motion . the future of bell 's case is up to the district attorney , who must decide whether to refile the charges in juvenile court , bell 's attorney bob noel said last week . charges against four of the teens -- bell , carwin jones , theodore shaw and robert bailey -- have been reduced to battery and conspiracy . shaw and jones have not gone to trial . bailey has pleaded not guilty to the charges and his trial is scheduled for november 26 . bryant purvis and an unidentified juvenile remain charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder . advocates of the jena 6 say the story began well before the december 4 beating . they say it began in september when three white students decided to hang nooses from a tree on campus . in september 2006 , a black student asked the vice principal if he and some friends could sit under an oak tree where white students typically congregated . told by the vice principal they could sit wherever they pleased , the student and his pals sat under the sprawling branches of the shade tree in the campus courtyard . the next day , students arrived at school to find three nooses hanging from those branches . according to the town talk in nearby alexandria , the school 's principal recommended expulsion for those behind the nooses . instead , the newspaper reported , a school district committee suspended three white students for three days for hanging the nooses , a gesture written off as a `` prank . '' racial tensions flared . the district attorney was summoned to address the student body . off-campus fights were reported . on november 30 , someone torched the school 's main academic building . the arson remains unsolved , but many suspect it was linked to the discord . four days after the arson , several students jumped barker , knocking him unconscious before stomping and kicking him . parents of the jena 6 say they heard barker was hurling racial epithets . barker 's parents insist he did nothing to provoke the beating . barker was taken to a hospital with injuries to both eyes and ears as well as cuts . his right eye had blood clots , said his mother , kelli barker . he was treated and released that day . bails for the jena 6 were set at between $ 70,000 and $ 138,000 . all but bell posted bond . the judge has refused to lower his $ 90,000 bail , citing bell 's criminal record , which includes four juvenile offenses -- two simple battery charges among them . e-mail to a friend .

<t> bell released from custody after juvenile court judge sets bail at $ 45,000 . </t> <t> prosecutor wo n't appeal ruling in bell case . </t> <t> bell and five other black teens are accused of beating white student justin barker . </t> <t> beating followed white students hanging nooses from a tree on school grounds . </t>

mychal bell of ` jena 6 ' released on bail<T>

chicago , illinois -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- political powerbroker tony rezko , whose links to presidential contender barack obama dropped him into the national spotlight this year , was convicted of money laundering , fraud and bribery charges by a federal jury wednesday . tony rezko , left , leaves federal court with his family tuesday during deliberations in his corruption trial . rezko -- who has contributed thousands to the campaigns of the illinois senator and other democrats -- was accused of demanding kickbacks from companies seeking illinois state business . he was convicted of 16 of 24 charges , including 12 counts of wire and mail fraud , two counts of aiding and abetting bribery and two counts of money laundering . he was acquitted of attempted extortion . testimony at rezko 's trial in federal court brought up ties between obama and rezko , with a witness putting obama at rezko 's house for a party where the guest of honor was iraqi-british businessman nadhmi auchi . obama has said he does n't recall ever meeting auchi , who was convicted of fraud in france . amid the controversy , obama acknowledged he had accepted contributions from rezko and bought a strip of land from rezko , a chicago real-estate developer . obama , who has not been accused of wrongdoing in the case , has vowed to give up the contributions , and called the purchase a mistake . he has already donated to charity at least $ 80,000 in campaign contributions linked to rezko . obama won enough delegates tuesday to clinch the democratic party 's nomination for president .<doc-sep>by . emily davies . andrew fuller changed his name to avoid detection . a greedy property developer who conned a bank out of millions of pounds to fund a lavish lifestyle has been jailed . andrew fuller , 46 , was imprisoned for six years and three months after pleading guilty to fraud and forgery . he also admitted possessing a passport under a false name - which he obtained in a bid to evade justice . maidstone crown court heard fuller 's scam started after he bought a property in tunbridge wells , kent , in late 2002 , with a view to converting it into 19 luxury flats . in 2005 he secured a # 5.7 million loan from a bank , claiming he would use the money to develop the site , known locally as kingswood birches .<doc-sep>four adelphia executives were arrested in 2002 in a case that prosecutors then described as `` one of the most elaborate and extensive corporate frauds in united states history . '' at the time , adelphia was the fifth largest cable company in the nation . two years later , ceo and founder john rigas was found guilty of conspiracy , securities fraud and bank fraud , among other charges , for raiding the company of hundreds of millions of dollars for his personal use . he was later sentenced to 15 years in prison . his son timothy was found guilty of conspiracy and 15 counts of securities fraud and two counts of bank fraud .<doc-sep>chicago , illinois -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- indicted real estate developer and political fundraiser tony rezko , whose links to sen. barack obama have brought his name into the national spotlight , was arrested monday morning , an fbi spokesman said . rezko was taken into custody by the fbi at his wilmette , illinois , home just outside chicago following a government motion to revoke his bond , said fbi spokesman tom simon . rezko -- whom sen. hillary clinton referred to in a debate as having run a `` slum landlord business '' -- has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of conspiracy , influence peddling and demanding kickbacks from companies seeking illinois state business . obama , speaking sunday to abc 's `` this week , '' described rezko as `` a friend of mine , a supporter , who i 've known for 20 years . '' rezko has contributed to the campaigns of numerous democrats , including obama -- though the illinois senator has vowed to give up all funds connected to rezko . obama has already given to charity more than $ 80,000 in campaign contributions linked to rezko . when asked about news reports suggesting he may have received more money than that connected to rezko , obama said , `` what we 've done is we 've traced any funds that we know of that we think were connected to him . and if there any other funds that were connected to him that we 're not aware of , then we will certainly return them . it 's in our interest to do so . '' obama said in a debate that as an attorney he did just about five hours of work for a rezko project . obama has not been accused of any legal wrongdoing . `` i did make a mistake by purchasing a small strip of property from him , at a time where , at that point , he was under the cloud of a potential investigation , '' obama told abc sunday . shortly after his election to the u.s. senate , obama bought a house for $ 300,000 below the asking price . the same day , rezko 's wife bought the lot next door for full price . months later , obama bought a sliver of the rezko land to expand his yard . as a state senator , obama wrote letters supporting some rezko deals . obama told abc sunday he has `` provided all the information that 's out there '' about his involvement with rezko . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's drew griffin contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- questions continued to swirl thursday over the president 's decision to withdraw a pardon for a new york developer involved in a long island mortgage fraud scheme . president bush withdrew the pardon of isaac toussie after a firestorm of criticism . isaac toussie , 36 , was convicted in 2001 of mail fraud and of making false statements to the department of housing and urban development that stemmed from the mortgage scheme . the white house initially announced the pardon tuesday afternoon , immediately setting off a firestorm of criticism from angry homeowners and investors , as well as government watchdog organizations quick to note toussie 's ties to prominent republican officeholders . among the questions now being asked are : . • why did n't the white house conduct a more thorough investigation of toussie 's background ? • why did white house counsel fred fielding circumvent the typical pardon application process by directly considering toussie 's clemency request instead of leaving it to the justice department ? • did toussie get special treatment because of his political connections ? watch why bush withdrew the pardon '' toussie and his father , also a developer , are defendants in a lawsuit filed in new york federal court on behalf of more than 400 minority home purchasers who allege a conspiracy involving racial steering , racketeering and fraud related to homes the toussies built on staten island , attorney peter seidman told cnn . seidman , a partner in a law firm representing the plaintiffs , said he was `` very pleased '' with president bush 's order for a review of the pardon . `` it -lsb- the pardon -rsb- was a bitter pill for the home purchasers to swallow , '' he said . the toussies had previously been accused of conspiring with lenders and others to build and sell substandard homes -- a charge they denied . according to a senior administration official , the white house learned new information about toussie 's case tuesday night -- hours after the pardon was announced . specifically , the white house learned , according to the official , `` additional information about the nature of fraud -lsb- toussie -rsb- carried out . '' the white house also learned that toussie 's father had made numerous contributions to leading gop politicians .

<t> illinois political power broker tony rezko convicted in corruption case . </t> <t> rezko was accused of demanding kickbacks for state business contracts . </t> <t> rezko made contributions to obama campaign , sold him land . </t>

developer linked to obama guilty in fraud case<T>

khartoum , sudan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sudan 's entire state apparatus has been mobilized `` to plan , commit , and cover up crimes '' in the war-torn area of darfur , a prosecutor for the international criminal court said thursday . the united nations estimates 2.5 million people have been forced from their homes in darfur . the prosecutor , luis moreno-ocampo , made the observation in a progress report to the u.n. security council into its probe of crimes in darfur and the status of two men indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the darfur region of sudan . he said the sudanese government `` has taken no steps to arrest '' the men , one of whom is now in charge of the government 's humanitarian affairs . the other is a militia leader . `` for the last five years the whole darfur area has been a crime scene . girls are raped , schools are bombed . ... and they are covering up these crimes , '' moreno-ocampo said at a news conference at the united nations thursday . the court says darfurians are attacked in their villages and in camps , citing rapes , bombings of schools and arrests of community leaders . `` crimes being committed today in darfur can not be denied , or minimized . decisions to commit crimes , to deny crimes , to disguise crimes are taken at the highest level . denial of crimes , by the authorities that vowed to protect darfurians , is an additional harm to the victims , '' the report said . the icc cases are against ali kushayb , a militia leader , and ahmad harun , former minister of state for the interior in sudan , who is now in charge of humanitarian affairs for the sudanese government . both face charges of murder , rape , forced displacement and other offenses during the darfur crisis , which the united states characterizes as a genocide . harun 's present role gives him power over how and whether aid agencies can deliver food , medicine and shelter to victims of chronic violence and deprivation in darfur . `` he attacks the people he has the responsibility to protect , '' the international criminal court said in a statement . `` he hampers the delivery of relief to the victims . he is involved in obstructing deployment of the peacekeepers . '' alleged crimes in the region stem from a brutal counter-insurgency campaign the sudanese government conducted after rebels began an uprising in the darfur region of western sudan in 2003 . the authorities armed and cooperated with arab militias that went from village to village in darfur on a campaign of killing , torture and rape , according to the united nations , western governments and human-rights organizations . the militias targeted civilian members of tribes from which the rebels draw strength . about 300,000 people have died in darfur , the united nations estimates , and 2.5 million have been forced from home . in 2005 , the security council cleared the way for possible war crimes prosecutions by the international criminal court , a permanent tribunal set up to handle prosecutions related to genocide , crimes against humanity and war crimes . the court is based on a treaty signed by 106 nations -- excluding sudan . prosecutors are investigating offenses in sudan , the democratic republic of the congo , uganda and the central african republic . once the court indicts someone , authorities in one country or another have the power to detain the indicted person for trial at the hague . that has not happened in the case of harun and kushayb . an arrest warrant for harun charges that he was involved in the murder , rape , torture and forced displacement of civilians . the court also says he encouraged such illegal acts in public speeches during his tenure as minister of state for the interior . the criminal court says kushayb led several thousand militia members and personally participated in attacks against civilians . an arrest warrant outlines numerous cases of murder , rape and inhumane acts . in sudan , however , senior government leaders told cnn that reports of atrocities in darfur were exaggerated . `` yes , there has been a war and some people have died , but it 's not like what has been reflected in the media , '' said interior minister ibrahim mahmoud hamid . musa halil , an adviser to sudan 's president , has been accused by the united states of leading a militia responsible for atrocities . and the u.n. security council has frozen his assets . yet he denies any wrongdoing . `` there is no genocide , '' he told cnn . `` most people came to the refugee camps because of the pressure and were used there for political marketing . '' others told a different story . in darfur , eyewitnesses spoke of government airplanes and helicopters attacking defenseless civilians just four months ago . they said the government struck in coordination with militiamen riding horses and camels -- a classic pattern that has unfolded around darfur in recent years . more than 115 people were killed in that attack , they said , and nearly 58,000 people fled . cnn 's nic robertson contributed to this report .<doc-sep>dubai , united arab emirates -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sudanese president omar el-bashir on tuesday accused the international media of `` exaggerating '' the situation in darfur to detract from atrocities in iraq , the palestinian territories and somalia . refugees from darfur gather at a camp in chad . sudan 's president says the crisis in darfur is a `` media fabrication . '' el-bashir spoke at a news conference in dubai following a three-day visit to the persian gulf emirate . he said the crisis in sudan 's western darfur region is a `` media fabrication . '' el-bashir 's government has been blamed by the united nations of supporting militias that conduct `` indiscriminate attacks '' on civilians in the darfur region , including torture , rape , and killings .<doc-sep>such an indictment , mohamad said , would be a destabilizing move that would `` take us back to square one . '' sudan , he said , is `` condemning it in the strongest possible terms '' and urged the international community to do likewise . `` we will resist it by all possible legal means , '' he said . watch actress and darfur activist mia farrow speak on the issue '' the prosecutor said in a progress report last month to the security council that sudan 's `` whole state apparatus '' had been mobilized `` to plan , commit , and cover up crimes '' in darfur . watch how some are concerned by the move '' `` for the last five years , the whole darfur area has been a crime scene , '' moreno-ocampo said last month . the darfur conflict began in 2003 when darfurians rebelled against the central government over its alleged favoritism to arabs over africans . the government in khartoum fought back allegedly unleashing the janjaweed militia to quell the uprising -- a claim the government denies . the authorities armed and cooperated with arab militias that went from village to village in darfur , killing , torturing and raping residents there , according to the united nations , western governments and human rights organizations . militias targeted civilian members of the tribes from which the african rebels draw strength . human rights groups blame the janjaweed for most atrocities , including the use of rape as a weapon of war .<doc-sep>in 2010 sudan held it 's first multi-party elections in 24 years . however many leading parties and politicians boycotted the vote claiming it would be rigged . a year later sudan 's southern region became independent with more than 99 per cent of voters opted to secede from the north in a ballot . last year south sudan cut off oil exports to the north which led to protests calling for al-bashir to quit and the cost of food spiralling . the international criminal court has charged al-bashir with genocide and other crimes during the deadly conflict in sudan 's western darfur region . despite an international warrant for his arrest , he has travelled to several friendly nations since he was indicted in open defiance of the court , which has no police force to arrest suspects . al-bashir wears southern sudan traditional dress during a rally in 2009 -lrb- left -rrb- and during the elections in 2010 -lrb- right -rrb- . darfur has been riven by strife since . 2003 , when rebels took up arms against al-bashir 's government , accusing . it of discrimination and neglect . the government is accused of . retaliating by unleashing arab militias on civilians , an allegation it .<doc-sep>appearing at a news conference in nyala , the capital of south darfur , gov. abdel hamid moussa kasha accused the organization of sharing intelligence with the rebels of the sudan liberation movement , giving them access to satellite telephones and medicine . kasha also accused the organization of publishing false rape reports and for delivering tons of expired medications to eastern jebel marra via the joint african union-united nations mission in darfur .

<t> international criminal court : sudan `` taken no steps '' to arrest darfur war criminals . </t> <t> one suspect now in charge of humanitarian affairs for sudanese government . </t> <t> allegations stem from 2003 counter-insurgency campaign by sudanese government . </t> <t> united nations estimates about 300,000 people have died in darfur region . </t>

sudan accused of darfur cover up<T>

london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- videos of the chaos and horrified reactions after the july 7 , 2005 , london transit bombings were shown to jurors thursday in the trial of three men charged with conspiracy in the case . smoke and dust fill the platform area at liverpool street station on july 7 , 2005 , after a bomb exploded . one of the videos shows the explosion of a train seconds after it leaves the liverpool street station heading for aldgate east . as dust and smoke fill the tunnel , people on the platform rush away , and police head toward the blast .<doc-sep>another shows bystanders running and ducking for cover after one of the bombers detonated his rucksack on the no. 30 bus . riders on a nearby bus jump from their seats . four bombs were detonated on underground trains at liverpool street , russell square and edgware road , and on a double-decker bus at tavistock square . fifty-two people and the four bombers were killed , and at least 900 people were injured . watch commuters flee as the bombs explode '' links to the edited videos were posted on the web site of london 's metropolitan police , and were played in kingston crown court where mohammed shakil , 31 , waheed ali , 24 , and sadeer saleem , 27 , are accused of aiding the bombers .<doc-sep>a series of videos show three of the bombers -- siddique khan , shehzad tanweer and jermaine lindsay -- practicing their moves in various locations on june 28 , 2005 . the fourth bomber was hasib hussain . one video shows tanweer and khan meeting lindsay outside luton station , where the three linger near the ticket counter and one of them stands in line . security cameras also captured images of the three men at other blast locations .<doc-sep>two weeks after the july bombings , an attempted second wave of bombings struck other trains and a bus , but the devices failed to explode properly . more than a dozen people were arrested afterward . metropolitan police said some clips were not released , to protect the identities of members of the public . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>the friends recognized the tsarnaev brothers after authorities released video and still photos asking for the public 's helping finding the two men in the aftermath of the bombings , prosecutors said . kadyrbayev told his friends that he believed dzhokhar tsarnaev `` used the vaseline ` to make bombs , ' or words to that effect , '' an indictment against him reads . the government said tsarnaev texted kadyrbayev after the bombings and told him he could go to his dorm room and take what he wanted . kadyrbayev showed that text to tazhayakov , the government alleged . who is dias kadyrbayev ?<doc-sep>the report 's author , nick lowles , writes : ` one plot hatched by french intelligence that has , until now , not previously come to light , was the idea of assassinating abu hamza in london . ` the plan was to impersonate the british nazi group combat 18 and then allow them to take the blame . ` in the immediate aftermath of the london nail-bombings , the french considered sending death threats in the style of c18 and then killing him with the same type of weaponry that the group was thought to possess . ` however , as with the kidnap plan , the assassination attempt was aborted and it is unclear how advanced the planning of either idea progressed . ' the french intelligence service also hatched a separate plot to kidnap hamza from outside his west london home and bundle him on a ferry to france . on the kidnapping plot , in the build-up to the 1998 world cup , mr lowles , a respected and long-standing campaigner , writes : ` angered by the inaction of special branch and mi5 in the uk , there was serious talk of -lsb- the french -rsb- taking matters into their own hands . ` he would be nabbed on the street , forced into the back of a van and then driven to dover and snuck on to a french ferry .<doc-sep>by . james nye . published : . 08:35 est , 22 april 2013 . | . updated : . 10:39 est , 22 april 2013 . images have emerged that show a heroic boyfriend physically shielding his girlfriend in the aftermath of the boston bombings and then carrying her to safety .<doc-sep>the estranged wife of one of three terror suspects accused of plotting a huge suicide bombing attack offered to be the group 's ` fourth lion ' , a court heard today . salma kabal allegedly told her husband ashik ali , 27 , that she could be the ` lioness ' of the group - a reference to the black comedy film four lions , which concerns four incompetent jihadists . ali , irfan naseer , 31 , and irfan khalid , 27 , are accused of planning an attack bigger than the london bombings which killed 52 people on july 7 , 2005 . on trial : . irfan naseer -lrb- left -rrb- , irfan khalid -lrb- centre -rrb- and ashik ali -lrb- right -rrb- . are accused of plotting a terror attack bigger than the london suicide bombings of july 7 , 2005 . woolwich crown court in london has . heard that the home-grown terror cell wanted to kill up to 2,000 people . by detonating eight rucksack bombs in crowded areas . ms kabal , who was trying to reconcile . her relationship with ali , is not accused of being involved and did not . know what the group were allegedly planning as her husband repeatedly . withheld the truth from her , prosecutor brian altman qc told a jury . ali told his wife he was planning on fighting jihad abroad and said he did not want to get her involved , the court heard . he said he still loved her but . repeatedly said they could not be together and warned her she would not .

<t> jurors see video evidence in the trial of three men charged with conspiracy . </t> <t> one video shows explosion seconds after train leaves liverpool street station . </t> <t> videos also show three of four suspects in london transport bombings . </t>

court sees aftermath of london bombings<T>

washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- after months of stalemate , the senate late tuesday passed a huge government spending bill that includes billions of dollars requested by president bush to continue the war in iraq . white house officials have said president bush would sign off on the spending plan if the iraq money was added . the roughly $ 555 billion bill -- which passed 76-17 -- also preserves thousands of earmarks for lawmakers who will deliver them to constituents just in time for the holidays . the final vote came at about 11 p.m. et tuesday -- after hours of debate that included two more attempts by senate democrats to tie war funding to a plan to withdraw u.s. troops from iraq . those efforts failed , as have dozens of others in the house and senate since democrats took control of congress last year . earlier , members voted to add $ 40 billion for the war in iraq that had been removed by the house -- which passed the spending bill on monday . the plan also includes $ 30 billion for troops in afghanistan . sen. joe lieberman , an independent from connecticut who co-sponsored the push to reinstate the iraq money , called its approval `` a very powerful bipartisan message of support for our men and women serving in iraq . '' white house officials have said bush would sign the spending plan if the iraq money was added . in the weeks leading up to the vote , bush had repeatedly pushed members of congress to approve a military spending bill that did not place troop-withdrawal requirements on the military in iraq .<doc-sep>the bill wraps together 11 of the 12 government spending bills for 2008 -- except for that of the department of defense , which was already funded . facing a president determined to keep spending in check and a unified republican minority in the house and senate , democrats have been stymied at nearly every turn in their attempts to increase spending on their domestic priorities . fearing a politically dangerous government shutdown , democratic leaders ultimately gave in to bush 's top line number and trimmed $ 22 billion from the measure . but democrats stemmed their losses somewhat by shifting some funding from the president 's priorities to their own . and they added billions more above bush 's top line in `` emergency '' funding for veterans health care , california fires , border security and more . the government spending watchdog group taxpayers for common sense , which scrambled monday to pore over the nearly 1,500-page bill that was made public late sunday night , said it has identified almost 9,000 earmarks worth $ 7.4 billion . many of the earmarks avoided normal congressional scrutiny and were `` airdropped '' -- or slipped in without going through normal committee consideration -- into the final bill , the group said . but sen. robert byrd , d-west virginia , chairman of the budget-writing appropriations committee , said the spending plan represents a dramatic decrease in pork-barrel projects from the one approved by bush two years ago -- when republicans controlled congress .<doc-sep>`` the total dollars that are earmarked is reduced -- hear me now -- by 43 percent , '' byrd said tuesday from the senate floor . `` that ai n't chicken feed . '' arguing for a plan that would have begun pulling troops from iraq within 90 days , sen. edward kennedy , d-massachusetts , became emotional as he called the bush administration 's efforts in iraq `` a continuing quagmire . '' `` the best way to end this charade and protect our troops and our national security is to put the iraqis on notice that they need to take responsibility for their future , '' kennedy said . `` unless there 's a binding timeline for the redeployment of our troops , the iraqis will not feel the need to make the compromises essential for a political solution . '' the measure now goes back to the house for approval in its revised form . house speaker nancy pelosi said she expects the bill to pass the house , although she will vote against it because of the war funds added in the senate version . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's ted barrett contributed to this report .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the senate on thursday passed a giant defense bill that includes a new policy for detaining and trying suspected al qaeda terrorists -- a policy that attracted controversy during the debate and may draw a presidential veto . the defense authorization bill passed by a vote of 93-7 . in keeping with budget cuts across the government , the $ 662 billion bill shrinks pentagon spending by $ 43 billion from last year . it includes funding for the wars in iraq and afghanistan and sets policies for the various weapons systems and personnel programs at the defense department . senate debate on the detainee matter was at times volatile and emotional . after years of struggling with issues of who should investigate , detain and try suspected terrorists -- civilian authorities and courts or the military and its tribunal system -- armed services committee chair carl levin , d-michigan , and ranking republican john mccain of arizona reached a long-sought compromise to codify the process . however , critics complained the deal was weighted toward the military because it required any suspected al qaeda terrorists , even those captured inside the u.s. , to be held potentially indefinitely by the military . that concerned the white house and many lawmakers who think the responsibility belongs , in part , to law enforcement agencies and the federal courts and warned that americans could possibly be detained indefinitely by the military .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president bush on monday signed a bill that will pay for the wars in iraq and afghanistan through the remainder of his presidency and into spring 2009 . president bush on monday said the men and women of the armed forces deserve `` our unflinching support . '' the supplemental spending bill provides nearly $ 162 billion in war funding without the restrictions congressional democrats vowed to put into place since they took control of congress nearly two years ago . after signing the bill , bush said the men and woman of the armed services are owed `` our unflinching support , and the best way to demonstrate that support is to give them the resources they need to do their jobs and to prevail . '' bush also said he appreciated that `` republicans and democrats in congress agreed to provide these vital funds without tying the hands of our commanders and without an artificial timetable of withdrawal from iraq . '' watch as bush thanks congress '' `` this bill shows the american people that even in an election year , republicans and democrats can come together to stand behind our troops and their families , '' bush said . he also touted the success of the `` surge '' strategy he implemented last year . `` our troops have driven the terrorists and extremists from many strongholds in iraq . today , violence is at the lowest level since march of 2004 , '' he said . `` as a result of this progress , some of our troops are coming home , as a result of our policy called ` return on success . ' we welcome them home . '' white houses spokeswoman dana perino called the bill a victory for the president . `` because we have seen success in the surge , perhaps congress decided that it was ok to allow the commander in chief to be able to move forward as he saw fit , '' said perino , noting the $ 162 billion was the same amount that the president had requested . the supplemental spending bill also contains a new gi bill that expands education benefits for veterans who have served since the 9/11 attacks , provides a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits and more than $ 2 billion in disaster assistance for parts of the midwest that have been hit by record floods . the signing comes two weeks before the deadline that defense secretary robert gates had established for the funds . gates said he would consider laying off defense department employees to balance the pentagon 's books if legislation was not signed by july 15 . watch a progress report from the u.s. ambassador to iraq '' house democrats had tried to include restrictions on war funding when they drafted the bill , but they were unable to overcome procedural hurdles that republicans put up . a compromise version of the supplemental bill was later negotiated between democratic and republican leaders that included the war funding along with the gi bill , unemployment benefits and disaster relief -- three top legislative priorities for the democrats that bush and congressional republicans originally resisted . `` at a time when 2 million men and women have fought in iraq and afghanistan and when our troops have had to endure multiple deployments , stop-loss policies , insufficient equipment and an unclear strategy , giving them the opportunity to fuel our future economy is the least we can do , '' senate majority leader harry reid , d-nevada , said of the gi bill after the senate sent it to the president 's desk thursday night . congressional democrats regained control of the house of representatives and senate after the 2006 midterm elections in large part to due to displeasure over the iraq war . but democrats -- lacking the 60 votes to overcome gop filibusters in the senate , let alone the two-thirds majorities in both the house and senate to override a presidential veto -- have been unable to pass significant restrictions on war funding because republicans , for the most part , have stuck with bush on the war .<doc-sep>boost : the bill provides an extra $ 85.2 billion for afghanistan war funding that is typically handled off-budget . the chairs of the senate and house of representatives appropriations committees said in a joint statement that the deal will eliminate the economic instability caused by congress ' recent funding battles . ` as with any compromise , not everyone will like everything in this bill , but in this divided government a critical bill such as this simply can not reflect the wants of only one party , ' democratic senator barbara mikulski of maryland and republican representative harold rogers of kentucky said in a statement . white house budget director sylvia mathews burwell said the measure will help fund critical investments in education and infrastructure . ` this legislation adheres to the funding levels in the budget agreement enacted in december , unwinds some of the damaging cuts caused by sequestration , ' she said in a statement . the military avoids about $ 22 billion in the across-the-board cuts , with total non-war spending of about $ 520.5 billion under the bill , while agencies focused on domestic programs will get $ 491.8 billion , representing an increase of about $ 22 billion over sequester levels . blow : the proposed bill does not provide any increase in funding for implementation of the affordable care act , president barack obama 's signature healthcare reform law . but some controversial budget items took a hit . the . spending measure provides no funds for high-speed rail projects , and it . again denied a funding transfer needed to pay for critical reforms to .<doc-sep>most democrats have supported the public option as a nonprofit competitor to private insurers that would expand coverage and bring down prices . republicans and some moderate democrats , along with the health insurance industry -- one of the major employers in lieberman 's home state -- oppose a public option , calling it a first step toward a government takeover of the u.s. health care system . `` i have n't received any pressure from the insurance companies , '' lieberman insisted tuesday . `` i mean it . periodically , they 'll talk to my staff about one thing or another , but ... i 've never hesitated to take on the insurance companies . '' another potential obstacle for reid is moderate democrat ben nelson of nebraska , who said sunday said he can not support the senate bill without tighter restrictions on federal funding for abortion . the senate last week defeated an amendment proposed by nelson and two other senators that would adopt tougher language on abortion funding contained in the house health care bill . a compromise on the abortion language is possible , said nelson , one of the 10 senate democrats who negotiated in private last week . if the senate eventually passes a health care bill , its version will have to be merged with the version the house of representatives passed in november , which includes a public health insurance plan . the final bill would then need approval from both chambers before going to obama to be signed into law . obama and democratic leaders have said they want the bill completed this year . the senate would need to finish its work this week to leave a realistic chance of meeting that schedule . cnn 's dana bash contributed to this report .

<t> new : the roughly $ 555 billion budget measure passed 76-17 . </t> <t> democrats failed to tie war funding to plan to withdraw u.s. troops from iraq . </t> <t> bill has nearly 9,000 earmarks worth $ 7.4 billion , watchdog group says . </t> <t> measure now goes back to house for approval in its revised form . </t>

senate passes budget bill that includes iraq war funding<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- jeannie longo-ciprelli would be remembered as the greatest female cyclist of her generation even if she had never been an olympic champion . longo-ciprelli : fourth time lucky in atlanta in 1996 . for much of her career , the olympic gold was the one honor to elude the french rider . misfortune , it seemed , was to be her fate every four years , regardless of how many world championships she won in between . in 1984 the first women 's olympic road race coincided with longo-ciprelli 's rise to dominance in the sport . well-placed going into the final lap , she appeared set to challenge in the sprint , only to be knocked off in a collision . by 1988 , longo-ciprelli was a three-time road race world champion , as well as a double winner of the women 's tour de france , and the clear favorite for gold in seoul . but a broken hip a month before the games derailed her preparations . although she recovered enough to ride the road race , she could manage just 21st place .<doc-sep>tactical error more disappointment followed in barcelona in 1992 as longo-ciprelli paid the price for a tactical error . with three kilometers to go , she raced away from the peloton and crossed the line in celebration . but she had failed to realize that kathy watt , an unheralded australian , had slipped away from the lead group apparently unnoticed with a lap to go , and finished 20 seconds further in front . four years later , in atlanta , longo-ciprelli , finally cracked her olympic jinx . at 37 , longo-ciprelli was no longer the dominant presence she had once been , but she still possessed the ability to raise her performance for the biggest races , as she had proven by winning her fourth road race world title in 1995 . her preparations were typically unorthodox -- while her rivals were acclimatizing to the atlanta heat , longo-ciprelli trained alone in the mountains of colorado , arriving just two days before the race . the race itself was run in a sudden downpour , which sent many riders crashing and skidding and had the rest struggling to stay on their bikes . unruffled , longo-ciprelli broke clear with two other riders and then launched her gold-winning solo attack 11 kilometers from the finish . longo-ciprelli was back for her fifth and final olympics in sydney in 2000 at the age of 41 , this time claiming bronze in the time trial -- and event in which she had also won silver in 1996 . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . harriet arkell . published : . 08:44 est , 18 april 2013 . | . updated : . 10:21 est , 18 april 2013 . a man who became obsessed with 1960s fantasy sitcom i dream of jeannie when he was just four years old has finally met the show 's star , 46 years later . greg cochrane , 50 , from sarasota , florida , is such a fan of the show , he has several mannequins dressed as jeannie , played by barbara eden , and takes them around with him . now , , decades after he first watched ms eden on the small screen of his childhood home , mr cochrane has flown to kansas city to meet his idol . and of course , he took his favourite mannequin with him . scroll down for video . greg cochrane took his plastic replica jeannie to meet the show 's star , barbara eden , and even bought it its own plane seat . in a trip filmed by tlc for their show my crazy obsession , mr cochrane packed up his life-size mannequin of jeannie and headed off to missouri . the footage shows him sitting next to his doll on the plane - he bought it a seat to avoid it being checked in like luggage , and then taking it to the theatre where ms eden was starring in a play . the actress invited mr cochrane , who spent $ 1,000 on the trip , up on to stage and he told her breathlessly : ` i 've waited 46 years to meet you . ' ms eden was so overcome with the excitement of it she tripped over , but after picking herself up she said : ` well , i 'm so happy that you did . ' mr cochrane , who has long collected classic hollywood memorabilia , said : ` i 've just met barbara in person - it is no longer a fantasy for me . ` it 'll always be a part of my memory . ' mr cochrane began watching the cult 1960s show when he was just four - now 50 , he has finally met the show 's star . as mr cochrane was introduced to barbara eden , he whispered : ` i 've waited 46 years to meet you ' greg cochrane was happy to buy his jeannie replica her own plane seat to avoid having the doll thrown in the hold . in the show which was broadcast last night , mr cochrane added : ` after all these years of collecting , it 's finally paid off . ' mr cochrane has collected all kinds of hollywood memorabilia since he was a child , but ms eden 's iconic character , and the show she starred in , held a special significance for him , and he admits having watched it over and over again . he has several life-size jeannie mannequins , as well as board games , videos , dolls and one of the original genie bottles used in the show . in the original tv show , barbara eden wore exactly the same revealing costume as that worn by mr cochrane 's doll . barbara eden , who is now 78 , seemed delighted to meet her most ardent fan , and quickly regained composure after tripping over . mr cochrane 's jeannie mannequin underwent some checks at the airport , just like everyone else . i dream of jeannie , created by legendary writer sidney sheldon , starred larry hagman along with ms eden and began a five-season run in september 1965 . ms eden starred as a 2,000-year-old genie who eventually falls in love with her master , major nelson , played by mr hagman . in most of the shows , the jeannie character wore a revealing costume but was forbidden from showing her navel . censors agreed that it was ok that she - an unmarried woman - lived in the same house as another man because she slept in her bottle . mr cochrane has an all-encompassing selection of memorabilia related to the 1960s show , including a board game , above . is greg cochrane i dream of jeannie 's biggest fan ? it certainly looks that way .<doc-sep>then it was on the road for longo . with her colleagues , she has toured across the north and midwest - and even pitched up in times square , new york . crowned : this is the moment in 2010 that longo , who plans to work in public relations , won her title . on father 's day , she surprised her parents by parking the wienermobile outside their house . ` if we park at the front of the parking lot -lsb- at a store -rsb- people think there 's an event going on , ' she told the tribune . ` as my boss tells me : `` you ca n't sneak in anywhere in a 27-foot-long hot dog . '' ' ecstatic though she is , longo plans to sideline hot dogs this june to pursue a job in personal relations , having studied journalism at college .<doc-sep>investigators have pieced together the movements of a missing university of virginia student the night she went missing , with the police chief saying they believe she got into a car with a man . charlottesville police chief timothy longo stopped short of calling the man a suspect in the disappearance of hannah graham , saying he was still considered `` a person of interest . '' `` let me just say this , we are interested in him , '' longo told reporters during a news conference . graham , 18 , was last seen early september 13 in an area of charlottesville known as the downtown mall . using surveillance video and witness statements , authorities tracked graham along the mall . at one point , she was seen with a man going into a bar , where he ordered a drink , longo said . they were then seen leaving the bar together . investigators also know the man drove away from the area in a burnt orange 1998 chrysler coupe that was parked near the bar , longo said . `` my point is this , people saw hannah and people saw him , and people saw them together , '' he told reporters during a news conference . '' ... if you remember seeing that vehicle and you remember seeing somebody get back in it , and you remember seeing somebody drive away , then we need to hear from you . '' the details were released just hours after authorities searched an apartment and a car belonging to the man . `` is he in custody ? no , '' longo said . '' ... was there probable cause to arrest him ? no . '' longo declined to say what investigators seized during the searches . investigators are offering a $ 50,000 reward for `` information leading to the cause '' of her disappearance , police said . graham , a sophomore , is described as a straight-a student and an accomplished athlete from northern virginia . she 's about 5-foot-11 with blue eyes , light brown hair and freckles , the university said in a release asking for tips about the teen 's disappearance . graham left a dinner with a group of friends around 11 p.m. last friday . around 1:20 a.m. saturday , she sent a text to friends saying she was lost , cnn affiliate wtvr reported . police believe she may have been under the influence of alcohol , longo has said , and may have been vulnerable or unable to defend herself . her parents attended a candlelight vigil thursday night organized by students , which the couple described as `` extremely moving . '' `` we were comforted by the evident high esteem in which our cherished daughter is held by her many friends at the university of virginia and beyond , '' john and sue graham said in a statement . `` we continue to be optimistic that hannah will soon be returned safely to us . '' the police chief said he has not given up hope graham will be found . `` i will always be hopeful until we find hannah , '' he said . graham 's parents have n't given up hope either , he said . `` they are hurt . they are concerned . they are frustrated , '' he said . `` but not for one second have i discerned that they have ever lost hope they will find their daughter . '' missing nursing student 's remains found in tennessee .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a male university of virginia lacrosse player was charged with first degree murder monday after a member of the school 's women 's lacrosse team was found dead in her apartment , police said . police were initially called to the off-campus apartment by a roommate who reported `` a possible alcohol overdose , '' said tim longo , chief of police in charlottesville , virginia . `` it was quickly apparent to them this young lady was the victim of something far worse , '' longo said .

<t> cyclist 's olympic record : 1 gold medal , 2 silver medals , 1 bronze medal . </t> <t> cyclist was born october 31 , 1958 , in annency , france . </t> <t> by 1988 longo-ciprelli was a three-time road race world champion . </t>

jeannie longo-ciprelli<T>

new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- for years , russian arms dealer viktor bout made millions of dollars delivering weapons and ammunition to warlords and militants , officials say . on thursday , bout and his associate , andrew smulian , were arrested in thailand after a series of events that officials said could have come straight out of a spy novel . the men 's capture involved law enforcement agencies from at least five countries , including two undercover agents from the u.s. drug enforcement administration posing as colombian rebels . bout and smulian are accused of conspiracy to provide surface-to-air missiles and other weapons to colombian rebels , said michael garcia , u.s. attorney for the southern district of new york . in a complaint filed by a dea agent , they are said to have conspired to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons to the revolutionary armed forces of colombia , or farc . the u.s. department of state designated the group as a foreign terrorist organization in 2003 . `` this marks the end of the reign of one of the world 's most-wanted arms traffickers , '' garcia said of bout . `` someone will undoubtedly write a book about this case someday , and i can tell you that it will read like the very best work of tom clancy , only in this case , it wo n't be fiction , '' said michael braun , assistant administrator and chief of operations for the dea . secret meetings . the operation began in january , when smulian began meeting with two men who claimed to represent farc but who were actually confidential sources working for the dea . the men expressed interest in buying millions of dollars worth of weapons . at meetings in the netherlands antilles , denmark and romania , smulian discussed the details and logistics of the arms deal with the two agents . at one meeting , the agents were given a digital memory stick containing an article about bout and documents containing photos and specifications for 100 surface-to-air missiles and armor-piercing rocket launchers .<doc-sep>smulian explained that a delivery system was in place that would allow the weapons to be air-dropped into colombia , and he told the men that it would cost $ 5 million to transport the weapons . during one meeting , smulian introduced the dea sources to bout over the phone . after that conversation , smulian told one of the sources that the weapons were ready in bulgaria . smulian and bout set up a face-to-face meeting with them to finalize the deal , and that is what happened thursday . the arrests were made thursday afternoon . the charges against bout and smulian cover the period from november through february , according to a written statement from the u.s. attorney 's office and the dea . the united states plans to pursue the extradition of bout from thailand , the statement said . there was no mention of smulian 's fate . bout and smulian are charged with conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization . if convicted , each could get a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison , the statement said . ` i 'm not a diamond guy ' intelligence agencies around the world have tracked bout for years . although some of his work has been legitimate , most has not . he has made deliveries to africa , asia and the mideast using obsolete or surplus soviet-era cargo planes . bout , a former soviet air force officer who speaks multiple languages , has what is reputed to be the largest private fleet of soviet-era cargo aircraft in the world , according to u.s. officials . he acquired the planes shortly after the breakup of the soviet union , the u.s. department of the treasury said in 2005 .<doc-sep>at that time , the u.s. treasury announced that it was freezing the assets of bout and his associates , who are all tied to former liberian president charles taylor . taylor is being tried on war crimes charges by the special court for sierra leone . intelligence officials said bout shipped large quantities of small arms to civil wars across africa and asia , often taking diamonds in payment from west african fighters . a 2006 article in foreign policy magazine said that although bout served many third-world leaders , he also aided organizations such as the united nations . `` he made countless trips for the united nations into the same areas where he supplied the weapons that sparked the humanitarian crises in the first place , '' the article charged . it said bout probably committed multiple violations of u.n. arms embargoes . british intelligence officials found evidence in afghanistan that bout had shipped arms to the taliban and al qaeda , as well as circumstantial evidence that he shipped weapons technology into iraq . and the u.s. government said it received information that bout profited $ 50 million from supplying the taliban with military equipment when they ruled afghanistan . bout , who is said to be the inspiration for nicolas cage 's arms dealer character in the movie `` lord of war , '' told cnn in 2002 that he never sold arms to the taliban or al qaeda . he also denied providing weapons and missile-guidance technology to iraq . bout said that his air transport company is legitimate and that he ferried a variety of cargo to africa and to afghanistan since 1992 . he denied that any of it was done illegally or that he was paid in `` blood diamonds '' from africa . `` it 's a lie , '' he said . `` i never touched diamonds in my life , and i 'm not a diamond guy , and i do n't want to go into that business . '' some reports at the time claimed that bout flew into afghanistan just before september 11 , 2001 . but bout told cnn that the last time he was in afghanistan was 1996 and that he never met terror mastermind osama bin laden . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a leader of the defeated tamil tiger rebel group has been arrested in bangkok , thailand , state television in sri lanka reported thursday . selvarasa padmanathan , also known as kp , was the `` self-appointed ... leader and chief arms dealer '' of the tamil tigers , according to lankapuvath , the national news agency of sri lanka . it also reported the arrest , citing the sri lankan government information department .<doc-sep>by . daniel miller . a suspected british drug dealer , wanted by french police on suspicion of masterminding a gang that smuggled hundreds of kilos of cocaine and heroin through france into england , has been arrested in thailand . michael france , 53 , was arrested in the seaside resort town of cha-am , where he had purchased a luxury flat after moving to thailand in 2008 , local police said . he was arrested following a tip-off from french law enforcement officials through the country 's embassy in thailand . thai police officers arrested alleged drug trafficker alan france in the seaside resort town of cha-am . french police said the suspect . fled france in 2008 after customs officers arrested a group of . englishmen carrying almost 30kg of cocaine and 95.11 kilograms of heroin in their car . following an investigation , french authorities said gang . members were paid between # 3,700 and # 10,000 per shipment . they believe the gang had . been active for 18 months and smuggled a total of 375 kilograms of drugs . detained : michael alan france , 54 , is escorted by police following a press conference at suvarnabhumi airport in bangkok , thailand . france was arrested following a tip-off from french law enforcement officials through the country 's embassy in thailand . immigration police chief lt. gen. panu kerdlarppol said france would be interrogated and his case was forwarded to thai prosecutors . french officials told their thai counterparts that the suspect had been behind the scheme and had hired the men to transport the drugs . france said at a police news conference held at suvarnabhumi airport in bangkok that he had been unaware of the allegations against him . immigration police chief lt. gen. panu kerdlarppol said france would be interrogated and his case was forwarded to thai prosecutors for further action . france talks to police during a press conference at the immigration office in bangkok . france was arrested in the seaside resort town of cha-am , where he had purchased a luxury flat after moving to thailand in 2008 .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- convicted russian arms dealer viktor bout could face life in prison after a federal jury returned guilty verdicts wednesday on four counts related to a conspiracy to kill americans , acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles and provide material support to a terrorist organization . bout 's attorney , albert dayan , said the verdict will be appealed . `` i still stand by my position that viktor was wrongfully accused , '' said dayan . `` the jury has spoken but his position is still that he 's innocent . '' widely dubbed `` the merchant of death , '' bout was often referred to by u.s. and united nations officials as among the most notorious of global arms traffickers . he had pleaded not guilty to all the charges . dayan said during the trial that the former soviet air force officer was not involved in illegal arms sales , and that federal agents had baited bout into selling the weapons alongside a deal to sell airplanes . but preet bharara , the u.s. attorney for manhattan , called the russian tycoon `` a very dangerous man '' in a statement wednesday . `` he aimed to sell those weapons to terrorists for the purpose of killing americans . '' commentary : three chilling moments from the trial . the heart of the case stemmed from a 2008 sting operation in thailand by the u.s. drug enforcement agency . undercover agents posing as colombian rebels attempted to buy larges caches of weapons , according to a 2008 federal indictment . both the united states and the european union identify the rebel group -- the revolutionary armed forces of colombia , or farc -- as a terrorist organization . the agents tried to purchase 700 to 800 surface-to-air missiles , thousands of ak-47s and landmines , telling bout that they wanted the arms `` to kill americans , '' the indictment said . bout responded , it said , by saying he `` was going to prepare everything the farc needed . ''<doc-sep>bangkok , thailand -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a thai appeals court ruled friday that suspected international arms dealer viktor bout can be extradited to the united states . the court ruled that the extradition process must be completed within three months , otherwise bout will be released . bout , a former soviet military officer , was shackled in chains during the hearing . his wife and daughter were also in the courtroom . after the ruling , they stood up and cried . friday 's ruling came after heavy lobbying from u.s. officials . `` we are extremely pleased that the appeals court in thailand has granted the extradition of viktor bout to the united states on charges of conspiring to sell weapons to a terrorist organization for use in killing americans , '' said a statement by acting u.s. deputy attorney general gary grindler . `` we have always felt that the facts of the case , the relevant thai law and the terms of our bilateral extradition treaty clearly supported the extradition of mr. bout on these charges . '' russian foreign minister sergei lavrov described the thai appeals court 's ruling as an `` unlawful , political decision '' that was `` taken under a very strong pressure from the outside , '' russian state-run news agency ria novosti reported . `` i can assure you that we 'll do everything necessary for his return to his home country , '' lavrov told reporters , according to ria novosti . bout had been indicted by u.s. federal authorities on a series of charges , including counts of illegally purchasing u.s. cargo planes to ferry weapons to warring parties and regimes in africa and the middle east . thai courts had previously balked at extraditing bout to the united states on the basis of the original charges against him , which centered on his alleged efforts to send millions of dollars worth of weapons to arm guerrilla fighters in colombia . last year , a thai court rejected the u.s. government 's request for extradition . bout was arrested in bangkok in march 2008 after a sting operation led by agents of the u.s. drug enforcement agency , posing as members of the revolutionary armed forces of colombia -lrb- farc -rrb- . bout , widely regarded as a prolific arms dealer , has been in thai custody since . bout has repeatedly said he has not broken any laws and the allegations against him are lies . he is accused of supplying weapons to war zones around the world -- from sierra leone to afghanistan . in february , a federal indictment charged bout and an alleged co-conspirator with the illegal purchase of a boeing 727 and a boeing 737 , money laundering and wire fraud . the united states charged bout in 2008 with agreeing to sell surface-to-air missiles , armor-piercing rocket launchers , `` ultralight '' airplanes , unmanned aerial vehicles , and other weapons to farc . justice department officials have sought his extradition since then . federal authorities accused bout of four terrorism offenses : conspiracy to kill u.s. nationals , conspiracy to kill u.s. officers or employees , conspiracy to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile , and conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization , the designation given to farc by the u.s. state department . a former soviet air force officer who speaks six languages , bout allegedly began building his arms business as the soviet union disintegrated in the early 1990s . he acquired surplus soviet planes and , according to the u.s. treasury department , started shipping arms and ammunition to various conflict zones . it is widely believed that he inspired the character of yuri orlov , the arms dealer played by nicolas cage in the 2005 film `` lord of war . '' journalist james hookway contributed to this report .

<t> new : the united states wants viktor bout extradited from thailand . </t> <t> bout , associate are accused of conspiring to sell weapons to colombian rebels . </t> <t> british officials say bout shipped arms to the taliban and al qaeda . </t> <t> russian is said to have inspired nicolas cage role in movie `` lord of war '' </t>

` most-wanted ' arms dealer arrested in thailand<T>

baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a top iraqi political figure -- who also is an imam at a prominent shiite mosque in the capital -- urged the abolition of militias friday and decried violence and pervasive corruption in baghdad 's sadr city . sheikh jalal al-din ali al-saghir is a parliament member and a representative of the most influential shiite cleric . sheikh jalal al-din ali al-saghir , speaking at buratha mosque , blamed the corruption on followers of anti-american shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr . al-saghir is the most senior representative in baghdad of grand ayatollah ali al-sistani , arguably the most influential shiite cleric in iraq . as a member of iraq 's parliament , al-saghir represents the islamic supreme council of iraq , part of the ruling united iraqi alliance . his political group dominates the iraqi security forces and has been fighting members of a rival shiite group , al-sadr 's mehdi army militia . he said the supreme council , part of the ruling united iraqi alliance , once had an armed group called the badr brigade that is now a renamed non-military organization . he repeated prime minister nuri al-maliki 's call for all armed groups not affiliated with the government to disband . `` we said from the beginning , and since 2003 , the necessity of laying down the weapons by all , and the weapons should be in the hand of the state , '' al-saghir said . he praised iraqi security forces ' efforts in basra , the southern shiite city where al-maliki launched an offensive in march . the cleric said al-maliki freed the region of gangs . `` we can say that the iraqi security forces have made a great change in terms of establishing the security and imposing the law , '' al-saghir said , adding that effective security must be imposed to ensure the fairness of this autumn 's provincial elections . `` the elections will be tomorrow , '' he said , meaning soon . `` how can we respect ourselves as politicians , political parties and officials within the government ? how can we respect ourselves by saying we conduct honest elections while there are gangs controlling areas or provinces ? '' meanwhile , sadrist cleric suhail al-iqabi delivered a fiery sermon in the eastern part of baghdad as hundreds of sadr city residents sat on the street performing friday prayers . al-iqabi said an `` act of genocide '' is taking place in the town .<doc-sep>speaking to hundreds of worshippers chanting pro-sadr slogans , al-iqabi accused the government of holding a grudge against sadrists and the people of sadr city `` who are facing genocide in every sense of the word , cutting off the water , electricity and shelling the innocent civilians , killing women and children and detaining women . '' his sermon included a prayer asking god to strengthen al-sadr 's mehdi army and `` sharpen their weapons . '' `` what the prime minister stated in his press conference , all that he said that was so far from reality , the nonsense and false accusations he used to cover up his huge failure leading the nation 's affairs , '' al-iqabi said . '' ... we call on all politicians , journalists , intellectuals , civil society institutions , tribal leaders and clergy to visit sadr city to witness the crimes committed by the occupier and government forces . '' in sadr city , nearly 1,000 civilians and fighters are thought to have been killed since late march in fighting between security forces and shiite militants . however , al-saghir said there has been `` good security progress . '' watch as fighting destroys a school '' `` i believe the coming days will witness many developments which will lead to the protection of this city from these gangs , '' he said . he urged people who have grievances to make their voices heard through the political process . he decried those who arm themselves under the pretext of sectarianism or occupation . al-saghir emphasized what he called corruption in sadr city and the role of sadrist followers in promoting it . he noted that imams from the supreme council were booted from several mosques and replaced by politically correct imams , and he said companies have to pay off the sadrists to get contracts . he said fuel tanker drivers face the risk of losing their trucks to fire or theft if they do n't pay off political groups . meanwhile friday , a u.s. soldier was killed in baghdad after a roadside bomb struck the soldier 's vehicle , the military said . the soldier was part of a combat patrol in eastern baghdad when a roadside bomb struck the patrol vehicle at about 6:15 p.m. local time .<doc-sep>the soldier 's name is being withheld until family has been notified , the u.s. army 's public affairs department in baghdad said . also friday , the u.s. military said one of the two suicide bombers who struck a wedding convoy this week in northern iraq was a woman `` imitating pregnancy . '' the military blamed the sunni militant group al qaeda in iraq for thursdays ' attack that killed 35 people and wounded dozens more in balad ruz , a town northeast of baghdad in the volatile diyala province . the u.s. military announced friday that a u.s. air force drone crashed in southern iraq , and investigators suspect mechanical failure . the mq-1 predator drone was used mainly for reconnaissance , the military said . on thursday , iraqi lawmakers were in iran to confront officials there with evidence of tehran 's support for militias and outlaws in iraq , iraqi officials said . iran 's state-run news agency irna confirmed the delegation was in tehran . parliament members from the ruling united iraqi alliance , the shiite coalition , intended to discuss how the training and arming of militias is harmful for iraq -- and for iran as a neighbor , said sami al-askari , an adviser to al-maliki . kurdish lawmaker mahmoud othman said the delegation intended to provide evidence , confessions and pictures indicating that iran is supplying weapons and training fighters inside iraq . bush administration officials have said iran 's islamic revolutionary guard corps ' quds force has provided training and weapons for militants in iraq . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq , jomana karadsheh , shirzad bozorgmehr and joe sterling contributed to this report .<doc-sep>five people were killed in baghdad , where al-sadr 's followers torched six offices belonging to the supreme islamic council of iraq , authorities said . al-sadr has called for calm , banned further fighting and urged members of the mehdi army militia to guard the islamic council offices and officials , according to sheikh ahmed al-shibani , a senior al-sadr aide in najaf . al-sadr also called for an investigation into the clashes and for those behind the attacks to be punished , his spokesman said . the attacks were accompanied by fighting between the badr organization and the mehdi army . the badr organization , part of the supreme islamic council of iraq , has been incorporated into iraqi security forces throughout the country . the mehdi army is the militia of al-sadr . in sadr city , where two of the political offices were burned , the iraqi army called in reinforcements and air support while battling the mehdi army , an interior ministry official said . the mehdi army also set fire to the dawa party 's office in kadhimiya , an interior ministry official said . prime minister nuri al-maliki is a member of the dawa party . shiite pilgrims in karbala were celebrating sha'abaniya , the birthday of imam al-mehdi , the 12th imam , whom shiites revere . the celebrations were to peak tuesday and wednesday . the pilgrims in karbala were evacuated from the city center , and a full curfew was imposed , said brig. gen. abdul kareem khalaf , an interior ministry spokesman .<doc-sep>five people were killed in baghdad , where al-sadr 's followers torched six offices belonging to the supreme islamic council of iraq , authorities said . al-sadr has called for calm , banned further fighting and urged members of the mehdi army militia to guard the islamic council offices and officials , according to sheikh ahmed al-shibani , a senior al-sadr aide in najaf . al-sadr also called for an investigation into the clashes and for those behind the attacks to be punished , his spokesman said . the attacks were accompanied by fighting between the badr organization and the mehdi army . the badr organization , part of the supreme islamic council of iraq , has been incorporated into iraqi security forces throughout the country . the mehdi army is the militia of al-sadr . in sadr city , where two of the political offices were burned , the iraqi army called in reinforcements and air support while battling the mehdi army , an interior ministry official said . the mehdi army also set fire to the dawa party 's office in kadhimiya , an interior ministry official said . prime minister nuri al-maliki is a member of the dawa party . shiite pilgrims in karbala were celebrating sha'abaniya , the birthday of imam al-mehdi , the 12th imam , whom shiites revere . the celebrations were to peak tuesday and wednesday . the pilgrims in karbala were evacuated from the city center , and a full curfew was imposed , said brig. gen. abdul kareem khalaf , an interior ministry spokesman .<doc-sep>cramer , in a separate statement , said , `` our plane leaving iraq was fired upon , and it was a close call , but this is something that our men and women in combat face every day . the flight crew was outstanding , and i credit them for the way they handled the situation . '' multi-national force-iraq , in a statement issued friday , said the c-130 crew `` dispensed flares as a defensive countermeasure and conducted standard evasive maneuvers . the aircraft , crew and passengers safely completed their flight . '' in baghdad , iraq 's government expressed hope that shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr 's decision to suspend the activities of his mehdi army militia for six months will prompt other armed groups to follow suit . prime minister nuri al-maliki 's office issued a statement thursday welcoming al-sadr 's announcement , made in the aftermath of clashes between shiite militias in karbala , baghdad and babil province . security officials said there was fighting between elements of the mehdi army and badr organization , the armed force of the rival supreme islamic council of iraq . more than 50 people died this week as fighting broke out during a shiite pilgrimage to the southern city of karbala . `` this initiative is an encouraging step toward consolidating security and stability throughout the country and an opportunity for the suspension of the work of the rest of the militias in various political and ideological affiliations to preserve the unity , independence and sovereignty of iraq , '' al-maliki 's office said . al-sadr 's political movement `` will remain active '' and `` a true partner in the political process , '' al-maliki 's office said . on friday , four policemen were killed and five people were wounded in a car bombing in northern iraq , police said . the explosive detonated near a convoy in samarra , said police in that salaheddin province city .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the fighting among shiite militias and government troops in basra is a glimpse of iraq 's future , and pivotal cleric muqtada al-sadr is in deep trouble , according to two cnn correspondents and a cnn military analyst . mehdi army fighters wear masks during clashes in the southern iraqi city of basra on wednesday . the fiery religious leader has a loyal following in baghdad 's sadr city neighborhood and other enclaves thanks to generous social programs , but his political movement , his mehdi army militia and the cease-fire al-sadr recently extended are no match for iranian intrigue , according to cnn 's experts . `` al-sadr is involved in a very complicated relationship with the iranians , '' said cnn baghdad correspondent michael ware . `` the iranians do provide funding and support for his militia , yet at the same time they 're trying to rein him in and get him to adopt a certain political agenda , which from time to time he resists . '' ware said iran wants to use al-sadr 's populist base to advance its agenda in iraq . `` however , they do n't want to see him get too big for his boots or to rise to a position where they can no longer have sway over him . '' iran has weakened al-sadr by encouraging dissension within his mehdi army and backing hardliners -- known as the special groups -- who break away and keep up the fight against the u.s. occupation , ware said . `` iran 's very good at putting pressure on you , forcing you to split , and anything that squeezes out the side , iran picks up and turns into hardline factions , '' ware said . `` that 's exactly what 's happened to muqtada . he 's had purge after purge after purge of belligerent commanders , and they 've all been swept up by iran .

<t> new : shiite cleric , also a prominent political figure , speaks against violence . </t> <t> u.s. military : woman who detonated bomb pretended to be pregnant . </t> <t> u.s. drone crashes in southern iraq , military says . </t> <t> iraqi lawmakers in tehran to show evidence of iran 's support for militias . </t>

imam decries militias , clashes in sadr city<T>

london , england -- a colombian sculptor has created a mystery at london 's tate modern gallery by refusing to reveal how she seemingly managed to crack open a concrete floor . `` shibboleth '' is colombian artist doris salcedo 's first public commission in the united kingdom . the work by doris salcedo begins as a hairline crack then widens and deepens as it snakes across the full 167 meters -lrb- 548 feet -rrb- of the former power station 's turbine hall . salcedo said `` shibboleth , '' a statement about racism , took her more than a year to make but has revealed little else about its construction . she apparently created it elsewhere and spent the past five weeks installing it in the tate , on the south bank of the river thames . she refused to say how she managed seemingly to crack open a concrete floor . `` what is important is the meaning of the piece . the making of it is not important , '' she said . asked how deep the crack goes , she replied : `` it 's bottomless . it 's as deep as humanity . '' visitors meanwhile are warned not to trip on the crack . tate director nicholas serota insisted the work was no optical illusion . `` this sculpture has been made in the most painstaking , meticulous way by doris and her team before it was slowly inserted into the turbine hall , '' he told the press association . `` it has taken five weeks of work here with very considerable disruption to the hall . it 's not an illusion - it 's there , it 's real . `` from the tate 's point of view , there were only two questions : could we realize it in the way doris envisaged ? and once the piece was created , would it damage the structural integrity of the building forever ? `` the answer to the first was yes , and to the second was no . '' he declined to elaborate further . the installation will be removed next april by filling in the crack . serota said : `` there is a crack , there is a line , and eventually there will be a scar and that scar will remain . it will remain as a memory of the work and also as a memorial to the issues doris touches on . '' the artist said the work of art represents the gap between white europeans and the rest of humanity . wire mesh is on show because it is `` the most common means of control used to define borders and divisions . '' salcedo said of the work : `` it represents borders , the experience of immigrants , the experience of segregation , the experience of racial hatred . `` it is the experience of a third world person coming into the heart of europe . `` for example , the space which illegal immigrants occupy is a negative space . and so this piece is a negative space . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>fragile lipstick sculptures must be kept somewhere dry , with good . ventilation , within the temperature of 17-25 ℃ . this will not make . the lipstick deform or melt . if you put it in the fridge it may split or . crack . susie bubble , anna wintour , kate moss and coco chanel , yours for # 396 each . sum does n't limit herself to iconic women such as victoria beckham , far left . she also takes custom orders . iris apfel -lrb- l -rrb- and vivienne westwood -lrb- r -rrb- star again , alongside madonna -lrb- second from left -rrb- . may says keep the lipstick around 17-25 ¿ . do not put it into the refrigerator as it will crack . may 's art is sculpted in about 10-12 hours . for more complicated ones , it could take a week or longer . may held her first exhibition in hong kong in august . she prides herself as the first lipstick sculptor . may 's work features scenes on bronzer sticks and landscapes as well as famous people on lippies . it echoes greek mythology , renaissance art and eighties wall carvings .<doc-sep>london , england -- a colombian sculptor has created a mystery at london 's tate modern gallery by refusing to reveal how she seemingly managed to crack open a concrete floor . `` shibboleth '' is colombian artist doris salcedo 's first public commission in the united kingdom . the work by doris salcedo begins as a hairline crack then widens and deepens as it snakes across the full 167 meters -lrb- 548 feet -rrb- of the former power station 's turbine hall . salcedo said `` shibboleth , '' a statement about racism , took her more than a year to make but has revealed little else about its construction . she apparently created it elsewhere and spent the past five weeks installing it in the tate , on the south bank of the river thames . she refused to say how she managed seemingly to crack open a concrete floor . `` what is important is the meaning of the piece . the making of it is not important , '' she said . asked how deep the crack goes , she replied : `` it 's bottomless . it 's as deep as humanity . '' visitors meanwhile are warned not to trip on the crack . tate director nicholas serota insisted the work was no optical illusion . `` this sculpture has been made in the most painstaking , meticulous way by doris and her team before it was slowly inserted into the turbine hall , '' he told the press association . `` it has taken five weeks of work here with very considerable disruption to the hall . it 's not an illusion - it 's there , it 's real . `` from the tate 's point of view , there were only two questions : could we realize it in the way doris envisaged ? and once the piece was created , would it damage the structural integrity of the building forever ? `` the answer to the first was yes , and to the second was no . '' he declined to elaborate further . the installation will be removed next april by filling in the crack . serota said : `` there is a crack , there is a line , and eventually there will be a scar and that scar will remain . it will remain as a memory of the work and also as a memorial to the issues doris touches on . '' the artist said the work of art represents the gap between white europeans and the rest of humanity . wire mesh is on show because it is `` the most common means of control used to define borders and divisions . '' salcedo said of the work : `` it represents borders , the experience of immigrants , the experience of segregation , the experience of racial hatred . `` it is the experience of a third world person coming into the heart of europe . `` for example , the space which illegal immigrants occupy is a negative space . and so this piece is a negative space . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>a sculptor has set a new world record by carving a banquet of 143 dishes out of stone . sun zhaoyong has spent almost 20 years crafting his culinary works of art out of the traditional chinese sculpting stone from the village of shoushan . among the collection are faithful representations of fish dinners , suckling pig and carved vegetables which have all been painstakingly shaped by hand . solid meal : each dish in the 143 plate banquet has been hand carved from naturally colored shoushan stones . tough meat : the set is the work of sculptor sun zhaoyong who created the collection over the past 20 years . for his hard work , the artist has been . handed a certificate by a world record company in shanghai , where the .<doc-sep>the sculpture currently sits next to the city offices but will be moved to a more secluded spot in yew park where the public will still have full access to it , a city official told lenconnect.com . the piece was created by sculptor mark chatterley of williamston and had been rented as part of a public art program . mr chatterley told mailonline today : ' i think it 's rather funny and a shame all the brouhaha about it . i 'm disappointed , it was in a great spot . but i 'm glad the city still want it as part of the show . ' the sculptor , who has exhibited all over the u.s. and the world in his 30-year career , said he is a little worried about his statue being moved to a more secluded spot .

<t> work by colombian sculptor at london 's tate modern is crack in concrete floor . </t> <t> doris salcedo refuses to reveal how she created the huge work of art . </t> <t> `` shibboleth '' represents gap between white europeans and the rest of humanity . </t>

sculptor 's crack baffles art world<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. health officials said wednesday they have found a contaminant in a blood-thinning drug produced by baxter healthcare corp. that has been linked to more than a dozen deaths in the united states . the drug can keep potentially life-threatening blood clots from forming in the veins , arteries , and lungs . in early february , the food and drug administration launched an investigation and then a recall of some forms of the product . the scrutiny began after a spike in reports of health problems associated with heparin , a drug made by baxter from pig intestines at plants in china and wisconsin . though the cause of the problems has not been determined , fda investigators found `` a heparin-like compound -- that is not heparin -- present in some of the active pharmaceutical ingredients '' in both facilities , said dr. janet woodcock , acting director of the fda 's center for drug evaluation and research . the contaminant , which made up 5 percent to 20 percent of each sample tested , `` reacts like heparin in some of the conventional tests used for heparin , '' which explains why it was not picked up , she told reporters in a conference call . no causal link between the contaminant and the adverse events has been established yet , woodcock said .<doc-sep>she added that it was not clear whether the contaminant was added accidentally , as part of the processing or deliberately . it also was not clear whether the contaminant was introduced in the company 's plant in wisconsin or the one in china , woodcock said . though she said the exact structure of the contaminant has not been identified , `` it is similar to heparin glycans . '' glycans are polysaccharides , a complex class of carbohydrate . she added it was unclear whether other heparin products used outside the united states might also contain the product . later this week , the agency will release recommendations on how manufacturers and regulators can screen for the contaminant , she said . last year , pet food made in china was found to be tainted with an ingredient that replaced more expensive protein and that initial tests did not identify as a contaminant . asked if the heparin contamination could be a similar case , woodcock said , `` it 's possible . ''<doc-sep>doctors have used the blood-thinner for 60 years with `` no history of any problems whatsoever , '' said the fda commissioner , dr. andrew c. von eschenbach . its intravenous use can keep potentially life-threatening blood clots from forming in the veins , arteries and lungs . von eschenbach said it would be `` disingenuous '' to expect the agency would be able to inspect `` every institution in every case . '' over the last fiscal year , the agency reported having inspected more than 1,000 foreign plants , a record . since the agency issued its report that 19 deaths had been linked to the drug since january 1 , 2007 , it has received word of another 27 deaths , `` but many of those do not fit our definition of this type of event , '' woodcock said . in all , the fda has received 785 heparin-linked reports of adverse events -- including difficulty breathing , nausea , vomiting , excessive sweating and plummeting blood pressure that can lead to life-threatening shock .<doc-sep>`` they 're continuing to come in fairly rapidly because there has been a lot of reporting of this , '' she said . in a written statement , baxter said its tests have suggested `` that the root cause may be associated with the crude heparin , sourced from china , or from the subsequent processing of that product before it reaches baxter . '' meanwhile , scientific protein laboratories llc , which supplies the company with the active pharmaceutical ingredients , issued a statement saying it is working with the fda , baxter and outside experts to identify the cause of the adverse events . `` thus far , no conclusions have been reached about the root cause , '' it said . `` it is premature to conclude that the heparin active pharmaceutical ingredient sourced from china and provided by spl to baxter is responsible for these adverse events . '' it said that its voluntary recall of suspect product was being made as a precaution . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- new tests suggest how a contaminant in heparin -- a blood thinner -- may be connected to dozens of deaths , fda officials said monday . jin shaohong , a chinese health official , says he doubts china is to blame for the heparin problem . the food and drug administration has `` now established a mechanism by which we think this contaminant could cause these adverse events , '' said dr. janet woodcock , director of the fda 's center for drug evaluation and research . she said contaminated shipments of the blood thinner have been traced from china to 10 countries , including the united states . `` contamination of the heparin supply is a worldwide problem , '' she said . heparin containing oversulfated chondroitin sulfate -- a compound made from animal cartilage -- has been associated with hundreds of serious adverse symptoms , including allergic reactions that cause nausea , vomiting , shortness of breath and a severe drop in blood pressure . in addition , the fda has tallied 81 deaths related to those symptoms in the united states , though no causal link has been determined . the severe reactions seem to be related to patients who were given high doses of the drug , woodcock said .<doc-sep>in a written statement , baxter said its tests confirmed that the contaminant can cause drops in blood pressure , the most commonly reported adverse event . `` that means that the contaminant , which was introduced at the workshop of consolidator level , before it reached our api -lsb- active pharmaceutical ingredient -rsb- supplier and before it reached baxter , is likely the cause of the increased adverse reactions to the heparin , '' said norbert riedel , the company 's chief scientific officer . because no method existed to test for the contaminant , the fda last month developed one , and regulators are now confident current u.s. supplies of the drug are safe , woodcock said . it remains unclear where the contamination occurred , but the contaminated products ' active pharmaceutical ingredient came from 12 chinese makers of crude heparin `` across a broad area of china , '' she said . the most persuasive evidence implicating the chinese product , she said , is the fact that the increased number of deaths reported after heparin administration returned to baseline in march , after the fda recall . though chinese officials have raised the possibility that clean and safe heparin may have also been linked to adverse events , woodcock discounted that . `` we tested this lot and found contamination , '' she said . `` in their testing , they did not find contamination , but we are fairly certain because of multiple labs doing the testing that this lot contains contaminants . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>the wedge has been moving up the mississippi since early this month , reaching mile marker 89 -- signifying that many miles from the river mouth -- by wednesday , laigast said . `` you can taste a little salt water content , '' he said . `` but it 's nothing that 's harmful . '' anyone on dialysis and/or low-sodium diets was urged to check with a health care provider about drinking parish water . salt , of course , is sodium chloride . neither sodium nor chloride is considered a known health threat , the parish said , citing epa data . chloride , considered a secondary contaminant , could affect drinking water 's taste , smell and color . epa 's secondary maximum contaminant level for chloride is 250 mg/l . the maximum chloride detected in drinking water in the port sulphur area was 362 mg/l , it said . sodium is classified neither as a primary nor secondary contaminant , but it can adversely affect people on low-sodium diets for health reasons , such as high-blood pressure or kidney disease , the epa said .<doc-sep>now , more than ever , u.s. manufacturing facilities should be rewarded , not penalized , for retaining jobs in the united states . it is not only fair and the right thing to do to protect american competitiveness , it 's critically important for the health of american consumers . although improved drug safety authorities for the fda are important , they will be ineffective without a reliable funding stream , free from political whims , to implement them . a chronically underfunded agency , like the fda , can not successfully oversee our drug supply 's safety without a stable funding source that will allow the agency to hire the staff it needs to conduct inspections overseas or to monitor pharmaceuticals that are entering our country . the re-authorization of the prescription drug user fee act , which expires in october , offers an opportunity to remedy these problems . as we begin debate and negotiations around the prescription drug user fee act , we have a responsibility to ensure that we are equipping the fda with the resources , personnel and authorities to assure the pharmaceuticals americans take every day are neither contaminated , counterfeited , corrupted nor mislabeled . it is hard to believe that it already has been three years since the contaminated blood thinner heparin , which authorities believe originated in china , killed several people and caused multiple cases of serious illness . although fears generated by this crisis may have subsided , the reality that it can happen again should be fresh in the minds of those of us on the hill as we reauthorize the prescription drug user fee act , and give the fda more authority in the process . this is not and should not be a partisan issue . we must focus not only on making , and ensuring timely access to , the latest innovative drug treatments , but on establishing one quality standard for every drug sold in the united states . american consumers , and their families , deserve no less . join the conversation on facebook . the opinions in this commentary are solely those of john dingell .

<t> fda investigators find `` a heparin-like compound -- that is not heparin '' </t> <t> tests did not pick up the contaminant because it reacts like heparin . </t> <t> fda : it 's not clear whether the contaminant was added accidentally or deliberately . </t> <t> at least 19 deaths have been linked to the drug since 2007 . </t>

fda finds contaminant in suspect blood-thinner<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- federal drug investigators have taken over the inquiry into the january 22 death of actor heath ledger in a new york apartment , a law enforcement source told cnn thursday . actor heath ledger , 28 , died january 22 at an apartment in lower manhattan . ledger , 28 , an oscar-nominated australian actor , died of an accidental overdose of six types of medication , according to the new york city medical examiner 's office . the medical examiner 's office said ledger `` died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone , hydrocodone , diazepam , temazepam , alprazolam and doxylamine . '' oxycodone and hydrocodone are pain medications ; diazepam -- also known as valium -- is used to treat anxiety ; temazepam is a sedative used to induce sleep ; alprazolam -- known by the trade name xanax -- is an anti-anxiety agent . doxylamine , an antihistamine , can be obtained over the counter as a sleep aid .<doc-sep>the law enforcement source said the federal drug investigators are trying to determine if the drugs were prescribed legally , and are looking at two doctors -- one based in california and another in texas . ledger 's first american film was the teen comedy `` 10 things i hate about you '' in 1999 . he passed up several scripts before taking a role in the revolutionary war drama `` the patriot '' in 2000 and `` a knight 's tale '' in 2001 . he also played a supporting role in `` monster 's ball . '' but ledger was perhaps best known for his portrayal of ennis del mar in `` brokeback mountain , '' ang lee 's film about two cowboys who had a secret romantic relationship . the role earned ledger a best actor oscar nomination . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's brian vitagliano contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- heath ledger died from an accidental overdose of prescription medications including painkillers , anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping pills , the new york city medical examiner 's office said wednesday . actor heath ledger , 28 , died january 22 at an apartment in lower manhattan . `` mr. heath ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone , hydrocodone , diazepam , temazepam , alprazolam , and doxylamine , '' the office said in a short statement . `` we have concluded that the manner of death is accident , resulting from the abuse of prescription medications . '' hydrocodone and oxycodone are painkillers . diazepam is an anti-anxiety drug commonly sold under the brand name valium ; alprazolam is also an anti-anxiety drug sold under such names as xanax . temazepam , sold under such names as restoril and euhypnos , is a sleeping agent . doxylamine , an antihistamine , can be obtained over the counter as a sleep aid . ledger died january 22 at an apartment in lower manhattan . the oscar-nominated australian actor , best known for his role as a stoic , closeted cowboy in the 2005 film `` brokeback mountain , '' was 28 . watch why ledger 's death probably was ruled accidental '' police reported finding several prescription medications in the room but no illegal drugs . cnn has learned the drug enforcement administration has requested the toxicology and prescription records related to ledger 's death . the dea requested the records wednesday from the new york police department and the medical examiner 's office after the release of the report detailing the cause of death , according to a law enforcement source who asked not to be identified by name or agency because the request concerns an active investigation . the dea confirmed it will look into anything suspicious concerning ledger 's death . `` we will investigate any leads in respect to this , '' dea spokesman garrison courtney said while declining to provide any specifics . `` in any case , we look to see whether prescription drugs were illegally obtained or whether it was through proper channels . '' an autopsy done on the actor january 23 was inconclusive . interactive : a look back at heath ledger 's life '' in a statement released through ledger 's publicist , ledger 's father , kim , said wednesday : `` while no medications were taken in excess , we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy . heath 's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication , even at low dosage . ''<doc-sep>los angeles -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a trustee for heath ledger 's daughter has sued an insurance company over a $ 10 million policy the actor took out seven months before his death in january from a drug overdose . john s. laviolette , a los angeles entertainment industry attorney whom ledger appointed custodian of the policy , alleges in the lawsuit that reliastar life insurance co. is trying to avoid paying on the policy by continuing to investigate whether ledger 's death was a suicide . under provisions of the policy , the company would not have to pay if ledger committed suicide . the new york medical examiner ruled ledger 's january 22 death an accidental overdose of six prescription drugs . reliastar says in legal papers that it has the right to investigate all aspects surrounding ledger 's death `` to determine if the ` suicide ' provision is applicable . '' if ledger committed suicide , reliastar says , `` we will pay only the amount of premiums paid to us . '' the outcome is pending , a company spokesman said monday .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- actor heath ledger was found dead tuesday of a possible drug overdose in a lower manhattan apartment , the new york police department said . heath ledger was unresponsive when a housekeeper found him in a manhattan apartment tuesday . the academy award-nominated actor was 28 . ledger was found naked and unresponsive , facedown on the floor at the foot of his bed by a housekeeper trying to wake him for an appointment with a masseuse , said police spokesman paul browne . `` pills were found in the vicinity of the bed , '' he told cnn . `` this is being looked at as a possible overdose , but that is not confirmed yet . '' browne later told reporters some prescription medications were found in the room , including sleeping pills . but he stressed police have made no determination of the cause of ledger 's death -- that would be done by the medical examiner . he said the pills were not `` scattered about . '' no note was found and there was no indication of foul play , browne said . ledger was found at about 3 p.m. , and was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency personnel about 3:30 p.m. watch a report about ledger 's death '' a crowd of onlookers , photographers and reporters gathered outside the apartment building after news of ledger 's death was reported . police officers were guarding the doors . browne said he did not know how long ledger had been renting the apartment , which he said took up the entire fourth floor . an autopsy would be conducted on wednesday , said ellen borakove , spokeswoman for the new york city medical examiner 's office . watch ledger 's body being removed '' ledger 's family called his death `` very tragic , untimely and accidental . '' `` heath has touched so many people on so many different levels during his short life , but few had the pleasure of truly knowing him , '' his father said . `` he was a down-to-earth , generous , kindhearted , life-loving , unselfish individual extremely inspirational to many . '' hollywood reacts . condolences began pouring in from ledger 's friends and co-stars .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- before he died , heath ledger had two films in production : `` the dark knight , '' the latest chapter in the batman saga , and `` the imaginarium of doctor parnassus , '' the latest film from director terry gilliam . heath ledger 's joker character , here on the `` dark knight '' poster , is the focus of the film 's marketing effort . ledger 's death has affected both of them in different ways . the actor , who died tuesday of unknown causes at age 28 , had finished filming `` the dark knight '' late last year . it 's due to be released in july . but marketing of the film , currently in post-production , has been thrown into turmoil , the trade paper variety notes . the early push for the film has focused on ledger 's villainous joker character , including a poster with a shrouded joker scrawling `` why so serious ? '' in blood on misty glass . the film 's studio , warner bros. , recently restructured its marketing department , variety reports , after the departure of the executive who helped create the `` dark knight '' campaign . -lrb- warner bros. , like cnn , is a unit of time warner . -rrb- . the trade paper speculates that the marketing campaign will be changed abruptly . the studio put out a statement tuesday saying it was `` stunned and devastated '' by the news of ledger 's death . `` the entertainment community has lost an enormous talent . heath was a brilliant actor and an exceptional person . our hearts go out to his family and friends , '' the statement said . watch colleagues ' memories of heath ledger '' with the joker , ledger was taking on a role that jack nicholson had rendered indelibly in 1989 's `` batman . '' but `` dark knight '' director christopher nolan said the actor had more than measured up to nicholson . `` to be perfectly honest ... what he 's doing is indescribable . he 's figured it out , '' nolan told the crowd at an august comic book convention in chicago . interactive : the life of heath ledger '' the role as arch villain the joker disturbed ledger , according to the associated press . he called the character a `` psychopathic , mass-murdering , schizophrenic clown with zero empathy . '' although unusual , ledger 's death does not mark the first time a major star has died while a film has been in production . perhaps the most famous example is james dean , who died in september 1955 , before post-production on `` giant '' had finished . dean 's dialogue in the film 's final scene had to be re-recorded , variety observes , because he had mumbled in the shot . -lrb- dean and director george stevens famously clashed during filming . -rrb- .

<t> law enforcement source says federal drug officers are looking into death . </t> <t> ledger died of an accidental overdose january 22 . </t> <t> source : investigators trying to determine if drugs were prescribed legally . </t> <t> dea is looking at two doctors -- one in california and one in texas . </t>

source : feds investigate heath ledger 's death<T>

tacoma , washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- at a time when she really needed a miracle , annamarie ausnes found one in an unusual place . sandra andersen , right , donated a kidney to annamarie ausnes . last fall , ausnes , 55 , was one of nearly 75,000 americans in need of a kidney . today , she is recovering from a successful kidney transplant -- thanks to her local starbucks barista . sandra andersen only knew ausnes as her upbeat morning customer who always ordered a short cup of coffee . what andersen did n't know was that ausnes suffers from a genetic kidney disease called polycystic kidney disease . when both of her kidneys began failing , she was placed on a kidney transplant waiting list . `` i was kinda losing a little hope , '' said ausnes . her next step would be dialysis . `` i 'd read the statistics . people have been waiting on dialysis for many , many years before a donor comes forth . i felt like the control was being taken away from me , '' ausnes said . `` but i did have control over one thing , and i knew how to pray . and i just started praying for someone ; for god to please send me an angel . '' andersen recalls one particular morning last october when her customer 's normally cheerful demeanor had changed . `` i could tell that she just was n't feeling real well , '' said andersen . `` so i asked her what was wrong . '' across the counter , ausnes confided in her barista : her kidneys were failing rapidly and no one in her family was a match . without hesitation , andersen said she would test for her .<doc-sep>ausnes remembers the moment vividly . `` she threw her hands up in the air . she said , ` i 'm testing . i 'm going to test for you . ' and it was a complete shock to me . '' even more so because andersen did n't even know ausnes ' name . andersen ca n't explain it either . `` i just knew in my heart , i ca n't tell you why . i knew i had to find out as much info as possible , '' recalls andersen . watch ausnes recall how she met her `` miracle donor . '' '' after getting her blood tested , she signed a release to become an organ donor and began an interview process to move forward . then the day came when she was able to break the good news to ausnes . `` she walked in to get her short cup of coffee . i said , ` i 'm a match , ' and we both just stood there and bawled , '' said andersen . `` from that day forward we knew this was gon na happen . '' on march 11 , andersen and ausnes underwent a kidney transplant at virginia mason hospital in seattle , washington . the surgery was successful . `` we are doing well ! '' ausnes said monday night . `` we 're moving slower but we feel good . i talk to sandie every day , and sometimes i sit here and bawl because of what she 's gone through for me . '' watch how andersen 's gift became ' a kidney named rose . ' '' andersen says her kidney started working faster in ausnes than the hospital expected . `` annamarie is doing better than me ! i 'm just trying to do too much , '' laughs andersen , explaining why she 's tired . `` we 're just excited to get together for lunch sometime soon ! '' watch andersen and ausnes describe the best kind of donor '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>this is the story of one couple who have literally given everything for their daughter to survive into adulthood . faye hawkins , 26 , from wodonga on the nsw-victorian border , was born with branchiootorenal syndrome , a condition that affects the ears and kidneys . by the time she was just three years old she was deaf and her kidneys had started to fail and she needed a transplant , reports channel 9 . scroll down for video . faye hawkins will receive the gift of life when her mum donates her kidney on tuesday . faye 's dad barry hawkins donated a kidney to her when she was three-years-old . the kidney barry donated to faye now needs to be replaced and her mum rose is stepping in to help . faye 's mum rose will this week donate one of her kidneys to her daughter . twenty-three years ago faye 's dad barry donated a kidney to faye , but that kidney is now failing and needs replacing . mr hawkins told channel 9 : ` it 's the best thing i could have done i suppose , you do anything for your kids . ` we will be there all the way for her . '<doc-sep>l.a. dodgers usher in new era of ownership . jim duquette , former mets gm , donates kidney to young daughter .<doc-sep>the eventual donor contacted the medical university of south carolina in charleston , where the surgery was performed last wednesday . jimmy sue swilling will leave the hospital friday , her husband said , although they 'll have to go to charleston every month for the next four months to make sure the kidney is working properly . right now , larry swilling said , doctors report `` everything is working a-ok , 200 percent ! '' she donates kidney , he proposes .<doc-sep>by . alex greg for mailonline . and associated press . a pay-it-forward chain at a florida starbucks ended when a man opted not to buy the coffee of the person behind him in the drive-through line . peter schorsch , customer number 458 , ordered two venti mocha frappuccinos and was told that one of his drinks had been paid for by the previous customer and asked if he 'd like to do the same for the next customer . schorsch declined , saying he felt the phenomenon was a marketing ploy for the company and no longer a spontaneous act of kindness when the barista asks the customer to pay it forward . break in the chain : peter schorsch did n't ` pay it forward ' because he did n't want to be part of what he felt was a marketing ploy by starbucks . ' i just do n't want to be forced into doing something , '' schorsch told abc news . ` this is turning into a social phenomenon and i had to put an end to it . ' he had heard about a ` pay it forward ' streak at the same starbucks the previous day that ended on customer 359 . schorsch did n't end the chain to be stingy , he said , adding that he tipped the barista $ 100 .

<t> nearly 75,000 americans need a kidney transplant . </t> <t> annamarie ausnes told her story to a worker at her regular coffee shop . </t> <t> the barista , sandra andersen , tested and found out she was a potential donor . </t> <t> both are doing well after a transplant procedure on march 11 . </t>

barista donates kidney to save customer 's life<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- armenian president robert kocharian declared a state of emergency saturday night after a day of clashes between police and protesters , a spokeswoman for the armenian foreign ministry said . the protesters claim last month 's presidential election was rigged . the state of emergency will `` hopefully bring some order '' to the capital , yerevan , said salpi ghazarian , assistant to the armenian foreign minister , who spoke to cnn early sunday . the state of emergency could last until march 20 , she said , but the government hopes `` that it will be lifted sooner . '' the clashes began when authorities used force to clear freedom square of thousands of demonstrators who had camped there for the past 10 days , according to a u.s. embassy official . ghazarian said the authorities `` moved in '' because `` they thought that there were arms there , and it turned out that they were right . '' watch a report on clashes between police and the opposition '' the embassy official estimated that the demonstrations in freedom square grew to as many as 60,000 armenians at times over the last 10 days . as of early sunday morning , freedom square was empty , ghazarian said , but the protesters were demonstrating in a main square elsewhere in the city . watch ghazarian discuss the situation in armenia '' `` what is happening on the streets of yerevan is people protesting what they consider to be unfair elections , '' ghazarian said . `` after the president was forced to declare a state of emergency , things have quieted down . there are a couple of burning cars , and there are a few hurt people , '' she said . `` we 're convinced that this will come to an end soon . '' she did not elaborate on the number of people injured or the extent of their injuries . witnesses told cnn that saturday morning 's action by armenian riot police was bloody , but the u.s. official said there were no confirmed deaths or serious injuries . an armenian woman interviewed by cnn said there was `` huge chaos '' when police moved in . `` these are innocent people , '' she said . `` they just want their freedom . they just want to be heard . they are being beaten up , some people have horrible wounds . '' she asked that cnn not use her name because she feared for her safety . as night fell saturday , the sounds of gunfire could be heard from the direction of the protesters ' gathering , and tracer fire could be seen in the sky , according to another yerevan resident , who also asked not to be identified out of fear for his safety . the man said his wife saw two demonstrators hit by a police car earlier in the day . the car initially did not stop , he said , but the protesters surrounded the car , dragged the officers out and burned the vehicle , he said . the officers were able to escape , he said , but he did not know the condition of the protesters who were struck . the protests began soon after the february 19 presidential election . opposition presidential candidate levon ter-petrosian lost to prime minister serzh sarkisian , a political ally of outgoing president kocharian . the opposition party immediately accused the government of vote fraud and demanded that the results be voided . ghazarian said sunday that the government had reached out to the opposition . `` we are hoping with the help of the international community , the opposition , the leader of the opposition , will come and enter a political dialogue rather than continuing this debate on the streets , '' she said . haroutiun khachatrian , editor of the noyan tappan news agency , told cnn that riot police arrested several hundred people in the square saturday morning , including many opposition party officials . ter-petrosian was there but was not arrested , he said . the opposition vowed to pursue its claims through legal means . the organization for security and co-operation in europe -lrb- osce -rrb- monitored last month 's armenian election and concluded that it was mostly in line with international standards , although it did include some criticism in its report . the u.s. embassy has warned the several hundred americans living in yerevan to stay at home and avoid the downtown area where the demonstrations have been taking place , the u.s. official said . armenia , population 3 million , is a former soviet republic east of turkey , south of georgia and north of iran . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- armenian president robert kocharian declared a state of emergency saturday night after a day of clashes between police and protesters , a spokeswoman for the armenian foreign ministry said . opposition supporters wave an armenian flag during a protest rally in yerevan , armenia , on saturday . the protesters claim last month 's presidential election was rigged . the state of emergency will `` hopefully bring some order '' to the capital , yerevan , said salpi ghazarian , assistant to the armenian foreign minister , who spoke to cnn early sunday . the state of emergency could last until march 20 , she said , but the government hopes `` that it will be lifted sooner . '' the clashes began when authorities used force to clear freedom square of thousands of demonstrators who had camped there for the past 10 days , according to a u.s. embassy official . ghazarian said the authorities `` moved in '' because `` they thought that there were arms there , and it turned out that they were right . '' watch a report on clashes between police and the opposition '' the embassy official estimated that the demonstrations in freedom square grew to as many as 60,000 armenians at times over the last 10 days . as of early sunday morning , freedom square was empty , ghazarian said , but the protesters were demonstrating in a main square elsewhere in the city . watch ghazarian discuss the situation in armenia '' `` what is happening on the streets of yerevan is people protesting what they consider to be unfair elections , '' ghazarian said . `` after the president was forced to declare a state of emergency , things have quieted down . there are a couple of burning cars , and there are a few hurt people , '' she said . `` we 're convinced that this will come to an end soon . '' she did not elaborate on the number of people injured or the extent of their injuries . witnesses told cnn that saturday morning 's action by armenian riot police was bloody , but the u.s. official said there were no confirmed deaths or serious injuries . an armenian woman interviewed by cnn said there was `` huge chaos '' when police moved in . `` these are innocent people , '' she said . `` they just want their freedom . they just want to be heard . they are being beaten up , some people have horrible wounds . '' she asked that cnn not use her name because she feared for her safety . as night fell saturday , the sounds of gunfire could be heard from the direction of the protesters ' gathering , and tracer fire could be seen in the sky , according to another yerevan resident , who also asked not to be identified out of fear for his safety . the man said his wife saw two demonstrators hit by a police car earlier in the day . the car initially did not stop , he said , but the protesters surrounded the car , dragged the officers out and burned the vehicle , he said . the officers were able to escape , he said , but he did not know the condition of the protesters who were struck . the protests began soon after the february 19 presidential election . opposition presidential candidate levon ter-petrosian lost to prime minister serzh sarkisian , a political ally of outgoing president kocharian . the opposition party immediately accused the government of vote fraud and demanded that the results be voided . ghazarian said sunday that the government had reached out to the opposition . `` we are hoping with the help of the international community , the opposition , the leader of the opposition , will come and enter a political dialogue rather than continuing this debate on the streets , '' she said . haroutiun khachatrian , editor of the noyan tappan news agency , told cnn that riot police arrested several hundred people in the square saturday morning , including many opposition party officials . ter-petrosian was there but was not arrested , he said . the opposition vowed to pursue its claims through legal means . the organization for security and co-operation in europe -lrb- osce -rrb- monitored last month 's armenian election and concluded that it was mostly in line with international standards , although it did include some criticism in its report . the u.s. embassy has warned the several hundred americans living in yerevan to stay at home and avoid the downtown area where the demonstrations have been taking place , the u.s. official said . armenia , population 3 million , is a former soviet republic east of turkey , south of georgia and north of iran . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>bursa , turkey -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- armenian president serzh sarkisian wednesday became the first armenian head of state to travel to turkey to attend a soccer game between the two countries ' national teams . armenian president serzh sarkasian -lrb- right -rrb- pictured with turkish counterpart abdullah gul during gul 's visit to yerevan in 2008 . sarkisian and turkish president abdullah gul arrived at the stadium in bursa together in a car flying the national flags of both countries . in an exclusive interview with cnn before the game , gul said the event opened a new chapter for relations between armenia and turkey . but when asked , he avoided saying whether the border between the two neighbors would be opened before 2010 . at the match , turkish supporters vastly outnumbered armenian fans and gave the armenian national anthem the standard treatment for most visiting foreign teams -- they booed . small pockets of armenian supporters waved the tri-color flag of armenia . turkey won the world cup qualifying group game 2-0 but with both countries already unable to progress to the 2010 tournament in south africa , the significance of the game was in its symbolism .<doc-sep>bursa , turkey -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- armenian president serzh sarkisian wednesday became the first armenian head of state to travel to turkey to attend a soccer game between the two countries ' national teams . armenian president serzh sarkasian -lrb- right -rrb- pictured with turkish counterpart abdullah gul during gul 's visit to yerevan in 2008 . sarkisian and turkish president abdullah gul arrived at the stadium in bursa together in a car flying the national flags of both countries . in an exclusive interview with cnn before the game , gul said the event opened a new chapter for relations between armenia and turkey . but when asked , he avoided saying whether the border between the two neighbors would be opened before 2010 . at the match , turkish supporters vastly outnumbered armenian fans and gave the armenian national anthem the standard treatment for most visiting foreign teams -- they booed . small pockets of armenian supporters waved the tri-color flag of armenia . turkey won the world cup qualifying group game 2-0 but with both countries already unable to progress to the 2010 tournament in south africa , the significance of the game was in its symbolism . this round of `` football diplomacy , '' comes just days after the two governments signed a historic series of protocols to establish diplomatic relations between the two neighbors . `` this is going to be the biggest change in the south caucasus since 1994 , '' said gevorg tel-gabrielyan , the armenia country director for the eurasia partnership foundation . he was in bursa on wednesday , hosting a conference of armenian and turkish academics examining bilateral relations . `` if this happens , '' he added , `` its going to change geopolitics in the region . '' armenia and turkey have been separated by nearly a century of animosity and distrust . the protocols call for establishment of embassies in each others ' capitals , and for re-opening the turkish-armenian border , which has been closed since 1993 . the soccer game was also being held in bursa , which centuries ago was the capital of the ottoman empire . thousands of police were deployed to maintain strict security . on tuesday , turkey 's prime minister made a public appeal to turkish football fans , to greet sarkisian with hospitality and to avoid provocations . despite strong support from the united states , the european union and russia , there is considerable opposition among nationalists in turkey and armenia to the peace process .<doc-sep>but this is n't the first time florida has dealt with dengue . in 2009 and 2010 , officials documented 28 locally acquired cases in key west . as dengue cases increase , honduras declares state of emergency . cnn 's miriam falco and jennifer bixler contributed to this report .

<t> new : protest moves after crackdown at freedom square . </t> <t> order sought after protests over last month 's election turn violent . </t> <t> demonstrators say the election was fraudulent . </t> <t> state of emergency could last until march 20 , official says . </t>

armenian president declares state of emergency<T>

bucharest , romania -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- france has agreed to send a battalion of troops to eastern afghanistan , a nato spokesman has said . canadian nato-led soldiers walk patrol near kandahar , afghanistan . james appathurai told reporters at a briefing that the move will help nato meet canada 's requirement that it send more troops to the volatile southern province of kandahar , where canadian troops are based . canada agreed this month to extend its commitment of about 2,500 troops until 2011 so long as nato contributes more troops to kandahar . there is a `` clear unity in the alliance '' that the mission in afghanistan must succeed , appathurai said . though 25 nato allies and 13 other countries have contributed forces , the bulk of the recent fighting has been done by u.s. , canadian , british and dutch troops . appathurai also said thursday that he did not expect nato applicants georgia and ukraine to be put on a membership action plan this summit but , he said , the general sense in terms of membership for the two countries is not `` whether , but when . ''<doc-sep>further discussions regarding those two countries is to resume thursday , he said . u.s. president george w. bush has pushed for the admission of ukraine and georgia to the military alliance . however , russia -- which is not a nato member -- has expressed concerns about the former soviet republics joining nato , which has already made members of other former soviet countries latvia , lithuania , and estonia . appathurai also said a general consensus could not be reached on macedonia 's bid , because of greece 's objections . greece has threatened to veto macedonia 's bid if its northern neighbor does not agree to change its name . athens has long argued that the name macedonia implies territorial claims on its northern province of the same name -- the birthplace , also , of greece 's most revered ancient warrior , alexander the great . the name issue must be resolved by the two countries , appathurai said . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>bucharest , romania -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- france has agreed to send a battalion of troops to eastern afghanistan , a nato spokesman has said . canadian nato-led soldiers walk patrol near kandahar , afghanistan . james appathurai told reporters at a briefing that the move will help nato meet canada 's requirement that it send more troops to the volatile southern province of kandahar , where canadian troops are based . canada agreed this month to extend its commitment of about 2,500 troops until 2011 so long as nato contributes more troops to kandahar .<doc-sep>sadness : he also made a speech in which he reminded soldiers never to forget their three colleagues who died . sadness : in addition to the three highlanders killed , nine were wounded during fighting in afghanistan . the recent tour for the main body of the battalion lasted eight-and-a-half months and there are more than 100 soldiers from d company still in afghanistan . during the visit , the duke met some of the families of the servicemen and posed for a photograph with the battalion . he also had an informal lunch in the officers ' mess and also visited the sergeants ' mess . the duke has been having a busy period of late , with his 93rd birthday coming hot on the heels of the state opening of parliament and the state visit to france . prince philip , who is descended from the royal line of denmark and also holds the titles earl of merioneth and baron greenwich , who celebrated his birthday on tuesday , has made a huge contribution to public life during his long years as prince-consort . battle : the 4th battalion , the royal regiment of scotland have just returned to their german barracks . military man : the duke himself enjoyed a distinguished military career in the navy and fought in wwii . spritely : despite celebrating his 93rd birthday on tuesday , the duke of edinburgh looked in fine fettle . currently patron of more than 800 charities , the duke works closely with organisations focused on scientific and technological research , child protection , sport and conservation , and has dedicated himself to boosting british industry . he also helped found the duke of edinburgh award scheme , which encourages teenagers to participate in charity and community work , as well as getting them out into the countryside . a military man , the duke had a long and distinguished career as a naval officer , including a stint as first lieutenant -lrb- second-in-command -rrb- on the destroyer , wallace , and took part in the sicily landings in july 1943 . since giving up his naval career in 1951 , the duke has remained close to the military - including the royal regiment of scotland whose campaign medals he presented today . formal photo : the duke had a photo with the men from the regiment before a lunch in the officer 's mess . quick march ! men of the 4th battalion , the royal regiment of scotland march past prince philip . brave men : soldiers from the royal regiment of scotland stand to attention as the duke arrives .<doc-sep>deaths and could not comment . the soldiers ' next of kin have been . informed . an mod spokeswoman said : ` it is with . sadness that the ministry of defence must announce the death of two . soldiers from 3rd battalion the yorkshire regiment on saturday september . 15 2012 . ` the soldiers were shot and killed by a . man wearing the uniform of the afghan local police at a checkpoint in . the south of nahr-e saraj district , helmand province . ' major laurence roche , of task force helmand , said the yorkshire regiment ` suffered a deep loss ' . guard : earlier this week , two marines were killed and several more wounded at camp bastion in afghanistan . he added last night : ` everyone serving . within task force helmand will want to send our condolences to the . soldiers ' families and loved ones at this time . '<doc-sep>there are more than 3,000 marines in afghanistan , and conway said that the marine corps would be willing to help bolster the fight against the taliban in that country . `` i think that a battalion of marines in afghanistan count for more than a battalion of marines in iraq , if you will , just in terms of the impact that they can have , '' he said .

<t> french move will help nato meet canada 's kandahar commitment . </t> <t> canada agreed to extend commitment as long as other nato members helped . </t> <t> the bulk of recent fighting has been done by u.s. , canadian , uk and dutch troops . </t>

france to send battalion to afghanistan<T>

washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- barack obama and hillary clinton met privately thursday night at the washington home of sen. dianne feinstein , a key supporter of clinton 's presidential campaign , feinstein said friday . sens. hillary clinton and barack obama speak wednesday at the aipac meeting . she left them in her living room with nothing other than water and comfortable chairs for what she called a positive meeting . no one else was in the room , and no one is giving details of what was discussed . `` they talked . i went upstairs and did my work , '' feinstein said friday . `` they called me when it was over . i came down and said , ` good night , everybody ; i hope you had a good meeting . ' `` they were laughing , and that was it . '' the meeting began at 9 p.m. and lasted about an hour , feinstein said . `` i think the opportunity to sit down , just the two of them , was positive , '' she said . it was the two democratic candidates ' first meeting since obama became the party 's presumptive nominee tuesday . `` they talked about how to come together and how to unify this party and move forward because what we have at stake in november is so important , '' robert gibbs , the obama campaign 's communication director , said friday on cnn 's `` american morning . '' watch gibbs explain the secret meeting ''<doc-sep>`` and what unites us as a party far exceeds what might divide either of these two candidates . '' a joint statement from the candidates said only , `` sen. clinton and sen. obama met tonight and had a productive discussion about the important work that needs to be done to succeed in november . '' gibbs would not say whether the senators discussed the possibility of clinton becoming obama 's running mate.senate majority leader harry reid , a democratic superdelegate from nevada , said friday that he told clinton he intended to support obama . but he did n't shed any light on whether clinton would have a place on the ticket . `` hillary is going to endorse barack -lsb- on saturday -rsb- , '' reid said on `` american morning . '' `` she 's a very good woman . she 's been a great senator . and she 's going to be a great help to us in this -lsb- election -rsb- , no matter what role she has in the campaign . '' on thursday , reporters on obama 's press plane learned that the candidate was not aboard when it departed virginia , where he had been campaigning . aides said staff members had `` scheduled him some meetings '' in washington . the meeting originally was believed to be at clinton 's washington home . `` it was n't at her house , and it was not at dick cheney 's undisclosed location , '' gibbs said jokingly . also thursday , clinton thanked supporters in an e-mail and pledged to help obama capture the white house after eight years of republican control . clinton also plans to thank supporters saturday at a washington event . `` i have said throughout the campaign that i would strongly support sen. obama if he were the democratic party 's nominee , and i intend to deliver on that promise , '' the e-mail read .<doc-sep>`` this has been a long and hard-fought campaign , but as i have always said , my differences with sen. obama are small compared to the differences we have with sen. -lsb- john -rsb- mccain and the republicans . '' read clinton 's message to supporters -lrb- pdf -rrb- . clinton plans to suspend her campaign within days , her campaign said . by suspending instead of dropping out , clinton technically would remain a candidate , entitled to keep statewide pledged delegates and district-level delegates . democrats nationwide have coalesced around obama since he received enough delegates to win the nomination tuesday evening . the new york democratic congressional delegation embraced obama 's candidacy thursday on the steps of the u.s. capitol . ireport.com : should obama pick clinton ? on friday , democratic leaders in new york , including state legislators and city council members , endorsed obama at new york 's city hall , sources said . obama earned enough delegates tuesday to clinch the nomination , but clinton did not concede defeat that night . instead , she asked supporters to visit her web site and give her advice on how to proceed . obama has named caroline kennedy , daughter of president kennedy , and former deputy u.s. attorney general eric holder to a vice presidential selection team led by former fannie mae ceo jim johnson . cnn 's ted barrett and candy crowley contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- with sen. hillary clinton 's presidential campaign officially over , she is focusing on making sure her supporters back sen. barack obama 's bid . sen. hillary clinton suspended her presidential campaign on saturday . throughout the primary season , clinton and obama expressed confidence the democrats would unify once a nominee emerged . as clinton closed her campaign saturday , she urged the cheering crowd of thousands to support obama in his run for the white house , saying she and supporters should `` take our energy , our passion and our strength and do all we can to help elect barack obama ... i ask all of you to join me in working as hard for barack obama as you have for me . '' her endorsement was met with a scattering of boos and thumbs downs from the crowd at the national building museum in washington . watch clinton urge voters to back obama '' in a cnn poll released friday , 60 percent of clinton supporters said they would vote for obama , but 17 percent said they would vote for mccain and 22 percent , said they would not vote at all if clinton were not the nominee . watch how clinton 's speech might impact voters '' the poll 's margin of error was plus or minus 7.5 percentage points . the poll was conducted after obama clinched the democratic nomination tuesday . clinton has vowed to do whatever she could `` to ensure that democrats take the white house back and defeat john mccain . '' concern about the division in the party arose because clinton and obama appealed to such different segments of the electorate . clinton did well with working-class voters and the elderly . obama rallied the support of affluent , well-educated voters , african-americans and the younger generation . some of clinton 's top supporters say the best way to get the new york senator 's 18 million voters behind obama is by putting clinton on the ticket . democrats appear to like an obama-clinton ticket . a cnn poll released friday suggested that nearly half of those voting democrats , 54 percent , would support a joint ticket , but 43 percent would oppose it . the poll 's margin of error was plus or minus 4.5 percentage points . `` i 've looked at every other possible candidate . no one brings to a ticket what hillary brings , '' sen. dianne feinstein said sunday on abc 's `` this week . '' but not everyone is behind the idea of a joint ticket . former president jimmy carter said that would be `` the worst mistake that could be made . '' `` that would just accumulate the negative aspects of both candidates , '' carter told the guardian , a london newspaper , saying that both candidates ' vulnerabilities could overshadow the ticket if the two team up . ireport.com : share your thoughts on a `` joint ticket '' feinstein said she thinks obama needs to reach out to the clinton supporters `` using sen. clinton 's help . '' `` he needs to reassure them as to what he would do in the agenda for change , because the comparisons with mccain are very stark . certainly with respect to the economy , extending unemployment insurance , building infrastructure , '' she said . obama and clinton met in feinstein 's washington home on thursday . they spoke alone for about an hour , in a move seen as the first step in healing the rifts in the party . feinstein said she chatted with clinton before obama arrived . `` she expressed to me the depth of her concern and caring , the fact that she had 18 million who put their hopes and dreams in her ability to create new opportunities for people . she wants to continue that . she recognizes that it 's over , and i think every instinct in hillary clinton is to help , '' she said . the main page on obama 's web site has been updated with a message that says , `` thank you senator clinton , '' and links to a form where visitors can send a message to her . clinton 's web site now urges visitors to `` support senator obama today . '' cnn analyst gloria borger said clinton must speak to the female voters who supported her , `` many of whom are so angry about this race . '' `` she really has to tell women why barack obama is the best candidate for president , '' borger said . `` she has to go a long way to try -lsb- to -rsb- get rid of that anger . '' cnn senior political producer sasha johnson said clinton 's speech was a `` first step '' in making inroads to persuade her supporters to back obama , but she said it 's too early to tell what the effect will be . `` i would argue that most of the people in that room want a democratic president and will come around , and those that still are n't sure yet will probably come around , but again , i think some wo n't . this was a hard primary for democrats , '' she said . shortly after the speech , obama released a statement praising clinton 's presidential run . `` obviously , i am thrilled and honored to have sen. clinton 's support . but more than that , i honor her today for the valiant and historic campaign she has run . she shattered barriers on behalf of my daughters and women everywhere , who now know that there are no limits to their dreams . and she inspired millions with her strength , courage and unyielding commitment to the cause of working americans . ''<doc-sep>but sen. lindsey graham , r-south carolina , told cnn that clinton `` has to clear the air on benghazi '' if she wants to be president . `` she has a lot of accomplishments . she 's a very accomplished woman . but , under her leadership , the consulate became a death trap , '' said graham , who does n't sit on the intelligence committee . and sen. john mccain , r-arizona , said , `` the american people hold all of us accountable who are in responsibility . she should be held accountable . '' but comments like that drew a sharp response from the committee 's chairwoman , california democrat dianne feinstein , on thursday . in a statement issued by her office , feinstein said claims that the report blames clinton for the benghazi deaths are `` patently false , '' and that the republican addendum `` unfairly criticizes secretary clinton . '' wednesday , feinstein told cnn 's the situation room that `` it 's interesting that the first thing out of the box is something that 's political . '' and at the white house , spokesman jay carney criticized what he called `` a very politicized effort on this that has seen a lot of conspiracy theories floated , reported on as fact , and then debunked . '' `` our interest is in getting those who are responsible , bringing them to justice , and taking the steps necessary to ensure that this kind of thing ca n't happen again or is far less likely to happen again , '' carney said thursday . but efforts to bring the perpetrators -- identified as members of a variety of islamic militant groups , some affiliated with al qaeda -- to justice have been frustrated by the lack of `` political incentive or will '' by libyan authorities to prosecute those believed responsible , the senate report states . in addition , it noted , up to 15 people who had assisted the probe have been killed since september 2012 , though it was n't clear if the deaths were related to the probe . cnn 's elise labott and paul courson contributed to this report .<doc-sep>meanwhile , monday 's movement of russian troops -- whether a real withdrawal or symbolic shift -- signaled moscow 's acceptance that the kerry-lavrov talks yielded some progress . `` if reports that russia is removing some troops from the border region are accurate , it would be a welcome preliminary step , '' state department spokeswoman jen psaki said on monday . what does it all mean ? two weeks ago , ukrainian president oleksandr turchynov declared that his country was willing to hold talks with russia , `` but we will never accept the annexing of our territory . '' while kerry alluded to the crimea annexation on sunday , calling russia 's `` actions '' illegal and illegitimate , he also noted that `` russia obviously has long ties and serious interests '' in ukraine . in tense , defiant ukraine border region , prayers are for peace -- unless peace fails . in washington , democratic sen. dianne feinstein of california made a similar point earlier sunday on cnn , saying that crimea is `` dominantly russian . '' she sounded resolved that the peninsula with a majority ethnic russian population now had returned to moscow 's provenance , as putin wanted all along . `` a referendum was passed . that , i think , has been done , '' said feinstein , who chairs the senate intelligence committee . `` but ukraine is a different subject . '' her acknowledgment clashes with obama and the united nations , who call the military backed annexation of crimea a violation of international law and dismiss the crimean secession referendum as a sham .<doc-sep>hillary clinton is defending president barack obama 's decision to extend talks with iran over dismantling its nuclear program . `` i think it is a very important effort to continue to pursue , and to try to see if we can reach an agreement that is in line with our requirements , '' clinton said friday night . but she called for a tough approaching in the talks that were recently extended for seven more months , saying she is `` strongly of the view that no deal is better than a bad deal . '' `` a deal that verifiably closes all of iran 's pathways to a nuclear weapon -- and the key there is verifiably , and all , including covert efforts -- that is what is at the center of this negotiation , '' clinton said . `` and i think , one might say remarkably , our partners have not jumped ship . they have stayed in the negotiation . '' her comments came during an hour-long question-and-answer session with haim saban , a major democratic donor , in an event hosted by the brookings institution . clinton has claimed credit for starting those talks with iran during her tenure as president barack obama 's secretary of state -- and the issue could remain a hot topic if , as is widely expected , she seeks the democratic presidential nomination in 2016 . republicans have criticized the obama administration 's handling of the iran talks , and have argued that they 'd advance legislation to impede any deal that would allow iran to continue to enrich uranium . clinton said she wishes she had `` spoken out more '' during the so-called green revolution after the 2009 elections in iran . she said the state department urged twitter to hold off on a maintenance update because the social media tool provided a communications channel that was fueling protests there . iran is not the only issue where clinton refused to distance herself from the obama administration that came up friday night . she backed the obama administration on israel -- a traditional ally with which tensions have been strained following white house warnings about civilian casualties in gaza , and an obama administration official , quoted anonymously , referred to israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu as `` chickens -- . '' `` nobody can argue with the commitment of this administration to israel 's security , '' she said . she acknowledged that the two countries have disagreements . `` we 're two raucous democracies ... you do get carried away from time to time , '' clinton said . and clinton said an upbeat jobs report issued friday morning is `` not an outlier '' and predicted that the economy would continue to improve in the coming two years .

<t> new : talks end with laughter , host sen. dianne feinstein says . </t> <t> new : aide to sen. barack obama calls private meeting `` cordial '' </t> <t> new : sen. hillary clinton to endorse obama on saturday , top senate democrat says . </t>

obama , clinton hold talks in feinstein 's living room<T>

new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- twenty-four people , including eight children , were injured in an apparent gas explosion at a harlem apartment building , the new york fire department said . the explosion blew out some of the windows in the five-story building . john rodgers , a spokesman for new york-presbyterian hospital , said sunday that four of the eight children were from the same family . the conditions of all those injured were not immediately known . one child was in critical condition and the three others were in serious condition , new york fire department commissioner nicholas scoppetta said . all four had burn injuries . one of the injured is an infant . a firefighter was also injured , but was in stable condition saturday evening . he apparently was struck by falling debris , scoppetta said . about 200 firefighters responded to the scene of the blast on west 119th street in harlem .<doc-sep>new york mayor michael bloomberg visited the five-floor building after the explosion . the 4 p.m. et blast blew some of the building 's windows out , according to firefighters . watch rescue workers tend to injured '' although the blast was still under investigation , scoppetta said the cause appeared to be a gas leak . new york police said the blast was at the rear of the structure . residents who assisted in pulling the injured out of the building said some kind of restaurant was being operated on the bottom floor of the building . scoppetta refused comment on those reports , citing the ongoing investigation . an emergency room worker at harlem hospital center said the facility received five to six people from the explosion about 4:30 p.m. , but would not provide an update on their conditions . the building , which has 20 apartments , was evacuated , as were apartment buildings on both sides , scoppetta said . building inspectors will examine them to determine their structural integrity . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's caleb silver , jim acosta and richard davis contributed to this report .<doc-sep>one minute , colin patterson was watching tv . the next , he saw pianos flying through the air in the shop where he works as an explosion tore through the building . `` they flew off the ground , '' said the piano technician , who also lives in the building in manhattan 's east harlem . he told cnn affiliate wabc that he crawled through the rubble and managed to escape unharmed . at least four people were killed in the massive explosion and fire wednesday that leveled patterson 's building and the one beside it . nine people remained missing hours after the blast , city officials said . firefighters were still frantically picking through rubble in search of survivors . authorities say they think a gas leak was to blame , but they have n't determined an official cause yet . the massive explosion and fire leveled two five-story apartment buildings . at least 63 people were reported injured . more fatalities appeared likely . fire officials reported that two survivors suffered life-threatening injuries . near 116th street and park avenue , once the heart of new york 's large puerto rican community , about a dozen firefighters tore at two-story-high mounds of bricks in a search for survivors from the two buildings , which housed a piano store and an evangelical church in addition to apartments . as gas and electric utility workers tore up pavement in an effort to shut gas lines , people gathered in the streets , many crying . `` this is a tragedy of the worst kind , '' new york mayor bill de blasio said , `` because there was no indication in time to save people . '' call about gas leak proceeded blast . con ed spokesman bob mcgee said the utility received a call reporting a gas leak around 9:13 a.m. . the call came from a resident at one of the newer buildings on park avenue . the utility dispatched a truck two minutes later , but it arrived after the explosion , the spokesman said . edward foppiano , the utility 's senior vice president of gas operations , said the cause of the blast was being treated as a gas leak , though there was no evidence of that yet . a routine service check , involving a truck with special equipment , detected no gas leaks on february 28 , he said . foppiano said one of the buildings had a gas leak in may 2013 , which was repaired the following month . a building department official said one of the two park avenue buildings that collapsed received a city permit last year for the installation of 120 feet of gas piping . the work was completed last june . in 2008 , owners of the adjacent building , which also collapsed , were fined for failing to maintain vertical cracks in the rear of the building . the condition was not reported as corrected to the buildings department . there were a total of 15 units in the two buildings , officials said .<doc-sep>abc reports that a one-year-old girl , a 28-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman were taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries . authorities told nbc they believe the incident was the result of a dispute between the injured man and a female friend over a missing cell phone . twitter pictures taken of the scene show a burnt and blackened window frame on the eighth floor of the building . according to the new york daily news , the woman poured gasoline over a pile of clothes then lit them on fire in a rage over a cell phone . ' i heard like an explosion sound - boom - and then people yelling , ' neighbor phillip young , 15 , told the new york daily news . near tragedy : police and fire officials qusetion neighbors about the incident , believed to be arson , at a harlem apartment last night . police told dna info that a woman has been taken into custody and is awaiting charges . she was not among those injured in the blaze . neighbors saw a young woman being led out of the apartment building in handcuffs . ` the girl in cuffs was saying `` sorry '' in spanish ... one of the women said , `` that stupid b **** h set my house on fire , '' ' neighbor tiffany lawson said told the daily news . ` then they brought down a guy on a gurney . he was covered in really bad burns , ' lawson said .<doc-sep>by . ryan gorman . new footage has emerged of the shocking explosion this week that killed eight people , injured dozens more and leveled two manhattan buildings . surveillance video released by the new york fire department shows the harrowing moment the harlem blast blew out windows , showered debris onto the street and almost seriously injured a passerby . the footage , first made public by wcbs , also shows a plume of smoke descending on park avenue as the helpless pedestrian ducks for cover and falls to the sidewalk . scroll down for video . lucky : debris showered down onto the sidewalk just as this unidentified man approached the buildings . ducking for cover : the man appears to escape serious injury , but is knocked off his feet by the force of the explosion . the deadly wednesday blast believed to have been caused by a gas leak that residents claimed they had smelled for a long time , according to reports . it claimed the lives of eight people and injured more than 60 people as debris showered down onto park avenue and the metro-north commuter railroad tracks above . the video from a camera near the buildings destroyed in the explosion shows the blast come completely out of nowhere as debris showers down onto the sidewalk . deadly : eight people were killed when the explosion took down two park avenue buildings . crippling : the blast shot debris onto nearby commuter rail tracks and forced the suspension of train service into and out of grand central teminal . devastating : the explosion tore down two buildings and injured dozens . ` i thought it was an earthquake , ' ibrahim occasion told the station . ` it was an explosion , like , connected to your building , so it 's insane stuff . ' people as far away queens , across the harlem river , heard the massive blast , local media reported . commuter trains into and out of grand central , the nation 's busiest train terminal , were suspended for the rest of wednesday , stranding commuters from returning back to upstate new york and connecticut . investigators hope the footage will provide insight that will help determine an exact cause of the explosion .<doc-sep>colin patterson said he was watching tv when a thunderous blast suddenly sent pianos hurling through the air in the shop where he works . `` they flew off the ground , '' said the piano technician , who also lives in the building in east harlem . he told cnn affiliate wabc that he crawled through the rubble and managed to escape unharmed . a building department official said one of the two park avenue buildings that collapsed received a city permit last year for the installation of 120 feet of gas piping . the work was completed last june . in 2008 , owners of the adjacent building , which also collapsed , were fined for failing to maintain vertical cracks in the rear of the building . the condition was not reported as corrected to the buildings department . there were a total of 15 units in the two buildings , officials said . building department records detailed a litany of violations , dating back decades , for one of the collapsed buildings , including a lack of smoke detectors , blocked fire escapes and faulty light fixtures . the mayor told reporters that the report of the gas leak , which he said came about 15 minutes before the explosion , was `` the only indication of danger . '' blast shook manhattan for blocks . fire commissioner salvatore cassano said responding firefighters barely missed the blast . `` if we were here five minutes earlier we may have had some fatalities among firefighters , '' he said . `` not being here may have saved some lives . '' once a predominantly italian neighborhood , the stretch of east harlem saw a large influx of puerto ricans in the 1950s . it went on to be called spanish harlem and el barrio . in the 1990s , many mexican immigrants began to move into the area , which has been gentrified in recent years , with many mom-and-pop shops replaced by restaurants and bars .

<t> new : four of the eight injured children came from same family , hospital says . </t> <t> one child in critical condition , three in serious condition with burn injuries . </t> <t> about 200 firefighters were at the scene in harlem . </t> <t> residents say some sort of restaurant was being operated in bottom of building . </t>

fire officials : 24 injured in harlem apartment blast<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- ziprealty is a full-service residential real estate brokerage firm which uses the internet , proprietary technology and employee real estate agents to provide home buyers and sellers with value-added online service . ziprealty 's web site provides users with access to comprehensive home listings data .<doc-sep>ziprealty 's web site provides users with access to comprehensive local multiple listing services home listings data , as well as other relevant market and neighborhood information . its proprietary business management system and technology platform help to reduce costs , allowing the company to pass on savings to consumers . ziprealty was launched on august 29 , 1999 . three weeks later , on september 21 , the company celebrated the acceptance of its first real estate offer . ziprealty completed its initial public offering on november 10 , 2004 . it currently operates in 34 major metropolitan areas in 19 states and the district of columbia with over 2,000 sales agents .<doc-sep>` time and time again facts were fed to him and when he got facts wrong , the officers told him he got the facts wrong and told him when he got the facts right , ' said peterson 's current attorney , david moran to the traverse city record eagle . shocking : the town of kalkaska was rocked by the murder and rape of schoolteacher geraldine montgomery , 68 , in 1996 . jamie lee peterson , -lrb- right -rrb- admitted the crime initially , but then recanted his confession . release : more than 16 years after his conviction , jamie lee peterson has been freed by a michigan court . ` that 's a real red flag when you see somebody who does n't get the facts right initially . that 's a real indicator that you have a likely false confession . '<doc-sep>by . connie allfrey . did you know that there are more than 500 types of pasta eaten in italy today , that the dubai mall is 5.9 million square feet and that montana has three times as many cows as it has people ? these are just a few of the diverse facts and figures revealed in a new infographic called ' 100 facts from around the world ' by abu dhabi 's etihad . the carrier has created this plethora of intriguing facts to celebrate its fleet of 100 planes .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- filmmaker michael moore , whose new documentary `` sicko '' takes on america 's health care system , faced off tuesday with cnn chief medical correspondent and practicing neurosurgeon dr. sanjay gupta . michael moore and cnn 's sanjay gupta argued tuesday about gupta 's report on moore 's film `` sicko '' moore criticized a report gupta did on cnn monday on `` sicko . '' `` he said the facts were fudged , '' moore said , referring to gupta , on cnn 's `` larry king live . '' `` that 's a lie . none of the facts are fudged . '' moore and gupta shouted and argued over data gupta used and data moore used . moore said his staffers backed up the film 's facts to gupta before the report aired and that gupta aired it knowing his facts were wrong . gupta disputed that . watch moore , gupta make their points '' `` we try and look for some of the best sources we can possibly find , '' he said . `` michael has a lot of different numbers . ... you 're sort of cherry-picking data from different reports . '' both agreed , however , on the basic premise of `` sicko '' : problems abound in america 's health-care system and need to be fixed . `` i thought it was a good movie , and i wanted to say that , '' gupta said . `` i think it strikes at the irrefutable fact -- it 's broken . we get it . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a little good , a little bad and a whole lot of nostalgia were in play at the paley center 's `` facts of life '' reunion in beverly hills , california , on monday . it 's been 35 years since the '80s sitcom , about four boarding school girls and their house mother , debuted as a spinoff from `` diff ` rent strokes . '' although `` facts of life '' has been in reruns since 1988 , an upcoming dvd release brought the series ' stars together again . nancy mckeon , who played jo , joined lisa whelchel -lrb- blair -rrb- , mindy cohn -lrb- natalie -rrb- and charlotte rae -lrb- mrs. garrett -rrb- at the reunion event . kim fields , who 'll always be known as tootie to some , made an appearance via video . the sitcom still has plenty of fans -lrb- and the theme song can still get stuck in your head after one listen -rrb- , but the stars of the series do n't think `` facts of life '' would work on the air today .

<t> ziprealty uses internet , proprietary technology , employee real estate agents . </t> <t> web site provides users with home listings , market and neighborhood info . </t> <t> ziprealty completed its initial public offering on november 10 , 2004 . </t>

ziprealty facts<T>

washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the top military and civilian leaders of the u.s. air force were forced out thursday over the handling of nuclear weapons , the defense department secretary said . air force chief of staff gen. michael moseley , left , and secretary michael wynne have stepped down . chief of staff gen. t. michael moseley and secretary michael w. wynne resigned over the department 's concern over two incidents , including the august flight of a b-52 bomber that flew across the country with nuclear weapons . `` focus of the air force leadership has drifted '' in terms of handling nuclear weapons and equipment , defense secretary robert gates said . in august , a b-52 bomber flew from north dakota to louisiana with the crew unaware that six nuclear-tipped missiles were on board . four officers were relieved of duty afterward , including three colonels . gates also cited this year 's discovery that components designed to arm and fuse nuclear warheads were accidentally shipped to taiwan in 2006 . watch gates talk about the firings '' critics also cite last month 's news that the air force 's 5th bomb wing failed a defense `` nuclear surety '' inspection -- despite having months to prepare and being under close scrutiny after the previous incidents . the inspection found deficiencies in the wing 's ability to protect its part of the nation 's nuclear stockpile . the resignations come after a report on a navy admiral 's investigation that criticized the air force 's reactions to the incidents .<doc-sep>gates said the report `` depicts a pattern of poor performance '' in which air force brass did n't act to improve security after mishaps and air force personnel handling nuclear weapons consistently failed to follow existing rules . air force leaders `` not only fell short in terms of specific acts , they failed to recognize systemic problems , to address those problems or , when beyond their authority to act , to call the attention of superiors to those problems , '' gates said . the investigation found that although the taiwan incident did n't compromise the integrity of the u.s. nuclear force , it represented `` a significant failure '' by the air force to ensure sensitive military components , gates said . gates said the report concluded that erosion in the branch 's command and oversight standards helped lead to the incidents , and that they could have been prevented if the oversight programs had functioned correctly . he said he asked for the resignations after consulting president bush . sen. carl levin , the democratic chairman of the senate armed service committee , welcomed gates ' decision . `` secretary gates ' focus on accountability is essential and had been absent from the office of the secretary of defense for too long , '' levin said . `` the safety and security of america 's nuclear weapons must receive the highest priority , just as it must in other countries . '' rep. edward j. markey , a massachusetts democrat and a senior member of the house homeland security committee , also welcomed the resignations .<doc-sep>markey said he 's long been concerned about what he called a series of dangerous air force missteps in handling nuclear weapons . `` the magnitude and frequency of these errors indicate a deep-seated problem within air force culture , practice and training , '' markey said . `` the entire department of defense should immediately recommit itself to ensuring the safety and security of our nuclear stockpile before one of these mistakes has lethal consequences . '' a senior military source said the august nuclear weapons incident was the straw that broke the camel 's back but that other leadership issues also factored into moseley 's and wynne 's resignations . a previous investigation into the b-52 flight uncovered a `` lackadaisical '' attention to detail in day-to-day operations at the air bases involved , an air force official said in october . maj. gen. dick newton , assistant deputy chief of staff for operations , said the investigation found `` a failure to follow procedures '' by `` a limited number of airmen '' at the two bases . newton defended the procedures themselves . wynne is not the first secretary of a military branch to resign since gates became defense secretary . in march 2007 , gates announced the resignation of army secretary francis j. harvey in the wake of reports of substandard conditions at walter reed army medical center in washington . cnn 's jamie mcintyre and barbara starr contributed to this report .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- for the fifth time this year , a u.s. air force nuclear weapons unit failed an inspection , this time because of failure to document its handling of nuclear missiles and other critical issues , air force officials said . in an air force file photo , an airman inspects a missile part at a training site . a `` nuclear surety inspection '' and `` unit compliance inspection '' was conducted this month on the 90th missile wing at f.e. warren air force base in wyoming by an air force inspector general . there was no risk to the unit 's minuteman iii nuclear missiles , air force officials said . the unit has 90 days to correct the problems and pass another inspection . in the wake of recent problems , defense secretary robert gates and top air force officials have indicated a zero tolerance for failing inspections , but no punishments are expected in this case , officials said . the inspection report found the maintenance unit failed to document tests conducted on missiles correctly , including tests on safety devices . the inspector general told the unit the failures indicated either a `` lack of competence '' or `` disregard for procedures , '' according to a source who has seen the report . additionally , failures included having some personnel on duty without proper medical clearance and failure to inspect radiation detectors . other units that failed inspections this year included two bomb wings and two missile units .<doc-sep>defense secretary chuck hagel admitted on friday that three u.s. nuclear missile bases in north dakota , wyoming and montana were so badly managed that they had to share a wrench used to tighten warheads to the business end of minuteman 3 missiles . ` how did they do it ? they did it by federal expressing the one wrench around to each base , ' hagel told reporters friday morning during a press conference called to introduce new system-wide reforms affecting the nation 's entire intercontinental ballistic missile arsenal . ` they were creative and innovative and they made it work . but that is not the way to do it . we now have a wrench for each location . we 're going to have two for each location soon . ' the three facilities in question house about 450 nuclear missiles . scroll down for video . defense secretary chuck hagel told reporters on friday that america 's nuclear missile arsenal had fallen into such chaos that repair crews at three bases had to share a single wrench . not a joke : missile crews in three states had to fedex a tool back and forth -- but hagel said friday that they each have their own now . the pentagon 's recent reviews concluded that the structure of u.s. nuclear forces is so incoherent that it can not be properly managed in its current form , and that this problem explains why top-level officials often are unaware of trouble below them . the reviews found a ` disconnect ' between what nuclear force leaders say and what they deliver to lower-level troops who execute the missions in the field . deputy defense secretary robert work added that the shared hardware was ' a little toolkit to thread the bolt so that the wrenches could attach -lsb- to a warhead -rsb- , and they were being fedexed around as the secretary said . ' ` for me , a marine , that 's a metaphor ... for how far things had fallen . ' the near-comical situation arose , work said , ` because people stopped reporting it . they had reported it over and over and they just worked around it . ' hagel said a lack of sustained attention and investment in the force had caused america 's nuclear warfare system to ` slowly back downhill . ' but ` the good news , he said , ` is there 's nothing here that we ca n't fix . the good news is that none of this has endangered america , americans , or put our security at risk . ' he added that the defense department will boost spending on the nuclear forces by about 10 percent a year for the next five years -- an increase of nearly $ 10 billion -- adding there is no problem on this issue the pentagon ca n't fix . ` the internal and external reviews i ordered show that a consistent lack of investment and support for our nuclear forces over far too many years has left us with too little margin to cope with mounting stresses , ' said hagel , who was flanked by senior air force and navy officers . ` the root cause has been a lack of sustained focus , attention , and resources , resulting in a pervasive sense that a career in the nuclear enterprise offers too few opportunities for growth and advancement . ' online reaction to hagel 's revelation was the digital equivalent of a nation shaking its collective head . sadly , it was n't a garden-variety wrench that the air force could have found at a home depot or a bike shop . hagel is ordering top-to-bottom changes in how the nation 's nuclear arsenal is managed , vowing to invest billions of dollars more to fix what ails a force beset by leadership lapses , security flaws and sagging morale . hagel ordered two reviews in february -- one by pentagon officials and a second by outside experts -- as a result of a series of associated press stories that revealed lapses in leadership , morale , safety and security at the nation 's three nuclear air force bases . the good news , hagel said , ` is there has been no nuclear exchange in the world . ' acknowledging the years of neglect , which included glaring problems that prompted then-defense secretary robert gates to fire his top military and civilian air force leaders in 2008 , hagel vowed renewed accountability . ` previous reviews of our nuclear enterprise lacked clear follow-up mechanisms , ' he said . ` recommendations were implemented without the necessary follow-through to assess that they were implemented effectively . ' hagel added that this time , people will be held accountable to ensure the improvements are done . navy adm. cecil haney , the head of u.s. strategic command , said the nuclear force has been operating securely . ` you do n't see the mushroom cloud or that sort of thing . we must continue that , ' he told reporters . hagel 's moves , while not dramatic , are designed to get at the core of the problem . among his more significant moves , he authorized the air force to put a four-star general in charge of its nuclear forces , according to officials . the top air force nuclear commander currently is a three-star . lt. gen. stephen wilson is responsible not only for the 450 minuteman icbms but also the nuclear bomber force . hagel has concluded that a four-star would be able to exert more influence within the air force and send a signal to the entire force that the mission is taken seriously , the defense officials said . hagel also ok 'd a proposal to upgrade the top nuclear force official at air force headquarters in the pentagon from a two-star general to a three-star . the review 's authors , retired air force gen. larry d. welch and retired navy adm. john c. harvey jr. , found fault with one of the unique features of life in the nuclear forces . it is called the personnel reliability program , designed to monitor the mental fitness of people to be entrusted with the world 's deadliest weapons . over time , that program has devolved into a burdensome administrative exercise that detracts from the mission , the authors found . hagel ordered an overhaul . hagel concluded that despite tight pentagon budgets , billions of dollars more will be needed over the next five years to upgrade equipment . that will include a proposal to replace the vietnam-era uh-1 huey helicopter fleet that is part of the security forces at icbm bases . the air force declared them out of date years ago but put available resources into other priorities . the navy , which operates nuclear-armed submarines , has had its own problems , including an exam-cheating scandal this year among nuclear reactor training instructors and has suffered from a shortage of personnel . dysfunction : missile maintenance crews often have to descend into silos to perform upkeep or repairs -- which are n't possible without the right tools . america 's nuclear weapons system still relies heavily on the minuteman iii missile . when he ordered the reviews , shortly after the air force announced it was investigating an exam-cheating ring at one icbm base and a related drug investigation implicating missile crew members , hagel was said to be flabbergasted that such misbehavior could be infecting the force . ` he said , ` what is going on here ? '' said one senior defense official , who spoke about the review on condition of anonymity . hans kristensen , a nuclear expert with the federation of american scientists , said thursday that while he had not seen the hagel reviews or heard what actions hagel was ordering , he was skeptical that it would make much difference . ` throwing money after problems may fix some technical issues but it is unlikely to resolve the dissolution that must come from sitting in a silo hole in the midwest with missiles on high alert to respond to a nuclear attack that is unlikely to ever come , ' kristensen said . a cascade of embarrassments befell the air force over the past two years , beginning with an ap story in may 2013 revealing one missile officer 's lament of ` rot ' inside the force . another ap story in november disclosed that an independent assessment for the air force found signs of ` burnout ' and elevated levels of personal misconduct among missile launch crews and missile security forces . the ap also disclosed last year that four icbm launch officers were disciplined for violating security rules by opening the blast door to their underground command post while one crew member was asleep . just last week the ap disclosed that the air force fired two nuclear commanders and disciplined a third , providing evidence that leadership lapses are continuing even as top air force officials attempt to bring stability to the icbm force . after his pentagon announcement hagel was expected to fly to minot air force base in north dakota , home of a minuteman 3 missile unit whose recent setbacks are emblematic of the trouble dogging the broader nuclear force .<doc-sep>defense secretary chuck hagel is ordering an independent review of the nation 's nuclear force following revelations of misconduct involving officers , the pentagon said on thursday . top leaders of the force plan to meet with hagel in coming weeks , defense department spokesman rear adm. john kirby said . the action follows a recent disclosure that nearly three dozen air force officers at a nuclear missile base in montana were involved in cheating on a proficiency test . that followed a decision by senior military officials to discipline a general with nuclear oversight responsibilities whose personal misbehavior involving alcohol and women on an overseas trip got him into hot water . kirby said `` clearly , we 've got some issues here , '' but added the pentagon remains confident the u.s. nuclear arsenal is secure . earlier this month , the u.s. air force announced 34 officers with the 341st missile wing were implicated in the cheating scandal after a drug possession probe that involved two of those officers . sixteen officers were ultimately found to have actually cheated on the monthly proficiency exam while the rest knew the answers had been shared with others and did not report the violation , the pentagon said . all those disciplined in the investigation are no longer certified to conduct nuclear operations . there are approximately 190 officers overseeing readiness of nuclear weapons systems in montana , meaning the scandal has touched nearly 20 % of that force . other scandals include october 's news that air force maj. gen. michael carey , who oversaw nuclear weapons , was relieved of his duties after he boozed , fraternized with `` hot women '' and disrespected his hosts during an official visit to russia , air force officials said . there was no indication carey 's behavior compromised sensitive nuclear information or went beyond drinking , dancing and fraternizing with the women , officials said . also in october , navy vice adm. tim giardina , who also oversaw nuclear weapons forces , was formally relieved of his duties as deputy chief of u.s. strategic command , according to rear adm. john kirby , the navy 's chief of information . a military official said his demotion was connected to allegations that he used counterfeit gambling chips at an iowa casino . in august , the same missile unit at malmstrom linked to the test cheating scandal failed a safety and security inspection `` after making tactical-level errors -- not related to command and control of nuclear weapons , '' the air force global strike command said . the 341st missile wing operates about 150 of the 450 minuteman iii nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles in the u.s. force , according to an air force statement . a failed inspection does not mean that the safety of the nation 's nuclear arsenal is at risk , global strike commander lt. gen. jim kowalski said in august . and in april , an air force commander stripped 17 of his officers in minot , north dakota , of their authority to control and launch nuclear missiles after they did poorly in an inspection . they were ordered to undergo 60 to 90 days of intensive refresher training on how to do their jobs .<doc-sep>dozens of air force officers entrusted with maintaining u.s. nuclear missiles are now accused of cheating or turning a blind eye to cheating on a competency test . and that 's just the tip of the iceberg . the scandal involving 34 air force officers at malmstrom air force base in montana marks the latest trouble for u.s. nuclear forces plagued by problems over the past year . here 's a look at other recent cases : . october 2013 . a u.s. general who oversaw nuclear weapons was relieved of his duties after he boozed , fraternized with `` hot women '' and disrespected his hosts during an official visit to russia , air force officials said . maj. gen. michael carey led the 20th air force responsible for three nuclear wings . according to an air force inspector general report , carey bragged loudly about his position as commander of a nuclear force during layover in switzerland , saying he `` saves the world from war every day . '' while in russia , carey and an unidentified man walked to a nearby hotel to meet `` two foreign national women . '' he returned to his marriott hotel room in the wee hours of the morning . as a result , carey was 45 minutes late in joining a delegation in a moscow suburb , according to the report . he attributed the tardiness to jet lag , and said his body clock was out of whack . in addition , carey announced he 'd `` met two hot women the night before , '' and continually interrupted a monastery guide during a tour , his speech slurred the entire time , the report said . during dinner at a mexican restaurant , he drank more alcohol and wanted to perform with the live band , which wanted no part of it , the report said . he later left his delegation and joined the two women he 'd met the night before at a different table . there was no indication carey 's behavior compromised sensitive nuclear information or went beyond drinking , dancing and fraternizing with the women , officials said . cnn 's repeated attempts to reach carey were unsuccessful . october 2013 . days before carey was relieved of his duties , another military officer with high-level responsibility for the country 's nuclear arsenal lost his job . vice adm. tim giardina was formally relieved of his duties as deputy chief of u.s. strategic command , according to rear adm. john kirby , the navy 's chief of information . giardina oversaw nuclear weapons forces . a military official said his demotion was connected to allegations that he used counterfeit gambling chips at an iowa casino . he was demoted to rear admiral and transferred to a job in washington . august 2013 . the same missile unit at malmstrom linked to the test cheating scandal failed a safety and security inspection `` after making tactical-level errors -- not related to command and control of nuclear weapons , '' the air force global strike command said . the 341st missile wing operates about 150 of the 450 minuteman iii nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles in the u.s. force , according to an air force statement . a failed inspection does not mean that the safety of the nation 's nuclear arsenal is at risk , afgsc commander lt. gen. jim kowalski said in august . `` these inspections are designed to be tough to pass , '' he said . `` commanders use these inspections to continually improve our training and procedures . '' april 2013 . in an unprecedented move , an air force commander stripped 17 of his officers of their authority to control and launch nuclear missiles . the officers , based in minot , north dakota , did poorly in an inspection . they were ordered to undergo 60 to 90 days of intensive refresher training on how to do their jobs . lt. col. jay folds announced the action in an april e-mail to his unit . `` did you know that we , as an operations group , have fallen -- and its it time to stand ourselves back up ? '' folds wrote . folds also told his troops to `` crush any rules violators . '' `` we are , in fact , in a crisis right now , '' he wrote .

<t> `` leadership has drifted '' regarding nuclear weapons , defense secretary says . </t> <t> resignations come after report criticizing bomber flight , mistaken device shipment . </t> <t> report criticizes u.s. air force 's reactions to incidents . </t>

air force officials ousted over nuclear gaffes<T>

washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a woman who helped raise a child with her female partner in vermont before the pair split can visit the girl in virginia even though that state does n't recognize same-sex unions , a court ruled friday . janet jenkins with isabella , the daughter she helped raise with former partner lisa miller . virginia 's supreme court ruled that janet jenkins and lisa miller 's civil union in 2000 gave vermont , and its law on same-sex unions , jurisdiction over their subsequent custody and visitation disputes . miller moved to virginia with the child in 2003 , and a vermont court granted jenkins visitation rights . but miller took the case to a virginia court , which ruled that jenkins had no such rights there . the case was considered by legal experts to be the first conflict between two state courts over a major legal question arising from same-sex unions . jenkins ' attorney , joseph price of the washington law firm arent fox , said friday 's ruling `` just affirms the old principle that when these kinds of custody and visitation disputes begin in one state , that 's where they should remain . '' `` you ca n't shop them around to another state , '' price said . `` virginia really had no choice but to enforce judgments and judicial orders from vermont . '' vermont is one of the few states that allow same-sex partners to enter into a civil union . two years after vermont recognized miller and jenkins ' relationship , miller gave birth to a daughter , isabella , conceived through artificial insemination .<doc-sep>the relationship deteriorated , and miller and the baby moved to virginia . a vermont court later granted miller a dissolution of the civil union and granted custody of the child to her and visitation rights to jenkins . miller then asked the courts in virginia -- which does not recognize same-sex unions or marriages -- to take jurisdiction of the dispute . a virginia state judge eventually ruled that jenkins had no `` parentage or visitation rights . '' the virginia high court ruling friday returned the case to vermont 's control , meaning jenkins can visit the girl , who is now 6 . miller 's attorney , mathew staver , said he was `` disappointed the state sidestepped the larger legal questions . '' `` this case shows that one state is not an island in the same-sex marriage dispute , and underscores having state laws that protect traditional one-man , one-woman marriages , '' said staver , chairman of liberty counsel , a law firm that fights on behalf of what it calls `` traditional families . '' miller said in 2005 that she was doing what was best for her daughter and was no longer a lesbian . `` i am isabella 's mom . i did conceive her ; i birthed her , '' she said . `` i 'm raising her . and in my opinion , isabella needs to stay with me 100 percent of the time , because i am the only person that she identifies as a mom . '' miller lives with isabella in winchester , virginia .<doc-sep>jenkins did not offer an immediate reaction to the ruling but said in 2005 that she was only fighting for her rights as a parent . `` justice will be served for isabella , '' she said . `` i believe that . and i 'll do whatever it takes . i 'll be with her for as long as i can , or i 'll be without her for as long as i have to , but i 'm her mom . `` she 's born here -lsb- in vermont -rsb- . she 's always here . '' price said jenkins , who lives in fair haven , vermont , was supposed to visit isabella last weekend , but miller did n't appear with the girl . friday 's ruling comes a week after the california supreme court 's refusal to delay its recent decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the state . massachusetts also allows same-sex marriages ; vermont and three other states permit civil unions , and 12 other states give gay and lesbian couples some legal rights . virginia amended its constitution in 2007 to decree that marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a woman who helped raise a child with her female partner in vermont before the pair split can visit the girl in virginia even though that state does n't recognize same-sex unions , a court ruled friday . janet jenkins with isabella , the daughter she helped raise with former partner lisa miller . virginia 's supreme court ruled that janet jenkins and lisa miller 's civil union in 2000 gave vermont , and its law on same-sex unions , jurisdiction over their subsequent custody and visitation disputes . miller moved to virginia with the child in 2003 , and a vermont court granted jenkins visitation rights . but miller took the case to a virginia court , which ruled that jenkins had no such rights there . the case was considered by legal experts to be the first conflict between two state courts over a major legal question arising from same-sex unions . jenkins ' attorney , joseph price of the washington law firm arent fox , said friday 's ruling `` just affirms the old principle that when these kinds of custody and visitation disputes begin in one state , that 's where they should remain . '' `` you ca n't shop them around to another state , '' price said . `` virginia really had no choice but to enforce judgments and judicial orders from vermont . '' vermont is one of the few states that allow same-sex partners to enter into a civil union . two years after vermont recognized miller and jenkins ' relationship , miller gave birth to a daughter , isabella , conceived through artificial insemination . the relationship deteriorated , and miller and the baby moved to virginia . a vermont court later granted miller a dissolution of the civil union and granted custody of the child to her and visitation rights to jenkins . miller then asked the courts in virginia -- which does not recognize same-sex unions or marriages -- to take jurisdiction of the dispute . a virginia state judge eventually ruled that jenkins had no `` parentage or visitation rights . '' the virginia high court ruling friday returned the case to vermont 's control , meaning jenkins can visit the girl , who is now 6 . miller 's attorney , mathew staver , said he was `` disappointed the state sidestepped the larger legal questions . '' `` this case shows that one state is not an island in the same-sex marriage dispute , and underscores having state laws that protect traditional one-man , one-woman marriages , '' said staver , chairman of liberty counsel , a law firm that fights on behalf of what it calls `` traditional families . '' miller said in 2005 that she was doing what was best for her daughter and was no longer a lesbian . `` i am isabella 's mom . i did conceive her ; i birthed her , '' she said . `` i 'm raising her . and in my opinion , isabella needs to stay with me 100 percent of the time , because i am the only person that she identifies as a mom . '' miller lives with isabella in winchester , virginia . jenkins did not offer an immediate reaction to the ruling but said in 2005 that she was only fighting for her rights as a parent . `` justice will be served for isabella , '' she said . `` i believe that . and i 'll do whatever it takes . i 'll be with her for as long as i can , or i 'll be without her for as long as i have to , but i 'm her mom . `` she 's born here -lsb- in vermont -rsb- . she 's always here . '' price said jenkins , who lives in fair haven , vermont , was supposed to visit isabella last weekend , but miller did n't appear with the girl . friday 's ruling comes a week after the california supreme court 's refusal to delay its recent decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the state . massachusetts also allows same-sex marriages ; vermont and three other states permit civil unions , and 12 other states give gay and lesbian couples some legal rights . virginia amended its constitution in 2007 to decree that marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a same-sex couple has asked the supreme court to intervene in a cross-state dispute over their efforts to have both of them officially listed as the parents of an adopted 5-year-old boy . the california couple filed an appeal this week with the high court , saying louisiana , where the child was born , has an unconstitutional policy against adoption by unmarried couples . the state used that policy to justify naming only one of them on an amended birth certificate . the men , oren adar and mickey ray smith , argue that gay couples have a due process right to be listed on such certificates as joint custodial parents . a federal appeals court has ruled against the couple . the case could have broader implications in the current legal fight in state and federal courts over same-sex marriage and whether states -- and washington -- must honor legal rights that gays and lesbians enjoy in other states . the men , who live in san diego , had legally adopted a year-old boy from shreveport , louisiana , in 2006 . the adoption was finalized in new york state , where the couple was then residing . in their appeal , spearheaded by the gay rights advocacy group lambda legal , the couple said it is important both practically and symbolically that they both be listed as the legal parents .<doc-sep>divorce proceedings are generally inconsistent from state to state , but the process has become more streamlined for same-sex couples who travel to a marriage recognition state to tie the knot . if they 're seeking an uncontested divorce , california , delaware , hawaii , illinois , minnesota and vermont -- along with the district of columbia -- have loosened residency requirements . however , they wo n't address child custody , visitation , support or other issues related to uncoupling . in iowa and 12 other marriage-granting states , however , residency must be established to divorce , taking anywhere from six months to a year or more . perhaps the most heartbreaking aspect of wedlock is settling child custody battles , said littrell and others . fights over kids are usually decided in heterosexual divorces in the state where kids live , said cathy sakimura , family law director for the national center for lesbian rights in san francisco . for same-sex couples in states where marriage or civil unions are n't recognized , child-related divorce disputes are murky . attorney elizabeth schwartz in miami , a family law specialist and lesbian , gay , bisexual and transgender advocate , said there can be portability problems in same-sex child custody battles . this occurs particularly from state to state , especially when moving from one state that recognizes same-sex marriage to one that does n't . ` it 's all very challenging for people , ' sakimura said .<doc-sep>by . jacqui goddard . last updated at 12:01 pm on 14th july 2011 . two theme parks are waging an international custody dispute in court -- over a 17-foot killer whale . seaworld in orlando , florida , is demanding the return of ikaika , a two-tonne , captive-born orca that it sent to marineland in niagara falls , canada , in 2006 . but marineland has defied the call -- and a judge 's order -- and insisted that ikaika stays , dismissing seaworld 's claim that the mammal was only a temporary loan and branding the dispute ` unfortunate ' . seaworld in orlando , florida , is demanding the return of ikaika , pictured swimming in a tank at marineland in niagara falls . from left : ikaika , katina , and taku perform in sea world . marine parks in north america are banned from importing wild-caught orcas , but the law does not apply to those born in captivity . it is now taking the case to appeal , despite a lower court 's ruling that it must hand over the creature , and is contesting seaworld 's legal custody rights . ` the present dispute with seaworld over ikaika is unfortunate . marineland believes that ikaika should be allowed to stay at marineland , that was the original understanding between seaworld and marineland , ' said the canadian park 's 76-year-old founder and owner , john holer , in a statement . ikaika -- whose name means ` strong ' in hawaiian -- is of value to any aquarium due to his future breeding potential .

<t> virginia ruling gives vermont court jurisdiction over case . </t> <t> janet jenkins and lisa miller were in civil union in vermont but later split . </t> <t> miller moved to virginia with child ; vermont court allowed jenkins visitation . </t> <t> miller got virginia court to block visitation ; friday 's ruling overturns that . </t>

virginia must honor vermont law on lesbians ' custody dispute<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- it 's been a year since steve irwin , the environmentalist and tv host best known as the `` crocodile hunter , '' died . he was killed september 4 , 2006 , by a stingray barb to the chest while filming an underwater documentary off australia 's northern coast . joseph krygier shot this photo of a memorial in august 2007 at the australia zoo in beerwah , australia . irwin 's death prompted a global outpouring of grief from fans , children and hundreds of early i-report contributors , who shared photos , videos and memories with cnn shortly after he died . a year since , we asked cnn.com readers what they think his legacy will be , and how they are remembering him this year . here is a selection of their responses : . carol shahan of wilmington , delaware in april , my girl scout service unit held an encampment . the event lasted friday-sunday and over 350 girls and leaders attended . our theme was `` crikey ! let 's go camping -- a tribute to the conservation legacy of steve irwin . '' the girls learned about how they can help conserve their part of the world and contributed funds to the wildlife warriors through a coin drive . patrick rodrigue of montreal , quebec we met steve and his wife and small entourage at an elephant safari park in bali , indonesia , in june 2004 during our honeymoon . we were having lunch when we saw him at the table next to us . he was on vacation and he still came over to our table to say `` hello mates ! '' and pose for a picture . helen osada of hong kong i never get tired of watching steve irwin and his family on animal planet even though they are all reruns . he had real charisma unlike most other wildlife enthusiasts . and that he shared so much with us including his family says a lot about his generosity . his death was a great loss to us all . i really miss him . melissa amundsen wells of greensboro , north carolina steve irwin taught my daughter and myself that all animals deserve respect and protection , not just the furry cute ones . every animal on the planet has a unique purpose and he conveyed that better than anyone else . his love for his work was a real inspiration to my whole family . we miss you steve . mirad maglic of sarajevo , bosnia in my opinion , his unorthodox style , love for all things living and dedication to wildlife preservation made steve a hero with a legacy that compares to what elvis did for the rock music . i just hope that others will follow in his tracks , just as his wonderful daughter is doing . donna beckum of orab , ohio it was a great honor to watch bindi 's show several times this past weekend . she is sure a chip off the ol' block ! i will never forget steve and his remarkable quest . i will continue to watch bindi and all of the `` crocodile hunter '' episodes that are rerun . you just never get tired of watching them . i pray that god blesses terri and her children and that bindi continues to carry on where her daddy left off . steve irwin was an icon and certainly made a difference . he will never be forgotten ! john hock of alpharetta , georgia met him in march of ' 06 . he was on his motorbike in the zoo with his son on the front of the bike . he had is hat and sunglasses on . we were over by the camels . i yelled `` steve ... '' he said `` g'day '' to me . then he was off to the pens behind the crocoseum . even that brief meeting had an effect on me . to meet someone larger than life is an honor . michael yang of singapore steve and terri have been a big part of my life . i ca n't believe a year has flown by so fast . i was very sad at the misfortune of a stingray barb directly in steve 's heart . without a doubt , steve has helped make the world a better place both for people and animals . jenna barnaby of harrisburg , pennsylvania ... i ca n't believe it 's only been a year . i was so sad when he died and so upset about the unfairness of it all that it feels like he 's been gone so much longer . i miss him and think i always will . denise cole of union lake , michigan the one and only time i saw steve irwin on television my thoughts were `` you ca n't do that to wildlife and not get killed . '' i was not surprised by his death at all . i am sorry that his wife is a widow and his children are without a father . they are obviously doing ok though and that is good . kim dibiase of fort myers , florida my children now ages 9 & 11 grew up with steve . my son who is 11 is a know-it-all with anything that has to do with animals due to his love of watching steve since he was 4 years old . he knows every single type of snake and where they live . steve 's show was one of the few children 's shows i could watch with the kids over and over . we miss him more than you could know and feel for his family . only the good die young . patrick l. of montreal , quebec steve irwin will be remembered for his courage in dealing with dangerous animals , his skill as an entertainer and his humanity . few people take the risks steve did in dealing with dangerous animals ; even fewer manage to do this type of job with the flair and heart that was visible from watching steve at work . steve was one of a kind and he will be missed . tim pope of cumming , georgia the man was reckless and a bad example for kids . he went out of his way to dramatize his product by courting danger and taking chances . hopefully , the way he died will keep more intelligent kids from thinking that jumping on a crocodile 's back is a great sport . i do n't say this to detract from or denigrate him , but his installation in the heroes ' pantheon sends a bad message . sakthivel subramanian of frankfurt , germany i remember him as brave man with a kind heart for animals -lrb- reptiles -rrb- with which he lived his lifetime ! i 'm praying to god for his soul to rest in peace . liz cook of plainville , massachusetts one of our first `` encounters '' with steve irwin was through a wiggles video that my children own . he had such an unusually bright spirit . we watched a special last night that included his trip to belize and it was amazing to see how he fired my children 's imagination and enthusiasm for the animals he encountered on his trip ! they could not believe he did n't take it personally when he was injured by the iguana he was chasing ! he is one of those rare souls that make it almost impossible to believe he is really gone ... so vivid , so warm , so big in spirit . our best to his family on this sad anniversary . jason epperson of york , pennsylvania editor 's note : epperson sent a poem tribute to irwin . the first letters of the lines spell out `` steve irwin . '' south australia i was born , trekked my camera thru brush and thorn ! endangered species i adore , venomous and fanged all the more ! earned my fair share of smiles , in wrestling snakes and crocodiles ! ray of nature pierced my heart , was chosen then to depart ! into new unseen worlds i go nature 's next great adventure show . `` crikey ! '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>the final feature announced wednesday is a beta project that loops your gmail account into the search results . when the feature is on , google will search the web as well as all the e-mails in your account and include a list of relevant e-mails or contacts on the side of your screen . for some common queries , google will parse the e-mails to isolate key bits of information , much like travel app tripit . a search for `` my flights '' will pull flight information for upcoming trips you may have booked , and present it along with data from the web , like an updated flight status . the feature has been tested by several thousand google employees , and now the company is opening up the trial to a test group of a million . anyone can sign up to try the feature at g.co / searchtrial , although it will only work on the main google.com site in english .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- south carolina gov. mark sanford told the woman with whom he was having an affair they were `` in a hopelessly impossible situation of love '' last year when he was thought to be under consideration for the republican vice presidential nomination , according to e-mails obtained by the state newspaper . gov. mark sanford speaks during a news conference at the state capitol in columbia on wednesday . the columbia-based newspaper , which acquired the e-mails in december , told cnn that the governor 's office had confirmed their authenticity on wednesday . when contacted by cnn , a spokesman for the governor would neither confirm nor deny the authenticity of the e-mails . the e-mails between the gop governor and a buenos aires , argentina , resident named `` maria , '' were exchanged in july of last year , according to the newspaper . in one july 10 message , sanford told the woman about his plans to take a family vacation and meet with then-republican presidential candidate john mccain who `` has kicked up the whole vp talk all over again in the press back home ... '' before he veered into more emotional territory . `` you have a particular grace and calm that i adore . you have a level of sophistication that so fitting with your beauty , '' sanford wrote , according to the e-mails published on the newspaper 's web site . watch cnn.com 's political team discuss the situation ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- she calls herself `` diana , the hunter . '' authorities say the elusive woman has killed at least two bus drivers in ciudad juarez , mexico . according to the chihuahua state attorney 's office , the unidentified woman , with either hair dyed blond or wearing a blond wig , shot and killed a city bus driver identified as jose roberto flores carrera , 45 , on august 28 . another bus driver , fredy zarate morales , 32 , was killed the next day . in both cases , officials say , `` diana , the hunter '' boarded the buses and shot the drivers point blank . after the second shooting , several media outlets in ciudad juarez reported receiving an e-mail from a sender claiming to be the killer . in the e-mail , she calls herself `` diana , the hunter of drivers . '' she reportedly says in the e-mails that her motive is retaliation against bus drivers who have raped vulnerable women , especially those who work in the `` maquiladoras , '' or foreign assembly plants -lrb- mainly american -rrb- on the mexican side of the border . `` i 'm an instrument that will avenge -lsb- the attacks against -rsb- several women , '' the e-mail is reported to say . `` we seem weak to society , but we 're truly not . we 're courageous and , if they do n't show respect to us , we will make them respect us by our own means . we women of juarez are strong . '' arturo sandoval , a spokesman with the chihuahua state attorney 's office , told cnn the end does n't justify the means . `` nobody can take justice into their own hands , '' sandoval said . `` if she was a victim of a bus driver or knows someone in that situation , she has to report it and let authorities do their job . '' the chihuahua state attorney 's office released a sketch of the suspect wednesday and asked for the public 's help to catch her . `` the sketch was done after interviewing more than 20 people who witnessed the homicides and who gave us very valuable information for this investigation , '' authorities said in a statement .<doc-sep>republican sen. ted cruz of texas said thursday that attorney general eric holder , a frequent target of gop attacks , should be impeached for refusing to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the missing lerner e-mails . `` make no mistakes . these e-mails have n't just been lost , '' cruz said on the senate floor . `` these e-mails have been deleted , taped over and the hard drive physically destroyed , according to public news reports . '' asked by blitzer whether a criminal investigation was warranted , koskinen replied : `` i do n't think ... at this time there 's any evidence of that . '' top irs official beats back republican barrage . lerner , who ran the division that carried out the irs targeting , resigned last year after the treasury department 's inspector general found those working under her used `` inappropriate '' criteria to scrutinize certain groups , particularly those with conservative political names . since then , she has refused to testify at hearings , invoking her constitutional right not to do so . earlier this month , the irs told congress that a 2011 crash of lerner 's computer hard drive meant that e-mails until that point had been lost . the irs targeting was first noticed by the agency after that time . koskinen noted thursday that the agency had recovered 24,000 lerner e-mails by other means and was cooperating fully with all investigations of the matter . when blitzer noted that taxpayers believe the irs would never accept the excuse of a hard drive crash for filing an improper return , koskinen responded that the agency tries to work with people to resolve the situation . `` we historically , if a taxpayer has lost electronic records , have said if you have other indications and evidence of what went on , we 'll take that from you , '' he said . `` if you lose a document , it does n't mean you lose the argument . we actually work with taxpayers to say we 'll look at other evidence ... and if we can find any evidence to support your case -- and , in fact , if the circumstances support your case , we 'll support you and you wo n't have any problems . '' on wednesday , a republican congressman revealed lerner e-mails that asked whether the irs should look into an invitation for gop sen. charles grassley of iowa to appear at a seminar . the disclosure of the e-mail exchanges by house ways and means committee chairman dave camp of michigan further inflamed gop sentiment against lerner . however , it was not clear from the e-mails whether lerner was referring to an audit of grassley personally or the group that invited him and was possibly offering to pay for his wife to attend . her lawyer said lerner acted appropriately , and koskinen said thursday the intent was unclear . democrats accuse house republicans of politicizing the irs investigation , noting that some liberal seeking tax exempt status also were also targeted by the agency . e-mails : ex-irs official lois lerner queried sen. chuck grassley invitation .

<t> ` crocodile hunter ' steve irwin died one year ago today . </t> <t> worldwide vigils , memorial services after his death . </t> <t> cnn.com asked readers for their thoughts on the anniversary . </t> <t> share your own memories and stories through i-report . </t>

your e-mails : remembering the ` croc hunter '<T>

london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- english football fans hoping to travel to moscow for this month 's champions league final between manchester united and chelsea face spiraling costs and an anxious wait for visas amid a simmering diplomatic row between the uk and russia . chelsea fans hoping to follow their side to moscow face hefty expenses and an anxious wait over visas . upwards of 50,000 fans are expected to travel to the may 21 match from the uk , defying expensive flights and warnings about a shortage of accommodation in the russian capital -- one of the world 's most expensive cities . but there were fears on thursday that russia 's stringent visa requirements for british citizens could further complicate matters for fans . in a statement , the russian embassy in london pledged to fulfil its obligations to enable all fans with tickets to the game to travel . but it also criticized the uk government for tightening restrictions on russians traveling in the opposite direction , imposed following the apparent murder of the exiled russian dissident alexander litvinenko in 2006 . `` if we had an agreement similar to the one russia has in place with eu , most problems could have been avoided , '' the statement said . the embassy also criticized the uk for imposing `` cumbersome '' visa requirements on supporters of the russian side , zenit st. petersburg , which could reach the uefa cup final in manchester on may 14 , including biometric tests , online-only applications and interviews with consulate officials . but there was speculation as well on thursday that moscow may be prepared to temporarily lift some visa requirements in a gesture of good will . the uk 's times newspaper quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying that russian authorities would waive the need for visa applicants to produce a letter of invitation in the case of ticket holders . uefa communications director william gaillard praised russia 's flexibility on wednesday and said a simplified visa application procedure could be in place by the end of the week . `` the russians have shown great flexibility and hopefully within the next 48 hours we will be announcing a more simplified procedure for visas to make it easier for fans to get to moscow , '' gaillard told the uk 's press association . manchester united chief executive david gill said on wednesday that those traveling on official club packages were assured of a visa . `` if you are on an organized trip , your ticket will be your visa . the actual specifics and fine details will be addressed in the next day or so and then we will communicate with the fans . `` everyone recognizes in order for it to be a showcase , which it clearly will be , you have to ease entry into the country while not totally doing away with what the russian authorities require . '' but gill warned that demand for tickets would leave many fans disappointed : `` we could sell well over 100,000 tickets for this final , so there will be a lot of disappointed people . '' both united and chelsea have each received around 21,000 tickets for the match . but with officially allocated tickets expected to be snapped up by season ticket holders and loyalty scheme members , many more fans are expected to travel to moscow independently . flights from london to moscow on the day of the match , returning the following day were available for around $ 1,600 over the internet on thursday . but the british foreign office web site advised thursday that there were no hotel vacancies in moscow and warned supporters that they would not be able to find a room on arrival . meanwhile , uk sports minister gerry sutcliffe urged fans to be on their best behavior in moscow , warning that trouble could derail england 's bid to host the 2018 world cup . `` i was really impressed and pleased that the european champions final will be an all-english final but that brings some responsibilities for the teams involved and their supporters , '' sutcliffe told pa. . `` it should be a great advert for the premier league and for english football but it will also be the place everyone will be looking at if anything goes wrong . `` if that happened it would not only be damaging for the two teams participating but could also have a big impact on the reputation of our game at a time when we are trying to encourage football nations to support our world cup bid . '' with the match due to kick off at 2245 local time , the british foreign office web site advised supporters `` not to let alcohol spoil their champions league final experience , '' pointing out that smoking and drinking in red square are illegal . `` the foreign and commonwealth office is providing detailed information for those fans who are traveling , '' said minister for europe jim murphy . `` so i encourage those who are going , to look at the specific travel advice on how to enjoy a trouble-free and successful visit to moscow . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . hamish mackay . gary lineker has accused premier league clubs of being greedy over ticket prices , saying there is no need for them to charge as much as they do . as sportsmail revealed on sunday , more than half of all top-flight english clubs have raised their prices for the coming season - despite new tv deals bringing in # 5.5 billion over a three year period . and lineker tweeted : ` there is absolutely no need . for premier league clubs to charge what they do given tv revenues these . days . it 's pure avarice ! ' video scroll down to watch much happier coventry fans pitch invading in a crazy storm . hike : premier league fans are set to face price rises yet again . unfair : bbc presenter gary lineker says price rises are unjustified considering tv revenue . arsenal 's ticket pricing has been under .<doc-sep>englsh football fans are choosing to watch football abroad due to the rising cost of a premier league match day . season-ticket holders at clubs like borussia dortmund are paying an average of just # 9 a match compared to some english fans who regularly have to part at least four or five times that amount to see their favourite team . alarmingly , the cheapest match-day ticket price across the top four divisions of english football has increased by an average of 4.4 per cent over the last 12 months - nearly three times the rate of inflation - the bbc price of football survey revealed . english football fans are flocking to places like dortmund due to the increase in premier league tickets . dortmund 's pierre-emerick aubameyang celebrates during the champions league match against arsenal . the cheapest match ticket across all four english divisions has increased by an average of 4.4 per cent over the last month - nearly three times the rate of inflation . a large number of football fans in england regularly have to pay upwards of # 40 to see their club in action . arsenal # 2,013 . tottenham # 1,895 . chelsea # 1,250 . manchester united # 950 . queens park rangers # 949 . west ham # 940 . liverpool # 869 . manchester city # 860 .<doc-sep>the airport is expecting 20,000 more passengers than usual to be flying to moscow . the british embassy in moscow have announced that their consular section will stay open on may 21 and 22 to help english fans arriving for the final . `` the consular department will extend their working hours on wednesday and thursday to support english citizens coming here to watch the champions ' league final , '' the embassy press service said . the press service report added that a 24-hour telephone `` hot line '' would be organized by the embassy .<doc-sep>by . gerard brand . follow @@ gedbrand10 . world cup tickets are being put up for . sale on the internet for as little as # 9 , with fans seemingly opting out of traveling to the north of the country for lesser games in . the competition . while . internet prices for brazil matches , knockout games and clashes including . some of the more popular south american nations such as argentina and . colombia are selling for up to 10 times the face value , less popular . tickets can be bought for the price of seeing an english non-league . side . a steal : you can also see honduras play switzerland for as little as # 9 in manaus . testing : roy hodgson on a visit to manaus , where england play their first world cup game against italy . cheap as chips : nigeria , who drew 2-2 with scotland on wednesday , can be seen for as little as # 10 . ticket marketplace viagogo.com are advertising tickets to see seeded teams uruguay and belgium for as little as # 24 , excluding booking fees and vat . a ticket to see nigeria vs bosnia in cuiaba will set you back # 9 excluding fees , little more than a pack of cigarettes . bosnia vs iran is # 10 , while russia vs south korea is # 12 . face value tickets for the group stage games from fifa ranged from around # 55 to # 105 , with the final in rio de janeiro from # 260 to # 590 . deflated : a ticket to see nigeria vs bosnia in cuiaba will set you back # 9 excluding fees . quality on show : you could catch luis suarez 's uruguay for around # 25 in fortaleza against costa rica . most of the cheaper tickets are for games situated in the north and north-east of brazil , with fans seemingly unwilling to travel to see lesser clashes in manaus , fortaleza , cuiaba and salvador . england kick-off their campaign against italy on june 14 in manaus , before facing uruguay in sao paulo and costa rica in belo horizonte . tickets to see host nation brazil are predictably highest in demand . luiz felipe scolari 's men face croatia in their first game on june 12 in sao paulo , with mexico and cameroon also in group a . the big one : face value tickets for the final in rio ranged from # 260 to # 590 .

<t> english fans face spiraling expenses , visa anxiety ahead of european cup final . </t> <t> the russian embassy criticizes uk for tightening russian visa requirements . </t> <t> up to 50,000 chelsea and manchester united fans expected to go to moscow . </t>

english fans face moscow ticket crunch<T>

los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the transportation security administration said friday its officers at a texas airport appear to have properly followed procedures when they allegedly forced a woman to remove her nipple rings -- one with pliers -- but acknowledged the procedures should be changed . the woman involved -- mandi hamlin -- told reporters earlier friday she was humiliated by last month 's incident , in which she was forced to painfully remove the piercings behind a curtain as she heard snickers from male tsa officers nearby . the incident occurred at the lubbock , texas , airport . the officers `` rightly insisted that the alarm that was raised be resolved , '' the tsa said in a statement posted on its web site friday afternoon . `` tsa supports the thoroughness of the officers involved as they were acting to protect the passengers and crews of the flights departing lubbock that day . '' however , `` tsa has reviewed the procedures themselves and agrees that they need to be changed , '' the statement said . `` in the future , tsa will inform passengers that they have the option to resolve the alarm through a visual inspection of the article in lieu of removing the item in question . '' hamlin and her lawyer , celebrity attorney gloria allred , said they want a public apology from the agency , as well as a guarantee that future passengers with piercings will be treated with dignity and respect . allred pointed out that tsa 's web site says passengers with piercings can undergo a pat-down inspection if they do not want to take their piercings out -- an option she said hamlin was never offered . `` the conduct of tsa was cruel and unnecessary , '' allred told reporters at a news conference . `` last time that i checked , a nipple was not a dangerous weapon . '' she said if an apology was not forthcoming , `` mandi is going to have to consider her legal options . '' attempts by cnn to reach allred for a response to the tsa statement friday afternoon were unsuccessful . tsa said in its statement it acknowledges `` that our procedures caused difficulty for the passenger involved and regrets -lrb- the -rrb- situation in which she found herself . we appreciate her raising awareness on this issue and we are changing the procedures to ensure that this does not happen again . '' the incident occurred february 24 as hamlin , 37 , was preparing to fly to dallas-fort worth from lubbock , where she had been visiting her elderly great-uncle . hamlin said she also has navel and ear piercings and has never set off a metal detector or been singled out for additional screening at an airport . she did not set off the metal detector at lubbock international airport , but was pulled to the side for additional screening , allred said . a hand wand used by a tsa officer beeped when it was waved over her breasts . hamlin told the officer she had nipple piercings , allred said , and that officer called over another officer , who told her she would need to remove them . `` ms. hamlin did not want to remove her nipple piercings , '' allred said , reading from a letter she sent tsa . `` after nipple rings are inserted , the skin can often heal around the piercing and the rings can be extremely difficult and painful to remove . in addition , once removed , the pierced skin may close up almost immediately , making it difficult and painful to reinsert the piercing . '' more officers were called over , and the group grew to four male and two female tsa officers , according to hamlin . also , a small crowd of onlookers had started to gather . the officers insisted that hamlin remove the nipple rings , allred said . `` she felt humiliated by the scene that the tsa officers were making , '' allred said . `` with tears streaming down her face , she again asked to show the piercings to a tsa officer instead of having to remove them . she was told , however , she would not be allowed to fly unless she removed them . had she been told that she had a right to a pat-down , she would have chosen that option . '' she eventually was taken to a private area behind a curtain to remove the piercings , allred said . one came out easily , but the other would not , and she called to an officer that she was having trouble and would need pliers . she was handed a large pair , allred said . `` as ms. hamlin struggled to remove the piercing , behind the curtain she could hear a growing number of predominately male tsa officers snickering in the background , '' allred said in the letter . `` mandi hamlin was publicly humiliated . ... clearly , this is not how passengers should be treated . '' watch the passenger demonstrate removing the jewelry '' afterward , hamlin underwent another scan , but realized she had forgotten to remove her navel ring . she offered to remove it , allred said , but an officer told her it was not necessary because he could see it . hamlin wondered why a similar visual inspection of her nipple rings would not have sufficed , allred said . `` i would n't wish this experience upon anyone , '' hamlin told reporters . `` i felt surprised , embarrassed , humiliated and scared . no one deserves to go through this . '' in a statement earlier friday , the tsa said it `` is well aware of terrorists ' interest in hiding dangerous items in sensitive areas of the body . therefore , we have a duty to the american public to resolve any alarm that we discover . '' tsa included in its statement a picture of a prototype training device it will use to simulate a `` bra bomb '' in training and testing its officers . hamlin said she had to visit the person who originally pierced her nipples to get the rings reinserted , and said the process was excruciatingly painful because of the scar tissue that had formed . `` people who are pierced should not be snickered at , should not become the object of ridicule , should not be singled out for special and uneven and unequal treatment , '' allred said . `` they should be respected just like everybody else . '' she said she had received a call from tsa 's public affairs office friday morning . `` we hope that means they 're going to jump on this and do something about it , '' she said . `` we want tsa to do the right thing now . we 're going to give them the opportunity . '' hamlin said she will continue to fly but will avoid the lubbock airport . the next time she visits her great-uncle , she said , `` i will be driving . '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's mike ahlers contributed to this report .<doc-sep>los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the transportation security administration said friday its officers at a texas airport appear to have properly followed procedures when they allegedly forced a woman to remove her nipple rings -- one with pliers -- but acknowledged the procedures should be changed . the woman involved -- mandi hamlin -- told reporters earlier friday she was humiliated by last month 's incident , in which she was forced to painfully remove the piercings behind a curtain as she heard snickers from male tsa officers nearby . the incident occurred at the lubbock , texas , airport . the officers `` rightly insisted that the alarm that was raised be resolved , '' the tsa said in a statement posted on its web site friday afternoon . `` tsa supports the thoroughness of the officers involved as they were acting to protect the passengers and crews of the flights departing lubbock that day . '' however , `` tsa has reviewed the procedures themselves and agrees that they need to be changed , '' the statement said . `` in the future , tsa will inform passengers that they have the option to resolve the alarm through a visual inspection of the article in lieu of removing the item in question . '' hamlin and her lawyer , celebrity attorney gloria allred , said they want a public apology from the agency , as well as a guarantee that future passengers with piercings will be treated with dignity and respect . allred pointed out that tsa 's web site says passengers with piercings can undergo a pat-down inspection if they do not want to take their piercings out -- an option she said hamlin was never offered . `` the conduct of tsa was cruel and unnecessary , '' allred told reporters at a news conference . `` last time that i checked , a nipple was not a dangerous weapon . '' she said if an apology was not forthcoming , `` mandi is going to have to consider her legal options . '' attempts by cnn to reach allred for a response to the tsa statement friday afternoon were unsuccessful . tsa said in its statement it acknowledges `` that our procedures caused difficulty for the passenger involved and regrets -lrb- the -rrb- situation in which she found herself . we appreciate her raising awareness on this issue and we are changing the procedures to ensure that this does not happen again . ''<doc-sep>the incident occurred february 24 as hamlin , 37 , was preparing to fly to dallas-fort worth from lubbock , where she had been visiting her elderly great-uncle . hamlin said she also has navel and ear piercings and has never set off a metal detector or been singled out for additional screening at an airport . she did not set off the metal detector at lubbock international airport , but was pulled to the side for additional screening , allred said . a hand wand used by a tsa officer beeped when it was waved over her breasts . hamlin told the officer she had nipple piercings , allred said , and that officer called over another officer , who told her she would need to remove them . `` ms. hamlin did not want to remove her nipple piercings , '' allred said , reading from a letter she sent tsa . `` after nipple rings are inserted , the skin can often heal around the piercing and the rings can be extremely difficult and painful to remove . in addition , once removed , the pierced skin may close up almost immediately , making it difficult and painful to reinsert the piercing . '' more officers were called over , and the group grew to four male and two female tsa officers , according to hamlin . also , a small crowd of onlookers had started to gather . the officers insisted that hamlin remove the nipple rings , allred said . `` she felt humiliated by the scene that the tsa officers were making , '' allred said . `` with tears streaming down her face , she again asked to show the piercings to a tsa officer instead of having to remove them . she was told , however , she would not be allowed to fly unless she removed them . had she been told that she had a right to a pat-down , she would have chosen that option . '' she eventually was taken to a private area behind a curtain to remove the piercings , allred said . one came out easily , but the other would not , and she called to an officer that she was having trouble and would need pliers . she was handed a large pair , allred said . `` as ms. hamlin struggled to remove the piercing , behind the curtain she could hear a growing number of predominately male tsa officers snickering in the background , '' allred said in the letter .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a number of transportation security administrator employees who faced dismissal for not following screening procedures ended up with suspensions instead , the agency said . in october , tsa announced that 44 employees were facing punishments ranging from termination to suspension after they were caught on surveillance cameras not following procedures . twenty-five of those employees were in the process of being fired . this week , the agency completed the reviews of those cases , except for one , and only four workers have been fired . `` the decision to take disciplinary actions as a result of a thorough investigation reaffirms our strong commitment to hold all of our employees to the highest standards of conduct and accountability -- regardless of their rank in the agency , '' tsa said in a statement . `` it also goes to tsa 's commitment to its due process procedures and demonstrates the agency 's dedication to treating employees in a fair and just manner . '' tsa : eight newark officers fired for violating procedures . several of the employees had learned of their fates in the months since october , but the majority of decisions were made this week . in all , four employees were fired , one resigned , 32 were suspended to varying degrees , six were cleared of wrongdoing , and one case remains outstanding , the agency told cnn . that means that 17 employees who were originally going to be fired were instead suspended `` because it was determined that they did not intentionally violate procedures associated with checked baggage screening , '' tsa said . the 44 employees all worked in a checked-baggage screening room in terminal b of newark 's liberty international airport . in november and december of 2011 , they were caught on surveillance cameras not following proper screening protocols , an agency internal investigation revealed . tsa seeks to fire or suspend largest group of agents ever . after passengers check their bags , tsa screeners are supposed to search the luggage with electronic scanners and open some bags by hand . in this case , the employees allegedly did n't follow procedures on about 250 bags during the two months , the agency said . all bags did receive some screening , however . in june 2012 , the same investigation prompted the agency to fire eight checked-baggage screeners at newark for violating tsa procedures , including some of them for sleeping on the job . that same month , 43 tsa workers in fort myers , florida , were disciplined for not performing additional screening on random passengers and carry-on bags . tsa workers disciplined for not rescreening bags . at boston 's logan airport , 20 checked-baggage screeners were punished in august 2011 for reading newspapers or talking on the phone when they were supposed to be screening bags , or for not reporting the misconduct , a spokesperson told cnn at the time . also in 2011 , 36 checked-bag screeners in hawaii were fired after they were caught on a security camera in 2010 ignoring procedures , including putting bag inspection notices in bags without actually inspecting them , an inspector general 's report said . cnn 's jordana ossad and aaron cooper contributed to this report .<doc-sep>by . peter rugg . austin powers star verne troyer was the subject of an intimate search at lax airport over the weekend . the 45-year-old actor , who played ` mini . me ' in 1999 film austin powers : the spy who shagged me , posted a . snapshot of the search on his facebook and twitter pages . the picture appeared to involve a member . of the tsa - the transport security administration - looking behind the . diminutive star 's backside as he sat in his wheelchair . verne troyer posted the photo of a tsa agent seemingly searching with the caption : ` tsa struggles . ' troyer did not provide a reason for the search , captioning it : ` tsa struggles . ' troyer 's fans reacted with a mix of shock and crude humor . ` they are profiling . i bet they searched every little person that came through today and that is wrong !!!! ' wrote user allan volker . kerim akgul joked : ` the look on his face ... . priceless . ' troyer , who has used a mobility scooter for years though he has full mobility , has publicly struggled with drug and alcohol addiction in the past . gawker noted that as full cavity searches are performed in separate rooms , it was likely the pic was just troyer having a joke . however ross feinstein , press secretary for tsa , told mailonline that any screening of troyer was done in line with normal tsa regulations and procedures . troyer rose to fame as the evil mini-me in the austin powers films . ` the screening process for a passenger who uses a . wheelchair or scooter is determined by their ability to stand and walk , ' feinstein wrote in an email . ' a passenger can be screened without standing , walking , or being . required to transfer out of a wheelchair or scooter . in this specific case , a transportation security officer -lrb- tso -rrb- . conducted a thorough patdown while the passenger remained seated in . their scooter . ` the screening was in accordance with established tsa . policies and procedures . ' since . appearing in the austin powers film , verne has appeared in a handful of . films including the imaginarium of doctor parnassus and the love guru . earlier this year , he appeared in documentary series incredibly small world .

<t> new : tsa backs officers who made passenger remove nipple rings . </t> <t> new : agency acknowledges that procedures need to be changed . </t> <t> agent using handheld metal detector at lubbock airport found piercings . </t> <t> woman says she heard male agents snicker as she removed rings . </t>

nipple ring search procedures faulty , tsa admits<T>

new delhi , india -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an indian woman accused of being a witch was tied to a tree and beaten by a mob , with television footage of the incident aired in india on friday . villagers tied the woman to a tree after a man accused her of practicing black magic . nishant tiwari , a police official in northeastern india , said a journalist who filmed the beating called him thursday to report the incident , which took place in the village of dumaria in central eastern bihar state . he arrived to find the woman tied to a tree , her hair partially cut and her complexion ruddy from being slapped . she had no serious injuries . `` i was appalled at what i saw because people should be more socially responsible than to do this , '' tiwari said . authorities arrested six people , including the man who admitted to hiring her services as a witch . they were due to appear before a magistrate on friday .<doc-sep>ram ayodhya , who could face up to seven years in prison for his role in the attack , told police he was justified in beating the woman , tiwari said . graphic content warning : villagers beat woman '' ayodhya said he paid her to use magic and prayer to improve his wife 's health . when his wife 's condition deteriorated , ayodhya accused her of performing black magic , tiwari said , and a crowd soon gathered and tied her to the tree . the woman seen being attacked is expected to testify when the suspects appear before the magistrate . tiwari said he was disturbed by the fact that a journalist filmed the incident before contacting authorities .<doc-sep>`` the media filmed the incident , then called the police -- instead of the police first , '' tiwari said . cnn 's partner network , cnn-ibn , reported that the incident took place close to the local police station . it reported that there had been other such occurrences of mob justice in the state . in bhagalpur district in august 2007 , a man caught trying to snatch a woman 's chain was beaten up , with police looking on , and later tied to a motorcycle and dragged around by a police officer . in september , in lucknow 's wazirganj area , an angry mob beat a man to death after a 2 1/2 - year old girl was allegedly found sexually assaulted and murdered in his house . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . sara malm . published : . 08:52 est , 15 february 2013 . | . updated : . 09:31 est , 15 february 2013 . two elderly women accused of sorcery were saved by police just as a mob were about to set them on fire in rural papua new guinea . police came just in the nick of time . as the angry lynch mob had strapped the two women to poles and were . ready to burn them over the alleged murder of an eight-year-old girl . the attack took place in the same town . where 20-year-old kepari leniata was stripped , beaten and burned to . death , accused of being a witch . repeat horror : the attack took place in the same town where a young mother was burned alive accused for killing a child through sorcery -lrb- pictured -rrb- . police in mount hagen in the papua new .<doc-sep>russian tourist sergey bogdanov has said he was badly beaten after he rang a sacred bell while on holiday in an indian village . mr bogdanov , from the russian seaport city of kaliningrad , said he was badly beaten by a mob after ringing the bell and was even refused help by doctors . he told russian media by telephone : ` it seemed really peaceful here and the locals are friendly , all that changed when i went to a local temple to take a few pictures and i saw a bell which i rang . ` apparently the bell is only rung on sacred days when somebody dies , and before i knew it there was a mob rushing up to the temple and i was dragged out onto the streets and kicked and beaten with sticks . ` some monks dragged me away from the mob but they then did n't help me at all , and i had to make my own way to the local medical centre where the doctors had heard about my apparently sacrilegious act â $ `` and they also refused to help me other than giving me a few bandages .<doc-sep>george , 47 , died from his head injuries tuesday , kannan told cnn . police have arrested nine people and are expected to round up more . last year the indian head of an italian company died after allegedly being beaten by a mob of sacked employees .<doc-sep>srinagar , indian-controlled kashmir -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- one person was killed and four others injured sunday when indian security forces opened fire on a violent mob that tried to torch a paramilitary bunker in srinagar , the capital of indian-controlled kashmir . the incident occurred during the funeral of a youth who died in the hospital saturday night after he was allegedly beaten by members of the indian paramilitary central reserve police force during violent protests last week . the family of 25-year-old rafiq bangroo said crpf troopers struck him on the head with gun butts , causing a fatal skull injury . the crpf has denied the allegation , saying bangroo died after he was pelted with stones . bangroo 's body was handed over to relatives . as it was being carried for burial sunday , angry mobs charged at a bunker of the crpf and attempted to burn it , police said . the crpf troopers manning the bunker opened fire on the crowd . five people were injured , and one , a 26-year-old man , later died .

<t> indian woman accused of being witch is tied to a tree and beaten by a mob . </t> <t> journalist filmed incident , aired on friday , and then called the police . </t> <t> police say woman 's hair partially cut and she was slapped , but no serious injuries . </t> <t> six arrested , including the man who admitted to hiring her services as a witch . </t>

indian ` witch ' tied to tree , beaten by mob<T>

baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- court proceedings in the trial against tariq aziz , one of the best-known faces of saddam hussein 's former regime in iraq , and several co-defendants have ended after being in session only briefly tuesday . the trial of tariq aziz , pictured here in a baghdad courtroom in july 2004 , has begun . the trial , which is to resume may 20 , was delayed because one of the defendants , ali hassan al-majeed , also known as `` chemical ali , '' was not present because he was ill . iraqi procedural codes require that all defendants be in court for the first session . chief judge raouf abdul rahman read a u.s. medical report signed by three doctors that said al-majeed is in critical condition after suffering a heart attack two weeks ago . he has been released from the hospital but still requires daily treatment and doctor visits . the report said that traveling to court from his detention facility could worsen his health . he can not walk up stairs or sit in court for long hours , it said . he will need three weeks to recover and may need some sort of surgery , the report said . it added he is diabetic and suffers from `` acute heart failure . '' treatment includes clearing of the arteries followed by either open heart surgery or stents in the arteries , but neither option is available at this time , the report said . ali hasan al-majeed , who was a top baathist official during the saddam hussein era , is awaiting execution after being convicted of genocide in connection with the killing of kurds during the anfal campaign in the late 1980s . aziz , al-majeed and six others are now facing trial for having a role in the execution of 42 iraqi merchants in 1992 . a former deputy prime minister , aziz was the first to be called into court , followed by six other defendants . aziz appeared frail , walked slowly with a cane , and was coughing and blowing his nose . he was sitting in the seat saddam hussein used during his appearances in court and was represented by a private attorney . the court was sorting out which defendants did not have attorneys present . this is the fourth major trial of former hussein regime officials since his government was overthrown . the most prominent was the 2006 trial that led to the execution of hussein and three lieutenants for a crackdown in the shiite town of dujail in which more than 140 men allegedly plotting hussein 's assassination were executed . aziz 's lead attorney , badie aref -- who was an attorney for hussein in that trial -- is charged with contempt of court in iraq and has been in jordan since a warrant for his arrest was issued last year . he said he would return to baghdad for this trial only if he were assured he would not be arrested . meanwhile , amid a swirling , blanketing sandstorm , fierce fighting in baghdad tuesday saw u.s. troops kill 32 `` enemy forces '' in a gunbattle , according to the u.s. military . iraqi authorities reported 16 people were killed in a residential area in the same clash . the iraqi interior ministry said the fighting was in the predominantly shiite sadr city neighborhood in eastern baghdad .<doc-sep>five suspected insurgents dressed in iraqi army uniforms attacked the home of a human rights worker in diyala on tuesday , killing the resident of the home and an iraqi soldier who lived in the neighborhood , according to the u.s. military . two iraqi civilians also were injured in the small-arms attack . `` attacking civilians in their homes is both criminal and barbaric , '' said major peggy kageleiry , spokeswoman for the military 's multi-national division - north . insurgents have been attempting to exploit the harsh conditions , which have curtailed flights coming into baghdad international airport . sandstorms make it easier for militants to screen their activities and harder for u.s. air power to be deployed effectively . a u.s. military spokesman said fighting began around 9:30 a.m. when militants fired at a u.s. patrol and wounded an american soldier . when the soldier was being evacuated , a u.s. vehicle was struck by two roadside bombs and peppered with small-arms fire and rocket propelled grenades . that left two more soldiers injured . three more soldiers were wounded in the fighting . soldiers used a `` combination of weapon systems available , including a guided multiple launch rocket -lrb- gmlr -rrb- system '' to fight the insurgents and killed at least 28 militants in a four-hour long battle , the military said . lt. col. steven stover , spokesman for multi-national division-baghdad , said three gmlrs were launched , at 11:23 a.m. , 1:03 p.m. and 1:37 p.m. officials with iraq 's interior and health ministry told cnn 16 people were killed and 45 people were wounded when u.s. rockets hit at least three houses in a residential area in sadr city around 1:15 p.m. two children and a woman were among the dead and four children and five women were among the wounded , they said . asked if he was aware of reports of civilian casualties from the strikes , stover said , `` if there were civilian casualties , i sincerely regret them . `` the rockets struck militants firing from buildings , alleyways and rooftops . it was these militants who initiated the engagement by attacking u.s. soldiers . our soldiers have a right to defend ourselves . '' two u.s. soldiers were killed tuesday in separate incidents in northwest baghdad , the military said . the first soldier died from wounds suffered from insurgent small-arms fire at about 8:50 p.m. local time in northwest baghdad , according to a u.s. military public affairs office . the second soldier died at about 10:15 p.m. when the vehicle he was riding in was struck by an improvised explosive device . the names of both soldiers were being withheld until their families could be notified . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's jomana karadsheh , christine theodorou , mohammed tawfeeq and ingrid formanek contributed to this report .<doc-sep>aziz was one of the best-known faces of hussein 's government , serving as deputy prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and as foreign minister for part of that time . in march 2009 , he was sentenced to 15 years in prison in connection with the 1992 executions of 42 merchants . he was captured by u.s. forces in april 2003 , shortly after the u.s.-led invasion that toppled the hussein .<doc-sep>ibrahim said that the ministry of justice detention facilities provide health care for inmates and kadhimiya prison has a clinic . he said if needed the detainees could be taken to medical facilities elsewhere . aziz was one of the best-known faces of hussein 's government , serving as deputy prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and as foreign minister for part of that time . in march 2009 , he was sentenced in connection with the 1992 executions of 42 merchants .<doc-sep>after hussein was hanged , shiite witnesses danced around his body , chanting celebratory slogans . `` in iraqi law , there are no public executions , '' abdul rahman said . `` eid is a time of love , tranquility and reconciliation , not a time for executions . '' none of the iraqi government 's top officials attended the execution and hussein was buried in awja , near tikrit , in the same cemetery as his sons uday and qusay .<doc-sep>the judge who sentenced former iraqi leader saddam hussein to death has been captured and executed by isis militants , it is claimed . raouf abdul rahman , who sentenced the dictator to death by hanging in 2006 , was reportedly killed by rebels in retaliation for the execution of the 69-year-old . his death has not been confirmed by the iraqi government , but officials had not denied reports of his capture last week . judge : raouf abdul rahman -lrb- left -rrb- who sentenced former iraqi leader saddam hussein -lrb- right -rrb- to death has reportedly been captured and executed by isis militants . he is believed to have been arrested on june 16 , and died two days later . jordanian mp khalil attieh wrote on his facebook page that judge rahman , who had headed the supreme iraqi criminal tribunal during saddam 's trial , had been arrested and sentenced to death . ` iraqi revolutionaries arrested him and sentenced him to death in retaliation for the death of the martyr saddam hussein , ' he said , according to al-mesyroon . attieh also said that judge rahman had unsuccessfully attempted to escape from baghdad disguised in a dancer 's costume . the facebook page for izzat ibrahim al-douri , saddam 's former deputy who has emerged as a key figure among the sunni militants , also posted that the rebels had been able to arrest judge rahman . judge rahmann , who was born in the kurdish town of halabja , took over midway through the trial in january 2006 after previous judge rizgar amin was criticised for being too lenient in his dealings with hussein and his co-defendants . the father of three had graduated from baghdad university 's law school in 1963 and worked as a lawyer before he was appointed as the chief judge of the kurdistan appeals court in 1996 . on trial : the former iraqi president gives his account to judge rahman during his trial in 2006 . he oversaw saddam 's trial for crimes against humanity over the killing of 148 people in the town of dujail following an assassination attempt in 1982 , and sentenced him to death by hanging following the guilty verdict . judge rahman had faced claims . that he was biased as his home town had been the subject of a poison gas . attack in 1988 , allegedly ordered by hussein . a number of judge rahman 's relatives . were among the 5,000 people killed in the attack , and during the 1980s . he was also reportedly detained and tortured by saddam 's security . agents . the judge later criticised the way the execution was carried out in december 2006 , saying in 2008 that it should not have been carried out in public and branding it ` uncivilised and backward ' . the hanging had taken place as sunni muslims were celebrating the religious festival eid al-adha , and a video of the execution showed the former leader being taunted by members of the shi'ite group . in march 2007 it was reported that judge rahman had applied for asylum in britain after travelling to the uk with his family on a tourist visa , claiming he feared for his life . he never commented on the claims , which were denied by the iraqi high criminal court tribunal which said he had merely been in the uk for a holiday .

<t> tariq aziz , former iraqi deputy pm , appears in court over executions . </t> <t> he and five others charged with execution of 42 merchants . </t> <t> this is the fourth major trial of ex-hussein officials since invasion . </t> <t> violence continues in baghdad as u.s. troops kill insurgents in gunbattle . </t>

hussein 's deputy on trial over executions<T>

belgrade , serbia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. embassy in belgrade is evacuating all nonessential personnel following thursday 's attack on the building by a crowd of protesters , a spokesman for the embassy told cnn friday . serbian riot police stand in front of the damaged u.s. embassy in belgrade on friday . the u.s. ambassador , cameron munter , is staying , officials said . the embassy was closed friday , and a handful of riot police holding shields stood outside the building , its outer walls blackened from fires set the night before and some of its windows smashed . it will remain closed until monday or tuesday so officials can assess the damage , said bill wanlund , the embassy 's spokesman . he said embassy staff were still in a heightened state of alert but there were no specific threats against any staff members . the united states has warned the serbian government that it has a responsibility to protect its assets . a top u.s. diplomat was asked during an interview on cnn if the serbian government `` gets '' the warning .<doc-sep>`` they 'd better get it , because they have a fundamental responsibility to protect our diplomats and our embassy and to protect american citizens , '' said undersecretary of state for political affairs r. nicholas burns . `` what happened yesterday in belgrade was absolutely reprehensible . '' watch burns ' angry comments on belgrade attack '' thursday 's violence erupted after demonstrations by thousands of serbs against kosovo 's declaration of independence . the anger directed against the united states and other countries for recognizing the breakaway province as a nation sparked attacks on western embassies and shops by hundreds of people . burns said there was an `` insufficient '' number of security people guarding the u.s. embassy at a demonstration everyone knew would take place . he said security `` melted away '' as `` the mob attacked our embassy . '' `` this kind of thing should not happen in a civilized country . it does n't happen in the united states of america . it does n't happen in most world capitals . so the serb government needs to reflect seriously about the responsibility it has under the vienna convention , '' he said . burns , the third highest ranking diplomat in the state department , said he told the serbian prime minister , vojislav kostunica , and his government that the u.s. `` would hold them personally responsible for the safety of our people . '' `` they assured me that they would have adequate security on the ground today and for every day to come . we will hold them to that commitment , '' burns said . demonstrators only managed to break into one u.s. embassy building , which wanlund said was rarely used by staff . he said the protesters did n't manage to get any documents or embassy materials . only marines and security guards were present at the embassy when the angry mob of about 100 approached the walls .in addition to the u.s. embassy , the protesters attacked other western interests including the embassies of britain and germany , as well as a mcdonald 's restaurant and a nike shop . `` one might understand the emotion , but not the violence , and that 's what the serb government needs to remember , '' burns said . burns , who is stepping down in march , has long been involved in trying to resolve tensions in the former yugoslavia . the situation was complicated by sunday 's unilateral declaration of independence by serbia 's predominantly albanian region of kosovo . kosovo is revered historically by orthodox christian serbs but also is claimed as separate and distinct by its ethnic muslim albanians . the wisdom of recognizing kosovo independence has been questioned by many observers , who say the united states wo n't recognize other unilateral declarations of independence . some opponents of kosovo 's independence say recognition is a bad precedent if it 's unilateral and not done in a bilateral , diplomatic setting . they say it will give others the incentive to stage their own breakaway nations . burns said every situation has its unique set of circumstances , as does kosovo , which was the victim of ethnic cleansing policies by the slobodan milosevic regime in 1999 . nato troops fought serbia in an air war then and pushed serbian forces out of the region . since then kosovo has been run by the united nations and with security supplied by nato forces . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>`` al qaeda in the arabian peninsula is now the most operationally active node of the al qaeda network , '' brennan said . according to a statement released by the while house , brennan called yemeni president ali abdullah saleh on thursday and emphasized `` the importance of taking forceful action against al qaeda in the arabian peninsula in order to thwart its plans to carry out terrorist attacks in yemen as well as in other countries , including in the u.s. homeland . '' earlier this month , a vehicle carrying u.s. embassy personnel in yemen was attacked but nobody was injured . in october the motorcade of the british deputy ambassador was attacked and in april the british ambassador 's car was the target of a failed bomb attack . while it is not yet known who is responsible for that attack , the state department 's most recent travel advisory for yemen warns americans of threats to u.s. interests due to active terrorist activity , specifically from aqap . embassy employees in sanaa are instructed to use caution when visiting restaurants , hotels or tourist areas in the capital and are forbidden from traveling outside the capital .<doc-sep>belgrade , serbia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. embassy in belgrade is evacuating all nonessential personnel following thursday 's attack on the building by a crowd of protesters , a spokesman for the embassy told cnn friday . serbian riot police stand in front of the damaged u.s. embassy in belgrade on friday . the u.s. ambassador , cameron munter , is staying , officials said . the embassy was closed friday , and a handful of riot police holding shields stood outside the building , its outer walls blackened from fires set the night before and some of its windows smashed . it will remain closed until monday or tuesday so officials can assess the damage , said bill wanlund , the embassy 's spokesman . he said embassy staff were still in a heightened state of alert but there were no specific threats against any staff members . the united states has warned the serbian government that it has a responsibility to protect its assets . a top u.s. diplomat was asked during an interview on cnn if the serbian government `` gets '' the warning .<doc-sep>the u.s. embassy in baghdad is warning iraqis who want to enter the annual visa lottery to be wary of a scam that instructs applicants to send money via western union to someone apparently at the u.s. embassy in london . `` under no circumstances should money be sent to any address for participation in the dv program , '' the embassy warns in its statement .<doc-sep>`` they 'd better get it , because they have a fundamental responsibility to protect our diplomats and our embassy and to protect american citizens , '' said undersecretary of state for political affairs r. nicholas burns . `` what happened yesterday in belgrade was absolutely reprehensible . '' watch burns ' angry comments on belgrade attack '' thursday 's violence erupted after demonstrations by thousands of serbs against kosovo 's declaration of independence . the anger directed against the united states and other countries for recognizing the breakaway province as a nation sparked attacks on western embassies and shops by hundreds of people . burns said there was an `` insufficient '' number of security people guarding the u.s. embassy at a demonstration everyone knew would take place . he said security `` melted away '' as `` the mob attacked our embassy . '' `` this kind of thing should not happen in a civilized country . it does n't happen in the united states of america . it does n't happen in most world capitals . so the serb government needs to reflect seriously about the responsibility it has under the vienna convention , '' he said . burns , the third highest ranking diplomat in the state department , said he told the serbian prime minister , vojislav kostunica , and his government that the u.s. `` would hold them personally responsible for the safety of our people . '' `` they assured me that they would have adequate security on the ground today and for every day to come . we will hold them to that commitment , '' burns said . demonstrators only managed to break into one u.s. embassy building , which wanlund said was rarely used by staff . he said the protesters did n't manage to get any documents or embassy materials . only marines and security guards were present at the embassy when the angry mob of about 100 approached the walls .

<t> u.s. : an event like embassy attack `` should not happen in a civilized country '' </t> <t> u.s. warns serbia of responsibility to protect u.s. diplomats , building . </t> <t> embassy evacuating nonessential personnel ; ambassador will stay in belgrade . </t> <t> no embassy documents taken during thursday attack and fire , spokesman says . </t>

u.s. warns serbia it 's responsible for safety of embassy<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- author arthur c. clarke , whose science fiction and non-fiction works ranged from the script for `` 2001 : a space odyssey '' to an early proposal for communications satellites , has died at age 90 , associates have said . visionary author arthur c. clarke had fans around the world . clarke had been wheelchair-bound for several years with complications stemming from a youthful bout with polio and had suffered from back trouble recently , said scott chase , the secretary of the nonprofit arthur c. clarke foundation . he died early wednesday -- tuesday afternoon et -- at a hospital in colombo , sri lanka , where he had lived since the 1950s , chase said . `` he had been taken to hospital in what we had hoped was one of the slings and arrows of being 90 , but in this case it was his final visit , '' he said . in a videotaped 90th birthday message to fans , clarke said he still hoped to see some sign of intelligent life beyond earth , more work on alternatives to fossil fuels -- and `` closer to home , '' an end to the 25-year civil war in sri lanka between the government and ethnic tamil separatists . `` i dearly wish to see lasting peace established in sri lanka as soon as possible , '' he said . `` but i 'm aware that peace can not just be wished -- it requires a great deal of hard work , courage and persistence . ''<doc-sep>clarke and director stanley kubrick shared an academy award nomination for best adapted screenplay for `` 2001 . '' the film grew out of clarke 's 1951 short story , `` the sentinel , '' about an alien transmitter left on the moon that ceases broadcasting when humans arrive . as a royal air force officer during world war ii , clarke took part in the early development of radar . in a paper written for the radio journal `` wireless world '' in 1945 , he suggested that artificial satellites hovering in a fixed spot above earth could be used to relay telecommunications signals across the globe . he is widely credited with introducing the idea of the communications satellite , the first of which were launched in the early 1960s . but he never patented the idea , prompting a 1965 essay that he subtitled , `` how i lost a billion dollars in my spare time . '' his best-known works , such as `` 2001 '' or the 1953 novel `` childhood 's end , '' combined the hard science he learned studying physics and mathematics with insights into how future discoveries would change humanity . david eicher , editor of astronomy magazine , told cnn that clarke 's writings were influential in shaping public interest in space exploration during the 1950s and '60s . watch how clarke stands among sci-fi giants '' `` he was very interested in technology and also in humanity 's history and what lay out in the cosmos , '' eicher said . his works combined those `` big-picture '' themes with `` compelling stories that were more interesting and more complex than other science fiction writers were doing , '' he said .<doc-sep>tedson meyers , the chairman of the clarke foundation , said the organization is now dedicated to reproducing the combination of imagination and knowledge that he credited the author with inspiring . `` the question for us is , how does human imagination bring about such talent on both sides of the brain ? '' he asked . `` how do you find the next arthur clarke ? '' clarke was knighted in 1998 . he wrote dozens of novels and collections of short stories and more than 30 nonfiction works during his career , and served as a television commentator during several of the apollo moon missions . though humans have not returned to the moon since 1972 , clarke said he was confident that a `` golden age '' of space travel was just beginning . watch clarke talk about sci-fi vs. reality '' `` after half a century of government-sponsored efforts , we are now witnessing the emergence of commercial space flight , '' he said in his december birthday message . `` over the next 50 years , thousands of people will travel to earth orbit -- and then , to the moon and beyond . space travel and space tourism will one day become almost as commonplace as flying to exotic destinations on our own planet . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- author arthur c. clarke , whose science fiction and non-fiction works ranged from the script for `` 2001 : a space odyssey '' to an early proposal for communications satellites , has died at age 90 , associates have said . visionary author arthur c. clarke had fans around the world . clarke had been wheelchair-bound for several years with complications stemming from a youthful bout with polio and had suffered from back trouble recently , said scott chase , the secretary of the nonprofit arthur c. clarke foundation . he died early wednesday -- tuesday afternoon et -- at a hospital in colombo , sri lanka , where he had lived since the 1950s , chase said . `` he had been taken to hospital in what we had hoped was one of the slings and arrows of being 90 , but in this case it was his final visit , '' he said .<doc-sep>by . lucy buckland . last updated at 12:20 pm on 2nd december 2011 . footage has been unearthed which shows science fiction author sir arthur c clarke thought russia would land the first man on the moon in 1968 . the late 2001 : a space odyssey author made his space race forecast in 1961 , even predicting russia would set foot on the moon on the 50th anniversary of the october revolution . previously thought to be lost , the bbc interview shows clarke chatting to friend tv astronomer sir patrick moore in an episode of the sky at night , the world 's longest running television science programme . predictions : arthur c clarke , pictured here in 1974 , said the russians would win the space race . in the interview in 1963 it had been two years since the russians got the first man into space , yuri gagarin , in april 1961 , but it was the americans who would disprove his theory and get to the moon first . it was thought the broadcast had vanished , but it has just been discovered in a television station archive in africa by collectors looking for lost episodes of doctor who . the grainy footage shows clarke predicted the americans would lag behind the russians and reach the moon just two years later . landing : although arthur c clarke predicted russia would be first to land on the moon , he did get the date almost right as neil armstrong and edwin ` buzz ' aldrin -lrb- pictured -rrb- landed in 1969 . flying the flag : arthur c clarke thought russia would win the space race , he was proven wrong as neil armstrong and edwin aldrin landed on the moon .<doc-sep>and he was n't far wrong with his prediction of : ` around 1970 , if you want to pin me down . ' it was 1969 when neil armstrong put his left foot on to the surface of the moon . he said : ` the american moon project is a colossal thing , costing $ 10m a day . i believe they will succeed in getting a man on the moon -- and back again , which is equally important -- not before 1970 , but it will not be much after that . ' after seeing the film of the interview again after almost half a century , moore told the guardian : ` we got some right , some not so right . i do n't think we did too badly . ' the sky at night : patrick moore , pictured in 1961 presenting the show , said he was thrilled new footage had been unearthed . the film was discovered in an african television archive by one of an eccentric gang of collectors . their prime target is lost episodes of doctor who , but they recognised the exceptional rarity of the 1963 the sky at night interview . the collector , who bought it from the archive sent it back , still in its original film can , as a gift to the current the sky at night production team . footage from the reel will be shown in december 's the sky at night programme next week . discovering the footage was incredibly moving for moore as it is the only record of the only programme which he and friend clarke made live together in a studio . although he did interview clarke again , it was through filmed inserts or taped phone interviews . the british science fiction author , inventor and futurist died in his adoptive homeland of sri lanka in 2008 aged 90 . lost interview : arthur c clarke , who died aged 90 in sri lanka , is interviewed by friend sir patrick moore in the footage from 1963 .<doc-sep>his best-known works , such as `` 2001 '' or the 1953 novel `` childhood 's end , '' combined the hard science he learned studying physics and mathematics with insights into how future discoveries would change humanity . david eicher , editor of astronomy magazine , told cnn that clarke 's writings were influential in shaping public interest in space exploration during the 1950s and '60s . watch how clarke stands among sci-fi giants '' `` he was very interested in technology and also in humanity 's history and what lay out in the cosmos , '' eicher said . his works combined those `` big-picture '' themes with `` compelling stories that were more interesting and more complex than other science fiction writers were doing , '' he said . tedson meyers , the chairman of the clarke foundation , said the organization is now dedicated to reproducing the combination of imagination and knowledge that he credited the author with inspiring . `` the question for us is , how does human imagination bring about such talent on both sides of the brain ? '' he asked . `` how do you find the next arthur clarke ? ''

<t> arthur c. clarke dies in sri lanka at age 90 , aide says . </t> <t> `` 2001 : a space odyssey '' was perhaps his best known work . </t> <t> he and stanley kubrick shared oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay . </t> <t> clarke had lived in sri lanka since the 1950s . </t>

author arthur c. clarke dies<T>

jakarta , indonesia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- indonesia has temporarily grounded all adam air flights starting wednesday because it says the discount airliner `` failed to implement quality standards for its aircraft . '' officers examine an adam air plane which halted suddenly in the middle of the runway in surabaya in february 2007 . `` the operational specification of adam air will be revoked . in effect , adam air will not be allowed to operate any airplanes effective 12 a.m. wednesday , 18 march 2008 , '' according to a statement from indonesia 's civil aviation chief , budhi muliawan suyitno . a year ago , a garuda airlines plane overshot the runway in jakarta , careened into a rice patty field and burst into flames , killing more than 20 people on board . on january 1 , 2007 , adam air flight 574 crashed , killing all 102 people on board . a day after the crash , there were reports that 12 survivors had been found . but those 12 survivors , it turned out later , were from an indonesian ferry that sank four days earlier . for more than a week after the adam air flight disappeared off the radar screens , indonesian authorities scoured the mountainous terrain of western sulawesi province and the java sea for any sign of the missing aircraft , but found nothing . the suspension will last for three months , according to bambang ervan , a spokesman for indonesia 's air transport directorate . adam air 's permit was revoked because it `` failed to implement quality standards for its aircraft , including pilot training and supervision in accordance with standard operational procedures , '' ervan said . the directorate sent a letter to adam air regarding its decision , but has not received a reply . adam air ceo adam suherman told cnn the airline is not surprised by the air transport office 's announcement . he said the airline had to suspend its operations tuesday morning because one of its main investors pulled out , causing the airliner financial problems . indonesia 's aviation authorities recently issued a report outlining a road map to safety , acknowledging that their track record on safety is unacceptable . the u.s. federal aviation administration lowered its rating of indonesia 's safety record and the european union banned all indonesian airliners . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's kathy quiano in jakarta and arwa damon contributed to this report .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- -- discount air carrier southwest airlines flew thousands of passengers on aircraft that federal inspectors said were `` unsafe '' as recently as last march , according to detailed congressional documents obtained by cnn . congressional documents show southwest flew thousands of passengers on aircraft deemed `` unsafe '' by inspectors . documents submitted by federal aviation administration inspectors to congressional investigators allege the airline flew at least 117 of its planes in violation of mandatory safety checks . in some cases , the documents say , the planes flew for 30 months after government inspection deadlines had passed and should have been grounded until the inspections could be completed . the planes were `` not airworthy , '' according to congressional air safety investigators . on thursday , the faa initiated actions to seek a $ 10.2 million civil penalty against southwest for allegedly operating 46 airplanes without conducting mandatory checks for fuselage cracking . `` the faa is taking action against southwest airlines for a failing to follow rules that are designed to protect passengers and crew , '' nicholas a. sabatini , the faa 's associate administrator for aviation safety , said in a written statement . calling it `` one of the worst safety violations '' he has ever seen , rep. james oberstar , d-minnesota , is expected to call a hearing as soon as possible to ask why the airline put its passengers in danger . but southwest airlines -- which carried more passengers in the united states than any other airline last year -- said there was never a flight safety issue .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- qantas , australia 's national airline , grounded its airbus a380 fleet indefinitely after one of its planes suffered a midair engine failure on thursday . the airline said flights of the twin-deck planes -- the world 's largest airliners -- will remain suspended until an investigation into thursday 's incident is complete . `` as long as it takes , '' said airline ceo alan joyce , when a reporter asked how long the suspension would last . `` we are being very cautious until we know exactly what caused this . '' one of the four engines on a qantas airliner shut down six minutes after takeoff thursday from singapore 's changi airport , joyce said . the plane -- with 440 passengers and 26 crew members -- was headed to sydney , australia , but it returned to changi . while in the air above the western indonesian island of batam , part of the engine 's covering , or cowling , tore off . `` i am not sure what actually happened with the debris and why parts of the engine left the aircraft and fell into the ground , '' joyce said . `` we 're still looking at what exactly was the cause of that . '' the pilot made an announcement updating passengers during the flight .<doc-sep>by . anthony bond . published : . 04:31 est , 30 january 2013 . | . updated : . 02:30 est , 31 january 2013 . the founder of tesla motors has said the batteries used by boeing in its dreamliner aircraft are ` inherently unsafe ' - after it emerged that an airline replaced the batteries ten times before all 787s were grounded . boeing was placed under increasing pressure today after it emerged the plane manufacturer knew of previous problems with the batteries . all nippon airways -lrb- ana -rrb- said it . had to replace the batteries on its 787 aircraft ten times because they failed . to charge properly or showed other problems . concerns : all nippon airways -lrb- ana -rrb- said today it had replaced batteries on its 787 aircraft 10 times because they failed to charge properly or showed other problems , and informed boeing about the swaps . damaged : the singed battery case from the japan airlines -lrb- jal -rrb- boeing 787 dreamliner is displayed inside an investigation lab at the ntsb headquarters in washington , dc . investigation : the state-of-the-art dreamliners continues to be grounded as the investigation into the cause of the thermal damage continues . and japan airlines also said it had replaced batteries on the 787 ` on a few occasions ' . ana said it had informed boeing about . the swaps . however , it said it was not required to report the battery . problems to safety regulators because they were not considered a safety . issue and none of its flights were delayed or cancelled . the incidents . occurred between may and december last year . adding to the pressure on boeing , u.s. innovator and entrepreneur . elon musk , who is the founder of tesla car company , told british . aerospace journal flight international about the batteries : ` unfortunately , the pack architecture supplied to . boeing is inherently unsafe . ' all 50 of the boeing 787s in use around . the world were grounded following two incidents with the batteries earlier this month . first , there was also a battery fire in a 787 parked at boston 's logan international airport on january 7 . then on january 16 , an ana flight was forced to make an . emergency landing in japan when its main battery overheated . burnt : the ntsb 's joseph kolly , holds part of the badly fire-damaged battery casing . the battery has been taken apart by experts in a bid to work out what went wrong . according to the new york times , ana . said in five of the ten replacement batteries the main battery had . showed a low charge . in three cases , the airline said the main battery .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- qantas airways ' fleet of airbus a380 aircraft will remain grounded indefinitely after new problems with the planes ' engines were uncovered over the weekend , the australian airline 's ceo said monday . the fleet was grounded thursday after one of four engines on one of the airliner 's a380s failed in mid-flight , forcing an emergency landing . qantas ceo alan joyce said friday that he hoped to have the fleet up in the air within 48 hours after completing engine safety checks , but backed away from that statement monday , telling australian broadcasting corp. , `` we did find some issues that we are investigating further . '' `` hopefully over the next day or so we will have an understanding of when the aircraft can get back in the air , '' he added . `` our top priority is making sure that we have the continued safe operation of the aircraft and if this takes a bit longer , it will take longer . '' thursday 's incident began shortly after takeoff when the flight carrying 440 passengers and 26 crew members to sydney , australia , was forced to return to singapore 's changi airport . while above the western indonesian island of batam , part . of the engine 's covering , or cowling , tore off . on friday , joyce described the incident as an `` engine issue '' rather than an incident caused by poor maintenance . he elaborated in his radio interview monday , saying that on three of the fleet 's rolls-royce engines `` what we found is slight anomalies , oil where it should n't be on the engines . and we are just trying to check what could the cause of that be . '' `` these are new engines on new aircraft and they should n't have these issues at this stage and so it has given us an indication of an area for us to focus into , '' he said . rolls-royce said in a statement last week that it has been working closely with qantas and air safety authorities `` to collect and understand information relating to the event and to determine suitable actions . '' qantas has six a380s -- the world 's largest airliners -- in its fleet of 191 planes . airbus will at some point deliver 14 more , the airline said .

<t> accident-plagued low-cost carrier adam air will no longer be allowed to fly . </t> <t> indonesian government will revoke airline 's license on wednesday . </t> <t> the airline `` failed to implement quality standards for its aircraft '' </t> <t> it has had more than one major accident in last year , one killing 102 people on board . </t>

` unsafe ' indonesian airline grounded<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- austrian investigators monday released more details about the elaborate underground cellar where josef fritzl kept his daughter imprisoned for 24 years , along with three of their children . josef fritzl admitted to authorities he raped his daughter and fathered her children . investigators believe fritzl planned to build the cellar as early as 1978 , shortly after , according to his daughter , he began raping her at age 11 or 12 , said police spokesman franz polzer . the 73-year-old austrian began building the dungeon as part of an addition to his home that year , and simply added the hidden space -- which was not recorded in any building plans -- polzer said . it took fritzl until 1983 to finish the addition , polzer said . investigators recently discovered another door to the dungeon prison , which was blocked by a 500-kilogram -lrb- 1,100-pound -rrb- steel and concrete door that fritzl probably stopped using when he later constructed an electronic door for a second entrance , polzer said . fritzl , who police believe was the only one with access to the cellar , had to travel through an elaborate maze to get to the prison .<doc-sep>`` you would have to open up a total of eight doors , and ... -lrb- for the -rrb- last door which would go into this space -lrb- where the family was imprisoned -rrb- , you would also have to use electronic opening apparatus , '' polzer said . `` we will have to find out perhaps later from now if perhaps there are other spaces we have n't discovered yet , and perhaps maybe there is something else interesting . '' fritzl was recently arrested and confessed to holding his daughter , elisabeth , captive in the dungeon under the fritzl home for decades , repeatedly raping her and fathering seven children -- six of whom survived . three of the children were adopted by josef fritzl and his wife after he concocted the ruse that elisabeth had left the babies on their doorstep . the story of the family 's imprisonment began to unravel more than two weeks ago , when one of the children still in the dungeon , 19-year-old kerstin fritzl , fell seriously ill with convulsions . the father agreed to take her to a hospital , the first time she was allowed out of the prison where she had spent her entire life with her mother and two brothers . dr. albert reiter , who is treating kerstin , said monday that while her condition is still `` grave , '' it `` has improved somewhat . ''<doc-sep>`` she has become more stable , but despite that we have to continue to keep her under sedation and give her respiratory help , '' reiter said , noting it is not clear how long she will be kept under sedation . elisabeth and her two sons were reunited with her mother , rosemarie , who police say knew nothing about the basement prison . they were also reunited with the three children that josef had taken from elisabeth . the reunited family is living in secluded quarters at a psychiatric clinic , where they are finding a daily routine and adjusting to sunlight -- something the two boys had never seen -- according to the clinic 's chief doctor . `` the mother and the smallest child have , in just the last couple of days , increased their sensitivity to light , '' dr. berthold kepplinger said . `` so we have been able to equip them with protective sunglasses . '' five-year-old felix is `` getting more and more lively , '' kepplinger said . `` he 's fascinated by everything that he sees around him -- the fresh air , the light , and the food -- all of these things are helping them , '' he said . `` slowly the color of their skin is changing back to a more normal -lrb- shade -rrb- . '' he also said the family members are still getting to know each other and live together as a family .<doc-sep>kepplinger praised elisabeth for having provided a daily living routine for her children during their captivity . he said the family is getting into a new routine in which the mother and the grandmother make breakfast for the family , and the children make their beds . however , he said there is a noticeable difference between the pace of life of the children held in captivity and that of those who grew up in fritzl 's home . he said the mother , elisabeth , takes breaks and naps several times a day . the health of the family members is satisfactory and hospital staff have been able to let more and more light into the rooms where the family is staying , kepplinger said . kepplinger said the children , after being confined to a small space their entire lives , are finding it increasingly easy to be in larger spaces . initially the dungeon where fritzl held his daughter was only 35 square meters . in 1993 , around the time elisabeth was pregnant with her fourth child , fritzl decided to add to the dungeon , building another room that increased the entire living space of the family to about 55 square meters . on wednesday or thursday , prosecution authorities will attempt to question fritzl -- who is no longer talking to police following his initial confession , state prosecutor gerhard sedlacek said . a warden at the st. poelten jail , where fritzl is being held , told cnn that fritzl appears to be doing well , but he is refusing to go on walks outside the building where he is detained . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>they would then beat his head and body with a baseball bat until he lost consciousness . viviana and brandon gunn would duct tape jordan 's hands over his head to a vertical bar and then hang him from a wooden rafter where he was beaten with a metal bar and where the evil couple would then heat a knife with a lighter and cut him . the couple would then get further kicks from their cowardly attacks on the boy by spraying alcohol onto his wounds . sometimes , the teen 's 27-year-old brother would produce a staple gun and ram staples into his right hand - after which he would strike his teenage brother 's feet with a hammer . house of horror : neighbors reported hearing cries come from the home in silverdale , washington . often jordan was stripped naked and kept in a dog house for two or three days with no food or water or thrown into the cellar with his hands , legs , eyes and mouth duct taped for days . his penis was beaten with a baseball bat and he was given only water and a pill which caused him to fall unconscious . it was during the last session that his sister-in-law and brother left the house to get food while he was hanging from the rafters in the cellar . he managed to removed the duct tape from his mouth and chew away the tape that bound his hands together . he then rammed down the cellar door and fled onto the streets where he remained until he was found at the bus stop in bremerton - in need of medical help .<doc-sep>-lrb- ew.com -rrb- -- ryan murphy has added another attraction to his `` american horror story : freak show '' â $ '' and this one is a real show stopper . ew : ` american horror story ' at comic-con - ` freak show ' cast announced . veteran singer patti labelle will appear in four episodes of the fx anthology series from co-creators murphy and brad falchuk . labelle will play the mother of gabourey sidibe 's character , a townie in 1952 jupiter , florida who discover the secrets of twisty the clown killer . sadly , the grammy-winner 's part will only require her to act ; no singing will be involved .<doc-sep>dr york 's brother , kansas state senator alexander m. york , launched a hunt for his missing sibling but to no avail . on . april 3 , colonel york returned to the inn with armed men after a woman . fled the lodging claiming ma bender had threatened her with knives . house of horror : the benders would smash their guests over the head with a hammer from behind a strategically-placed curtain before tipping their body through a trap door into a made-to-measure cellar . ma allegedly could not understand . english while the younger benders denied the claim . when york repeated . the allegation , ma flew into a rage and branded the woman a witch who had . cursed her coffee and ordered the men to leave her house . it was this outburst that revealed for . the first time that ` her sense of the english language ' was much better . than had been thought . before york left , kate bid him to pay . a second visit the next friday night when she promised to use her . clairvoyant skills and contact the spirit world to help him find his . missing brother . the . men with york were convinced the benders were guilty and wanted to hang . them all but york insisted that evidence must be found . however , as suspicions strengthened and the finger of blame pointed stoutly towards the family . as . more people vanished , a town meeting decided the perpetrators of the . crimes had to be found and a search of every home in the area was . authorised . pa bender and his son both attended the meeting . then , . within two weeks of the meeting a passer by noticed the benders '<doc-sep>the move was forced by politicians of the hard-left die linke and the environmentalist green parties , and the official berlin letter seeking documents was sent to british intelligence a little over a week ago . both britain and america are fuming . both have refused to send any of the requested files to germany . included among them was a demand for information about a 2013 operation handled by both countries - and in co-operation with the bnd - which was , and remains , top secret but was known to involve a massive surveillance programme on suspected islamic terrorists across europe . britain fears a ` big debate ' in the german parliament which would lay open secret sources and intelligence gathering techniques . ` never has a friendly nation been asked to divulge its secrets in this way , ' said one bnd source . ` it is outrageous and we completely understand the fury that this has unleashed in whitehall . ` the british have a horror of secrets being revealed . if they and the americans withdraw co-operation , it would be catastrophic for germany . the rift between the secret services came after a german government request asking britain to release details of secret operations in germany to its committee currently probing into the nsa affair -lrb- pictured -rrb- and other foreign spy agency activities in the country . it would brand germany among the community of nations as a country not to be trusted to share intelligence aimed at combatting terror and spying by hostile governments . it would make us a pariah . ' gerhard schindler , the president of the bnd , met politicians concerned with the enquiry on wednesday to ask them to drop the demand for british intelligence documents . chancellor merkel is known to be angry herself at the high-handed stance of the left and greens but is treading a fine line in a country where many citizens remain outraged at the extent of foreign intelligence snooping in their country . britain has no intention of releasing one single classified document to the germans but is threatening the breach nonethless should the demand for them continue . german confirmed the meeting on wednesday between schindler and lawmakers but had no further comment on ` security matters . '

<t> new : hospitalized incest daughter 's condition is grave but stable , police say . </t> <t> fritzl imprisoned and raped daughter , also fathered her children , police say . </t> <t> wife of josef fritzl was too scared to question him , her sister says . </t> <t> fritzl 's wife focused on keeping family healthy , according to her sister . </t>

secrets of horror cellar revealed<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- croatia held off a furious late onslaught from euro 2008 co-hosts austria to win 1-0 in their opening group b match in vienna on sunday . emmanuel pogagtetz , left , fouls croatia striker ivica olic to concede the match-winning penalty . the croatians took the lead in the fourth minute when midfielder luka modric coolly slotted home from the penalty spot after emmanuel pogatetz clumsily body-checked striker ivica olic in the area . slaven bilic 's team dominated the first half , and should have gone further ahead in the 35th minute but olic 's strike partner mladen petric blazed over the bar with a left-foot volley after beating the offside trap to run on to vedran corluka 's cross . austria 's main threat had come from set-pieces , but they were not able to capitalize on a string of corners . however , the home players kept battling in the second half and squandered a series of chances to level the score in the final 15 minutes . martin harnik fired over the bar on 78 as croatia scrambled to clear the danger , then substitute ivica vastic had a powerful header well saved by goalkeeper stipe pletikosa , who then kept out another low effort by the veteran midfielder . pletikosa also had to deny a driven shot from umit korkmaz , who also came off the bench , while another substitute in roman kienast flicked a header just wide from a free kick in the third minute of time added on . croatia went into the tournament as one of the outside bets , having qualified top of their group ahead of russia with a victory away to england which eliminated the british team .<doc-sep>however , their chances of success were dealt a massive blow when top scorer eduardo da silva was ruled out of the tournament due to a broken leg . none of croatia 's strikers managed to score in the warmup matches , and the arsenal forward 's goal-poaching ability was sorely missed on sunday . the winning goal came after modric and olic combined down the left wing from a throw-in , and pogatetz clearly impeded the striker well away from the austria goal . the middlesbrough defender was booked for protesting the referee 's decision , but he could have no complaints with the ruling . austria are the lowest-ranked of the 16 teams at the tournament in 92nd place , but showed great courage against a 15th-seeded croatia side stacked with attacking talent . but they joined fellow co-hosts switzerland in losing their opening match , following the czech republic 's 1-0 victory on saturday . croatia next play germany on thursday , when austria take on poland . coach bilic was delighted to start with a victory , but was not so impressed with his team 's performance .<doc-sep>`` some players were overwhelmed by playing at a great tournament but we started off with the best possible way -- with a win , '' bilic told reporters . `` in the first 35 minutes we played excellently , of course the early lead contributed to that . `` they exerted more pressure in the second half and i 'm sure that is not to do with a lack of strength from our players . but we confined ourselves to our penalty area too early . `` the last 15 minutes or so when they play all or nothing , you can do that -- but we started in the 60th minute or so . i did n't think the players were happy when they got back in the dressing room . i turned on the cd player and said they should sing because they won . '' austria coach josef hickersberger was left frustrated by his side 's failure to take their chances . `` this was the worst possible start you can have in an opening match of a major tournament , '' he said . `` we took some time to recover , during the first 30 minutes we were nervous . `` for the rest of the match we were playing the way we should have been playing . we even dominated in the second half of the match . we had good opportunities but unfortunately we were n't able to score a goal , so we are empty-handed . in our remaining games we need four points to go through . '' austria : jurgen macho ; sebastian proedl , emanuel pogatetz , martin stranzl ; joachim standfest , rene aufhauser , andreas ivanschitz , jurgen saumel , ronald gercaliu ; martin harnik , roland linz . croatia : stipe pletikosa ; ivan corluka , robert kovac , josip simunic , danijel pranjic ; darijo srna , niko kovac , luka modric , niko kranjcar ; ivica olic , mladen petric .<doc-sep>however , their chances of success were dealt a massive blow when top scorer eduardo da silva was ruled out of the tournament due to a broken leg . none of croatia 's strikers managed to score in the warmup matches , and the arsenal forward 's goal-poaching ability was sorely missed on sunday . the winning goal came after modric and olic combined down the left wing from a throw-in , and pogatetz clearly impeded the striker well away from the austria goal . the middlesbrough defender was booked for protesting the referee 's decision , but he could have no complaints with the ruling . austria are the lowest-ranked of the 16 teams at the tournament in 92nd place , but showed great courage against a 15th-seeded croatia side stacked with attacking talent . but they joined fellow co-hosts switzerland in losing their opening match , following the czech republic 's 1-0 victory on saturday . croatia next play germany on thursday , when austria take on poland . coach bilic was delighted to start with a victory , but was not so impressed with his team 's performance .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- croatia held off a furious late onslaught from euro 2008 co-hosts austria to win 1-0 in their opening group b match in vienna on sunday . emmanuel pogagtetz , left , fouls croatia striker ivica olic to concede the match-winning penalty . the croatians took the lead in the fourth minute when midfielder luka modric coolly slotted home from the penalty spot after emmanuel pogatetz clumsily body-checked striker ivica olic in the area . slaven bilic 's team dominated the first half , and should have gone further ahead in the 35th minute but olic 's strike partner mladen petric blazed over the bar with a left-foot volley after beating the offside trap to run on to vedran corluka 's cross . austria 's main threat had come from set-pieces , but they were not able to capitalize on a string of corners . however , the home players kept battling in the second half and squandered a series of chances to level the score in the final 15 minutes . martin harnik fired over the bar on 78 as croatia scrambled to clear the danger , then substitute ivica vastic had a powerful header well saved by goalkeeper stipe pletikosa , who then kept out another low effort by the veteran midfielder . pletikosa also had to deny a driven shot from umit korkmaz , who also came off the bench , while another substitute in roman kienast flicked a header just wide from a free kick in the third minute of time added on . croatia went into the tournament as one of the outside bets , having qualified top of their group ahead of russia with a victory away to england which eliminated the british team .<doc-sep>brazil striker fred says he was clearly fouled in the move that led to a controversial penalty in favour of the hosts during the opening match of the world cup . speaking publicly for the first time after brazil 's 3-1 win on thursday in sao paulo , fred said in a video released by the brazilian football federation that ` it was a clear penalty . ' he said in the clip that ` there was a charge ' by the croatian defender on his shoulder , and that kept him from having a chance to score . video scroll down to watch cafu discuss the referee . innocence plea : fred has claimed this foul by dejan lovren in brazil 's world cup opener with croatia , leading to neymar 's goal for 2-1 , was a ` clear penalty ' appeal : fred , sat on the ground , pleads with referee yuichi nishimura for a penalty . pursuit : croatia players chase after nishimura after he points to the penalty spot as fred remains seated on the turf . television replays show there was minimal contact by the defender before fred fell , but japanese referee yuichi nishimura gave the penalty and neymar converted the 71st-minute penalty to give brazil a 2-1 lead . neymar had earlier drawn the hosts level after marcelo put through his own net to give croatia a surprise early lead . oscar added a late third to make sure of victory for brazil but croatia were further riled when they had a late reply disallowed after ivica olic was adjudged to have fouled goalkeeper julio cesar .<doc-sep>modric has been in brilliant form for real , becoming a key cog of the champions league winning side after a difficult first season in spain . painful : modric picked up a foot injury in the defeat to brazil that saw him taken to a salvador hospital . talented : modric is croatia 's star man and will be sorely missed in what is a must-win clash on june 18 . croatia could have caused an upset in the tournament opener against hosts brazil but eventually lost out 3-1 with referee yuichi nishimura taking much of the blame for awarding a soft penalty when the score was 1-1 .

<t> croatia beat euro 2008 co-hosts austria 1-0 in opening group b match . </t> <t> luka modric scores fourth-minute penalty after striker ivica olic is fouled . </t> <t> austria battle back in the second half but miss a series of late chances . </t> <t> croatia next play germany on thursday , while austria take on poland . </t>

co-hosts austria pay penalty against croatia<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an australian man and his daughter have created a furor after going on television to admit an incestuous relationship which has produced two children . john deaves and his daughter jenny pictured in the 60 minutes interview . john deaves , 61 , appeared on the 60 minutes show with daughter jenny , 39 , and their child -- nine-month-old celeste , melbourne 's the age newspaper reported . last month judge steven millsteed banned the couple from having sex with each other , but released them on a three-year , $ 460 good behavior bond . court transcripts also revealed their first child died in 2001 from a congenital heart disorder .<doc-sep>the couple told 60 minutes that they fell in love in 2000 when they `` discovered each other later in life . '' deaves had left the family home when jenny was a baby , and did not see her again for 30 years . what do you think of the couple 's relationship ? however , the age reported deaves ' former wife , dorothy , disputed their claim that they were virtual strangers when they fell in love . `` they were in contact all the time , '' she said . `` his youngest daughter -lsb- from his second marriage -rsb- did n't even know they were together and she is really traumatized -- she is hurting terrible . ''<doc-sep>deaves ' first wife and jennifer 's mother , joan , said children deserved a better chance in life than one that originated from incest . watch video report on incest couple . '' `` i just think that the whole relationship is dreadful , '' she told news ltd. . `` these incestual -lsb- sic -rsb- relationships produce children and the children have problems and it 's not fair to kids . ''<doc-sep>professor freda briggs , of the university of south australia , told the australian broadcasting corporation that a good behavior bond would not stop the pair from having more children . `` my controversial suggestion was that in these sorts of circumstances judges should be able to persuade them one way or another , '' she said . `` for the mother for example to have her tubes tied or the father-cum-grandfather to be sterilized . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>predatory : paedophile robin malka , pictured , faces jail after plotting to father a daughter so he could sexually abuse her . a predatory paedophile plotted to ` breed ' a daughter he could sexually abuse , a court heard today . robin malka , 38 , hatched a ` twisted and depraved ' plan to father his own victims and feed his sexual obsession with children . french-born malka said he believed having sex with babies was ` natural and beautiful ' and sent sickening images of infants being molested and raped . malka used the online username ` dom4padeomom ' while he chatted with undercover officers ` stevie ' and ` craig ' about abusing two girls aged three and five . he was also a member of sickening internet groups including ` family fun incest ' and ` all about incest ' .<doc-sep>taking a stand : mary pat angelini has proposed a change in the law to ban incest in new jersey . ` we both had orgasms . we are so similar , so it 's so easy to sexually please each other . for example , we both love neck-biting . i 've never been in a more passionate , loving , fulfilling situation . ' the two are not even hiding their situation , with many around them aware of what is going on between them . ` everyone on my mom 's side of the family sees us as father and daughter , ' she explains . ` those who know that he 's my dad , and that we are engaged , include my father 's parents -lrb- they can see we are happy together and they ca n't wait for us to have babies they treat us just like any other couple -rrb- , the woman we live with , and my best friend . ' the wedding has already been planned , and she will be telling her mother - after the two make the moved to new jersey . ` we plan to move to new jersey where we can be safe under the law , since adult incest is n't illegal there , and once i 'm there i 'll tell everyone , ' she says . ` i 'll call my mom and let her know that we are in love and we are having children . if she wants to see her grandkids we 'll send her money and she can drive to see us . ' and while many people , and science , may argue that having a child with a family member can lead to genetic problems , she scoffs at this notion . ` everybody thinks that kids born in incestuous relationships will definitely have genetic problems , but that 's not true , ' she explains . ` that happens when there 's years of inbreeding , like with the royal family . incest has been around as long as humans have . ' that being said , she says her children will never learn how mommy and daddy first met . ' i do n't want to give them any problems , ' she says .<doc-sep>the two daughters have not yet been questioned by prosecutors . according to austrian law , they can refuse to testify . in 2008 , austrian josef fritzl was arrested after having imprisoned and raped his daughter for 24 years . he was convicted on charges of incest , rape , false imprisonment , assault and murder and sentenced to life in prison in 2009 . the murder charge was for allowing one of the babies he fathered with his daughter to die shortly after birth . heger said that in contrast to the fritzl case , the sisters in braunau `` were not really imprisoned . `` although they could not move where they wanted , neighbors have seen them several times throughout the years , '' she explained . the two sisters are now in psychological care , officials said .<doc-sep>` so now i need to get pregnant by christmas so both babies are in the same year at school . ' the controversial mother-of-three , from leeds , who fell last week on a drunken night out in london , does n't mind if she conceives through a night of casual sex . last month , she looked worse for wear as she enjoyed a night out in london 's soho just weeks after giving birth to her daughter grace . showing off her platinum blonde locks , josie pole-danced in a nightclub , before flashing her pink bra and falling over several times in the street . she first made headlines after getting a boob job on the nhs to help her become famous , she reportedly received taxpayer-funded taxi rides worth # 6,000 a year - because she 's too infamous to use the bus . recently , the 24-year-old deemed breastfeeding ` vile and borderline incest ' .

<t> father and daughter reveal incest on australian television show . </t> <t> couple have had two children , with one dying soon after birth . </t> <t> judge bans couple from having sex to prevent another pregnancy . </t>

dad and daughter admit incest produced babies<T>

editor 's note : `` glenn beck '' is on headline news nightly at 7 and 9 et . glenn beck says to always question conventional wisdom . new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- `` the people who survived the great depression were the ones who had money to buy when everybody else was selling . '' -- my grandfather . i learned a lot from my grandfather , but that might have been the greatest lesson he ever taught me . he was n't just talking about managing money , he was talking about managing life -- and his words have stuck with me since i was a child . a few years back , i was taking a theology course and the professor recommended only the books whose authors he agreed with . i read those books , but i also asked that professor which books he thought had it completely wrong -- and i read those too . then i made up my own mind . after all , following the herd is fine until they all run off the side of a cliff together . less than a year ago , a recession was the last thing on anyone 's mind . in fact , over the summer , as i was questioning the conventional wisdom , i read an article on my television show that quoted a financial expert as saying , `` it is the strongest global market that we 've seen in the history of measuring these things . '' that 's when i realized how fast the herd was approaching the cliff . but with predictions of a recession now more common than fed rate cuts -- and that 's saying something -- maybe now it 's time to look at a worst-case scenario . after all , considering all sides of an issue , no matter how extreme they may be , does n't make you a crazy person ; it makes you an educated one . so to understand what a real meltdown could look like , i turned to nouriel roubini , chairman of rge monitor and professor of economics at new york university 's stern school of business . he 's also a former adviser to the u.s. treasury department . professor roubini recently laid out what he called the `` 12 steps to financial disaster . '' unfortunately , they were really complicated , and i have severe add , so i 've boiled them down into five phases that even a rodeo clown like me can understand . i think of these like our military 's `` defcon '' -- or defense readiness condition -- scale , except that this countdown could end in the meltdown of your bank account : . • defconomy five . how you 'll know we 're here : the housing downturn turns into a free fall , making it the worst collapse in our country 's history . that not only triggers massive numbers of foreclosures and lost household wealth , but it also sets off another large wave of bank write-downs . odds we get here : roubini told me that it 's `` extremely likely , even unavoidable '' that we hit this stage because `` the excess supply of new homes in the market is like we 've never seen before . '' prices , he believes , `` need to fall another 10 to 20 percent before that clears . '' • defconomy four .<doc-sep>how you 'll know we 're here : americans upside-down on their mortgages and unable to pay their home equity loans begin defaulting on other debt , like credit cards , car loans and student loans . in addition , bond insurance companies lose their perfect credit ratings , forcing already troubled banks to write down another $ 150 billion . odds we get here : high . roubini says that 8 million households are already upside-down on their mortgages and he thinks we could see that number go to between 16 million and 24 million by the end of 2009 . a lot of those people , he believes , will simply walk away from their homes and send their keys back to the bank . • defconomy three . how you 'll know we 're here : some banks begin to crack under the pressure of continuing write-downs and mounting defaults by consumers . a national or large regional bank finally collapses , triggering hedge fund failures and general chaos on wall street , potentially leading to a 1987-style market crash . odds we get here : very good . roubini says that we 'll likely socialize the losses , `` effectively nationalizing the mortgages or the banks . '' it would be , he told me , `` like northern rock -lrb- the large bank in england that was recently taken over by the british government -rrb- times three . '' he thinks the stock market will head south throughout the year as fears about a severe recession are confirmed . • defconomy two . how you 'll know we 're here : most forms of credit -lrb- both to consumers and businesses -rrb- become virtually nonexistent . that results in a `` vicious circle '' of additional write-downs , stock market losses , and bank collapses , which leads to even less credit being available . odds we get here : good . roubini says that credit conditions are becoming worse everyday across a variety of markets and wo n't be getting better anytime soon . without extra credit available , people might have to actually -lrb- gasp ! -rrb- live within their means . • defconomy one . how you 'll know we 're here : welcome back to 1929 . a full economic meltdown results in a complete failure of the underlying financial system . what will be known to future generations as `` the greater depression '' has arrived . odds we get here : not likely . roubini believes that this will be a `` very painful and severe recession '' that could last for 18 months or more , but it will be more like 1981 than 1929 . families may be eating soup again , but at least it 'll be in their own kitchens . now , do i think any of what you just read will happen ? i have no idea , and that 's exactly the problem . i 'm not an economist or a stockbroker ; i 'm just a guy trying to make the best decisions i can , and picking the brains of real experts helps me do that . but i do know one thing for sure : depressions are n't advertised in advance . last time around we went from the roaring '20s to bread lines in a matter of just a few years . anyone who says that ca n't happen again either does n't know history , does n't understand how interconnected the world 's economies have become , or is lying to you . while that does n't mean you should panic , it does mean you should prepare -- something my grandfather would 've done a long time ago . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>below is a commentary from glenn beck , who anchors `` glenn beck '' on headline news nightly at 7 and 9 et . glenn beck says politicians do n't have the answers to the housing crisis . new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- longtime viewers of my television program know that i 've been banging the recession drum for a while now , but the truth is that an economy as large and complex as ours does n't just collapse overnight . it happens slowly and methodically , with plenty of warning signs along the way . think about it as a series of waves heading toward the beach , with each one representing a different area of trouble . there 's one for slowing consumer spending -lrb- american express said that spending among its affluent clients slowed for the first time since 2001 -rrb- ; one for inflation -lrb- wholesale and consumer prices recently posted their largest increases in 26 and 17 years , respectively -rrb- ; and one for the continuing credit crunch -lrb- citigroup recently announced its fourth-quarter loss was the largest in its 196-year history -rrb- . but while those waves are the latest to form , we need to pay more attention to the wave that started it all : housing . in theory , looking closely at the housing market in some parts of the country could help predict what 's in store for the rest of us . and if that 's true , then buckle up .<doc-sep>`` we owe a certain responsibility to each other as believers , '' said colson , an influential evangelical christian voice . `` this does n't mean i have n't challenged some people 's theology . but the document says we 're not going to challenge each other 's motives or engage in ad hominem attacks . '' wallis , who led the effort to draft the document and collect signatures for it , noted that the document comes at a time when members of congress are complaining of physical threats against them because of their positions on the health care bill , which president obama signed into law tuesday . wallis says he 'll start collecting signatures from more pastors and rank-and-file churchgoers in coming weeks . the pastor publicly feuded with conservative television host glenn beck this month after beck encouraged his fans to leave churches that preach economic and social justice . wallis organized a boycott of beck 's show but says the timing of the covenant 's release is incidental . colson said the document `` would n't apply to glenn beck because we 're talking about the conversation in the family of believers ... glenn beck is a mormon . '' many christians do n't consider mormons -- members of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints -- to be christians , though mormons consider themselves christian . the covenant is the latest in a series of faith-based efforts to soften the public discourse . prominent evangelical pr executive mark demoss , a conservative , and former bill clinton aide lanny davis launched the civility project last year .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the planned large rally by fox news channel and radio talk show host glenn beck on saturday on the national mall is causing controversy because of its location and timing . saturday is the 47th anniversary of the rev. martin luther king jr. 's `` i have a dream '' speech , and beck 's rally will be in front of the lincoln memorial , where the civil rights leader delivered his historic address . beck , a hero to many conservative voters across the country , says that the mission of the rally is to honor american troops and that the event is nonpolitical . a news release for the `` restoring honor '' rally says `` this non-political event benefits the special operations warrior foundation and pays tribute to america 's service personnel and other upstanding citizens who embody our nation 's founding principles of integrity , truth and honor . '' tea party activists from across the country are expected to attend , and former alaska gov. sarah palin , a fox news contributor , is expected to have a prominent speaking role . `` tea party patriots , our national coordinators , are going because our supporters from around the country by the thousands are going to be there tomorrow for this event , '' tea party patriots national coordinator jenny beth martin said friday on `` cnn 's american morning . '' beck has been heavily promoting the event on his fox program and on his radio broadcasts , and he says that the timing of the event was n't intentional . `` it was not my intention to select 8-28 because of the martin luther king tie . it is the day he made that speech . i had no idea until i announced it , '' beck said on his radio show in june , soon after the announcement of the rally . `` whites do n't own abraham lincoln . blacks do n't own martin luther king . those are american icons , american ideas , and we should just talk about character , and that 's really what this event is about . it 's about honoring character , '' beck said thursday on his fox program . also speaking at the event will be alveda king , a niece of the late civil rights leader . while the naacp put out a cautious statement regarding the rally , there has been plenty of criticism of the event . `` it 's offensive because it 's out of line with the fact . it 's out of line with the truth . the reality is that the conservative movement in america historically has always opposed expansion of civil rights for all kinds of people , '' michael fauntroy , an assistant professor of public policy at george mason university , said friday on cnn 's american morning . `` from my perspective , there 's no real evidence that glenn beck is serious about trying to bring people together and to reclaim the civil rights movement , in my opinion ; it 's really about trying to confuse the civil rights movement and to delegitimize it and in fact dishonor it , '' fauntroy said . expect a lot of debate over the size of the crowd . while the national park service long ago stopped giving crowd estimates for events along the national mall , organizers of the rally are putting out predictions . brendan steinhauser , director of state and federal campaigns for freedomworks , which has been helping to organize the event , predicts a crowd of 250,000 or more . he thinks the crowd will fill up the lincoln memorial area , the reflecting pool and reach the area by the national world war ii memorial . freedomworks is a nonprofit organization that helps train volunteer activists and provides some of the organization behind the tea party movement , including last year 's 9/12 taxpayer march on washington . `` freedomworks has been sharing our logistical notes from organizing the huge 9/12 taxpayer march on washington in 2009 with glenn beck 's staff , '' steinhauser said . `` they are doing the heavy lifting on the 8/28 event , and we 've tried to be as supportive as possible in terms of promotion , sending volunteers their way , helping them navigate the bureaucratic obstacles to doing events in washington , and most importantly , turning out freedomworks members for the weekend 's events . '' one hour after the start of the beck rally , naacp president and ceo benjamin todd jealous will join the rev. al sharpton and his national action network and other civil rights leaders in a mass rally just a few miles away . education secretary arne duncan is also participating . following an event at washington 's dunbar high school , the participants will march to the site of the future martin luther king jr. . national memorial just a few blocks from the lincoln memorial . it 's possible participants in both events could cross paths . organizers of the beck rally and freedomworks say they have not coordinated their efforts with republican party officials . and officials at the republican national committee , the national republican senatorial committee and the national republican congressional committee all say they are not involved in the event . but a top house democrat charges that beck 's claim that the rally is nonpolitical is nonsense . `` it 's blatantly political , '' rep. chris van hollen of maryland , the chairman of the democratic congressional campaign committee , said at an appearance friday at the national press club . `` i mean , come on . you have seen glenn beck and a lot of the talk show hosts on fox news out there talking about this election for the last 15 months since the day president obama was elected president . '' `` you 've had a constant tirade against the president , against democratic efforts to get the economy turned around . let 's call it what it is . it 's a blatant political effort . ''<doc-sep>santorum was so distressed by the `` liberal '' media that he took off time from campaigning last week in michigan and arizona and headed to dallas seeking refuge with the least liberal elitist media person he could find : glenn beck . there , beck and santorum sat on couches directly across from each other , making it look less like a political interview and more like a session with `` dr. phil . '' it was n't long before santorum opened up to `` dr. glenn '' about his feelings regarding the `` bad '' media : `` they ask the question , ` why are you always talking about contraception ? ' i said , ` because that 's all you want to ask me about . ' i mean , it is frustrating . ... you can get a little frustrated . '' i was hoping beck would offer santorum one of dr. phil 's famed lines of advice such as : `` no dog ever peed on a moving car . '' despite all santorum 's talk that our nation 's and god 's laws must agree and that biblical truths are the basis for his views on social issues such as same-sex marriage , he assured us during last week 's cnn debate in arizona that he does not intend to transform his religious beliefs into public policy : `` just because i 'm talking about it does n't mean i want a government program to fix it . '' sorry , you ca n't have it both ways . you ca n't try to win conservative voters by telling them that the bible -- not our constitution -- is the standard our laws must agree with and then try to assure mainstream americans that you do n't mean it . in the words of dr. phil : `` that dog do n't hunt . ''

<t> glenn beck lays out the defconomy scale . </t> <t> beck ponders : will the economy collapse into `` the greater depression '' ? </t> <t> `` maybe now it 's time to look at a worst-case scenario , '' he says . </t> <t> then again , maybe not : be prepared is the key . </t>

glenn beck : do n't follow herd on the economy<T>

mexico city , mexico -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the mexican government has ordered 2,000 troops to the u.s.-mexico border in response to a wave of drug-related violence that is blamed for 200 deaths since january , officials announced thursday . mexico has ordered troops to move near juarez , shown here with el paso , texas , in the distance . the troops are expected to depart friday . the majority will be near the northern border of mexico , in juarez .<doc-sep>juarez sits across the rio grande from el paso , texas . officials said the violence in mexico has increased in large part to competing drug cartels . `` in this battle we will show that no criminal group is capable to resist the strength of the mexican government , '' interior minister juan mourino said at a news conference thursday .<doc-sep>defense secretary guillermo galvan said 2,026 soldiers , 180 military tactical vehicles , three airplanes and more than a dozen drug detection devices would be employed in the military operation . `` violence , and this needs to be stressed , generates organized crime of drug trafficking , '' said mexican attorney general medina mora . `` it 's not in any way a sign of strength , but a sign of weakness , deterioration and decomposition . '' e-mail to a friend . cnn en espanol 's ariel crespo contributed to this report .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . texas has sent up to 1,000 national guard troops to the u.s.-mexico border as it tries to crack down on drug and human trafficking , officials said friday . the surge , announced last month and recently implemented , will cost the state 's department for public safety an extra $ 1.3 million a week . governor rick perry , a potential republican candidate in the 2016 presidential election , has blamed the obama administration for not doing enough to halt a surge in children from central america crossing the border . patrol : u.s. border agents detain immigrants on the texas side of the u.s.-mexico border . the state has increased patrols . perry said the influx of children has diverted u.s. border patrol attention from cracking down on criminal syndicates . ` mexican cartels and criminal elements are taking advantage of this situation by further exploiting these gaps along the border to commit heinous crimes that will further their business , ' tom vinger , spokesman for the texas department of public safety , said . during the nine months ending june 30 , more than 57,000 children , many of them from central america , were detained at the u.s.-mexico border , double last year 's count , according to u.s. government data . the white house and others have called the influx a humanitarian crisis . the obama administration has requested an additional $ 3.7 billion from congress to address the situation . on thursday , the department took media out to the rio grande to show how its fleet of gunboats is patrolling the waterway that divides mexico and the u.s. patrol : helicopters survey scrub near the border , where an extra 1,000 national guard troops have been sent . search : a customs and border protection team drives along the border . texas has seen a surge in immigrants crossing recently . ` we know the enemy , the cartel , on the other side they have cover , they have concealment , they have the element of surprise . ` but what we enjoy is superior training , superior tactics , speed and overwhelming firepower , ' department of public safety lieutenant charlie goble told reuters . perry has won praise for his moves among republicans and criticism from democrats who say he is spending millions on deployments that are more about politics than border protection .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. national guard forces will begin deploying along the u.s. border with mexico beginning in august and will be fully trained and deployed by the end of the month , government officials announced monday . some 1,200 army and air national guard troops will be in place for a year to assist the border patrol in monitoring and capturing illegal immigrants crossing the border into the united states . they will served as a `` gap-filler '' while the customs and border patrol agency hires additional staff to fill the demand in protection along the almost 2,000-mile long southern border with mexico . the troops , from the four border states , will be fully trained and in place in california , arizona , new mexico and texas by september 1 , according to gen. craig mckinley , commander of the national guard . the guard troops will not be involved in law enforcement activities such as arrests of illegal immigrants , but will assist the border patrol in looking for the illegal border crossers and smugglers as well as in intelligence gathering . the airmen and soldiers will be armed , but they will be limited by rules of engagement that allow them to shoot only to defend themselves , mckinley said . the deployment is part of president barak obama 's border plan announced in late may , when he also requested $ 500 million in supplemental funds to try to reduce the number of immigrants and smugglers crossing the border daily . additionally , customs and border patrol will move more aircraft to the tucson sector of the border , where an increase in human smuggling and illegal border crossings have been occurring , federal officials said monday . under president george w. bush , a border deployment of the national guard , called operation jump start , ended in 2008 . the operation sent more than 6,000 troops to the four border states to repair secondary border fence , construct nearly 1,000 metal barriers and fly border patrol agents by helicopter to intercept illegal immigrants .<doc-sep>`` typically this is a time of nationalism and breast-beating by candidates . ... the politicians are the ones who are going to walk all over it . they 're going to say , ` see , the gringos are coming after us , ' '' he said . several mexican lawmakers -- who the country 's constitution says would need to approve any presence of u.s. soldiers -- expressed concern about perry 's comments monday . institutional revolutionary party sen. maria de los angeles moreno said u.s. troops in mexico would be a clear `` aggression . '' `` we must make an effort to face our own challenge , the violence of the criminals and the organized crime groups , but with our own forces and always maintaining the control of our territory , '' said sen. carlos navarrete of the left-wing democratic revolution party . but security analyst pablo monzalvo said when it comes to u.s. involvement , some mexican officials are prone to double speak -- allowing u.s.-led measures to occur even as they speak out against them . earlier this year mexico 's foreign minister fielded questions from angry lawmakers who said u.s. surveillance of mexican territory -- aimed at detecting criminal groups -- was illegal . `` there is interference ... and this has been said publicly . but i ask myself what has been accomplished by ceding a certain amount of authority , '' monzalvo said . perry , who was first elected governor of texas in 2002 , has faced criticism from opponents who have attacked his conservative bona fides on illegal immigration at a series of debates this fall . `` he 's trying to compensate and say , ` yeah , i 'm really tough on mexico , ' but i think he 's overcompensated , '' said grayson , who is also a professor of government at the college of william and mary in williamsburg , virginia . this is n't the first time perry has called for greater force fighting drug cartels . last year he asked u.s. president barack obama to send 1,000 additional national guard troops to the border . `` we must show the cartels that washington will no longer tolerate their terrorizing and criminalizing the border region , '' he wrote in a letter to the president . troops crossing the border , however , is a different matter , olson said . `` no mexican wants the u.s. to send its military troops . ... they welcome cooperation and they welcome the u.s. accepting responsibility for its role , but they do n't welcome the notion of sending troops . that 's crossing a line , '' he said . cnn 's isabel morales and rachel streitfeld contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- dealing with deep drug war wounds is a top issue on mexico 's presidential campaign trail , but the election results could have an impact on both sides of the mexico-u.s. border . as candidates across party lines suggest new strategies , like reducing violence and taking troops off the streets , some u.s. lawmakers say they 're nervous that cross-border cooperation could wane after mexican voters pick a new president july 1 . last week , a republican congressman told the head of the u.s. drug enforcement administration that he was concerned about mexico 's `` impending change in power . '' and sen. john mccain , r-arizona , said in february that he feared at least one mexican presidential candidate was not committed to continuing his country 's campaign against organized crime . worries in washington as mexico 's election looms are a reminder of the close ties binding the neighboring nations . the two countries share billions of dollars in trade and a border that stretches for nearly 2,000 miles . millions of u.s. citizens travel to mexico every year , and millions of mexican immigrants -- legal and illegal -- live in the united states . `` almost no other country affects the united states as much on a day to day basis as mexico , '' said shannon o'neil , a latin american studies fellow at the council on foreign relations . `` what happens in mexico is hugely important for the united states . '' for nearly six years , a brutal drug war in mexico with a staggering death toll of more than 47,500 people has dominated discussions between the two countries . photos : violence in juarez . announcing a crackdown on cartels and sending troops into the streets to help fight the battle were among the first major moves by president felipe calderon after he took office in december 2006 . the united states voiced its support and offered $ 1.6 billion to aid in the fight . u.s. officials have praised growing cooperation with the mexican government as a key weapon in the war on drugs . but on the campaign trail in mexico this year , the three leading candidates have stressed the need to shift strategies . is mexico 's drug war strategy working ? leftist candidate andres manuel lopez obrador of the opposition democratic revolution party has summed up his security policy as `` abrazos , no balazos '' -lrb- hugs , not bullets -rrb- . he started his campaign with a pledge to pull back troops from mexico 's streets , but he said last month that the military would remain deployed until there is a `` trained , skilled and moralized '' police force .

<t> officials : 2,000 troops to go to border in response to wave of drug violence . </t> <t> majority of troops will be near the northern border of mexico , in juarez . </t> <t> violence has increased in large part to competing drug cartels . </t>

mexico sends troops to u.s. border , officials say<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- eos airlines , the all business-class carrier , has declared bankruptcy and stopped operations sunday . the new york-based airline reconfigured 220-seater boeing 757s to 48 seats that could extend into fully flat beds . the seats also allowed passengers -- or `` guests '' as they airline prefered to describe them -- to sit face-to-face to dine or hold business meetings . the tickets carried a hefty price tag -- up to $ 9,000 roundtrip from new york to london -- but the luxuries were aimed toward more discriminating business travelers .<doc-sep>the privately-held airline , in a news release sunday , said it had secured additional financing . but `` some issues arose that prevented the parties from moving forward , '' it said . the airline immediately began the process of eliminating the positions of most of its employees . `` there are times in business when even though you execute your business plan and even though your employees do their jobs beautifully , external forces prevent you from controlling your own destiny , '' eos ceo jack williams said in a statement . the airline becomes the latest in a number of small carriers that have gone out of business in recent month . analysts blame the high cost of fuel , a slowing economy and a credit crunch .<doc-sep>other carriers that have declared bankruptcy recently include skybus and ata airlines . eos asked passengers to contact their credit card companies or travel agents to find out how to obtain refunds for unused tickets . it said frequent-flier program participants will not be able to redeem their points . any value related to membership will be determined by the bankruptcy court . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- british airways has agreed to buy l'avion , the french all-business class carrier and plans to integrate the airline into its recently launched subsidiary , openskies . l'avion was launched in january 2009 and employs 77 staff in paris . the $ 108 million -lrb- # 54 million -rrb- deal marks the departure of the last stand-alone all-business airline following the demise of maxjet , eos and silverjet over the last six months .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- british airways has agreed to buy l'avion , the french all-business class carrier and plans to integrate the airline into its recently launched subsidiary , openskies . l'avion was launched in january 2009 and employs 77 staff in paris . the $ 108 million -lrb- # 54 million -rrb- deal marks the departure of the last stand-alone all-business airline following the demise of maxjet , eos and silverjet over the last six months . openskies , launched on june 19 between paris orly and new york jfk , already operated a codeshare agreement with l'avion that flies out of orly to newark , new york . following integration , openskies will increase the frequency of its orly-jfk service to three daily flights . openskies currently operates one boeing 757 with 24 flat-bed berths in business class , 28 seats in premium economy and 30 in economy . l'avion , launched in january 2007 , flies two boeing 757s with 90 business-class seats . ba is yet to decide whether l'avion planes will be changed to a three-class layout . `` l'avion is a successful airline that has built up a premium business between orly and new york in a relatively short period of time , '' said british airways ' chief executive , willie walsh in a statement . `` it has many synergies with openskies and buying it provides openskies with a larger schedule and an established customer base in the paris-new york market . '' christophe bejach , co-founder and chairman of l'avion , said he was happy with the deal . `` this transaction will strengthen our current base and enable the combined airline to grow faster and stronger . '' completion of the deal is expected this month and , if approved , full integration will take place in early 2009 .<doc-sep>there are few luggage restrictions , with passengers able to take two pieces weighing up to 32kg each for no extra cost . however , the transatlantic route has proved a tricky one for airlines to make profitable . four business-class airlines -- silverjet , eos , maxjet and l'avion , which was also started by la compagnie founder frantz yvelin -- have come and gone . but mr yvelin says la compagnie is using more economical jets . he added : ` my salary is smaller than any of my captains ' salaries ; our offices are in a suburb of paris rather than an impressive address in the city centre . '<doc-sep>forget back of the bus , cattle or economy class , a boutique airline company in france has launched an exclusively all-business class flights at comparatively budget prices . trying to make business class more accessible to everyone , french airline la compagnie offers passengers a round trip from paris to new york for just # 945 -lrb- $ 1200 -rrb- - more than # 2000 cheaper than the same trip with air france . launched by l'avion founder frantz yvelin and former swissair and jetairways coo peter luethi in july , the company sets to bring business class service ` back to where it belongs . ' scroll down for video . welcome on board : the la compagnie team on board the luxury aircraft with budget prices . ` with french style and american dependability , la compagnie will become the choice of the current generation of hard-working business travelers who demand something more from air transportation ' says yvelin . the airline 's website states that their promise ` is for those who want to enjoy and exclusive business-class cabin at a smart price '

<t> new york-based business class airline eos declares bankruptcy . </t> <t> luxury carrier charged up to $ 9,000 roundtrip from new york to london . </t> <t> analysts blame high fuel costs , slowing economy , credit crunch for industry problems . </t>

business class airline eos bankrupt<T>

washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the department of homeland security will bypass environmental and land-management laws to build hundreds of miles of border fence between the united states and mexico , homeland security secretary michael chertoff said tuesday . a border fence stands at juarez , mexico . more than 360 miles of fence are supposed to be finished by year 's end . `` criminal activity at the border does not stop for endless debate or protracted litigation , '' chertoff said . `` these waivers will enable important security projects to keep moving forward . ''<doc-sep>chertoff cited a congressional requirement that 361 miles of fence be completed by the end of the year . he also pointed out that congress had given him the authority to bypass laws . but the executive director of the sierra club , an environmental group , said the move `` threatens the livelihoods and ecology of the entire u.s.-mexico border region . '' `` secretary chertoff chose to bypass stakeholders and push through this unpopular project on april fools ' day . we do n't think the destruction of the borderlands region is a laughing matter , '' said carl pope .<doc-sep>the sierra club says the waivers will affect a range of federally protected lands , including national parks , monuments , wildlife refuges , forests and wilderness areas . the sierra club says the waivers themselves are unconstitutional and has asked the supreme court to rule on the question . this is the fourth set of waivers issued by the department , and is the most sweeping .<doc-sep>chertoff 's orders tuesday affect two areas . first , the department proposes to place fencing , towers , sensors , cameras , detection equipment and roads along a 470-mile stretch of the border in california , arizona , new mexico and texas . second , it plans to integrate a concrete wall into proposed levee reinforcements along a 22-mile section of the rio grande in hidalgo county , texas . the department said it is committed to working in an environmentally sensitive manner and cooperating with resource agencies so it does as little damage as possible . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>last month the department of homeland security waived 30 environmental laws to finish 470 miles of the fence by the end of the year . homeland security secretary michael chertoff told congress that the agency continues to talk to some 600 landowners along the border to get their input . but in order to comply with the congressional mandate , he said , there is no time to deal with `` unnecessary delays caused by administrative processes or potential litigation . '' `` we are currently in a lawless situation at the border , '' says chertoff . `` i feel an urgency to get this tactical infrastructure in . and although we 're going to be respectful of the environment , we 're going to be expeditious . '' two environmental groups , defenders of wildlife and the sierra club , have filed appeals with the u.s. supreme court , claiming the waivers are unconstitutional and set a dangerous precedent . `` national security and environmental protection do not have to be at odds with each other , '' says defenders of wildlife spokesman matt clark . `` if we can drop this arbitrary deadline for constructing the fence and go through the proper procedures , then there are inevitably ways to minimize environmental impact , but as it is now it 's throwing all of those laws out the window . '' mountain lion tracker jack childs also worries about the impact of the fence on local wildlife , especially the jaguar . childs captured the first video of a live jaguar in the late summer of 1996 , a few months after warner glenn . watch childs and glenn talk about efforts to preserve the jaguar '' `` i knew historically there had been a few jaguars sighted in arizona but in the last hundred years never in any numbers . '' his encounter sparked a passion for the big cats . along with wife anna and biologist emil mccain , he created the borderlands jaguar detection project . see images of the controversy ''<doc-sep>el calaboz , texas -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- eloisa tamez said she is n't scared anymore , just determined . `` i am not backing down , '' she said . the u.s. government wants to build a border fence like this one . about 100 landowners are fighting it . tamez owns three acres of land along the texas-mexico border where the department of homeland security would like to build a border fence . the property is a remnant of a 12,000-acre grant from spain to her family in 1767 , before the united states even existed . `` it is my history . it is my heritage , '' tamez said . this week , the justice department began legal action against landowners and municipalities who have refused to give government surveyors access to their land . tamez expects she will be sued sometime soon , but she is not intimidated . asked how long she will fight , she said , `` as long as i have to . '' michael chertoff , the secretary of homeland security , said the fence will not be stopped by opponents like tamez . `` can we simply abandon an enterprise because it is a problem for a particular individual ? '' chertoff told cnn . `` i do n't think i can accept that . '' watch chertoff say it 's `` civic responsibility '' to give up land '' chertoff believes a fence would curb the steady stream of illegal immigrants making their way across the border and lessen the flow of drugs . he also argues it will increase the safety of border patrol agents who have faced increasing violence . the government wants to build 700 miles of fence along the mexican border , including 370 miles of it by the end of this year . about 70 miles of fence is to be built in the rio grande valley by year 's end , if the government gets its way .<doc-sep>the rio grande forms a natural barrier along this stretch of the border , but in some places it is narrow enough to swim across . on the banks of the river there is ample evidence that people do so . piles of underwear lie discarded by swimmers after they make it across . the swimmers change into dry clothes they have carried across in plastic bags . then they disappear into the united states . the border patrol has stepped up its efforts in the rio grande valley with more lights , and sensors to pick up movement . a levee built along the river has a muddy road on top used by border patrol vehicles to patrol the area . richard cortez , the mayor of the border town of mcallen , texas , believes hiring more border patrol agents , deepening the rio grande , and clearing its banks of tall vegetation would provide better border protection than the fence . cortez calls the fence `` a multibillion-dollar speed bump , '' which will slow , but not stop , illegal immigration . `` it is a false sense of security , '' he said . `` america will not be safe . america will continue to waste resources on something that is not going to work . '' cortez and other border mayors who oppose construction of the fence formed a group called the texas border coalition . the coalition wrote to chertoff asking for further consultations on the fence , but this week the department of homeland security turned them down . while expressing support for open dialogue with residents and officials , david pagan of u.s. customs and border protection wrote in an e-mail , `` we do not plan to suspend work on the construction of fence in order to hold a series of additional consultation meetings . '' cortez said his city is contemplating a court test of the law that mandated the construction of the border fence . and so a battle is being waged by about 100 landowners , those like eloisa tamez who are standing firm . `` i will not allow them to come and survey my land . i have an american-given right to protect my property , '' she said . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. border officers found a wire between two fences along the u.s.-mexican border that , when stretched taut , could have seriously harmed or even decapitated border patrol agents , congress was told wednesday . the wire was about 4 feet high when pulled tight , or about neck level for an agent on an atv , officials say . `` it was configured in a way so that , if it was pulled , it would take off the head of a border patrol agent riding in an open car , '' homeland security secretary michael chertoff said at a house budget hearing . the wire was discovered saturday when authorities monitoring a surveillance camera saw two people on the north side of the border east of the san ysidro port of entry , in the san diego sector . border patrol agents sent to the area found a thick metal wire tied to a secondary fence .

<t> new : sierra club says border waivers are unconstitutional . </t> <t> homeland security chief : waivers will enable security projects to move forward . </t> <t> environmental , land-management laws will be bypassed for u.s.-mexico fence . </t> <t> michael chertoff says congress has given him the authority to bypass laws . </t>

chertoff : laws to be waived for border fence<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- barcelona coach frank rijkaard has confirmed that he expects ac milan target ronaldinho to leave the nou camp at the end of this season . brazil forward ronaldinho is expected to join italian club ac milan during the summer transfer window . the brazilian 's agent has had talks with the former european champions , but barcelona have yet to agree a fee for the player . rijkaard , whose own position is under some doubt after a poor domestic season , told catalan television channel tv3 that ronaldinho may feature in barca 's final spanish league home match against real mallorca on may 11 if he recovers from injury . `` yes , it could be then , '' said the dutchman . `` he could yet play in the last game of the season in the nou camp . if he is to play again , he has to be fit , '' added rijkaard . when asked whether former paris st germain star ronaldinho would leave in the summer , rijkaard replied : `` you would have to think so .<doc-sep>`` i do n't want people to forget what he 's done for this club . i hope that he leaves with his head held high and that he demonstrates to the world of football just who he is . '' ronaldinho has been sidelined by injuries several times this season , with his latest problem a hamstring complaint which has kept him out since the start of april . `` one must remember everything the way it happened . i did not over-protect him . he is a player that never caused any problems , '' rijkaard said , denying suggestions that he had fallen out with the two-time former world player of the year . when asked about his own job , rijkaard said he was waiting for talks with the barca board . `` i am very excited and want to complete my task . then we shall see . the club has always helped me a lot , but we will have to see what is best for everyone , '' he said . barcelona 's only hope of winning silverware this season is in the champions league , with the club taking on manchester united in the second leg of the semifinals at old trafford on tuesday night . united held on to draw the first leg 0-0 at the nou camp last wednesday after cristiano ronaldo missed an early penalty for the english champions .<doc-sep>`` it is a difficult place to go and they have a strong team , but i believe we can qualify . united are a team that will not be afraid . they play like they know and have a strong mentality and a lot of talent , '' rijkaard . `` they do not complicate things . they will go forward more than in the nou camp and that could give us chances . defending is not our style . we need to worry only about the way we play . '' united may be missing england striker wayne rooney and serbia defender nemanja vidic . both sat out monday 's training session after suffering injuries during saturday 's 2-1 defeat at premier league title rivals chelsea . vidic , who missed the first leg because of a stomach problem , lasted just eight minutes at stamford bridge before being stretchered off after being accidentally kneed in the face by chelsea striker didier drogba . rooney injured his hip before scoring the equalizer -- his 18th goal this season -- and was replaced in the 63rd minute by cristiano ronaldo . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>jose mourinho , lionel messi and ronaldinho are the star names confirmed for deco 's testimonial in july . the match in honour of the former portuguese international will feature two of his teams , porto 's class of '04 and barcelona 's class of ' 06 . mourinho , currently in charge of chelsea , will manage his champions league-winning hosts at the dragao stadium . video scroll to the bottom to watch some of jose 's funniest moment from the season . remember me ? jose mourinho will take charge of porto for deco 's testimonial in july . superstars : lionel messi and ronaldinho will reunite for barcelona 's class of ' 06 , coached by frank rijkaard . calls time : deco called time on his glittering career earlier this year . after kick-starting a generation at the catalan club , dutch coach frank rijkaard will take charge of fellow european winners in 2006 barca in the one-off game . lionel messi , ronaldinho , samuel eto'o and henrik larsson will be on show according to portuguese publication o jogo , while xavi and andres iniesta 's participation depends on their fitness after the world cup . messi made his debut in a barcelona shirt at the dragao stadium , and the match will give him a chance to link up with his idol once again .<doc-sep>barcelona , spain -- barcelona are ready for twice world player of the year ronaldinho to move on , said club president joan laporta . ronaldinho is expected to leave barcelona this summer after struggling for form last season . laporta told the catalan tv3 station that the brazilian midfielder , who struggled with injuries and poor form last season , needed new challenges in his career . `` when the wheel turns , it 's normal that the key figures leave , '' laporta said . `` i would like ronaldinho to be given a great send-off so that he is remembered for all he has given us and that if he did n't do any more it was because the circumstances would n't allow it . `` last year , we thought that it might be the year to sell him , but given his enthusiasm and the appreciation that a club like barcelona needs to have , we decided to let him stay on . things have n't turned out the way he wanted them to . '' laporta recognized that it might not be easy to sell ronaldinho , who suffered a series of injury and fitness problems this season and made the starting line-up in only 13 of 38 league matches . ronaldinho last played for barcelona in the 2-1 loss at home to villarreal on march 9 , has suffered muscle pain in his right leg been out of action ever since . ac milan showed an interest in signing him and his brother robert de assis said personal terms had been agreed . but the clubs failed to reach agreement over a transfer fee . after a second successive season without a trophy barcelona announced on may 7 that rijkaard would leave at the end of the season and be replaced by former player josep guardiola . `` we decided that if frank did not continue then we would choose guardiola because pep possessed the necessary humility , '' said laporta . `` we did n't think about coaches like mourinho or -lrb- rafa -rrb- benitez , who are both great coaches , but are n't right for barcelona . so we told rijkaard that when he left guardiola would take his place . '' barca 's arch-rivals real madrid , who lifted another spanish title this season , have signed their first newcomer for the next campaign by paying a reported 10 million euros -lrb- $ 15.5 million -rrb- for argentine defender ezequiel garay from racing santander . marca newspaper said the 21-year-old argentine had signed a six-year contract . meanwhile , reports that real could be making a move for manchester united 's cristiano ronaldo were dismissed by coach bernd schuster . `` i prefer to spend my time talking about things that have some bearing to reality , '' he told a press conference . marca had reported that real were still interested in buying ronaldo who has put off all talk of his future until after the champions league final .<doc-sep>ronaldinho has revealed that lionel messi made the step up to the barcelona first team after the players asked manager frank rijkaard to promote him . four-time world player of the year messi made his barcelona debut in 2004 at just 17 and has gone on to illuminate the football world , winning countless accolades and breaking numerous records . and former team-mate ronaldinho says that it was the players who convinced rijkaard to give messi his chance , and the 34-year-old believes the argentina international is better than real mardid forward cristiano ronaldo .<doc-sep>madrid , spain -- lionel messi scored for the sixth game in a row as barcelona defeated big-spending atletico madrid 3-0 to stay in touch with primera liga leaders real madrid . messi -lrb- left -rrb- is congratulated by ronaldinho after scoring again in barcelona 's 3-0 win over atletico madrid . barcelona had thumped atletico 6-0 on their own ground last season and the visitors were out for revenge -- but conceded twice in four minutes . after 15 minutes , italian goalkeeper christian abbiati let a routine messi cross slip out of his hands and deco rolled home into the empty net . four minutes later messi played a great one-two with ronaldinho and rifled a shot past abbiati for his sixth goal of the season and xavi added a third late on . `` it was a deserved victory against a rival that we have had problems with in the past , '' explained barca coach frank rijkaard . `` we scored twice in quick succession and then we controlled the match using aggression and with the team attacking and defending as a unit . '' `` conceding two early goals inside four minutes is not easy to turn around especially against barcelona , '' admitted atletico coach javier aguirre . it was barcelona 's fourth straight league win but they still trail real madrid by two points after the champions beat recreativo huleva 2-0 . dutch international ruud van nistelrooy , the league 's top-scorer last season , scored on 72 minutes before gonzalo higuain netted in the final minute to keep real at the summit .

<t> barcelona coach frank rijkaard confirms he expects ronaldinho to leave club . </t> <t> the brazil forward has been in talks with ac milan but no fee has been agreed . </t> <t> rijkaard says ronaldinho may make a farewell outing if he recovers from injury . </t>

rijkaard expects ronaldinho to leave barca<T>

seoul , south korea -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the chairman of the samsung group announced his resignation tuesday , just days after his indictment amid an investigation into allegations of corruption . chairman of the samsung group lee kun-hee has been indicted for tax evasion and breach of trust . `` i sincerely apologize and will do my best to take full legal and moral responsibility , '' said lee kun-hee , who was indicted last week on charges of tax evasion and breach of trust . `` it grieves me for i still have many things to do . '' at least four other executives will leave their jobs at samsung , which has annual sales of nearly $ 160 billion and accounts for 18 percent of south korea 's economic output .<doc-sep>samsung also outlined several reforms tuesday . investigators started looking into the conglomerate in january , after a former company lawyer said the company created slush funds worth $ 200 million . the probe led prosecutors to indict lee and several other executives , but the prosecutors said an investigation found no evidence to support an allegation that the company bribed government officials and prosecutors . samsung 's exports -- valued at about $ 70 billion -- account for a fifth of all south korean exports .<doc-sep>the conglomerate outlined several reforms it plans to implement . `` we do not think that samsung 's renovation is complete with what we have declared , and known that this is just the beginning , '' samsung said in a statement . `` if there are any other things we should mend , we positively will . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>icons were also ` flatter ' in design , similar to those seen on apple 's . ios 7 software , having previously been designed with shadowing to give . them a 3d appearance . the apps listed were speed , curiosity , fun , outdoor , social , style , privacy , fitness and life . curiosity , fun and social are also featured in the latest video . these icons also appeared to be colour coded , with apps relating to features of the phone - privacy , speed , and curiosity - shown in blue . rumours claim the korean tech giant will launch the galaxy s5 phone during the event in barcelona next week . the the use of the number five in the video , pictured , adds even more weight to these claims . a number of the titles relate to photos , and photo features , including this ` selfie ' slide . rumours state the phone will have a 16mp camera - up from 13mp - and these slides bolster these claims . outdoor , style and fitness were shown in green , while the social icon is yellow , fun is purple and life is red . this . new look suggests the touchwiz interface used across samsung 's devices . will be redesigned for the s5 - or whichever device the firm announces . touchwiz is a skinned version of google android , designed specifically for samsung gadgets . it makes it stand out from the traditional android used on nexus devices , for example . the . icons on the webcast invitation also hinted at what samsung wants to promote as the . phone 's main features , namely speed and privacy . meanwhile , curiosity . could hint towards a new search feature . samsung unveiled the teaser invitation , pictured , on its official blog . it features rounded icons for samsung apps , and hints towards a new-look version of its touchwiz interface . touch wiz is a skinned version of google 's android operating system . the icons also have the ` flatter ' design seen in apple 's ios 7 . this new look suggests the touchwiz interface used on samsung devices , pictured here on the galaxy s4 , will be redesigned for the s5 . the icons on the teaser also hint at what samsung wants to promote as the phone 's main features , namely speed and privacy . it 's not surprising samsung may be looking to improve its touchwiz interface . last november , vice chairman kwon oh-hyun admitted that the software is poor , and that the firm is better at designing hardware than developing software . the korean firm is expected to use the event to reveal its galaxy s5 alongside a new , curved version of its galaxy gear watch . it has already been claimed the handset could have a new ` smart ' home screen that changes depending on the user 's location , or what they are doing .<doc-sep>seoul , south korea -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the chairman of the samsung group plans to resign , according to a report published tuesday by yonhap , the south korean news agency . chairman of the samsung group lee kun-hee has been indicted for tax evasion and breach of trust .<doc-sep>the club confirmed his departure in a statement on monday : '' as roma announces it received yesterday evening the resignation of mr claudio ranieri as coach of the first team . `` following this move , the financial contract with ranieri , whose deal was coming to an end on june 30 , 2011 , has ended by mutual consent . roma wishes to thank claudio ranieri for the professionalism shown and the work done . '' elsewhere , raul tamudo 's goal was enough to help real sociedad past mallorca and move them up to seventh in the spanish primera liga .<doc-sep>by . victoria woollaston . published : . 09:36 est , 11 february 2014 . | . updated : . 12:27 est , 21 february 2014 . another samsung teaser not only hints at the imminent arrival of the galaxy s5 smartphone , it suggests the phone 's interface may also be getting an overhaul . the teaser was unveiled on the korean tech giant 's official blog and shows nine rounded app icons - current icons are a mixture of shapes . these icons are also ` flatter ' in design , similar to those seen on apple 's ios 7 software , having previously been designed with shadowing to give them a 3d appearance . scroll down for video . samsung unveiled the teaser invitation , pictured , on its official blog . it features rounded icons for samsung apps , and hints towards a new-look version of its touchwiz interface . touch wiz is a skinned version of google 's android operating system . the icons also have the ` flatter ' design seen in apple 's ios 7 . the handset is expected to be announced on february 24 , and go on sale worldwide in april . rumours suggest it will have a 5.25 inch qhd -lrb- 2,560 × 1,440 -rrb- super amoled display . it is expected to run the exynos 6/snapdragon 805 processor and feature a 16mp camera - up from 13mp on the galaxy s4 . any new touchwiz interface will be laid on top of the latest version of android 4.4 , also known as kitkat . the casing of the galaxy s5 may also come in plastic , following suit from previous models of the phone , as well as metal to rival the iphone 5s . source : sammmobile . samsung sent journalists invitations to a . ` samsung unpacked ' event at the mobile world congress show in . barcelona , last month . this latest invitation features details of the . event 's webcast . the apps listed are speed , curiosity , fun , outdoor , social , style , privacy , fitness and life . these icons also appear to be colour coded , with apps relating to features of the phone - privacy , speed , and curiosity - shown in blue . outdoor , style and fitness are shown in green , while the social icon is yellow , fun is purple and life is red . this new look suggests the touchwiz interface used across samsung 's devices will be redesigned for the s5 - or whichever device the firm announces . touchwiz is a skinned version of google android , designed specifically for samsung gadgets . it makes it stand out from the traditional android used on nexus devices , for example . the icons on the teaser also hint at what samsung wants to promote as the phone 's main features , namely speed and privacy . meanwhile , curiosity could hint towards a new search feature . this new look suggests the touchwiz interface used on samsung devices , pictured here on the galaxy s4 , will be redesigned for the s5 . the icons on the teaser also hint at what samsung wants to promote as the phone 's main features , namely speed and privacy . samsung sent journalists invititations to a ` samsung unpacked ' event , pictured , at the mobile world congress show in barcelona , last month . this latest invititation features details of the event 's webcast . the korean firm is expected to use the event to reveal its galaxy s5 alongside a new , curved version of its galaxy gear watch . it 's not surprising samsung may be looking to improve its touchwiz interface . last november , vice chairman kwon oh-hyun admitted that the software is poor , and that the firm is better at designing hardware than developing software . the korean firm is expected to use the event to reveal its galaxy s5 alongside a new , curved version of its galaxy gear watch . the numerous references to the number five throughout the latest teaser add weight to these claims . it has already been claimed the handset could have a new ` smart ' home screen that changes depending on the user 's location , or what they are doing . leaks of samsung 's new menu system show a series of ` smart cards ' showing information to users than can change depending on where they are or what they are doing . this is similar to how google now works . an image obtained by website @evleaks , . shows a home screen displaying a series of cards , similar to how google . now works ; showing nearby locations as well as information gleaned from . apps about what the user is doing . for . example , it shows details of the user 's latest run , a flight they plan to . catch and text messages from friends . this could be a major overhaul for samsung 's flagship handset , if it is legitimate . the specs for samsung 's new galaxy s5 . have also already leaked online , amid claims the handset will come in both . metal and plastic versions . the . handset is expected to have a 5.25-inch screen - up from the s4 's 5-inch display - use iris . scanning to recognise users without a password , and will run a . superfast snapdragon processor . there is also expected to be a mini version of the s5 , and a camera version called the zoom , according to the sammobile web site . the metal version is expected to cost around 800 euros -lrb- # 657 -rrb- and the . plastic model is rumoured to cost around 650 euros -lrb- # 535 -rrb- . by comparison , the metal phone 5s starts at # 549 . if true , samsung 's move is identical to apple 's decision to launch a plastic iphone 5c alongside its flagship 5s model last year .

<t> samsung group chairman lee kun-hee announces resignation , apologizes . </t> <t> lee 's decision comes a few days after his indictment amid corruption investigation . </t> <t> lee was indicted for tax evasion and breach of trust . </t> <t> prosecutors say indictment relates to a plan to transfer control of the firm to his son . </t>

samsung chairman announces resignation<T>

washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. government has charged an international arms dealer with conspiring to sell a rebel group millions of dollars in weapons `` to be used to kill americans in colombia , '' federal prosecutors announced tuesday . viktor bout is accused of selling missiles , rockets and other weapons to farc , a colombian rebel group . viktor bout , who was recently captured in thailand , had agreed to sell the revolutionary armed forces of colombia -lrb- farc -rrb- surface-to-air missiles , armor-piercing rocket launchers , `` ultralight '' airplanes , unmanned aerial vehicles , and other weapons , the u.s. department of justice said in a news release . there was no immediate public response from bout , who remains in custody in thailand . federal authorities unsealed an indictment charging bout with four terrorism offenses : conspiracy to kill u.s. nationals , conspiracy to kill u.s. officers or employees , conspiracy to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile , and conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization . farc is designated a terrorist organization by the u.s. state department . justice department officials said they are seeking bout 's extradition to the united states . the indictment alleges that bout made agreements with farc between november 2007 and march of this year . in their news release , federal prosecutors said bout agreed to sell weapons `` to two confidential sources '' working with the u.s. drug enforcement administration , who had `` represented that they were acquiring these weapons for the farc , with the specific understanding that the weapons were to be used to attack united states helicopters in colombia . '' the news release also refers to a `` covertly recorded meeting in thailand on march 6 , 2008 . '' `` with the unsealing of this indictment , we are one step closer to ensuring bout has delivered his last load of high-powered weaponry and armed his final terrorist , '' dea acting administrator michele m. loenhart said in the news release . attorney general michael mukasey last month singled out bout as a leading example of a new breed of organized crime leaders who operate across international boundaries to amass wealth without regard to political ideology . `` viktor bout has long been considered by the international community as one of the world 's most prolific arms traffickers , '' u.s. attorney michael garcia said in the news release tuesday . bout 's assets in the united states were frozen in 2004 after he allegedly shipped weapons to liberia in violation of u.s. government restrictions .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- convicted russian arms dealer viktor bout could face life in prison after a federal jury returned guilty verdicts wednesday on four counts related to a conspiracy to kill americans , acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles and provide material support to a terrorist organization . bout 's attorney , albert dayan , said the verdict will be appealed . `` i still stand by my position that viktor was wrongfully accused , '' said dayan . `` the jury has spoken but his position is still that he 's innocent . '' widely dubbed `` the merchant of death , '' bout was often referred to by u.s. and united nations officials as among the most notorious of global arms traffickers . he had pleaded not guilty to all the charges . dayan said during the trial that the former soviet air force officer was not involved in illegal arms sales , and that federal agents had baited bout into selling the weapons alongside a deal to sell airplanes . but preet bharara , the u.s. attorney for manhattan , called the russian tycoon `` a very dangerous man '' in a statement wednesday . `` he aimed to sell those weapons to terrorists for the purpose of killing americans . '' commentary : three chilling moments from the trial . the heart of the case stemmed from a 2008 sting operation in thailand by the u.s. drug enforcement agency . undercover agents posing as colombian rebels attempted to buy larges caches of weapons , according to a 2008 federal indictment . both the united states and the european union identify the rebel group -- the revolutionary armed forces of colombia , or farc -- as a terrorist organization . the agents tried to purchase 700 to 800 surface-to-air missiles , thousands of ak-47s and landmines , telling bout that they wanted the arms `` to kill americans , '' the indictment said . bout responded , it said , by saying he `` was going to prepare everything the farc needed . ''<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. government has charged an international arms dealer with conspiring to sell a rebel group millions of dollars in weapons `` to be used to kill americans in colombia , '' federal prosecutors announced tuesday . viktor bout is accused of selling missiles , rockets and other weapons to farc , a colombian rebel group . viktor bout , who was recently captured in thailand , had agreed to sell the revolutionary armed forces of colombia -lrb- farc -rrb- surface-to-air missiles , armor-piercing rocket launchers , `` ultralight '' airplanes , unmanned aerial vehicles , and other weapons , the u.s. department of justice said in a news release . there was no immediate public response from bout , who remains in custody in thailand . federal authorities unsealed an indictment charging bout with four terrorism offenses : conspiracy to kill u.s. nationals , conspiracy to kill u.s. officers or employees , conspiracy to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile , and conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a syrian arms dealer was sentenced to 30 years in a u.s. federal prison for conspiring to sell weapons as part of a plot to kill americans in colombia , according to prosecutors . syrian-born arms dealer monzer al-kassar , seen in a file photo , tried to sell weapons to undercover u.s. agents . monzer al-kassar was also ordered tuesday to forfeit all of his assets , according to a news release from the u.s. attorney 's office for the southern district of new york . al-kassar 's co-defendant luis felipe moreno godoy received a 25-year prison sentence for his role in the conspiracy .<doc-sep>bangkok , thailand -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a thai appeals court ruled friday that suspected international arms dealer viktor bout can be extradited to the united states . the court ruled that the extradition process must be completed within three months , otherwise bout will be released . bout , a former soviet military officer , was shackled in chains during the hearing . his wife and daughter were also in the courtroom . after the ruling , they stood up and cried . friday 's ruling came after heavy lobbying from u.s. officials . `` we are extremely pleased that the appeals court in thailand has granted the extradition of viktor bout to the united states on charges of conspiring to sell weapons to a terrorist organization for use in killing americans , '' said a statement by acting u.s. deputy attorney general gary grindler . `` we have always felt that the facts of the case , the relevant thai law and the terms of our bilateral extradition treaty clearly supported the extradition of mr. bout on these charges . '' russian foreign minister sergei lavrov described the thai appeals court 's ruling as an `` unlawful , political decision '' that was `` taken under a very strong pressure from the outside , '' russian state-run news agency ria novosti reported . `` i can assure you that we 'll do everything necessary for his return to his home country , '' lavrov told reporters , according to ria novosti . bout had been indicted by u.s. federal authorities on a series of charges , including counts of illegally purchasing u.s. cargo planes to ferry weapons to warring parties and regimes in africa and the middle east . thai courts had previously balked at extraditing bout to the united states on the basis of the original charges against him , which centered on his alleged efforts to send millions of dollars worth of weapons to arm guerrilla fighters in colombia . last year , a thai court rejected the u.s. government 's request for extradition . bout was arrested in bangkok in march 2008 after a sting operation led by agents of the u.s. drug enforcement agency , posing as members of the revolutionary armed forces of colombia -lrb- farc -rrb- . bout , widely regarded as a prolific arms dealer , has been in thai custody since . bout has repeatedly said he has not broken any laws and the allegations against him are lies . he is accused of supplying weapons to war zones around the world -- from sierra leone to afghanistan . in february , a federal indictment charged bout and an alleged co-conspirator with the illegal purchase of a boeing 727 and a boeing 737 , money laundering and wire fraud . the united states charged bout in 2008 with agreeing to sell surface-to-air missiles , armor-piercing rocket launchers , `` ultralight '' airplanes , unmanned aerial vehicles , and other weapons to farc . justice department officials have sought his extradition since then . federal authorities accused bout of four terrorism offenses : conspiracy to kill u.s. nationals , conspiracy to kill u.s. officers or employees , conspiracy to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile , and conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization , the designation given to farc by the u.s. state department . a former soviet air force officer who speaks six languages , bout allegedly began building his arms business as the soviet union disintegrated in the early 1990s . he acquired surplus soviet planes and , according to the u.s. treasury department , started shipping arms and ammunition to various conflict zones . it is widely believed that he inspired the character of yuri orlov , the arms dealer played by nicolas cage in the 2005 film `` lord of war . '' journalist james hookway contributed to this report .

<t> viktor bout offered to sell surface-to-air missiles , rockets to farc . </t> <t> arms dealer captured in thailand . u.s. seeks extradition . </t> <t> u.s. says bout is an example of a new breed of organized crime leaders . </t>

indictment : arms dealer offered weapons to kill americans<T>

baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- turkish troops fired artillery shells into northern iraq on wednesday nearly a week after turkey completed its eight-day ground offensive targeting kurdish militants , an iraqi official told cnn . turkish troops patrol near the border with iraq during the february offensive . jabbar yawer , spokesman for iraq 's kurdish regional government security forces , said at least 16 rounds were fired on dashti barzji -- an uninhabited area in iraq 's irbil province located about 12 miles from iraq 's border . irbil is one of the three provinces compromising iraq 's kurdish region . the turkish military in ankara had no immediate comment about the report . yawer said turkish helicopters were seen in the area during the strike but said that the choppers were not involved in the attack .<doc-sep>the border conflict has wider implications for the middle east and asia , with the united states concerned that prolonged cross-border fighting would serve to destabilize the region , where kurdish separatists pose challenges to power in iran and syria , as well as turkey '' and iraq '' . the turkish military for months has been conducting cross-border airstrikes and artillery fire in northern iraq against members of the kurdistan workers ' party , or pkk -- militants who have been launching attacks against turkey from bases in northern iraq . turkish troops launched a ground offensive on the evening of feb. 21 `` to prevent the region from being used as a safe haven by the terrorists and to contribute to the internal peace and stability of iraq in the long run . '' it was the first significant turkish ground offensive into iraq since the 2003 overthrow of former iraqi dictator saddam hussein , and it ended after iraqi and u.s. officials urged turkey to make the foray as brief as possible . a total of 240 rebels , 24 troops , and three village guards were killed , the turkish military said .<doc-sep>the pkk has spent two decades fighting for autonomy for kurds in southeastern turkey , with some of its attacks launched from inside northern iraq . turks regard the pkk militants as terrorists and point to indiscriminate pkk attacks against civilians as well as police and military targets over the years . the united states and the european union also label the pkk a terrorist organization . u.s. officials have shared intelligence with turkey . the iraqi government opposes the pkk presence , but it views the turkish military incursion as a violation of its sovereignty . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq in baghdad and talia kayali in atlanta contributed to this report .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. , turkish and iraqi leaders all held talks monday about kurdish rebels using northern iraq as a launchpad for cross-border attacks into turkey . turkish troops patrol near the border with iraq on monday . president bush chatted by phone with turkish prime minister recep tayyip erdogan , while separately two senior iraq national government figures met with the head of the country 's kurdish region . the diplomatic moves came after turkish warplanes pounded kurdish separatist targets in northern iraq on saturday and sunday as well as last week .<doc-sep>baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- turkish troops fired artillery shells into northern iraq on wednesday nearly a week after turkey completed its eight-day ground offensive targeting kurdish militants , an iraqi official told cnn . turkish troops patrol near the border with iraq during the february offensive . jabbar yawer , spokesman for iraq 's kurdish regional government security forces , said at least 16 rounds were fired on dashti barzji -- an uninhabited area in iraq 's irbil province located about 12 miles from iraq 's border . irbil is one of the three provinces compromising iraq 's kurdish region . the turkish military in ankara had no immediate comment about the report . yawer said turkish helicopters were seen in the area during the strike but said that the choppers were not involved in the attack .<doc-sep>the border conflict has wider implications for the middle east and asia , with the united states concerned that prolonged cross-border fighting would serve to destabilize the region , where kurdish separatists pose challenges to power in iran and syria , as well as turkey '' and iraq '' . the turkish military for months has been conducting cross-border airstrikes and artillery fire in northern iraq against members of the kurdistan workers ' party , or pkk -- militants who have been launching attacks against turkey from bases in northern iraq . turkish troops launched a ground offensive on the evening of feb. 21 `` to prevent the region from being used as a safe haven by the terrorists and to contribute to the internal peace and stability of iraq in the long run . '' it was the first significant turkish ground offensive into iraq since the 2003 overthrow of former iraqi dictator saddam hussein , and it ended after iraqi and u.s. officials urged turkey to make the foray as brief as possible . a total of 240 rebels , 24 troops , and three village guards were killed , the turkish military said .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- turkish troops backed by air support attacked kurdish rebels friday in northern iraq , the turkish military said . turkish tanks on the move near the border town of silopi in sirnak province , southeastern turkey . at least 24 suspected kurd militants were killed , the turkish military reported , adding it suffered 5 casualties . the incursion against the kurdistan workers party -lrb- pkk -rrb- in iraq began around 7 p.m. thursday . in a statement , the turkish military said it would act with `` utmost sensitivity in order to avoid negative impact on local elements '' -- a reference to keeping civilians out of the conflict . `` the turkish armed forces , which values iraq 's territorial integrity and its stability , will return as soon as planned goals are achieved , '' the military said . `` the executed operation will prevent the region from being a permanent and safe base for the terrorists and will contribute to iraq 's stability and internal peace . '' turkey has been taking cross-border military action , including airstrikes and artillery shelling , against the pkk in retaliation to attacks by the group on targets in turkey from bases in the kurdish region of northern iraq . the pkk has spent two decades fighting for autonomy for kurds in southeastern turkey . turkey has also been carrying out small ground operations into iraq , forays characterized as `` hot pursuit '' incursions with a few hundred commandos responding to a particular threat . citing turkish media reports estimating that as many as 10,000 turkish troops had been involved , fadi hakura , an analyst with uk military thinktank chatham house , said the operation was the first major incursion by turkey into iraq since hussein was toppled in 2003 . hakura said the turkish military wanted to conduct a surprise attack against the pkk prior to the springtime , when violent attacks tend to escalate , and when the snow in the mountainous border region leaves the fighters ' footprints .

<t> turkish troops fire artillery shells into northern iraq . </t> <t> at least 16 rounds fired on uninhabited area in iraq 's irbil province . </t> <t> latest action comes a week after turkey completes eight-day ground offensive . </t>

turkish troops shell northern iraq<T>

orlando , florida -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the man accused of trying to sneak bomb-making materials on a flight from orlando to jamaica admitted he planned to build a bomb after he landed , according to an fbi agent . witnesses say the man arrested tuesday was `` rocking left and right and up and down . '' the man said he planned to `` detonate the device on a tree stump in jamaica , but later told us he was going to show friends how to build explosive devices like the kind he saw in iraq , '' fbi agent kelly boaz said in a court affidavit . the first court appearance for the man , kevin brown , was postponed wednesday to allow government officials time to look into whether he suffers from mental illness . u.s. army officials said brown was in the service from september 1999 through december 2003 , when he received an honorable discharge . although his record did not show a deployment to iraq , he received an army commendation medal in 2003 for serving in support of operation iraqi freedom , officials said . his court-appointed attorney declined to comment .<doc-sep>brown , a jamaican national , was arrested tuesday on charges of `` carrying a weapon or explosive on an aircraft , '' the fbi said . he was taken into custody after an air safety officer noticed him acting strangely as he waited to board an air jamaica flight , federal authorities said . he appeared in court wednesday but government officials asked for the delay , saying there were indications brown might have a history of mental illness . a new hearing is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. thursday . transportation safety administration officials said a `` behavior identification officer '' noticed brown acting strangely around noon tuesday as he approached a ticket counter . officials said brown , who is believed to be in his early 30s , had checked baggage that contained two galvanized pipes , end caps , two containers of bbs , batteries , glass bottles containing nitromethane , a laptop , bomb-making literature and one model rocket igniter .<doc-sep>boaz , a member of law enforcement bomb squad , said the items could have been used to make bomb . `` the items found in brown 's baggage constitute an incendiary device , '' boaz said in court papers . `` the nitromethane was in a breakable container and the model rocket igniter would act as the wick . '' initial record checks indicate brown was in the united states legally , the fbi said . according to the bureau , he was living on the streets in orlando , `` sleeping in the open . '' federal investigators said he seems to have been living in several places , sometimes with relatives , and they do n't know his home town . `` it appears to be an isolated incident , but our investigation is continuing , '' the fbi 's david couvertier told cnn . as part of the probe , officials are looking at whether brown has ties to any organized group , he said . the fbi is being aided by orlando police . airport officials said several ticket counters were temporarily closed during the incident , and 11 flights were delayed . airport spokeswoman carolyn fennell said air jamaica , air canada , west jet and frontier flights were among those delayed . e-mail to a friend . cnn national correspondent susan candiotti and rich phillips contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a man who is accused of trying to board an air jamaica flight at orlando international airport with apparent bomb-making materials was taken into custody tuesday . witnesses say the man arrested tuesday was `` rocking left and right and up and down . '' officials said kevin brown , a jamaican national , was acting strangely and caught the attention of an air safety officer at the florida airport . brown was arrested on charges of carrying a weapon or explosives onto a plane , according to the fbi . the bureau said brown , who is in his early 30s , had baggage that concealed two galvanized pipes , end caps , two containers of bbs , batteries , two containers with an unknown liquid , a laptop and bomb-making literature . `` he looked rather crazy , '' a passenger told cnn affiliate wkmg . `` he was rocking left and right and up and down . '' transportation safety administration officials said brown caught the eye of a `` behavior identification officer '' about noon tuesday as brown approached a ticket counter for his planned flight to jamaica . lee kair , the tsa 's federal security director in orlando , said the materials in his bags posed no danger to other travelers . initial record checks indicate that brown was in the united states legally , the fbi said . the fbi and the orlando police department are investigating , kair said . airport officials say several ticket counters were shut down during the incident and 11 flights were delayed . airport spokeswoman carolyn fennell said air jamaica , air canada , west jet and frontier flights were among those delayed . `` things are slowly returning to normal , '' fennell said , adding that the terminal where brown was apprehended was operating normally by 3 p.m. kair said that behavior identification officers like the one who spotted brown are plain-clothes officers trained to watch for suspicious behavior at airports . `` when people are doing things that are deceptive , they exhibit behaviors that are involuntary , '' he said . `` our officers are very well trained to identify these behaviors . '' brown is scheduled for an initial appearance in federal court in orlando on wednesday . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>an aviation technician with extremist islamic views was charged on friday after he planned to detonate a car bomb at a kansas airport . terry lee loewen , 58 , was arrested on friday morning at mid-continent regional airport in wichita , according to u.s. attorney barry grissom , after being thwarted by an undercover fbi investigation . grissom said loewen planned to drive a car that he believed was full of explosives into a terminal at the airport and trigger the device in a suicide mission . scroll down for video . terry lee loewen , 58 , was arrested as he tried to plant explosives at mid-continent regional airport in wichita , kansas on friday . loewen 's house where he plotted to plant a suicide bomb at the airport where he worked . the fbi had infiltrated his scheme six months ago . investigators say loewen is an avionics technician who lives in wichita and works at the airport . grissom said the 58-year-old spent months developing his plan of driving a car filled with explosives into the airport , triggering the bomb and killing himself . he was arrested at 5.30 am this morning after he tried to open a gate on to the tarmac at the airport with his security pass . loewen believed his car was filled with explosives but the fbi confirmed today that the material was never at risk of causing an explosion . the u.s. attorney said that loewen was radicalized from reading extremist islamic texts online . richard mckown , 81 , who lives two doors down from loewen , told mailonline today that he was deeply shocked by the crimes that his neighbor had been accused of . he also said that the terror suspect lived with a woman whom he believed to be his wife . a woman called deborah loewen is also listed at the same address . mr mckown , who has lived in the neighborhood for six years , said : ` they kept themselves to themselves . in the summer evenings , all the neighbors would be out talking but they never participated . ` it 's a complete shock , no one can understand why . ' a kansas state trooper , left , and a wichita airport police officer stand watch at the mid-continent airport in wichita on friday . a kansas state trooper walks outside mid-continent airport where an employee had planned to plant a suicide bomb today . a criminal complaint filed in u.s. district court in wichita on friday charges loewen with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction . he is also accused of attempting to . damage property by explosives and attempting to provide support for a . foreign terror organization . the 58-year-old is due to be arraigned at 3pm -lrb- cst -rrb- . if convicted , loewen faces life in prison . the fbi said that the suspect had . been under constant surveillance for the past six months and at no . point , had the public faced any danger . fbi evidence response teams are processing several locations . no further arrests are expected . at a press conference on friday , authorities stressed that there was no indication that the defendant was involved with or working with any religious community in wichita and that his alleged actions in no way should reflect on any religious group . according . to an affidavit , loewen had engaged in online chat with an individual . who was actually an undercover fbi agent . he reportedly said that he . wanted to commit ` violent jihad against the united states on behalf . of al qaeda ' . the fbi said that loewen studied the .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- after almost 10 months , the fbi has zeroed in on a suspect in the case of missing florida pilot robert wiles , who may have been kidnapped for ransom . missing florida pilot robert wiles is thought to have been kidnapped for ransom . `` we 're close to solving the case , '' said fbi special agent david couvertier . he would not elaborate . agents also would not identify the suspect , and they said the person is not in custody . investigators would only reveal that the `` key suspect '' is in florida , either in orlando , lakeland or melbourne . `` they 're holding that back in hopes of getting additional information , '' said couvertier . the fbi says it 's also looking at several persons of interest in those same three florida cities . wiles , 27 , was last seen in the family 's aircraft maintenance business , national flight services , at lakeland linder regional airport on april 1 , 2008 .<doc-sep>layout of the airport , took photographs of access points and . researched flight schedules . he also took part in buying components for a car bomb and talked about how he wanted to set off the device . u.s. attorney barry grissom announces charges against loewen who was arrested this morning in a case in wichita , kansas . according to the affidavit , the undercover agent was told by the suspect on august 5 this year : ` as time goes on i care less and less about what other people think of me or my views on islam . ' i have been studying subjects like jihad , martyrdom operations and sharia law . ' he later continued : ' i feel so guilt-ridden sometimes for knowing what 's required of me but yet doing little or nothing to make it happen . ' in a later message to an undercover officer , according to the affidavit , loewen said : ` brothers like osama bin laden and anwar al awlaki are a great inspiration to me ... ' the terror suspect later said that he had been studying al-awlaki 's methods of jihad and ` printed out something called the al qaeda manual ' . loewen also told an undercover agent during the online chats of some of the deadly plans he had in mind . he explained his plot in detail , offering a supposed accomplice a tour of the airport and said how he could be the ` access ' guy . terry lee loewen , 58 , was arrested on friday morning at mid-continent regional airport -lrb- pictured -rrb- after he tried to plant a bomb on the tarmac . he wrote : ` i 'm 58 years old and spending my remaining years behind bars for a good reason is not out of the question for me . ' loewen . sent pictures to the undercover agent of what appeared to be fighter . jet trainers on the tarmac outside of the hanger where he worked at the . airport , according to the affidavit . the . interactions between the suspect and the agent continued to the point . of purchasing material that loewen believed to be capable of creating a . bomb . according to the affidavit : ` in discussing the specifics of the operation , which included taking a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device -lrb- vbied -rrb- to the terminal near a number of passenger planes , loewen suggested that another individual could come in to the terminal with a suicide vest ... ' on wednesday , . the fbi employee made the final preparations on the bomb and loewen said . that he was ` happy ' with the plan which was set for december 13 . this morning before 5am , loewen was picked up by his believed accomplice at a local hotel and taken to a location where they had stored the bomb . kansas governor sam brownback speaks during a press conference announcing the arrest of terry lee loewen after he planned a suicide bomb attack . the suspect finished wiring the device , believing that it would be ` operational ' , according to the affidavit . they drove to the airport and at a security gate , loewen tried twice to use his access badge , which was unique to him , to enter the tarmac . however the gate had been disabled by authorities and loewen was taken into custody . in a suicide letter that loewen wrote for a family member , he wrote , according to the affidavit : ` by the time you read this i will - if everything went as planned - have been martyred in the path of allah . he continued : ` the operation was timed to cause maximum carnage + death . ' he closed the letter with the words : ' i expect to be called a terrorist -lrb- which i am -rrb- , a psychopath , and a homicidal maniac ' u.s. senator jerry moran released the following statement after learning of the arrest : we are grateful for the law enforcement officials who kept individuals , including many kansans , safe today . ` this incident is a reminder that we must remain vigilant and reaffirm our commitment to protecting this country and its ideals from those who wish to do us harm . '

<t> new : kevin brown was honorably discharged from the army . </t> <t> brown admitted he planned to build a bomb after he landed , court documents say . </t> <t> fbi : brown was arrested for carrying a weapon or explosives onto a plane . </t> <t> brown tried to board flight at orlando airport tuesday . </t>

fbi : orlando airport suspect planned to build bomb<T>

london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the uk 's prince harry has been serving on the frontline in afghanistan and seen combat , but his deployment will be reviewed after the news was leaked by a u.s. web site , the uk ministry of defense confirmed thursday . he was deployed 10 weeks ago and his fellow soldiers were sworn to secrecy . `` at the end of the day i like to sort of be a normal person , and for once i think this is about as normal as i 'm ever going to get , '' the 23-year-old prince said in a recent interview . harry is third in line to the british throne and serves with the blues and royals . the information had been kept secret for security reasons , said gen. richard dannatt , the chief of britain 's general staff . because of the unique circumstances of the deployment . cnn , as well as other news organizations , chose to honor an embargo requested by the military . the prince is a member of a group called joint tactical air control , or jtac . he holds the rank of cornet -- equivalent to a second lieutenant -- and serves as a forward air controller . watch prince harry on the front lines in afghanistan ''<doc-sep>his duties include calling in airstrikes and air support when necessary , guaranteeing the accuracy of bombing on the ground and guarding against incidents of friendly fire . `` as far as i 'm concerned , i 'm out here as a normal jtac on the ground and not as prince harry , '' he said . harry is the younger son of prince charles , the heir to the british throne , and the late princess diana , who died in a paris car crash in 1997 . the military confirmed his assignment after a u.s. web site broke the news blackout -- and dannatt expressed displeasure at the report . watch how a top secret operation deployed prince harry '' `` i am very disappointed that foreign web sites have decided to run this story without consulting us , '' dannatt said in a written statement . `` it was my judgment that with an understanding with the media not to broadcast his whereabouts , the risk in -lrb- deploying him to afghanistan -rrb- was manageable . `` now that the story is in the public domain , the chief of defence staff and i will take advice from the operational commanders about whether his deployment can continue . '' last year , the military ruled harry could not be sent to iraq because publicity about the deployment could put him and his unit at risk .<doc-sep>but dannatt said the experience has demonstrated `` that it is perfectly possible for prince harry to be employed just the same as other army officers of his rank and experience . '' `` his conduct on operations in afghanistan has been exemplary , '' the general said . `` he has been fully involved in operations and has run the same risks as everyone else in his battle group . in common with all of his generation in the army today , he is a credit to the nation . '' watch prince harry on the front lines '' shortly after the news of the prince 's deployment broke , several islamist web sites posted messages alerting their `` brethren '' in afghanistan to be on the lookout for the royal soldier . `` o brothers of monotheism , if you find anyone with unusual security in his battalion , know that this could be the prince harry . we ask god that he gets caught on your hands , '' one such posting read . several members of the british royal family have seen combat over the past century . harry 's grandfather , prince phillip , served aboard warships in world war ii ; his great-grandfather -- king george vi -- took part in the world war i naval battle of jutland ; and prince andrew , harry 's uncle , flew navy helicopters during britain 's 1982 war with argentina over the falkand islands . harry 's brother , prince william , is also an army officer . but as second in line for the throne , he is specifically barred from combat . the last sitting british monarch to lead troops in battle was george ii , who defeated a french force at the battle of dettingen in 1743 . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>addressing the queen at the diamond jubilee parade and muster military tribute in windsor , gen richards said : ` prince harry 's success in flying training means it is likely he will serve operationally again . ' it is the first time such a senior military figure has given such a clear indication of harry 's future deployment . harry 's return to the war zone will again raise fears he would be a ` trophy ' target for the taliban . harry has been on ` limited combat ready ' status since february , which means he could be sent to afghanistan with 662 squadron . he was last in afghanistan in 2008 , but flew home when news of his deployment broke in the media . prince harry qualified as an apache helicopter pilot in february this year after 18 months of training in the uk and us . future : chief of the defence staff , general sir david richards , said the prince was ` likely ' to resume operational duties , raising the prospect he will soon be flying apache helicopters in helmand . prince harry was a high-flyer during his apache training , qualifying top of his class - which is a huge achievement given how notoriously difficult these airborne tanks are to master . captain wales , as he is known in the army air corps , was presented with the best co-pilot gunner award during a dinner to mark the end of his course .<doc-sep>shortly after the news of the prince 's deployment broke , several islamist web sites posted messages alerting their `` brethren '' in afghanistan to be on the lookout for the royal soldier . several members of the british royal family saw combat in the past century . prince harry 's grandfather , prince phillip , served aboard warships in world war ii ; his great-grandfather -- the future king george vi -- took part in the world war i naval battle of jutland ; and prince andrew , prince harry 's uncle , flew royal navy helicopters during britain 's 1982 war with argentina over the falkland islands . prince harry 's brother , prince william , is also an army officer . but as second in line for the throne , he is specifically barred from combat .<doc-sep>prince harry returned to afghanistan today on behalf of the queen as he led emotional tributes to his friends who died in the name of war . it was a highly meaningful return for the prince , who was posted to the country on a tour of duty in 2007-08 and again in 2012-13 . the 30-year-old left a personal wreath at kandahar airfield which read : ` there is no greater love than to lay down one 's life for one 's friends . they will never be forgotten . harry . ' scroll down for video . ` they will never be forgotten ' : prince harry lays a wreath at kandahar airfield in afghanistan today , where he led a service for the queen . emotive : the highly personal message on the prince 's wreath , which was left as part of the service . he served alongside other soldiers during his secret first deployment to afghanistan in 2007-08 , then again when he returned to the country in 2012-13 . tribute : the 30-year-old also read from john 15 in the bible , the passage from which he took the quote on his poppy wreath . salute : today 's visit came just weeks after it was revealed british combat operations had come to an end after 13 years of conflict . the quote came from john 15:13 , a bible passage which harry read as part of a remembrance sunday service at the dwindling base where he also met colleagues from his former unit . the full quote comes as jesus addresses his disciples , and reads : ` my command is this : love each other as i have loved you . greater love has no one than this : to lay down one 's life for one 's friends . ` you are my friends if you do what i command . i no longer call you servants , because a servant does not know his master 's business . instead , i have called you friends , for everything that i learned from my father i have made known to you . ' it was believed to be the prince 's first return to afghanistan since his operational role came to an end in january 2013 . the ministry of defence confirmed harry 's role this afternoon - only after he had safely left kandahar - after he was notably absent from the remembrance sunday commemorations in whitehall which included his brother . there are just a few hundred remaining troops in afghanistan , where their combat role officially came to an end on october 26 . harry served in afghanistan twice , but his maiden deployment had to be cut short after a foreign publication broke a strict media blackout on details of his whereabouts . the prince lined up with fellow servicemen to hear the last post and reveille played by musicians from the royal artillery band . sparse : there are just a few hundred remaining troops in afghanistan , where their combat role officially came to an end on october 26 . combat : the first return since january 2013 was an opportunity for the prince to be reunited with some of his old colleagues . flying visit : pilots showed the prince inside the cockpit of an raf tornado on his brief trip to kandahar airfield this morning . for security reasons the visit remained under a media blackout until the prince left , much like his first deployment in 2007-08 . after the service he met personnel from joint force support -lrb- afghanistan -rrb- and 904 expeditionary air wing , including members of 31 squadron raf serving their final tour of afghanistan . he climbed into the cockpit of a tornado gr4 and learned how the jet has served in recent operations , a ministry of defence spokesman said . the prince , whose second deployment was as an apache helicopter co-pilot and gunner , was the first royal to see active combat since his uncle the duke of york fought in the falklands . since his two tours of duty the prince , a captain with the blues and royals since 2011 , has quit the army air corps for a desk job organising events including the invictus games for wounded servicemen . a royal spokesman said : ` prince harry was honoured to be able to attend the last remembrance service in southern afghanistan , especially given his personal experience of operational service .<doc-sep>five british troops , including personnel from prince harry 's former army unit , have been killed in the uk 's worst helicopter crash in afghanistan . the tragedy happened when the lynx helicopter , believed to be on a reconnaissance mission , came down in a mountainous taliban stronghold close to the pakistan border . soon after the crash at 11am local time , taliban insurgents claimed they had shot the helicopter down with a rocket . dangerous work : a lynx mk 9 helicopter flying over the desert in the helmand province , afghanistan -lrb- file picture -rrb- . the lynx helicopter and crew were believed to have been based at kandahar airfield . the crash occurred near the pakistan border at 11am local time . but military sources told the mail on sunday that the british-made helicopter , which has an excellent safety record , suffered a catastrophic technical failure and that no enemy action was involved . those killed are thought to be two passengers and three crew members from the army air corps , the unit prince harry belonged to when he flew apache helicopter gunships in afghanistan last year . last night royal sources said the prince was deeply concerned to hear of the incident . lynx helicopters are flown exclusively by the army air corps but with some royal navy and royal air force personnel on attachment . the ministry of defence said last night that it had completed a provisional identification of those who died . there was speculation last night that some of those on board may have been special forces . it is the first time british helicopter crew have been killed in more than a decade of flying in afghanistan , and comes just months before all combat troops on the nato-led mission pull out of the country . the crash brings the total number of uk personnel lost in afghanistan to 453 . it was the most deadly air incident involving uk forces since 14 personnel were killed when an raf nimrod crashed in 2006 . prince harry served in 2012 with the army air corps , above , and some of his comrades are thought to be among those killed in the helicopter crash . last night the families of those who lost their lives were being informed by mod welfare officers .

<t> new : prince harry 's afghanistan deployment is being reviewed . </t> <t> new : breaking of a news embargo puts the prince at risk , military says . </t> <t> new : islamist web sites have alerted militants to capture the prince . </t> <t> ministry of defense says prince harry was deployed in december . </t>

uk 's prince harry sees combat in afghanistan<T>

yangon , myanmar -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- residents in this sprawling river delta city hacked their way through downed trees and trudged through knee-deep swirling brown waters monday as they tried to pick up the pieces of their lives after a deadly cyclone ravaged the southeast asian country over the weekend . the powerful storm toppled this tree in yangon , myanmar , on saturday . the international federation of red cross and red crescent societies said it has released 200,000 swiss francs -lrb- about $ 190,000 -rrb- to help with the aftermath . `` i think one of the biggest needs right now is to stave off disease , '' said spokesman eric porterfield . `` we will be helping with the distribution of clean drinking water and setting up shelters . '' working with the myanmar red cross agency , the international red cross is distributing drinking water , plastic tarps to cover roofs and blankets , among other items . the tropical cyclone , packing winds of up to 150 miles -lrb- 241 km -rrb- per hour , slammed into myanmar over the weekend , killing as many as 350 people . `` we believe hundreds of people are dead , '' said khin maung win with the democratic voice of burma -- a broadcast media group run by opposition expatriates . `` the entire lower burma is affected . in some areas , entire villages disappeared . ''<doc-sep>the activist group opposed the military rule in myanmar , formerly known as burma . the ruling junta declared a state of emergency in five regions : the city of yangon , irrawaddy , pegu and the states of karen and mon. . all flights to yangon , the former capital , were canceled . learn more about myanmar '' cyclone nargis tore off roofs , uprooted trees and downed power lines . the storm ripped through the sprawling river delta city of yangon for more than 10 hours -- from friday night until saturday noon , said burma democratic concern . watch the cyclone hammer yangon '' by sunday , many parts of the city were without electricity . phone connections were also down in most areas , making it difficult to assess the extent of the damage . `` most burmese with whom we 've been in touch report they lost their roofs , although so far everyone we have been able to contact reports that they and their families are safe , '' said a yangon-based diplomat who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media .<doc-sep>earlier monday , an editor for an independent myanmar newspaper based in thailand told cnn that people in the southeast asian nation were angry over the response to the disaster by the ruling military junta . `` people are very angry with the slow response coming from the military government , '' said aung zaw of irrawaddy news magazine . zaw said communication was down across large areas of the country . he also said the casualty figures could rise . `` very few people have access to these areas to estimate damage and how many people have been killed . '' listen to irrawaddy journalist discuss the situation in myanmar '' pictures from inside the country showed a cyclone-ravaged region with tin huts crushed under trees . bicyclists navigated around large branches that littered the deserted roads . a man with his pant legs rolled up waded through knee-deep water and strained to clear massive limbs that were blocking the entrance to a house .<doc-sep>`` the cleanup is beginning , but this will take a long time , '' the diplomat said . `` the damage around town is intense . '' see photos of the destruction '' `` fuel is not easily available . international emergency assistance would be needed within seven days . there is no food for eating , '' win said . food prices -- already on a dramatic rise -- climbed further . long lines could be seen at gas stations in yangon . many of the stations were operating on generators . at one gas station more than 100 buses lined up to refill . `` international emergency assistance would be needed within seven days , '' the diplomat said . the junta has scheduled a may 10 referendum on a new constitution for the country , which came under sharp criticism from many nations for using force to suppress pro-democracy protests last year . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's kocha olarn , raja razek and dan rivers contributed to this report .<doc-sep>to make a one-time $ 10 donation to shelterbox from the united states , text `` shelter '' to 20222 on your mobile phone . go online to donate from other countries . volunteers and staff with the international federation of the red cross and red crescent societies are working to distribute aid to communities cut off by the floods for over a week . the thai red cross , an ifrc member , has helped victims in 36 provinces since the flooding began in june . it says it has given out more than 175,000 aid kits and 2 million bottles of water . go online to donate to ifrc 's disaster relief emergency fund . catholic relief services and its partners have provided thousands of flood victims with weeks ' worth of food aid , emergency medicine , and personal hygiene kits in some of the hardest hit areas around bangkok .<doc-sep>because haiti 's poverty already made it `` extremely vulnerable '' to exploitation and abuse , rushed adoptions could open the door to traffickers , said world vision chief executive justin byworth . `` we are concerned not only about premature overseas adoption but also about children increasingly being sent unaccompanied to the dominican republic , '' he said . aid groups said adoptions that were already in progress before the january 12 earthquake should go ahead , as long as the right legal documents are in place and they meet haitian and international law . for those who want to help haitian children , whitbread said , they should donate to aid agencies that are working on reuniting children with their families . the international committee of the red cross has opened an office at the headquarters of the haitian red cross in crois de prez to help people locate their relatives , said pete garratt , a disaster response manager at the british red cross . the red cross also has set up a web site to help people searching for relatives , he said . cnn 's jessica ravitz contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- residents of coastal areas in bangladesh and myanmar are preparing for the arrival of a large storm that is rumbling toward them across the bay of bengal , with a u.n. agency warning that more than 8 million people could be in danger . the storm , tropical cyclone mahasen , is forecast to make landfall late thursday or early friday in southeastern bangladesh , near the city of chittagong . it is likely to bring strong wind and heavy rain to the surrounding region . on myanmar 's western coast , there are concerns about the safety of tens of thousands of muslims who are living in makeshift camps in low-lying areas after their homes were destroyed in sectarian violence last year . `` mahasen could be life threatening for millions of people in bangladesh , myanmar and india , '' valerie amos , the u.n. 's top official for humanitarian affairs , said in a statement tuesday . the number of people the storm will affect depends on the exact path it plows across the region and its strength when it reaches land . aid agencies and local authorities are scrambling to make sure residents are as prepared as possible , taking measures that include moving people at risk to higher ground and putting emergency supplies in position . `` there is a flurry of activity going on both in bangladesh and in myanmar ahead of the storm , '' andreas von weissenberg of the international federation of the red cross and red crescent said wednesday . `` it 's really a race against time in many ways . '' the latest prediction suggests mahasen will bring wind gusts of 85 to 90 kilometers per hour -lrb- 53 to 56 mph -rrb- to the bangladeshi coast , cnn international meteorologist ivan cabrera said .<doc-sep>after hurricane isaac made landfall over areas of louisiana and mississippi in 2012 , emergency response vehicles emblazoned with the logo of the red cross rolled in . according to one former field supervisor , dozens of those vehicles had no destination and no supplies , useless for anything but providing the appearance of disaster relief . a joint investigation by propublica and npr showed that in spite of massive funding , relief efforts from the american red cross were disastrous , forcing smaller organizations to step in . arrival : a red cross vehicle distributes foodstuffs in january 2013 to sandy victims in the rockaways , months after critics blasted the organization , which raised over $ 300million during sandy , for failing to aid victims . on the second anniversary of sandy , the report states in the aftermath of the hurricanes , aid distribution was ` politically driven ' and the red cross set aside resources for pr purposes . it also detailed the disastrous state of on-the-ground relief efforts , with volunteers wasting thousands of meals , and failing to track sex offenders or allowing them into children 's play spaces . richard rieckenberg , 62 , worked coordinating food and aid distribution as a ` mass care chief ' for the red cross in both storms , and the empty trucks he saw deployed during isaac made him ` furious . ' rieckenberg , who served as a navy nuclear officer during the cold war , detailed how one official dispatched 80 red cross vehicles with little to nothing in the way of food and supplies inside . volunteers were told ` to drive around and look like you 're giving disaster relief ' to bolster the image of on-the-ground aid to a visiting group of red cross executives , said rieckenberg . before the storm hit , rieckenberg had issues with coordinating relief efforts with upper-level planners that were either poorly informed or more concerned with optics . destruction : a resident wades through a staten island neighborhood where houses collapsed on themselves and roads became rivers . chief executive : representative susan brooks talks with american red cross ceo gail mcgovern , who is criticized for having an organization better suited for fundraising than relief . abandoned : homes throughout the mid-atlantic region were torn apart by the force of hurricane sandy , forcing families into shelters run by the red cross and other organizations . in an email sent to red cross officials , he stated that ' 90 % of incoming dro -lsb- disaster relief operation -rsb- staff were sent to tampa bay -lrb- over 460 mass care workers -rrb- , ' in spite of forecasts showing other areas of florida would be harder hit . rieckenberg now believes the motive was to give the organization significant visibility for the republican national convention , which was being held at the time in tampa . his analysis of disaster relief provided in mississippi was bleaker . there ` we were unable to open a single shelter with proper staff , materials and food resources prior to landfall , ' he emailed national headquarters . ` we had trouble getting food to our kitchens . ' he added that aid efforts were ` marked primarily by internal political wrangling , power struggles and ineffectiveness . ' though the organization promised reforms , an even more destructive disaster would hit about two months after isaac . two weeks after sandy made landfall , chief executive gail mcgovern described the red cross 's performance as ` near flawless ' to nbc . for rieckenberg , who was again coordinating aid efforts , the problems of isaac had returned intensified in the wake of sandy 's massive destruction . in early november , officials noticed that ervs , emergency response vehicles , both a symbol of red cross aid and a vital resource for disaster relief , were being diverted to press events . on november 2 , as lines for food and water snaked through the rockaways , rieckenberg noted 15 of new york 's active ervs were working events tied to public relations for the red cross . steve ade , another mass care chief , emailed a vice president to complain that ' i ca n't afford to have my ervs sitting around all morning . ' ` stop right there , ' came a response . ` these are not your ervs . they belong to gail -lsb- mcgovern -rsb- and she 's going to do whatever she wants with them . '

<t> new : red cross approves $ 190,000 in aid for cyclone victims . </t> <t> food , fuel scarce ; emergency assistance needed , sources say . </t> <t> cyclone nargis hits myanmar 's former capital of yangon over weekend . </t> <t> state of emergency has been declared in five regions by ruling military junta . </t>

red cross aid rushed to myanmar victims<T>

london , england -- american basketball is planning to create up to five new european franchises who would compete for the nba championship , according to a report by sports illustrated . nba stars such as kobe bryant may soon be seen on a regular basis in europe . the astonishing claims come hard on the heels of plans by the football 's english premier league to play matches overseas and underline the growing trend of globalization in major sports leagues . this was further evidenced by super bowl champions new york giants playing a regular nfl season game against the miami dolphins at wembley stadium in london , but the nba 's leaked plans go far beyond that . a report on the sports illustrated web site , says nba commisioner david stern will reveal his proposals on the eve of the all-star game in new orleans this weekend . the plans are understood to include the formation of a european division with five new teams in major markets . the teams would play a full 82-game schedule and compete for the nba championship . it is not the first time that stern has entertained the concept of overseas expansion . he broached the idea in 2003 , saying at the time that the league would look into european expansion within a decade . those plans were scrapped , however , with the nba instead focusing on developing its relationship with china and other emerging basketball markets . the number of european and overseas players has steadily increased in the nba and basketball enjoys a particularly high profile in spain , france , italy , greece and the balkans . the nba has played regular-season games in japan and mexico , and played exhibition contests this season in london and rome . meanwhile , los angeles lakers star kobe bryant is doubtful for sunday 's all-star game with a damaged finger . bryant , who dislocated his right pinkie last week , scored 29 points in 35 minutes in wednesday 's 117-92 win at minnesota . bryant sat out the fourth quarter and had the finger x-rayed after the game . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>it will be the fifth regular season game played in london , an annual event which started in 2011 . a capacity crowd last year saw brooklyn nets beat the atlanta hawks 127-110 at the o2 . london is also part of the expansion plans for the national football league , with regular season nfl games being staged at wembley to sell out crowds since 2007 . the four teams selected for the overseas feature games next season have many non u.s. players on their rosters . at the end of the 2013/14 nba campaign they had a combined 18 international players from 17 countries .<doc-sep>the davies commission is due to . deliver its first report to the government by the end of this year and . its final report by the summer of 2015 . after furious protests from local people , at the last election the conservatives vowed to oppose heathrow expansion . but david cameron ordered the davis commission to explore the best option for expanding capacity . last month heathrow bosses unveiled their radical plans for a four runway ` super-hub ' handling up to a million flights a year . they . revealed three options for a controversial new third runway to double . annual passenger numbers -- and win the race to be europe 's main . international hub airport . the davis commission could recommend the uk having a second hub alongside heathrow , with at least one of the airlines alliances moved elsewhere . but british airways has insisted it .<doc-sep>big business : agent provocateur , which has been fronted by the likes of monica cruz , has seen profits double . the label , which has been fronted by the likes of spanish sisters penelope and monica cruz , expanded hugely in the past two years , opening 12 stores across the world . stores opened their doors in milan , hong kong , sydney and montreal and agent provocateur plans to open up in chengdu , san francisco , los angeles , toronto and calgary over next few months , the telegraph reports . expansion : the label , known for its sexy lingerie , has expanded hugely in the past two years , opening 12 stores across the world with plans to open more . the annual report announced : ` the directors continue to deliver a strategic growth plan for the expansion of the business both in the uk and internationally , with opportunities , to increase significantly the number of stores worldwide . ` while the global economic outlook still remains unsettled , particularly in europe , the directors are satisfied that the business is in a very robust position to move forward . ' agent provocateur was founded in 1994 by joseph corré , fashion designer vivienne westwood 's son , and his now ex-wife serena rees . the debut store opened in soho and has snapped up the likes of melissa george from home & away , kylie minogue and kate moss to star in its campaigns . brains behind the business : agent provocateur was founded in 1994 by joseph corré , fashion designer vivienne westwood 's son , and his now ex-wife serena rees .<doc-sep>earlier this month a report suggested that the uk economy will suffer by up to # 8.5 billion per year over the next decade if heathrow does not undergo significant expansion . if expansion were to go ahead it would not happen until after the next election . a strategy review on aviation , combined with a paper on ` hub status ' , is due later this summer . rift : the plan by george osborne to put heathrow expansion ` back on the table ' is said to have infuriated deputy prime minister nick clegg . just five months ago plans for heathrow expansion were said to have been ` off the agenda ' after labour apparently joined the coalition in ruling out the third runway . mr osborne appeared to back the decision when his autumn statement in november declared that he would consider all options for south-east airport expansion , with the exception of heathrow . activists had opposed plans for an expansion at heathrow on the grounds of disturbance and pollution from aircraft .

<t> the nba is planning a european division of up to five teams claims a report . </t> <t> sports illustrated say commissioner david stern will announce expansion plan . </t> <t> nba has previously played exhibition games in overseas countries . </t>

nba plans expansion into europe - report<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- manchester city have sent representatives to brazil in the hope of persuading ronaldinho to sign for them . a move to city could make ronaldinho the premier league 's highest paid player . city chairman garry cook told bbc radio five live on sunday that ronaldinho 's spanish club barcelona had given city permission to speak to the player about a move to eastlands . `` we have people in brazil , '' said cook .<doc-sep>`` we are nowhere near completing a deal it 's a tenuous stage and i do n't want to give too much away , but barcelona gave us clearance to talk to him . `` ronaldinho wants to show that he is one of the greatest footballers in the world . the manchester city fans would love to see him kick off the new season with us and i am holding out hope on that happening . '' city owner shinawatra thaksin is thought to be ready to provide # 50 million -lrb- $ 98.47 million -rrb- for new manager mark hughes to sign players , with around $ 29.5 million set aside to bring in ronaldinho , who could well become the english premier league 's highest paid player . shinawatra , who sent previous manager sven-goran eriksson packing at the end of last season , despite a marked upturn in the team 's fortunes , said last week : `` ronaldinho - you know , he is a great player . whatever the club in your heart , you would want to see this player in england , would n't you ?<doc-sep>`` it is not a risk . sponsors will contribute . it will not damage our wage structure . '' new manager hughes knows that he will be expected to produce instant results . shinawatra said : `` i am 59 next birthday , so i am not a man who can wait for many years to see my dreams come true . '' ronaldinho had a poor season in spain but city 's owner said : `` ronaldinho is 28 . he has much still to offer , he is a star . you need a combination of new players , existing players , quality , young and old .<doc-sep>`` i admit also you need a player who is more than just winning the match . you need a star who can play on the pitch , but who can achieve much more for the club . ronaldinho is that player . `` i am hearing good things about his hunger . i have spoken to his brother -lrb- and agent -rrb- . ronaldinho wants the new challenge , the chance to play his best football again , to return to the days when he was really , really famous . the magic is still in his boots . let us hope we can bring him . '' city also expect to snap up another top brazilian , striker jo from cska moscow , within the next seven days .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- former world player of the year ronaldinho will return home to brazil , according to his italian club ac milan . the 30-year-old has been targeted by the new owners of english premier league club blackburn rovers , but he is now expected to rejoin his hometown club gremio of porto alegre . `` we are all sorry to lose a player of the quality of ronaldinho . but he has made a life choice by going to brazil , '' ac milan coach massimiliano allegri told reporters ahead of the resumption of the serie a program on thursday . ronaldinho is contracted to milan until june , but is heading back to rio de janeiro as the two clubs seek to make a deal , according to italian media . who will be the best deals of the january sales ? `` if it were up to me , i would already be wearing the shirt of gremio , even if at the cost of earning less . the problem is not what they offered me , but what milan are asking for , '' he said in quotes reported by la gazetta della sport . if gremio can not agree a fee , then brazilian rivals flamengo will step in to sign ronaldinho , according to radio globo .<doc-sep>are saints going to build a team that could avoid relegation ? after having the heart of their side ripped out by liverpool and manchester united , there is simply not enough time for new manager ronald koeman to find the six or seven players needed to fully limit the damage . the signings of italian target-man grazianno pelle and serbian midfielder dusan tadic are a start , but it is hard to see how any club could service such a brutal dismantling of their squad and hope to survive in the top flight . difficult task : can ronald koeman keep southampton up after they sold five of their best players . qpr . will brazilian glamour-boy ronaldinho give rangers the edge over the other relegation contenders ? harry redknapp is never short of a big-name transfer target , or two . but ronaldinho ? according to reports , the 34-year-old is looking for a new club after his contract at atletico mineiro was terminated . it has been suggested ronaldinho would be keen to link up with compatriot julio cesar at rangers . all well and good , except the keeper is likely to be on his way if a del can be done over his wages . ronaldinho , apparently , sees himself playing on for another eight years . the former barcelona legend could do a job for newly-promoted rangers , but redknapp is not fool enough to place ranges ' survival hopes on his shoulders . london bound : could harry redknapp pull off another coup and snag former barcelona star ronaldinho ? burnley . will clarets ' boss sean dyche finally land west brom defender craig dawson in time for the inevitable relegation battle ? the baggies have rejected a third bid from burnley for the former england under 21 international . dyche has made the 24-year-old one of his top targets as he tried to build a squad capable of staying in the premier league , but will need to up his last offer of just over # 2m . burnley , not surprisingly , are tipped by many to stop straight back into the championship . dyche was happy a squad which romped to automatic promotion last season , but he does not appear to have done enough business this summer to keep the clarets in the top flight . it could all go very wrong , very quickly . baggies : can burnley finally sign west brom defender craig dawson as dyche looks to strengthen defence . click here to start picking your fantasy football team now ! there 's # 60,000 in prizes including # 1,000 up for grabs every week ...<doc-sep>ronaldinho rolled back the years to score an outstanding free-kick for queretaro during his new side 's encounter against atlas on tuesday evening . the brazilian forward curled the ball into the top corner from 19 yards in a similar fashion to what he became accustomed to doing while he was at barcelona and ac milan . ronaldinho , who has now scored two goals in three games for mexican outfit queretaro , had a pretty eventful night as he was approached by a supporter during the encounter . ronaldinho steps up to bend the ball into the net from 19 yards against mexican outfit atlas . ronaldinho steps up to bend the ball into the net from 19 yards against mexican outfit atlas . a fan ran onto the pitch to greet the 34-year-old before asking ronaldinho to sign his brazil shirt . ronaldinho duly obliged by stopping to print his autograph onto the pitch invader 's top . queretaro went onto lose the match at atlas ' estadio jalisco , despite ronaldinho 's late stoppage time goal , leaving the mexican side seventh in the table with four wins from 11 games . ronaldinho signed his autograph onto a pitch invader 's brazil top during the second half of tuesday 's match . referee erim ramirez had to stop the game before the pitch invader was marched off by security . ronaldinho has scored two goals in his first three games for mexican outfit queretaro .<doc-sep>ronaldinho has revealed that lionel messi made the step up to the barcelona first team after the players asked manager frank rijkaard to promote him . four-time world player of the year messi made his barcelona debut in 2004 at just 17 and has gone on to illuminate the football world , winning countless accolades and breaking numerous records . and former team-mate ronaldinho says that it was the players who convinced rijkaard to give messi his chance , and the 34-year-old believes the argentina international is better than real mardid forward cristiano ronaldo .

<t> manchester city step up efforts to sign brazilian ronaldinho . </t> <t> club representatives visit south america to talk to him . </t> <t> city also expect to signe brazilian striker jo from cska moscow . </t>

city step up bid to sign ronaldinho<T>

tehran , iran -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- iraq 's prime minister nuri al-maliki on sunday tried to allay iranian fears over a planned u.s.-iraq security pact , saying his government would not allow iraq to become a launching pad for an attack on its neighbor . iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad , left , greets iraq 's prime minister nuri al-maliki on sunday . `` iraq today does n't present any threat as it used to be in the times of the former regime , '' al-maliki told iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad during a sunday meeting between two leaders , according to a statement from the prime minister 's office . `` today 's iraq is a constitutional state based on the rule of law , and it seeks to develop its relations with the regional countries based on cooperation and mutual respect , '' al-maliki said . earlier , iran 's state-run news agency irna quoted the iraqi leader as saying that `` baghdad would not allow its soil to be used as a base to damage the security of the neighboring countries , including iran . '' his remarks come as the united states and iraq are trying to reach a bilateral agreement on how long the u.s. military will remain in iraq and what role it will play in iraq 's security . but al-maliki media adviser ali hadi said negotiations between iraq and the united states are in their `` very early stages '' and were not part of sunday 's talks . watch ahmadinejad and al-maliki sit down for talks '' `` the treaty is purely an iraqi-american treaty . the iranians have nothing to do with it , '' hadi said . `` we will not discuss the progress or the key elements of agreements or disagreements with them because this is an iraqi issue . '' the proposed u.s.-iraqi pact has triggered street protests in iraq , where many suspect the deal could lead to the establishment of permanent american bases , a long-term presence of u.s. troops and a weakening of iraqi government control over those troops .<doc-sep>shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr , whose militia was the target of a u.s.-backed iraqi clampdown in basra and baghdad recently , has called for weekly protests against the agreement . al-maliki and ahmadinejad met sunday afternoon , with ahmadinejad calling on iraq 's neighbors and the united nations to help restore security and stability to iraq , irna reported . and al-maliki thanked ahmadinejad for his call for an end to longstanding u.n. sanctions against iraq that date back to the 1991 persian gulf war . iran has long called for the withdrawal of u.s. troops from iraq , which the united states invaded in 2003 . meanwhile , the united states has accused iran of arming and training `` criminal '' shiite militias in iraq and of seeking to develop nuclear weapons , allegations the iranians deny . it is al-maliki 's third visit to iran since he became prime minister more than two years ago . the two countries , which are neighbors , both have shiite muslim majorities , and al-maliki 's ruling coalition is dominated by shiite religious parties long backed by iran . adnan pachachi , a leading sunni arab member of iraq 's parliament , told cnn he wanted al-maliki to call on iran to stop supporting armed factions in iraq . `` i think this has to stop , '' pachachi told cnn . `` i hope that mr. maliki will make it absolutely clear that iraqis of all parties , of all sectarian origins and ethnic origins , are strongly opposed to iran 's attempt to interfere in iraq 's affairs . '' pachachi , a former foreign minister , said al-maliki 's predecessor , ibrahim al-jaafari , allowed iraq 's security forces to be dominated by sectarian and ethnic militias , and that u.s. troops should remain until those influences are weeded out . `` in the long run , it is in the interest of the united states to have a secure iraq and armed forces and security forces of iraq with undivided loyalty and allegiance to the state and not influenced by sectarian affiliations or party loyalties , '' he said .<doc-sep>when iraq 's political elite finally agreed in august to replace the divisive and sectarian maliki as prime minister , the iranian leadership -- along with the united states and most western powers -- threw their weight behind his successor , haider al-abadi . like maliki , he is a leader of the dawa party , a shiite islamist group supported by iran . in recent months , u.s. officials say , tehran has provided tons of military equipment to the iraqi security forces and has been secretly directing surveillance drones from an air base in baghdad . iran has also sent hundreds of its quds force fighters to train iraqi forces and coordinate their actions . but last month was the first time that iran used its fighter jets to directly bomb isis targets inside iraq , striking in eastern diyala province where the fighting neared the iranian border . iranian officials have slowly acknowledged their covert operations inside iraq . `` iran has helped iraq in an advisory role and has quickly organized iraqi militias , '' gen. amir ali hajizadeh , commander of the revolutionary guards ' aerospace forces , told the fars news agency in september . `` were it not for iran , the islamic state would have taken over iraqi kurdistan . '' in late december , a revolutionary guards commander , brigadier general hamid taqavi , was killed by a sniper in the iraqi city of samarra while he was training iraqi troops and shiite militia fighters . taqavi was the highest-ranking iranian official to be killed in iraq since the iran-iraq war . thousands of revolutionary guards gathered for his funeral in tehran on dec. 28 , where ali shamkhani , head of iran 's supreme national security council , told mourners : if `` people like taqavi do not shed their blood in samarra , then we would shed our blood '' within iran . iraqi leaders warned that as long as the united states did not provide military assistance , they had no choice but to ask iran for more help . `` when baghdad was threatened , the iranians did not hesitate to help us , '' abadi , the iraqi prime minister , said in a recent television interview in baghdad . he noted that unlike iran , the united states `` hesitated to help us when baghdad was in danger , and hesitated to help our security forces . and the reason iran did not hesitate to help us was because they consider isis as a threat to them , not only to us . '' the proxy wars . today 's middle east was shaped by several proxy wars that unfolded over the past decade . in iraq , neighboring sunni regimes backed sunni militants , while iran supported maliki 's shiite-led government and shiite militias . in lebanon , an alliance between washington and authoritarian sunni arab regimes -- egypt , saudi arabia and other gulf countries -- backed a sunni-led government against hezbollah , a shiite militia funded by iran . and in the palestinian territories , iran supported the militant hamas , while the united states and its arab allies backed palestinian president mahmoud abbas and his fatah movement .<doc-sep>the iraqi government of prime minister nouri al-maliki and the iraqi kurds , which have provided relative stability in northern iraq in an otherwise volatile country . washington also wants to avoid iran using the crisis to further leverage in the region . iran 's foreign minister made a surprise visit to turkey this week , signaling that it wants to capitalize on the rift between the united states and turkey . washington has kept a close and skeptical eye on the growing ties between the two countries , especially a deal turkey signed last month to buy natural gas from iran . this weekend at a conference of iraq 's neighbors and other key arab states , rice will bring turkish and iraqi leaders together in an attempt to forge a plan for dealing with the pkk . the conference was originally planned to address issues about the future of iraq and push arab states to support the u.s. efforts there . those issues will be overshadowed by the need avoid a new front in the iraq war . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>if al-maliki can survive the next few weeks in power , he will probably feel free to take harsh measures against the sunni arab community , as he believes that he is free of u.s. constraints for the first time . given his inclinations and fears , al-maliki may think that he has great latitude to see most problems as nails to be dealt with by shiite hammers and that he only has to stop short of al-assad 's atrocities and abuses -- the use of chemical weapons or 200,000 casualties -- if the syrian experience is an indicator of what will be tolerated by the u.s. and the international community . a defiant al-maliki -- with the support of iran , syria and russia and absent u.s. constraints -- will aggressively target sunni arabs , who in his view are active supporters of isis . unfortunately , al-maliki 's removal would not diminish the influence of iran and tehran 's shiite militias . iran will continue to be the key determinant of iraqi policy and politics for iraq 's shiite parties and shiite militias regardless of the prime minister . iran is skilled in power politics and in asserting iranian prerogatives . iranian strategic goals depend on an acquiescent and accommodating iraqi government . if iran were to pressure al-maliki to step down , he would surely be replaced by someone iran could influence . one name that is on any short list to replace al-maliki is tariq najim abdullah , an al-maliki loyalist who as a member of his state of law party could be expected to continue the sectarian approach to security issues and the marginalization of his political rivals , sunni , kurd and shiite alike . regardless of who the next shiite prime minister will be , the sectarian actors responsible for executing al-maliki 's heavy-handed tactics against the sunni population in 2006-09 are now back in key positions . we have seen a return of the `` worst of the worst , '' the very same actors the u.s. urged al-maliki to remove and charge criminally before 2010 . although many maligned sectarian actors were reassigned or promoted out of key positions in baghdad to safe positions in southern iraq , it seems these sectarian enforcers have returned to the fight , with the al-maliki government 's blessing . meanwhile , u.s influence and leverage with al-maliki and other shiite leaders is waning , if not altogether gone . it began to wane in 2010 when the u.s. ceded our leverage in favor of `` smart power , '' believing that reasonable iraqi minds would prevail . the u.s. treated iraq as a sovereign government and did not interfere with al-maliki 's decisions to use the accountability and justice law -lrb- pdf -rrb- to marginalize and remove political rivals , to politicize the iraqi security forces by replacing effective commanders with al-maliki loyalists , and to renege on his promises to integrate the sunni awakening movement -- the so-called sons of iraq -- into the ministries and security forces . while the u.s. watched , the iranians pressured al-maliki not to sign the 2011 status of forces agreement and backed his sectarian agenda of sidelining and arresting political rivals . iran 's strategic goals and dominant position , orchestrated by quds commander qassem soleimani , will ensure that any iraqi prime minister responds to tehran 's core interests . tehran 's steadfast support for syria 's al-assad shows al-maliki the reliability and commitment of iran to its clients . we should view iranian statements about an inclusive government with sunni and kurdish politicians as mere window dressing . the reality is that tehran will not permit the steps necessary for fundamental constitutional reforms , power-sharing and checks on the prime minister 's control over the security forces and intelligence apparatus . tehran will see any such reforms as limits on iranian influence , something the iranians will not let happen .<doc-sep>tehran , iran -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- iranian forces that seized an iraqi oil well have withdrawn from the installation but remain on iraqi territory , a top iraqi official charged sunday . prime minister nuri al-maliki 's government deployed more troops to maysan province where oil well number 4 is located , iraqi security officials said . they said workers returned to the well sunday morning , escorted by the iraqi army . negotiations to resolve the diplomatic standoff are ongoing , said iraq 's deputy foreign minister labid abawi . iran , however , dismissed iraq 's allegations of the takeover . `` our forces are on our own soil and , based on the known international borders , this well belongs to iran , '' the armed forces command said on the web site of iran 's state-run arabic-language al-alam tv . the iraqi government had issued a strong statement deploring the act after al-maliki attended an emergency meeting of iraq 's national security council to discuss the situation . iraq demanded the iranians withdraw remove an iranian flag hoisted from the well tower in the takeover on thursday night . senior iraqi government sources initially referred to the iranians as security forces , but the official iraqi government statement later called them an armed group . alaeddin borujerdi , head of the iranian parliament 's national security and foreign policy commission , also rejected iraqi allegations , blaming the international media for distributing propaganda intended to harm relations between iran and iraq .

<t> iraq 's prime minister in iran trying to calm fears over any u.s.-iraq security pact . </t> <t> nuri al-maliki visiting tehran , where he is meeting with top officials . </t> <t> al-maliki says iraq will not be used as a launching pad for u.s. attacks on iran . </t>

iraqi prime minister : iraq will not be used to ` damage ' iran<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a tornado pummeled pensacola , florida , thursday , severely damaging a church with an attached day care center , destroying homes and leaving thousands of homes and businesses without power , the mayor said . christy fayard took this photo of an overturned car in the parking lot of a store thursday in pensacola , florida . `` we had about 15 or 20 minutes notice from the weather service that doppler radar indicated that there was , in fact , a rotation in this one severe thunderstorm , '' mayor john fogg said . `` we are n't used to tornadoes in this area . '' the day care center next to the greater little rock baptist church `` took a direct hit , '' but the children already had been moved to a safer location , said glenn austin , spokesman for the escambia county sheriff 's office . video showed frantic , tearful parents rushing into the building to get their children . christie fayard said she and her co-workers saw the tornado from their building about two miles away . `` we took cover . we just went to a break room and let it pass , '' said fayard , who is the sister of cnn correspondent ed lavandera . after the storm passed , fayard left work and saw a vehicle overturned in a target store parking lot . `` we had ample warning , '' fayard said . `` i think the local media did a great job -lsb- warning people -rsb- . '' another pensacola resident who saw the twister pass said it made a frightening noise . `` it sounded creepy , like a bunch of cars were driving over my house , '' leeann franzonne told the associated press . the tornado was spotted about 9 a.m. and dissipated about 40 minutes later , austin said . it moved roughly from southwest to northeast , with the biggest apparent damage in the southwest , where older suburbs are located . the twister followed a skipping pattern , sporadically receding into the clouds and then touching down again . watch where the storm ripped through pensacola '' it battered many buildings downtown , blew the roofs off sections of cordova mall northeast of downtown , and damaged pensacola junior college , where classes were canceled for the rest of the day . see more photos of the violent storm '' four houses were destroyed and more than 80 were damaged , according to escambia county officials . several people were taken to hospitals in the pensacola area , with what seemed to be minor injuries , austin said . four people were treated for minor injuries at baptist hospital , and released , said spokeswoman candy mcguyre . `` here at the sheriff 's office , we were evacuated down to the basement at one point , '' austin said . officials have a system in place to deal with hurricanes , but not tornadoes , fogg said . still , shelters were quickly set up thursday for the homeless , he said . at least 6,800 homes and businesses were without power , according to gulf power spokesman john hutchinson , who advised that it may take some time to restore electricity because of the continuing storms . more stormy weather may be on its way . florida 's emergency management officials issued a statement warning residents and visitors in north florida that storms and isolated tornadoes were expected during the evening and overnight through friday . earlier thursday , two people died in their mobile home when high winds from a possible tornado hit northeastern missouri , cnn affiliate kmbc reported . other tornadoes struck the southwestern part of the state but did not cause much damage , kmbc added . wednesday night , two tents were blown down at tulsa , oklahoma 's , oktoberfest , sending 21 people to hospitals , tina wells , a spokeswoman for the oklahoma emergency medical services authority , told the associated press . oktoberfest organizer michael sanders said he and about 2,000 other people went into a beer garden tent as a light rain started to fall on the festival . `` soon as i got in there , within seconds , without warning , there was this huge gust of wind ... and the tent started collapsing , '' sanders said . the thunderstorms damaged about 25 mobile homes and travel trailers in a mobile home park near oologah , northeast of tulsa , the oologah-talala emergency medical services district said . none of the five injuries reported was believed to be life threatening , officials said . trees and power lines were down throughout the area . four victims had been in one mobile home that was destroyed , ap reported . wind gusts in kingfisher county reached 86 mph , emergency management director steve loftis told the ap . a tornado damaged six homes in a rural area near mount vernon , missouri , lawrence county sheriff 's lt. brad delay said . delay said he followed the tornado in his patrol car . about 4 inches of rain brought flash flooding and high stream levels in kansas city , missouri , cnn affiliate kmbc reported . a teenage boy was swept away by water rushing through a culvert , but he managed to pull himself to safety before rescuers arrived , kmbc reported . flooding from the same storm system is threatening the autumn harvest in iowa , where high water also ruined farmers ' first plantings in the spring , cnn affiliate ketv in omaha , nebraska , reported . e-mail to a friend . copyright 2007 cnn . all rights reserved.this material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed . associated press contributed to this report .<doc-sep>cnn ireporter randy hamilton said the scene felt like the aftermath of a hurricane with `` abandoned and flooded cars just littering the streets . '' `` debris from trees everywhere . standing water all around , gray skies , and wind gusts that make you fear something will blow down on you , '' he said . arkansas tornado was ef-4 . the storms were part of the same system that has spawned tornadoes and other severe storms since sunday , claiming at least 36 lives in oklahoma , iowa , arkansas , mississippi , alabama , tennessee and now florida . tens of thousands remained without power in the south , where suspected tornadoes tore through homes and businesses late monday . officials revealed new details wednesday about the powerful tornado that struck the arkansas towns of mayflower and vilonia . the twister was rated an ef-4 on the enhanced fujita tornado damage scale , with an estimated peak wind speed between 180 and 190 mph , the national weather service said . it was on the ground for 41.3 miles on sunday and was responsible for 15 deaths , officials said . in addition to the florida flooding death , police in athens , georgia , said a driver was killed wednesday when storm winds toppled a tree onto a car . authorities in mississippi confirmed another death from storms that struck monday . at least 38 people have been killed since sunday in storm-related deaths in mississippi , alabama , tennessee , arkansas , oklahoma , iowa , florida and georgia , according to a cnn tally of state reports . the storm could bring heavy rains and possibly thunderstorms to jacksonville , florida ; charlotte , north carolina ; virginia beach , virginia ; raleigh , north carolina ; and atlanta , the national weather service said . heavy rain will be the norm . flooding could be a concern in the new york city area on thursday . forecasters say rainfall could total up to four inches , with heavier amounts in some areas .<doc-sep>by . anna sanders . published : . 21:34 est , 5 june 2013 . | . updated : . 21:34 est , 5 june 2013 . the formation of tropical storm andrea in the gulf of mexico officially kicked off hurricane season in the atlantic , putting many along florida 's west coast under this year 's first tropical storm warning wednesday . forecasters predict andrea to slam the west coast of florida on thursday before moving northeast , according to the national hurricane center . the tropical storm warning covered florida 's gulf coast from the southern tip at boca grande to ochlockonee river in the panhandle . here she comes : andrea , the first named storm of the atlantic season , forms over the gulf of mexico . the tropical storm is likely to bring wet weather to parts of florida 's west coast by the end of the week . the first warning comes just two weeks after the national oceanic and atmospheric administration predicted the 2013 atlantic hurricane season to be particularly ` active ' . ` this year , oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the atlantic basin are expected to produce more and stronger hurricanes , ' said gerry bell , the lead seasonal hurricane forecaster with noaa 's climate prediction center . ` these conditions include weaker wind shear , warmer atlantic waters and conducive winds patterns coming from africa . ' tropical storm andrea developed in the gulf of mexico in the last few days , inching toward florida at 3 mph , according to the national hurricane center . the storms slow movement is expected to continue through wednesday night , with maximum winds of 40 mph . andrea is supposed to pick up speed on thursday , continuing its movement through friday . heavy rainfall ahead : tropical storm andrea is forecast to make landfall over northwest florida late thursday . andrea 's center should reach florida 's ` big bend ' -- the intersection of the peninsula and panhandle -- on thursday afternoon , the center reported . it will then move over southeastern georgia and eastern south carolina on thursday night and friday . the weather channel reported the ` main concern ' from andrea will be heavy rainfall in florida , which is expected to continue through friday , because of a combination of upper atmosphere wind shear and dry air on the storm system 's west side . the effect traps the heaviest winds on the east side of the system . localized flooding throughout the peninsula could result from andrea 's heavy rain . the weather channel also reported isolated tornadoes could develop by thursday . andrea may also enhance rainfall along the east coast .<doc-sep>stein arrived with his wife and two sons on sunday for a week of . sightseeing , but have so far only seen the inside of an evacuation centre . but , . instead of being upset , mr stein said : ' i think it 's the best vacation . ever . this is what the real world is about . there 's a lot of people that . need help . wildfires have also been reported in utah , california , new mexico , montana and arizona . destruction : forecasters believe the storm will move northwards and say it could yet become a hurricane . water-logged : sean kummerow , from bradenton beach , walks out to the seawall behind his flooded neighbourhood to inspect damage . florida and alabama remain under a . tropical storm alert as debby continues to bring torrential rain and . high winds to the gulf of mexico . there . are fears the slow-moving tropical storm - which has unleashed . tornadoes killing one and ripping apart homes - could become a hurricane . as it batters florida with rain and kicks up rough surf off the coast . of alabama . describing the . storm as ` unpredictable ' , forecasters discontinued a warning for . louisiana , saying it was was unlikely to move west , but said they . expected it to move northwards as the week progresses . the storm is moving . slowly , allowing its clouds more time to unload rain . a public advisory . said parts of northern florida could receive 10 to 15 inches of rain , . with some areas getting as much as 25 . covered up : florida can barely be seen under debby in this satellite image released by the noaa . the . highlands county sheriff 's office said in a news release that several . tornadoes moved through the area southeast of tampa , damaging homes . sheriff 's office spokeswoman nell hays . said a woman was found dead in a house in venus that was destroyed in . the storm . a child found in the same house was taken to the hospital . no . further information was available on the child 's condition or either . person 's age . residents in several . counties near the crook of florida 's elbow were urged to leave low-lying . neighborhoods because of the threat of flooding . authorities . urged residents to leave low-lying neighborhoods in franklin , taylor . and wakulla counties because of flooding . shelters were open in the . area . storm : one of the tornadoes that touched down in highlands county by delray plants on old state road 8 near venus . fierce : high winds , high tide strike at the main street of cedar key , florida , as tropical storm debby makes it 's way across the gulf of mexico . debby already . has dumped heavy rain on parts of florida and spawned some isolated . tornadoes , causing damage to homes and knocking down power lines . high . winds forced the closure of an interstate bridge that spans tampa bay . and links st. petersburg with areas to the southeast . debby . was essentially stationary about 115 miles -lrb- 185 km -rrb- south-southwest of . apalachicola , fla. , on sunday evening . while storm tracks are difficult . to discern days in advance , a forecast map predicted that the storm . would meander north as the week unfolds . debby 's top sustained winds were at about 60 mph -lrb- 95 kph -rrb- . -lsb- caption .<doc-sep>rescue : fire fighters in tuscumbia , alabama dig through the rumble of a home for two elderly people who were trapped when a large tree was blown down crushing their home and trapping them in the debris . john brooks looks into the room which was going to be the nursery for his expected baby that was hit by a tree during the storm in monroe louisiana yesterday . the storm prediction center estimated that more than 36 million people were in the path of damaging storms . meteorologists said tornadoes remained a threat in several areas along with possible flooding in low-lying areas as up to 3 inches of rain were expected in spots . weather radar showed a vast arcing storm system extending from southern indiana to the gulf of mexico off the florida panhandle early tuesday . meteorologist joe goudsward at the national weather service in little rock said that tornado was an ef2 on a scale that rates twisters from ef0 to ef5 , adding a second tornado also was sighted in that state . two tornadoes also touched down monday in missouri , causing some roof damage and toppling trees , according to the national weather service . in louisiana , gov. bobby jindal declared a state of emergency monday even as the severe weather was still moving across his state . the storms downed trees and power lines in louisiana , leaving thousands without electricity .

<t> at least four people hurt in pensacola , florida . </t> <t> tornado hits day care , but children ok , sheriff 's spokesman says . </t> <t> storm skips over high school , hits mall , official says . </t> <t> tornado kills couple in missouri , cnn affiliate says . </t>

storm system spawns tornadoes in florida<T>

dallas , texas -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a police officer was killed friday morning in a motorcycle accident as sen. hillary clinton 's motorcade made its way through downtown dallas , police said . the dallas police department said senior cpl. victor lozada-tirado was traveling southbound on the houston street viaduct when he struck a curb , lost control of the motorcycle and went down . lozada-tirado was transported to methodist central hospital , where he was pronounced dead . a dallas police officer since december 1988 , lozada-tirado was married with four children , according to police . cnn affiliate wfaa-tv in dallas/fort worth reported he was 49 . there were no other vehicles involved in the accident , police said , and the motorcade was able to continue to the site without further incident . clinton said she called the dallas police chief and would contact the officer 's family at an appropriate time . the democratic presidential candidate said she is `` greatly heartsick over this loss of life in the line of duty . '' `` i just want to express my deepest condolences to the family and to the dallas police department on this tragic , tragic loss , '' she said . `` i am certainly grateful for all they do for me and more importantly what they do for the citizens of cities like dallas . '' watch clinton offer her condolences '' clinton is attending rallies friday in texas and ohio ahead of those states ' primaries on march 4 . in the past 18 months , there have been two fatal accidents involving motorcycle officers escorting president bush . on august 27 , germaine casey , an officer from rio rancho , new mexico , died when his motorcycle crashed as the motorcade approached the airport in albuquerque . the 40-year-old had been the lead motorcycle in the motorcade when the crash occurred . on november 21 , 2006 , steve favela , a honolulu police motorcycle officer , crashed on wet roads in hawaii while part of the president 's motorcade . favela , 30 , died of his injuries a week later . two other officers were injured in the crash . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's sasha johnson and mike roselli contributed to this report .<doc-sep>there are between 20 and 30 cars that make up the official motorcade of the president of the united states - a security procession that travels , usually at high speeds and with green-light corridors , with the commander-in-chief everywhere he goes . a 24-year-old california student has now revealed how she was selected as one of many volunteer drivers to be part of that chain of vehicles , ` following obama all over san francisco ' for a day - despite having no experience , no training and , in what experts have called the most troubling , no idea what to do in an emergency . natalie tyson even read a college textbook while waiting for the convoy to get back on the road , and posted pictures to her facebook of the october experience , one of which was captioned : ` me , wondering why anyone would trust me with a 15-passenger van full of reporters . ' ` me with the president 's car ' : bay area student natalie tyson spent a day as part of the president 's motorcade in san francisco , but admits to having no experience or training . snap happy : tyson , a graduate student , volunteered for the job after being offered it by a friend , and documented the experience with a series of photos on facebook , such as this one . selfie : this photo was captioned with ` me , wondering why anyone would trust me with a 15-passenger van full of reporters ' ` you know how sometimes you are starting a new job or starting a new course , and you have to come up with three truths and a lie about yourself ? '' tyson told the new york times in a new feature . ` this will be my truth that sounds like a lie . ' the motorcade is centrally comprised of a secret service detail guarding the president , local police as assistance and an ambulance - which remains at the rear with a doctor permanently on board . however , there are also ` filler ' cars in the middle carrying white house personnel , communications staff and reporters , all of whom travel with the president . tyson said that one week before president obama arrived in san francisco on october 10 , a friend who works at the white house texted her asking if she would be willing to drive a van full of reporters as part of the procession . she told him she had never driven a van , but had driven a pick-up truck . she also said she had a clean driving record , no criminal history and would be willing to take on the job . a week later she was on the tarmac at san francisco international airport waiting for air force one to touch down . touch down : president barack obama arrives at san francisco international airport on friday october 10 , 2014 , to attend fundraising events . when pressed by the times on how she would handle an incident such as an attack , tyson admitted she received little-to-no briefing from the secret service before getting behind the wheel of the official van . she said the main warning was not to hit any police motorcycles , usually driven by local officers . tyson also said that , in the event of an emergency , she would just follow the car in front of her . ` whatever i am is good enough for them , ' tyson told the newspaper . in practice , the president travels in a line of vehicles that is referred to as the ` secure package ' . secret service agents are trained to pull the secure package out of the motorcade during an emergency . they would separate from the group and get the president to safety , leaving the other cars behind . however , having a novice involved in any part of the motorcade poses serious security issues , according to former secret service agent dan emmett . agents of -lrb- blue -rrb- steel : here tyson poses with two secret service agents , who she described as friendly . escort : this photo was captioned with ` zoomed through the empty streets . people waved and took my picture but i do n't think they realized that i 'm just me ' ` drove out onto the tarmac at sfo to greet air force one , ' tyson wrote with this photo . emmett , author of within arm 's length : a secret service agent 's definitive inside account of protecting the president , served as agent between 1983 and 2004 . ` if the motorcade ever comes under fire , it 's going to be a problem , ' he told the times . ` there are so many non-law-enforcement vehicles that it 's going to be a goat rope . ` everyone will be responding , police officers and the secret service , and it will be all these people running around in a panic like the last scene of the ` blues brothers ' movie , when there 's the big police chase that ends in a wreck of 50 police cars . ' emmett said he used to work as part of the motorcade and the cars being driven by volunteers - something that has been commonplace since the 1980s - were often more problematic than the risk of a skirmish . ` you are face to face with a young person who is just completely full of themselves and enthralled , ' emmett said . ` we were more concerned with that than an attack on the motorcade . ' ` number one thing they told us was not to hit any motorcycle cops . i mean , among other things , ' tyson posted . tyson said she remained committed to her driving and the motorcade throughout the entire day . but between official visits and press conferences , there was plenty of time to take photos and read her textbook . 1902 - secret service agent struck and killed by trolley car in lenox , massachusetts , while serving in president theodore roosevelt 's detail . 1928 - police motorcycle escort to a presidential candidate struck and killed in kearny , new jersey . 1929 - virginia state police officer dies after a motorcycle crash escorting president calvin coolidge . 1992 - palm beach county sheriff 's deputy dies in motorcycle accident while escorting senator paul tsongas , a presidential candidate . 2006 - honolulu police officer dies after his motorcycle slides on a rain-slicked roadway , where he was escorting president george w. bush . 2007 - new mexico police officer dies in motorcycle crash while escorting george w. bush 's motorcade . 2008 - a dallas police officer slams into a guardrail and is killed while escorting then-senator hilary clinton 's motorcade . 2012 - police officer dies in crash while president barack obama travels to campaign rally in jupiter , florida . source : associated press . one of her photos , showing tyson standing in front of obama 's official car , was captioned : ` the president 's limo ! but he was n't in there yet , that 's why they let me take the picture . ' another , taken of the van 's side mirror , was captioned : ` zoomed through the empty streets . people waved and took my picture but i do n't think they realized that i 'm just me . ' a shot of some parked police motorcycles said : ` number one thing they told us was not to hit any motorcycle cops . i mean , among other things . ' a final photo with some secret service agents said : ` the secret service was surprisingly nice . one guy had to direct me on backing the van into a parking spot - i do n't think he realized his job was going to be so hard when he signed up . ' afterwards , tyson had the opportunity to meet obama and take a quick photo . she said his hands were ` so soft ' and that he told her and some other volunteers they were ` the best drivers in san francisco ' . ` but i think the reporters in my van might say otherwise , ' tyson wrote on facebook . obama was in san francisco at the time raising campaign money for fellow democrats . the white house would not comment on the practice of enlisting volunteers for the official motorcade , according to the times . a week before tyson 's involvement , a car accompanying the motorcade for vice president joe collided with a police motorcycle in san francisco , causing damage to the bike but not the officer , the wall street journal reported . it is not known whether the car was being driven by a volunteer . that was not the first incident for a presidential motorcade . killed : jupiter police officer bruce st. laurent , a 20-year veteran of the force , was killed in september 2012 when his motorcycle was struck during president barack obama 's motorcade . most recently - in september 2012 - a police officer riding with obama 's convoy in jupiter , florida , was killed when his motorcycle was struck while riding with the motorcade . a look at the history of accidents in the motorcades shows it is predominantly officers on motorcycles that have died . in this case , the officer - bruce st. laurent , a 20-year veteran - was reportedly hit by ford f-150 pickup . no further information about the car or driver was released . earlier , in february 2008 , dallas police officer victor lozada was killed while participating in the motorcade of hillary clinton , who at the time was seeking the democratic nomination for the presidency and was not yet u.s. secretary of state . scene : dallas officer victor lozada was killed when participating in the motorcade of hillary clinton in february 2008 , when she was seeking democratic nomination for presidency . dead : the family of victor lozada argued in a 2010 that he should not have taken part in the motorcade because he had not properly finished his motorcycle training . lozada tried to overtake part of the motorcade , in what officials called a ` leapfrog ' maneuver , when he ran into a sidewalk and slammed head-on into a concrete outcropping . in 2010 lozada 's family sued clinton and the city of dallas , saying he was not properly trained to take part in the job . according to the dallas morning news , lozada 's motorcycle trainer , senior cpl. dale erves , wrote that he did not think lozada was ready to ride on duty , less than one month before the officer 's death . a january 25 , 2008 , daily observation report , signed by lozada and erves , states that lozada had made ` so many mistakes ' that erves was scared of how he would perform on-duty . lozada had failed that phase of training and needed at least two more weeks of training , the report said .<doc-sep>mr obama made a campaign appearance at the . palm beach county convention center on sunday afternoon , part of his . weekend campaigning in florida . ` officer st. laurent was assigned to the motorcade escorting president barack obama from a campaign event in palm beach county , ' said a statement on a memorial website for st. laurent . ` he was struck as he was preparing to close access to the highway from the on-ramp as the presidential motorcade neared . the impact pushed him and the motorcycle into a guardrail . ' mr st. laurent , 55 , was transported to the nearby st. mary 's medical center , where he was pronounced dead . ` we did n't lose a co-worker . we lost a friend , ' sgt. scott pascarella told the palm beach post . ` he would do anything for anyone . ' ms barbera says an investigation is ongoing and no charges have yet been filed against the driver , who has not been identified . campaign : u.s. president barack obama has been campaigning in the sunshine state over the weekend . he spoke at a rally at the palm beach county convention center in west palm beach on sunday afternoon . ` i 'm so overwhelmed right now , ' jupiter police chief frank kitzerow said . ` our first priority is notifying -lsb- mr st. laurent 's -rsb- family . ' white house press secretary jay carney said the president was notified of the officer 's death and added , ` our thoughts and prayers are with the officer 's family . ' ` there was a serious accident involving a jupiter , florida , police department motorcycle officer , who was part of the motorcycle escort for the motorcade , ' mr carney told reporters after air force one left palm beach . ` the accident happened ahead of the motorcade itself and no other vehicle in the motorcade was involved in the accident . '<doc-sep>a police cruiser draped in black banners and topped with a rose sat in front of the jupiter , florida , police department monday morning , paying testament to a 20-year department veteran killed sunday while helping escort president barack obama through palm beach county . officer bruce st. laurent , 55 , was traveling with the presidential motorcade around 4:45 p.m. sunday southbound on interstate 95 through west palm beach when he pulled his motorcycle onto an on ramp , so he could stop traffic from accessing the highway , according to a statement released monday by palm beach county sheriff 's office spokeswoman teri barbera . the statement said st. laurent drove into the path of a 1994 ford f150 driven by susan holloway , 56 , of west palm beach , as she was accelerating to merge onto the interstate . holloway hit the brakes to avoid the crash , but she hit st. laurent 's motorcycle , knocking the officer from his motorcycle and trapping him under her pickup when the vehicles came to rest , the statement said . jupiter police chief frank kitzerow said st. laurent was transported to nearby st. mary 's medical center , where he died sunday . barbera told cnn the statement details preliminary findings , and the ongoing investigation `` could take months . '' when the palm beach county sheriff 's office and the florida highway patrol complete their investigation , state attorneys will determine whether any charges will be filed in the case . cnn senior photojournalist peter morris , who was in the motorcade , said this presidential caravan was longer than normal . in addition to the standard package of suvs , he said three buses , including the president 's campaign bus , comprised sunday 's motorcade south through florida . morris said motorcycle police often act as escorts and handle intersection control for motorcades . this is at least the fourth fatal accident in recent years involving motorcycles accompanying motorcades for presidents or presidential candidates . in november 2006 , three honolulu motorcycle officers crashed on a rain-slicked road escorting president george w. bush 's motorcade . one of the officers died several days later from his injuries . the following august , an albuquerque police officer was killed in a crash as president bush 's motorcade arrived at the airport .<doc-sep>then , in february 2008 , a dallas police officer was killed in a motorcycle crash during then-presidential candidate hillary clinton 's motorcade . kitzerow visited st. laurent 's family monday morning to discuss funeral services , and memorial information will be made public when it is finalized , jupiter police spokesman sgt. scott pascarella said monday . he added that in addition to the squad car memorial in front of the jupiter police station , radio station 103.1 wirk country was there , raising money for st. laurent 's family . the jupiter police department was working on setting up an account at a local bank to gather money for the slain officer 's family as well , pascarella said . wptv : officer honored in jupiter . st. laurent was born in fall river , massachusetts , in 1957 , but moved to jupiter in 1973 , and had lived there ever since , according to a memorial statement on the town of jupiter 's website . he began his decorated career with the jupiter police department in 1992 . three times , most recently in 2008 , st. laurent was named `` officer of the quarter , '' and in 1996 , he was selected as `` officer of the year , '' according to the memorial . the memorial also credited st. laurent with contributing to his community in several ways , including playing santa claus at local holiday events , helping high school students with physics experiments and helping habitat for humanity build houses for the needy . president obama was notified of the death , white house spokesman jay carney told reporters after air force one landed sunday night in washington . carney added that the president 's thoughts and prayers were with the officer 's family . the crash happened near the front of the president 's motorcade , and obama did not see it , carney said . the white house spokesman said no other vehicles from the motorcade were involved . st. laurent is survived by his wife of more than 30 years , brenda , and four children , according to the memorial statement .

<t> new : dallas police senior cpl. victor lozada-tirado dies in motorcycle accident . </t> <t> officer was part of sen. hillary clinton 's motorcade in dallas . </t> <t> clinton says she is `` greatly heartsick over this loss '' </t>

officer in clinton motorcade killed in accident<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a u.s. air force b-1 bomber caught fire friday after a landing at al-udeid air base in qatar , u.s. military officials said . a sweep-wing b-1 bomber , similar to this one , caught fire after landing friday in qatar , the u.s. military says . the crew evacuated safely , the officials said . they said the fire began while the plane was taxiing after landing about 9:10 p.m. at al-udeid , the headquarters of u.s. military air operations for the middle east . officials said the fire on the bomber was contained . a military board of inquiry has been appointed to investigate the incident , they said . the officials said initial reports said the plane crashed at the headquarters of the u.s. military 's air operations for the middle east .<doc-sep>the b-1b lancer is widely used by the u.s. military to bomb targets over iraq and afghanistan . learn more about b-1 bombers '' it carries a host of satellite and laser-guided bombs and is able to remain over targets for long periods of time to assist in close-air support for troops on the ground . in december 2001 , a b-1 crashed while returning from a bombing run over afghanistan to a british base on the indian ocean island of diego garcia . originally designed to speed nuclear bombs into cold war russia , the b-1 was retooled to become a long-range bomber able to carry more conventional bombs , allowing it to hit more targets over a wider area . al-udeid , about 20 miles south of qatar 's capital of doha , has the military 's longest runway in the middle east . about 3,300 u.s. troops , mostly army , are stationed at the base . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . martin robinson . with the ability to fly at 630mph while making barely a whisper of noise , this poor bird never stood a chance . this is the moment a buzzard was hit and killed by a us air force b-2 stealth bomber as it quietly landed at raf fairford in swindon , wiltshire . photographer matt morris was taking pictures of the aircraft with friends but did not realise the bird strike happened until he examined his pictures the next day . clear of danger : the bird seemed to be a safe distance from the b-2 spirit as it flew away from its wing . final moments : but quickly the bird was in trouble and can be seen here on the left hand side of the picture already under its fuselage . pictured : the moment a buzzard was hit by a usaf stealth bomber at raf fairford near swindon and disappeared in a puff of feathers . ' i could n't believe it at first ' he said . ` the b-2 has n't been in the uk for five years and to get a glimpse of it landing is a sight itself for plane-spotters , but to actually witness the moment a bird hits it is truly extraordinary ' he added . the bird , believed to be a buzzard based on the pattern on its wings , is seen in the distance at first . the next image shows how it glides the the right of the $ 737million aircraft . but the bomber is quickly behind it and then the buzzard was sucked into the engines followed by a puff of feathers . graceful : photographer matt morris did not notice the bird strike until he inspected the pictures the following day . graceful : the bomber continued its landing and touched down at a raf base in wiltshire undamaged .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 10:27 est , 17 april 2012 . | . updated : . 11:35 est , 17 april 2012 . a ceremony to be held tomorrow will come 70 years to the day after the bombing raid over tokyo led by lt. col. ` jimmy ' doolittle that helped change the course of world war ii . five men -- the last alive of the original doolittle 's raiders -- will help remember the dead by reading the 75 names engraved on silver goblets . when the ceremony begins , the jovial banter and storytelling will halt , and guests will be ushered out of the meeting room , the door shutting behind them . taking the skies : a b-25 bomber trailed by another and a japanese zero makes it 's landing approach at wright patterson air force base in dayton . celebrations past : the survivors of the raid gathered in 2010 as well to remember those who had passed , standing in front of a b-25 bomber . preparations : a ground crewman walks off after chocking the wheels of ` betty 's dream . ' the bomber is one of twenty of the ww-ii era b-25 's that flew in for the 70th anniversary of the doolittle raid on tokyo . the five men , all in their 90s , will come to military-erect attention . before them will be a wooden display case with 80 silver goblets . on each , a name is engraved twice : to be read right-side-up - for those still alive - or to be read placed upside-down , in memory of the 75 now dead . ` to those who have gone , ' 96-year-old lt. col. richard cole will toast , raising his goblet high.the other four surviving doolittle 's raiders - maj. thomas griffin , lt. col. robert hite , lt. col. edward saylor and master sgt. david thatcher - will answer in unison : ` to those who have gone . ' four days of celebration are planned april 17-20 at the national museum of the u.s. air force near dayton , ohio , including a fly-in of b-25 bombers like they flew . the raid took place april 18 , 1942 . descent : the b-25 bomber ` panchito ' lands at the base ; the daring bombing raid is credited with giving americans a big morale boost in the pearl harbor aftermath . lined up : twenty b-25 bombers line up on a runway at wright patterson air force base . next generation : kristi lesko , left , flight engineer for the barbie ii and devil dog pilot beth jenkins pose with the b-25 bomber . special guests include survivors or relatives of the uss hornet aircraft carrier crew that launched them and of chinese villagers who helped save them after the raid . fearless leader : the raid was led by lt col james ` jimmy ' doolittle . the toast ritual grew from early get-togethers led by doolittle , who died in 1993 . ` it is a very private moment , ' said cole , a dayton native who lives in comfort , texas . ` you remember the ones who did n't make it , you think about them , and you are sorry they are n't with us . and then the ones fortunate to still be living trade off stories . '<doc-sep>by . rebecca english royal correspondent in qatar . published : . 11:48 est , 14 march 2013 . | . updated : . 11:50 est , 14 march 2013 . all the talk of late has suggested the duchess of cambridge is expecting a girl . perhaps prince charles might start praying for a grandson after being given a tiny blue and white babygrow in the style of formula 1 racing overalls for his future grandchild today . the prince was visiting the williams f1 facility at the qatar science and technology park in doha today on the second leg of his tour of the middle east . williams f1 ceo alex burns presented charles with racing overalls for the future monarch in qatar today . charles was presented with a williams f1 babygrow in the style of racing overalls for his future grandchild by the team 's ceo as he visited the qatar science and technology park . the belt of the babygrow was embroidered with ` hrh ' - for his or her royal highness - just like formula 1 drivers have their initials on their racing overalls . charles seemed tickled pink by the gift for the duke and duchess of cambridge 's first child , due in july . he was presented with the adorable jumpsuit in the team colours by the company 's ceo , alex burns . ` here is something we have had embroidered for your future grandchild , sir , very many congratulations , ' he said . mr burns explained that f1 drivers normally have their names embroidered on the belt , so in this case they had used the letters hrh - his -lrb- or her -rrb- royal highness . charles looked tickled pink at the gift and chucked when one onlooker suggested : ` let 's hope it 's a boy ! ' ` how lovely , ' he said . ` thank you very , very much . that is very kind of you . ' the williams technology centre in qatar was established in 2009 to develop and commercialise technologies with their origins in f1 . the overalls-style babygrow is embroidered with ` hrh ' on the belt - just like formula 1 drivers themselves . the team 's ceo presented charles with the gift for the duke and duchess of cambridge 's first child . charles was persuaded to get behind the wheel of a simulator at the science and technology park , though he was reluctant to wear his seatbelt . charles visited the science and technology park in qatar during a three-day visit . it is currently working on two projects : a vehicle simulator to help improve road safety and the development of an storage system for renewable energy . the prince was persuaded to try his hand at the simulator which has the seat and dash board of a range rover and uses a detailed 3d recreation of the streets of doha . despite it being a road safety simulator charles was n't keen to buckle up . ` do i have to put my seat belt on , ' he asked . ` well you should do as this is a road safety demonstration , ' he was told , the prince was eventually told that he did n't need to comply . charles laughed and chuckled as he drove fairly carefully through the virtual reality city . afterwards he said ; ' i think i might need a sea sickness tablet . '<doc-sep>anger over joint u.s. and south korean military drills and tough . sanctions imposed in the wake of pyongyang 's recent nuclear test . the south korean news agency yonhap said the drills were described by the u.s. as ` deterrence missions ' . practice runs : a u.s. air force b-2 spirit bomber is seen landing at whiteman air force base in missouri earlier this month . it quoted a military source as saying the drill involved the bomber - capable of deploying both nuclear and conventional weapons - striking a mock target . this week pyongyang , which is dealing with tightened economic sanctions following its internationally condemned decision to launch a third nuclear test last month , repeated threats to target u.s. military bases in response . the rhetoric from north korea - which has threatened the united states with nuclear war and rehearsed drone attacks on south korea - and washington 's hardening reaction , has drawn more concern from china , pyongyang 's only major ally . china has described the situation as ` sensitive ' . tensions : the drill involved the bomber striking a mock target , according to south korean news agency yonhap . ` target ' : north korea has previously threatened the u.s. with nuclear war and rehearsed drone attacks on south korea . pyongyang says united nations sanctions , . agreed after north korea carried out a third nuclear test in february , . are part of a washington-led plot to topple its leadership . ` from this moment , the supreme . command of the korean people 's army will be putting into combat duty .

<t> new : bomber burned after landing at al-udeid air base in qatar . </t> <t> new : crew was able to evacuate aircraft safely , military says . </t> <t> al-udeid air base has the military 's longest runway in the middle east . </t>

b-1 bomber burns after landing in qatar<T>

baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the fighting that erupted in baghdad 's sadr city last month has killed 925 people and wounded 2,605 , a top government official said wednesday . iraqis mourn outside the sadr city hospital wednesday after several people were killed in clashes . most of the casualties consist of civilians and `` criminal elements attacked by us , '' said tahseen al-sheikhly , a spokesman for the baghdad security crackdown called operation enforcing the law . civilians are being caught in the crossfire because militants `` use the population to cover themselves , '' al-sheikhly said . the number of iraqi civilians killed and wounded nationwide continued to increase during april . according to iraq 's interior ministry , 969 civilians died and 1,750 were wounded during april . in march , the total was 923 civilians killed and 1,358 wounded -- a sharp increase over february , when 633 died and 701 were wounded . despite shiite militants ' calls for the iraqi government to honor a cease-fire , al-sheikhly said , the crackdown on insurgents will end when the insurgency ends . `` i do n't think there is a timetable for all this . i ca n't tell that this will end tomorrow or the day after , '' he said . the attacks `` will end when those aspects of violence end . '' he echoed sentiments expressed earlier in the day by prime minister nuri al-maliki , who said the government will not accept the existence of a nongovernment armed force . word of the casualties came as the u.s. military said its highest death toll in seven months reflected an effort by iraqi militants to reassert themselves after weeks of government crackdowns . watch how civilians are dying in the urban fighting -lrb- graphic content -rrb- '' three u.s. soldiers in iraq were killed wednesday in two roadside bombings , the u.s. military said . the first incident occurred about 1 a.m. during a walking patrol in northern baghdad , the military said . the other two died about 4:50 p.m. when an improvised explosive device detonated in southern baghdad , the military said . names of the soldiers were withheld pending notification of their relatives . another u.s. soldier died wednesday in a bombing in the northern iraqi province of ninevah , according to the military . the deaths bring the april death toll for the u.s. military to 50 , the highest monthly tally since september . most of the deaths occurred in and around baghdad , and most were combat-related . since the war in iraq began , in march 2003 , 4,062 u.s. service members have died . over the past several weeks , militants have increased mortar and rocket attacks against civilian , government and military targets , said gen. kevin j. bergner , spokesman for multi-national force-iraq . `` these indirect fire attacks have killed some 40 people in baghdad , with some 370 others injured , '' he said . troops `` are responding appropriately to these lethal attacks . as we do so , we use precision strikes and take precaution to limit the damage , '' bergner said . `` we have said all along this will be a tough fight . ''<doc-sep>a member of the american-backed militia sons of iraq was killed wednesday , and four others -- three of them also sons of iraq members -- were wounded , when an improvised explosive device detonated near the town of hawija , iraq , the u.s. military said . the sons of iraq members were returning from a meeting when the explosion occurred , the military said . the wounded were taken to a hospital in hawija , about 70 kilometers -lrb- 43 miles -rrb- southwest of kirkuk . u.s. and iraqi troops have clashed with shiite militants in sadr city , a sprawling , crowded shiite slum . many of the militants are loyal to cleric muqtada al-sadr and his mehdi army militia . much of the fighting has been between the mehdi army and u.s.-backed iraqi security forces , which are dominated by a rival shiite group , the islamic supreme council of iraq . the fighting intensified march 25 , when the iraqi government announced a crackdown on `` criminal elements '' in basra , a shiite stronghold in southern iraq . the fighting soon spread through southern iraq 's shiite heartland and into shiite neighborhoods in the capital . there also has been violence in areas dominated by sunnis , such as nineveh and anbar provinces . skirmishes in sadr city were aggravated this month when al-sadr aide sayyed riyadh al-nuri was shot outside his home in the shiite holy city of najaf . al-sadr suspended the activities of his militia in august . u.s. military commanders cited the suspension as a major reason for a decline in violence in iraq . another factor , commanders said , was last year 's troop escalation , dubbed the `` surge . '' al-sadr issued a cease-fire for his followers march 30 . fighting in sadr city waned but remained intense , the u.s. military said . the cleric has intermittently appealed for calm and threatened to rescind his cease-fire order in recent weeks . al-maliki has threatened to boot al-sadr 's supporters from parliament if the mehdi army does not stand down . an adviser to al-maliki said this week that the government would halt its assault on militias if the groups hand in their weapons , turn in wanted militia members and refrain from interfering in the affairs of the iraqi government and security forces . al-sadr has rejected the offer , saying al-maliki has n't kept his end of the present cease-fire -- under which , the cleric 's supporters said , the iraqi government would free nonconvicted prisoners belonging to the sadrist movement and discontinue attacks on al-sadr 's followers . last week , al-sadr threatened to wage `` open war '' on u.s. troops if attacks do not cease . he issued a separate statement friday to emphasize that his militia would target `` occupiers '' and not iraqis . in that statement , al-sadr also said he would not accept the long-term agreement that the united states and iraqi governments are crafting to replace the u.n. mandate for multinational forces in iraq . the mandate expires in december . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq and jomana karadsheh contributed to this report .<doc-sep>he was referring to the battles since sunday involving members of al-sadr 's mehdi army militia and iraqi security forces dominated by a rival shiite political movement , the islamic supreme council of iraq . that fighting started with an offensive in basra and spread to other shiite regions , including sadr city and the babil provincial capital of hilla . the al-nuri assassination prompted officials to expand the daily curfew in hilla . police said a ban on all outside movement that usually begins at 11 p.m. and ends at 8 a.m. will instead start at 8:30 p.m. violence continued friday in several places in iraq . suicide bombings killed at least four people -- three of them police -- and wounded 15 , officials said . the first bombing was in ramadi , the provincial capital of the predominantly sunni anbar province west of baghdad , an interior ministry official said . at least three national police officers were killed and five wounded , the official said . the second attack took place at a checkpoint about 20 km -lrb- 12 miles -rrb- north of baiji , according to police , who said the bomber and one other person were killed and 10 were wounded . the casualties were members of a local awakening council who were manning the checkpoint , police said . the suicide bomber was driving a pickup carrying sheep . awakening councils , or sons of iraq , are made up of sunnis who have turned on al qaeda in iraq . also , at least three people were killed and five wounded in a mortar attack on baghdad 's palestine hotel , an interior ministry official said . the palestine hotel -- across the tigris river from the international zone , the heavily guarded seat of u.s. power in baghdad -- is in the path of many of the rockets and mortars aimed at the zone . the u.s. military has blamed iranian-backed shiite militants for recent mortar and rocket attacks in baghdad and international zone , also known as the green zone . unmanned aerial vehicles targeted and killed six suspected insurgents in basra on friday and six `` heavily armed criminals '' in northeastern baghdad on thursday night , the u.s. military said . watch the baghdad drone attack '' the u.s. and iraqi militaries have consistently said they have not been targeting specific groups in their recent battles in shiite areas . iraqi and u.s. government officials say they differentiate between mehdi army members obeying al-sadr 's seven-month cease-fire pledge and `` gangs , '' `` criminals '' or `` outlaws '' who are n't obeying al-sadr 's orders . the intra-shiite fighting in iraq that has killed hundreds of people in the past two weeks has involved two main movements : members of the mehdi army militia loyal to al-sadr , and iraqi security forces dominated by the chief political rival of the sadrists , the islamic supreme council of iraq . many of those security forces had been integrated into police and army units from the council 's badr brigade militia . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's yousif bassil and jomana karadsheh contributed to this report .<doc-sep>an attack involving a `` couple of rounds '' of fire on the international zone , also known as the green zone , killed two soldiers and wounded 17 others about 3:30 p.m. , a military official said , declining to give the specific location of the attack for security reasons . a separate attack about 30 minutes earlier killed one soldier and wounded 14 at a u.s. military outpost in rustamiya in southeastern baghdad , the military said . responding to al-maliki 's comments , a spokesman for al-sadr , sheikh salah al-obeidi , said that any effort to bar sadrists from participation in politics would be unconstitutional -- and that any decision to disband the mehdi army is not the government 's to make . `` it is up to the side that established it , '' he said . al-maliki spoke in an exclusive interview with cnn after a weeklong military offensive against what iraqi officials called gangs and militia members in the southern iraqi city of basra . hundreds were killed or wounded in the fighting across iraq , which reportedly ended when iranian and iraqi shiite officials held talks in iran with al-sadr . asked about iran 's role in ending the basra conflict , al-maliki attributed the cease-fire to the work of his security forces . haidar al-abadi , an iraqi lawmaker who belongs to al-maliki 's dawa party , said last week that iranian officials participated in the discussions , and another source close to the talks said the iranians pressured al-sadr to craft an agreement .<doc-sep>graham said the militia fighters that iraqi troops are battling are backed by iran , which he said was `` killing americans '' by arming the militias . but rhode island sen. jack reed said iran has close ties to all of iraq 's shiite factions , including al-maliki 's dawa party and the country 's largest shiite religious party , the islamic supreme council of iraq . `` the notion that this is a fight by american allies against iranian-inspired elements is not accurate , '' said reed , a leading democrat on the senate armed services committee . al-sadr 's political movement holds 30 seats in iraq 's 275-member parliament and was once a partner in al-maliki 's ruling coalition . the party quit the government in 2007 after al-maliki refused to demand a deadline for the withdrawal of u.s. troops . the cleric 's supporters have linked the government offensive to provincial elections slated to take place october 1 . nassar al-rubaie , an official in al-sadr 's political movement , said the army and police were being used `` for political reasons . '' a high-ranking iraqi security official said at least 200 people have been killed and 500 wounded in basra battles since tuesday . more than 100 had been killed in baghdad as of sunday , with another 100-plus killed in clashes in other cities in southern iraq , iraqi authorities reported . u.s. and british forces have supported iraqi troops with airstrikes and shelling in basra , as well as reconnaissance and intelligence , coalition military officials have said . u.s. troops have also conducted raids and engaged in gun battles with militia fighters alongside iraqi troops . u.s. airstrikes killed at least 15 people in baghdad neighborhoods known to be mehdi army strongholds sunday morning , an iraqi interior ministry official said . and baghdad 's international zone -- where many iraqi government buildings and embassies are located -- was targeted again sunday by rockets or mortars , but no injuries or damage was immediately reported , a u.s. embassy official said . also on sunday , roadside bombings in northern and western iraq killed two u.s. troops , while attacks on iraqi police and others left another 19 dead , iraqi police and u.s. military officials reported .<doc-sep>scroll down for video . this car bomb attack near the gates of the green zone which houses both the us and britain 's embassies , left six dead . police and hospital officials reported most casualties from a car bombing near the ministry of labour and social affairs in baghdad 's eastern qahira neighborhood at around 10am . that blast killed seven people and wounded 21 . the officials provide casualty numbers on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to release the information to journalists . the violence started at around 8am , when a bomb exploded outside a popular restaurant in baghdad 's mashtal neighbourhood , killing four people and wounding 15 . minutes later , two labourers were killed and eight were wounded when a roadside bomb hit the place where they gather every day in an area of new baghdad . children inspect a bus destroyed in a car bomb attack in the shiite stronghold of sadr city , baghdad , this morning . in the poor shiite neighbourhood of sadr city , a bomb stuck to the underside of a minibus killed three commuters and wounded seven people . another car bomb exploded in a commercial street in the same area , killing two people and wounding 11 , and yet another bomb struck a police patrol in the neighbourhood , killing five people and wounding 13 . hussein abdul-khaliq , a government employee who lives in sadr city , said he heard the explosion and went out to find the minibus on fire .

<t> new : 3 u.s. soldiers killed in 2 roadside bombs ; total u.s. death toll at 4,062 . </t> <t> government attacks on militants will stop when insurgency stops , official says . </t> <t> official : civilians killed because militants `` use the population to cover themselves '' </t> <t> iraqi security forces , shiite militants have been fighting in sadr city for weeks . </t>

officials : sadr city battles killed hundreds in april<T>

tegucigalpa , honduras -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- he 's no julia child , but honduran president manuel zelaya showed tuesday he can attack a cantaloupe and u.s. government claims in a single motion . president manuel zelaya chews on a slice of honduran melon to demonstrate its safety . `` it 's not in our fruit , '' he said about last week 's report by the u.s. food and drug administration that some honduran cantaloupes may be contaminated with salmonella . `` it 's not true what they are saying . logically , we believe it is an error . '' then , the 55-year-old father of four asked the viewers of cnn en español to indulge him as he engaged in a show-and-tell demonstration . `` permit me a second , '' he said as he stretched his left arm across the tabletop and outside the view of the camera , then pulled into view a box of fruit . `` here i have the box of melons that we are exporting to the united states ; here are the protective bags , '' he said . zelaya lifted a cantaloupe from the box , placed it in front of him , then grabbed a knife and a fork . `` permit me to make a demonstration , '' he said , then cut open the fruit , sliced off a chunk , put it in his mouth and chewed vigorously . `` i eat this fruit without any fear , '' he said with his mouth full . `` it 's a delicious fruit . nothing happens to me ! '' though the symptoms of salmonella infection -- nausea , vomiting , fever , diarrhea and abdominal cramps -- typically do not occur for several hours after eating tainted food , the point was made . the demonstration came three days after the fda said it had linked 50 cases of salmonella in 16 states and nine in canada to melons from agropecuaria montelibana , a grower and packer in san lorenzo , honduras . though there have been no reports of fatalities , 14 people have been hospitalized in arizona , california , colorado , georgia , illinois , missouri , new jersey , new mexico , new york , ohio , oklahoma , oregon , tennessee , utah , washington and wisconsin , the fda said . while the company has continued exporting to europe and central america and has received no reports of illness , the daily export of 45 containers of melon to the united states has halted , a company official said monday . as a result , some 1,500 workers have been laid off , most of them single mothers , and company losses have exceeded $ 3 million , company officials said . the fda alert advised u.s. grocers , food-service operators and produce processors to remove from their stock any cantaloupes from the company . the agency also recommended consumers throw away any cantaloupes determined to be from the company . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's elvin sandoval contributed to this story .<doc-sep>tegucigalpa , honduras -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- he 's no julia child , but honduran president manuel zelaya showed tuesday he can attack a cantaloupe and u.s. government claims in a single motion . president manuel zelaya chews on a slice of honduran melon to demonstrate its safety . `` it 's not in our fruit , '' he said about last week 's report by the u.s. food and drug administration that some honduran cantaloupes may be contaminated with salmonella . `` it 's not true what they are saying . logically , we believe it is an error . '' then , the 55-year-old father of four asked the viewers of cnn en español to indulge him as he engaged in a show-and-tell demonstration . `` permit me a second , '' he said as he stretched his left arm across the tabletop and outside the view of the camera , then pulled into view a box of fruit . `` here i have the box of melons that we are exporting to the united states ; here are the protective bags , '' he said . zelaya lifted a cantaloupe from the box , placed it in front of him , then grabbed a knife and a fork .<doc-sep>consumers can identify the affected cantaloupes by stickers -lrb- either burch farms or cottle strawberry -rrb- attached to them . people concerned they have bought burch farm honeydew melons should call the store where they purchased them and ask where the melons originated . those melons do not have a sticker . the fda says it does n't know of anyone getting sick because of eating these products .<doc-sep>by . stephen hull . last updated at 12:47 pm on 20th september 2011 . four people have after died eating cantaloupe melons which were carrying the deadly listeria bacteria , officials have said . more fatalities are feared after two more deaths were linked to the batch of infected fruits . so far there are confirmed deaths in colorado , one in oklahoma and two in new mexico .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- behind the wheel of a sport utility vehicle , deposed honduran president jose manuel zelaya on thursday started his journey from managua , nicaragua , to the country 's border with honduras . honduran soldiers block the road at the honduras-nicaragua border in paraiso , honduras . a caravan of zelaya supporters and reporters headed north to the city of esteli , close to the honduran border . from there , zelaya would finalize his plans to cross back into honduras , he said at a news conference before departing . the ousted president stated his intention to return to his homeland this week , raising concerns about increased unrest . the days since the june 28 military-led coup that deposed zelaya have been marked by mostly peaceful demonstrations by supporters and detractors of the government of interim president roberto micheletti . one notable exception was an attempt by zelaya to return by plane on july 5 , only to be turned away by military vehicles blocking the airport 's runways . one man was killed in clashes between zelaya supporters and police . when asked about zelaya 's stated return , u.s. assistant secretary of state philip crowley called it `` unwise . '' `` any step that would add to the risk of violence in honduras or in the area , we think would be unwise , '' crowley said .

<t> president manuel zelaya says honduran fruit has no salmonella . </t> <t> to prove his point , he eats some publicly `` without any fear '' </t> <t> fda links 50 cases of salmonella to honduran grower . </t> <t> 1,500 workers laid off , grower reports losses in excess of $ 3 million . </t>

honduran president defends melons by eating one<T>

jena , louisiana -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- thousands of protesters clogged the tiny town of jena , louisiana , thursday to show their indignation over what they consider unjust , unequal punishments meted out in two racially charged incidents . officers lead al sharpton , center , through jena , louisiana , during thursday 's protest . they swarmed over the grounds of jena high school , where nooses were hung from a tree in early august 2006 , about three months before six black teens known as the `` jena 6 '' were accused of beating a white classmate . while the tension was palpable , news broke thursday afternoon that the 3rd circuit court of appeal ordered a hearing within 72 hours to determine if the only one of the six still behind bars can be released . the order has `` got to be good , '' mychal bell 's attorney , bob noel , told cnn . `` it means we have a day in court . any day in court is going to be a good day . '' earlier , there was an aura of a pilgrimage at the site where the controversial tree once stood before school administrators had it removed . many people touched the ground and some retrieved a lump of dirt , said cnn 's eric marrapodi . he said the part of the town he was in was ill-prepared for the crowds -- no water or toilets were available . in the background , groups shouted `` black power '' and `` no justice , no peace . '' the estimated 15000 to 20,000 demonstrators shut down the town of 3,000 in central louisiana . many residents left for the day , and government agencies , businesses and schools were closed . sgt. tim ledet of the louisiana state police said protesters in buses were still bringing people to town at midday because of the gridlock , but many protesters got off and walked into town on foot . `` there is just no room to maneuver in this small town , '' he said . jena resident terry adams disagreed with any accusations that there might be a black-white divide in the area .<doc-sep>`` we are not a racial town . we get along with each other , we get along fine . this is something that got out of proportion . it really has . '' jena 's racial tensions were aggravated in august 2006 , when three white teens hung the nooses the day after a group of black students received permission from school administrators to sit under the tree -- a place where white students normally congregated . the guilty students were briefly suspended from classes , despite the principal 's recommendation they be expelled , according to donald washington , u.s. attorney for the western district of louisiana . a member of the lasalle parish school board -- which had a role in supporting suspension instead of expulsion -- insisted the board is not prejudiced . the panel felt it took the appropriate action , jonny fryar said . `` i talked to one of the parents , who called me and said their son thought it was a prank and naive to the fact of what it meant and he was sorry , '' he said . `` i hate to see people label us as something we are not . because we have black students and white students playing football together . they shake hands , get along . this is an unfortunate incident . we hope that the community can heal . '' although washington acknowledged the fbi and other investigators thought the noose incident bore the markings of a hate crime , a decision was made not to press federal charges because the case did n't meet federal criteria . the students were under 18 and had no prior records , and no group such as a ku klux klan was found to be behind their actions . on december 4 , about three months after the nooses were discovered , six teens , dubbed the jena 6 , were accused of beating classmate justin barker . the six -- mychal bell , robert bailey jr. , carwin jones , bryant purvis , theo shaw and jesse ray beard -- were originally charged with attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy , according to lasalle parish district attorney reed walters . bell , the only one of the six who remains in jail , was to be sentenced thursday after convictions for aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy to do the same , but both charges have been vacated , awaiting further action by the district attorney . charges for bailey , jones and shaw also were reduced to battery and conspiracy when they were arraigned , while purvis still awaits arraignment . the charges for beard , who was 14 at the time of the alleged crime , are unavailable because he 's a juvenile .<doc-sep>tina jones , purvis ' mother , condemned walters . `` i hope that the d.a. will wake up and realize that he 's doing the wrong thing , and to release these kids , '' she said . `` it 's not equal . the black people get the harsher extent of the law , whereas white people get a slap on the wrist per se . so it is not equal here . '' jones maintained that her son was not involved in the beating , but watched from a railing , and was not arrested that same day . `` we have a long fight ahead of us , and we 'll keep fighting until justice prevails in jena , '' the mother said . purvis , who accompanied her , was asked how he 's faring . `` i 'm doing pretty good . i hope there is a pretty good outcome of what 's taking place today , '' he said . watch an interview with one of the jena 6 and his mom '' president bush , who was asked about the rally at a news conference , said , `` the events in louisiana have saddened me . i understand the emotions . the justice department and the fbi are monitoring the situation down there . `` all of us in america want there to be fairness when it comes to justice . '' he advised whoever is elected next year to `` reach out to the african-american community . '' hundreds of college students from historically black schools such as howard university in washington traveled to jena , along with civil rights activists such as al sharpton and the rev. jesse jackson , who helped organize the event . martin luther king iii also attended , saying , `` this is about justice for the six young men . '' sharpton called jena the beginning of the 21st century civil rights movement .<doc-sep>`` there 's a jena in every state , '' jackson told the crowd in jena on thursday morning . joann scales , who brought her three teenage children on a two-day bus journey from los angeles , california , to jena , made the same point . `` the reason i brought my children is because it could have been one of them '' involved in an incident like the one in jena . `` if this can happen to them -lsb- the jena 6 -rsb- , it can happen to anyone , '' scales said . ondra hathaway was on the bus with scales . `` if this young man -lsb- bell -rsb- was railroaded to do time as an adult , how many more people has that happened to ? '' she said . jackson said on cnn 's `` american morning '' on thursday that the charges against the black youths , their possible jail terms if convicted and their bail amounts are `` excessive . '' punishing the teens with probation would have been sufficient , jackson said . bails for the jena 6 were between $ 70,000 and $ 138,000 , and all but bell have posted bond . bell , 17 , has been in prison since his arrest . the judge has refused to lower his $ 90,000 bail , citing bell 's record , which includes four juvenile offenses -- two simple battery charges among them . bell was 16 at the time of the attack ; 17 is the legal adult age in louisiana . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's susan roesgen , tony harris , kyra philips , eric marrapodi and eliott mclaughlin contributed to this report .<doc-sep>`` we 'll be back , '' shouted one jena 6 supporter outside the courthouse friday . with thousands of demonstrators converging on the small town thursday to decry what they call `` unequal justice , '' the state 's 3rd circuit court of appeal ordered a bond hearing for bell within 72 hours . it was set for friday morning . see highlights from the march '' also on friday , the fbi said it was looking into an online posting by a neo-nazi white supremacist group that published the home addresses of all six of the african-american teenagers , as well as the phone numbers of some . the group said on its web site it is calling on followers to `` let them know justice is coming . '' bell is the only one of the six teenagers to stand trial so far . district attorney reed walters tried him as an adult and won convictions on two charges . walters has said he believes bell was the instigator of the alleged beating of classmate justin barker . last week , the appellate court vacated bell 's battery conviction , saying he should never have been tried as an adult . he was 16 at the time ; 17 is the legal adult age in louisiana . a district judge earlier this month tossed out bell 's conviction for conspiracy to commit second-degree battery . on tuesday , a three-judge panel said it was `` premature '' to consider releasing bell . the district attorney will determine whether to refile the charges in juvenile court , a defense attorney said .<doc-sep>bell 's attorney lewis scott said the teen was moved from jail to a juvenile facility earlier thursday . walters said his decision not to appeal was based on what he believed was best for the victim in the case . `` while i believe that a review would have merit ... i believe it is in the best interest of the victim and his family not to delay this matter any further and move it to its conclusion , '' walters told reporters . watch the rev. al sharpton discuss the teen 's release '' he said last week 's march , which included sharpton and martin luther king iii , did not influence his decision . bell , now 17 , was the only one of the jena 6 behind bars . his bond previously was set at $ 90,000 . a district judge earlier this month tossed out bell 's conviction for conspiracy to commit second-degree battery , saying the matter should have been handled in juvenile court . the 3rd circuit court of appeal in lake charles , louisiana , did the same with bell 's battery conviction in mid-september . prosecutors originally charged all six black students accused of being involved in beating barker with second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy . walters reduced charges against at least four of them -- bell , robert bailey jr. , carwin jones and theo shaw -- to battery and conspiracy . bryant purvis awaits arraignment . charges against jesse ray beard , who was 14 at the time of the alleged crime , are unavailable because he 's a juvenile . wednesday , gov. kathleen blanco announced that louisiana state police officers will protect the families of the jena 6 and investigate any threats they have received . a white supremacist web site posted the names and addresses of the six black teens after last week 's march , calling on followers to `` let them know justice is coming . '' thursday , the fbi said it had been made aware of allegations of threats .<doc-sep>bell 's attorney lewis scott said the teen was moved from jail to a juvenile facility earlier thursday . walters said his decision not to appeal was based on what he believed was best for the victim in the case . `` while i believe that a review would have merit ... i believe it is in the best interest of the victim and his family not to delay this matter any further and move it to its conclusion , '' walters told reporters . watch the rev. al sharpton discuss the teen 's release '' he said last week 's march , which included sharpton and martin luther king iii , did not influence his decision . bell , now 17 , was the only one of the jena 6 behind bars . his bond previously was set at $ 90,000 . a district judge earlier this month tossed out bell 's conviction for conspiracy to commit second-degree battery , saying the matter should have been handled in juvenile court . the 3rd circuit court of appeal in lake charles , louisiana , did the same with bell 's battery conviction in mid-september . prosecutors originally charged all six black students accused of being involved in beating barker with second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy . walters reduced charges against at least four of them -- bell , robert bailey jr. , carwin jones and theo shaw -- to battery and conspiracy . bryant purvis awaits arraignment . charges against jesse ray beard , who was 14 at the time of the alleged crime , are unavailable because he 's a juvenile . wednesday , gov. kathleen blanco announced that louisiana state police officers will protect the families of the jena 6 and investigate any threats they have received . a white supremacist web site posted the names and addresses of the six black teens after last week 's march , calling on followers to `` let them know justice is coming . '' thursday , the fbi said it had been made aware of allegations of threats .<doc-sep>`` he has remarkably transcended race , however the impact of katrina and jena makes america 's unresolved moral dilemma of race unavoidable , '' he said . '' i think jena is another defining moment of the issue of race and the criminal justice system . this issue requires direct and bold leadership . i commend sen. obama for speaking out and demanding fairness on this defining issue . any attempt to dilute my support for sen. obama will not succeed . '' tensions had simmered at jena high school and in the small town for first three months of the 2006 school year after a black student asked the vice principal if he and some friends could sit under an oak tree where white students typically congregated . told by the vice principal they could sit wherever they pleased , the student and his pals sat under the sprawling branches of the shade tree in the campus courtyard . the next day , students arrived at school to find three nooses hanging from those branches . according to the town talk in nearby alexandria , the school 's principal recommended expulsion for those involved in placing the nooses . instead , the newspaper reported , a school district committee suspended three white students for three days calling the incident just a `` prank . '' on december 4 , several students jumped a white classmate , justin barker , knocking him unconscious while stomping and kicking him . the charges against the six blacks -- dubbed the '' jena 6 '' -- resulted from that incident . jackson is slated to be on hand for a march in jena this thursday . the rev. al sharpton , martin luther king iii , and hip-hop artist mos def are also expected to be on hand . obama formally released a statement on the case friday evening after one of the teen 's charges was thrown out , saying , `` i am pleased that the louisiana state appeals court recognized that the aggravated battery charge brought in this case was inappropriate . '' `` i hope that today 's decision will lead the prosecutor to reconsider the excessive charges brought against all the teenagers in this case , '' he added . `` and i hope that the judicial process will move deliberately to ensure that all of the defendants will receive a fair trial and equal justice under the law . '' he also said in a separate statement last week , `` when nooses are being hung in high schools in the 21st century , it 's a tragedy . it shows that we still have a lot of work to do as a nation to heal our racial tensions . this is n't just jena 's problem ; it 's america 's problem . '' cnn senior political analyst bill schneider said obama is under special pressure because he is the only african-american running for president .

<t> third circuit court of appeal orders hearing within 72 hours on teen 's fate . </t> <t> new : police estimate up to 20,000 protesters in jena , population 3,000 . </t> <t> crowds touch ground where oak tree from which nooses were hung once stood . </t> <t> jena 6 is a group of teens charged with beating a white classmate . </t>

thousands ` march for justice ' in jena , court orders hearing on teen<T>

phoenix , arizona -- new england 's failure to protect star quarterback tom brady proved the decisive factor as the patriots flunked their chance of a perfect 19-0 season and super bowl glory . brady is sacked by defensive end michael strahan in the third guarter of the super bowl . brady has weaved his magic behind an all but impregnable offensive line all season but not on sunday as he was sacked five times in the 17-14 defeat to the new york giants . `` they have some great pressure schemes , obviously some great pass rushers , '' brady said . `` once we kind of got the idea of what we were doing , i thought we handled it much better , but we did n't get the ball in the end zone enough . '' coming in , brady had been sacked a career-low 24 times this season playing behind a line that produced three pro bowlers in koppen , left tackle matt light and left guard logan mankins . throw in right guard stephen neal and right tackle nick kaczur , and brady played most of his record-breaking season not having to worry much about getting hit by bloodthirsty defenders . `` i like when i do n't get touched , '' brady said earlier in the week . then , disaster struck -- in the form of an all-out , pressure-packed swarming defensive attack by the giants -- in the worst possible setting . it was the first time brady had been sacked as many as five times since the new york jets did it on sept. 21 , 2003 . new england had no answer for the giants ' bulldozing defense .<doc-sep>`` if i could tell you , we 'd have it fixed , '' running back kevin faulk said . `` at the same time , they outplayed us . '' they sure did , and left brady wondering what hit him . brady simply had no time to find randy moss and his other targets on a regular basis against the giants . with 19 seconds left in the game and the patriots facing a do-or-die scenario , brady was sacked for the final time when jay alford pulled him down at new england 's 16-yard line . brady was left with nothing to do but try two straight desperation heaves to moss to no avail . `` i think their intensity from the beginning snap to the end of the game was really higher than ours , '' moss said . `` we just could n't meet that intensity . '' with help from their linemen , the patriots set nfl records for points scored and total touchdowns , while brady broke the league mark for td passes and moss set the record for scoring receptions . that high-powered offense was held to a season-low 14 points in the super bowl -- mostly because it could n't get time . `` they played well defensively , '' coach bill belichick said . `` they 've been able to rush . they led the league in sacks , they rushed all year . they are a good defensive football team . they played well . '' `` we all could 've done things better tonight , '' brady said . e-mail to a friend . copyright 2008 cnn . all rights reserved.this material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed . associated press contributed to this report .<doc-sep>`` hopefully that ankle hurts a little more than everyone expects it to and he is not as versatile as he has been , '' tuck told espn . `` you talk about the talent that he is , he had probably the best year for a tight end ever . '' no matter what the patriots do on offense , the key for the giants lies with their defense , pundits say . the giants beat the patriots in 2008 super bowl , throwing cold water on the pats ' undefeated season . in that game , the giant 's ferocious defensive line rushed brady and sacked him five times . `` no one has been able to figure that out all year , '' said brady , referring to the giants ' defensive line this year . `` they can rush the quarterback really well and hopefully we can slow them down somehow . they are ready to go and ready to take my head off . ''<doc-sep>the former chelsea and portugal manager has lost just three times in 28 matches since taking over in november 2012 . however , many fans called for his head after brazil 's heaviest ever world cup defeat against germany . humiliation : brazil 's 7-1 semi-final loss to germany was their heaviest ever world cup defeat . crestfallen : scolari was gesturing to himself on the touchline as brazil conceded five first-half goals . nightmare : some brazil fans have called for scolari to be sacked following the semi-final humiliation .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- editor 's note : follow live coverage of the super bowl xlvi from indianapolis , with cnn world sport . just refresh the page to get the latest updates . 02.53 gmt : giants win 21-17 and are super bowl xlvi champions . tom brady 's final desperate ` hail mary ' pass can not be caught and the giants hold on for a memorable victory . 02.43 gmt : giants 21-17 patriots . almost an unwanted touchdown as ahmad bradshaw is allowed to run through by the patriots , who trail by five , but now have time to make a winning touchdown themselves . it 's going right down to the wire with all the pressure on brady . 02.35 gmt : manning 's 38-yard pass to mario manningham is superbly caught and ruled legitimate after a challenge from the patriots . sign of desperation perhaps . 02.30 gmt : patriots can not make their possession pay and wes welker fails to make a routine catch from a brady pass . patriots are forced to punt as giants win back possession and a chance for glory for eli manning . 02.15 gmt : giants drive fizzles out as manning fails to complete to mario manningham and it could prove costly . twitter : @mckaycnn : alright . 15 mins to a new super bowl champion and only 2 points separate the pats and the giants . i like ! 02.00 gmt : end of the third quarter and this is going down to the wire . 01.55 gmt : giants 15-17 patriots . it 's a two-point ball game now as tynes lands another field goal , this time from 33 yards , but patriots will be pleased to have prevented a touchdown as manning is sacked for the third time . 01.45 : gmt : brady is sacked for the first time in the match , he 's human after all and giants win back possession with good field position . 01.40 gmt : giants 12-17 . giants hit back as scottish kicker lawrence tynes lands a 38-yard field goal for three points . twitter : nfl@nfl brady has now hit on 14 consecutive completions , setting a super bowl record -lrb- and passing joe montana -rrb- .<doc-sep>by . tara brady . published : . 06:43 est , 7 march 2013 . | . updated : . 07:09 est , 7 march 2013 . two members of staff at a private nursery have been sacked for looking at a child porn film while at work . the nursery , in finsbury , north london , was closed down for two days after the shock discovery so an investigation could be carried out . it has now been allowed to reopen after education watchdog ofsted temporarily suspended the nursery 's registration . investigation : monkey puzzle in finsbury has been allowed to re-open after it was shut for two days . owners of the monkey puzzle nursery say the incident was not connected to any of the children who attend . the branch is part of a nationwide network of 29 nurseries run by the same company . staff said two nursery workers caught receiving and viewing the video with indecent images of children were first suspended and then dismissed .

<t> new england quarterback tom brady sacked five times in super bowl loss . </t> <t> brady floored for the final time in dying moments of match in phoenix . </t> <t> patriots were aiming for a record 19-0 season at the super bowl . </t>

brady sacked five times in shock defeat<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- al-jazeera broadcast on thursday an audiotape on which a voice identified as osama bin laden declares `` iraq is the perfect base to set up the jihad to liberate palestine . '' terrorist leader osama bin laden spoke on a video released by al qaeda in september . the voice calls for the people of neighboring countries `` to do their best in supporting their mujahedeen brothers in iraq . '' `` my speech to you is about the siege of gaza and the way to liberate it , '' he said . `` the gaza siege is a direct result of annapolis , '' he adds , apparently referring to the site of november 's summit in annapolis , maryland , where israeli and palestinian leadership agreed to work toward a two-state solution . the voice also calls on `` muslims in the neighboring countries '' to support the `` mujahedeen in iraq . '' the broadcast comes a day after another statement attributed to the al qaeda leader condemned european countries for siding with the united states in afghanistan and for allowing the publication of cartoons considered insulting to islam 's prophet , mohammed . `` this is the greater and more serious tragedy , and the reckoning for it will be more severe , '' the speaker in the five-minute audio recording says .<doc-sep>the speaker said muslims have not responded by mocking jesus , whom they consider a prophet as well . `` the laws of men which clash with the legislation of allah the most high are null and void , are n't sacred and do n't matter to us , '' he said . the speaker dismissed claims of free speech in his statement , citing european countries ' laws against denying the existence of the holocaust . bin laden also said in his earlier message that `` the crownless king in riyadh '' -- saudi arabia 's king abdullah -- could have prevented the publication of the cartoons `` if it mattered to him . '' `` if there is no check on the freedom of your words , then let your hearts be open to the freedom of our actions , '' he said . though the voice sounds like bin laden , cnn has not been able to confirm that it is him . however , a radical islamist web site reported earlier wednesday that a statement from bin laden was coming soon . the notice appeared on al-ekhlaas , known for carrying statements and videos from al qaeda and its allies .<doc-sep>analysis of previous statements has indicated that bin laden was the speaker , and a u.s. intelligence official said there was no reason to think the recorded voice was not bin laden 's . bin laden , who was behind the terrorist network 's september 11 attacks , has been in hiding since the u.s. assault on afghanistan that followed those strikes . his last public statement was an audio message issued in december , when he urged his followers in iraq to continue battling u.s. troops there . wednesday marked the fifth anniversary of the u.s.-led invasion of iraq . the latest statement included no date reference beyond the cartoon controversy , which began in late 2005 when a danish newspaper published a dozen cartoons about islam , including one that depicted mohammed wearing a turban resembling a bomb . violent protests erupted in early 2006 after other european newspapers reprinted the images as a matter of free speech . some muslims believe it is forbidden by the quran to show an image of the prophet at all , and others were offended that the cartoon by artist kurt westergaard appeared to depict mohammed as a terrorist .<doc-sep>westergaard said he wanted his cartoon to say that some people exploited the prophet to legitimize terror . several newspapers in denmark reprinted the controversial cartoons in february after danish authorities arrested several people who were said to be plotting a `` terror-related assassination '' of the cartoonist . that sparked violent protests in three afghan cities this month , with muslim students burning flags and chanting anti-western statements . the message said the publication of the drawings in question `` came in the framework of a new crusade in which the pope of the vatican has played a large , lengthy role . '' pope benedict is scheduled to visit the united states next month , with scheduled stops at the white house , the united nations and ground zero , where the twin towers stood until al qaeda 's attack . deputy commissioner paul j. browne of the new york city police department said the department `` has been working closely with the united states secret service to provide the highest level of protection possible '' during the pope 's visit to new york . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's octavia nasr and pam benson contributed to this report .<doc-sep>it was not known whether the message would be audio or video or when it might be posted . in the past , messages were available from an hour to two days after the initial posting . bin laden 's last message came march 20 , when in an audiotape he called iraq `` the perfect base to set up the jihad to liberate palestine . '' in an audiotape released the previous day , bin laden condemned european countries for siding with the united states in afghanistan and for allowing the publication of cartoons considered insulting to islam 's prophet , mohammed .<doc-sep>bin laden has delivered many messages over the years , but the last video message from him was in early september 2007 . in that video message , he criticized u.s. democrats for failing to stop the war in iraq ; spoke of the anniversary of the u.s. bombing of hiroshima and nagasaki during world war ii ; the troop surge in iraq ; and world leaders such as french president nicolas sarkozy and british prime minister gordon brown . on that tape , bin laden 's appearance was artificially changed for the first time . he dyed his beard from grayish white to black , leading analysts to believe that he has switched to sending only audio messages because he is altering his looks and does n't want people to know what he looks like . analysts also believe that bin laden has n't made videos lately because they are more labor-intensive to produce . there have been gaps between videos from bin laden , with many audio messages in between , each time prompting analysts to theorize he might be dead . the last two videos of bin laden himself delivering an address were the 2007 tape and another in 2004 . see a timeline of bin laden messages '' the u.s. counterterrorism official said of the latest purported bin laden tape that `` while the words are different '' from other messages , this statement `` recycles the broad themes of messages past . '' `` while we are still looking at the message closely , there is no reason to believe any specific or credible threat is contained in it , '' the official said . al qaeda 's second in command issued an audio statement tuesday saying obama is not welcome in egypt . ayman al-zawahiri said relations with the united states can not be mended so long as the administration maintains its alliance with israel . in a message called `` tyrants of egypt and america 's agents welcome obama '' that was posted on islamist web sites , al-zawahiri once again lashed out at the united states . obama 's message to the muslim world , he said , has already been delivered with his support for `` zionist aggression . '' in the 10-minute audio message , al-zawahiri said obama had already made himself an enemy of muslims by sending more soldiers to afghanistan , ordering bombings in the tribal areas of pakistan and administering a `` bloody campaign against muslims '' in pakistan 's swat valley . cnn 's octavia nasr and jeanne meserve contributed to this report .<doc-sep>eastern pakistan is a reference to bangladesh , which had been part of pakistan until it became an independent country in 1971 . pakistan and india have also been at odds over the disputed territory of kashmir , and pro-bin laden jihadis have opposed indian rule there . richard holbrooke , the obama administration 's special envoy to pakistan and india , said he had n't listened to the message but commented on what he had heard about it . `` the idea that anyone is responsible for the refugee crisis other than al qaeda and the taliban and the other people who have caused such tragedy in western pakistan is ludicrous , '' he said . `` this entire problem begins with al qaeda and its associates , and everybody in the world knows that , and it 's silly to even respond to such a ludicrous charge . '' al jazeera aired three separate segments totaling just over four minutes long from what it said is a new bin laden audiotape aired over an old still picture of the terrorist leader . the network 's anchors took part in describing each of the segments before they ran them . since the message was not posted on the radical islamist web sites that usually carry statements from al qaeda , it is believed that this latest message was hand-delivered to the tv network , based in doha , qatar . in other purported bin laden messages issued in march , he called for somalia 's new president to be overthrown and called israel 's recent offensive in gaza a `` holocaust . '' bin laden has delivered many messages over the years , but the last video message from him was in early september 2007 . in that video message , he criticized u.s. democrats for failing to stop the war in iraq ; spoke of the anniversary of the u.s. bombing of hiroshima and nagasaki during world war ii ; the troop surge in iraq ; and world leaders such as french president nicolas sarkozy and british prime minister gordon brown . on that tape , bin laden 's appearance was artificially changed for the first time . he dyed his beard from grayish white to black , leading analysts to believe that he has switched to sending only audio messages because he is altering his looks and does n't want people to know what he looks like . analysts also believe that bin laden has n't made videos lately because they are more labor-intensive to produce .<doc-sep>the message says it 's `` clear '' some arab leaders have `` conspired '' with what it calls the `` zionist-crusader alliance '' against the palestinians in gaza . `` they are the ones that america describes as the moderate leaders in our world , '' the message says . the speaker urged muslims to help insurgents `` liberate '' iraq . `` for those honest in their desire to deliver al-aqsa mosque , they should back the mujahideen in iraq with everything they need in order to liberate mesopotamia , '' the message said , alluding to the jerusalem mosque regarded as the third holiest place in islam . `` and with that they will have defeated the zionists ' biggest ally , '' referring to the united states . then , the fighters should move on to jordan to `` liberate all of palestine from the sea to the river '' from israel . when talking about palestine , the speaker is referring to the region between the mediterranean sea and the jordan river that includes the jewish state of israel and the palestinian lands of the west bank and gaza . in his last purported audio message in january , bin laden called for a jihad , or holy war , to stop israel 's military campaign in gaza .

<t> new : al-jazeera broadcast says tape in bin laden saying , ` iraq is perfect base ' </t> <t> new : that base is ideal `` to set up the jihad to liberate palestine , '' he says . </t> <t> new : bin laden allegedly urges support for `` mujahedeen brothers in iraq . '' </t> <t> the identity of the speaker can not be independently determined . </t>

purported bin laden message : iraq is ` perfect base '<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a marine who survived being burned over more than 95 percent of his body in iraq and established a charity to help burned children has died , the military has announced . sgt. merlin german was 22 . he was severely wounded february 21 , 2005 , en route to camp ramadi when his humvee hit a roadside bomb . he was not expected to survive , but he was transported to germany and then to brooke army medical center in texas , which has the u.s. military 's top burns unit . he spent nine months in intensive care and underwent more than 100 operations . german moved out of the hospital into his own home after 17 months of treatment . he founded merlin 's miracles , a charity that aims `` to assist burned children and their families to take vacations , trips , outings or anything the families needed to make life a little easier , '' according to its web site . german died april 11 at brooke army medical center of complications after surgery . `` he beat all odds and then on top of that continued to serve as an inspiration and motivator for others , '' said dr. evan renz , a critical-care surgeon who treated german . `` it is very difficult to describe the sense of loss . he endeared himself to all he came in contact with . it 's really impossible to describe , except to say : imagine the loss of dear family or friend . '' renz remembers being impressed with german from the start . `` this young man was clearly showing us signs he was going to fight through this from the very first minute , '' he said . `` there was consensus he was going to be a someone who would probably break some of the previous expectations about survivability . if someone was going to survive , he was going to be that individual . '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's barbara starr and larry shaugnessy contributed to this report .<doc-sep>by . snejana farberov . published : . 20:58 est , 17 december 2013 . | . updated : . 10:27 est , 18 december 2013 . adonis ortiz has been beating the odds since before his birth , and now thanks to a ground-breaking multi-organ transplant , the florida miracle toddler has a good chance of leading a normal , healthy life . little adonis , age three , underwent the multivisceral transplant in october at the university of miami jackson memorial medical center , receiving a new liver , pancreas , stomach and small and large intestines .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. lisa murkowski of alaska wednesday declared victory over fellow republican joe miller in the nation 's last senate race , saying the result of her write-in candidacy was a `` miracle . '' `` against all odds , we as alaskans together made history , '' murkowski told cheering supporters in anchorage . if she prevails in a potential challenge , murkowski would become the second person to ever win a write-in bid for the u.s. senate . murkowski 's statement was the climax in the state 's bitter and prolonged senate battle . it was essentially a triumphant declaration of beating back a three-pronged attack : from miller , from the tea party express , and from sarah palin . `` we 've said all along , we 'll wait for the votes to be counted , '' murkowski campaign manager kevin sweeney told cnn .<doc-sep>by . richard spillett . former footballer john hartson - who beat the odds to survive testicular cancer - has been pictured with his ` miracle ' third child . the ex-celtic striker needed emergency surgery in 2009 when cancer spread to his brain and lungs and at one stage he was given ' 50-50 ' chances of survival . but having battled through chemotherapy treatment to beat off the deadly disease , he is now celebrating after his wife , sarah , gave birth to 6lb 2oz baby paige faith . overjoyed : footballer-turned-pundit john hartson with wife sarah and new baby , paige faith . miracle : hartson admitted he did not expect to be a father again after his battle with cancer .<doc-sep>by . rebecca seales . published : . 09:07 est , 13 may 2012 . | . updated : . 00:55 est , 14 may 2012 . critical : aimee copeland is battling for life in intensive care after contracting a flesh-eating bug . the father of a girl who who had her leg amputated after an aggressive flesh-eating bug infected a wound said there is hope for his daughter 's remaining leg and arms . andy copeland , father of aimee copeland , wrote on a blog dedicated to the 24-year-old that doctors are optimistic they may be able to save the palms of her hands . she will lose her fingers but physicians hope the muscle in her palms will enable them to attach prosthetics . he described her recovery as a ` miracle ' , adding that she is now breathing 39 per cent oxygen through a respirator , having at one point been on 100 per cent . it will slowly be decreased down to 21 per cent , the same as the air around us . when the respirator comes out , msnbc reported , mr copeland plans to call it ` aimee day ' and break the devastating news to her of her condition . ` she will discover that her hands lack the dexterity and tactile response she has known all her life . ` how would you respond in such a situation ? i think that moment will be one of horror and depression for aimee . ' aimee remained in a critical condition on saturday at the joseph m. still burn center at doctors hospital in augusta , after doctors removed her left leg and tissue from her abdomen to fight the spread of a rare infection called necrotizing fasciitis . prayers : aimee copeland 's father has said the progress she has made after contracting the aggressive virus was a ` miracle ' she went into cardiac arrest and was resuscitated during the operation and andy wrote that doctors might be forced to . amputate her hands and right foot . ` her fingers basically appear mummified , ' he said at a press conference with his wife donna and daughter paige , 25 , ajc.com reported . more ... tourist dies while paragliding over ` nude beach ' and crashing into a cliff . tragedy of hero marine who pulled his college friend from kansas plane crash that killed two and helped her to safety . however , the family remain optimistic , as a neurologist and cardiopulmonologist have said there is no brain damage or irreversible injury to the lungs , which were under attack . previously they had stated her chances of survival were ` slim to none ' . mr . copeland describes his daughter as ` outdoorsy ' and a ` lover of people ' and hopes that she will eventually finish her master 's degree . ` what . we 've got is nothing short of a miracle . my baby is alive and her mind . is good . i know we have a difficult road ahead , but right now we 're . rejoicing , ' he said . aimee 's mother is more cautious about her daughter 's future . much-loved : aimee 's friends and family are praying for her survival and eventual recovery .

<t> sgt. merlin german was burned over more than 95 percent of his body in 2005 . </t> <t> he spent nine months in intensive care and underwent more than 100 operations . </t> <t> german founded merlin 's miracles , a charity to help burned children . </t> <t> `` he endeared himself to all he came in contact with , '' doctor says . </t>

` miracle marine ' dies after beating odds<T>

los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- democratic rivals hillary clinton and barack obama spent their last debate before next week 's super tuesday contests pointing out differences on iraq , health care and the economy -- but without all of the finger-pointing that 's marked their campaigns . sens. barack obama and hillary clinton struck a mostly cordial tone during the debate . the exchange was in sharp contrast to previous debates because of the absence of political sniping , yet was one of the most substantive policy discussions yet in the race for the nomination . on iraq , obama said he 'd be more able to end the war because he opposed it from the beginning . he said clinton 's vote to authorize the use of force there would undermine her efforts to bring it to an end . `` i think it is much easier for us to have the argument when we have a nominee who says , ' i always thought this was a bad idea -- this was a bad strategy , ' '' he said . clinton defended her vote , saying she was told by the white house that it would be used initially to return weapons inspectors to see whether saddam hussein had an active weapons program . see where they stand on iraq . `` i believe strongly that we needed to put inspectors in , '' the new york senator said . `` that was the underlying reason why i at least voted to give president bush the authority , put those inspectors in , let them do their work , figure out what is there and what is n't . '' watch reaction to clinton 's thoughts on iraq '' both obama and clinton said they support ending the war . on health care , obama defended a plan he says would make insurance affordable to everyone who wants it , but not require everyone to buy it . the illinois senator said his proposal would require that all children be covered and allow young people to remain on their parents ' health insurance up to age 25 -- but would not require adults to purchase care . watch candidates discuss their differences '' `` every expert who looks at it says there wo n't be anybody out there who wants health care who will not be able to get it , '' he said . watch the rivals discuss health care '' clinton , who as first lady spearheaded her husband 's ultimately failed health care reform effort in the early '90s , argued that any health plan should offer universal coverage . `` it is so important that as democrats , we carry the banner of universal health care , '' she said . see where the candidates stand on health care . clinton noted her experience pushing her husband 's plan , saying she 's best suited to hammer out the details of a new plan and create `` a coalition that can withstand the insurance and the prescription drug companies . '' the pair praised former north carolina sen. john edwards , who dropped out of the democratic race this week . both are vying for his supporters . see what the candidates had to say , in their own words '' the democratic race remains close going into super tuesday , when more than 20 states -- including california and new york -- will vote . obama won the season-opening iowa caucuses , then finished second to clinton in every contest until last week 's south carolina primary -- which he won with a commanding 55 percent of the vote in a three-way race . clinton scored victories in the new hampshire primary and nevada caucuses . she also was the top vote-getter in florida and michigan , although no democrats campaigned in those states and their delegates to the nominating convention will not count because of a squabble between state and national party leaders over the timing of the primaries . thursday 's debate differed from the last time the two took to a stage together -- at a contentious january 21 debate in south carolina in which the front-runners peppered each other with sharp attacks . in contrast , on thursday the two smiled , laughed at each other 's jokes and repeatedly complimented the other when they agreed . what does the debate 's cordial tone mean ? '' obama got laughs when asked about how he might counter republican charges against `` tax-and-spend liberal democrats . '' `` well , first of all , i do n't think the republicans are going to be in a real strong position to argue fiscal responsibility , when they have added $ 4 trillion or $ 5 trillion worth of national debt . i am happy to have that argument , '' he said . clinton drew cheers when she responded to a question about how a clinton could promote change after decades of a clinton or bush in power . `` it did take a clinton to clean up after the first bush , and i think it might take another one to clean up after the second bush , '' she said . watch clinton make a jab at bush '' the longest and loudest applause line of the night came when cnn 's wolf blitzer noted that many democrats have said they 'd like to see a clinton-obama or obama-clinton ticket in november . neither ruled out the possibility of selecting the other as a running mate . watch the rivals discuss joining forces '' `` the debate was a rallying debate for democrats , '' said cnn senior political analyst bill schneider . `` democrats like both of them , they continue to like both of them , and they want to vote for both of them . '' schneider said the cordial tone probably helped both candidates . obama continued momentum from his victory in the south carolina primary and high-profile endorsements , including sen. ted kennedy and kansas gov. kathleen sebelius . clinton probably maintained her perceived status as the front-runner . `` i 'm not sure that he turned the election around , '' schneider said . `` he is the challenger here -- he 's got to persuade people they do n't want to vote for her . '' the debate , sponsored by cnn , the los angeles times and politico.com , was held at los angeles ' kodak theatre , where the academy awards are handed out . hundreds , if not thousands , of clinton and obama supporters thronged outside the venue -- cheering and waving signs . the numerous actors , directors and musicians in the audience included stevie wonder , pierce brosnan , rob reiner , jason alexander , isaiah washington , diane keaton , leonardo dicaprio , quentin tarantino and christina applegate . mike gravel , the other democratic presidential candidate still in the race , was not invited to participate in the debate because he did not meet certain criteria , including support in national polls . in a cnn/opinion research corporation poll conducted january 14-17 , gravel received less than 1 percent . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>mike gravel , the other democratic presidential candidate still in the race , was not invited to participate in the debate because he did not meet certain criteria , including support in national polls . in a cnn/opinion research corporation poll conducted january 14-17 , gravel received less than 1 percent . edwards suspended his presidential run wednesday in new orleans , louisiana , but he did n't endorse any candidate despite what aides described as furious lobbying campaigns by obama and clinton . thursday 's debate may be slightly more restrained than last week 's brutal showdown . following her south carolina loss , clinton has largely steered clear of opportunities to take aim at obama . former president bill clinton also has avoided criticizing his wife 's rival after dominating headlines with his attacks in the days before the south carolina vote . the economy is likely to dominate thursday 's debate , as both candidates look to appeal to supporters of edwards and his brand of economic populism . clinton and obama have split victories in their parties ' early-voting states : obama has won in iowa and south carolina , and clinton has won in new hampshire , nevada , michigan and florida . but the michigan and florida contests awarded no delegates , and all major democratic presidential candidates pledged to avoid campaigning in those states following national party penalties against them for moving up their contests so early .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the battle raging over president obama 's health care plan has spread from across the aisles in congress to across the country . a tampa , florida , health care reform meeting sparks noisy exchanges between attendees . senators this week joined their colleagues from the house at town hall meetings as they spent their august recess in their home districts . but disruptive protests are turning town hall meetings into shouting matches and drowning out discussion over what is and is n't in health care plans in the house and senate . videos of the protests have been circulating on the internet , showing raucous crowds heckling their congressmen , and carrying posters with devil horns drawn on lawmakers ' heads , swastikas or obama with adolf hitler 's mustache . read more about the proposed plans '' rep. lloyd doggett , d-texas , who had a town hall meeting disrupted by angry protesters earlier this month , said he had never experienced such emotion in his 15 years of holding such forums . democratic rep. brad miller of north carolina even had a death threat phoned into his office . a caller said that if miller supported obama 's plan , it could cost him his life , miller told cnn . `` of course we want a full debate . of course we want people who have dissenting views from the administration and congress to have a full hearing . but that 's not what this is about . that 's not the intent of most of these people . it 's not the way the press is covering it , '' mark halperin , editor-at-large and senior political analyst for time magazine , said on cnn 's `` reliable sources . '' the protesters ' gimmicks , halperin said , are grabbing the public and media 's attention , and valid arguments over the cost and content of the proposals are being put on the back burner . `` there needs to be a debate in america on whether we should have universal health care . there needs to be a debate on the president 's ideas . if these protesters have ideas , great . let 's hear them . but if they 're just stunts to cause a disruption that gets the media tripped in every time , again , i think it 's bad for the country whether you want the president 's plan or not , '' he said . watch what halperin says about the town hall turmoil '' obama 's health care battle has been compared to former president bill clinton 's failed effort more than 15 years ago , but cnn senior political analyst bill schneider said the climate toward health care reform was actually more negative back then . clinton 's plan had less public support than obama 's , and clinton himself was less popular than obama , schneider said . clinton 's plan also barely got off the ground when it went to congress , and obama 's proposals have already been through a few congressional committees . so why did n't lawmakers experience the same backlash during the clinton years ? `` three reasons , '' schneider said . first of all , `` the calendar . '' clinton proposed his plan in september 1993 , and by the time congress went on recess in august of the following year , the plan was dead . learn more about global health care systems ''<doc-sep>biden kept pointing his finger menacingly . at first , only ryan was the victim of the loose finger . but then biden became trigger-happy with that finger-as-weapon . raddatz could n't duck fast enough and became the next target . strafing the audience indiscriminately with his scolding , biden was now pointing and shaking his index finger at anything that moved . opinion : partisans are fired up on both sides . this was cringe-worthy . biden was so wound up that he was like that family member you 're warned about before the big thanksgiving get-together . `` now , do n't get uncle billy riled up , because once he gets going , nobody will enjoy their pumpkin pie . '' yep . biden turned into uncle billy . he simply did n't know , or did n't have the capability to turn his frustration and emotions off . he interrupted , pointed and scolded so often that i think he finished one point with the phrase , `` you kids get out of my yard . '' yet he calmed down and was saved by a personal question about abortion . yes , biden 's emotions were put back in check by talking about a woman 's right to choose . you know it 's a crazy debate when that happens . and for the rest of the debate , he was back to regular joe . he still made emotional appeals , but they were more in check . he was very good again for the last 15 minutes . by the way , who was that high school debater up on the stage with biden ? ryan reminded me of so many debaters i 've seen in the past . youthful , with ideas -- but in a critical debate they get lost . i 'm not sure ryan demonstrated that he 's what we need in these tough times . he lacked passion , and he seemed a bit wet behind the ears . did he do badly ? by no means . he never lost his cool and he was n't rude . but with his youthful appearance , and his taking a back seat to biden , ryan was overshadowed . ryan did nothing to win or lose the debate . he just disappeared . ryan underperformed to biden 's over-performance . one way or the other , good and bad , it was joe biden 's show . join us at facebook/cnnopinion . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of todd graham .<doc-sep>polls have grimes and mcconnell neck and neck and tonight was the pair 's only debate against each other before the election next month . grimes opponent , sitting sen. mitch mcconnell , had no problem sharing his vote in both recent presidential elections during tonight 's debate . mcconnell said he voted for arizona sen. john mccain in 2008 and former massachusetts gov. mitt romney in 2012 . both men are republicans . grimes has been loathe to tie herself to obama in any way during the race , despite being a member of his political party , in order to boost her odds of getting elected in kentucky , where the president is incredibly unpopular . obama is less liked in kentucky than almost anywhere in the country and has an approval rating of 29 percent there , according to a recent cnn poll . as such , grimes likes to say she 's a ` clinton democrat , ' not an obama democrat , and supports the policies of former president bill clinton and his wife hillary , a former obama administration official . asked what the difference between a clinton democrat and an obama democrat is at tonight 's debate , grimes explained it 's ` growing the middle class the right way and that 's by making sure that we are building from the foundation up . ' at an editorial board meeting with the louisville courier-journal grimes declined to say whether she voted for obama in 2008 or 2012 multiples times , arguing that her vote was irrelevant because the president 's name is not on the ballot . she also made the claim , as she did tonight , that she did n't need to share her vote with kentuckians because it 's private information . grimes ' vote is actually public information , assuming she was telling the truth in 2012 when she told a local newspaper that she planned to support her party 's nominee , obama , though she is unwilling to admit that now . mcconnell , for one , had no problem sharing his vote in both recent presidential elections during tonight 's debate , without even being asked . the republican leader said he voted for arizona sen. john mccain in 2008 and former massachusetts gov. mitt romney in 2012 . both men are republicans . ` and by the way , in 2012 , 116 out of 120 kentucky counties agreed with my judgement that we might be in better shape now had mitt romney been elected , ' mcconnell added .

<t> debate focuses on health care , iraq , economy . </t> <t> clinton , obama keep it cordial , draw comparisons to ex-sen . john edwards . </t> <t> clinton pushes experience , obama pushes judgment . </t> <t> candidate mike gravel did n't meet criteria , was n't invited . </t>

clinton , obama debate with less finger-pointing<T>

bucharest , romania -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- france has agreed to send a battalion of troops to eastern afghanistan , a nato spokesman has said . canadian nato-led soldiers walk patrol near kandahar , afghanistan . james appathurai told reporters at a briefing that the move will help nato meet canada 's requirement that it send more troops to the volatile southern province of kandahar , where canadian troops are based . canada agreed this month to extend its commitment of about 2,500 troops until 2011 so long as nato contributes more troops to kandahar .<doc-sep>there is a `` clear unity in the alliance '' that the mission in afghanistan must succeed , appathurai said . though 25 nato allies and 13 other countries have contributed forces , the bulk of the recent fighting has been done by u.s. , canadian , british and dutch troops . appathurai also said thursday that he did not expect nato applicants georgia and ukraine to be put on a membership action plan this summit but , he said , the general sense in terms of membership for the two countries is not `` whether , but when . ''<doc-sep>further discussions regarding those two countries is to resume thursday , he said . u.s. president george w. bush has pushed for the admission of ukraine and georgia to the military alliance . however , russia -- which is not a nato member -- has expressed concerns about the former soviet republics joining nato , which has already made members of other former soviet countries latvia , lithuania , and estonia .<doc-sep>appathurai also said a general consensus could not be reached on macedonia 's bid , because of greece 's objections . greece has threatened to veto macedonia 's bid if its northern neighbor does not agree to change its name . athens has long argued that the name macedonia implies territorial claims on its northern province of the same name -- the birthplace , also , of greece 's most revered ancient warrior , alexander the great . the name issue must be resolved by the two countries , appathurai said . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>bucharest , romania -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- france has agreed to send a battalion of troops to eastern afghanistan , a nato spokesman has said . canadian nato-led soldiers walk patrol near kandahar , afghanistan . james appathurai told reporters at a briefing that the move will help nato meet canada 's requirement that it send more troops to the volatile southern province of kandahar , where canadian troops are based . canada agreed this month to extend its commitment of about 2,500 troops until 2011 so long as nato contributes more troops to kandahar . there is a `` clear unity in the alliance '' that the mission in afghanistan must succeed , appathurai said . though 25 nato allies and 13 other countries have contributed forces , the bulk of the recent fighting has been done by u.s. , canadian , british and dutch troops . appathurai also said thursday that he did not expect nato applicants georgia and ukraine to be put on a membership action plan this summit but , he said , the general sense in terms of membership for the two countries is not `` whether , but when . ''<doc-sep>sadness : he also made a speech in which he reminded soldiers never to forget their three colleagues who died . sadness : in addition to the three highlanders killed , nine were wounded during fighting in afghanistan . the recent tour for the main body of the battalion lasted eight-and-a-half months and there are more than 100 soldiers from d company still in afghanistan . during the visit , the duke met some of the families of the servicemen and posed for a photograph with the battalion . he also had an informal lunch in the officers ' mess and also visited the sergeants ' mess . the duke has been having a busy period of late , with his 93rd birthday coming hot on the heels of the state opening of parliament and the state visit to france . prince philip , who is descended from the royal line of denmark and also holds the titles earl of merioneth and baron greenwich , who celebrated his birthday on tuesday , has made a huge contribution to public life during his long years as prince-consort . battle : the 4th battalion , the royal regiment of scotland have just returned to their german barracks . military man : the duke himself enjoyed a distinguished military career in the navy and fought in wwii . spritely : despite celebrating his 93rd birthday on tuesday , the duke of edinburgh looked in fine fettle . currently patron of more than 800 charities , the duke works closely with organisations focused on scientific and technological research , child protection , sport and conservation , and has dedicated himself to boosting british industry . he also helped found the duke of edinburgh award scheme , which encourages teenagers to participate in charity and community work , as well as getting them out into the countryside . a military man , the duke had a long and distinguished career as a naval officer , including a stint as first lieutenant -lrb- second-in-command -rrb- on the destroyer , wallace , and took part in the sicily landings in july 1943 . since giving up his naval career in 1951 , the duke has remained close to the military - including the royal regiment of scotland whose campaign medals he presented today . formal photo : the duke had a photo with the men from the regiment before a lunch in the officer 's mess . quick march ! men of the 4th battalion , the royal regiment of scotland march past prince philip . brave men : soldiers from the royal regiment of scotland stand to attention as the duke arrives .<doc-sep>deaths and could not comment . the soldiers ' next of kin have been . informed . an mod spokeswoman said : ` it is with . sadness that the ministry of defence must announce the death of two . soldiers from 3rd battalion the yorkshire regiment on saturday september . 15 2012 . ` the soldiers were shot and killed by a . man wearing the uniform of the afghan local police at a checkpoint in . the south of nahr-e saraj district , helmand province . ' major laurence roche , of task force helmand , said the yorkshire regiment ` suffered a deep loss ' . guard : earlier this week , two marines were killed and several more wounded at camp bastion in afghanistan . he added last night : ` everyone serving . within task force helmand will want to send our condolences to the . soldiers ' families and loved ones at this time . '<doc-sep>there are more than 3,000 marines in afghanistan , and conway said that the marine corps would be willing to help bolster the fight against the taliban in that country . `` i think that a battalion of marines in afghanistan count for more than a battalion of marines in iraq , if you will , just in terms of the impact that they can have , '' he said .

<t> french move will help nato meet canada 's kandahar commitment . </t> <t> canada agreed to extend commitment as long as other nato members helped . </t> <t> the bulk of recent fighting has been done by u.s. , canadian , uk and dutch troops . </t>

france to send battalion to afghanistan<T>

san diego , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- in a recent commentary , i wrote that , as a mexican-american , the ugliness of the immigration debate offends me -- not as a mexican , but as an american . ruben navarrette jr. lists 10 things u.s.-born hispanics find distasteful about the immigration debate . a woman wrote in and asked me to be more specific : just what was it about the immigration debate that was so ugly ? she came to the right place . after nearly 20 years of writing opinions and insisting that i do n't speak for all hispanics , in recent months , i 've heard from hundreds of hispanics who -- appreciative of my middle-ground approach to the immigration issue -- insist that i can speak for them anytime . so , with the authority vested in me , i 'll now share some of what other hispanics are saying . it 's not far off from what janet murguia had to say . as president of the national council of la raza , the largest hispanic civil rights organization in the united states , murguia recently delivered an important speech to the national press club . the topic : the immigration debate and what she called a wave of hate sweeping the land -- one that is n't limited to illegal immigrants , but which is now affecting all hispanics regardless of where they were born , what language they speak or what flag they salute . the way murguia sees it , immigration is `` on the verge of becoming one of the largest civil rights issues of our generation . '' and , hispanics are playing the piñata . murguia was right on the button . to borrow a phrase , it 's getting ugly out there . and u.s.-born hispanics see it as plain as day . here are 10 things they find distasteful about this debate : . • the hypocrisy . we have two signs on the u.s.-mexican border : `` keep out '' and `` help wanted . '' • the racism . with lightning speed , the debate went from anti-illegal immigrant to anti-immigrant to anti-mexican . • the opportunism . too many politicians are trying too hard to portray themselves as tough on illegal immigration .<doc-sep>• the simple solutions . `` build a wall . '' `` deport all illegals . '' a quick rule of thumb : if it fits on a bumper sticker , it 's not a workable policy . • the naiveté . people ask why mexico wo n't help stop illegal immigration . hint : last year , mexicans in the united states sent home $ 25 billion . • the profiling . dark skin and spanish surnames should n't be proxies for undocumented status . been to arizona lately ? • the meanness . nazi-produced internet video games let players shoot illegal immigrants crossing the border . fun stuff . • the amnesia . americans think grandpa was welcomed with open arms and that he plunged into the melting pot . whatever . • the buck-passing . americans love to blame mexico for their choices , yelling across the border : `` stop us before we hire again . '' • the double standard . the same folks who have zero tolerance for illegal immigrants easily tolerate those who hire them . some of this is painfully familiar , recalling earlier versions of this debate as it played out a hundred or two hundred years ago . hispanics are the new germans , the new irish , the new italians . but it 's also ugly . it was then . it is now . ruben navarrette jr. is a member of the editorial board of the san diego union-tribune and a nationally syndicated columnist . read his column here . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>in response , a spokesman for rubio said in an e-mail to the christian science monitor : `` there are legitimate policy questions to ask and answer about what role our immigration system played , if any , in what happened . regardless of the circumstances in boston , immigration reform that strengthens our borders and gives us a better accounting of who is in our country and why will improve our national security . americans will reject any attempt to tie the terrorists responsible for the attacks in boston with the millions of decent , law-abiding immigrants currently living in the u.s. and those hoping to immigrate here in the future . '' let 's hope that 's right , and that most americans do see these tactics for what they are : desperate attempts to thwart reform . here is the predicament that the nativists and right-wing demagogues find themselves in , whether they realize it or not . they want to opportunistically use the fact that bombing suspects were foreign nationals to once again derail immigration reform . but , in doing so , they walk away from the table and wind up defending the current immigration system . the rubio spokesman had it right . we have to know who is in this country , and what their intentions are -- whether they came legally or illegally . this is one of the things that immigration reform is about . no reform plan is perfect , but the status quo is flatly not acceptable . we have to keep the debate going . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of ruben navarrette .<doc-sep>her comments came as the bulgarian ambassador to the uk lashed out at local election ` propaganda ' describing bulgarian people as a ` threat ' to britain . konstantin dimitrov said such messages were ` completely unacceptable ' in a european country and said a strong response was required . he singled out ukip for criticism and blasted the euro-sceptic party as offering ` feeble ' messaging . leader of the labour party ed miliband was told not to apologise for its record on immigration . faith minister sayeeda warsi earlier told murnaghan that david cameron had made great strides in taking racism out of the immigration debate . she said : ` politicians are regularly looking for those which can unite us - we talk about values , sometimes we talk about symbols like the union flag . ` we have to keep focussing on those things that unite us . of course there has to be some quite targeted work ... but i think we have got to come back to the approach this government has adopted , which is about focusing on those things that unite us , being very strong against issues of discrimination and protecting those communities who feel they 're subjected to hate crime . ` one of the things david cameron did incredibly well , even in opposition , was to de-racialise the immigration debate . ` immigration is not about the colour of anyone 's skin any more , it 's a simple issue of resources at any one time . '<doc-sep>opinion : one way to fight guns . this was certainly a challenge for gun rights , and could make immigration reform vulnerable in the final stages of debate . as with money and politics , the filibuster has also made other issues altogether impossible to consider even . when the immigration bill reaches the house of representatives , the trouble will begin . house members in gerrymandered districts care about the party activists who tend to be the loudest voices . the situation to avoid is one where the republican caucus drifts further to the right even while counterparts in the senate and public opinion support immigration reform . the truth is we will never know what was possible in that transformative moment that followed obama 's historic election or after his re-election in 2012 . but without reforming our government , the path to gridlock is not going to disappear . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of julian zelizer .<doc-sep>the gop brand is so toxic with latino immigrants right now that we could be talking about millions of new democratic voters , which is precisely why the gop wo n't go along with immigration reform if a direct path to citizenship is in the mix . as for whether it should be , i do n't think so . here are three reasons why not : . -- illegal immigrants do n't care about citizenship nearly as much as politicians do . their concerns are practical , not ideological . they want driver 's licenses , the freedom to go to work without living under the threat of being picked up and deported and the ability to go back and forth between the united states and their home country ; . -- as long as republicans are dead-set against citizenship , we 'll never get a deal on immigration reform because -- unlike the health care debate -- this issue does n't unite democrats . many of those in the midwest and south remain adamantly opposed to legalizing the undocumented . so without republican votes , it 's back to square one ; and . -- u.s. citizenship is something special , and it has great value . it ought not to be bartered away in a round of horse-trading . by all means , those who are legalized should be allowed to become citizens , but only by their own effort and on their own steam . there should not be a roadblock to citizenship , but nether does there need to be a direct pathway . opinion : both parties must lead on immigration . politicians always play the same game when it comes to immigration . democrats ask for the moon and stars , and the republicans go into orbit . they want away from the table , and democrats do n't have the votes to do anything without them . so nothing gets done . each side blames the other . back to the drawing board . the status quo is preserved . see you in 10 years . but , when that happens , the people who lose are the very ones who many people say they want to help -- those 11 million undocumented immigrants who live in the united states and contribute to our economy . they 're caught in suspended animation , not belonging to one country or another . they deserve a pathway to legal status , and a final resolution to a debate that really is n't as difficult as some make it . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of ruben navarrette .

<t> ruben navarrette shares what hispanic readers are saying to him . </t> <t> he lists 10 things he says they find ugly about the immigration debate . </t> <t> hypocrisy , racism are two items they find distasteful , columnist says . </t>

commentary : 10 ugly things about the immigration debate<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- manchester united star cristiano ronaldo has completed a notable awards double after being named player of the year by the english football writers ' association for the second year in a row . in-form cristiano ronaldo has won both major english awards for the 2007-08 season . the portugal winger followed up his second successive victory in the professional footballers ' association awards , where he was voted player of the year by his peers on april 27 .<doc-sep>he topped the writers ' poll ahead of liverpool striker fernando torres and portsmouth goalkeeper david james . the 23-year-old , who has scored 38 goals in all competitions this season , emulated the feat of barcelona 's former arsenal striker thierry henry -- the last man to collect the fwa award twice in a row , in 2003 and 2004 . `` ronaldo 's award is no surprise after his brilliant form this season and incredible goal-scoring record -- 38 at the moment -- and he is , of course , essentially a winger , '' said chairman of the fwa , paul hetherington .<doc-sep>`` cristiano was an overwhelming winner and , given his age , he has the potential and ability to dominate this award for years in an unprecedented way . '' ronaldo has this season has helped take united to within touching distance of a second successive premier league title with two matches to play , and into a champions league final against chelsea in moscow on may 21 . he will receive his award at the fwa 's gala dinner at the royal lancaster hotel in london on may 15 . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>continuity : leaving a club is always a risk and there is no guarantee that a player will settle successfully into a new set-up in a different country , as thierry henry has discovered at barcelona . at old trafford , ronaldo is the undisputed star with a system built around him and teammates working for him . at real madrid he would be one ego among many . real 's dutch midfielder wesley sneijder has already warned that ronaldo 's arrival on a massively inflated salary would not be welcomed by other squad members : `` it would be bad for the dressing room if he gets a much higher salary than the rest of the squad . it 's not important to me but i know other teammates would not like that at all . '' injury : having been carrying an ankle injury since march , ronaldo finally went under the knife earlier this month and is expected to be sidelined until at least october -- long after the summer transfer window has closed . ronaldo should be concentrating on getting back to full fitness as quickly as possible rather than worrying about a possible transfer . a move to a new club would also likely put him under more pressure to play before he has made a full recovery . go : . a fresh challenge : ronaldo has achieved everything he can in english football after two near perfect seasons at old trafford , winning back-to-back english premier league titles and player of the year awards and a european champions league winner 's medal . if the 23-year-old is to continue developing he needs to find new challenges ; what bigger challenge than joining real madrid -- the club of the `` galacticos '' -- for a world record transfer fee ?<doc-sep>cristiano ronaldo capped off a memorable year by winning the best player of 2014 accolade at the globe soccer awards in dubai on monday . the 29-year-old , who is hotly tipped to follow up this success by claiming his third fifa ballon d'or early next month - and second in successive years - received the award at the atlantis luxury hotel as part of the globe soccer conference . ronaldo was joined by his real madrid team-mate james rodriguez and manager carlo ancelotti at the awards ceremony . cristiano ronaldo poses with his latest trophy - the globe soccer award for best player of 2014 - on monday . ronaldo speaks to a delegate who presents him with his trophy on monday .<doc-sep>what do you do when you only have one award and you have to choose between cristiano ronaldo and lionel messi ? you invent another award of course . ronaldo scooped most valuable player at the spanish league awards while messi won the best player gong and the best forward prize over his real rival . the new prize at least made sure that ronaldo turned up and he posed for photographs with the other winners who included everton 's on-loan striker gerard deulofeu who won the best player category in last season 's second division and chelsea 's goalkeeper thibaut courtois who picked up the best goalkeeper award on-loan at atletico madrid . scroll down for video . happy ? cristiano ronaldo was voted the most valuable player in la liga last season , but lionel messi scooped the main gong . top dog : ronaldo sits patiently waiting for his name to be announced in the ceremony . game for a laugh : ronaldo looked happy during the awards ceremony as he saw messi scoop another gong . best player - lionel messi -lrb- barcelona -rrb- . most valuable player - cristiano ronaldo -lrb- real madrid -rrb- . best striker - lionel messi -lrb- barcelona -rrb- . best attacking midfielder - andres iniesta -lrb- barcelona -rrb- . best midfielder - asier illarramendi -lrb- real sociedad -lrb- joined real madrid this summer -rrb- -rrb- . best defender - sergio ramos -lrb- real madrid -rrb- .<doc-sep>the 33-year-old broadcaster and journalist worked for cnn and sky deutschland before joining sky sports . abdo , who previously worked for cnn and sky deutschland before joining sky sports in 2013 , is the perfect hostess given she is fluent in english , french , german and spanish . she replaces the brazilian beauty fernanda lima , who hosted the ballon d'or ceremony last year . ronaldo beat lionel messi and manuel neuer to the main prize , which the portuguese star also claimed 12 months ago . abdo also oversaw the presentation of the awards for best coach , best goal , fair play award , presidential award and the unveiling of the fifa fifpro world xi for 2014 .

<t> new : cristiano ronaldo wins english writers ' award for second year in a row . </t> <t> he headed off liverpool 's fernando torres and portsmouth 's david james . </t> <t> manchester united winger also retained his player of year award from peers . </t> <t> portugal star , 23 , has dominated uk awards for the past two seasons . </t>

ronaldo doubles up in english awards<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- china 's economy is booming and sheikh mohammed bin rashid al maktoum 's visit there this week highlights the u.a.e. 's ambitions to join in on this growth . cnn 's john defterios -lrb- jd -rrb- sits down with shaukat aziz -lrb- sa -rrb- , former prime minister to pakistan to talk about the emerging relationship . former pakistani prime minister shaukat aziz . aziz is an expert in global banking who worked in the middle east for a number of years as an official for citigroup . he was an influential player in the process of creating a free trade agreement between pakistan and china , after visiting the country in 2005 . shaukat aziz talks about the growing ties between china and the middle east , and gives us inside knowledge on doing business in china . -lrb- sa -rrb- : i think the two economies are complementary . china is a global economy which is growing rapidly . it has one of the highest growth rates in the world , and it is expanding its footprint all over the world . dubai and the u.a.e. is clearly a hub for south asia , the middle east , and the whole region .<doc-sep>they are a trading center , they are a financial center , and they do n't compete directly with china , in fact both economies will compliment each other . i think the u.a.e. prime minister 's trip will help to further reinforce this and get the two countries closer together , in trade , in financial flows , in linking capital markets and many other initiatives . -lrb- jd -rrb- : trade has been growing 30 to 40 percent over the last four years . but can it move beyond hard chinese goods going into the gulf ? -lrb- sa -rrb- : of course it can . i think the nature of dubai is such that it has now become the clearing house for goods from all over the world . and buyers go to dubai and look for the best product at the best price . so , if china , being a large country , can bring its products to dubai , it will help both countries . may i also say that i see china evolving as an exporter of capital , not just goods because china is running huge surpluses . their reserves are at an all time high . so they are looking for investments too , and you see now a trend in chinese companies to buy companies overseas . a trend in chinese companies to invest overseas because they want , once they go global , they want production facilities all over the world . so the design and the research and development will be done in china , the components will come from china , but the manufacturing could move across the world . this trend is already started and i think this will all go well for both countries . -lrb- jd -rrb- : lets take it a step further . do you see chinese investment funds or sovereign funds and u.a.e. sovereign funds going out together to acquire companies in the near future ? -lrb- sa -rrb- : sure , there have been situations where both have participated in different companies .<doc-sep>-lrb- jd -rrb- : but separately . -lrb- sa -rrb- : separately , but i think they could join too . but the real issue on sovereign funds is being represented in certain quarters as if this is something which is unhelpful to the global economy . in my view , in an era of globalization we must open up our markets for investments and let anybody come along in line with the rules of that country . may i say that the sovereignty of any country is a very robust concept . and if a foreign sovereign fund or investor comes along and buys a bank in a particular country , the countries sovereignty is never jeopardized . but , if you have good regulators and good policies , because even in a deregulated environment , regulation is necessary . deregulation does not mean abdication by the government , so if your regulatory regime is sound , you do n't have to worry . sovereign funds have demonstrated that they have helped promote economic activity , help save certain companies , banks as a case in point . and it 's a win-win for both sides . so i think this question of their role is over stated . -lrb- jd -rrb- : saudi arabia 's king abdullah went to visit china when he came into power in early 2006 . is itinevitable that u.s.-european allies in the gulf turn to the east now and look for new partnerships in an east-east equation ? -lrb- sa -rrb- : this is the fastest growing economy in the world . it is absorbing foreign investment , it is exporting investment . it is the largest producer of goods and services now , in terms of growth rate . so saudi arabia , naturally , the largest economy in the middle east by a long margin , needs to link up a country like china . i think it is not geo-politics which is driving it . it is economic necessity . it is tapping into growth . saudi companies are investing in china . i know that in the energy sector aramco has gone in for joint ventures and maybe sabic too , and that is to me a very positive development . because it is showing that capital looks for opportunities and if there is return china is not far enough . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>taliban 's unwanted attention . a steady improvement in her game led to appearances in high profile tournaments and prominence in the pakistani media . awards from then president pervez musharraf and prime minister shaukat aziz were a mark of her pioneering spirit , but they also attracted the taliban 's unwanted attention . `` it was exhausting at every step , '' she said . `` it was hard to let people know all i want is to play squash . that 's how i can live happy but i had to change my life with time . `` for the last eight years i 've been trying hard to come through to the common people and today i 'm getting threats from taliban . i was totally exhausted . i did n't know what to do . `` i stopped going to the academy because it 's the biggest dishonor if a daughter is kidnapped . that 's -lrb- why -rrb- i locked myself in my room and started hitting from evening to morning . '' her absence was noted and when she relayed the threats she 'd received the issue was debated in parliament , who reacted by beefing up security around her . `` they put so many attack posts on the way to the squash court and around the squash court too , '' she said . `` above the squash court they put snipers . `` i was going once a week or twice a month but at that time i completely stopped because if a bomb happened -- there is so much glass in the squash court itself -- it would kill the innocent kids . `` i did n't want it to be the reason so i stopped going and started playing in my room for three-and-a-half years . '' it was during this time wazir says she knew she had to leave pakistan to follow her dream . `` my dad said ` if a baby bird wants to learn flying , he has to leave the nest ' and at that time i realized i can not learn flying while am here . `` for three-and-a-half years i did n't get any email from anyone and one day i got an email back from jonathan power saying that he 's going to help me , support me , teach me how to play squash so i can play at tournaments and become a world champion for pakistan . ''<doc-sep>by . steph cockroft . a honeytrapper and her boyfriend lured a man to a park over facebook so they could attack him with a meat cleaver for his money and mobile phone . haseena aziz arranged to go on the ` date ' in order to give her 29-year-old boyfriend afahan hussain a chance to rob the victim . the 28-year-old tempted the man to meet her in a park in birmingham by flirting with him in a series of messages over the social-networking site . haseena aziz , 28 , pictured left , arranged to go on a ` date ' with a man in birmingham so she and her boyfriend afahan hussain , 29 , pictured right , could threaten him with a meat cleaver and rob him . the unnamed 25-year-old victim caught a train to birmingham from his home in london in june this year in the belief aziz wanted to start a relationship with him . he took a seat on a bench in parkland near a fly-over in hockley , birmingham , expecting to meet aziz for a date . instead , hussain - who has a gold tooth - appeared from behind and punched and headbutted the defenceless victim . he then held a meat cleaver to his face and demanded his phone and cash . the court heard how aziz laughed as she watched the attack and even waded in by kicking the man in the groin . the pair later sent texts to the victim mocking him for falling for their set-up . west midlands police launched an investigation . the pair were found through phone and social media enquiries . they were charged with robbery and both found guilty at birmingham crown court .<doc-sep>of her association with ms aziz , the court was told . she . told jurors she had to sell the diamonds in secret because ms aziz did . not want the sultan 's family to know of her crazed gambling sprees . lim , . from singapore , said : ` i was in the casino car , the chauffeur driven . car given by casinos to assist ms aziz to travel to and from the . casinos . ` at that time i was sitting in the back with ms aziz , she said she wanted to sell jewellery . ` i looked at her and she took out two bracelets and she said that she wanted me to sell them for her ' . she continued : ` at that time she was . owing to casinos # 800,000 . she told me that i could find any buyer that . was sufficient to pay her gambling debts . ` i . agreed to it because the jewellery belongs to ms aziz and she has the . right to sell whatever she wanted so i just did whatever i was . instructed . ` ms aziz said i . could n't say it belonged to her . i asked who i can say these items . belong to and she says `` say it belongs to your mother '' . lim . had the real diamonds replicated by a jeweller in london 's famous . hatton garden after providing him with a forged letter stating they were . a gift from ms aziz to her mother , for 28 years of service as her pa. . the . gems were eventually sold to a buyer in switzerland for close to # 5m - . around the same sum as lim claimed her then boss owed to london casinos . she was confronted for the thefts by ms aziz 's nephew idris ja'afar in brunei where she was arrested on january 3 , 2010 . just . hours after the badminton star had been released on bail by local . detectives mr ja'afar secretly recorded his meeting with lim - in which . she made a full confession . but . lim told jurors that she had been forced into a false confession by . corrupt detectives and made a ` scapegoat ' by the bruneian royal family .<doc-sep>badi arif , an attorney who used to represent aziz , said there is a political motive behind the death sentence . `` mr. aziz used to always tell me , ` they 'll find a way to kill me , and there is no way for me to escape this , ' '' arif told cnn . `` but from a legal perspective , this sentence is wrong ; this is illegal and this is unexpected . '' in march 2009 , aziz was sentenced to 15 years in prison in connection with the 1992 executions of 42 merchants . aziz was deputy prime minister from 1981 to 2003 , also holding the post of foreign minister for part of that time .

<t> shaukat aziz , former pakistani prime minister talks with john defterios . </t> <t> aziz sees compatibility between middle eastern and chinese economies . </t> <t> chinese surpluses may allow exporting of capital for overseas manufacturing . </t> <t> aziz believes regulated foreign investment does not put sovereignty at risk . </t>

face time with shaukat aziz<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- one suspect has been charged and police are hunting for another in connection with the killing of university of north carolina student eve carson , police said wednesday . demario james atwater , 21 , was arrested early wednesday at a residence in durham , north carolina . authorities were watching the home after receiving a tip that atwater was inside . he was charged with first-degree murder in carson 's death . atwater is believed to be the man in a convenience-store photograph released by police .<doc-sep>a second suspect , lawrence alvin lovett jr. , 17 , is being sought in carson 's death , police said . he also faces a first-degree murder charge . lovett could be armed and dangerous , police told cnn affiliate wral . police believe lovett was the man seen in a surveillance-camera photo possibly using carson 's card at an atm , chapel hill police chief brian curran said . the pictures showed a young man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and baseball cap . there also appeared to be a large , shadowy form of another person in the back seat of the vehicle , which may have been carson 's suv .<doc-sep>police believe atwater was in the back seat , curran said . he would not comment on whether physical evidence links the two suspects to the crime . atwater was taken to a hospital as part of the evidence collection process , he said , and brought back to make an initial court appearance . `` as encouraging as the developments today are , we are still a community in grief , '' chapel hill mayor kevin foy told reporters at a news conference announcing the arrest . `` we also still must offer comfort to a family in mourning , eve 's family . ''<doc-sep>carson , 22 , was found shot to death about 5 a.m. march 5 . the medical examiner told police that her body showed no signs of sexual assault or other injury , curran said . carson 's killing `` feels like a random crime , '' curran said saturday . on sunday , more than 1,000 people crowded the first united methodist church in carson 's hometown of athens , georgia , for her funeral , the athens banner-herald reported . the unc-chapel hill board of trustees had pledged $ 25,000 to the crime stoppers program in the area for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible in carson 's slaying . carson was a student member of the board and student body president . the young woman was a pre-medicine student who was double majoring in political science and biology . she received the university 's prestigious morehead scholarship and was a member of the phi beta kappa honor society , according to unc . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . louise boyle . published : . 10:31 est , 8 october 2012 . | . updated : . 11:37 est , 8 october 2012 . a college student 's murder remains unsolved a month after her death as her family revealed their fears over her roommate 's allegedly violent ex-boyfriend . faith hedgepeth , a member of the haliwa-saponi tribe of hollister , north carolina , was found dead by friends at her apartment on september 7 . police have confirmed that they are treating the 19-year-old 's death as a homicide and do not believe it was a random act . scroll down for video . unexplained death : a photo taken in june , the last time roland hedgepeth saw his daughter faith alive . there have been few developments in the investigation and police will not say whether they are questioning a suspect or if any arrests have been made . miss hedgepeth 's father roland told the charlotte observer he was concerned about her roommate 's ex-boyfriend although police refused to comment on these allegations to mailonline . faith had won a scholarship to study biology to unc chapel hill and planned on becoming a doctor . however she fell behind in her studies and dropped out in her sophomore year , losing financial aid . she worked as a waitress , living off-campus and went back to college this summer , changing her major and focusing on becoming an elementary school teacher . she shared an apartment with a fellow student karena rosario , originally from new jersey . miss rosario had a boyfriend , 21-year-old takoy jones but the relationship fell apart . the two young women were forced to change the locks after jones reportedly kicked their doors in . miss rosario also took a restaining order out against her former boyfriend . at the time of miss hedgepeth 's murder , mr jones , told abc that she was the ` sweetest person in the world ' and that whoever killed her ` deserves to burn ' . victim : faith hedgepeth , a unc student and a member of the haliwa-saponi tribe of hollister , north carolina , was found dead in her home on september 7 . murdered : police have not revealed how hedgepeth , right , was killed or whether they have made any arrests in connection with her murder . her father roland hedgepeth told the charlotte observer : ` from day one , i 've been worried about faith there . i 'm looking at and questioning every scenario . ' authorities have refused to elaborate . on how the student was killed . in her home , which is three miles from the main unc campus . emergency crews referred to blood at the scene but carpet and walls had been stripped for forensic testing . in .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- police are investigating the killing of a 19-year-old university of north carolina student and are questioning those who last saw her , a police spokesman said tuesday . the death of faith hedgepeth was an `` obvious homicide , '' chapel hill police sgt. josh mecimore told cnn , but investigators are still waiting for an official determination of the cause . there are no suspects in custody , he said . friends found hedgepeth dead friday morning at her apartment off campus , police said . she was a member of north carolina 's haliwa-saponi native american tribe , and the unc american indian center , where she was a volunteer , held a candlelight vigil for her monday night . `` although the police have not determined the cause of death , they also said they do not believe that this was a random act , '' unc officials said in a statement on her death . `` law enforcement officials do not believe that there is danger to other students , faculty or staff . '' hedgepeth 's death comes four and a half years after the slaying of unc student body president eve carson , who was killed after being kidnapped and forced to take money out of an automatic teller machine , police said . two men are serving life in prison in connection with her march 2008 killing . more from cnn justice : .<doc-sep>chapel hill , north carolina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- what happens to the 3,100 students who enrolled in fake classes and now have a degree stamped with the seal of the university of north carolina , chapel hill -- an institution consistently ranked among the nation 's top public schools ? likely nothing . the southern association of colleges and schools is currently reviewing a scathing report , prepared by former federal prosecutor ken wainstein , which showed thousands of unc students took fraudulent classes , some of them multiple times . but belle wheelan , the president of the association -- which is charged with accrediting degree-granting higher education institutions in the south , from virginia to texas -- told cnn that her group ca n't take away degrees . `` unc has to verify every degree they give all the time . we ask them to make sure all courses really are legitimate , '' wheelan said . `` all we can do ... is put them on sanction for lack of integrity . `` as far as taking those degrees back , there 's nothing we can do . '' unc officials told cnn say they are still deciding how to try to remedy the fact that so many students graduated with credits from the so-called `` paper classes '' on their transcripts . some students earned many credits taking multiple `` gpa booster '' classes . one student was enrolled in 19 different paper classes , wainstein said . `` we 're considering options on these matters and are working closely with sacs to evaluate possible courses of action , '' said spokesman rick white . unc report : 18 years of academic fraud . expert : ` nearly impossible ' to take away degrees . gerald gurney , president of the drake group for academic integrity in collegiate sport and the former president of the national association of academic advisers for athletics , called the unc fraud the largest and most nefarious academic scandal in the history of the ncaa . `` the depth and breadth of the scheme -- involving counselors , coaches , academic administrators , faculty , athletic administrators , etc. -- eclipses any previous case , '' gurney said . but , while gurney believes the ncaa should punish the university , he does not think that the students could lose the legitimacy of their degrees . `` lifting diplomas from students who were advised to take these classes is nearly impossible , '' he said . the last time sacs investigated the paper classes -- when unc insisted they existed on a much smaller scale -- the association made unc offer new classes to students who had been enrolled in the fake ones . but the enrollment in the remedy class was optional , wheelan said . unc told cnn that 11 students opted to retake a class . the suspect classes were started by a professor 's assistant in the african-american studies program -lrb- afam -rrb- who had sympathy for those at the school who were `` not the best and the brightest . '' that assistant , debbie crowder , and professor julius nyang ` oro then worked with several advisers in athletics to help student-athletes on the brink of eligibility keep their gpas up , according to the report . one former football player , mike mcadoo , told cnn earlier this year that his adviser told him to major in afam , and then put him in several paper classes , even though he had interest in majoring in something else . from emails that were attached to wainstein 's report , it 's clear that some athletes were placed in these classes because they were struggling . one email , written by former women 's basketball academics adviser jan boxill , suggests an athlete is only enrolled in `` two real courses . '' other emails show how counselors were calculated in adding , then dropping , and shifting athletes from class to class trying to keep them eligible to play . unc fake class scandal and ncaa 's response wind their way to washington . report : nearly half of 3,100 students were athletes . this all comes as no surprise to whistleblower mary willingham . she sounded the alarm on paper classes and was a lone voice against the university when it insisted that the whole scheme fell to the shoulders of nyang ` oro and crowder alone . willingham told cnn that many people were involved and that the paper classes were used as a crutch for underprepared athletes . she said that in january -- a month before the wainstein and his firm , cadwalader , wickersham & taft , was hired by unc to do another investigation into what happened over the last two decades . whistleblower in unc paper class case files lawsuit . what wainstein found was significantly bigger than what unc had admitted to for the last five years . nearly half of the 3,100 students were athletes . `` a good number of these student-athletes were `` steered '' to the afam paper classes by certain academic counselors in aspsa , '' wainstein 's report says . his report says paper classes served as `` gpa boosters '' for athletes who were on the brink of eligibility . why ? willingham says it 's because they were admitted to unc just to play -- and they could n't keep up in the classroom the way they could keep up on the field , she says . willingham has been attacked for saying that . one unc official even publicly said she was lying . now , the 131-page report and hundreds of supplemental documents appear to back her up . willingham sat at her kitchen table this week , watching the university of north carolina admit to nearly two decades of academic fraud . all she could think about were the athletes she tutored who she says were terribly unprepared for real classes at unc . many , she says , could barely read . `` i think about where they are , you know , what are they doing , '' she said , sitting at that same table the next day . `` it 's hard to find a lot of those guys . and so i was wondering if they were paying any attention to this and if it had any meaning for them . '' federal education privacy rules forbid the university from publicly identifying the students involved in the paper classes . unc in january : we failed students ` for years ' roy williams : ` we tried to do the right thing ' unc said the wainstein report came to a different conclusion than previous investigations because he had the cooperation of nyang ` oro and crowder , who previously were n't talking . nyang ` oro was charged with fraud -- a charge later dropped when he began cooperating with wainstein . but it 's unclear why previous investigations did not uncover the damning emails , or whether the statements of the athletic advisers were different in the past . the latest one , though , did find that some coaches knew what was happening . former head football coach john bunting , for instance , told investigators he knew of the paper classes . his successor , butch davis , who was fired a few years back for his role , also admitted some knowledge . the investigators made no findings about dean smith , the legendary basketball coach and sports icon who coached 36 years at unc . and the current basketball coach , roy williams , has adamantly denied knowing anything . reacting saturday to the report , williams told reporters `` it 's a very sad time for me '' as not only unc 's head basketball coach , but also a former assistant coach and student there . as to what happens next , williams said he does n't see anything in wainstein 's report pertaining to `` men 's basketball that somebody can immediately look at and say this is going to happen or this is not going to happen . '' `` the thing about it is that we tried to do the right thing , '' the coach said . `` i ca n't determine what the ncaa is going to do . '' cnn analysis : some college athletes play like adults , read like fifth-graders . cnn 's devon sayers and greg botelho contributed to this report .<doc-sep>gap says the policy states that employees should be `` free of intimidation or harassment . '' `` it is simply unacceptable for a person in a position of such authority to make disparaging comments about an employee who has raised legitimate and important concerns about the education of student-athletes , '' the letter states . `` the effect of these actions is that unc-ch is perceived as a bully who is intent on publicly smearing a well-meaning employee rather than fairly addressing the substance of the concerns being raised , '' the letter says , referring to the main chapel hill campus . clark also wrote that unc 's response and dean 's comments have a damaging and chilling effect on whistleblowers . that 's something willingham alleges she has already experienced . willingham said that in hundreds of e-mails privately supporting her , very few people -- at a diverse set of academic institutions -- say they are willing to imperil their careers by publicly talking about the issue of athlete literacy , let alone voicing support for her work . echoing that , many people who have talked to cnn since january have sought anonymity , noting the criticism of willingham and the death threats that she received in the days after cnn 's initial report . among those is the psychologist who administered the tests that willingham used to determine the reading levels of the athletes she studied . the psychologist stands behind willingham , but asked cnn not to use her name because she feared for her personal safety . cnn has n't published her name . school asserts her data is flawed .

<t> demario james atwater , 21 , charged with first-degree murder . </t> <t> police are also seeking lawrence alvin lovett jr. , 17 . </t> <t> eve carson was the popular student body president at the university . </t> <t> police had released photos of person using victim 's atm card . </t>

suspect charged in unc student 's death ⁇ second sought<T>

seoul , south korea -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- south korea will open its market to most u.s. beef , a senior government official said thursday , according to state media . thousands of people have taken to the streets of the south korean capital in protest at the deal . south korea banned imports of u.s. beef in 2003 amid concerns over a case of mad cow disease in the united states . the ban closed what was then the third-largest market for u.s. beef exporters . it resumed limited imports last year -- allowing boneless beef from cattle under 30 months of age -- but that re-opening was subject to interruptions and closed altogether in october 2007 . a deal that south korea and the united states struck last month bans the import of high-risk materials , like tonsils , brains , spinal cord marrow and a section of the small intestine , agriculture minister chung woon-chun said thursday , according to south korea 's yonhap news agency . these parts pose the greatest risk of transmitting mad cow disease to humans . the ban will be lifted within a few days , once the government 's new import rules have been published . the pending resumption of u.s. beef imports has n't been without political costs for president lee myung-bak . he apologized to the nation last week for failing to fully understand concerns about mad cow disease . in downtown seoul , thousands of people have regularly staged protests , chanting `` we do n't want crazy cows , '' since the deal to revive beef imports was announced . and the main opposition party has taken up the fight . `` we will be forced to make a critical decision if the government pushes through its plan to announce resumption of beef imports , '' said sohn hak-kyu , leader of the main opposition united democratic party , yonhap reported . `` if the government and the ruling party ignore this warning , we will come up with every possible measure to stop them . '' the opposition has already filed a suit to suspend implementation of new beef import terms , according to yonhap . lee 's ruling grand national party -lrb- gnp -rrb- is working to soothe tensions , saying that american beef is safe to eat and that adequate safety precautions have been taken . `` the government has tried its best to free the public from unnecessary concerns , and sufficient countermeasures have been prepared , '' said lee hahn-koo , the party 's chief policymaker , yonhap reported . when south korea and the united states reached the deal in april to re-open the south korean market , they removed the major obstacle to u.s. congressional approval of the korea-u.s. free trade agreement -lrb- fta -rrb- . lee urged the national assembly this month to ratify the agreement as soon as possible to provide fresh impetus to the sluggish korean economy , saying it will create 300,000 jobs . but the opposition has promised to fight the fta until the beef pact is nullified . in 2003 , the united states exported $ 815 million pounds of beef and beef variety meats to south korea . the u.s. beef industry has lost up to $ 4 billion since the market closed , according to the u.s. meat export federation .<doc-sep>eating meat products contaminated with the illness has been linked to variant creutzfeldt-jakob disease , a rare and fatal malady in humans . until the 2003 ban , south korea was the third-largest market for u.s. beef exporters . the u.s. beef industry has lost up to $ 4 billion since the market closed , according to the u.s. meat export federation . the imports are expected to resume this month .<doc-sep>seoul , south korea -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tens of thousands of south koreans were demonstrating saturday on the streets of the capital to protest the government 's decision to import what they say is unsafe u.s. beef . south korean protesters protest against government 's policy on u.s. beef imports on saturday . south korean police estimate that the crowd in seoul is about 50,000 . no clashes were reported between the protesters and riot police , although ongoing protests have at times turned violent . south koreans have protested regularly since april when the government announced it would resume importing beef from the united states after a five-year ban . that ban was instituted over a case of mad cow disease in the united states in 2003 . the widespread public protests essentially paralyzed the government of president lee myung-bak , who replaced seven top aides this month and plans to reshuffle his cabinet . tens of thousands of auto workers in south korea went on strike wednesday to oppose the government 's lifting of the ban . after a series of negotiations , seoul and washington came up with a revised agreement on june 21 -- one that limits imports to cattle younger than 30 months old . animals older than 30 months old are considered at a greater risk for mad cow disease , which can be transmitted to humans . the revised agreement also excludes the import of certain parts believed more susceptible to mad cow disease . the initial deal would have allowed the import of all u.s. beef imports .<doc-sep>seoul , south korea -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tens of thousands of south koreans were demonstrating saturday on the streets of the capital to protest the government 's decision to import what they say is unsafe u.s. beef . south korean protesters protest against government 's policy on u.s. beef imports on saturday . south korean police estimate that the crowd in seoul is about 50,000 . no clashes were reported between the protesters and riot police , although ongoing protests have at times turned violent . south koreans have protested regularly since april when the government announced it would resume importing beef from the united states after a five-year ban . that ban was instituted over a case of mad cow disease in the united states in 2003 . the widespread public protests essentially paralyzed the government of president lee myung-bak , who replaced seven top aides this month and plans to reshuffle his cabinet .<doc-sep>seoul , south korea -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- south korea will open its market to most u.s. beef , a senior government official said thursday , according to state media . thousands of people have taken to the streets of the south korean capital in protest at the deal . south korea banned imports of u.s. beef in 2003 amid concerns over a case of mad cow disease in the united states . the ban closed what was then the third-largest market for u.s. beef exporters . it resumed limited imports last year -- allowing boneless beef from cattle under 30 months of age -- but that re-opening was subject to interruptions and closed altogether in october 2007 . a deal that south korea and the united states struck last month bans the import of high-risk materials , like tonsils , brains , spinal cord marrow and a section of the small intestine , agriculture minister chung woon-chun said thursday , according to south korea 's yonhap news agency . these parts pose the greatest risk of transmitting mad cow disease to humans . the ban will be lifted within a few days , once the government 's new import rules have been published . the pending resumption of u.s. beef imports has n't been without political costs for president lee myung-bak . he apologized to the nation last week for failing to fully understand concerns about mad cow disease . in downtown seoul , thousands of people have regularly staged protests , chanting `` we do n't want crazy cows , '' since the deal to revive beef imports was announced . and the main opposition party has taken up the fight .

<t> south korea to open market to most u.s. beef says government official . </t> <t> ban began in 2003 amid concerns over a case of mad cow disease in the u.s. </t> <t> new agreement bans the import of high-risk materials , like tonsils and brains . </t> <t> thousands of s. koreans have regularly staged protests against u.s. beef imports . </t>

south korea to resume u.s. beef imports<T>

basel , switzerland -- turkey suffered a blow when emre belozoglu was ruled out of wednesday 's critical group a clash against euro 2008 co-hosts switzerland after tearing a hamstring in training . emre misses turkey 's critical group a clash against switzerland after tearing a hamstring in training . `` unfortunately , emre is not going to play tomorrow , '' said turkey coach fatih terim ahead of the game at basel 's st jakob-park stadium . `` he had an mri and results have shown that there 's an edema of two to three centimetres . `` not having emre is a problem for us because his role is not that simple to cover by another player . but then again switzerland will not have their injured captain alexander frei . '' turkey will be sweating on the return of defensive duo servet cetin and gokhan zan , who will be given until the last minute to prove their fitness . `` they have both had a hard time but they are really devoted to the team , '' said terim . `` we will make a decision on whether they will play tomorrow . '' terim , whose side lost 2-0 against portugal in their opening game , remains confident that his team can still qualify from the group stage . `` everyone is aware of how important this game is , '' he said . `` we are confident in ourselves and i believe we will succeed in this tournament . for us , the game against portugal was n't the key but this one is . `` of course , every team wants to begin a competition with a win but it did n't happen but that does n't mean that we ca n't do well . in euro 2004 , we started with a defeat and then we did well . '' failure is not an option for switzerland coach kobi kuhn , either . `` you never consider the possibility of a defeat , '' he said . `` we are aware that if we lost tomorrow , then the tournament for us would be reduced to just one game , against portugal . `` we have a young team that has a future but we are going to win tomorrow . '' kuhn , whose side lost 1-0 to the czech republic in their first encounter , knows his men will face tough opposition , though . `` turkey are 12th in the world ranking and we are quite a bit away from there , '' he said . `` but you can see that this is a strong team on its merits . we will have to fight hard to beat them . '' the last time both teams met was in a qualifying play-off for the 2006 world cup , when switzerland prevailed on away goals . the game was , however , marred by violent incidents involving players from both sides following the final whistle although kuhn believes any ill feeling has passed . `` this issue is almost three years old now and as in everyday life football evolves very quickly , '' he said . `` this thing is over and done with . '' switzerland will have all their players available with the exception of frei , who has been ruled out for the tournament having sustained a knee injury in his team 's opener . `` frei can not play , '' said kuhn . `` but he is very important for us and he will remain with the team as he is such a big support for us . ''<doc-sep>adam lallana 's hopes of making a flying start to his liverpool career have suffered a huge blow with a knee injury that will rule him out for six weeks . the england midfielder , who has been training with liverpool for just four days after making a # 23.6 million switch from southampton , will miss the first three games of the barclays premier league campaign -- a home clash with his old club and trips to manchester city and tottenham . he is also likely to miss the opening euro 2016 qualifier away to switzerland on september 8 . lallana was hurt during a training drill on thursday and liverpool 's fears were realised following the results of a scan . video scroll down to watch adam lallana chase the ball during a game of keep-ball . big blow : brendan rodgers will have to do without new signing adam lallana at the start of the season . double blow : lallana will miss games for england -lrb- vs switzerland -rrb- and against former club southampton .<doc-sep>chelsea will line up in their premier league title showdown with manchester city on saturday night without two of their key players in diego costa and cesc fabregas . in a double blow for jose mourinho , costa has been banned for three games for his stamp on liverpool 's emre can in tuesday 's capital one cup semi-final , while fabregas is struggling with the hamstring injury that forced his early withdrawal from the same match . their absence will undoubtedly be a major boost to city as they attempt to close the gap from five to two points - but just how important have the pair been for chelsea this season ? chelsea will be without star men cesc fabregas and diego costa -lrb- in grey -rrb- for the man city match . diego costa has been banned for three games for this stamp on liverpool 's emre can on tuesday night . cesc fabregas left the fray early in the capital one cup semi-final win over liverpool with a hamstring injury . chelsea currently have a five-point advantage over manchester city ahead of saturday 's match .<doc-sep>bosnia striker edin dzeko will miss sunday 's euro 2016 qualifier away to israel due to a calf injury and could be sidelined for up to three weeks , team doctor reuf karabeg said . ` it 's a very serious injury and requires the kind of treatment whose time-frame unfortunately rules out a quick return , ' karabeg told the bosnian football federation website on monday . dzeko said : ' i am extremely disappointed with the news that i will miss this match but i have faith in my team mates and believe that they have it in them to get a result . ' bosnia team doctor reuf karabeg said edin dzeko could be sidelined for up to three weeks with a calf injury . the manchester city striker was replaced by midfielder frank lampard during their 2-2 draw at qpr . dzeko 's absence will be a bitter blow to injury-hit bosnia 's hopes of getting their group b campaign on track after taking only two points from the opening three games . his strike partner vedad ibisevic was earlier ruled out as a long-term casualty while defender avdija vrsajevic and central midfielder tino sven susic are also unlikely to recover in time for the clash in haifa .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- germany captain michael ballack has suffered a fractured left knee cap following a heavy challenge while playing for bayer leverkusen against hanover on saturday . the 33-year-old former chelsea and bayern munich midfielder limped off after 30 minutes of the bundesliga clash and is expected to be out of action for up to two months . the injury means ballack has already been ruled out of the euro 2012 qualifiers against turkey and kazakhstan . it is a further blow to ballack , who missed the world cup finals with an ankle injury and was subsequently left out of the germany squad for this month 's ties against belgium and azerbaijan . germany national coach joachim loew released a statement saying : `` i feel sorry for michael that he must accept a new health setback . of course i wish him a quick and speedy recovery . '' meanwhile , mainz joined hoffenheim at the top of the bundesliga table with a 2-1 home victory over kaiserslautern on sunday . the visitors went into the interval with the lead courtesy of a well-taken goal from croatian striker srdjan lakic . but niko bungert levelled after 71 minutes and mainz collected all three points with a deflected strike from teenager andre schuerrle . the result means mainz have won all their three opening matches and they stand on nine points , trailing hoffenheim at the top only on goal difference .

<t> midfielder emre misses turkey 's group a tie against co-hosts switzerland . </t> <t> turkey sweating on the return of defensive duo servet cetin and gokhan zan . </t> <t> swiss captain alexander frei ruled out of rest of tournament with knee injury . </t>

emre injury blow hits turkey euro hopes<T>

washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- ohio congressman david hobson is the latest republican to announce his exit from the house of representatives , telling constituents sunday he would step down in 2008 after nine terms . rep. david hobson , shown in february , was the lone republican on rep. nancy pelosi 's mideast trip this year . hobson , 71 , is a senior member of the house appropriations subcommittee that oversees the pentagon . he has represented his district , which includes parts of the dayton and columbus areas , since 1991 . his fellow ohio republican , house minority leader john boehner , praised his `` effective leadership and dry wit '' in a statement issued sunday evening . `` during the remainder of his term , i am certain that dave will continue to represent his constituents with the same energy and dedication that have been the trademarks of his tenure in the u.s. house , '' boehner said . `` i look forward to continuing our close work over these next 14 months , and when the 111th congress begins , i 'll be eager to work beside a new republican from ohio 's 7th district . ''<doc-sep>hobson is the 12th gop house member to announce retirement ahead of the 2008 elections , when the republican party will be seeking to reclaim the congressional majorities it lost to democrats in 2006 . another republican representative , new mexico 's heather wilson , has said she will run for the senate seat being given up by sen. pete domenici -- one of five republicans retiring from the senate in 2008 rather than seeking a new term . `` ohio 's 7th congressional district is a strong republican seat that will continue to elect candidates that fight to keep taxes low , the economy strong and the nation secure , '' said rep. tom cole , the chairman of the national republican congressional committee . `` we will be working with local activists and party leaders to send a candidate that fights for those same values back to congress in 2008 . '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's jessica yellin and deirdre walsh contributed to this report .<doc-sep>`` what happened last night in virginia is just like adding jet fuel on that fire . our grassroots person is getting inundated with requests from activists to help . they 're saying ` what can we do . what can we do , ' '' said brandon of freedomworks . mainstream republicans also agreed that cantor 's defeat will give the tea party more mojo . `` this victory is the ` pulp fiction ' equivalent of the adrenaline needle plunged into the chest of the tea party , '' said gop consultant ron bonjean , who served as a top strategist and adviser top house and senate republican leaders . who said the tea party was dead ? 3 . there will be a house leadership shakeup : house gop members and aides say they are still reeling from the news and it 's still sinking in . there were a flurry of calls between leadership offices and small gatherings of house gop members on tuesday night as the results came in , but multiple gop leadership aides say it 's still unclear what happens next . `` it 's just stunning , '' gop rep. lee terry of nebraska said . `` and we 're trying to analyze what really happened here . '' cantor 's expected to announce he will step down as majority leader effective july 31 , a senior house republican source told cnn 's bash . and the move could trigger a fight to replace him . cantor 's stunning upset does make it more likely that house speaker john boehner stays in office . according to a gop source , boehner reaffirmed his colleagues wednesday that he was `` all in for speaker '' in the next congress and then got a standing ovation . current house gop whip kevin mccarthy of california is expected to announce his intention to move up the leadership ladder and run for majority leader . he is popular and helped raise money and elect many of the new members of the conference . cantor said if mccarthy runs , he would be `` an outstanding majority leader '' and would back him . but conservative members are already demanding someone from a red state be elected to represent their views at the leadership table . several house conservatives have pointed to louisiana rep. steve scalise , who currently heads the group of fiscal conservatives in the house , texas rep. jeb hensarling , ohio rep. jim jordan , and georgia rep. tom price as possible candidates for leadership jobs . rep. pete sessions of texas told reporters wednesday that he 's planning to run for majority leader . rep. cathy mcmorris rodgers of washington state , the house republican conference chair and top women in the leadership team , announced that she will stay put in her current position and not bid for the majority leader position . 4 . immigration reform is dead for now : the vast majority of house republicans already decided they did n't want to vote on any immigration bills before the midterm election . those advocates who were pushing for action conceded that even the most minor steps would have to wait until primary challenges were over . but after a low-profile and underfunded tea party candidate who ran almost solely on railing against cantor 's embrace of `` amnesty '' beat him soundly any prospects for action have evaporated . cantor embraced some of the most minor immigration reforms so house republicans fearful of losing their own jobs wo n't want to touch the issue . `` the members who want immigration reform will still be pushing it , but last night 's election makes the road they must travel much steeper , '' said gop strategist john feehery , who was a top aide to one-time speaker dennis hastert and tom delay when he was majority whip . 2014 midterms : what 's at stake . complete midterm coverage . 5 . if you can believe it , gridlock on capitol hill will get worse : the partisan toxic pre-midterm election atmosphere in washington was already bad . just getting the most basic bills passed to keep the government running has been a herculean task . terry told cnn 's bash the loss will mean members will have less motivation to work across the aisle . terry added that the message to house gop members is `` negotiation or compromise could get you beat . '' feehery added that the cantor loss throws the republican conference into chaos and makes it harder to get anything done . cnn senior political analyst david gergen agreed . `` for cantor to be knocked off by a tea party conservative over his efforts to push for immigration reform and his earlier efforts to lift the debt ceiling , i think it will send shockwaves through republican ranks . look at the price he paid for doing things the majority of americans support , '' said gergen a senior adviser to both democratic and republican presidents . jack trammell is the democrat who no longer has to face eric cantor .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- his party got its clock cleaned in tuesday 's midterm elections , but president barack obama still remains competitive in some hypothetical 2012 presidential election matchups , especially against sarah palin , a new poll shows . a cnn/opinion research corp. survey released thursday also indicates that at the unofficial start of the race for the republican presidential nomination , the field of possible contenders appears wide open with no front-runner . twenty-one percent of republicans say they would most likely support 2008 gop white house candidate and former arkansas gov. mike huckabee for their party 's 2012 presidential nomination , according to the poll . the number is 20 percent for another 2008 republican presidential hopeful , former massachusetts gov. mitt romney . fourteen percent say they support palin , the former alaska governor and 2008 gop vice presidential nominee , with 12 percent backing former house speaker newt gingrich of georgia . the remaining candidates , whose names were all in single digits , are led by rep. ron paul of texas , who also ran for the gop presidential nomination the last time around , followed by mississippi gov. haley barbour , minnesota gov. tim pawlenty , rep. mike pence of indiana , and former sen. rick santorum of pennsylvania . the poll 's release comes as santorum visits new hampshire to give a speech about the midterm election results and the future of the republican party . no one has yet to announce a bid for the gop nomination .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- at least three conservative critics of house speaker john boehner , say they 'll be voting for somebody else when lawmakers return to washington next week to officially open the new gop-dominated congress , previewing some of the conservative opposition that will greet the ohio republican . rep. ted yoho was the latest to publicly announce his decision not to support boehner for his current position , making the news on his social media accounts saturday night . on friday , rep. jim bridenstine pointed to boehner 's moves in december to advance a measure favored by president barack obama to fund the government for the next 10 months . `` speaker boehner went too far when he teamed with obama to advance this legislation . he relinquished the power of the purse , and with it he lost my vote , '' bridenstine said in a statement . rep. thomas massie said saturday he too would not support boehner and said he opposed the way boehner steered legislation the house floor , in some instances without a full 72 hours for lawmakers to read enormous bills . `` during my first two years as a congressman i discovered a significant source of the dysfunction . i watched the house leadership , '' said massie in a statement . massie and bridenstine are unlikely to be the only republican to vote against boehner for speaker .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- house democrats vented their frustrations with president barack obama 's tax proposal at a closed-door meeting tuesday night , with rank-and-file members slamming the white house for leaving house democrats out of final negotiations , and agreeing too quickly to a gop proposal on the estate tax . according to several democratic members and aides , much of the discussion centered on the addition of the estate tax exemption to the package extending all the bush-era tax cuts for two years . democrats are fuming that the administration agreed to exempt inheritances up to $ 5 million and to set the tax rate at 35 % . the estate tax is scheduled to be reinstated at a higher rate of 55 % next year , with the exemption up to $ 1 million . a bill passed the house a year ago that set the threshold for the exemption at $ 3.5 million and the tax rate at 45 % . pennsylvania democrat allyson schwartz said , `` my sense is people are not happy with this , '' telling reporters that democrats plan to `` push back at little '' at the white house to try to change the estate tax back to the version that passed the house . schwartz said if the administration agreed to do that , she could support the package , but she could not predict how many other democrats would do the same . liberal democratic rep anthony weiner of new york called the estate tax provision `` one of the biggest problems , because that was the one we had the most leverage on . '' according to a senior house democratic aide , democratic rep chris van hollen of maryland , who represented house democrats in discussions with the administration and republicans , said the decision to accept the gop estate tax proposal was `` an unnecessary giveaway to kyl . '' gop sen. jon kyl of arizona , who was negotiating for senate republicans , sponsored an estate tax bill that is essentially the same as the deal outlined by obama .

<t> rep. david hobson tells constituents he will step down in 2008 after nine terms . </t> <t> hobson is a senior member of a house appropriations defense subcommittee . </t> <t> gop will be seeking to reclaim the congressional majorities it lost in 2006 . </t>

rep. hobson is 12th in gop to announce leaving<T>

washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- responding to recent accidents linked to pilot fatigue , federal safety officials hope reduce airline pilots ' logging 14-hour days . the faa currently allows pilots to log 14-hour workdays , which the ntsb says contributes to accidents . the national transportation safety board concluded in a report out tuesday that pilot fatigue was a probable cause in a runway landing accident during bad weather in michigan last winter . there were no fatalities . the federal aviation administration currently allows a 14-hour workday with eight hours of logged airtime . `` it 's a critical issue ; it 's an insidious issue . many times , the pilots themselves do n't even recognize that they are fatigued when they get into that cockpit , '' ntsb chairman mark rosenker said .<doc-sep>and rosenker made the same points about air traffic controllers more than a year ago , in april 2007 . in a letter to the faa , rosenker said that four other plane incidents `` provide clear and compelling evidence '' that controllers are sometimes operating while fatigued because of their work schedules and poor use of rest periods . `` that fatigue has contributed to controller errors , '' rosenker wrote in 2007 . `` fourteen hours is still a very long day , '' ntsb board member debbie hersman said . her conclusion is backed by 40 years of airline accident statistics compiled by the faa and cited tuesday at an ntsb hearing . `` after a duty period of about 10 to 12 hours , the number of observed accidents increased exponentially , '' ntsb staff member malcolm brenner said . in february , the cockpit crew of a passenger plane operated by mesa airlines failed to answer air traffic controllers for 18 minutes , missed the flight 's destination in hawaii and continued for another 15 miles at 21,000 feet over the pacific ocean .<doc-sep>the investigation has shown that `` both pilots unintentionally fell asleep during cruise flight , '' ntsb staff member jena price said during a presentation to the safety board . the crew of go ! flight 1002 eventually answered concerned calls on the radio from ground controllers , turned around and safely landed . the ntsb report called for analysis of sleep quantity , sleep quality , performance , errors and incidents traced to schedules that disrupt sleep patterns , perhaps while stretching workloads to the maximum allowed . `` they can not just keep pushing pilots until they drop , '' said the head of the air line pilots association , rory kay . he said during a break in the ntsb hearing that `` pilot pushing '' is an issue .<doc-sep>`` we are in tough economic times , we 're being asked to do more with less , and we have to support the pilot when he makes the determination that it 's time to call it quits , '' he said . after reviewing some possible remedies against fatigue in the cockpit , board members unanimously approved the proposal to the faa , which would be responsible for developing guidance for the airlines to carry out . the faa plans to hold a symposium on fatigue management next week with representatives from the aviation industry . `` i want the faa to have a complete overhaul of the flight time/duty time regulations '' that presently allow a 14-hour day with eight hours of flight time , kay said .<doc-sep>`` where is the real damage ? yes , it was tasteless and undoubtedly it caused some short-term emotional distress , but nothing that rises to the level of litigation , '' he said . ntsb : 2 asiana pilots call for landing to be aborted . it was not immediately clear who produced the fake names , but the ntsb said it was not the intern . `` the names were presented , by the station , to the intern for confirmation , '' ntsb spokeswoman kelly nantel said . `` the intern did not make up the names and provide them to the station . '' the ntsb said it does not release or confirm the identities of crew members or other people involved in transportation accidents . `` we work hard to ensure that only appropriate factual information regarding an investigation is released and deeply regret today 's incident , '' the ntsb statement said .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- they are the aviation equivalent of fender benders . but citing 12 incidents since 1993 in which large airplanes ' wingtips collided with other planes or objects while taxiing -- including three recent accidents -- the national transportation safety board said wednesday it wants the federal government to require external cameras or other anti-collision aids on large aircraft if the pilot is incapable of seeing the wingtips . collision warning systems are now common in cars , ntsb chairwoman deborah hersman said , and they should be common in large aircraft as well . 747 cargo plane clips commuter jet in chicago . in the three recent incidents , all under investigation by the ntsb , the pilots of the large airplanes `` could not easily view the airplanes ' wingtips from the cockpit , '' hersman told the federal aviation administration . cameras or other anti-collision aids would assist pilots without requiring them to open the cockpit window and extending their head out of the window , `` which is often impractical , '' hersman wrote .<doc-sep>expert witnesses such as pilots , medical personnel , managers and federal aviation administration officials will give sworn testimony on what has been an `` ongoing concern '' of the safety board , which issued a report on emergency medical services operations in 2006 . the ntsb said there were 55 ems-related aviation accidents -- both fatal and nonfatal -- between january 2002 and january 2005 that could have been prevented with `` simple corrective actions . '' in those crashes , 54 people were killed , and 18 were seriously injured , the ntsb said . the agency recommended to the faa in january 2006 that all medical chopper operators be required to develop and implement risk evaluation programs , use dispatch and flight procedures that include up-to-date weather information , and install `` terrain awareness and warning systems '' on their aircraft . a fourth recommendation would require medical flight operators to follow federal regulations regarding their flights . the recommendations have not been fully implemented , the ntsb said .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . southwest airlines pilots who recently landed at the wrong airport in missouri have told investigators they were confused by the small airport 's runway lights , believing it to be a larger airport in nearby branson , the national transportation safety board said friday . the pilots of southwest flight 4013 from chicago 's midway airport said in interviews with investigators that they had programmed the boeing 737 flight management system for the branson airport , ntsb said . but as they were approaching to land at night last sunday , they first saw the airport beacon and bright runway lights of graham clark downtown airport , located in hollister , missouri , and mistakenly identified it as the branson airport , which is 7 miles away . investigation : a crew inspects southwest airlines flight 4013 at tiny m. graham clark airport in hollister , missouri on monday , where pilots accidentally landed while en route to branson sunday evening . uncommon around these parts : a small crowd gathers at the m. graham clark airport in hollister , missouri monday to see southwest airlines jet that landed there by mistake . the pilots who mistakenly landed the jet there sunday were grounded monday pending an investigation . whoops : pictured is the flight path of southwest airlines flight 4013 on sunday . the flight , carrying 124 passengers and five crew members , was scheduled to go from chicago 's midway international airport to branson airport but somehow veered 9 miles off course . grounded : this sunday photo provided by passenger scott schieffer shows the cockpit and presumably the pilots who 've now been grounded after the bizarre incident . the captain had not previously landed . in branson , and the first officer had previously landed there once , and . that was during the daytime , ntsb said in an update on the incident . they did n't realize until the plane touched down that they were at the . wrong airport , the ntsb said . during . the landing approach , the pilots contacted the branson control tower . they were told by controllers they were 15 miles from their target . but . the pilots responded that they had the airfield in sight . controllers . then cleared the plane for a visual approach to land on branson runway . 14 . that means the pilots were relying on what they could see rather . than automation to orient the plane . instead , . the midsized airliner with 124 passengers on board landed on the . downtown airport runway , which is half as long as the branson runway . the runways are oriented in a similar direction . passengers later . described the plane coming to an extremely hard stop just short of a . ravine at the end of the runway , and the smell of burnt rubber . ntsb said the pilots ` confirmed that they utilized heavy braking to bring the aircraft to a stop . ' besides . the pilots , ntsb said investigators also interviewed a southwest . dispatcher , who was on the flight , riding in the jump seat , and listened . to the cockpit voice recorder . investigators have also begun to analyze . the plane 's flight data recorder , which contains about 27 hours of . recorded data from the jet 's computer systems . welcome to branson ? confused passengers were first told by a crew member they 'd landed at the correct destination . a pilot then spoke on the intercom : ` ladies and gentlemen , i 'm sorry to tell you we landed at the wrong airport .

<t> federal aviation administration currently allows pilots to work a 14-hour day . </t> <t> ntsb said pilot fatigue has contributed to plane crashes and near-crashes . </t> <t> `` they ca n't just keep pushing pilots until they drop , '' pilots group president said . </t> <t> faa plans to hold a symposium on fatigue management next week . </t>

ntsb : pilots ' long hours leading to accidents<T>

los angeles -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the man whose investigation of president clinton provided reams of tabloid fodder is now working to help crack down on photographers working for the very publications his efforts once filled . photographers surround singer britney spears ' car in los angeles , california , in october . kenneth starr -- the independent counsel whose open-ended investigation of a clinton land deal veered into an intimately detailed report on the president 's affair with intern monica lewinsky -- is helping california lawmakers craft laws to crack down on celebrity-hunting packs of paparazzi . malibu mayor pamela conley ulich contacted starr , now a law school dean at pepperdine university in malibu . local governments in los angeles and west hollywood are also part of the effort to curb what they call a dangerous and expensive problem . `` just imagine you 're a motorist driving down the street and britney spears parks next to you ; all of a sudden you 're swarmed by these people , '' los angeles city councilman dennis zine said . `` they 've got cameras ; they 're jumping on the hood of my car . `` you do n't know if you 're getting carjacked . you do n't know what 's happening . '' the idea of a `` safe zone '' around celebrities has been kicked around by l.a.-area lawmakers for years . the push became more intense in the wake of multiple mob scenes around pop star spears last year , including a virtual siege of her studio city , california , home and similar scenes during her trips to hospitals . starr has been in contact with the officials but is `` not ready to publicly comment '' on any plan he may have , according to a pepperdine spokesperson .<doc-sep>lawmakers have set no timetable for when they 'd like to have laws drafted . police chief william j. bratton has argued that there 's no need for new laws to deal with the problem . but zine and others argue that police resources are stretched thin by the current state of things , citing $ 25,000 shelled out last year for a police escort for spears . to some , starr -- the man vilified by liberals for a lengthy and costly clinton investigation that turned up clinton 's personal foibles but no major wrongdoing in the whitewater land deals -- seems an odd partner for politicians in the notoriously left-leaning los angeles area . `` the irony is that he was so criticized , so vilified by hollywood liberals 10 years ago during the monica lewinsky impeachment saga , '' said david mark , a senior editor at politico . `` now he 's kind of aligned himself with a lot of malibu residents who probably disagree with him politically . '' but zine , who has been a prime backer of laws curbing the `` pap packs , '' said starr 's expertise will be valuable as lawmakers try to strike a balance between public safety and first amendment freedom of the press concerns . `` i have a lot of respect for ken starr , '' zine said . `` we do n't want to violate any rules . we do n't want to violate the constitution . `` we believe that the constitution needs to be upheld -lsb- but -rsb- at the same time , we need to protect our celebrities . '' cnn 's carol costello contributed to this report .<doc-sep>backing : former solicitor general ken starr , left , and convicted sex offender christopher kloman , right . high profile : ken starr was named time 's man of the year alongside bill clinton in 1998 . it was one of dozens of letters of support for the former potomac teacher , who admitted molesting several schoolgirls under the age of 14 , according to gakwer . alongside starr , the judge received correspondence from former abc news anchor charlie gibson , a former laura bush aide and a one-time gop congressman . many of them had sent their children to the $ 34,000-a-year virginia school kloman taught at from 1965 to 1994 . when he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing several female students in the 1960s , he told the court : ' i violated their trust . i am embarrassed , horrified , and ashamed of my actions , ' abc 7 reported . one of his victims came forward in 2011 after learning that her abuser was being used as a substitute teacher at her son 's school . kloman was accused of molesting his victims , aged 12 to 14 , after luring them to isolated locations under the guise of helping them with homework . scandal : white house intern monica lewinsky with president clinton . leniency : ken and alice starr 's letter calls for kloman to be given a lighter sentence .<doc-sep>refugees international credited bacon for doubling the group 's size under his leadership and helping it get increased protection and assistance for displaced people in sudan 's darfur region , iraq , pakistan and other troubled areas . in the last months of his life , bacon shifted his focus toward the issue of climate displacement , the group said . `` ken would walk the corridors of power one day and then meet with refugees in the most remote areas of darfur the next . his unique mixture of expertise in the media , military affairs , and u.s. government policy , added to his compassion for vulnerable refugees , made him one of the great voices in humanitarian advocacy , '' said joel charny , acting president of refugees international . `` ken always saw the best in people . his ability to connect with nearly everyone he met made it possible for him to convince officials at the highest levels of government and the united nations to make the necessary changes to save lives and protect people from harm . '' in 1994 , bacon became the defense department 's assistant secretary of public affairs and pentagon spokesman . he was known for his no-nonsense manner and his signature bow ties . `` i first got to know ken bacon several years ago when he was the chief pentagon spokesman . ken did the job the way its supposed to be done : holding press conferences , answering questions , providing facts , information and context , '' said cnn pentagon correspondent barbara starr . `` i know he was often bemused to watch the new era of spin and message , since he so passionately believed that facts stand on their own merit . `` later , ken became an extraordinary advocate for refugees and displaced persons around the world , '' she added . `` i could ring him up to ask a question about any remote area of the world where people were suffering and he could explain with breadth and depth what was going on . ''<doc-sep>los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the sponsor of a proposal to rein in aggressive celebrity photographers is meeting resistance from los angeles ' top cop , who says the law is not needed when celebrities just behave . photographers swarm a car carrying britney spears after a los angeles court appearance in october 2007 . city councilman dennis zine wants to require photographers to stay a safe distance from celebrities . his proposed ordinance is nicknamed the `` britney law '' for the hordes of paparazzi that swarm around pop star britney spears , sometimes costing the city thousands of dollars for escorts and other enforcement . `` they act like a pack of wolves stalking their prey , creating havoc in the streets , and are nuisances to innocent bystanders , '' zine said at a task force hearing he convened thursday . watch how paparazzi spy on hollywood stars '' the proposal gained exposure last month when officials from around southern california asked former independent counsel kenneth starr -- whose investigation of former president clinton spawned its own share of tabloid headlines -- to help craft a law that would protect celebrities without infringing on freedom of the press . ireport.com : share your celeb stories and photos . critics of the plan include los angeles police chief william bratton , who argues that it would be difficult to enforce . he also says existing laws can keep unruly packs of photographers in check . the chief said the city 's tabloid darlings could help by providing photographers less to work with . `` if celebrities behave themselves , that solves about 90 percent of the problem , '' bratton said . `` britney , the last couple of days , has started wearing clothes again . the paparazzi are leaving town because she 's not as interesting when she 's not running around without her underwear on . '' he said actress lindsay lohan `` evidently found a new love life , so she 's probably in new york hanging out '' and that `` god knows '' where billionaire heiress paris hilton had been . `` she 's thankfully disappeared from the scene , '' bratton said . at the hearing , members of the paparazzi also said the law would be impossible to enforce . `` unless every celebrity has a chaperone of a police officer with a 6-foot tape measure , how are you going to enforce it ? '' said photographer nick stern . those attending included musician john mayer , actor eric roberts , sheriff 's officials , representatives of the screen actors guild and officials from west hollywood , beverly hills and malibu . cnn 's kareen wynter contributed to this report .<doc-sep>by . jessica jerreat . published : . 22:17 est , 15 november 2013 . | . updated : . 09:35 est , 16 november 2013 . the solicitor general who criticized bill clinton for having an affair with a consenting adult has written to a court in defense of a convicted child molester . ken starr , who sparked the monica lewinsky scandal with his report on the president , is among a host of celebrities and politicians to come out in support of retired teacher and sex offender christopher kloman . the man named as time magazine 's person of the year alongside clinton in 1998 wrote to a virginia judge , pleading to overturn the 43-year prison sentence handed down to his family friend in october .

<t> southern california governments band together to fight celebrity chasers . </t> <t> malibu mayor asked for former independent counsel 's help drafting law . </t> <t> los angeles police chief says no new laws are needed . </t> <t> some officials say situation is stretching police resources thin . </t>

ken starr helping lawmakers fight paparazzi<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the remnants of tropical storm erin turned central oklahoma into a wash basin sunday , with rescuers on helicopters plucking people from flood waters and rooftops and ferrying them to safety . a flood victim hangs precariously during a rescue flight sunday . two people died and at least two others were hurt , said michelann ooten , a spokesman for the state 's emergency operations center in oklahoma city . a middle-aged man who had stopped to help another person wound up drowning in his vehicle near kingfisher , oklahoma , and an elderly woman in fort cobb , oklahoma , who had sought protection in her storm cellar drowned there , ooten said . the injuries occurred when either straight-line winds or a tornado destroyed a house in watonga , she said . `` i 'm certain there are many more injured , '' she said . `` this is all courtesy erin , the new four-letter word , '' she said . officials were searching for three other people who had been traveling together near carnegie , oklahoma , and were reported missing , she said . in kingfisher , oklahoma , the storm dropped five to 11 inches of rain in a short period of time , causing kingfisher creek to rise 25 feet and overflow its banks , said capt. chris west of the oklahoma highway patrol . `` it 's the highest it 's ever been , '' west said . `` there 's about 200 to 300 people that are displaced out of their homes . '' by 6 p.m. floodwaters in kingfisher had begun to subside , but the storm system had not yet exited the state , ooten said . flood warnings were issued until midnight for parts of eastern oklahoma , she said . the helicopter rescue operation got under way sunday morning , after authorities got a call alerting them that a pickup truck containing two passengers had been swept from a bridge over kingfisher creek , west said . first , a helicopter dropped life vests to the couple , whose pickup truck was nearly obscured by the water . soon afterward , their truck was simply swept away , and the pair were left to fend for themselves in the water until the rescue helicopter approached . first , a rescuer grabbed the woman and pulled her toward the skid on which he was positioned . for a few seconds , she held on as the helicopter rose , but lost her grip and fell back into the water . the helicopter circled back for a second effort , which this time proved successful .<doc-sep>the drama from the town of about 14,000 residents 35 miles northwest of oklahoma city unfolded live on national television . `` when the lady fell , i was kind of surprised , i hated to see that , '' said west , who watched the rescue on television . `` we were able to get back around , get her picked up . '' like his partner , the man also fell , was picked up again and taken to safety . the rescue work then focused on removing people stranded atop the roofs of vehicles and buildings . time and again , the pilots positioned their helicopters inches above choppy water as rescuers helped men and women grab the skids . residents of nearby apache , oklahoma , faced similar floods , which caught most people off guard , said lt. bobby claborne of the apache fire department . `` we never thought we 'd have a tropical storm in our area , '' he said . no evacuation plans were initiated until early sunday , `` but it was a little late '' by then , he said . for several hours , thousands of people were without power in el reno , which had been inundated by more than six inches of rain in just a few hours . and some vehicles were trapped on interstate 40 in western oklahoma , said capt. ken brown , the state police operations commander in el reno . `` two different semis were overcome by water and required fire rescue to get the drivers from their vehicles , '' he said . boats and other watercraft were enlisted in the rescue effort . west said the flooded areas have sustained extensive damage -- `` not only to homes and businesses and automobiles , but to these agricultural areas . '' `` we have a lot of roadways that will be damaged from this , '' he said . `` there 's going to be a lot of debris that floated in . and you know , road crews are going to have to get out and clear those . '' meanwhile , floods around the upper midwest washed away roads and bridges , killing four people , the associated press reported . floods killed two in minnesota when their car drove off the road and they could not escape their vehicle . in vernon county , wisconsin , a mudslide was triggered by a foot of rain , the ap said . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>according to ooten , several state buildings in the metro area were damaged in the deluge . those affected agencies either closed or reduced their services because of the flooding . standing flood waters also can be dangerous , the oklahoma state department of health warned . they urged residents to avoid the water as it can contain snakes , insects , sharp objects , oil , gasoline , and in some case raw sewage . glynda chu , a police spokeswoman in nearby edmond , said it was the worst flooding that city has seen in 25 years . cnn ireporter jennifer oliver , who lives in edmond , says there 's normally a little creek with a 20-foot waterfall behind her house , but by late morning , she could n't even make it out . `` never seen anything quite like that , '' oliver said . koco broadcast pictures of a car submerged almost to its windows . dive teams navigated the raging waters to get to the scene and then rescued the car 's occupants by boat . cnn affiliate kfor showed another water rescue , with crews ferrying people to safety . it 's a dangerous situation for rescue crews as well . cnn affiliate kwtv showed gripping video of a woman trapped in a tree , struggling through the rushing water in search of stronger branches to hold . oklahoma city fire battalion chief kirk wright said the first rescue boat sent her way got stuck , stranding the three would-be rescuers . another team set off for the scene and returned safely with all four people . oklahoma city fire department deputy chief marc woodard estimated that there were 20 to 30 rescues of people stranded in cars , homes or businesses monday morning . cnn ireporter sarah burris , who lives on the northwest side of oklahoma city , said leaving her neighborhood was n't even an option , with every way out under water . burris said backlogged drains were regurgitating water into the streets . the national weather service was issuing flood warnings across the breadbasket region monday . most of nebraska and southeastern kansas were under advisories monday afternoon . the weather service said 3 inches of rain had fallen in both tulsa , oklahoma , and kansas city , missouri , which experienced flash floods monday morning . but morris said the kansas city overflow had affected only low-lying areas and did n't look like a threat to homes or businesses .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- roads ripped to rubble by floodwaters up to 10 feet deep , rushing at speeds of up to 30 mph . shattered homes near others still standing upright . one person dead , two others missing . that 's the harsh reality police , firefighters and residents were dealing with saturday in manitou springs , a mountain community of about 5,000 people just west of colorado springs , after sudden , raging waters tore through the area . under mostly sunny skies , crews spent the day looking for the missing and combing through wreckage wrought by floods triggered by intense rain . locals such as justin blount , meanwhile , tried to make sense of what happened . he was in a manitou springs cafe , working on its owner 's computer , on friday when water suddenly , perilously started flowing in front of the building . he and others -- one of them wheelchair-bound -- heard the water rushing below them as they finally got in an elevator and crept up to safety . `` it was like a raging river , a black river coming down , '' blount told cnn affiliate kusa , dry after his 2â 1/2 hour ordeal the day earlier . '' ... it was wild . i 'm still in a little bit of shock . '' his central colorado town , at the foot of pikes peak , was one of several nationwide that have been impacted by wet weather and floodwaters in recent days . showers and thunderstorms were expected from the pacific northwest to the deep south . in addition to a pocket of colorado , flash-flood warnings were in effect saturday for parts of washington and oregon , as well as much of new mexico . there were flood warnings -- which are issued when water levels in rivers and other waterways rise to precarious levels -- in oklahoma , kansas , arkansas , missouri and south carolina . some communities bracing for wet weather were coping with the aftermath of earlier devastating floods . a flash flood watch was in effect through 9 p.m. -lrb- 11 p.m. et -rrb- in manitou springs , for instance , given the threat that could be caused by more heavy rains . the dangers there are exacerbated by last year 's mammoth waldo canyon wildfire , which -- as lt. steve schopper of the manitou springs fire department explained -- made the soil saturated , unstable , `` kind of waxy '' and little help in curbing rushing waters . `` it 's like liquid cement , '' schopper told kusa , noting that those caught up in the rocks , trees and other debris have little chance to escape . '' ... you 're not swimming out of this . it will rip your clothes off . '' video of the mudslide showed cars sliding swiftly down an incline while others remained stranded in rushing , gray-colored water . one man was found dead beneath `` significant amounts of debris '' left on colorado highway 24 , the el paso county sheriff 's office said . the search , meanwhile , continued for two others . in oklahoma , floodwaters swept away and killed a man who was trying to save his daughter from a stranded vehicle early friday . vincent brown was attempting to rescue his daughter who had become stranded in high water in her vehicle , oklahoma city police spokeswoman sgt. jennifer wardlow said . wardlow said brown 's daughter was wading toward her father . she turned to retrieve some items in her vehicle , and when she turned back around , he had been swept away by fast-moving floodwater that had rapidly appeared in oklahoma city overnight . in south carolina , logan dale evans was found dead in floodwater on his family property wednesday night near the town of central , pickens county coroner kandy kelley said . evans , 23 , was found outside his vehicle , which ended up about a mile downstream , said kelley , who added that evans is believed to have drowned . at least two people were reported killed in missouri this week , including a driver who was caught in rapidly rising water in mcdonald county on thursday , said gregg sweeten , the county 's emergency management director . the woman , thought to be in her 60s , had been trying to drive over a bridge when the water overwhelmed her vehicle , sweeten said . on monday , elijah lee , 4 , died after 6 inches of rain fell on pulaski county , about 140 miles southwest of st. louis . the boy was found in a vehicle swept up in floodwater that caught the community along mitchell creek off guard , said sgt. dan crain , a missouri highway patrol spokesman . cnn 's melissa lefevre and emily smith contributed to this report .<doc-sep>rspca . national flood rescue co-ordinator jason finch said : ` from gas . explosions to oil spills and floods to strange and unusual rescues like a . dog in plughole - our officers are trained to be able to deal with any . situation . ` bringing . animals to safety and reuniting pets and farm animals with their . grateful owners , as well as seeing wildlife re-released into their . natural habitat , is one of the best parts of the job . ' this mouse had a lucky escape - after being rescued from the bottom of a toaster by the rspca .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the entire population of taloga , oklahoma , was evacuated thursday because of a raging fire that has burned tens of thousands of acres , officials said friday . wildfire threatens a house in edmond , oklahoma , on friday . all of the residents , about 400 , left the dewey county town , but have been allowed back in , said bill challis with the fire department in clinton , oklahoma , south of taloga . clinton is among dozens of fire departments helping battle the blaze .

<t> rains destroying homes and stranding people in oklahoma . </t> <t> dramatic helicopter rescues caught on tape . </t> <t> officials were searching for three other people who are missing . </t> <t> erin is `` the new four-letter word '' in oklahoma , said emergency official . </t>

harrowing rescues from oklahoma 's raging floods<T>

colorado springs , colorado -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president bush told the 2008 graduating class at the u.s. air force academy on wednesday that the `` only way america could lose the war on terror is if we defeat ourselves . '' president bush and air force academy graduate michael riddick of aiken , south carolina , celebrate graduation . speaking on a cloudy day at falcon stadium , the president compared the wars in iraq and afghanistan to america 's earlier conflicts , particularly world war ii . `` our nation is once again contending with an ideology that seeks to sow anger , hatred and despair : the ideology of islamic extremism , '' he said . `` in today 's struggle , we are once again facing evil men who despise freedom and despise america and aim to subject millions to their violent rule . `` we assumed this obligation before , '' he said , referring to the rebuilding of germany and japan after world war ii , a conflict that saw the loss of more than 400,000 american lives . watch more of bush 's speech '' `` germany and japan , once mortal enemies , are now allies of the united states . and people across the world have reaped the benefits from that alliance , '' he said . `` today , we must do the same in afghanistan and iraq . ... we 'll lay the foundation of peace for generations to come . ''<doc-sep>but today 's wars differ from those of the past , bush acknowledged , and not only because of modern technology that allows `` greater precision '' in warfare . `` one challenge is that in the past , in germany and japan , the work of rebuilding took place in relative quiet , '' he said . `` today , we 're helping emerging democracies rebuild under fire from terrorist networks and state sponsors of terror . this is a difficult and unprecedented task -- and we 're learning as we go . '' the measure of success in war has changed , he said . `` in the past ... there were public surrenders , a signing ceremony on the deck of a battleship , victory parades in american cities . today , when the war continues after the regime has fallen , the definition of success is more complicated . '' nonetheless , he said , in iraq and afghanistan , there is a clear definition of success : when those countries are rid of al qaeda , when they are economically viable , when they are democracies that can govern effectively and when they are strong allies on the war on terror . `` these successes will come , '' he told the class . `` and when they do , our nation will have achieved victory , and the american people will be more secure . ''<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the united states has spent more than $ 1 trillion on wars since the september 11 , 2001 , terror attacks , a recently released congressional report says . adjusting for inflation , the outlays for conflicts in afghanistan , iraq and elsewhere around the world make the `` war on terrorism '' second only to world war ii . the report `` cost of major u.s. wars '' by the congressional research service attempts to compare war costs over a more than 230-year period -- from the american revolution to the current day -- noting the difficulties associated with such a task . since the the 9/11 terror attacks , the united states has spent an estimated $ 1.15 trillion . world war ii cost $ 4.1 trillion when converted to current dollars , although the tab in the 1940s was $ 296 billion . world war ii consumed a massive 36 percent of america 's gross domestic product -- a broad measurement of the country 's economic output . the post-9 / 11 cost of the conflicts is about 1 percent of gdp . comparisons of costs of wars over a 230-year period , however , are inherently problematic , the report says . `` one problem is how to separate costs of military operations from costs of forces in peacetime . in recent years , the dod -lrb- department of defense -rrb- has tried to identify the additional ` incremental ' expenses of engaging in military operations , over and above the costs of maintaining standing military forces . '' `` figures are problematic , as well , because of difficulties in comparing prices from one vastly different era to another , '' according to the report . `` perhaps a more significant problem is that wars appear more expensive over time as the sophistication and cost of technology advances , both for military and for civilian activities . '' the costs associated with the `` war on terrorism '' could still go much higher . a congressional budget office estimate from 2007 said the cost of the wars in afghanistan and iraq could total $ 2.4 trillion by 2017 , more than double the current amount . cnn 's ed payne contributed to this story .<doc-sep>when the united states went to war against afghanistan and iraq after 9/11 , president george w. bush cut taxes even further , abandoning the tradition of raising taxes in time of war . this is a far way off from when fdr 's treasury department commissioned disney films during world war ii to convince americans to pay higher taxes to defeat germany and japan . so too has the growth of pre-committed spending programs such as medicare and social security that consume more of the federal budget and leave less discretionary spending for politicians to play around with in any given year . the kind of wars america fights have also changed with new kinds of military technology that have developed along with the sophistication of special operation forces . while the promise that new technology will save the nation from ground wars is not new , right now it is increasingly fulfilled . the use of drones , for example , has proven incredibly potent at attacking the terrorist networks responsible for 9/11 . special operations forces have also become increasingly sophisticated and capable of conducting the kind of targeted , small-scale operations that are at the heart of breaking up terrorist operations . in the coming months , this kind of warfare will make it possible to combat isis without sizable number of boots on the ground . this is certainly not a guarantee that the need for troops wo n't intensify , as was the case in iraq , but it does offer an important alternative for the time being . another reason that it is harder to have another vietnam , or iraq and afghanistan , for that matter , is because of those wars . all of them now loom large in the mind of the public . those wars shape every conversation , creating ongoing political concern about every military intervention -- and political pushback as things get messy . while policymakers in the 1960s remembered the stalemate in korea they also spoke about the victories of world war ii . the current generation of politicians and voters has grown up in the shadows of unsuccessful and messy wars . the only conflicts that seemed to have a better outcome were operation desert storm and the bombing of bosnia and kosovo in the 1990s -- all short-term , limited conflicts . finally , the nature of this conflict is different than what the united states faced in vietnam . the conflict against terrorism is not simply about a brute response to ground troops . as most policymakers realize , this is a war that revolves around improving intelligence , implementing policies to win over the minds of local populations so that terrorists do not gain hold in communities and stopping the flow of financial resources that keep these networks alive . much of the victory will require a political solution . a massive infusion of american troops wo n't have the impact that is needed , and in some ways given the opposition that exists toward western intervention , too many troops could make things worse by rallying iraqis and syrians against the united states rather than isis . none of this is to say that this war wo n't get bigger and that it ca n't get much uglier quickly . but the fact is we are a long way away from vietnam , and some of the institutional and cultural changes that have taken place -- as a result of that disastrous war -- have created a set of handcuffs on elected officials that wo n't be easily removed .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the dramatic drop in violence in iraq is due in large part to a secret program the u.s. military has used to kill terrorists , according to a new book by pulitzer prize-winning journalist bob woodward . bob woodward 's book , `` the war within : secret white house history 2006-2008 , '' came out monday . the program -- which woodward compares to the world war ii era manhattan project that developed the atomic bomb -- must remain secret for now or it would `` get people killed , '' woodward said monday on cnn 's larry king live . `` it is a wonderful example of american ingenuity solving a problem in war , as we often have , '' woodward said . in `` the war within : secret white house history 2006-2008 , '' woodward disclosed the existence of secret operational capabilities developed by the military to locate , target and kill leaders of al qaeda in iraq and other insurgent leaders .<doc-sep>` beyond . 2014 , america 's commitment to a unified and sovereign afghanistan will . endure , ' obama said , ` but the nature of our commitment will change . ' ` we 're . negotiating an agreement with the afghan government that focuses on two . missions -- training and equipping afghan forces so that the country . does not again slip into chaos , and counterterrorism efforts that allow . us to pursue the remnants of al-qaeda and their affiliates . instead of a total withdrawal , . the senior white house official confirmed , u.s. troop numbers would drop . by half by the end of next year and dwindle near zero by the time obama . leaves office . obama doubled down on his promise four months ago in his 2014 state of the union address , this time promising that only a ` small force ' would remain behind after 2014 . ` more than . 60,000 of our troops have already come home from afghanistan , ' he told . congress on january 28 . ` with afghan forces now in the lead for their . own security , our troops have moved to a support role . ' ` together . with our allies , we will complete our mission there by the end of this . year , and america 's longest war will finally be over . ' ` if . the afghan government signs a security agreement that we have . negotiated , ' he added , ' a small force of americans could remain in . afghanistan with nato allies . ' the 9,800 american troops who remain after december will be mainly stationed in kabul and at bagram air base . obama visited bagram on sunday , surprising servicemen and women with a pledge . to bring america 's longest war to a ` responsible end ' by the . close of the year . he said then that the . war had reached a pivotal point since with afghan forces were prepared to take primary . responsibility for their country 's security . whither bagram ? obama spoke sunday at bagram air base , but its future is uncertain as the white house plans to have nothing more by the end of obama 's presidency than an embassy with a security office nearby . obama was greeted by us ambassador to afghanistan james cunningham -lrb- c -rrb- and marine general joseph dunford , commander of the us-led international security assistance force -lrb- l -rrb- -- the men who will preside over a continued us presence there . ` for many of . you , this will be your last tour in afghanistan , ' obama told hundreds . of u.s. troops inside an airplane hangar on sunday ` america 's war in afghanistan will come to a responsible end . ' but ` america 's commitment to . the people of afghanistan will endure , ' he added . ` after all the . sacrifices we 've made , we want to preserve the gains you have helped to . win . ' the president was expected to make an . announcement about afghanistan on wednesday during a speech at the u.s. military academy at west point . instead , the white house elected to make a rose garden announcement tuesday afternoon . elections are underway to replace karzai , the only president . afghanistan has known since the u.s.-led invasion in 2001 . he and obama have spoken just once in the past year . at least 2,181 u.s. military personnel have died during the nearly 13-year afghan war . obama has staked much of his foreign policy philosophy on ending the two wars he inherited from his predecessor , george w. bush . the final american troops withdrew . from iraq in the closing days of 2011 after the u.s. and iraq failed to . reach a security agreement to keep a small american residual force in . the country . in the years that have followed the american withdrawal , . iraq has been battered by resurgent waves of violence . u.s. officials say they 're trying to avoid a similar scenario . afghanistan ` will not be a perfect place . and it is not america 's responsibility to make it one , ' obama said tuesday in the white house rose garden . ` americans have learned that it 's harder to end wars than it is to begin them -- but this is how wars end in the 21st century . '

<t> president bush speaks at u.s. air force academy graduation wednesday . </t> <t> bush : `` only way america could lose the war on terror is if we defeat ourselves '' </t> <t> he compares the wars in iraq and afghanistan to america 's earlier conflicts . </t> <t> successes in iraq and afghanistan `` will come , '' he told the class . </t>

bush compares iraq , afghan wars to world war ii<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a college student who survived a boat sinking with four others said monday that a safety officer who died on their boat was a hero for staying behind and pushing him out . texas a&m student steven guy , left , and instructor steve conway talk about their boat capsizing . steven guy , a texas a&m university sailor , said roger stone saved him and another sailor by helping them to safety . `` he is my hero , '' guy said . `` he saved me . if it was n't for him , i would not be here . '' the group never saw stone after he pushed the two men out of a hatch in the boat , the mariners said . stone , the boat 's second safety officer , was found dead by the coast guard on sunday afternoon . the two men said they spent a day in open water after their vessel sank in the gulf of mexico . the survivors -- four university students and a safety officer -- told the coast guard they were forced off their sailboat after it took on water and capsized early saturday . the five survivors were found and airlifted to land around 2 a.m. sunday , the coast guard said . the group had to get out of the rapidly sinking sailboat so quickly , they could get only four safety vests for five people , safety officer steve conway said monday . they had to huddle in the water to keep each other afloat , he said . watch the rescue and see conway describe the ordeal '' `` with five people and four life jackets , we had to watch the person without the life jacket closely , '' he said . `` these young men did a tremendous job . they pulled themselves through . they had a fierce will to live . '' r. bowen loftin , ceo and vice president of texas a&m at galveston , expressed condolences to the stone family in a letter posted along with status updates on the school 's web site . `` we hope they can take some comfort in knowing all five survivors of this tragic accident credit mr. stone with heroic efforts that were instrumental in making possible their survival , '' loftin said on the site . `` we now know that roger stone died a hero in the classic sense of the word . '' conway said that as the group huddled in the water , they saw rescue jets go by three times before they were spotted . `` it is really discouraging when a plane comes out and flies over and leaves , '' he said . coast guard lt. justo rivera , who was flying the aircraft that rescued the men , told cnn affiliate khou that a flashlight helped save them . while conducting search patterns , coast guard members spotted the light through their night vision goggles , rivera said . it was being held by one of the men . he said that because the coast guard was searching such a vast area , the flashlight was `` instrumental '' in the rescue . `` it 's your proverbial needle in a haystack , '' rivera told khou . during the 26-hour wait , the group was nibbled by curious reed fish and circled by a fish with triangular fin that extended from the water like a shark 's fin . `` they bumped up against us and kind of nibbled on our clothes , '' conway said . `` you do n't know how big the thing is and how hungry it is . i was always aware of the risk of sharks . '' the group 's sailboat , named the cynthia woods , was one of about two dozen boats heading from galveston , texas , to veracruz , mexico , for the annual veracruz regatta race , which began friday .<doc-sep>scroll down for video . iconic : u.s. navy sailor glenn edward mcduffie -lrb- left -rrb- was 18 at the time of this famed ` kiss ' photo taken in times in august 1945 at the close of world war two , after the surrender of japan . legendary : wwii veteran glenn mcduffie died in a nursing home on march 9 , aged 86 . by taking about 100 pictures of mcduffie using a pillow to pose as he did in the picture taken august 14 , 1945 , by photographer alfred eisenstaedt , gibson said , she was able to match the muscles , ears and other features of the then-80-year-old mcduffie to the young sailor in the original image . ' i was absolutely positive , ' gibson said of the match . ` it was perfect . ' the identification remained controversial , partly because other men also claimed to have been the sailor in the image , but also because life magazine , whose photographer had died years earlier , was unable to confirm that mcduffie was in fact the sailor , noting eisenstaedt had never gotten names for those in the picture . yet for mcduffie , gibson 's word was enough . contested : several men came forward claiming they were the sailor in alfred eisenstaedt 's iconic life magazine photo , but a forensic artist proved it was glenn mcduffie -lrb- pictured -rrb- . a . well-respected forensic artist who was in the 2005 guinness book of .<doc-sep>by . suzannah hills . a man has been rescued after attempting to sail from dorset to ireland in a 6ft inflatable dinghy with a makeshift sail , coastguards have revealed . the amateur sailor , believed to be a 40-year-old american , tied a plastic sheet to one of the flimsy plastic paddles to act as a sail , while using the other paddle as a rudder . coastguard officials said he could have died and was lucky to have been found when he was . the moment of rescue : the crew of a dive boat had to rescue an amateur sailor off the coast of dorset after he attempted to sail to ireland in a 6ft rubber dinghy . captain calamity : the man , believed to be a 40-year-old america , used one plastic paddle and a sheet as a makeshift sail and another paddle as his rudder . the unnamed man had set off from osmington mills in dorset at 9am and had a limited amount of food and drink for the journey . portland coastguard received a call just after 3pm yesterday from a range safety craft reporting concern for the man , who was approximately 2.7 nautical miles south of durdle door , just five miles along the coast from where he began his journey . the spokesman said : ` the man was heading . for ireland in a 6ft beach blow-up dinghy . with him were two paddles , . one used as a mast accompanied by a plastic sheet as a sail , and the . other used as a rudder to steer . aboard was a limited amount of food and . drink . ' coastguard officials then put out a broadcast requesting further information about the dinghy . ahoy there ! the madcap mariner had set off in his unsuitable craft from osmington beach near weymouth to attempt a 35 mile voyage to bournemouth . coastguard officials said he could have died and was lucky to have been found when he was . a dive vessel responded with a sighting , provided a position and then approached the dinghy to assess the situation but the man told them he was ok and did not need any help . but after finishing their diving operations , the dive vessel returned to the scene and rescued the man before taking him into lulworth cove . he was met there at 8.30 pm by the lulworth coastguard rescue team , police and ambulance and received treatment for a high degree of sunburn . john braisher , watch officer at portland coastguard , said : ` this man was extremely lucky to be found when he was . ` with no suitable communications equipment , limited life saving equipment and inadequate food and drink resources for his passage to ireland , the outcome could have been very different . ` if youâ $ ™ re planning to head out to sea , the key is to be well prepared . inflatable dinghies , such as this , are unsuitable and not recommended for coastal passages of this nature . ` itâ $ ™ s also vital to have appropriate vhf/dsc communications , life saving equipment and the resources to sustain a venture such as this person intended . ` hm coastguard is always willing to discuss and provide advice on passage plans you may have . ' slow going : durdle door , near west lulworth , dorset , is located just five miles along the coast from where he started his journey .<doc-sep>the jet performed an emergency landing at bermuda 's l.f. wade international airport , where medics were waiting to perform emergency surgery . smith was then rushed to the island 's king edward vii memorial hospital , where a life-saving operation revealed smith had 239.9 grams of cocaine in his stomach . the drug was said to be 75 per cent pure . appearing before magistrates on the island smith said : ` after i informed the flight attendant , in my mind i died , i felt the death coming . ` i 've met a lot of nice people here , i must thank god and the crew for saving my life . ' smith admitted one charge of possession of the drug and was fined # 471 . drug mule : colmin smith had swallowed 239.39 grams of cocaine , worth # 40,000 at street value .<doc-sep>`` when you leave the quayside , you leave behind the stresses of everyday life , '' she told cnn . `` any sailor will tell you that . `` if you multiply that sense of freedom a thousand times , that 's how i feel . i leave behind my wheelchair , a team of carers and suddenly it 's just me . '' an oxford university graduate and talented sportswoman in her youth , by 2003 hilary 's illness had laid her so low she was a virtual recluse , never leaving the home she shared with her husband clifford , and by her own admission deeply depressed . a friend suggested she go to westbere sailing . the center specializes in helping disabled people on to the water , but hilary almost never made the 20-minute trip from her home near canterbury in southern england . `` i was ill and running a temperature and i was about to cancel it , but something stopped me from backing out , '' she said . she credits the decision to go to the center with saving her life . '' -lsb- the staff -rsb- treated me like an intelligent , capable person and not like an object to be pitied , '' she said . her illness is called reflex sympathetic dystrophy . it makes it difficult for her to breathe -- the media interviews she has done since her latest achievement have exhausted her , she said . it also puts her in near-constant agony , a situation that is only manageable with the use of powerful drugs .

<t> sailors say roger stone stayed behind to get others to safety . </t> <t> the five survivors were found and airlifted to land around 2 a.m. sunday . </t> <t> safety officer steve conway : sailors all `` had a fierce will to live '' </t>

sailor : crewmate died saving my life<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- bangladesh police have detained or arrested more than 18,000 people in the last 11 days in a crackdown on crime they say is aimed at improving security ahead of december elections . people arrested by bangladesh police in their latest round-up arrive at a jail in dhaka . human rights groups decry the actions as politically motivated . the round-ups began may 28 , days after the two main political parties said they would not cooperate with the military-backed caretaker government on organizing the elections . police told cnn that by saturday 16,916 arrests had been made , while local media reported another 1,548 were arrested sunday . the awami league and the bangladesh nationalist party -lrb- bnp -rrb- said hundreds of their party members had been taken into custody . `` the timing and targets of the arrests are a dead giveaway they are politically motivated , '' brad adams of the new york-based human rights watch said in a statement . `` it 's obvious that they are paying the price for the political parties ' refusal to accept the government 's conditions to participate in the elections . '' the government rejects the allegations . the detentions , it said , are part of a planned sweep to rid the country of criminals . `` our igp -lsb- inspector general of police , or chief of police -rsb- categorically said this special drive was being conducted to create a congenial atmosphere before the general election , '' said kamrul ahsan , a spokesman for bangladesh police .<doc-sep>`` it is not politically motivated , '' he said . `` the intention is not to harass anybody politically . '' the crackdown began after the awami league and the bnp said they would not cooperate with the government to develop a roadmap toward democracy unless it first releases the parties ' leaders . the two women who head the parties -- sheikh hasina of the awami league and khaleda zia of the bnp -- are in police custody on corruption-related charges . hasina is charged with bribe-taking . zia is being held on charges of graft for improperly awarding a multi-million dollar government contract . the current political crisis in the muslim-majority south asian country of 150 million can be traced , in large part , to the lingering animosity between the two women , political observers say . their rivalry runs so deep that the women are known in the country as the `` battling begums . '' begum is an honorific given to women of rank in the country . since the country 's independence in 1972 , the awami league or the bnp has ruled bangladesh for all but eight years . both women have served as prime minister at one point or another . after its last stint in power ended in 2006 , the bnp handed over rule to a caretaker government to conduct elections , as mandated by the country 's constitution . but the awami league refused to recognize the neutrality of the interim government . hasina accused zia of stocking it with bnp backers .<doc-sep>supporters and party members took to the streets in months of deadly clashes . to stem the tide of violence , a military-backed government took control in january 2007 and imposed an indefinite state of emergency . it also postponed elections until it said it could clean up the country 's graft-ridden politics . the caretaker government adopted the emergency powers rules . the rules allowed authorities to arrest people without a warrant as long as there was reasonable suspicion that he or she was connected to a crime , human rights watch said . a wave of detentions followed . by some estimates more than 90,000 people were detained before some were released and others charged with crimes . among those arrested were more than 150 top politicians , including hasina and zia -- leading to the current political stalemate . the government wants to hold elections in the third week of december , and said the crusade on crime is part of its plan to ensure trouble-free balloting . the political parties allege the arrests are intended to pave the way for the election of pro-government candidates . they want their leaders set free before they sit down and talk with the government about a roadmap toward a successful election . they also threatened to organize mass movements to secure their leaders ' release .<doc-sep>`` it 's kind of an impasse , '' said taleya rehman , founder and executive director of the bangladesh-based non-profit democracy watch . `` the government is conducting political dialogue with small parties . but they are of no significance . they need the two major parties . '' on monday , the government announced it was releasing hasina from custody on medical grounds so she can go abroad for treatment . a similar release for zia was also expected . party members say the government 's move is a ploy to sideline the pair from the elections by sending them out of the country . hasina has a damaged ear resulting from a bombing attack that targeted her four years ago . zia is believed to have arthritis . meanwhile , the detentions continue -- almost 1,800 a day . in addition to political party members , the crackdown has also swept up several journalists . `` that actually makes the arrests suspicious in some people 's minds , '' said sultana kamal , executive director of the legal aid group , ain o salish kendro -lrb- law and adjudication center -rrb- . `` if you just arrest any tom , dick and harry saying this person may have arms , then people will legitimately raise questions about the mode of the whole operation . ''-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- bangladesh police have detained or arrested more than 18,000 people in the last 11 days in a crackdown on crime they say is aimed at improving security ahead of december elections . people arrested by bangladesh police in their latest round-up arrive at a jail in dhaka . human rights groups decry the actions as politically motivated . the round-ups began may 28 , days after the two main political parties said they would not cooperate with the military-backed caretaker government on organizing the elections . police told cnn that by saturday 16,916 arrests had been made , while local media reported another 1,548 were arrested sunday . the awami league and the bangladesh nationalist party -lrb- bnp -rrb- said hundreds of their party members had been taken into custody . `` the timing and targets of the arrests are a dead giveaway they are politically motivated , '' brad adams of the new york-based human rights watch said in a statement . `` it 's obvious that they are paying the price for the political parties ' refusal to accept the government 's conditions to participate in the elections . '' the government rejects the allegations . the detentions , it said , are part of a planned sweep to rid the country of criminals . `` our igp -lsb- inspector general of police , or chief of police -rsb- categorically said this special drive was being conducted to create a congenial atmosphere before the general election , '' said kamrul ahsan , a spokesman for bangladesh police .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- bangladesh lifted a two-year-old state of emergency on wednesday , less than two weeks ahead of parliamentary elections . a girl with the national flag painted on her cheek marks victory day in dhaka , bangladesh , tuesday . the order was issued tuesday by president iajuddin ahmed , according to shahenur miah , a government spokesman . the announcement came on the 37th anniversary of the establishment of bangladesh as a nation , known as victory day . parliamentary elections are scheduled for december 29 . to stem a tide of political violence , a military-backed government took control in january 2007 and imposed an indefinite state of emergency . it also postponed elections until it said it could clean up the country 's graft-ridden politics . the caretaker government adopted emergency powers that allowed authorities to arrest a person without a court warrant as long as there was reasonable suspicion that he or she was connected to a crime , human rights watch said . a wave of detentions followed . by some estimates , more than 90,000 people were detained before some were released and others charged with crimes . among those arrested were more than 150 top politicians , including the leaders of two prominent political parties , sheikh hasina of the awami league and khaleda zia of the bnp . since the country 's independence in 1971 , the awami league or the bnp has ruled bangladesh for all but eight years . both women have served as prime ministers at one point or another . the most recent crackdown took place in june when police detained or arrested more than 18,000 people in 11 days and came after the two main political parties said they would not cooperate with the military-backed caretaker government on organizing the elections . cnn 's harmeet shah singh contributed to this report .<doc-sep>`` it is not politically motivated , '' he said . `` the intention is not to harass anybody politically . '' the crackdown began after the awami league and the bnp said they would not cooperate with the government to develop a roadmap toward democracy unless it first releases the parties ' leaders . the two women who head the parties -- sheikh hasina of the awami league and khaleda zia of the bnp -- are in police custody on corruption-related charges . hasina is charged with bribe-taking . zia is being held on charges of graft for improperly awarding a multi-million dollar government contract . the current political crisis in the muslim-majority south asian country of 150 million can be traced , in large part , to the lingering animosity between the two women , political observers say . their rivalry runs so deep that the women are known in the country as the `` battling begums . '' begum is an honorific given to women of rank in the country . since the country 's independence in 1972 , the awami league or the bnp has ruled bangladesh for all but eight years . both women have served as prime minister at one point or another . after its last stint in power ended in 2006 , the bnp handed over rule to a caretaker government to conduct elections , as mandated by the country 's constitution . but the awami league refused to recognize the neutrality of the interim government . hasina accused zia of stocking it with bnp backers .<doc-sep>`` it 's kind of an impasse , '' said taleya rehman , founder and executive director of the bangladesh-based non-profit democracy watch . `` the government is conducting political dialogue with small parties . but they are of no significance . they need the two major parties . '' on monday , the government announced it was releasing hasina from custody on medical grounds so she can go abroad for treatment . a similar release for zia was also expected . party members say the government 's move is a ploy to sideline the pair from the elections by sending them out of the country . hasina has a damaged ear resulting from a bombing attack that targeted her four years ago . zia is believed to have arthritis . meanwhile , the detentions continue -- almost 1,800 a day . in addition to political party members , the crackdown has also swept up several journalists . `` that actually makes the arrests suspicious in some people 's minds , '' said sultana kamal , executive director of the legal aid group , ain o salish kendro -lrb- law and adjudication center -rrb- . `` if you just arrest any tom , dick and harry saying this person may have arms , then people will legitimately raise questions about the mode of the whole operation . ''

<t> bangladesh police have detained or arrested 18,000 people in 11 days . </t> <t> human rights groups decry the actions as politically motivated . </t> <t> round-ups began after parties refused to cooperate with military government . </t>

18,000 held in bangladesh ` political crackdown '<T>

-lrb- mental floss -rrb- -- the legend of jack daniel reaches all the way back to the moment he was born . unfortunately , nobody knows exactly when that was . jack daniel believed the more memorable his image , the more memorable his whiskey . some records show that jasper newton `` jack '' daniel came into the world on september 5 , 1846 . his tombstone , however , says 1850 . strange , because his mother died in 1847 . all of this might not normally matter , but jack 's birth date is important to his overall legend , which proudly proclaims him `` the boy distiller . '' so perhaps it 's best we begin when jack was first introduced to whiskey , which we know was early in life . leaving home at a young age , jack struck out on his own with nothing more than a handful of items valued at $ 9 . he ended up at the home of dan call , a preacher at a nearby lutheran church and the owner of a general store . there , reverend call also happened to sell whiskey that he distilled himself . jack quickly became determined to learn the craft . in fact , many storytellers claim the boy wonder bought the still from call and began pursuing the business full-time at the ripe age of 16 . if that legend is true , then jack began selling his own tennessee whiskey only three years later ; the famous black labels on the company bottles proudly pronounce , `` established and registered in 1866 . '' in reality , no documents support that myth . jack may have been a teenage moonshiner , but he did n't register his business with the federal government until 1875 . and by then , jack would have been the more booze-appropriate age of 29 . the maker makes his mark . whatever legends exist , one thing is certain : jack daniel had a brilliant mind for marketing . even as a youngster , jack understood that if people remembered him , they would remember his whiskey . to that end , he decked himself out in a formal knee-length coat , a vest , a tie , and a wide-brim planter 's hat , and was never caught out of `` uniform '' again . jack also established the jack daniel 's silver cornet band -- a 10-member outfit solely devoted to promoting his whiskey across the countryside . with uniforms and instruments from the sears & roebuck catalog and a specially designed wagon for traveling , jack made sure the band played every saloon opening , fourth of july celebration , and political rally around .<doc-sep>but perhaps jack 's most brilliant decision concerned how to present his whiskey . from the beginning , jack had been one of the first sellers to stencil his distillery name on his whiskey jugs . next , he upgraded to round , custom-embossed bottles . but when a glass salesman showed him a prototype square bottle in 1895 , jack realized he 'd stumbled upon something unique . the new bottles not only stood out from the crowd , but also had a shape that would prevent them from rolling around and breaking during transport . in addition , the square look reinforced the idea that jack was a square dealer who put honest work and high standards first . whatever effort jack daniel put into his marketing , he never let quality slip . in 1904 , the distiller decided on a whim to enter his whiskey in the taste competition at the st. louis world 's fair . it came as little surprise when he won . lucky no. 7 . perhaps jack 's greatest coup was the name he gave his high-quality product -- old no. 7 . naturally , nobody seems to know why . the official historian at the jack daniel distillery today says it 's the most oft-asked question on factory tours . as you might imagine , many theories have been advanced . jack had seven girlfriends . jack believed the number seven was lucky . jack was honoring a merchant friend who owned seven stores that distributed jack 's liquor . jack misplaced a batch of whiskey for seven years and , upon finding it , labeled it `` old no. 7 . '' none of these stories , however , makes as much sense as the less-than-sexy explanation from jack daniel biographer peter krass . simply put , jack was originally assigned a district tax assessment number of 7 . but when the irs consolidated districts within tennessee , they arbitrarily reassigned him the number 16 . jack did n't want to confuse his loyal consumers , and he certainly did n't want to bend to the government , so he began labeling his bottles `` old no. 7 . '' more than 125 years later , this act of defiance still makes his labels stand out . jack without jill . jack daniel never married . some say it 's because he was married to his work ; others say it 's because he never found a girl who measured up to his high standards .<doc-sep>or perhaps it 's just that he was too busy catering to the greater lynchburg population -- throwing elaborate christmas feasts , hosting exquisite costume parties in his second-story ballroom , and donating money to every church in moore county . but by all accounts , jack was quite a ladies ' man . he was a perfect dance partner , a polite conversationalist , and a fantastic gift-giver . unfortunately , he also gravitated toward girls young enough to be his daughter -lrb- or even granddaughter -rrb- . once , jack even asked for a woman 's hand in marriage , but her father denied him -- partly because jack enjoyed keeping his own legend alive and always hesitated to reveal his true birth date . when jack proposed , her father made it clear that any man unwilling to disclose his age was `` a little too old for such a young girl . '' the early bird gets the gangrene . hard as it might be to believe , in the end , the great distiller actually died from getting to work too early . as the story goes , one morning in 1906 , jack arrived at his office before anybody else . he tried to access the company safe , but had a terrible time remembering the code . after a few frustrating minutes , he kicked the safe as hard as he could . he badly bruised his left foot and immediately began to walk with a limp . the limp only grew worse with time , and he later discovered the injury had led to blood poisoning . then came gangrene , then amputation , and then , five years later , death . it 's not the happiest ending for the story , or the clearest cut , but it is the best , because it adds to the mystery and mystique of jack daniel . as they say , where facts can not be found , legends fill the empty space and that 's perfectly fine for the keepers of the company flame . after all , as jack himself believed , the more memorable his image , the more memorable his whiskey . for more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . entire contents of this article copyright , mental floss llc . all rights reserved .<doc-sep>jasper newton `` jack '' daniel of tennessee whiskey fame was the descendant of welsh settlers who came to the united states in the early 19th century . he was born in 1846 or 1850 and was one of 13 children . by 1866 he was distilling whiskey in lynchburg , tennessee . unfortunately for the distiller , he had a bit of a temper . one morning in 1911 daniel showed up for work early and could n't get his safe open . he flew off the handle and kicked the offending strongbox . the kick was so ferocious that daniel injured his toe , which then became infected . the infection soon became the blood poisoning that killed the whiskey mogul . curious about why your bottle of j.d. also has lem motlow listed as the distillery 's proprietor ? daniel 's own busy life of distilling and safe-kicking kept him from ever finding a wife and siring an heir , so in 1907 he gave the distillery to his beloved nephew lem motlow , who had come to work for him as a bookkeeper . mental floss : the many myths of jack daniel . 4 . jose cuervo . in 1758 , jose antonio de cuervo received a land grant from the king of spain to start an agave farm in the jalisco region of mexico . jose used his agave plants to make mescal , a popular mexican liquor . in 1795 , king carlos iv gave the land grant to cuervo 's descendant jose maria guadalupe de cuervo . carlos iv also granted the cuervo family the first license to commercially make tequila , so they built a larger factory on the existing land . the family started packaging their wares in individual bottles in 1880 , and in 1900 the booze started going by the brand name jose cuervo . the brand is still under the leadership of the original jose cuervo 's family ; current boss juan-domingo beckmann is the sixth generation of cuervo ancestors to run the company . 5 . jim beam . jim beam , the namesake of the world 's best-selling bourbon whiskey , did n't actually start the distillery that now bears his name . his great-grandfather jacob beam opened the distillery in 1788 and started selling his first barrels of whiskey in 1795 . in those days , the whiskey went by the less-catchy moniker of `` old tub . ''<doc-sep>but tennessee craft distillers are divided about the state law . charles nelson , the ceo of nelson 's green brier distillery in nashville , said he supports tighter regulation . ` holding ourselves to a higher standard will ultimately be better for all the people in the category , ' he said . ` if we lower the standards , it could lead to more products and brands that could lower the reputation of tennessee whiskey . ' whiskey is clear when it goes into the barrel . it 's during the aging process that the whiskey acquires color and flavors . jack daniel 's arnett said other distillers reusing barrels might resort to using artificial colorings and flavorings that would n't match the quality of the whiskey stored in new barrels . ` we 've been making whiskey a long time , and we know that would not uphold the quality that people expect from tennessee whiskey , ' he said . ` so we would n't dare consider doing it , even though it would save us millions of dollars every year . ' change in the law ? lawmakers are looking at amending that law so that some of the craft distillers that have sprung up in recent years can label their products tennessee whiskey , a distinctive and popular draw in the booming american liquor business . the people behind jack daniel 's see the hand of a bigger rival at work , however , the foreign-owned conglomerate that makes george dickel , another famed tennessee brand . jack daniel 's stores its whiskey in new barrels made at a brown-forman plant . sanderson argues that the flavor and color of the whiskey is determined more by the charring of the inside of the barrels , which he said is a process that can be repeated . consumers would ultimately decide whether the end product matches up . ` if they 're making an inferior product , the market will decide , ' he said .<doc-sep>now state lawmakers are considering dialing back some of those requirements that they say make it too difficult for craft distilleries to market their spirits as tennessee whiskey , a distinctive and popular draw in the booming american liquor business . made to exact proportions : if it is n't fermented in tennessee from mash of at least 51 percent corn , aged in new charred oak barrels , filtered through maple charcoal and bottled at a minimum of 80 proof , it is n't tennessee whiskey . but the people behind jack daniel 's see the hand of a bigger competitor at work -- diageo plc , the british conglomerate that owns george dickel , another tennessee whiskey made about 15 miles up the road . ` it 's really more to weaken a title on a label that we 've worked very hard for , ' said jeff arnett , the master distiller at the jack daniel 's distillery in lynchburg , tenn. ` as a state , i do n't think tennessee should be bashful about being protective of tennessee whiskey over say bourbon or scotch or any of the other products that we compete with . ' republican state rep. bill sanderson emphasized that his bill would n't do away with last year 's law enacted largely on the behest of jack daniel 's corporate parent , louisville , ky.,-based brown-forman corp. . the principal change would be to allow tennessee whiskey makers to reuse barrels , which he said would present considerable savings over new ones that can cost $ 600 each . ` there are a lot of ways to make high-quality whiskey , even if it 's not necessarily the way jack daniel 's does it , ' sanderson said . ` what gives them the right to call theirs tennessee whiskey , and not others ? ' sanderson acknowledged that he introduced the measure at diageo 's urging , but said it would also help micro distilleries opening across the state . diageo picked up on the same theme . ` this is n't about diageo , as all of our tennessee whiskey is made with new oak , ' said diageo executive vice president guy l. smith iv . ` this is about brown-forman trying to stifle competition and the entrepreneurial spirit of micro distillers . ` we are not sure what they are afraid of , as we feel new innovative products from a new breed of distillers is healthy for the entire industry , ' he said .<doc-sep>special blend : jeff arnett , the master distiller at the jack daniel distillery in lynchburg , tennessee tests the aroma of whiskey at the distillery . jack daniel 's is fighting efforts in the state legislature to dial back the legal definition of tennessee whiskey , including a provision that requires the spirit to be aged in new oak barrels . jack daniel 's last year sold 11.5 million cases of it black label last year , a 5 percent increase from 2012 . dickel , the second-largest tennessee whiskey producer , sold 130,000 cases in 2013 . the standards and special branding of tennessee whiskey are an outgrowth of the special designation granted long ago to bourbon . a half-century ago , congress declared bourbon a distinctive product of the united states . by law , bourbon must be made of a grain mix of at least 51 percent corn , distilled at less than 160 proof , have no additives except water to reduce the proof and be aged in new , charred white oak barrels . spirits that do n't follow those guidelines ca n't be sold as bourbon . one example is brown-forman 's own early times , which is marketed as a ` kentucky whisky ' because it is made in reused barrels . billy kaufman , the president short mountain distillery in woodbury , tenn. , said it is more difficult to distinguish spirits not meeting the tennessee standard . ` if i made whiskey in tennessee in a used barrel , what it would be called then ? ' he said . ` whiskey , made in tennessee ? ' david mcmahan , a lobbyist representing dickel and popcorn sutton distilling , said the law passed last year would require all tennessee whiskies to taste like jack daniel 's . preparing to fight : a law that was introduced last year says the whiskey must be made in a way that resembles almost to the letter the process used to make jack daniel 's . ` it 's not unlike if the beer guys 25 years ago had said all american beer has to be made like budweiser , ' mcmahan said . ` you never would have a sam adams or a yazoo or any of those guys . '

<t> to this day , nobody knows exactly when jack daniel was born . </t> <t> daniel 's `` uniform '' : formal knee-length coat , vest , tie , and a wide-brim planter 's hat . </t> <t> origin of `` no. 7 '' : daniel was assigned a district tax assessment number of 7 . </t> <t> daniel died from complications of gangrene from an injury to his foot . </t>

whiskey business : myths of jack daniel<T>

tokyo , japan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a u.s. marine accused of raping a 19-year-old japanese woman last year was found guilty thursday of `` committing wrongful sexual contact and indecent acts , '' the u.s. military said , but he was acquitted of rape . the sentencing hearing for lance cpl. larry a. dean , 20 , is scheduled to begin on friday . dean is among four marines under court-martial in the case . the others are sgt. lanaeus j. braswell , 25 ; gunnery sgt. carl m. anderson , 39 ; and gunnery sgt. jarvis d. raynor , 34 , the military said .<doc-sep>local media reported that the four men met the woman in a restaurant in hiroshima on october 14 , 2007 , then allegedly attacked and raped her in a car in nearby parking lot . japanese authorities investigated but decided in november not to file charges . dean also was found guilty of conspiracy to commit indecent acts and two minor charges . he was acquitted of conspiracy to kidnap or rape . the case is similar to a recent alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl involving a u.s. marine on the southern japanese island of okinawa . that case sparked outrage and stirred memories of an earlier rape committed by u.s. servicemen .<doc-sep>staff sgt. tyrone luther hadnott , 38 , was charged last month with the rape of a child under 16 , abusive sexual contact with a child , making a false official statement , adultery and kidnapping , the military said . in february , japanese authorities released hadnott after the girl dropped the allegations , but the marine corps conducted its own investigation to see if hadnott violated codes of military justice . the military is holding him at a marine facility . more than 40,000 u.s. troops are stationed in japan , most of them on okinawa , which accounts for less than 1 percent of japan 's total area .<doc-sep>the u.s. military presence has at times bred resentment among locals , who have long complained about crime , noise and accidents . anti-american sentiment boiled over in 1995 , after three american servicemen were convicted in the kidnapping and gang rape of a 12-year-old okinawan schoolgirl . two years ago , a u.s. civilian military employee was jailed for nine years for raping two women .<doc-sep>tokyo , japan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a u.s. marine pleaded guilty friday to abusive sexual contact with a child under 16 , bringing to a close a criminal case that stoked outrage in japan , a marine spokesman said . protesters turned out in march after the rape allegations surfaced . the marine pleaded guilty to charges friday . staff . sgt. tyrone l. hadnott was sentenced to four years of confinement , said first lt. judd wilson , a marine spokesman in okinawa , japan . the marine corps withdrew several other charges , including rape of a child , kidnapping and making a false official statement , wilson said .<doc-sep>tokyo , japan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a u.s. marine pleaded guilty friday to abusive sexual contact with a child under 16 , bringing to a close a criminal case that stoked outrage in japan , a marine spokesman said . staff . sgt. tyrone l. hadnott was sentenced to four years of confinement , said first lt. judd wilson , a marine spokesman in okinawa , japan . the marine corps withdrew several other charges , including rape of a child , kidnapping and making a false official statement , wilson said . japanese police arrested hadnott in february on charges alleging that he raped a 14-year-old junior-high school student . he saw her while riding his motorcycle , offered to give her a ride and later assaulted her at a park , the police said then . the case stirred outrage at the highest levels of the japanese government . prime minister yasuo fukuda deplored the incident as `` unforgivable . '' the japanese foreign ministry lodged an official protest with the u.s. government . and okinawa gov. hirokazu nakaima said the offense `` violates the rights of women '' and that `` this is a crime that we should not accept . '' the japanese authorities released hadnott after the girl withdrew her allegations , but the marine corps conducted its own investigation . the marines charged hadnott with rape of a child , abusive sexual contact , making a false official statement , adultery and kidnapping . more than 40,000 u.s. troops are stationed in japan , most of them on okinawa . the u.s. military presence has at times bred resentment among locals , who have long complained about crime , noise and accidents . anti-american sentiments boiled over in 1995 , after three american servicemen kidnapped and gang-raped a 12-year-old okinawan schoolgirl . two years ago , a u.s. civilian military employee was jailed for nine years for raping two women . the marine corps said in a statement on friday that it does not tolerate sexual assault . `` we remain committed to maintaining an environment that rejects sexual assault and attitudes that promote such behaviors , '' the statement said .<doc-sep>tokyo , japan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. military in japan has charged a marine with rape and other violations of the uniform code of military justice in the alleged sexual assault of 14-year old girl in okinawa . a civic group member protests against hadnott near the u.s. embassy in tokyo on february 13 . staff sgt. tyrone luther hadnott , 38 , has been charged with the rape of a child under 16 , abusive sexual contact with a child , making a false official statement , adultery and kidnapping , the marines said friday . no dates for the court-martial have been set .<doc-sep>tokyo -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. military held a `` day of reflection '' on friday for troops in japan after allegations that two u.s. service members committed sexual assaults on the southern island of okinawa . protestors in okinawa express anger at claims two u.s. service members committed sexual assaults . the goal is to emphasize professionalism and core military values , the u.s. military said . service members will meet in small groups to discuss topics such as personal values , responsible alcohol consumption , and understanding ethnic differences between the united states and japan , the military said . the `` day of reflection '' follows the arrest last week of a u.s. marine for the alleged rape of a 14-year-old japanese girl and allegations thursday that an employee of the u.s. army raped a filipino woman . both incidents allegedly happened on okinawa , where people have long resented the presence of the u.s. military . `` as responsible members of the japanese community , and consistent with the values of our military , we will continue to do everything possible to prevent incidents , '' said lt. gen. bruce a. wright , commander of the u.s. forces in japan . `` every service member is expected to take personal responsibility for his or her off-duty conduct and we will continue to be unwavering in our commitment to maintain exemplary , high standards of professionalism , '' he said . the okinawa prosecutor extended custody friday for tyrone hadnott , the 38-year-old marine accused in the rape of the teenager . that gives japanese authorities until march 3 to file charges against him . japanese prime minister yasuo fukuda has condemned the incident as `` unforgivable , '' and the allegation prompted the u.s. military in japan to form a sexual assault prevention task force . the episode echoes an incident more than a decade ago that strained relations between the united states and japan , and similar cases have further fueled resentment of the u.s. military presence . police in okinawa said thursday they were investigating a second reported sexual assault involving an employee of the u.s. army . it was not clear whether the suspect in the case is a soldier or a civilian employee at the military 's base in japan . the u.s. army in japan said it was aware of the incident but did not give further details . `` we are in full cooperation with host nation authorities , '' the army said in a statement . `` we take this allegation very seriously and the army does not tolerate sexual assault . '' u.s. assistant secretary of state christopher hill met thursday with japan 's foreign minister and expressed regret over the recent incidents .

<t> sentencing to begin friday for lance cpl. larry a. dean . </t> <t> dean is among four u.s. marines charged in alleged gang assault of teenager . </t> <t> charged marines range in age from 20 to 39 . </t> <t> u.s. military has bred resentment among locals . </t>

u.s. marine guilty of ` wrongful sexual contact ' in japan<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- world no. 3 maria sharapova has blasted the ruling body of women 's tennis over its demands for top players ahead of this month 's italian open in rome . maria sharpova is furious after being threatened with a $ 300,000 fine by the wta . the australian open champion is furious after being threatened with a $ 300,000 fine if she does not participate in a publicity event before the tier 1 tournament . `` i want all my fans to know that the wta tour is forcing me and several of the other top players to do a four-hour commercial shoot for wta tour marketing materials , '' sharapova told her web site . `` they want me to do this shoot on sunday , monday or tuesday of the rome tournament after flying 12 hours from los angeles . `` i have set my own personal rules when it comes to doing shoots and i never do shoots before tournaments because they are mentally draining and i want to just focus on my tennis .<doc-sep>`` now the wta is telling me if i do n't do this shoot they will fine me over $ 300,000 . as you can see the wta tour loves to fine players . `` to be honest , i would love to do this and help promote the tour as much as possible , but to force me to do this shoot the day before a tier 1 tournament is just not right . '' the 21-year-old will be returning to action in the event starting may 12 after skipping russia 's fed cup semifinal against the united states last weekend . she was beaten by serena williams in the quarterfinals of the family circle cup in charleston in her last outing two weeks ago . sharapova also made a statement explaining her absence from the german open in berlin starting on may 5 . `` the wta tour makes many players enter tournaments that they know the players will not be playing , '' she told her web site . `` i informed the wta several months ago that if i played charleston , i would have to pull out of berlin .<doc-sep>`` now they are forcing me to give an injury for the reason why i am pulling out or they will give me an additional fine on top of the $ 125,000 fine already given me . i am a very giving person but i refuse to give any more of my money to the wta tour . `` so i want everyone to know that apart from getting sick the past few days , i am healthy and i am looking forward to playing rome . '' meanwhile , top seed vera zvonareva has reached the final of the czech open in prague , beating slovenian fourth seed katarina srebotnik 6-2 6-4 on saturday . the russian will next play either third seed victoria azarenka of belarus or seventh-seeded czech klara zakopalova as she seeks to clinch her first title this season on sunday . in morocco , second seed gisela dulko of argentina reached sunday 's final of the grand prix sar la princesse lalla meryem after beating french fourth seed aravane rezai 7-6 -lrb- 8-6 -rrb- 6-3 in fez . top seed anabel medina garrigues of spain will face greta arn of hungary in saturday 's other semifinal . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- former champion maria sharapova has been seeded for next week 's wimbledon championships . sharapova powers a forehand during the wta tournament in birmingham last week . the russian has only recently returned to action after a serious shoulder injury , but despite performing solidly in the french open and reaching the semifinals of the wta grasscourt event in birmingham last week , she remained 59th in the rankings . but wimbledon , who are alone among the grand slams in not sticking entirely with the official rankings of the atp and wta in deciding the seedings , have given sharapova the 24th berth . world number one dinara safina of russia is top seed , followed by serena williams and defending champion venus williams , who is elevated to third because of her prowess on grass .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- it 's something the world 's two leading female tennis players have in common , and it 's not the grand slam titles both wimbledon top seed maria sharapova and no. 2 victoria azarenka have to their names . both stars have earned reputations as grunters , with sharapova 's screams puncturing the usual calm of london 's all england club on day one of the annual grass-court grand slam . but tennis ' rule makers have set in motion a chain of actions which could make baseline bellows a thing of the past , including the introduction of a device to monitor on-court noise levels and possible steps to sanction excessive shouts . death of a tennis art : is this the end for serve and volley ? `` the wta , itf , and grand slams aim to drive excessive grunting out of the game , while ensuring that we do not drive our current generation of players -- who were taught to play this way -- out of the game , '' read a wta statement .<doc-sep>`` another one , i think it was luke saville , we did n't actually finish . the set took too long . '' defending champion victoria azarenka and third-ranked serena williams will be among sharapova 's main opposition as she seeks to win her fifth grand slam title , having completed the set at last year 's french open . olympic champion williams has won the last two grand slams , at wimbledon and the u.s. open , and beat sharapova in the final of the season-ending wta championships in turkey . the american , who has won the australian open five times , downplayed suggestions that she could win all four grand slams this year and take her total to 19 -- which would put the 31-year-old equal third on the alltime list . `` that 's an incredible goal . it has n't been done since the '80s , '' said williams , who will start against 106th-ranked romanian edina gallovits-hall in top form following her title in brisbane . `` i do n't know if i can do it . maybe someone else can . we 'll see . '' azarenka pulled out of her brisbane semi against williams after needing toe surgery to fix a botched pedicure , but she is hoping to build on the self-belief she gained from winning her maiden grand slam 12 months ago .<doc-sep>she has steadily clawed her way up the rankings and was 10th seed at indian wells , but her performances in grand slams have been disappointing and she went out in the first round of the australian open to fellow russian maria kirilenko . sharapova admitted to reporters after her defeat to zheng that she would liked to have moved up the rankings faster , but was still proud of her efforts , which culminated in a 21st career title on the wta tour in memphis last month . `` i mean , i think i 'm doing a lot better than other people that have had shoulder surgery in their careers , '' she said .

<t> world no. 3 maria sharapova unhappy with ruling body 's publicity demands . </t> <t> wta wants top players to participate in four-hour photo shoot before italian open . </t> <t> russian says she was threatened with $ 300,000 fine if she does not take part . </t> <t> the rome top-tier tournament begins on may 12 . </t>

sharapova slams wta over photo shoot threat<T>

colorado city , arizona -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a 16-year-old girl in arizona has alleged sexual abuse in a fundamentalist church of jesus christ of latter-day saints community , sources in arizona told cnn friday . warren jeffs is the jailed leader of flds groups in arizona , utah , texas and elsewhere . authorities are investigating calls made by a teenage girl alleging abuse in her home by a male relative , according to the sources , who said the calls were similar to those made last week to texas authorities from the polygamist sect 's ranch in eldorado , texas . the texas calls prompted a law enforcement raid in which more than 400 children were taken into state custody .<doc-sep>the sources told cnn the arizona calls came from a teenager in an flds household . church members openly practice polygamy in colorado city and in hildale , utah -- two towns straddling the arizona-utah state line . warren jeffs , the 52-year-old leader and `` prophet '' of the 10,000-member sect , was convicted in utah last year on two counts of being an accomplice to rape , charges related to a marriage he performed in 2001 . he faces trial in arizona on eight charges of sexual conduct with a minor , incest and conspiracy . critics of the sect say it forces girls as young as 13 into arranged marriages . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 05:17 est , 21 march 2013 . | . updated : . 05:56 est , 21 march 2013 . a compound belonging the leader of one of america 's largest polygamous sects is to be sold at auction . warren jeffs 's 6.1 acre property in hildale could fetch up to $ 2.65 million when it goes up for sale on april 25 . jeffs , who is still thought to lead the fundamentalist church of jesus christ of latter-day saints -lrb- flds -rrb- , is in prison in texas , having been jailed for life after convictions for child sex abuse and bigamy . for sale : tall walls , fences and ` no access ' signs surround warren jeffs 's compound in hildale , utah , which is to be sold in an auction . the sale has been instigated to raise money for a legal settlement involving the flds . willie jessop , a former spokesman of the flds sued a group of the sect 's leaders , including jeffs and his brother lyle jeffs , and was eventually awarded a $ 30million default judgement . mr jessop alleged that the flds members broke into his business premises , stealing a range of property including computers and hard drives . he also claimed to have been blackmailed , said he had been excommunicated and claimed that he had been forced to lie for warren jeffs . when the sect leaders failed to respond , a fifth district judge awarded the default settlement , with the auction contributing to the sum . jessop , who was once a staunch defender of jeffs , left after the church after the child sex abuse allegations against the sect 's leader surfaced . mr jessop could make a bid for the property himself , according to his attorney mark james , who siad that could use part of the legal settlement to bid for it . settlement : the compound is being sold as part of $ 30m legal settlement involving willie jessop , who alleges flds members broke into his property and stole computers and other property . home : the town of hildale , with the compound pictured among the buildings in the foreground . the property , which will be auctioned on the steps of the washington county courthouse in st. george , was built in 2010 and 2011 in polygamous utah town twinned with colorado city , arizona . it is believed to have been built while jeffs was awaiting trial , with his wives and family apparently moving in after his release from custody . the property is surrounded by 12ft walls , with three brick properties visible inside . it is located next to a number of flds buildings , including the flds clinic . a 1,700-acre centre , owned by the church , the . yearning for zion ranch , was pictured last year after most of its 700 residents had fled . according to local tax records , the total value of the land is appraised at more than $ 33 million . prosecutors have also alleged that flds leaders financed the . property through money laundering . the sect bought the land for about . $ 1.1 million in 2003 , according to an affidavit . jailed : polygamist warren jeffs before he was sentenced to life in prison on bigamy and child sex charges -lrb- left -rrb- and in court -lrb- right -rrb- . self-sustaining community : an aerial view of the yearning for zion -lrb- yfz -rrb- compound owned by the fundamentalist church of jesus christ of latter day saints from 2008 - before the facility was raided . exodus : an abandoned , unfinished amphitheater sits on a dirt lot located on the yearning for zion ranch , in el dorado , texas , after warren jeffs 's followers lefthim . texan authorities wanted to seize ownership of the ranch where prosecutors say the convicted polygamist sect leader . and his followers sexually assaulted dozens of children . arizona 's attorney general tom horne last month announced a criminal probe of the flds and the marshal 's office , which serves as a small police force in the twin polygamous towns hildale and colorado city . during . a news conference held in phoenix , mr horne also announced that a . 26-year-old woman had been granted temporary custody of her six children . and had fled the town of colorado city , the home base of the flds . he said she was forced by by its jailed leader warren jeffs to . marry her brother-in-law at the age of 14 , and had since been virtually . held captive in the town on the utah-arizona border , along with many . other women who want to leave . ` what they do is say , `` everybody watch her so she wo n't run away '' . then she ca n't leave , ' horne said . ` women who wanted to escape have been forcibly held by the marshals against their will . ' attorneys for the two towns and the marshal 's office adamantly denied the charges , calling horne 's words ` inflammatory ' . ' i . ca n't speak for the flds but the bottom line is the marshal 's office . absolutely does not hold people against their will , ' said lawyer blake . hamilton . quiet : an aerial view of jeffs 's ranches , with a lack of activity following his imprisonment . families flee : the fdls church has seen a massive drop in followers since leader warren jeffs was convicted for child sex abuse .<doc-sep>the flds first became known to many when jeffs was arrested during a routine traffic stop in august 2006 . at the time , jeffs was on the fbi 's ten most wanted list . the flds is a 10,000-member offshoot of the mainstream mormon church . its members openly practice polygamy at the yearning for zion ranch in eldorado , texas , and in two towns straddling the utah-arizona state line : hildale , utah , and colorado city , arizona . critics of the sect say young girls are forced into `` spiritual '' marriages with older men and are sexually abused . sect members have denied that any sexual abuse takes place .<doc-sep>after a court battle , the texas supreme court ordered the children returned in june , saying the state had no right to remove them and there was no evidence to show the children faced imminent danger of abuse on the ranch . to date , 12 people associated with the compound have been indicted as part of the investigation , texas attorney general greg abbott said . jeffs , 52 , is the leader and `` prophet '' of the estimated 10,000-member flds , an offshoot of the mainstream mormon church . the flds openly practices polygamy at the yfz ranch , as well as in two towns straddling the utah-arizona state line -- hildale , utah , and colorado city , arizona .<doc-sep>investigators visited the temple building in 2008 . warren jeffs gave specific instructions on his bed , saying that it should be padded and long enough to hold him and there should be a plastic cover on the mattress to ` protect from what will happen ' ` the arizona . attorney general , as the highest ranking law enforcement official in . arizona , ought not be making those statements unless he has evidence of . it . ` it 's just absolutely not true , ' hamilton said . the church does not have a spokesperson to speak on its behalf . horne . fought last year for a bill in the arizona legislature aimed at . abolishing the marshal 's office in colorado city , and replacing law . enforcement there with deputies from the mohave county sheriff 's office . it . failed to pass , so he allocated funds to provide for limited patrols by . deputies but says the money will soon run out , and he is again asking . the legislature to take up the bill . flora jessop -lrb- left -rrb- embraces her sister ruby as they listen to arizona attorney general tom horne 's concerns over the mormon church . horne was joined at the press . conference by flora jessop , a vocal critic of the flds who fled the . church in 1986 . she was flanked by her sister , ruby jessop , and the . woman 's six young children . flora . jessop said her sister , who did not speak tuesday , had been held . captive by the flds for years , undergoing sexual and mental abuse at the . hands of her husband while not being allowed to leave with her kids . ruby . jessop finally fled last year , and recently won temporary custody of . her children who were being held ` hostage ' by the sect , flora jessop . said . ` it 's a good day for freedom , ' she said . the flds church teaches that a man having multiple wives is ordained by god and is a requirement for a man to receive the highest form of salvation . it is generally believed in the church that a man should have a minimum of three wives to fulfill this requirement . wives are required to be subordinate to their husbands . the church has come under fire over allegations of sexual and mental abuse of wives and underage polygamous marriages . there are said to be over 30,000 people practising polygamy in utah , idaho , montana and arizona , even though it is illegal . mohave . county sheriff tom sheahan said his agency also is involved in a . criminal investigation of the flds and the marshal 's office . he described authorities there as ` security guards for the flds church . ' . ` they are corrupt and work only for the flds and warren jeffs , ' sheahan said . he said it 's a dangerous situation . for his deputies to be patrolling colorado city without the cooperation . of local law enforcement from the marshal 's office . ` they are not our allies , ' sheahan said . ' i would n't trust them as backup for our deputies . ' another attorney who represents colorado city called the allegations outlandish , and said the marshal 's office works well with mohave county deputies . ` the marshal 's office welcomes the presence of the sheriff 's deputies because it provides them with backup , ' said lawyer jeff matura . ` the more police service , the better protection for everyone . ' last year , the u.s. justice department sued colorado city and hildale , claiming discrimination against residents who are not flds members . arizona also has a similar ongoing civil lawsuit against colorado city . the criminal probe announced tuesday by horne and sheahan mirrors the one that landed jeffs in prison . after receiving a complaint of child abuse , texas authorities in 2008 raided the flds ' yearning for zion ranch . the move led to a chaotic roundup of 400 children living at the secretive location in what became one of the largest custody cases in u.s. history . all of the children were eventually returned but 11 men - including jeffs and other high-ranking flds lieutenants - were arrested on charges of sexual assault or bigamy and later convicted . members of the sect are escorted onto a bus in eldorado , texas after a raid on a compound built by warren jeffs , jailed leader of the fundamentalist church of jesus christ of latter day saints .

<t> authorities investigate calls by girl alleging abuse by male relative . </t> <t> calls reportedly similar to those that sparked raid at texas polygamist ranch . </t> <t> arizona polygamist sect also led by jailed `` prophet '' warren jeffs . </t> <t> more than 400 children removed from sect 's compound in texas . </t>

arizona teen alleges abuse in flds household<T>

-lrb- instyle.com -rrb- -- as an aspiring ballerina , 9-year-old brooke burns took an aggressive approach to makeup . `` i would borrow my mom 's red borghese lipstick and smear it on like a clown ! '' she says . `` for sexy eyes , there is nothing better than this drugstore black liner . '' nowadays , the 29-year-old burns , a single mom , tries to pass along subtler application tips to her 7-year-old daughter . `` i taught her ' a dab 'll do ya , ' `` says the actress , who stars in the abc comedy `` miss guided . '' `` she 's going to wear it anyway , so she might as well have some experience . '' did you pick up any makeup tricks working as a model ? one of my favorites is putting white pencil on the inside of the bottom eyelid for that very awake look . at night if i 'm in a hurry , i 'll just put on a lot of mascara and black pencil all the way around the inner rim . it 's a totally sexy eye in a minute and a half . what 's the one makeup item you ca n't live without ? i 'm in love with revlon color stay foundation . i can do anything in that makeup and it stays . plus , it has sunscreen in it and gives me a really natural glow . it covers everything . you alternate between being a blonde and a brunette . which do you prefer ? my natural color is dark blond , but right now i like being a brunette . i did a movie last summer and they dyed my hair platinum -- i hated it . i have a big personality , and i think big personality plus blond hair makes me come across as glib . with dark hair , people look at your face more . before , it was all about the hair . how do you keep color-treated hair healthy ?<doc-sep>i 've never found a conditioner that makes my hair feel as amazing as nature 's therapy mega moisture nurturing shampoo by l'oréal . my hairdresser used it on me one time , and now i 'm obsessed . i also use a new color from paul mitchell -- it 's called fudge brownie -- that 's incredible . so many people comment , `` your hair looks so healthy ! '' have you always had great hair ? no . i totally had big hair in high school . i was a big user of the hot rollers and teasing . and i had mall bangs . i also wore my hair in a bun a lot because of all the dancing i did . i was n't really popular in high school . no one will believe you if you say you were n't popular . `` olive oyl '' was my nickname . i was totally gangly and a foot taller than all the boys . it was not attractive . clearly you 've come a long way . what 's your secret ? i think it 's very important to take care of your skin . obviously the no. 1 thing is sunscreen . all my life i have used oil of olay as my daytime moisturizer because my mom did . i also use their foaming face wash . it 's the best makeup remover ever . and in the morning i use olay age defying daily renewal cleanser because it has these tiny microbeads that are great for exfoliating . people go , `` you have such great skin ! '' and i 'm , like , `` thank god i 'm not spending $ 150 on products . '' i 'm sure that stuff is great , but if it ai n't broke , do n't fix it . e-mail to a friend . get a free trial issue of instyle - click here ! copyright © 2008 time inc. . all rights reserved .<doc-sep>researchers . found that of 1,215 children almost three in five suffered from scalds , . 32 per cent had contact burns and the rest were burns from other . causes , including sunburn . children under the age of one sustained 10 times as many burns and scalds as school-age children . the youngest child to pull a hot drink over themselves was eight months of age , while the youngest child to climb into a bath of hot water was 16 months . in pre-school children , the majority of burns were caused by youngsters touching hot items in the home . two in five such burns were caused by youngsters touching irons or hair straighteners and almost one in three were caused by touching oven hobs . for those over the age of five , hot water was responsible for half of scalds , mostly from spills during food preparation , chiefly burning the front of the body including the face . hot drinks - such as tea and coffee - are the most common cause of scalds in children under the age of five . study leader professor alison mary .<doc-sep>she said : ` i was really worried about brooke , but at first it never crossed my mind that it could be meningitis too . ` i never thought that she would be unlucky enough to have it too . she had had her immunisation jabs several days beforehand so i thought it was just a reaction to them . ' but brooke remained unwell so miss maxwell took her to walsgrave hospital in coventry where doctors carried out tests . it was then that they broke the devastating news to miss maxwell that her daughter was suffering from meningitis too . she said : ` i just could n't believe what i was hearing . i never imagined it would be anything like meningitis . ` my mum was with me and she was really worried too . brooke had been born five weeks premature weighing just 4ibs , so she was only 7ibs at 12 weeks old . it was like a newborn baby fighting for her life . ` it brought it all back for my mum , to see brooke fighting for her life in hospital . it was like history repeating itself . ' for 24 hours it was touch and go for the tiny baby . doctors battled to get her temperature down but it remained dangerously high . at work : miss matthews -lrb- right -rrb- in a 2007 episode of waterloo road . miss matthews said : ` at one point they told me there was nothing more they could do . all i could do was pray that she would be as strong as i had been . ` as she lay there fighting so hard , all i could think of was that if she pulled through would she be blind , deaf or brain damaged . it was terrifying . ' luckily the following day brooke turned a corner in her fight for survival and her condition started to improve . miss matthews said : ` when the doctors told me the news i just burst into tears . it was such an emotional moment . we were just so relieved . ' after two weeks in hospital she was finally allowed home . she has now made a complete recovery , and like her mother , has been given the clear from any lasting damage . miss matthews , who is currently fundraising for the charity meningitis uk , added : ` luckily brooke has been shown to be all clear from any brain damage and her sight and hearing has n't been affected . she is reaching all her developmental milestones , although she does have to go back to the hospital for a check up every few months . ` i asked the doctor whether there was any connection between our meningitis cases , but he said it was complete coincidence . ` we had both just been very unlucky . thankfully brooke pulled through , just like i did . and when she 's old enough to understand i 'll tell her how we both beat meningitis . ' for more information visit www.meningitisuk.org .<doc-sep>by . lucy laing . last updated at 1:03 pm on 6th november 2011 . this is the mother and baby who have both survived the killer brain bug meningitis . television actress holly matthews , who has appeared in television dramas casualty , waterloo road and byker grove , was stunned when her baby daughter brooke was diagnosed with the deadly disease just eight weeks ago . it was like history repeating itself as miss matthews had already beaten the disease herself at the age of seven . survivors : actress holly matthews was stunned when her baby daughter brooke was diagnosed with meningitis just eight weeks ago - especially after she herself had already beaten the disease herself at the age of seven . she could only watch hopelessly as her tiny daughter fought for life , just as she had done years earlier . but against all the odds , brooke has survived and has now returned home with miss matthews . miss matthews , who lives with her partner ross blair , 26 , who runs his own online security company , said : ` we are both survivors . i ca n't believe that we have both survived meningitis like this . ` when she was diagnosed it was like history was repeating itself all over again . i could only pray that she would pull through like i did . ` it was terrible watching her fight for life and not being able to do anything to help her . i just had to hope that she would be as strong as i was . ' miss matthews was just seven years old when she started feeling unwell . she complained to her mother clare , 51 , that her head hurt and the light hurt her eyes . she was taken to the royal victoria infirmary in newcastle where doctors diagnosed her with meningitis . miss matthews , who lives in coventry , said : ` mum was really worried about me as the doctors said that meningitis can cause brain damage , deafness and blindness . ` luckily they managed to catch it in time and after two weeks in hospital i had recovered enough for be allowed home . ` tests showed that i luckily had n't suffered any lasting damage and after another two months i had made a full recovery . ' fight for life : miss matthews watches over brooke as she battles back to full health in hospital . miss matthews was thrilled when she gave birth to her daughter brooke in march this year , but when her daughter was just 12 weeks old she developed a high temperature .<doc-sep>sad : the student 's teammates from the winona state warriors place candles on the ground for the gymnast . respect : head gymnastics coach beckie rolbiecki asks friends , family , and classmates to raise their candles . miss baures was twice named the wisconsin intercollegiate athletic conference gymnast of the week this year and documented her athletics career enthusiastically on social media . she was described by friends and family as a ` strong , determined , and beautiful young woman ' at the candlelit vigil held on the university campus . on wednesday , miss baures 's teammates from winona state university led the tributes to the gymnast , saying ` she was literally everything to the team . ' brooke hiestand , a member of winona state warriors , said : ` she was the person that held us together , and if you had something that you did n't know what to do ... for some reason , she always knew the answer ... always . ' miss baures 's boyfriend joel hinke , who played for the winona state warriors football team , broke down as he spoke about how he had planned to marry her . college officials also paid tribute to miss baures , who was an accomplished member of the gymnastics team from 2011 to 2014 . ` she was a leader on the team and a talented gymnast , ' said wsu athletic director eric schoh in a statement . ` this is a tremendous loss for our community , and we ask that you keep brooke and her family , friends , coaches and teammates in your thoughts . ' amanda schabacker , manager at wingdam saloon & grill , told the winona daily news that the restaurant would be closed on tuesday and refused to offer any more comment . photographs posted to social media show miss baures and her family happily posing for pictures at warriors games . celebration : allison bergsbaken -lrb- left -rrb- and sarah adrian embrace while celebrating the life of miss baures . tribute : in a twitter post , winona state university wrote : ` our wsu community mourns the loss of student and warrior gymnast brooke baures . brooke 's family , friends & teammates are in our thoughts ' winner : miss baures is seen posing with her coaches after taking home a triple haul of gymnastics medals . the student was also a huge music fan and on her facebook page posted a picture on november 22 with herself and country music stars dan + shay along with the caption : ` omg omg ' . tributes from distraught friends have been flooding onto social media since her death was announced on december 1 . friend annelie schmittel posted : ` thoughts and prayers go out to the family of my former student brooke baures , as well as my wsu warriors family . devastating news . ' according to the u.s. occupational safety and health administration , dumbwaiter accidents are rare . only two incidents , both fatal , have happened in the u.s. between 2003 and 2013 . miss baures 's autopsy results are still pending .

<t> `` miss guided '' star brooke burns likes being a brunette . </t> <t> actress explains why `` olive oyl '' was high school nickname . </t> <t> her daytime moisturizer is same that her mom used . </t>

` miss guided ' brooke burns spills secrets<T>

-lrb- instyle.com -rrb- -- we asked five stars for their innermost thoughts on perfume , then chose the season 's best new scents . beyonce : `` i 'll stick with one scent for five or six years . i 'll wear it all the time . '' beyoncé . what was your first perfume ? 273 by fred hayman . i wore it when i was a teenager . my mom used to wear it , and i stole it . -lrb- fred hayman 273 , $ 55/2 .5 fl . oz. ; fragrancenet.com -rrb- . what images would pop into your head if you smelled it now ? getting ready , curling my hair , putting my makeup on , going out to a party . and my mother , my childhood , my house . what does your house smell like ? vanilla . warm and sweet . i have a lot of diptyque candles around the house . even when i 'm away , i have someone burn them . i like having the scent in my pillows . -lrb- diptyque opopanax candle , $ 55 ; bergdorfgoodman.com -rrb- . you 're the face of emporio armani diamonds , which has rose and raspberry notes . what 's it like ? soft , sweet and comforting . yesterday i had a day off , which is rare , and i took a long bath . when i got out , i was by myself and knew i would be all day , but i still sprayed it on . -lrb- emporio armani diamonds , $ 50/1 .7 fl . oz. ; at macy 's -rrb- . what other scents do you like ? my favorite scent is my mother 's cooking : her yams and her soul food . they smell like love , like being full and happy . how about men 's cologne ? i like -lsb- anything by -rsb- creed . -lrb- creed original santal , $ 110/1 fl . oz. ; neimanmarcus.com -rrb- . emmy rossum . what fragrance did your mom wear while you were growing up ? lancôme trésor . it still reminds me of watching her get ready to go out at night . -lrb- lancôme trésor , $ 81/3 .4 fl . oz. ; lancome-usa . com -rrb- . what was your first perfume ? i got elizabeth taylor white diamonds for my sixth birthday . i felt so sophisticated ! i 'd put my mom 's red lipstick on my lips and cheeks , wear her high heels and spray the fragrance all over myself and the house . -lrb- elizabeth taylor white diamonds , $ 65/3 .3 fl . oz. ; perfumania.com -rrb- . which kind of fragrances are you usually drawn to ? i like ones that are clean , feminine , and not so famous that they are immediately recognizable . i -lsb- rarely -rsb- tell anyone what scent i wear -- it 's a woman 's most precious sensual secret . can you let us in on some of your all-time favorites ? my favorite is miss dior chérie . it 's classic and feminine , but flirty . i wear it to lunch , to dinner parties , to the beach , skiing and to big occasions like the oscars , when i want to feel especially glamorous . -lrb- miss dior chérie , $ 65/1 .7 fl . oz. ; at nordstrom -rrb- . what men 's scent do you like ? angel men . it 's masculine and very appealing without being too strong . -lrb- thierry mugler angel men , $ 102/3 .4 fl . oz. ; bloomingdales.com -rrb- . which kind of smells are you attracted to for soaps , shampoos , lotions and home fragrances ? i like traditional johnson 's no more tears baby shampoo and kérastase products . i like vanilla and pomegranate for soaps . my favorite candle is jo malone wild fig & cassis . do you wear perfume when you 're acting ? always , especially during intimate kissing scenes ! i wear something that is sensual but not too obvious . sarah jessica parker . how is your new fragrance , covet , different from lovely , the first one you helped create ? lovely is very polite . it 's the girl you marry , and covet is the girl you date , you know ? covet is fun , slightly wanton , desperate . it 's for a stop-at-nothing-to-get-what-you-want kind of a girl . -lrb- sarah jessica parker covet , $ 52/1 .7 fl . oz. ; macys.com -rrb- . what was the first scent you wore ? love 's baby soft . -lrb- love 's baby soft body spray , $ 12/1 .5 fl . oz. ; at drugstores -rrb- . if you got a whiff of it right now , what memories would it trigger ? it would be seventh grade and not having enough disposable money . it would be fiorucci , a shirt tied in a knot at the waist , and the yankees . it would be fighting with my brothers and sisters before school and my mother yelling at me , and not finishing my homework on a sunday night . do you wear fragrance every day ? without question . for some women , it 's lip gloss or mascara or covering a blemish . i can do without all of that . but the idea of not putting on perfume is shocking to me . where do you apply it ? i love walking into a closet and smelling lingering aroma , so i always spray my clothes . and at the end of the bottle , when the atomizer no longer reaches the tiny little dribble that is left , i unscrew the top and pour the remainder onto a t-shirt or my dress . what 's your favorite men 's scent ? i really love old spice and guerlain vetiver for men . -lrb- guerlain vetiver , $ 74/4 .2 fl . oz. ; saks.com -rrb- . what home fragrance do you love ? there 's nothing better than a blue rigaud candle . -lrb- rigaud chèvrefeuille candle , $ 75 ; gracioushome.com -rrb- . do you have a favorite flower or fruit scent ? i love a peony when it 's really in season , and i love lemons . gwyneth paltrow . do you wear perfume every day ? not if i 'm just in sweatpants around the house . but if i go out , i always squirt something on . it completes the look . are you always attracted to the same kind of scents ? it depends on my mood . -lsb- sometimes -rsb- i like things that are a little more spicy . i really like black orchid , tom ford 's perfume . something a bit sexy . tom ford black orchid , $ 65/1 .7 fl . oz. ; neimanmarcus.com . you 're the face of estée lauder pleasures . how would you describe that fragrance ? it 's floral and feminine , a sitting-in-your-garden kind of scent . -lrb- estée lauder pleasures , $ 45/1 .7 fl . oz. ; at macy 's -rrb- . what perfume did your mom wear when you were a kid ? she wore quadrille by balenciaga , and they do n't make it anymore . i always go online trying to find bottles -lsb- stashed -rsb- in someone 's basement to give to her as a present because she 's almost out of it . has your taste in scents changed since you became a mom ? no , but when i was pregnant i could n't tolerate the smell of anything , whether it was garlic , orange juice or perfume . now do you avoid scents that might overwhelm little noses ? i just do n't overdo it . a little spritz goes a long way . what are some other , non-perfume fragrances you love ? i love the smell of lilies and paperwhites . i also burn these tea-scented candles from mariage frères . the best shampoo i 've ever found is japanese -- it 's called molto bene b : oce . it 's so good for dry hair like mine . -lrb- mariage frères thé rouge candle , $ 65 ; aedes.com ; molto bene b : oce shampoo se , $ 16/8 .1 oz . -rrb- . what scent do you love on men ? ocean water . i like natural scents . victoria beckham . how would you describe intimately beckham ? it 's a white-flower fragrance with a lot of tuberose , which is my favorite flower . it 's fresh and sexy in a fashion-y way . i think it 's a happy smell . -lrb- intimately beckham , $ 42/1 .7 fl . oz. ; ulta.com -rrb- . does it remind you of anything ? white flowers remind me of my grandmother : timeless and gorgeous . everything i wear i would like to think of as timeless as well . i still wear dresses i bought 10 years ago . so you like florals ? i love rose , tuberose and orange blossom . i 'm a real girlie girl -- i love perfume , makeup and hair products . i think i know how girls want to smell . do you wear different scents for different moods ? for me it 's more about the weather and what you 're wearing and who you 're with . intimately beckham is light , and perfect for warm weather . that 's why we came up with intimately beckham night -lrb- coming next year -rrb- , which is slightly heavier . how involved was david in creating the fragrance ? he was hands-on . he 's masculine , but he 's in touch with his feminine side too . he loves clothes and beauty products and aftershave . which men 's scents does he like ? david and i both love miller harris . -lrb- miller harris feuilles de tabac , $ 120/3 .4 fl . oz. ; bigelowchemist.com -rrb- . what was your first fragrance ? coco chanel . if i smelled it today , it would take me back to being 14 , just when i was first really getting into fashion . -lrb- chanel coco , $ 110/3 .4 fl . oz. ; at nordstrom -rrb- . what scent did your mom wear ? poison by christian dior . it was so distinctive . it instantly reminds me of the eighties -- all that hair and those big dresses . -lrb- dior poison , $ 43/1 fl . oz. ; drugstore.com -rrb- . any other favorites ? i love jo malone 's grapefruit smells . and i have to say , nothing looks better in the bathroom than a bottle of chanel no. 5 -- that 's the ultimate . e-mail to a friend . get a free trial issue of instyle - click here ! copyright © 2008 time inc. . all rights reserved . additional reporting by kwala mandel ; alysia poe ; suzanne zuckerman .<doc-sep>80 % of people turned off by bad smells . duchess of cambridge , pippa middleton and david beckham voted best smelling celebs . john mccririck and russel brand voted worst smelling . by . bianca london . published : . 03:50 est , 16 august 2012 . | . updated : . 09:37 est , 16 august 2012 . what turns you off most when it comes to the opposite sex ? looks ? bad dress sense ? bad manners ? no , in fact the nation 's top turn off is bad smells . almost 80 % of women said that if a man smells bad , it is their biggest no-no , and unkempt john mccririck was awarded the status of ` most smelly celebrity ' by fragrance-conscious voters . the duchess of cambridge was voted the nicest smelling celebrity whilst john mccririck the most smelly .<doc-sep>by . bianca london . she 's one of tinseltown 's most famous - and photographed - superstars , but since that infamous lift scene , beyonce has been laying low . however , ahead of her joint tour on the run with husband jay z , the pop star is slowly making her way back into the limelight . her first port of call ? posing in a steamy shoot to promote her new fragrance , beyonce heat wild orchid . turning up the heat ! superstar beyonce , who has been keeping away from the limelight lately , has just unveiled her new fragrance campaign for heat wild orchid , which lands in stores in august . wearing a revealing feathered black dress slashed at the leg and chest , beyonce , 32 , shows off her svelte frame in the new imagery . with her hair slicked back into a low bun and wearing natural make-up , beyonce looks a million dollars promoting her # 24.99 scent . the fragrance , which lands in stores in august , describes itself as an ` enticing , mouth-watering fragrance that emits a fierce , feminine energy . ' created in collaboration with firmenich perfumer honorine blanc , it combines the scents of pomegranate , coconut water and boysenberry . just like her then ! the fragrance describes itself as an ` enticing , mouth-watering fragrance that emits a fierce , feminine energy ' beyonce introduced her first fragrance , heat , in 2010 , followed by a collection of editions in the following years . her new fragrance campaign comes at the same time as news of weak ticket sales for her and jay z 's on the run tour .<doc-sep>it comes in a striking glass bottle , which somehow does not match the fragrance - it is elegant and sophisticated with an art deco style lid . this will definitely please all of one direction 's fans who love everything they do . there is n't one of these bottles that i would n't be happy to display on my dressing table . the real secret of a successful celebrity scent is in the design of the bottle recent years nicki minaj 's scents have become collectors ' items - because of the exquisite bottles that look like works of art . the original nikki minaj pink friday fragrance launched in april 2013 and was the third biggest selling women 's fragrance , beating everything except chanel no 5 and coco mademoiselle . quirky : the new nikki minaj onika fragrance , on sale in september . fans will no doubt be flocking to buy the new nikki minaj onika fragrance , # 28.50 for 50ml edt -lrb- the perfume shop -rrb- when it hits the shelves on 17th september . this new bottle does n't disappoint and i think could be my favourite so far . the new fragrance is bold , with fruity notes of pear and mandarin with the floral scent of water lily and orchid with and a tiny touch of sweet sugar cane and musk . i have tried this one too - and was pleasantly surprised . not too heavy or sickly , as a light scent for early autumn days it fits the bill perfectly . but with the news this week that the celebrity scent market has lost its gloss , with sales down thirty percent of some names including justin bieber 's fragrance , are the stores getting worried ? michael hume , senior fragrance buyer at superdrug says : ` celebrity fragrance really resonates with shoppers as it lets fans buy a little piece of their icon . while some celebrity fragrances may have lost their sparkle in recent months , the right star and the right fragrance will always succeed . ` we 've long expected cheryl to launch her own , and we 're predicting big things . with x factor in the pipeline and her latest single topping the charts , she 's truly on top of her game and fragrance is the next logical step . ' i have heard that lady gaga is also rumoured to be bringing out a new scent ... let 's hope she has the bottle to do it . read more from elsa on her bargain beauty blog .<doc-sep>updated : . 13:49 est , 2 august 2012 . women obsessed with emulating singer rihanna have pushed sales of her perfume rebelle to the top of the bestseller list in the uk . since being released in february the fragrance has sold over 2 million bottles and is expected to sell a record-breaking 4million by the end of the year . at the launch in february rihanna said : ` my new fragrance is about taking control but still being a lady . there 's a feminine , romantic element to the fragrance - but there 's also a defiant quality in it . i love its duality . ' red hot : the campaign image for rihanna 's latest fragrance was shot by her favourite music video director anthony mandler . the rebelle fragrance , which comes in a conical-shaped bottle inspired by the shape of a sexy stiletto heel , has been .

<t> perfumes trigger strong memories for stars . </t> <t> beyoncé says her house smells like vanilla . </t> <t> parker : `` idea of not putting on perfume is shocking to me '' </t>

celebs fragrance diaries<T>

-lrb- instyle.com -rrb- -- toss that basic black and indulge in a fashion fantasy this year . we asked the four gorgeous stars of abc 's new tv show `` cashmere mafia '' to take part in a little experiment : if you could slip into a different guise for a day , what would it be ? frances o'connor in zac posen silk gown , josé and maría barrera rhodium-plated earrings with austrian crystals . frances o'connor glams it up . understated when it comes to her own style and buttoned up in banker stripes as zoe on cashmere mafia , frances o'connor , 40 , has been hankering for an infusion of pure glamour . `` i love the idea of wearing a dress that 's a work of art in itself , '' says the actress , who slipped easily into a red-carpet fantasy with a mouthwatering cherry-hued gown by zac posen . o'connor 's `` safety first '' approach to fashion means living mostly in simple marc jacobs pieces , but it 's a sensibility that does n't offer much in the way of frippery -- which suits her just fine . `` i do n't like to stand out too much , '' says the willowy anglo-aussie beauty . still , posen 's fluttering cascades of silk offer both a role reversal and a respite . `` a fantasy has to move you to feel like a different person , '' she says . `` that 's fun for a day . then i like to put my jeans back on and go home . '' lucy liu relives the forties . few decades enthrall lucy liu like the 1940s . `` i like the idea of updating a traditional silhouette from that era in a fresh way , '' says liu , whose character , mia , reigns over a new york publishing fiefdom in power looks by dolce & gabbana , valentino and rachel roy . despite its abstract floral print , the ruffled organza dress by christian lacroix would seem right at home on the cover of a world war ii-period glossy , yet liu imbues it with a distinctly modern verve . `` there was something really elegant and erotic about women back then , with their girdles and cinched-in waists , '' she says . on the set the 39-year-old star relishes watching costume designer patricia field work her sartorial sorcery with a swirl of offbeat textures and trimmings . `` the other day my character was wearing a gold lamé striped dress with a coffee-hued belt , black leggings and green earrings . it 's contagious , '' says liu , who finds herself mixing -- and not matching -- more freely these days . miranda otto indulges in gems . famous for playing a middle earth maiden in the lord of the rings movies , aussie actress miranda otto found herself dressing a little like one offscreen too , in muted , ethereal garb . but her arctic complexion and fiery tresses are the perfect canvas on which to throw splashes of drama . `` shooting cashmere mafia -lsb- the 40-year-old beauty plays steely hotelier juliet -rsb- has made me lust for accessories , '' she says . presto : otto is resplendent in scads of jewelry . `` wearing stacks of the stuff makes it more interesting , '' she adds . there 's just one catch to donning such beguiling accents : `` my 2-year-old daughter , darcey , wants everything . '' bonnie somerville goes for fifties bombshell . bonnie somerville longs for the bygone days when women were perennially polished . `` in the fifties you 'd never leave the house without your hair done , your face on , and a nice dress . me , i have my staple uniform of jeans , tank tops and flats . '' to resolve her clothing ennui , the actress chose a dazzling yellow lela rose number that is equal parts bond girl and palm beach socialite . `` it 's something i never thought i could wear for daytime , '' says the brooklyn , new york-bred singer and actress who plays cashmere 's trendy cosmetics exec , caitlin . a skinny metallic belt gives the look more of a now vibe . `` on the show , with everything we wear , patricia field says , ` put a belt on it ! ' '' says somerville , 33 . `` now i 'm buying belts in my real life , which i never did before . '' e-mail to a friend . get a free trial issue of instyle - click here ! copyright © 2008 time inc. . all rights reserved .<doc-sep>one would imagine that waitrose would give their star writer the vip treatment , but on sunday pippa middleton proved that she 's just like the rest of us as she lugged home her weekly shop . the writer and socialite was seen laden down with bags from the upmarket supermarket chain , who she joined as a columnist in march , as she shopped in west london . no doubt the tennis fan was stocking up on strawberries and cream in advance of the wimbledon championship , which begins today . writer and socialite pippa middleton was seen laden down with waitrose bags in london on sunday . and strawberries and cream seemed to be the inspiration behind her wacky wardrobe choice . the 29-year-old wore a coral cashmere dress and cardigan combination by london label cashmere by tania . although the twinset was unfortunately ageing on sporty young pippa as she made a dash to the supermarket the # 265 trixiebelle bodycon dress is described by the company as exuding ` true feminine elegancy ... perfect for a dressed-up dinner . '<doc-sep>it was the moment the world had been waiting for . or at least the large portion of the world who harbour an obsession with the kardashians . kim kardashian made her first appearance in public as a mother . and while she kept her style dressed down and sober -lrb- is this the new relaxed kim ? -rrb- , she sure let her accessories do the talking . not for kim the everyday nappy bag from cath kidston . for her first appearance en famille with baby north and 36-year-old rapper boyfriend kanye , kim toted a # 20,000 hermes bag , stuffed full , no doubt , with swarovski pacifiers , dior baby bottles and cashmere babygros . but more striking than the hermes nappy bag were the matching moccasin boots that kim and kanye were sporting . yummy . mummy wardrobe : for her first appearance as a family with kanye west . and baby north , kim dressed down - but she let her accessories do the . talking with a # 20,000 hermes nappy bag and moccasin boots to match . kanye 's .<doc-sep>he might be less than impressed by the chinese record on human rights but that was n't enough to stop prince charles from visiting london 's chinatown to help usher in the year of the sheep . the prince of wales was on cheerful form and joked with performers dressed as dragons as he took in the colourful scene . with him was the duchess of cornwall , who cut an elegant figure in a pretty cream cashmere skirt and jacket by anna valentine and a delicate printed silk scarf . scroll down for video . nice to meet you : charles sidles up to a man celebrating chinese new year while dressed as a dragon . what did he say ? charles bursts into laughter after sharing a joke with the performer . as well as taking in the sights , the royal couple were in chinatown to open the china exchange , a purpose-built exhibition space destined to become a hub for theatrical and arts performances . during the visit , prince and duchess were introduced to a number of chinese traditions , including calligraphy and dumpling making - both of which camilla pulled off with aplomb . charles grinned as his wife attempted to make dim sum in the shape of fold and silver ingots , which are believed to bring you luck and prosperity , before watching a chop stick demonstration . camilla was a little more reluctant to try the trickier art of chinese calligraphy but was praised for her ` impressive ' first try at the character representing ` sky . while prince charles chose not to show off his cooking skills , he did make a speech in which he revealed he and camilla were ` thrilled ' to be there and made an attempt at wishing revellers a happy new year in cantonese . do n't eat me ! charles steps hastily away from the ` dragon ' after cracking his joke . what 's in there ? the duchess of cornwall peers into the performer 's mask as they enjoy a chat . looking good : charles was accompanied by his wife , who looked lovely in a cream cashmere suit .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 14:08 est , 9 december 2013 . | . updated : . 10:17 est , 10 december 2013 . pippa middleton and her boyfriend nico jackson breezed through heathrow today as they arrived back from a trip to india . the pair looked relaxed and rested as nico steered their trolley - piled high with luggage - through the london airport . the dressed-down couple appeared to have caught the sun on their break - pippa in particular looking pink-cheeked and glowing . the couple looked rested and relaxed as they breezed through heathrow aiport . pippa dressed down for the long flight back from india , wearing her customary skinny jeans and an ` ava ' top from cashmere by tania and with a coach saffiano tote . the couple are reported to have visited the taj mahal . it has become an extremely popular place to propose , thanks to the incredible beauty of the place , and also the romantic story behind its construction . pippa wore a peter pan-collared top from . cashmere by tania , a cream cardigan , her customary skinny jeans and . tan , low-heeled ankle boots . her boyfriend , banker nico jackson , 36 , was similarly casual in chunky navy knit over a checked shirt , paired with indigo jeans and battered converse trainers . ever the gentleman , he steered their trolley , with its four pieces of luggage , through the airport . they are believed to have visited the . taj majal , in agra , uttar pradesh , india . the mausoleum was built by . mughal emperor shah jahan in memory of his third wife , mumtaz mahal and . is described as ` the jewel of muslim art in india . ' the pair were dressed down in jeans for their trip back from india , with nico keeping it casual in battered grey converse trainers . the taj majal is used by thousands of male tourists each year to make marriage proposals . the couple went to the caribbean in september , and were first photographed together in february while on a middleton family holiday to mustique . the pair appear to have packed an awful lot for a relatively short trip - lucky nico was on hand to steer the heavily-loaded trolley . pippa middleton and her beau nico jackson arrive back at heathrow airport after a romantic trip to the taj majal in india . the destination is used by thousands of tourists each year to make marriage proposals . a friend confided to the mail on sunday : ` pippa . and nico made a pact to travel to lots of exotic destinations before . walking down the aisle to start a family . there will be lots of trips .

<t> each actress in `` cashmere mafia '' has own style . </t> <t> lucy liu likes 1940 's silhouettes . </t> <t> miranda otto wears scads of jewelry . </t> <t> bonnie somerville is wearing belts on and off screen . </t>

` cashmere mafia ' : dressed to thrill<T>

editor 's note : cnn.com 's wayne drash writes about his maniacal love for university of memphis basketball . memphis , north carolina , ucla and kansas play in the final four this weekend . drash says the memphis team can help heal the city 's old wounds . cnn.com 's wayne drash , left , says he 's been hooked on university of memphis basketball since he was a kid . atlanta , georgia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- my love for university of memphis basketball is completely irrational . i never went to school there and have no affiliation with the university . but i bleed tiger blue . my dad used to take my brothers and me to memphis games as a kid , and i 've been hooked ever since . we once bought tickets from a scalper for six bucks apiece against arch-rival the university of louisville in the 1980s . my dad complained we paid too much . but then we moved in seventh grade . i became an even bigger fan after we left the city . i 'd huddle over my am radio , hooked up with a coat hanger wrapped in aluminum foil as an antenna . more than 350 miles away , i managed to pick up the then-memphis state games through the crackle and static of the radio . memphis basketball was my only way to remain connected to my youth and the city that i loved . that was 1985 , the last time memphis made the final four . is your team in the final four ? send your ireport celebratory photos . back then , memphis was led by a phenom named keith lee . he was best known for a sweet baseline jumper as soft as the nylon nets he swished . he was also known for his giant afro . he was listed as 6 feet 10 inches . the joke was if you included his wild hairdo , he was 7-4 . when my parents were away at work , sometimes i 'd sneak into my mom 's cabinet , steal her mousse and then put it in my hair . then this white kid would go out back and shoot hoops for hours , hair sticking straight out like i stuck my finger in a socket . it was the only way i could be like lee , my hero and idol . back then , memphians would rank lee right up there with elvis presley as the city 's most popular icons . many still do . and that 's the thing about tiger basketball . in a place where race has often divided so much of it , memphis basketball has helped unite the city . as a boy , white and black kids would crowd the basketball court at tiger games to try to snatch the players ' sweatbands as they raced into the locker room . up until i graduated from high school , the sweatbands of phillip `` doom '' haynes and baskerville `` batman '' holmes sat on my shelf in my room . like a fan of any team , there have been good and bad times over the years . but sometimes the pain of being a tiger fan is that much greater . tragedy and heartbreak are part of it , such as when holmes killed his girlfriend and then himself in 1997 . other players , such as aaron price and a. maceo battle , have died far too young along the way , furthering the pain of being a fan . larry finch -- who as a black player brought together the city and took memphis to its only national championship game in 1973 , and later became one of its greatest coaches -- has lived much of the past few years in a rehabilitation center after suffering severe strokes . in some ways , that 's what makes memphis basketball so special . memphis players embody the real life of so many americans , many faced with extreme hard times . some succeed ; some do n't . others , such as finch , keep on fighting . i do n't find it an accident that memphis is now seeking history the same week of the 40th anniversary of the assassination of the rev. martin luther king jr. `` i think dr. king would find this a source of joy , '' the rev. jesse jackson told the team this week , according to the memphis commercial appeal newspaper . a city that has seen so much pain , so much heartache , has something huge to celebrate -- all revolving around young college kids and a bouncy orange ball . the adage is that sports often have the ability to transcend the moment . this is one of those times . to get to the championship game monday night , memphis must first get past ucla , the same team that defeated it in that 1973 title game . while much of the rest of the nation has the team pegged to lose , the tigers -- for one shining moment -- have a chance to do something really special . they 'd have it no other way . as for me ? i wo n't be listening on my old radio , but this weekend i might just try sporting that ` do like keith lee . the opinions expressed in this piece are solely those of the writers . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>president obama showed off his grooviest ` dad dancing ' on tuesday night as he got down to the best of memphis soul at a white house show . the president enjoyed a star-studded concert celebrating the sound of soulsville as he and wife michelle belted out the classics performed by artists including queen latifah , booker t. jones , cyndi lauper and justin timberlake . he was also joined on the front row by daughters malia and sasha who giggled and shook their heads at their dad 's dance moves . timberlake leaned in and serenaded the first couple from the stage with his version of the otis redding classic -lrb- sittin ' on -rrb- ` the dock of the bay accompanied by legendary guitarist steve cropper . scroll down for videos ... getting down : the president shows off his dance skills as he takes his seat beside first lady michelle and daughters sasha and malia . paying tribute : obama spoke about the important role of soulsville music in overcoming segregation . singing out : the first lady gets down at the memphis soul event at the white house . obama opened the concert by saying : ` let 's face it , who does not love this music ? these songs get us on the dance floor . ` they get stuck in our heads . we go back over them again and again . and they 've played an important part in our history . ` memphis , tennessee , was segregated in . the 1960s , but blacks and whites came together despite the institutional . racism to create a soulful blend of gospel and rhythmic blues music . that sought to ` bridge those divides , to create a little harmony with . harmony . ' suit and tie : justin timberlake was one of the many stars who performed along with booker t. jones and queen latifah . serenaded : justin timberlake -lrb- left -rrb- sings otis redding 's -lrb- sittin ' on -rrb- the dock of the bay to the first couple . giggles : first lady michelle enjoys the music as daughter malia looks on . he . noted that two of the night 's guests , booker t. jones and steve . cropper , helped form one of the city 's first integrated bands . ` they . were n't allowed to go to school together . they were n't always allowed . to travel or eat together , ' obama said . ` but no one could stop . them from playing music together . ' the president continued : ` and . that was the spirit of their music - the sound of soulsville , u.s.a. , a . music that , at its core , is about the pain of being alone , the power of . human connection , and the importance of treating each other right . ' ` after all , this is the music that asked . us to try a little tenderness . it 's the music that put mr big stuff in . his place . and it 's the music that challenged us to accept new ways of . thinking with four timeless words : '' can you dig it ? '' ' facing the music : the obama family listen to performances from booker t. jones , queen latifah and justin timberlake . soul rocks : performers gather on the stage with obama -lrb- far left -rrb- and michelle -lrb- center -rrb- at the white house . all smiles : president obama speaks welcomes performers to the concert in honor of memphis soul music in the east room of the white house . singing the blues : queen latifah performs during a concert in honor of memphis soul music hosted by obama in the east room of the white house on tuesday . groovy dad : obama looks to daughter sasha as they sit on the front row at the gig . and .<doc-sep>by . louise boyle and daily mail reporter . published : . 18:50 est , 11 april 2013 . | . updated : . 10:13 est , 12 april 2013 . first lady michelle obama could hardly contain her excitement and giggled like a school girl as she introduced a host of memphis soul legends at the white house on tuesday . musicians including sam moore , mavis staples , charlie musselwhite , ben harper and justin timberlake were all in attendance for a special workshop arranged for high school students . the first lady paid tribute to a style of music with a ` story uniquely its own ' and could hardly contain her glee at she introduced sam moore of 60 's r&b duo sam and dave . scroll down for videos ... first lady michelle obama can hardly contain her excitement as she introduces several memphis musicians at a workshop at the white house on tuesday . the first lady was particularly excited to introduce sam moore of 60 's r&b duo sam and dave . ` watching you all 's faces : priceless , ' the first lady joked of the crowd in the state dining room as the musicians walked onto the stage . ` see , you never know what 's going to happen at the white house . ok , let 's breathe . come on . everyone , let 's breathe . even the moms . ' the first lady gave thanks to performers like otis redding , the staple singers and , ` of course , somebody my husband thinks he sounds like , the reverend al green . ' ` let 's just tell him he does , ok ? ' she joked . ` since he is the president , we like to boost him up a little bit . ' the president showed off his vocal skills last year , when he wowed the crowd at a campaign stop by singing a few lines of green 's ` let 's stay together . ' later in the day the president got to show off his grooviest ` dad dancing ' as he got down to the best of memphis soul in the latest installment of the ` in performance at the white house ' series . michelle obama introduced a host of musicians at a special workshop arranged for high school students at the white house . getting down : the president shows off his dance skills as he takes his seat beside first lady michelle and daughters sasha and malia . paying tribute : obama spoke about the important role of soulsville music in overcoming segregation . singing out : the first lady gets down at the memphis soul event at the white house . the president enjoyed the . star-studded concert celebrating the sound of soulsville as he and the . first lady belted out the classics performed by artists including queen latifah , booker t. jones , cyndi lauper and justin timberlake . they . were also joined on the front row by daughters malia and sasha who . giggled and shook their heads at their dad 's dance moves . timberlake leaned in and serenaded the first couple from the stage with his version of the otis redding classic -lrb- sittin ' on -rrb- ` the dock of the bay accompanied by legendary guitarist steve cropper . obama opened the concert by saying : ` let 's face it , who does not love this music ? these songs get us on the dance floor . suit and tie : justin timberlake was one of the many stars who performed along with booker t. jones and queen latifah . serenaded : justin timberlake -lrb- left -rrb- sings otis redding 's -lrb- sittin ' on -rrb- the dock of the bay to the first couple . giggles : first lady michelle enjoys the music as daughter malia looks on . ` they get stuck in our heads . we go back over them again and again . and they 've played an important part in our history . ` memphis , tennessee , was segregated in . the 1960s , but blacks and whites came together despite the institutional . racism to create a soulful blend of gospel and rhythmic blues music . that sought to ` bridge those divides , to create a little harmony with . harmony . ' he . noted that two of the night 's guests , booker t. jones and steve . cropper , helped form one of the city 's first integrated bands . ` they . were n't allowed to go to school together . they were n't always allowed . to travel or eat together , ' obama said . ` but no one could stop . them from playing music together . ' facing the music : the obama family listen to performances from booker t. jones , queen latifah and justin timberlake . soul rocks : performers gather on the stage with obama -lrb- far left -rrb- and michelle -lrb- center -rrb- at the white house . all smiles : president obama speaks welcomes performers to the concert in honor of memphis soul music in the east room of the white house . singing the blues : queen latifah performs during a concert in honor of memphis soul music hosted by obama in the east room of the white house on tuesday . groovy dad : obama looks to daughter sasha as they sit on the front row at the gig .<doc-sep>riley keough holds her little sister finley lockwood in front of graceland during a proclamation of elvis presley day . the twin girls were born in 2008 to lisa marie 's fourth husband , guitarist and music producer , michael lockwood . elvis presley was born in poverty in tupelo , mississippi on january 8 , 1935 , and as a teen moved to memphis with his parents and absorbed the mixture of blues , rhythm and blues , and african-american gospel from which rock music emerged . flowers and birthday wishes from around the world lie beside the grave of elvis presley at his home at graceland . a wreath commemorating what would have been elvis presley 's 80th birthday sits by the grave of the late singer at his home . he moved to memphis with his parents at age 13 . he died on august 16 , 1977 in memphis at the age of 42 . an american pop culture icon like few others , presley rode high in the rock music charts in the 1950s , 1960s and 1970s before his untimely death . his legacy includes 108 songs on billboard magazine 's hot 100 pop music chart as well as 129 records in the billboard 200 album chart - most recently in 2002 with a greatest hits set . ` he has stayed on top all these years , ' said scotty moore , 83 , of nashville , the guitarist and last man standing from the recording session that yielded the 1954 hit that 's all right . flowers and birthday wishes from around the world lie beside the grave of elvis presley . that first session at sun studios in memphis changed everything in popular music and culture , said peter cooper , writer and editor for nashville 's country music hall of fame and museum . ` it changed all of our lives , even those of us who were n't born yet . it changed the way we dress and the way we wear our hair and the way we talk , ' said cooper .<doc-sep>as the royal brothers head to memphis this weekend , mailonline travel and virgin holidays look at the tourist attractions they should be visiting ... shop like the kingif you know your prada from your gucci , your armani from your versace , chances are you 're a style guru , so before you head out on the town , shop in style , just like elvis did , at the lansky bros. . here you 'll find the best in high-end menswear -lrb- and maybe even the perfect wedding suite -rrb- plus see styles that were designed for elvis himself . place your bets : head over to horseshoe tunica in memphis to play in the casino . eat like a prince ... fancy winning a free meal to soak up the night ahead ? then stop by the kooky canuck for big burgers , beers and some of the best hearty food around . and for those feeling brave , take on the ` kookamonga challenge ' . if you can chow-down the 7.5 pound , 12,387-calorie strong ` kookamonga burger ' in under 60 minutes -lrb- with no help ! -rrb- , the meal ` s free , as is a place on the wall of fame . dine on the best ribs ... if a burger does n't cover it , double up and head for charles vergos ' rendezvous which many argue offers the best charcoal ribs in town -lrb- since 1948 -rrb- . fans include memphis ' second son justin timberlake , rocker mick jagger and presidents bill clinton and george w bush . a right royal drinking session ... swap the traditional american sports bar for the flying saucer draught emporium in downtown memphis to sample the likes of chocolate truffle , dark side of the moon and hummingbird water - they 're just a few of the 200 beers available on tap . royal tour : visit the sun studio in memphis where elvis recorded . put on those blue suede shoes ... for the best after-hours fun , try the silly goose lounge , where accepting shots from staff and singing along to power ballads are official bar rules . or try the lamplighter lounge , a dive bar with fifties-style booths , then hit the dancefloor at paula & raiford 's disco on second street . bets please ... feeling the urge to throw some dice and try to win a round or two ? for the best casino in town , try horseshoe tunica . breakfast like a king ... indulge with an all-american breakfast . stop by retro diner the arcade for breakfast and if you can brave getting there early enough , you might even be lucky enough to bag elvis ' favourite booth at the back . for a taste sensation , try the southern favourite , sweet potato pancakes . it 's all about the blues ... it 's all about the music in memphis , so head for beale street and visit bb king 's blues club , all while keeping an eye out for the urban acrobatic sensation , the beale street flippers , who can often be found standing on one hand wowing the crowds with their moves . for the ultimate slice of music heaven , stop by the legendary sun studio , the birthplace of rock n ' roll , where elvis and johnny cash both recorded .

<t> university of memphis basketball has brought together whites , blacks , fan says . </t> <t> memphis team has a chance to do something really special in final four , he says . </t> <t> memphis players embody struggle and aspirations of many americans , fan says . </t>

got those memphis blues again<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the world 's wildlife has declined by 27 percent since 1970 because of the human impact on the environment , the world wildlife fund said friday . these two adult frilled-neck lizards are threatened species and are bred in captivity in australia . the wwf 's latest living planet index shows terrestrial , freshwater and marine species all suffered declines in their populations between 1970 and 2005 , with freshwater species experiencing the biggest drop . the index is included in a report called `` 2010 and beyond : rising to the biodiversity challenge , '' which the wwf prepared for an international biodiversity conference in germany later this month . `` no one can escape the impact of biodiversity loss because reduced global diversity translates quite clearly into fewer new medicines , greater vulnerability to natural disasters , and greater effects from global warming , '' said james leape , director-general of wwf international . the living planet index measured 4,000 populations of 1,477 vertebrate species , which the wwf says is a good indicator of overall biodiversity trends . terrestrial species in both temperate and tropical areas fell by an average of 25 percent during the 35-year period , the wwf said .<doc-sep>marine species fell by 28 percent in the same period , with a dramatic decline between 1995 and 2005 , the wwf said . `` many marine ecosystems are changing rapidly under human influence , and one recent study estimates that more than 40 percent of the world 's ocean area is strongly affected by human activities while few areas remain untouched , '' the wwf report said . freshwater species in both temperate and tropical regions fell by 29 percent between 1970 and 2003 . the wwf said that is especially significant because despite covering only about 1 percent of the total land surface of the planet , inland waters are home to more than 40,000 vertebrate species . in tropical regions , freshwater species were especially hard-hit ; the index shows they suffered a 35-percent drop between 1970 and 2000 . the wwf said it had insufficient data to chart tropical freshwater species beyond 2000 and temperate freshwater species beyond 2003 . the causes of the declines are varied but ultimately stem from human demands on the biosphere , such as consumption of natural resources or the displacement of ecosystems , the wwf said .<doc-sep>the dominant threat to marine life is overexploitation -- harvesting or killing animals or plants beyond the species ' capacity to replace itself , the wwf said . overfishing is one example . overexploitation is also a threat to terrestrial species , according to the report , which cites the hunting of tropical forest mammals . overharvesting of timber is also a major factor , it said . invasive species , whether introduced deliberately or not , are another threat , especially in freshwater ecosystems , where they are thought to be the main cause of extinction among endemic species , the wwf said . pollution and overall climate change are other factors causing a loss of biodiversity , it said . the wwf called on governments attending this month 's conference to take urgent action to reduce the rate of loss by 2010 . it wants governments to establish protected areas , particularly those areas important for food security , water supply , medicine , and disaster mitigation , and to commit to zero deforestation by 2020 .<doc-sep>bbc wildlife expert chris packham -lrb- above -rrb- has warned humans need to help wildlife instead of ` chasing cures for cancer ' bbc wildlife expert chris packham has warned humans need to stop prioritising themselves over the environment and help wildlife instead of ` chasing cures for cancer ' . the springwatch co-host and outspoken naturalist also declared economic growth is a ` recipe for disaster ' and blamed christianity for allowing humans to think that they can exploit the planet 's resources . the 53-year-old enjoyed a childhood that fuelled his love of nature from making camps in the woods to starting fires and catching grass snakes . however they are pleasures he said he rarely witnesses children enjoying these days and packham said he fears it is because parents are afraid their offspring may get hurt . he declared ` risk aversion is killing childhood ' and added children enjoying nature on their own are now ` extinct ' . it is not the first time that packham has urged for the environment to be given greater priority . several years ago he warned the only way to protect the future of the planet is to curb population growth and suggested offering britons tax breaks to encourage them to have smaller families . packham made his latest wide-ranging and controversial comments in a joint interview with his springwatch co-host bill oddie , 72 , for the radio times to mark the tenth birthday of the popular programme which returns to screens next week . asked what he thought the future holds for the environment , packham said : ` we 've got to get to a state where we think about all life and not just human life .<doc-sep>but as the bear began to claw at him , igor 's mobile went off . the singer 's hit baby rang out and the bear turned tail and fled back into the forest . wildlife experts believe the ringtone must have startled the bear into halting its attack . ` sometimes a sharp shock can stop an angry bear in its tracks and that ringtone would be a very unexpected sound for a bear , ' explained one . dangerous : brown bears are easily capable of killing humans , but as the incident with mr vorozhbitsyn showed , can easily be frightened away . bear-ly believable : justin bieber 's music is n't very popular with brown bears , it seems .<doc-sep>decline was predicted in europe , where the scientists found a 85 per cent . decrease in production in bordeaux , rhone and tuscany . in wine growing areas of australia , there was a forecast 74 per cent drop , and california , a 70 per cent fall . the scientists also predicted a sharp decline for wine growers in the cape area of south africa with falls of 55 per cent , and chile 's wine producers would expect losses of about . 40 per cent . but the change in climate could see a boom in new world wine in new territory such as . tasmania and the . hills of central china . however , rebecca shaw , a scientist for the environmental defence fund and an author of the paper , warned the search for new wine country could unearth a host of new potential problems , as many of the areas being touted for production are home to endangered wildlife . she said : ` wine is going to be on the move in the future as will wildlife . this adaptation has the potential to threaten the survival of wildlife . '<doc-sep>it is thought that one of the main reasons the animal is drawn to the cape cod area is because nearby monomoy national wildlife refuge has a huge population of seals , which are a favorite food of the great white shark . they were photographed by wayne davis , a spotter pilot with the atlantic white shark conservancy . one of the main reasons the sharks are drawn to the cape cod area is because nearby monomoy national wildlife refuge has a huge population of the blubbery seals - a favorite food of the great white shark . the last human death blamed on a great white shark in massachusetts was in 1936 with only four ever documented in the area . according to a post on the conservancy 's facebook page , the team spotted at least 10 other sharks on tuesday . the sharks can grow to 20 feet in length and weigh up to 5,000 pounds . they have rows of renewable razor sharp teeth , which make them a formidable predator . the last human death blamed on a great white shark in massachusetts was in 1936 with only four ever documented in the area . according to national geographic , there are 16 shark attacks in the united states on average every year , with a fatality occurring once every two years .

<t> the world 's wildlife has declined by 27 percent since 1970 because of humans . </t> <t> wwf : terrestrial , freshwater , marine species all under threat . </t> <t> pollution and overall climate change are other factors causing loss of wildlife . </t>

humans blamed for sharp drop in wildlife<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- three protesters scaled the golden gate bridge monday and unfurled a `` free tibet '' banner , a likely precursor to large protests when the olympic torch arrives wednesday in san francisco , california . members of students for a free tibet climbed the bridge to place these banners , said the group 's spokesman . the banner read , `` one world . one dream . free tibet . '' those who climbed cables from which the bridge is suspended are members of students for a free tibet , said group spokesman tenzin dasang . the three were arrested along with four others at the site . all seven were charged with felony conspiracy and misdemeanor nuisance , said california highway patrol officer mary ziegenbein . the climbers also were charged with misdemeanor trespassing . watch protesters and banner hung from bridge '' the incident forced the closure of one northbound lane of the bridge . the climbers -- who were on the bridge for about three hours -- came down voluntarily about 1:15 p.m. -lrb- 4:15 p.m. et -rrb- after workers with the golden gate bridge district began cutting down their banner , ziegenbein said . dasang said he has heard of many people planning to protest in san francisco against china 's human rights record . `` we want it to be peaceful . but it will be large , '' said dasang , 22 , during a phone interview in which he said he was near the bridge . `` i heard from tibetans that now live all over the u.s. and even abroad who are coming here . ''<doc-sep>the olympic flame is on a 130-day journey that will take it through 23 cities on five continents and then throughout china , culminating at the olympics opening ceremony in beijing august 8 . the san francisco protest comes the same day as a demonstration in paris , france , disrupted the torch relay many times . in paris , police had to cut the olympic torch relay short monday amid protests against china 's human rights record , french police said . the torch was scheduled to travel 17 miles , past paris city hall , but that stop and others were called off after the protests . the torch made it through about 10 miles of its scheduled journey . it was then driven by bus to its final destination , where it was displayed again during a public ceremony at a stadium . authorities had to play hide-and-seek with the olympic torch during much of the route , placing it on a bus at least twice during a sometimes chaotic relay route . china has come under international criticism because of its crackdown last month on protesters calling for democratic freedoms and self-rule in tibet and neighboring chinese provinces . protesters have said more than 100 people have died in the crackdown , but beijing denies that and has accused supporters of the dalai lama of orchestrating the violence . u.s. and other western leaders have called on china to provide civil rights and freedoms to those in tibet and to enter peaceful discussions aimed at resolving the crisis . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>those who climbed the cables from which the bridge 's deck is suspended were members of students for a free tibet , said group spokesman tenzin dasang , 22 . they unfurled a banner that read : `` one world . one dream . free tibet . '' the three climbers , along with four people on the ground , were charged with felony conspiracy and misdemeanor nuisance charges , said california highway patrol officer mary ziegenbein . the climbers also were charged with misdemeanor trespassing . the golden gate bridge protest came on the same day that thousands of protesters forced an abrupt halt to the flame 's passage through paris after 10 miles of the 17-mile planned route . some stops were skipped and the flame was transferred from the torch back to the lamp to be carried on a bus several times to avoid protesters . protesters pierced the thick security bubble surrounding the torchbearers , at times getting their hands on the torch itself . the paris demonstrations were similar to those sunday in london , where at least 36 people were arrested , according to london metropolitan police . protesters cited china 's actions in tibet , its policies on the darfur region of sudan and the lack of civil rights and freedoms for the chinese people . but other demonstrators , bearing chinese flags , turned out in support of the chinese government , and many others were spectators there just to see the torch . an olympic committee member suggested monday that the public relations nightmare that has followed the olympic flame on its way to the summer games in beijing may make 2008 the last time such an ambitious global torch relay is attempted . follow the torch relay itinerary '' international olympic committee member richard kevan gosper , who is also chairman of the ioc 's press committee , told reporters he was always opposed to a global tour for the flame . `` i 'm a firm believer that we had the right template in the first place , that the torch simply should go from olympia , greece , to the host country , '' gosper said . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>those who climbed the cables from which the bridge 's deck is suspended were members of students for a free tibet , said group spokesman tenzin dasang , 22 . they unfurled a banner that read : `` one world . one dream . free tibet . '' the three climbers , along with four people on the ground , were charged with felony conspiracy and misdemeanor nuisance charges , said california highway patrol officer mary ziegenbein . the climbers also were charged with misdemeanor trespassing . the golden gate bridge protest came on the same day that thousands of protesters forced an abrupt halt to the flame 's passage through paris after 10 miles of the 17-mile planned route . some stops were skipped and the flame was transferred from the torch back to the lamp to be carried on a bus several times to avoid protesters . protesters pierced the thick security bubble surrounding the torchbearers , at times getting their hands on the torch itself . the paris demonstrations were similar to those sunday in london , where at least 36 people were arrested , according to london metropolitan police . protesters cited china 's actions in tibet , its policies on the darfur region of sudan and the lack of civil rights and freedoms for the chinese people . but other demonstrators , bearing chinese flags , turned out in support of the chinese government , and many others were spectators there just to see the torch . an olympic committee member suggested monday that the public relations nightmare that has followed the olympic flame on its way to the summer games in beijing may make 2008 the last time such an ambitious global torch relay is attempted . follow the torch relay itinerary '' international olympic committee member richard kevan gosper , who is also chairman of the ioc 's press committee , told reporters he was always opposed to a global tour for the flame . `` i 'm a firm believer that we had the right template in the first place , that the torch simply should go from olympia , greece , to the host country , '' gosper said . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 08:10 est , 27 january 2014 . | . updated : . 09:55 est , 27 january 2014 . these stunning images show heavy fog at sunset surrounding the south tower of the famous golden gate bridge in san francisco . the eerie pictures were taken by photographer dave gordon , 34 , a travel photographer from san francisco , who set out to capture the sunset , and then saw the thick fog engulfing the bridge . the pictures show how the fog swamped the golden gate bridge , which makes it look as if the bridge leads to nowhere . vanishing point : san francisco 's golden gate bridge is enveloped by a thick spring fog . atmospheric : golden gate bridge in san francisco , appears to vanish into a cloud world in a series of stunning pictures taken by dave gordon . mr gordon said : ' i was sitting at home when i noticed the sky started changing colours into what i was hoping would be a spectacular sunset . ' i gathered my camera , my wife and our dog and rushed out the door . fortunately we live less than two miles from the golden gate bridge . ` as we approached , the sky began to bloom into the brilliant sunset colours . i literally sprinted to the top of the viewing area from the car , dropped to my knees , steadied the camera and came away with the photograph . the pictures show the perfect composition of the thick fog , mixing with amazing cloud formations , and the pink sky from the sunset . mr gordon first started taking photographs as a hobby , when he would go out hiking with his labrador puppy and he now has his own business , specialsing in travel photography . bathed in light : photographer dave gordon climbed to the top of slacker ridge in the marin headlands to get this stunning picture of the golden gate bridge at sunset . beacon : stunning san francisco provides the perfect backdrop to a brightly lit golden gate bridge as it shines through the mists at dusk . standing proud : san francisco 's golden gate bridge juts out of the cloud during an amazing sunset in late afternoon . weather front : dave gordon went to his favorite sport to take pictures of the golden gate bridge , marin headlands , to capture this stunning shot of cloud rolling in across the bay .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the golden gate bridge got its chance to shine sunday , with people around the bay area flocking to the iconic span to celebrate its 75th birthday . festivities that began in the morning and continued into the evening along san francisco 's northern waterfront within sight of the two legendary orange towers included musical and dance performances on stages in crissy field and marina green plus a historic watercraft parade . the aircraft carrier uss nimitz passed under the bridge during the day , with its sailors saluting as sailboats flanked the ship . and there were less expected tributes as well , like the skywriter who spelled out `` happy 75th '' above san francisco bay . beacon in the bay : golden gate turns 75 . twitter was abuzz sunday with people offering `` feliz cumpleanos '' -lrb- `` happy birthday '' in spanish -rrb- and other salutations , with new messages appearing every few seconds . `` happy 75th birthday to san franciscos golden gate bridge ! you are beautiful , '' wrote one woman . the fun climaxes once the sun goes down over the abutting pacific ocean , with fireworks planned for 9:30 p.m. -lrb- 12:30 a.m. et -rrb- that aim to showcase the bridge , bay and nearby national parks , according to the official golden gate bridge 75th anniversary website . from a practical standpoint , the suspension bridge has served a key role connecting san francisco and marin county since opening to vehicles on may 28 , 1937 , a little more than four years after construction on it began . life : 75 years of the golden gate bridge in pictures .

<t> protesters arrested after hanging `` free tibet '' banner from bridge . </t> <t> the climbers come down voluntarily after three hours . </t> <t> earlier in day , protests in paris , france , cut short olympic torch relay . </t> <t> china faces international criticism over crackdown on protests seeking tibet self-rule . </t>

tibet protesters scale golden gate bridge<T>

madrid , spain -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the search is back on for words to the spanish national anthem . spain 's basketball team : able to hum the national anthem , but not sing words . the lack of lyrics in spain 's anthem has long created awkward moments for winning spanish athletes at the olympics . they stand on the podium silently or hum along while winning athletes from other nations sing when their anthem is played during their moment of triumph . with the summer olympic games fast-approaching , the spanish olympic committee stirred the lyric-writing impulses of spaniards by sponsoring a competition to provide words for the anthem .<doc-sep>the contest drew 7,000 entries , and an expert panel selected a winner . the committee announced plans for renowned spanish tenor placido domingo to sing the lyrics on monday . then , suddenly , the committee discarded the winning lyrics . `` once spaniards heard these lyrics , they sparked a lot of controversy , even rejection , '' alejandro blanco , president of the spanish olympic committee , told a packed news conference this week . the now-discarded winning lyrics had begun with , `` viva espana , '' or `` long-live spain , '' and critics complained that phrase harkened back to the right-wing dictatorship of general francisco franco , who led a military uprising in 1936 against the elected government and won a civil war , ruling spain until his death in 1975 .<doc-sep>`` you have to consider that many spaniards do n't consider the national anthem as their own . it was played a lot under franco , '' said margarita saenz-diez , a journalist . spain is now a democracy , but many still bristle at the military march that 's served for more than two centuries as the national anthem . spain is made up of many different peoples , and five languages are spoken across the country . the catalans in the northeast and the basques in the north already have their own national songs with lyrics . getting agreement on any lyrics to the national anthem is no easy task and would ultimately have to be approved by parliament .<doc-sep>the president of the spanish olympic committee conceded he does n't know when there will be lyrics for the anthem , and many here say there is n't enough time to get lyrics approved before the aug. 8 start of the summer olympic games in beijing . yet the search goes on . `` we will continue with the idea of an anthem with lyrics , '' blanco said . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's al goodman contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- begin video clip -rrb- . al goodman , cnn reporter : the english proudly sing their national anthem , the americans croon to theirs . and then , there 's spain . hold it . the spanish anthem does n't have any words . this man won a nationwide contest with his lyrics for the anthem . but then suddenly the spanish olympic committee , which sponsored the contest , withdrew the winning entry . alejandro blanco , spanish olympic committee : once spaniards heard these lyrics , they sparked a lot of controversy , even rejection . goodman : viva espana , or long live spain , is how the now-discarded lyrics began . the phrase struck a sour note . critics say it harkened back to the long right-winged dictatorship of francisco franco . margarita saenz-diez , journalist : you have to understand that many spaniards do not consider the national anthem as their own . it was played a lot under franco . goodman : spain is now a democracy , but many still bristle at the military march that 's served for more than two centuries as the national anthem . spain is made up of many different peoples , and five languages are spoken across the country . so , naturally , getting agreement on one set of lyrics is no easy task . one of those languages , ancient basque , is among those taught in madrid : basques have their own national anthem and lyrics . at the basque cultural center we found a spaniard who liked the proposed lyrics for the spanish national anthem . they 're good , he says , and very neutral about spain . many others say the proposed lyrics lacked polish and shine . antonio villalon , retired civil servant -lrb- translated -rrb- : the french and american anthems speak about an enemy to defeat ; our lyrics mentioned fields , wheat and friends . it 's just stupid . manuel rincon , taxi driver -lrb- translated -rrb- : the anthem should give us goose bumps . spain 's long history and diverse culture should show , in the lyrics . goodman : the spanish olympic committee says the search will go on , but in beijing , spanish athletes will likely have to just hum along to a wordless anthem , as they 've done for years . it 's a tune almost every spaniard knows . al goodman , cnn , madrid . -lrb- end video clip -rrb- . before we go . azuz : before we go , smaller cell phones : cool . smaller mp3 players : cool . smaller bridges ? you 're not gon na get too much traffic across this golden gate bridge . it 's pictured next to a toothpick because it 's made from one ! check that out -- you can even see the lines on the hand holding it ! this thing was carved , with a great deal more precision than i 've got , from a single toothpick and glue . the footage sent in to us by i-report . the guy who did this says he 's been a toothpick artist for 36 years ! goodbye . azuz : and as you could see , he really knows how to ` pick ' his subjects . that 's just painful ! and that 's where we conclude our week 's last broadcast . we 'll return on tuesday , next week . enjoy your three-day weekend , everyone ! i 'm carl azuz . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>elegant : ms de oliveira meneses said winning was an emotional experience , adding that she was ` so swept away ' married mother of two ms de oliveira meneses , who has two grandsons , said : . ` we came out here to dance , to have fun , to parade around , and we . succeeded ; it 's really emotional , very emotional . ' i am so swept away , i . am speechless . i am still speechless , ' the grandmother said in a report on channelstv.com . the oldest beauty queen in the . competition , 87-year-old maria helena fernandes , said the pageant had . made her feel ` like a 20-year-old girl ' . ` speechless ' : the entrants were judged on criteria including their smile , congeniality and elegance at the contest in brazil . growing old gracefully : the contest was open to women over the age of 60 , and was timed to coincide with mother 's day . still got it : the beauty queens are seen parading on stage during sao paulo 's elderly woman beauty contest last week . competitors : an elderly beauty queen checks her reflection in the mirror as the entrants prepare to take to the stage . poise : another of the elegant contestants in the brazilian beauty pageant , which was only open to women aged 60 and over . on parade : competitors line up to take to the stage during the brazilian beauty pageant .<doc-sep>poignant : in another video , law & order : special victims unit star ms hargitay exclaims ` no more , not at this school ' , before she becomes too choked up to continue . and girls actress jemima kirke takes a moment to wipe away tears before announcing : ` i 'm good ' . no more , an organization formed to combat domestic violence and sexual assault , used outtakes from its previous ` anthem ' campaign to produce the unscripted spots , working with creative agency young & rubicam and non-profit the joyful heart foundation , whose founder ms hargitay directed the ads . rachel howald , a chief creative officer at young & rubicam , told adage that the idea for the speechless series came from the emotional response from various celebrities and sports stars who participated in the original campaign . choked up : girls actress jemima kirke takes a moment to wipe away tears before she 's able to speak . ` the very first person on the very first shoot day had a completely emotional response , and then that just continued , ' she said . ` as i was watching this happen , i called the editor and asked can we cut these together ... because i thought there was something really powerful there . '<doc-sep>more than 80 celebrities participated in no more 's anthem campaign , shot in 2013 , which saw stars including courteney cox , amy poehler and ice-t condemning common excuses given by victims of domestic violence . powerful : tim gunn appears in another clip , his voice trembling as he says : ` you 've come to expect us to be silent about what you 're doing . we 're not going to do that any longer . no more . ' time out : law & order : special victims unit actor christopher meloni needs a moment to compose himself in his video . star power : mary j. blige also appears in the series , which features unscripted outtakes from no more 's previous campaign . they delivered statements such as : ` no more `` it 's none of my business '' , ' ` no more `` he did n't mean it '' , ' ` no more `` not my problem '' . ' no more has already rolled out 20 of the speechless videos , which also feature appearances from mary j blige , megan hilty , christopher meloni , blair underwood and nfl stars such as cris carter . ms hargitay told abc news : there was no one who did n't have a particular line resonate so deeply that they had to take a moment to gather themselves . '

<t> approaching olympic games creates impetus to find words for spain 's anthem . </t> <t> panel rejects winning song because of controversial lyrics . </t> <t> 7,000 spaniards competed to find words for anthem . </t>

spain still speechless over anthem<T>

-lrb- cnn student news -rrb- -- record the cnn special investigations unit classroom edition : autism is a world when it airs commercial-free on monday , march 31 , 2008 from approximately 4:00 -- 5:00 a.m. et on cnn . -lrb- a short feature begins at 4:00 a.m. and precedes the program . -rrb- . program overview . for years , sue rubin says she was `` her own worst nightmare . '' sue has autism , and until age 13 , she was unable to communicate or control her unusual behavior . now in her late twenties , sue has become a disabled-rights advocate and a college student with a top iq . in the academy award-nominated documentary autism is a world , filmmaker gerry wurzburg and cnn take a rare look at autism through the words of a young woman who lives with it . grade levels : 9-12 , college . subject areas : health , social studies , technology , current issues . objectives : the cnn special investigations unit classroom edition : autism is a world and its corresponding discussion questions and activities challenge students to : . curriculum connections . health . standard 1 . knows the availability and effective use of health services , products , and information . level iv -lsb- grade : 9-12 -rsb- . benchmark 5 . knows situations that require professional health services in the areas of prevention , treatment , and rehabilitation . standard 3 . understands the relationship of family health to individual health . level iv -lsb- grade : 9-12 -rsb- . benchmark 1 . understands methods to facilitate the transition from the role of a child to the role of an independent adult in the family . standard 4 . knows how to maintain mental and emotional health . level iv -lsb- grade : 9-12 -rsb- . benchmark 2 . knows strategies for coping with and overcoming feelings of rejection , social isolation , and other forms of stress . content knowledge : a compendium of standards and benchmarks for k-12 education -lrb- copyright 2000 mcrel -rrb- is published online by mid-continent research for education and learning -lrb- mcrel -rrb- -lrb- http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/ -rrb- , 2550 s. parker road , suite 500 , aurora , co 80014 ; telephone : 303/337 -0990 . social studies . standard viii . science , technology and society : students will examine the relationships among science , technology and society . the curriculum standards for social studies -lrb- http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/ -rrb- are published by the national council for the social studies -lrb- http://ncss.org/ -rrb- . discussion questions . 1 . how old is sue rubin ? what type of disability does she have ? what symptoms does she display ? what is `` mental retardation '' ? how does mental retardation differ from autism ? why do you think that sue was thought to be mentally retarded when she was younger ? what was her life like before she could communicate ? how did she interpret sounds ? how does sue feel about having been perceived as retarded ? 2 . how does sue say she learned to communicate ? what type of device does she use to communicate ? how did sue 's life change once she learned how to communicate ? based on what you 've observed in the program , what gains has sue made over the years in terms of managing her autistic behaviors ? 3 . how would you describe sue 's relationships with her parents and grandparents ? what challenges did sue 's parents face when raising sue during her early years ? according to the program , what measures have sue 's parents taken to help foster their daughter 's growth and development over the years ? in the program , sue states , `` when i was n't able to communicate , i was considered a non-person , but i was treated well -- intellectually , socially , culturally and personally . '' what do you think that she means ? why do you think that sue considers herself lucky to have the family that she has ?<doc-sep>4 . do you think that it is important for sue to live independently ? what types of personal , financial and governmental assistance does sue need to live in her own home ? what are sue 's greatest short-term and long-term concerns about maintaining her independent lifestyle ? how would you describe sue 's relationships with the different members of her support team ? what skills and attributes do you think that a person needs to have to work well with a non-verbal autistic person ? 5 . in what ways is sue similar to people her age who are not autistic ? do you think that sue has the same capacity to experience emotions as non-autistic people ? explain . how does sue 's disorder impact her ability to express emotions ? 6 . according to dr. margaret bauman , what is autism , and what parts of the brain can it affect ? according to the program , why did sue respond so quickly to facilitated communication after having been `` lost in autism '' for 13 years ? why are plastic spoons important to sue ? why does sue like to run water over them ? in the show , sue states that solitude is her `` best friend '' and her `` worst enemy . '' what do you think that she means ? 7 . what college does sue attend ? why did she select this school ? what challenges has she faced while at college ? how do you think that these challenges compare to the ones that many non-autistic college students face ? what is sue 's academic major ? what type of work does she hope to do after she graduates ? how does attending school impact sue 's ability to manage her autism ? 8 . to what audience did sue deliver a speech about living with autism ? why do you think that writing the speech was an `` arduous process '' for sue ? sue states that the goal of her speech was to `` enlighten individuals to the potential of their own voices . '' what do you think that she means ? why do you think that sue has chosen to pursue this goal ? 9 . do you know someone that is autistic ? how has autism impacted this person and the lives of his or her loved ones ? what symptoms of autism does he or she have ? how do these symptoms compare to the ones displayed by sue ? 10 . why did sue decide to make this documentary ? why do you think that this documentary is titled autism is a world ? based on what you now know about sue and what it 's like for her to live with autism , how would you describe sue 's character ? what are her greatest strengths ? 11 . what are your thoughts and feelings regarding autism is a world ? what insights or lessons about autism did you learn as a result of watching this program ? 12 . having watched autism is a world , do you have any follow-up questions you 'd like to ask sue ? suggested activities . 1 . what are autism spectrum disorders ? inform students that , though the field of autism research is continuing to evolve , much has been learned about the disorder since the mid-1940s , when dr. leo kanner published his first paper identifying autistic children , and dr. hans asperger described a milder form of autism that became known as asperger syndrome . autism is considered a `` spectrum disorder '' because the number and intensity of symptoms can greatly vary among those with autism . autism spectrum disorders -lrb- asd -rrb- , which are also known as `` pervasive developmental disorders , '' can often be detected by the age of three . asd is an umbrella term that includes the following diagnoses : . divide your students into five groups and assign each group a different asd from the list above . instruct each group to conduct research to learn about the symptoms , characteristics and differentiated diagnoses associated with its assigned disorder . then , have groups prepare presentations of their findings that include a brief mock case study to illustrate how the disorders might manifest in a child . after the presentations , challenge students to identify the common traits associated with all autistic disorders . -lrb- all people with asd have impaired communication , problems with social relationships and like to engage in repetitive motions . -rrb- ask students : . following the discussion , refer students back to autism is a world to make a list of the symptoms and behaviors that sue rubin displayed during the program . then ask students : based on what you know about ms. rubin , where would you say that her disability falls within the spectrum of autistic disorders ? 2 . treating autism . point out to students that , although autistic symptoms in children may lessen with age , autism is a lifelong disorder . there are various types of therapies available for treating autism , including behavior modification , sensory integration , medications and dietary interventions . however , because the nature and severity of autistic symptoms and behaviors can vary , no one approach works for every person . according to the national institute of mental health , most professionals agree that early intervention is important and that most individuals with asd respond well to highly structured , specialized programs . after you have shared this information , pair students and assign each pair one of the following asd treatment approaches : . biomedical treatments . -lrb- cnn does not endorse any specific medication . the information provided here is meant as an overview of the types of medications sometimes prescribed . -rrb- . instruct each pair to investigate the philosophy , protocols and benefits and drawbacks associated with its treatment method . have pairs deliver presentations of their findings . -lrb- if possible , have the students who are presenting behavior modification approaches demonstrate the techniques , and have the students who are speaking about medications and dietary interventions include graphics that depict how the treatments are thought to affect the different parts of the human body . -rrb- following the presentations , pose the following questions for class discussion : . extension : have students draw upon thier research to create an informational brochure about asd for parents and local mental health providers . keywords . sue rubin , autism spectrum disorders , pervasive developmental disorder , mental retardation , non-verbal , disability , relationships , self-abusive behaviors , motor skills , emotions , learning , language , communication system , sensory integration , echolalia , independent living , hud , support services , whittier college , intelligence , neurobiology , dr. margaret bauman , advocate , documentary e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>atlanta , georgia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a group of seven preschoolers gathered at a small table in the center of a brightly lit classroom and started playing with plastic blocks . certified special education teacher stefanie waldrop works with students at the marcus autism center . their teacher , 27-year-old stefanie waldrop , sat in the middle of the group . she periodically asked the students what they were making . some were unable to speak , others were squirming in their tiny chairs ; several interrupted the playtime to use the bathroom . the children , ages 2 to 5 , have one thing in common : they all have autism . `` we come in here in the morning not knowing what the day 's going to hold , '' said waldrop , who teaches at the marcus autism center in atlanta . `` we have to be really flexible about the stuff we do in the classroom . '' waldrop , who 's been on the job for five years , is one of three certified special education teachers in the center 's early intervention program . along with a group of assistants , the teachers spend the seven-hour school day moving from classroom to playroom to playground with 22 students who fall somewhere along the autism spectrum . the american academy of pediatrics describes the autism spectrum as `` a group of brain-based disorders that affect a child 's behavior , social and communication skills . '' the students at the marcus center are grouped not by age , but by their level of function . waldrop is paired with children who have never received educational intervention before and have no readiness skills to transition to a public school . watch more on teaching children with autism '' in addition to helping the students learn to communicate , it 's waldrop 's job to teach some of the basics , such as `` going to the bathroom , washing hands ... putting on their own socks and shoes , sitting in a chair without jumping up , and making eye contact . '' ireport.com : have attitudes changed towards autism ? tell us about your experience . the job can be physically and emotionally demanding with a high burnout rate , according to dr. catherine trapani , director of the education program at the marcus autism center .<doc-sep>if you 'd prefer , you can download cnn student news to your desktop or ipod . go to the cnn.com podcast page and look for the student news podcast . once you 've signed up for the free subscription , every episode will automatically be downloaded to itunes . in addition to cnn student news , each week , cnn offers educators a commercial-free edition of `` cnn : special investigations unit , '' `` cnn specials '' or its award-winning documentary program `` cnn presents , '' along with a corresponding free curriculum guide on cnnstudentnews.com . you can record these cnn classroom edition programs from 4:00 -5:00 a.m. eastern time on mondays on cnn . -lrb- a short feature begins at 4:00 a.m. and precedes the program . -rrb- . and if you want to be the first to know what 's coming up on cnn student news and cnn classroom edition programs , you 'll want to sign up for our cnn student news daily education alert . registration is quick and simple . just click here to subscribe .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn student news -rrb- -- record the cnn special investigations unit classroom edition : busted ! mortgage meltdown when it airs commercial-free on monday , october 6 , 2008 , from approximately 4:10 -- 5:00 a.m. et on cnn . -lrb- a short feature begins at 4:00 a.m. and precedes the program . -rrb- . program overview . home loans gone bad are wrecking the u.s. economy . cnn teams up with fortune magazine 's andy serwer to investigate how the housing boom went bust . the fallout begins on wall street , where billions of dollars in american mortgages were bought , bundled and sold around the world . cnn takes the high-stakes mortgage game to delmonico 's , a wall street institution since 1837 , where the likes of j.p. morgan and andrew carnegie once wheeled and dealed . host andy serwer plays dealer and invites a few experts to face off on the mortgage crisis . guest players include new york times columnist and princeton economist paul krugman , cnn 's personal finance editor gerri willis , securities guru janet tavakoli , investment strategist peter dunay and mortgage broker jon shibley . grade levels : 11-12 , college . subject areas : business , economics , finance , social studies , life skills . objectives : . the cnn special investigations unit classroom edition : busted ! mortgage meltdown and its corresponding discussion questions and activity challenge students to : .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn student news -rrb- -- record the cnn special investigations unit classroom edition : notes from north korea when it airs commercial-free on cnn . -lrb- a short feature begins at 4:00 a.m. and precedes the program . -rrb- . program overview . cnn chief international correspondent christiane amanpour travels to north korea as the new york philharmonic orchestra makes a historic visit to one of the world 's most closed societies . she examines the tense standoff with the u.s. over nuclear weapons and provides a rare look inside a notorious , top-secret nuclear facility . grade levels : 9 -- 12 , college . subject areas : u.s. history , world history , current events , political science , government . objectives . the cnn special investigations unit classroom edition : notes from north korea and its corresponding discussion questions and suggested activities challenge students to : . curriculum connections . social studies . standard vi . power , authority , and governance : social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power , authority , and governance . the curriculum standards for social studies -lrb- http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands/ -rrb- are published by the national council for social studies -lrb- http://ncss.org/ -rrb- . united states history . standard 27 . understands how the cold war and conflicts in korea and vietnam influenced domestic and international politics . level iv -lsb- grade 9-12 -rsb- . benchmark 1 . understands u.s. foreign policy from the truman administration to the johnson administration . standard 30 . understands developments in foreign policy and domestic politics between the nixon and clinton presidencies . level iv -lsb- grade 9-12 -rsb- . benchmark 5 . understands the influence of u.s. foreign policy on international events from nixon to clinton . content knowledge : a compendium of standards and benchmarks for k-12 education -lrb- copyright 2000 mcrel -rrb- is published online by mid-continent research for education and learning -lrb- mcrel -rrb- -lrb- http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks -rrb- , 2550 s. parker road , suite 500 , aurora , co 80014 ; telephone : 303/337 -0990 .

<t> learn about autism spectrum disorders -lrb- asd -rrb- . </t> <t> examine different treatment approaches for asd . </t> <t> create an informational brochure about asd for parents and mental health providers . </t>

cnn classroom edition : autism is a world<T>

jerusalem -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.n. security council failed to reach a consensus when it met to consider condemning an attack that killed eight people at a prominent jewish seminary as an act of terrorism . ambulance workers put one of the casualties from the seminary attack into an ambulance . the council said libya -- a new , nonpermanent member -- blocked the statement on thursday night . ibrahim dabbashi , libya 's deputy ambassador to the united nations , said the attack on the school was no different than israeli military offensives against militants in gaza . but dan gillerman , israel 's ambassador to the united nations , said he saw no connection between thursday 's shooting and israel 's operations in gaza . `` this is not a story of retaliation , '' he said . `` these people have been terrorizing israel for years , have been carrying out suicide bombings and indiscriminate attacks for years . '' a gunman broke into the jewish seminary about 8:30 p.m. , spraying automatic-weapons fire , authorities said . most of the victims were students in their teens and 20s , medical officials said . at least nine others were wounded before an off-duty israel defense forces officer fatally shot the gunman , jerusalem district police commander aharon franko said . the gunman was carrying an ak-47 and a pistol -- and had time to swap weapons during the massacre . police are trying to identify the gunman and figure out how he managed , while drawing little notice , to enter the large three-story school in a bustling residential neighborhood . `` there was no alert or warning about this attack , '' franko said . watch the immediate aftermath of the attack '' a first responder said the bodies were on the floor of the study hall surrounded by holy books . no group has claimed responsibility for the attack . video from thursday 's scene showed a frantic crowd of rescue workers carrying bloodied victims into ambulances . dozens of police officers were scouring the campus and streets around the yeshiva in case there were other gunmen . outside the school , scores of israeli men gathered from surrounding neighborhoods , demanding justice for the attack . authorities are calling the incident at west jerusalem 's merkaz harav yeshiva an act of terrorism . the school is one of the largest seminaries in israel , with about 500 students in the yeshiva and 200 in an advanced graduate program . `` israel is at the forefront of the struggle against terrorism and will continue to defend its citizens , who are exposed to this threat on a daily basis , '' israel 's foreign ministry said in a written statement . `` israel expects the nations of the world to support it in its war against those who murder students , women and children , by any means and with respect for neither place nor target . '' president bush backed israeli leaders in a statement issued thursday , saying , `` i condemn in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack in jerusalem that targeted innocent students at the merkaz harav yeshiva . this barbaric and vicious attack on innocent civilians deserves the condemnation of every nation . '' but libya 's dabbashi compared the attack with `` bloodshed in the palestinian territory . '' `` for us , the human lives are the same . we judge the incident itself , '' dabbashi told reporters after the security council meeting . `` when we have to condemn the killing of the israeli civilians , we also have to look at what 's happening in gaza . '' jerusalem security increased . security was bolstered , with thousands of additional officers across jerusalem and the rest of israel , authorities said . meanwhile , celebratory shooting took place in gaza city after the news of the attack , with hundreds chanting and clapping in the streets . but palestinian authority president mahmoud abbas criticized the killings . `` the palestinian authority condemns any attack on innocent civilians , '' abbas ' office said in a written statement . the shootings came just a day after u.s. secretary of state condoleezza rice , who met with both israelis and palestinians , announced that peace talks will resume between the two sides . abbas suspended peace negotiations last week after fierce fighting broke out between israel and palestinian militants in gaza , but he agreed to resume negotiations after meeting with rice . israel will continue peace talks with the palestinians regardless of the attack in jerusalem , foreign ministry spokesman aryeh mekel said thursday . israel conducted a large-scale operation in gaza to hunt down palestinian militants who have been firing dozens of rockets into israel . at least 70 palestinians and two israeli soldiers were killed during the operation , israeli and palestinian sources said . militants also fired at least 25 rockets toward israel , wounding at least two civilians . `` this operation came directly after the attack committed inside gaza . this operation is a normal response , '' said fawzi barhoom , a hamas spokesman in gaza . watch barhoom 's reaction to the attack '' gillerman said the security council should condemn the attack . `` they are so , so quick sometimes to criticize israel for defending itself . i would like to see those members convene as we speak in order to condemn this in the strongest possible terms . '' thursday 's attack was the worst inside israel since april 17 , 2006 , when a suicide bombing outside a falafel restaurant in tel aviv killed nine people . islamic jihad claimed responsibility for that attack . attacks in jerusalem are rare . eight people were wounded august 10 in the old city when a palestinian resident grabbed a security guard 's gun and fired ; and four israeli security guards were wounded may 26 when two palestinian gunmen began firing in east jerusalem . all three of the assailants were killed . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's ben wedeman and atika shubert contributed to this report .<doc-sep>jerusalem -lrb- cnn -rrb- a day after flames scorched a west bank mosque , a jerusalem seminary belonging to the greek orthodox church was torched and defaced thursday -- an act police suspect is the work of radical right-wing israelis . both buildings were defaced with anti-arab and anti-christian slurs , including graffiti maligning jesus on the seminary , said police spokeswoman luba samri . and in each case , there was writing in hebrew referring to the `` redemption of zion '' and `` revenge . '' the acts drew strong condemnation . `` there is no room for such deplorable activity in jerusalem , '' mayor nir barkat said thursday . `` we must eradicate this behavior and bring those responsible to justice . '' palestine liberation organization official hanan ashrawi called the acts `` hate crimes -lrb- that -rrb- constitute a flagrant attack on all palestinians , whether muslim or christian . '' `` these are not isolated incidents , but rather they fit a longstanding pattern of deliberate provocation , extremism and violence , and are a vicious assault on all palestinians and their holy sites , '' ashrawi said . `` the recent events indicate that a holy war is already being waged against the palestinian muslim and christian population . '' the incident at the mosque may be a `` price tag '' attack -- a term used by radical israeli settlers to denote reprisal attacks against palestinians in response to moves by the israeli government to evacuate illegal west bank outposts -- according to officials . in fact , video from the west bank shows two letters that translate to pt , for `` price tag . '' and authorities suspect a jewish nationalist motive for what happened at the greek orthodox seminary . samri , the israeli police spokeswoman , said that firefighters managed to douse the fire in that building 's restroom and showers before anyone was injured . but not much more is known than that . shortly after the incident , a jerusalem district court issued a gag order that covered all details of the investigation and anything that identifies suspects . cnn 's michael schwartz reported from israel , and cnn 's greg botelho wrote from atlanta .<doc-sep>jerusalem woke up on tuesday to horrific images of slain jewish worshipers , and scores injured in a terror attack on a synagogue . the assault which took place in the western jerusalem neighborhood of har nof , shocked israel to the core , as well as many others around the world . this is not surprising considering both the brutality of the attack and the fact it was carried out in a holy place , where innocent religious people were worshiping . the two assailants , cousins from the east jerusalem neighborhood of jabal mukaber , were shot dead by the israeli security forces . the incident in addition to the ongoing violence since the beginning of summer , left the city of jerusalem more divided than for a long time . the attack this week should have also sent a clear message to both leaderships that if they will not take measures to calm the situation down , further escalation and worse violence is around the corner . regrettably , the hamas praised the attack in jerusalem and the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu described the situation as the `` battle for jerusalem . '' he also accused the palestinian president mahmoud abbas of involvement despite the latter 's condemnation of the killing . both sides are employing inflammable language , although it is hard to blame the palestinian president for feeling angry considering israeli behavior since the collapse of the peace process in april .<doc-sep>that strike also injured 30 people , palestinian health officials said , and happened after israel had started the cease-fire . israel said that strike did not violate the cease-fire because it happened just two minutes into it and the operation had already been in progress . hamas had not agreed to the israeli-declared cease-fire , and at least 53 rockets were fired from gaza into israel on monday , according to the idf . daniel mansour , a senior palestinian islamic jihad operative in charge of intelligence-gathering in northern gaza , was targeted and killed before the cease-fire monday , the idf said . he had participated in directing rocket attacks toward israel , the idf said . two attacks in jerusalem . police in jerusalem said they foiled what they described as a terror attack when they shot and killed the driver of an earthmover after it overturned a passenger bus . police said one pedestrian was also killed and the bus driver was injured . there were no passengers on the bus at the time , police said . the driver of the earthmover was identified as 20-year-old mohammed jaabis , a palestinian from the east jerusalem neighborhood of jabal almukaber . footage broadcast by israel 's channel 10 showed the earthmover still moving as security forces approached . the video appeared to show shots being fired . the incident happened in the sheikh jarrah area of central jerusalem , near the entrance to a jewish orthodox neighborhood . hamas praised the attack and said it was `` a natural reaction to the israeli crimes against civilians '' in gaza . in another incident , a man on a motorbike opened fire at an israeli soldier near hebrew university , israeli police spokesman micky rosenfeld said . rescue workers said the israeli was severely wounded . an eyewitness on israel channel 10 said he heard a gunshot and saw `` a soldier holding his chest . he walked a few steps backwards and collapsed . '' international condemnation of israel and hamas . france is the latest country to condemn the gaza operation and strikes on u.n.-run shelters in gaza . `` how many deaths will it take to stop what has to be called the carnage in gaza ? '' french foreign minister laurent fabius asked in a statement . he said while israel has a right to total security , `` this right does not justify the killing of children and the slaughter of civilians . '' he also said hamas carries an overwhelming responsibility in this `` macabre gearing which particularly serves extremism . '' on sunday , the united states and the united nations used the strongest language yet in condemning the strike on a u.n.-run shelter in gaza , with washington calling the attack `` disgraceful . '' at least nine people at the school , which was being used as a shelter for about 3,000 people , were killed in the shelling . israel said it is carefully reviewing the attack . the idf said it targeted three palestinian islamic jihad members riding a motorcycle in the vicinity of the school , but did n't say if the suspected militants were hit . cnn 's wolf blitzer , tal heinrich , saima mohsin and ali younes contributed to this story .<doc-sep>international outrage over israel 's bombardment of gaza continued to grow today as the world reeled from news that a third deadly attack on a un school sheltering fleeing palestinians killed ten yesterday , including children . the . u.s. state department was first to condemn the bombing , on the compound in the southern town of rafah that was sheltering 3,000 palestinian refugees , as ` appalling ' and ` disgraceful ' as it pleaded with israel to take more care to avoid . civilian casualties . hours later , david cameron joined the chorus of disapproval with his own message to tel aviv in which he backed un chief ban ki-moon 's condemnation of the attack as . ' a moral outrage ' , but stopped short of agreeing that it was a ` criminal act ' . but the starkest condemnation of israeli actions came from allies , france , whose foreign minister , laurent fabius , branded the ` killing of children and slaughter of civilians ' as unjustifiable . scroll down for video . panic : a palestinian man carries an injured child following the israeli military strike on a un school in rafah that killed ten , including children , and wounded more than 30 . ` slaughter of civilians ' : witnesses to sunday 's attack said a missile that looked like a rocket struck an area just outside the gates of the rafah preparatory a boys school where children were queuing to buy sweets and biscuits from stalls . ` how . many more deaths will it take to stop what must be called the carnage . in gaza ? ' fabius said in a statement . ` the tradition of friendship . between israel and france is an old one and israel 's right to security . is total , but this right does not justify the killing of children and . the slaughter of civilians . ' france is closely allied with israel , and fabius ' statement was a rare direct criticism . the gaza war , now in its fourth week , has killed more than 1,800 palestinians and more than 60 israelis . he added : ` this is why we need a political . solution , of which the components are known , and which i believe should . be imposed by the international community , because the two parties - . despite countless efforts - have unfortunately shown themselves . incapable of completing talks . ' it came as a spokeswoman for david cameron said . britain is reviewing all arms export licences to israel in response to . the jewish state 's escalating conflict with hamas in gaza . chorus of condemnation : u.s. state department spokesman jen psaki -lrb- right -rrb- said america was ` appalled ' by the latest bombing , while david cameron . backed un chief ban ki-moon 's condemnation of it . as ' a moral outrage and a criminal act ' ` stop the slaughter ' : but the starkest condemnation of israel 's actions in gaza came from france , whose foreign minister , laurent fabius , branded the ` killing of children and slaughter of civilians ' as unjustifiable . according . to a report by a british parliamentary committee last month , . outstanding government-approved contracts for export of dual use or . military goods to israel are worth more than # 7.8 billion . these . include contracts to supply body armour , drone components , and missile . parts . ` clearly . the current situation has changed compared to when some licences will . have been granted , and we 're reviewing those existing licences against . the current situation but no decisions have been taken beyond going back . again and reviewing , ' the spokeswoman said . earlier , the british prime minister said he supported un secretary - general ban ki-moon 's condemnation of the attack in rafah as . ' a moral outrage and a criminal act ' . he said : ' i think the un is right to speak out . in the way that it has , because international law is very clear that . there must not be the targeting of civilians or the targeting of schools . if that is what has happened . the un as the international body is right to speak out in the way it has . ' pressed . on whether he regarded the attack as a ` criminal act ' , mr cameron . replied : ` the un has spoken very clearly and i think they are right to . speak very clearly ... ` i 'm not an international lawyer , so that 's up . to international lawyers . but international law is very , very clear that . the use of force always has to be proportionate and civilians should . not be targeted . ' mr cameron said the government had been ` very clear . that there needs to be an immediate comprehensive humanitarian . ceasefire , that we want this conflict to stop ' . ` we obviously do . think it is appalling the loss of life that there has been , ' he said . ` from the start , though , we have also made the point that if the hamas . rocket attacks on israel stop then that would be probably the fastest . way to stop this conflict . ' refugees : the school had been providing shelter to more than 3,000 people whose homes have been destroyed by fighting . mr cameron 's comments echoed those of state . department spokesperson jen psaki , who last night said : ` the united . states is appalled by today 's disgraceful shelling outside an unrwa . school in rafah sheltering some 3,000 displaced persons , ' said state . department spokesperson jen psaki , in a statement issued on sunday . ` the . coordinates of the school , like all un facilities in gaza , have been . repeatedly communicated to the israeli defense forces . we once again . stress that israel must do more to meet its own standards and avoid . civilian casualties . ' she called for a ` full and prompt ' investigation . of the incident . witnesses . to sunday 's attack said a missile that looked like a rocket struck an . area just outside the gates of the rafah preparatory a boys school where . children were queuing to buy sweets and biscuits from stalls . inside . the u.n. school 's compound , several bodies , among them children , were . strewn across the ground in puddles of blood . ` our trust and our fate . are only in the hands of god ! ' one woman cried . ceasefire : the global community rallied in condemnation of israel 's attacks as israel announced a seven-hour truce which was meant to open a ` humanitarian window ' for aid . why ? the attack came days after a girl 's school - sheltering 3,000 refugees - in jabaliya was destroyed when a barrage of israeli missiles rained down on it on wednesday . robert . turner , director of operations for the u.n. palestinian refugee agency . in gaza , said the building had been providing shelter for some 3,000 . people - the same number that had been seeking refuge at a girl 's school . in jabaliya last wednesday when it too came under attack from a barrage . of israeli missiles . israeli intelligence spied on us secretary of state john kerry during failed peace talks with palestinians and arab states last year , it has been claimed . as well as israel , at least one other intelligence service listened to mr kerry 's telephone calls during a key period of negotiations in 2013 , according to the german magazine der spiegel . the revelations come as relations between the us and israel remain tense and amid criticism of mr kerry 's diplomatic efforts in recent weeks . neither washington nor jerusalem has commented on the claims in the magazine , which says its information came from ` reliable sources ' . mr kerry had been speaking regularly with ` high-ranking negotiating partners ' in the middle east at the time of the alleged eavesdropping - and some of them were intercepted , according to the report . a number of the calls were allegedly made on normal telephones - rather than encrypted equipment -- and would have been transmitted by satellite . ` the government in jerusalem then used the information obtained in international negotiations aiming to reach a diplomatic solution in the middle east , ' it added . he said the strike killed at least one u.n. staffer . ` the . locations of all these installations have been passed to the israeli . military multiple times , ' turner said . ` they know where these shelters . are . how this continues to happen , i have no idea . ' the . israeli army - which says it has launched an investigation into the . attack - claimed it had targeted three members of islamic jihad on a . motorbike , contradicting witnesses who said no such vehicle was in the . area when the bomb fell . israel . launched its military operation in gaza on july 8 in response to weeks . of heavy rocket fire , carrying out hundreds of airstrikes across the . crowded seaside territory . it then sent in ground forces july 17 in what . it said was a mission to destroy the tunnels used by hamas to carry out . attacks . hamas has . fired more than 3,000 rockets into israel during what has turned into . the bloodiest round of fighting ever between the two enemies . the . israeli military said early monday it would hold fire for a seven-hour . ` humanitarian window ' beginning at 10 a.m. -lrb- 0700 gmt -rrb- , saying the truce . would not apply to areas where troops were still operating . the military . said it would respond to any attacks during that time . while . israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu has vowed to press on against . hamas , he is coming under international pressure to halt the fighting . because of the heavy civilian death toll . u.n. officials say more than three-quarters of the dead have been civilians , . including the 10 people killed yesterday at the u.n. school in rafah . in . the current round of fighting , u.n. shelters have been struck by fire . seven times . unrwa , the u.n. agency that assists palestinian refugees , . says israel has been the source of fire in all instances . but it also . has said it found caches of rockets in vacant unrwa schools three times . israel . accuses hamas of using civilian areas for cover and says the islamic . militant group is responsible for the heavy death toll because it has . been using civilians as ` human shields . '

<t> off-duty israel defense forces officer fatally shot attacker . </t> <t> gunman went into jewish seminary in jerusalem with little apparent notice . </t> <t> police spokesman : `` there was no alert or warning about this attack '' </t> <t> the violence comes a day after announcement of renewed peace talks . </t>

libya blocks u.n. condemnation of jerusalem seminary attack<T>

london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- on march 30 the open skies treaty went into effect , liberalizing air travel between the u.s. and europe . but how will the ease of restrictions on transatlantic routes affect business travelers ? under open skies , european and u.s. airlines will be given unlimited access between europe and u.s. points . the treaty puts an end to the exclusive arrangement granted to british airways , virgin atlantic , united airlines and american airlines to fly transatlantic out of london heathrow . but with the airport currently operating at almost-maximum capacity , new flights will be severely limited . as a result competition is fierce for heathrow slots , with airlines paying as much as $ 60 million to get their hands on them . for each flight that is added , another less lucrative service is scrapped . airlines are giving priority to high-yield business routes to and from heathrow . while european carriers are now allowed to fly from any point within e.u across the atlantic , the u.s. domestic market remains closed to them . operators in europe hope that a second phase of the open skies deal will mean a relaxation of restrictions on european airlines ' investment in u.s. carriers and the ability for european airlines to compete in the u.s. domestic market . the issue is pending in u.s. congress . if the u.s. does n't deliver , there is a clause in the agreement that states the open skies treaty -- phase i included -- can be torn up . industry experts foresee some fare wars in both economy and business-class . service options are also likely to improve as competition intensifies . u.s. airlines will vie with ba , the dominant carrier at heathrow , that currently has flights to 24 u.s. cities .<doc-sep>the biggest challenge to the incumbent airlines operating out of heathrow will come from carriers in the skyteam alliance , that includes air france and klm , delta air lines , northwest airlines news , and continental airlines . before open skies , the skyteam alliance offered no transatlantic routes to and from heathrow . by summer they will offer 10 percent of these flights . skyteam carriers will be located for the first time in terminal 4 . given the size of the market for u.s.-london flights , airlines will continue to offer services from gatwick , london 's second-busiest airport . open skies will intensify competition for ailing u.s. airlines on what has been their most profitable route . analysts expect to see consolidation between u.s. airlines as they combine international networks to beat competition . one advantage u.s. airlines can offer is opportunity for connecting flights to other european cities as well as on to asia and the mideast . european carriers on the other hand , can not operate domestic flights within the u.s. new flights and new airlines . oneworld alliance . british airways will shift its dallas and houston services from gatwick to heathrow and its warsaw operation to gatwick . flights to detroit and harare will be axed . in june , the airline will also launch services between continental europe and new york . operated by subsidiary openskies , the daily flights will fly from either jfk or newark to brussels or paris cdg using boeing 757s from its existing fleet .<doc-sep>in the future , openskies plans to fly to other business centers , including amsterdam , frankfurt , milan , madrid , zurich , and geneva . ba will also commence business-only flights between new york and london city airport next year using airbus a318 jets in a 32-seat layout . skyteam airline alliance 's new transatlantic flights starting between march 30 and june 2008 . • air france in joint venture with delta : daily service to los angeles • continental : twice-daily service to houston and twice-daily service to newark liberty international -lrb- ewr -rrb- from may 29 2008 • delta in joint venture with air france : daily service to atlanta and twice-daily service to new york jfk • northwest in joint venture with klm : daily service to detroit , daily service to minneapolis and daily service to seattle . slots were secured as a result of air france ditching four daily rotations from london to paris charles de gaulle and klm dropping three of its slots to northwest from eindhoven and rotterdam . non-aligned airlines . aer lingus launched services from dublin to washington dc , orlando and san francisco last year . this followed agreement between the irish and u.s. governments that the airline could begin operations before others . low-cost airline ryanair is considering setting up a separate long-haul carrier that would fly ultra-low-fares between secondary airports in europe and u.s. such as stansted and baltimore-washington international . virgin atlantic has decided to wait to see if open skies phase ii is adopted before starting new flights to new york from non-uk cities . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- on march 30 the open skies treaty went into effect , liberalizing air travel between the u.s. and europe . but how will the ease of restrictions on transatlantic routes affect business travelers ? under open skies , european and u.s. airlines will be given unlimited access between europe and u.s. points . the treaty puts an end to the exclusive arrangement granted to british airways , virgin atlantic , united airlines and american airlines to fly transatlantic out of london heathrow . but with the airport currently operating at almost-maximum capacity , new flights will be severely limited . as a result competition is fierce for heathrow slots , with airlines paying as much as $ 60 million to get their hands on them . for each flight that is added , another less lucrative service is scrapped . airlines are giving priority to high-yield business routes to and from heathrow . while european carriers are now allowed to fly from any point within e.u across the atlantic , the u.s. domestic market remains closed to them . operators in europe hope that a second phase of the open skies deal will mean a relaxation of restrictions on european airlines ' investment in u.s. carriers and the ability for european airlines to compete in the u.s. domestic market . the issue is pending in u.s. congress . if the u.s. does n't deliver , there is a clause in the agreement that states the open skies treaty -- phase i included -- can be torn up . industry experts foresee some fare wars in both economy and business-class . service options are also likely to improve as competition intensifies . u.s. airlines will vie with ba , the dominant carrier at heathrow , that currently has flights to 24 u.s. cities . the biggest challenge to the incumbent airlines operating out of heathrow will come from carriers in the skyteam alliance , that includes air france and klm , delta air lines , northwest airlines news , and continental airlines . before open skies , the skyteam alliance offered no transatlantic routes to and from heathrow . by summer they will offer 10 percent of these flights . skyteam carriers will be located for the first time in terminal 4 . given the size of the market for u.s.-london flights , airlines will continue to offer services from gatwick , london 's second-busiest airport . open skies will intensify competition for ailing u.s. airlines on what has been their most profitable route . analysts expect to see consolidation between u.s. airlines as they combine international networks to beat competition .<doc-sep>actress jessy schram , whose character , karen , was last seen having been `` harnessed '' by the aliens on `` falling skies , '' actually took a look at `` the walking dead '' as a sort of homework assignment . `` it was interesting to watch and take notes , and compare the similarities and differences , '' she said , `` to compare it to ` falling skies ' to see what a world taken over by another species would be like . '' schram , also known for her recurring role as cinderella on `` once upon a time , '' has another upcoming series , abc 's `` last resort , '' with something of a twist on the same themes : the crew of a submarine disobeys orders to avoid nuclear war and ends up retreating to an island . `` they 're having to start over and form their own living and way of protecting themselves , '' she explained . `` even though it 's very different -lrb- from ` falling skies ' -rrb- , it has that same theme of ` who do i trust ? ' '' she said she and other actors on `` falling skies '' asked themselves what they would do in a post-apocalyptic scenario like this . `` what tools would i have to work with ? if i do n't have transportation or a gun or a knife or even a steak dinner , what am i actually feeling ? there 's a lot of desperation in that situation , but there can also be a lot of joy as well . '' ` falling skies ' cast and crew interviews . `` revolution 's '' creator , eric kripke -lrb- `` supernatural '' -rrb- , hopes to explore that joy or at least have more fun with it . `` the apocalypse kind of bums me out , '' he admitted in a meeting with j.j. abrams ' bad robot productions when the series was being developed .<doc-sep>let me be clear that this campaign to destroy coal is not about public health . if it were , democrats would not have voted against my clear skies bill back in 2005 , a bill that would have achieved a reduction in mercury emissions of 70 % by 2018 . in fact , at that time , then-sen . obama served with me on the senate committee on environment and public works . as he explained , `` i voted against the clear skies bill . in fact , i was the deciding vote . '' there is a crucial difference between clear skies and utility mact . clear skies would have reduced emissions without harming jobs and our economy because it was based on a common-sense , market-based approach , designed to retain coal as a generator of electricity while reducing emissions each year . on the other hand , utility mact is designed to kill coal as well as all the good paying jobs that come with it , while providing little -- if any -- environmental gain . just before president obama felt compelled to halt epa 's plan to tighten the ozone standard after significant push-back from congress , then-white house chief of staff bill daley asked , `` what are the health impacts of unemployment ? '' that is one of the most important questions before the senate in preparation for the vote to stop utility mact . what are the health impacts on children whose parents will lose their jobs because of president obama 's war on coal ? what are the health impacts on children in low-income families whose parents will have to spend more for skyrocketing electricity costs and less on their kids ' well-being ?<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the negotiations are over . the treaty has been signed . the skies across the atlantic are now open for free movement of flights between european and u.s. cities . now the battle commences between airlines as they prepare for their new-found commercial freedom when the open skies agreement comes into action in march 2008 . the choice of transatlantic routes is set to increases with the advent of the open skies agreement . the main beneficiaries of increased competition between airlines are likely to be business travelers . and while they may not see a dramatic reduction in ticket prices , they can look forward to a greater choice of flights from a greater number of airlines as well as an increase in business-only services . airlines with the strongest brands and best quality products are likely to lure passengers away from european rivals by launching flights from other major european cities . british airways has confirmed it will launch its first transatlantic flights from continental european cities once the agreement comes into place next year . and while it is not ready to confirm branding , types of aircraft , or even final routes , a ba spokesperson said likely contenders for new transatlantic routes will be from business destinations such as paris , frankfurt , brussels and milan . she also confirmed that , contrary to expectations , these flights would not be exclusively business class . though they will offer premium cabins for business customers . virgin atlantic is expecting to place a greater focus on its business customers and has established a team to work towards the launch of business-only flights in 2009 . these will fly from airports such as paris , frankfurt , milan and zurich and the airline is currently in discussion with airbus and boeing to place orders for between 10 and 15 aircraft . virgin and ba are both confident they can entice customers away from european national carriers due to the strength of their brands and service offering . as paul charles , director of corporate communications at virgin atlantic says , `` we are seen as a truly global brand and well-placed to compete with the quality of business services currently coming out of cities such as paris and milan . '' open skies will put an end to the exclusive arrangement granted to british airways , virgin atlantic , united airlines and american airlines to fly transatlantic out of heathrow . as a result , airlines including bmi , continental airlines and northwest airlines are all lined up to launch direct transatlantic flights from heathrow from next year . but with the airport currently operating at almost-maximum capacity , it is likely that new flights will be limited . airlines operating from other airports , in particular the new business-only players such as eos , silverjet and maxje , will , however , see an opportunity to expand their own services across the atlantic . joshua marks , executive vice president for planning and development at u.s. business-class airline , maxjet , says it expects to `` strengthen its position at stansted '' as a result of the open skies agreement . `` with more flights moving from gatwick to heathrow , three major airports will become two in london . '' as such , he adds , stansted could become the default airport for travelers coming from and to the east of the city . now that the u.s. department of transport has given approval for maxjet to launch flights from stansted to other countries with open skies agreements with the u.s. , business travelers in london should also be able to pick up maxjet flights to destinations such as india . maxjet has confirmed that it will not fight for slots at heathrow , which marks says has become an `` operational nightmare . '' yet , other premium-only services are not ruling out the move . silverjet , currently operating out of luton , has been in discussion with -lrb- un-named -rrb- airlines interested in striking deals to launch flights out of heathrow . opportunities have been offered for flights to u.s. cities such as los angeles , says lawrence hunt , silverjet 's chief executive . `` this is an ongoing dialogue , '' he says . but before they make the move , they would need to see major changes to facilities at heathrow in order for it to offer the `` personalized , discreet and carefree '' travel experience silverjet offers customers from luton . `` heathrow has become a zoo and the customer experience has become appalling , '' he says . airline executives agree that growth in transatlantic flights as a result of the open skies agreement will be aimed at business customers . as hunt says , airlines have little else to offer , or gain , in terms of economy long-haul seats . and as charles at virgin points out , given the success of the new business-only entrants and the simultaneous ongoing demand for its business class seats , `` there 's clearly a market out there for business-only flights . '' while there may be some softening of prices from heathrow as airlines fight for slots , few expect prices for business travelers to drop dramatically as a result of the open skies agreement . as ba 's spokesperson says , uk to north america is already a very competitive market . `` it is not as if we are moving from a monopoly , '' she says . despite this , there is still a great deal to offer business customers and those that will make the most of the opportunity , says anthony concil , spokesperson from iata , will be the most innovative . `` we have created a new playing field and it is up to players to make the most of that and for governments to take the agreement forward towards further liberalization . '' e-mail to a friend .

<t> biggest challenge to heathrow incumbents will come from skyteam alliance . </t> <t> new flights start this year from air france , continental , delta and northwest . </t> <t> ba will launch services between continental europe and new york in june . </t>

open skies explained<T>

sydney , australia -- eamon sullivan regained the 50-meter freestyle world record with a 21.41 seconds swim at the australian olympic trials in sydney . sullivan had lost his 50m freestyle record to frenchman alain bernard four days ago . he took the record back from frenchman alain bernard , who recorded 21.50 seconds at the european championships four days ago . sullivan had held the record with 21.56 , set in sydney in february .<doc-sep>after missing out on bernard 's 100m record late on wednesday , sullivan said he hoped to improve his 50m time in friday 's final . `` i came in a bit more relaxed tonight , having got the 100m final out of the way last night and getting into the team for beijing . `` it 's sweet to get the record back off alain after missing out on the 100m world record last night and after he broke the 50m record so quickly after i did it . `` i know i have another swim left so there 's always another chance . i hope i can go faster in the final , but i like to think i can take a couple of a hundredths of a second leading into a final , so we 'll see . ''<doc-sep>sullivan missed bernard 's 100m world record by just two-hundredths of a second in qualifying in 47.52 seconds for the olympics . libby trickett broke the women 's 100m freestyle world record with a 52.88 seconds swim . trickett , formerly libby lenton and competing for the first time under her married name , beat the 53.30 mark set by germany 's britta steffen in budapest on august 2 , 2006 . it is the second time trickett has broken the 53-second barrier , but her previous time of 52.99 at the duel in the pool in sydney last year was not ratified by fina because she was swimming against american superstar michael phelps .<doc-sep>`` i ca n't tell you how much i wanted to break that record ever since doing it in the duel in the pool in april last year . i just wanted it so badly , '' trickett said . `` to see it officially up there on the scoreboard is just amazing . all my events are very important to me , but the 100m freestyle holds a special place in my heart and to know that four years ago i was going 0.8 seconds off , that is just awesome . '' `` i 've come so far , it 's been an amazing journey , but i am just so happy to be part of this team . we have some fantastic girls coming through and it 's going to be great for our relay team . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . daniel mills . golden girls of australian swimming cate and bronte campbell have led an inspiring one , two , three finish in the 100m women 's freestyle at the commonwealth games . less than .18 seconds separated cate and sister bronte in a nail-biting finish which almost saw bronte pull-off one of the great 50m comebacks to haul in her much fancied rival . cate was cruising at the 50m turn , almost half a second under the world record , but faded over the last 25m as bronte stormed home to almost pull off an incredible last-gasp upset . cate campbell , right , and sister bronte finish first and second on the women 's 100m freestyle at the commonwealth games . sister act : it was a nail-biting finish to the end with just .18 s in it when both girls touched the wall . the campbell sisters celebrates with emma mckeon during the medal ceremony after the women 's 100m freestyle final . australian gold medalist emma mckeon came home third in a time of 53.61 to complete the rout . bronte finished in 52.86 and cate , on her way to swimming a commonwealth games record , finished in 52.68 .<doc-sep>teenagers ben proud and siobhan o'connor confirmed themselves as the rising stars of english swimming in the final session of this meet on tuesday night , proud taking his second gold of the games and o'connor winning a record-breaking sixth medal . england also took gold in the 4x100 metres medley relay , shocking the australian favourites . chris walker-hebborn , adam peaty , adam barrett and adam brown were the awesome foursome who did it in a games record time . peaty said : ` these guys are like my brothers and we brought it home for england ! ' video scroll down to watch commonwealth games : day 6 review . winner : ben proud celebrates winning the men 's 50m freestyle on tuesday night . londoner proud , 19 , grew up in malaysia and has hazy memories of the kuala lumpur games of 1998 , which ended on his fourth birthday . on tuesday night he was a maker of memories for future generations , adding the 50m freestyle title to his 50m butterfly gold . he also leaves these games with a bronze from the 100m freestyle relay . ` it 's amazing to win two golds , ' he said . ` to be honest i came here without expectations , just to gain experience and race against some great swimmers . ' o'connor , 18 , from bilton , oxfordshire , claimed a sixth medal of these games by helping england to silver in the medley relay . pace : the 19-year-old came home in 21.92 seconds - eight hundredths of a second in front of cameron mcevoy . talent : jazz carlin -lrb- left -rrb- won a silver medal in the women 's 400m freestyle . no english woman in any sport has won more than six medals at a games and only one woman before has won as many as six : swimmer mel marshall in 2006 .<doc-sep>halsall took gold in the 50m freestyle , having already triumphed in the 50m backstroke . double : jazz carlin celebrates gold in the 400m freestyle at the european championships in berlin . striking gold : fran halsall also won her second of the championships on sunday in the 50m freestyle .<doc-sep>swimming the backstroke leg , franklin gave her team a healthy lead with jessica hardy , dana vollmer and megan romano finishing off the job as the u.s. won by nearly two seconds from australia with russia third . dubbed `` wonder woman '' by an australian rival earlier in the championships , franklin has lived up to the tag with other golds coming in the 4x100m freestyle relay , 100m backstroke , 200m freestyle , 4x200m freestyle relay , 200m backstroke . fourth in the 100m freestyle final and withdrawal after qualifying for the semifinals of the 50m backstroke have been the only blemishes on her record in spain . she will now head to the university of california in berkeley to continue her studies , but more importantly for now , prepare for the 2016 olympics in rio .

<t> eamon sullivan regains the 50-meter world freestyle record in sydney . </t> <t> sullivan sets the new mark of 21.41 seconds in the australian olympic trials . </t> <t> frenchman alain bernard recorded a time of 21.50 seconds four days earlier . </t>

sullivan regains 50m freestyle record<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- at least three tornadoes caused massive damage in virginia and injured more than 200 people on monday , officials said . this suffolk , virginia , house was destroyed by an apparent tornado monday . at least 200 were injured in suffolk where a twister destroyed several homes and businesses , said bob spieldenner of the virginia department of emergency management . the storm hit the 138-bed sentara obici hospital , though spieldenner said the facility was still operational and accepting patients . a second tornado struck colonial heights -- about 60 miles northwest , near richmond -- injuring at least 18 people , he said . a third twister damaged several homes near lawrenceville , about 70 miles south of richmond , said bryan jackson , a meteorologist with the national weather service , which confirmed all three tornadoes . gov. tim kaine declared a virginia-wide state of emergency as hazardous weather continued through the central part of the state .<doc-sep>the suffolk twister touched down just before 4 p.m. et and plowed its way east into norfolk , damaging scores of homes , stores and cars and downing dozens of trees and power lines , jackson said . watch as a witness describes the tornado form '' video footage from the scene showed roofs torn off homes , cars flipped over , trees snapped in two and a caved-in section of a newly constructed shopping center . furniture , fences and mounds of other debris were tossed in streets , parking lots and lawns . watch the storm 's massive destruction from the air '' a tornado warning over the area remained in effect monday evening . jeff judkins , the city 's emergency management coordinator , said there also were reports of people trapped inside cars . it 's the worst damage he 's seen in the area , he said . an emergency shelter will be established by monday night , suffolk spokeswoman dana woodson said . officials initially reported a fatality , but later determined that it was unrelated to the storm , she said . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>bentley said 38 counties in the state have been declared disaster areas by the federal government . . the state emergency management agency 's latest death toll from the storms , released saturday , was 250 . the agency reported 2,219 injuries . the total number of people killed in five other states -- arkansas , mississippi , tennessee , georgia and virginia -- during wednesday 's storms was at least 89 . alabama officials have said they would not release further death toll and injury reports until all the missing can be accounted for and final totals of the dead and injured can be confirmed . `` our state has never seen a natural disaster of this magnitude , '' bentley said . in hackleburg , where authorities said a tornado tore through at 200 mph , the `` entire town is leveled , '' bentley said . `` many lives were lost , and the community 's largest employer is gone , '' he said .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- at least three tornadoes caused massive damage in virginia and injured more than 200 people on monday , officials said . this suffolk , virginia , house was destroyed by an apparent tornado monday . at least 200 were injured in suffolk where a twister destroyed several homes and businesses , said bob spieldenner of the virginia department of emergency management . the storm hit the 138-bed sentara obici hospital , though spieldenner said the facility was still operational and accepting patients . a second tornado struck colonial heights -- about 60 miles northwest , near richmond -- injuring at least 18 people , he said . a third twister damaged several homes near lawrenceville , about 70 miles south of richmond , said bryan jackson , a meteorologist with the national weather service , which confirmed all three tornadoes . gov. tim kaine declared a virginia-wide state of emergency as hazardous weather continued through the central part of the state .<doc-sep>the storms , sometimes packing 70 mph winds , toppled three tractor trailers on interstate 75 near findlay , ohio . fallen trees were blamed on both deaths in springfield , virginia . besides the 90-year-old woman , who authorities did n't identify pending notification of kin , a man driving his car was pronounced dead at the scene . authorities identified him as khiet nguyen , 27 , of burke , virginia . in addition , a park police officer . was injured by an uprooted tree in the northern virginia county , and an . 18-year-old man was struck by a power line , jennings said . he was in . stable condition after receiving cpr , she said . dark and stormy : clouds roll over lisle , lllinois , as a storm moves into the chicago area today . no escape : a woman uses a shirt to shield herself from the sun while passing in front of the white house in washington on friday ; meteorologists are predicting another scorcher across the country today . not fair : a passing storm brought a halt to rides at the italian-american festival in canton , ohio . a wave of violent storms sweeping the country has left more than 2million without power . scorcher : a group of children beat the heat in the water at the scull island water park at six flags over georgia in atlanta . beat the heat : swimmers keep cool in near 100 degree temperatures at red oaks waterpark in , michigan . west virginia gov. earl ray tomblin . declared a state of emergency after more than 500,000 customers in 27 . counties were left without electricity . the national weather service warned temperatures could climb near or above 100 degrees on saturday in many areas that already were without electricity . thousands were without electricity in their homes and were seeking refuge in movie theaters , shopping malls , restaurants and official cooling centers . forecasters warned that another round of storms was possible in the afternoon , which could complicate cleanup efforts . at least four utility poles fell on a . road in columbus , ohio , making it too dangerous for people in four cars . to get out , police said . one person was taken to a hospital . as of 1 a.m. saturday , pepco was . reporting 406,000 outages in the district of columbia and montgomery and . prince george 's counties , maryland . amtrak suspended its service from washington , d.c. , to philadelphia due to the storms , at least until mid-morning . in the washington , d.c. , area , the metrorail subway trains were returned to their endpoints due to the storms and related damage , officials said .<doc-sep>cnn ireporter randy hamilton said the scene felt like the aftermath of a hurricane with `` abandoned and flooded cars just littering the streets . '' `` debris from trees everywhere . standing water all around , gray skies , and wind gusts that make you fear something will blow down on you , '' he said . arkansas tornado was ef-4 . the storms were part of the same system that has spawned tornadoes and other severe storms since sunday , claiming at least 36 lives in oklahoma , iowa , arkansas , mississippi , alabama , tennessee and now florida . tens of thousands remained without power in the south , where suspected tornadoes tore through homes and businesses late monday . officials revealed new details wednesday about the powerful tornado that struck the arkansas towns of mayflower and vilonia . the twister was rated an ef-4 on the enhanced fujita tornado damage scale , with an estimated peak wind speed between 180 and 190 mph , the national weather service said . it was on the ground for 41.3 miles on sunday and was responsible for 15 deaths , officials said . in addition to the florida flooding death , police in athens , georgia , said a driver was killed wednesday when storm winds toppled a tree onto a car . authorities in mississippi confirmed another death from storms that struck monday . at least 38 people have been killed since sunday in storm-related deaths in mississippi , alabama , tennessee , arkansas , oklahoma , iowa , florida and georgia , according to a cnn tally of state reports . the storm could bring heavy rains and possibly thunderstorms to jacksonville , florida ; charlotte , north carolina ; virginia beach , virginia ; raleigh , north carolina ; and atlanta , the national weather service said . heavy rain will be the norm . flooding could be a concern in the new york city area on thursday . forecasters say rainfall could total up to four inches , with heavier amounts in some areas .

<t> new : injuries in suffolk , where a tornado destroyed homes and businesses . </t> <t> a second tornado struck colonial heights injuring at least 18 , an official said . </t> <t> video shows roofs torn off , cars flipped , trees snapped in half . </t> <t> a third twister damaged several homes near lawrenceville . </t>

storms leave 200 injured in virginia , officials say<T>

-lrb- mental floss -rrb- -- in the words of vice president john nance garner , the vice presidency `` is n't worth a pitcher of warm piss . '' vice president aaron burr is best known for shooting and killing alexander hamilton in a duel in 1804 . that may be true , but the characters who 've held the job are definitely worth a few good pages of trivia . join mental_floss in toasting seven backup plans that made this country great . 1 . chester arthur : james garfield 's v.p. chester arthur took office under the thickest cloud of suspicion . as a lieutenant in senator roscoe conkling 's political machine , arthur held one of the most lucrative positions in government : collector for the port of new york . for seven years , arthur raked in approximately $ 40,000 annually -lrb- about $ 700,000 today -rrb- , running a corrupt spoils system for thousands of payroll employees . with so much money and power , arthur developed an affinity for fancy clothes and earned the nickname `` the gentleman boss . '' but his luck did n't last . president rutherford hayes eventually stepped in and fired him from the post . even with the kickback scandal and claims that he 'd been born in canada -lrb- which should 've disqualified him for the vice presidency -rrb- , arthur still managed to get elected on james garfield 's 1880 ticket . after garfield passed away 199 days into his presidency , arthur did n't hesitate to sign the pendleton civil service reform act . much to the chagrin of conkling , the act revamped civil service by effectively killing the same patronage system that made arthur very , very rich . in cleaning up civil service , arthur also cleaned up his reputation , and he exited the white house a hero . 2 . henry wallace : franklin roosevelt 's second v.p. henry wallace was a dedicated devotee of eastern mysticism . while serving as u.s. secretary of agriculture in the 1930s , he allegedly sent his guru to mongolia under the pretense of collecting grasses that could withstand drought . in reality , wallace was diverting funds to help his guru hunt for evidence that christ had visited asia . but it was n't wallace 's spiritual beliefs that landed him america 's no. 2 job . wallace was a big franklin roosevelt fan and supported his entire platform , which is why roosevelt handpicked him as his third-term running mate in 1940 . wallace was n't popular with the democratic party , but when roosevelt made it clear he would n't run without him , the party acquiesced . as vice president , wallace made many international goodwill trips . most famously , he traveled to the soviet union , where he experienced a political transformation that resulted in him becoming an avowed soviet apologist . his communist leanings did nothing for his image , especially once he became secretary of commerce under president truman . in 1948 , wallace unsuccessfully ran for president on the progressive party ticket , espousing views that sounded shockingly marxist . he even described corporations as `` midget hitlers '' attempting to crush the labor class . but nobody can say wallace did n't know how to own up to his mistakes . in 1952 , he recanted his support of the soviet union in a magazine article called `` where i was wrong . '' by then , however , his political career was over . wallace spent the rest of his life conducting agricultural experiments on his farm in new york . 3 . william rufus de vane king : franklin pierce 's v.p. william r. king was sworn into office in cuba , becoming the only executive officer to take the oath on foreign soil . king had gone to cuba to recuperate from tuberculosis and severe alcoholism , but it did n't work . he died in 1853 after being vice president for just 25 days . that might not be the most memorable thing about king , though . it 's widely rumored that the former v.p. was homosexual . further still , he 's suspected of being james buchanan 's lover . neither king nor buchanan ever married , and they lived together in washington for 15 years before buchanan became president . of course , king 's predilection for wearing scarves and wigs only fanned the rumors . president andrew jackson used to call him `` miss nancy , '' and aaron brown , a fellow southern democrat , dubbed him `` aunt fancy . '' 4 . richard m. johnson : martin van buren 's v.p.<doc-sep>despite his credentials as a war hero and a kentucky senator , vice president richard m. johnson was never accepted in washington . perhaps that 's because he dressed like a farmhand , cursed like a sailor , and made no secret of his three black mistresses , who were also his slaves . the first mistress bore him two daughters before she passed away ; the second tried to run off with a native american chief , but johnson captured and resold her ; and the third was the second one 's sister . johnson attempted to introduce this third mistress into polite society , but the couple was n't well-received . with the support of andrew jackson , johnson landed the vice presidency under martin van buren in 1836 . after four years of public relations disasters , jackson withdrew his support . nonetheless , van buren kept johnson on his ticket , and the two lost their re-election bid in 1840 . 5 . aaron burr : thomas jefferson 's v.p. no story on vice presidents would be complete without aaron burr -- best known for shooting and killing alexander hamilton in a duel in 1804 . after the incident , burr went back to presiding over the senate . from there , he plotted a treasonous conspiracy to become emperor of the western united states and mexico . the plan could have worked , but one of burr 's co-conspirators ratted him out . he was tried in 1807 before the supreme court , which found him not guilty , mainly because he had n't actually committed the treason yet . a free man , burr turned his sights on florida . he went to france and tried to convince napoleon bonaparte to help him conquer the swampland , but that plan foundered , too . although his political high jinks often failed , burr consistently found success with the ladies . after his wife died in 1794 , burr remained a bachelor for 40 years , making the acquaintance of several eligible socialites . he enjoyed flirtations with philadelphia debutantes , as well as a widow named dolley payne todd -- later known as dolley madison , wife of james madison . at age 76 , burr married a wealthy widow of ill-repute and plundered her fortune . citing numerous infidelities on his part , she filed for divorce and was actually granted it . unfortunately for her , it came through on the day burr died . 6 . andrew johnson : abraham lincoln 's 4th v.p. andrew johnson took his 1865 vice-presidential oath drunk as a skunk and belligerent as hell . having grown up dirt poor , johnson felt the aristocracy in washington had abused his kinfolk . glassy-eyed and smelling of whiskey , he reminded congress , the supreme court , the cabinet , and pretty much everyone within hearing distance that they owed their positions to `` plebeians '' such as himself , then kissed the bible and staggered away . needless to say , his address was poorly received . the new york world opined , `` to think that one frail life stands between this insolent , clownish creature and the presidency ! may god bless and spare abraham lincoln ! '' unfortunately , god did n't . the south surrendered six days before lincoln 's assassination , leaving johnson to handle reconstruction -- a job he bungled so completely that congress moved to impeach him . incredibly , johnson avoided being booted out of office by just one vote . 7 . john cabell breckenridge : james buchanan 's v.p. by all accounts , john c. breckenridge was a kentucky gentleman in the grandest sense . he had an impressive career as a lawyer and a representative in the kentucky house . more notably , at age 36 , he became the youngest vice president in history . but , like aaron burr , things took a turn for breckenridge when he was charged with treason . in september 1861 , only a few months after his vice presidential term had ended , union and confederate forces invaded his home state of kentucky . breckenridge cast his lot with the confederates , and the federal government promptly indicted him . breckenridge headed south and became jefferson davis ' secretary of war . but when the confederacy surrendered in 1865 , breckenridge was forced to go on the lam . he hid for the next two months in georgia and florida before escaping to cuba . breckinridge , his wife , and their children spent the next four years in exile , wandering through canada , england , europe , and the middle east , until president andrew johnson issued a general amnesty proclamation on christmas in 1868 . the following march , breckenridge returned to the country with his family , but his name was n't officially cleared until 1958 , when a kentucky circuit court judge dismissed his indictment . for more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . entire contents of this article copyright , mental floss llc . all rights reserved .<doc-sep>only half the number of attendees from previous years will be let in -- meaning many families wo n't be able to enjoy the traditional celebration , which was previously free . britons would need to budget for around # 245 to ring in the new year in paris . although it 's not cheap , spending new year 's eve in the french capital is still shown to be almost # 100 cheaper than in the uk capital . of the 2,000 people surveyed , 30 per cent of people said would like to spend their new year in new york . the canadian city of toronto was also found to be good value for britons looking to celebrate abroad . celebrating new year 's eve in budapest is said to cost an average of # 66.81 , the study found . britons would need to budget for around # 245 to celebrate in paris , almost # 100 less than in the uk capital . david swann from travelex said : ` the pound is providing good value for brits who want to enjoy a new year overseas . ` despite brits being put-out by the price of celebrating in the uk , it 's great to see from our research that the price of key items such as beer and champagne are cheaper overseas . ' the survey also reveals that men are much more likely than women to splash the cash on new year 's eve , with the average uk man spending # 200 on the event -- 18 per cent more than the women 's average of # 169 .<doc-sep>` i 'm so happy to be european champion , it was a big target for me , ' gemili said . ` it 's really cold and late but i saved my energy from the rounds and to run sub-20 is great . ` it 's also really nice to beat christophe lemaitre . it 's a great feeling and the brits now have the 100m and 200m title here . i 'll be singing my heart out on the podium . athletics is so much fun and it 's an honour to be here . ' gemili ran an almost perfect race , exploding out of the blocks and accelerating round the bend . he remained strong down the home straight , leaving france 's lemaitre , a 19.80 runner at his best , to scrap it out for silver . as well as enhancing his reputation on the track , gemili proved he is a gentleman off it when a woman in the crowd asked for his race number as a souvenir . he dutifully got an official to unpin the sheet on his back and hand it over . victory : gemili celebrates as he finishes ahead of frenchman christophe lemaitre -lrb- right -rrb- . man of the moment : gemili raises his arms in celebration after winning european gold at the age of 20 . in the men 's 400m final the teacher gave a lesson to the pupil as martyn rooney , a veteran of the british team despite only being 27 , beat prodigious teenager matt hudson-smith as britain claimed a one-two .<doc-sep>its inception , tens of thousands of young men and women have been . honoured with a king 's or queen 's scout award for their own outstanding . personal achievements . today , the scout association hailed . the duchess , who volunteers occasionally with a cub scout group close to . her home in north wales , for a sharp increase in the number of adult . volunteers . a spokesman for the scouts said the duchess had done around half a dozen volunteering sessions with her local cubs this year . ` she loves it . i ca n't see her giving it up , ' said simon carter , assistant director of the scout association . the duchess is . one of 2,812 new adult volunteers to join this year . these figures . represent the second biggest increase in adult volunteers since 1986 . the tradition of the annual celebration event within windsor castle dates back eighty years . catherine met hundreds of scouts from across the uk and commonwealth at the ceremony . the scouting association credited kate with boosting volunteer numbers within the organisation . as . well as attracting more adults the total number of teenagers in . scouting has almost doubled in the last 10 years , from 23,446 in 2003 to . 40,578 in 2013 . however , . despite attracting more adults , the movement still has 37,867 young . people on waiting lists who are unable join up because even more adult . volunteers are needed . bear grylls , chief scout , said : ` it 's . great that so many adults are joining the scouts , and i am sure the .<doc-sep>the crowd cheered not only a perfect end to jamaica 's campaign but also a great end to all the action within the olympic stadium . and bolt was celebrating with them , doing the ` mo-bot ' -- copying the celebration of british athlete mo farah , who completed a olympic double earlier in the day winning the men 's 5,000 m as well as the 10,000 m earlier in the week -- as he followed his 100m and 200m golds with a relay victory . bolt has now won seven out of eight of the major athletics competitions , only missing out on a world championship 100m title in south korea due to a false start .

<t> chester arthur maintained lucrative employment as the collector for port of ny . </t> <t> andrew johnson took his 1865 vice-presidential oath drunk and belligerent as hell . </t> <t> aaron burr tried to conspire with napoleon to conquer florida , but failed . </t> <t> both aaron burr and john breckenridge were charged with treason . </t>

a celebration of almost-great men<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- not only is tetsuya kumakawa the greatest ever japanese ballet dancer , he is one of the best the world has ever seen . his athletic grace has won him fans wherever he has performed , and his dedication to the art continues to bring ballet to new audiences . capable of soaring leaps and flawless turns , tetsuya `` teddy '' kumakawa has thrilled audiences the world over . founded in 1998 , his k-ballet company has built on the success he acheived at the royal ballet in covent garden , london . born in sapporo on hokkaido -- japan 's north island -- in 1972 , kumakawa took up ballet after seeing his eight year-old cousin , hironao perform at school in sapporo . like any 10 year old boy , his new hobby had to compete with other activities -- he also enjoyed kendo , baseball and drawing -- but it was ballet that he really fell in love with . from a young age kumakawa had been keen to see the world and the arrival of foreign guest tutors at his school only reinforced those desires . but it was swiss ballet teacher hans meister 's visit to hokkaido that proved to be a turning point in kumakawa 's nascent career . meister encouraged him to travel and recommended that he attend the royal ballet school -lrb- rbs -rrb- in london or the canadian national ballet school . kumakawa was just 15 years old when he left home to take up a place at the rbs . less than two years later , in january 1989 , he won both the gold medal and the newly established prince takamado prize at the prestigious prix de lausanne in switzerland . he was without question the star of the competition , producing soaring leaps in a performance from ` don quixote ' . in the spring of 1989 he turned professional , becoming the first asian dancer to join the royal ballet company -lrb- rbc -rrb- -- his first solo part was the leading mandolin player in `` romeo and juliet . '' in june he won the classical ballet prize at the eurovision young dancer of the year competition held in paris . kumakawa experienced a meteoric rise through the ranks of the rbc . he quickly became a soloist , dancing the act 1 pas de trois in tchaikovsky 's ` swan lake ' and completed a memorable performance as the bronze idol in la bayadère -- a cameo role that showcased his extraordinary jumping ability . the following season he was chosen for the role of the fool in the premiere of kenneth macmillan 's ` the prince and the pagodas ' . in 1991 he was promoted to first soloist and was a principal dancer by 1993 . so developed a mutual love affair between kumakawa , his new fans and his adoptive city . `` i was so pleased to participate in british culture , '' he told the japan times in 2004 . by the age of 26 ` teddy ' , as he had become known to his friends in the uk -- ` kuma ' means ` bear ' in japanese -- had danced the full repertoire of classical and modern roles at the rbc . the man who had wowed london audiences with his acrobatic jumps and audacious turns was about to leap into a new chapter of his life . in 1998 he left the royal ballet to found his own company -- the k-ballet -- back home in tokyo . it was a highly controversial move at the time . not only had he upped sticks in the middle of a season , he also took five of the royal ballet 's star male performers with him to japan . the british press and the ballet fraternity were not impressed . greeted as a returning hero in his native country , kumakawa took on the roles of leading dancer , teacher , artistic director and company manager simultaneously . but despite the formidable workload and responsibility the new k-ballet flourished , fostering a wider interest in japanese ballet . in 2004 , kumakawa established the k-ballet school . the same year , the k-ballet became the first japanese ballet company to perform at the metropolitan opera house in new york . a career-threatening knee injury , suffered whilst on a k-ballet tour of japan in may 2007 has temporarily sidelined kumakawa from performing . but he expects to be back on stage next year , delighting audiences with virtuoso performances once again . in the meantime , kumakawa -- who continues to enjoy pop star status in japan -- continues to pass on his expertise to a new generation of dancers . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>the troopers escorted the bride up to the entrance of the aisle and guarded the entire ceremony . afterwards they even joined jennifer and joshua as photographer cacá santoro took photos of the bride and groom on the streets of downtown l.a. . other unusual star wars touches included drinks coasters featuring the death star , while seating cards listing the dining tables at the couple 's reception had names like droid , rebel and scout trooper . the couple provided star wars books for friends and family to sign and leave their messages of congratulations . the bride and groom 's chairs were labelled leia and han in tribute to the key characters in the original trilogy of movies . even the seating cards listing the dining tables at the couple 's reception had names like droid , rebel and scout trooper , while the bride and groom 's chairs were labelled leia and han . the happy couple 's cake was inspired by the snow planet hoth as featured in the empire strikes back . it was topped with creatures who lived on the planet along with models of well loved vehicles from the show including an at-at walker , x-wing fighter , and even the millennium falcon . the couple even designed drinks coasters featuring the death star and provided star wars books for friends and family to sign and leave their messages of congratulations . after the meal came the disco and perhaps the highlight of the entire day when jennifer 's dad dressed up as darth vader - complete with the sith lord 's heavy breathing sound effects - and took to the dance floor with his daughter . later the newlyweds enjoyed a dance dance with light sabers in theirs hands . jennifer 's dad dressed up as darth vader - complete with the sith lord 's heavy breathing sound effect - and took to the dance floor with his daughter . may the force be with us ! the couple danced the night away and held light sabers in theirs hands as a tribute to the hit movie .<doc-sep>internet star : the video of williams dancing behind the wheel went viral , drawing more than 800,000 views on youtube . he 's got the moves : in the video , the first responder flails his arms , sways to the beat and takes both his hands off the wheel . slap on the wrist : williams got a reprimand at work for his less-than-safe dance routine . born to dance : speaking in his defense , the amateur lord of the dance said he was off duty , and he would not have done it with a patient on board . the viral video even caught the attention of rihanna , who tweeted to her followers wednesday : ` this paramedic guy just reminded me why god sent me here ! i ca n't stop now ! not now , not nevah !!!! ' but the growing popularity of the dancing emt also earned him a reprimand from his supervisor . just before 6pm on may 6 , williams was driving an emergency response vehicle while talking to a colleague on a walkie-talkie when a mashup of rhianna 's pour it up and juicy j 's bandz a make her dance came on the radio .<doc-sep>` we have good players and we can be dangerous , so this is going to be a beautiful match . it will be something extraordinary for us to play . ' colombia emerged through group c with a flawless record after victories over the ivory coast , greece and japan and they have now scored thirteen goals in brazil and conceded just twice . lord of the dance : rodriguez and los cafeteros celebrate during the last 16 victory over uruguay .<doc-sep>she worked at stringfellows and angels clubs in london during 2007 and 2008 . thomas linden qc , for stringfellows , said his clients had ` no wage/work bargain ' with miss quashie , of greenford , west london , because the terms under which she worked were such that she sometimes ended up out of pocket after working a full night . ` on the nights when she was dancing at the club , she danced for the customers and they paid her . stringfellows had no obligation to provide her with work or to pay her anything , ' the qc said . ` on the contrary she had to pay the club a fee of # 65 to dance there , plus commission on her earnings from customers , plus fines for breaches of club rules , plus a tip out fee to the house mother , such that miss quashie often did n't make any money or made a loss on a night 's work . stringfellows are arguing they had no wage/work bargain with the lap dancer . ` there therefore was no wage/work bargain between the parties such as is required for employed status , ' added the barrister . ` she was free to take as much or as little holiday as she chose . she was free to chose whether or not to work . she was also free to work for a competitor . there were not the mutual obligations and the court of appeal ought to interfere . ' john hendy qc , for miss quashie , told the judges : ` she worked for stringfellows as a dancer . there was a contract between them . ` stringfellows ' business is the provision of adult entertainment to its customers , in the form of female dancers such as miss quashie who dance clothed , semi-clothed and nude both on stage and in private booths . ` the dancers receive payment for doing so . the dancers also sit and talk to customers for payment . stringfellows ' business depends upon the work of women dancers like miss quashie on every occasion on which their premises are open for business . ` the work of dancers like miss quashie generates a substantial part of stringfellows ' revenue ... -lrb- they -rrb- are an integral part of stringfellows ' business , without which it could not function . ' addressing the claim that little or no wages meant no employment contract , he concluded : ` these days it is not uncommon for people to agree to work for no pay , to gain work experience for example . ` she could agree to dance to stringfellows ' tune , if that allowed her to dance at the club to enhance her reputation , to keep her hand in , or for networking . ' lord justice ward , hearing the appeal with lord justice elias and lord justice pitchford , found some of what he heard today puzzling . telling the court about his understanding of the day to day life of a stringfellows angel , he said : ' i am gradually getting filled in on the duties of laptop dancers . the punters pay for their happy vouchers and they are stuck in the girl 's garter , and then she goes off to the cashier and says here 's my vouchers , give me my money . ' miss quashie , 29 , had claimed she was wrongly fired by the covent garden nightclub in december 2008 over allegations of drug dealing . the appeal court hearing continues .

<t> the greatest japanese dancer is known as `` teddy '' to friends and fans . </t> <t> experienced a meteoric rise through the ranks at the royal ballet , london . </t> <t> controversially left the covent garden stage to form his own company . </t>

lord of the dance<T>

baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- attackers launched assaults across iraq over the past 24 hours , killing 11 police recruits and six civilians , including a 7-year-old . iraqi and u.s. troops conduct a joint patrol monday in the northern city of mosul during a push against insurgents . also , the u.s. military said it killed an al qaeda in iraq leader in northern iraq . the violence erupted as a peace agreement was taking hold in baghdad 's sadr city , for weeks the scene of battles between iraqi security forces and shiite militias . a suicide bomber exploded his vest outside the house of an awakening council leader , sheikh mutleb al-nadawi , about 50 miles -lrb- 80 kilometers -rrb- east of baquba in diyala province , the military command in diyala said . al-nadawi was in the house and escaped injury , but a 7-year-old was killed and two of al-nadawi 's bodyguards were wounded . awakening councils are the u.s.-backed sunni groups that oppose al qaeda in iraq . a mortar round landed on a busy outdoor market in balad ruz , about 25 miles -lrb- 40 kilometers -rrb- east of baquba . three civilians were killed , and nine were wounded .<doc-sep>a bomb exploded tuesday inside a minibus in southeastern baghdad 's rustumiya district , killing two passengers and wounding five , an iraqi interior ministry official said . insurgents also attacked a minibus filled with police recruits monday in baaj , a nineveh province town near the syrian border , killing 11 people , according to mosul police . iraqi security forces arrested 15 people in connection with the attack . backed by u.s. soldiers , iraqi forces have been conducting an offensive against al qaeda in iraq in mosul and the rest of nineveh province . american-led coalition troops killed a senior al qaeda in iraq leader east of samarra in northern iraq on tuesday , the u.s. military said . meanwhile , the agreement forged to end the weeks of fighting in the capital 's sadr city is taking hold , government officials and witnesses said . thousands of soldiers and police officers have moved deep inside the restive neighborhood without resistance from shiite militia members who have been fighting iraqi and u.s. troops . the troops have been clearing mines and soon will begin the process of confiscating weapons , officials said . no violence has been reported in the area since monday .<doc-sep>much of the earlier fighting involved the mehdi army militia of shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr and security forces dominated by a rival political party , the islamic supreme council of iraq . the latter is the leading party in the government 's united iraqi alliance bloc . the agreement , hammered out between the united iraqi alliance and the sadrists , is intended to clear the neighborhood of weaponry and outlaws and restore stability to the area . tahseen al-sheikhly , civilian spokesman for baghdad 's security plan , said there has been great cooperation among residents , sadrist supporters and government forces . gen. qassim atta , the military spokesman of baghdad 's security plan , said tuesday that checkpoints and patrols have been established and coalition forces are ready to help iraqi troops , but they have not entered sadr city . elsewhere in baghdad , the trial of saddam hussein-era officials tariq aziz , ali hassan al-majeed -- also known as chemical ali -- and six others resumed tuesday . they are facing charges in connection with the executions of 42 iraqi merchants in 1992 . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq contributed to this report .<doc-sep>a member of the american-backed militia sons of iraq was killed wednesday , and four others -- three of them also sons of iraq members -- were wounded , when an improvised explosive device detonated near the town of hawija , iraq , the u.s. military said . the sons of iraq members were returning from a meeting when the explosion occurred , the military said . the wounded were taken to a hospital in hawija , about 70 kilometers -lrb- 43 miles -rrb- southwest of kirkuk . u.s. and iraqi troops have clashed with shiite militants in sadr city , a sprawling , crowded shiite slum . many of the militants are loyal to cleric muqtada al-sadr and his mehdi army militia . much of the fighting has been between the mehdi army and u.s.-backed iraqi security forces , which are dominated by a rival shiite group , the islamic supreme council of iraq . the fighting intensified march 25 , when the iraqi government announced a crackdown on `` criminal elements '' in basra , a shiite stronghold in southern iraq . the fighting soon spread through southern iraq 's shiite heartland and into shiite neighborhoods in the capital . there also has been violence in areas dominated by sunnis , such as nineveh and anbar provinces . skirmishes in sadr city were aggravated this month when al-sadr aide sayyed riyadh al-nuri was shot outside his home in the shiite holy city of najaf . al-sadr suspended the activities of his militia in august . u.s. military commanders cited the suspension as a major reason for a decline in violence in iraq . another factor , commanders said , was last year 's troop escalation , dubbed the `` surge . '' al-sadr issued a cease-fire for his followers march 30 . fighting in sadr city waned but remained intense , the u.s. military said . the cleric has intermittently appealed for calm and threatened to rescind his cease-fire order in recent weeks . al-maliki has threatened to boot al-sadr 's supporters from parliament if the mehdi army does not stand down . an adviser to al-maliki said this week that the government would halt its assault on militias if the groups hand in their weapons , turn in wanted militia members and refrain from interfering in the affairs of the iraqi government and security forces . al-sadr has rejected the offer , saying al-maliki has n't kept his end of the present cease-fire -- under which , the cleric 's supporters said , the iraqi government would free nonconvicted prisoners belonging to the sadrist movement and discontinue attacks on al-sadr 's followers . last week , al-sadr threatened to wage `` open war '' on u.s. troops if attacks do not cease . he issued a separate statement friday to emphasize that his militia would target `` occupiers '' and not iraqis . in that statement , al-sadr also said he would not accept the long-term agreement that the united states and iraqi governments are crafting to replace the u.n. mandate for multinational forces in iraq . the mandate expires in december . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq and jomana karadsheh contributed to this report .<doc-sep>baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr called on followers to stop shooting and cooperate with iraqi security forces sunday , a move iraq 's government praised as a step toward ending six days of fighting that has left hundreds dead . a shiite fighter runs toward an iraqi army armored vehicle sunday after clashes near a tv station in basra . `` we announce our disavowal from anyone who carries weapons and targets government institutions , charities and political party offices , '' al-sadr said in a nine-point statement issued by his headquarters in najaf . the statement was accompanied by demands that the iraqi government issue a general amnesty to his followers and release any being held . the statement was distributed across iraq and posted on the internet . the move was welcomed by iraq 's government , whose forces have been fighting al-sadr 's militia , the mehdi army , in six days of clashes with so-called `` outlaws '' who had taken control of much of the southern city of basra . u.s. and coalition troops have been supporting the iraqi offensive . prime minister nuri al-maliki , who had vowed not to leave basra until his government reclaimed control of the city , called al-sadr 's statement a `` step in the right direction '' and said he hoped it would help to stabilize the region . `` we renew our assurance that the process of enforcement -lsb- of -rsb- the law in basra does not target any political or religious group , including the sadr movement , '' al-maliki said in a prepared statement . witnesses reported continued clashes throughout the day in basra even after sunday 's announcements . but iraqi authorities said after al-sadr 's announcement they would lift an indefinite curfew that had been imposed on baghdad since thursday . watch how the cease-fire affects shiite vs. shiite fights '' the curfew is scheduled to be lifted 6 a.m. monday -lrb- 11 p.m. sunday et -rrb- , said gen. qassim atta , an iraqi military spokesman . but a vehicle ban will stay in place in three shiite militia strongholds -- neighborhoods in the capital , including sadr city , kadhimiya and shulaa , atta said .<doc-sep>last week , a bomb ripped through baghdad 's hurriya district near a neighborhood advisory council meeting where u.s. troops were stationed , killing 63 people and wounding 71 others . the u.s. military also blamed that attack on a special groups cell , but stover could n't say whether it was connected to tuesday 's blast . `` last week 's event was an attempt to incite sectarian violence and hatred against the iraqi sunni population in an effort to keep them from returning to hurriya , '' stover said . sadr city , the scene of tuesday 's deadly blast , is a stronghold of shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr and where some of the capital 's most intense fighting in recent months has occurred between shiite militia members and iraqi security forces . a truce deal was reached last month between the iraqi government and al-sadr 's followers , ending weeks of fighting and allowing the iraqi army to enter sadr city , but violence persists . al-sadr recently announced his intention to develop a new fighting force that would battle u.s.-led forces in iraq . many followers in al-sadr 's mehdi army militia have heeded a long-standing cease-fire , but some rogue forces are thought to be involved in violence . `` this was the fourth meeting of this district council , led by hard-working iraqis determined to make a difference and set sadr city off on the right path . special groups are afraid of progress and afraid of empowering the people , '' lt. col. john digiambatista of the 4th infantry division said in a news release , referring to tuesday 's attack . twenty-five u.s. troops have died in iraq to date this month . there have been 4,109 deaths of u.s. service members since the war began . other developments . • three u.s. soldiers and their iraqi interpreter were killed tuesday evening by a roadside bomb in northern iraq 's nineveh province , the u.s. military said . no other details were immediately released . • a suicide car bomb went off near a police station in central mosul tuesday evening , killing a child , a police officer and wounding dozens more . police and civilians , including women and children , were among the wounded , though injury reports varied from 90 to 70 to 57 , according to the u.s. military , mosul police and the iraq interior ministry , respectively . all three sources agreed on the death toll , however . several houses were affected by the blast , which destroyed a coffee shop in a residential area . • earlier tuesday , coalition troops in mosul killed a senior-level al qaeda in iraq leader , the u.s. military said . the operation led to the killing of the group 's `` emir '' of mosul , the military said . a dozen people were detained in raids targeting the group in northern iraq and baghdad , the military said . • u.s. troops raided a shiite militant hideout tuesday in southeastern baghdad 's karrada district , capturing four suspects the military said were connected to recent attacks on coalition bases . a vehicle bomb being built in the hideout was destroyed , according to a coalition statement . • anbar province will soon be run by the iraqi military . the u.s. military said it is transferring security responsibility this week to the iraqis . anbar is the 10th of the 18 provinces where iraqi forces have taken charge of security control since 2003 and the first largely sunni arab province to do so . cnn 's yousif bassil and jomana karadsheh contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- radical anti-american cleric muqtada al-sadr thanked followers who offered to launch attacks against the u.s. military in iraq should he reinstate his notorious mehdi army militia , according to a posting on his website . the exchange between a follower and al-sadr on his website comes as iraqi prime minister nuri al-maliki is talking with members of his government about the possibility of requesting american troops to stay in iraq beyond a year-end deadline to withdraw . al-sadr vowed earlier this year to `` escalate armed resistance '' if the u.s. military does not pull its troops as scheduled , a move that could destabilize the country should the mehdi army repeat the bloody battles it waged against american and iraqi forces during the height of violence . `` we intended to be martyred , if you intend to lift the freeze of imam al-mehdi army to defend islam , doctrine and iraq . our martyrdom will be restricted only on activities against the infidel occupier without harming the civilians or any public proprieties , '' an unidentified follower posted on the website on friday . al-sadr responded : `` thank you dears ... may god preserve you and watch over you . '' a u.s. military spokesman on sunday told cnn that , `` muqtada al-sadr 's statement speaks sufficiently for itself about his attitude toward the use of violence as an alternative to democratic processes . '' `` it 's the same attitude that has caused so much violence for the iraqi people in the past , '' col. barry johnson said . `` we are not inclined to characterize it further at this point . '' since 2003 , al-sadr has had the support of tens of thousands of shiites , especially the young and impoverished in baghdad 's slums and the shiite south . his mehdi army has been considered one of iraq 's most formidable private armies following the fall of saddam hussein . it was blamed for some of the worst sectarian violence in iraq before al-sadr suspended most of its activities in 2007 and 2008 , which dramatically reduced violence in iraq .

<t> attack on awakening council official leaves 7-year-old dead . </t> <t> al qaeda in iraq leader is killed , u.s. military says . </t> <t> minibuses attacked in baghdad , nineveh province . </t> <t> trial of saddam hussein-era officials resumes . </t>

iraqi forces move into sadr city ⁇ violence elsewhere<T>

tokyo , japan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- police found three men dead in a car parked outside a spa monday morning -- the latest in a string of suicides involving detergent , officials said . according to local media reports , more than 60 people have committed suicide across japan in the last month by mixing detergent and other chemicals , and inhaling the hydrogen sulfide gas that results . a passerby discovered the bodies of the three men in tamioka , north of tokyo , police said .<doc-sep>in western japan , police found a 21-year-old man with a plastic bag over his head monday . a police officer in suma , where the body was found , said authorities found detergent containers by the foot of the man . they suspect the man may have inhaled the toxic gas after mixing them in the bag . earlier this month , police in japan had asked internet service providers to take down the recipe for the detergent mix . even before the spate of recent suicides , japan had one of the highest rates of suicide in the world . in early may , police evacuated about 350 people from their homes on the island of hokkaido after a neighbor mixed detergent and chemicals to kill himself .<doc-sep>the two most recent cases did not require the evacuation of the neighborhoods where they occurred . in some cases , officials had to order residents to leave because the resulting gas from the detergent mix can sicken people . cnn 's yoko wakatsuki contributed to this report .<doc-sep>by . deni kirkova . published : . 06:52 est , 19 september 2013 . | . updated : . 06:52 est , 19 september 2013 . miranda kerr is the latest in a long line of western celebrities to feature in bizarre japanese advertisements . after flogging lipton limone ice tea in a yellow mini dress late last year , the australian beauty , 30 , is now seen starring in a series of cartoon-inspired adverts for japanese p&g product bold laundry detergent . playing the role of perfect housewife , miranda strolls through a supermarket with a trolley stacked full of ` fundry ' detergent , to the awe and admiration of female japanese shoppers . miranda looks like a stunning ideal american housewife in the advert for girly pink laundry detergent . as well as looking gorgeous the ex-victoria 's secret angel even speaks some japanese in the advert telling viewers about the pink product . miranda kerr replaces cameron yamada , the previous bold spokesperson , reports michelle lynn dinh of rocket news 24 . miranda is even introduced as ` new yamada-san ' at the beginning of her bold commercial . as she steps out of her car , a mountain of bold detergent is seen cascading into the driver 's seat . a surprised miranda looks back and smiles . from there , miranda 's curious neighbors pop over to find out what 's going on . they all have a conversation in japanese about the detergent . as she steps out of her car , a mountain of bold detergent is seen cascading into the driver ¿ s seat . miranda strolls through a supermarket as fellow shoppers gaze in awe at her shopping basket of wonder . neighbour a : what have you been up to ? miranda : i went shopping .<doc-sep>by . simon tomlinson . published : . 12:36 est , 3 august 2012 . | . updated : . 15:45 est , 3 august 2012 . a couple have been found dead in their remote cottage in a suspected suicide pact , it has emerged . the pair , named locally as brian hainsworth , 64 , and wife sharon , 57 , were discovered by paramedics at around 8.30 am today . police are not treating their deaths as suspicious , but mystery surrounds events at the secluded stone property . the fire brigade were called , although it is not clear why . mystery : detectives and forensic teams investigate the suspected double suicide of brian and sharon hainsworth at their secluded cottage in calverley , west yorkshire . a post-mortem examination is due to be carried out to determine the cause of deaths . forensic teams have been on scene for much of the day at the property , which is owned by the nearby woodhall hills golf club in calverley , west yorkshire .<doc-sep>the suicide of a devoted couple in a double death pact left a one word suicide note , an inquest has been told . the husband and wife were found dead in each others arms after drinking poison and leaving a simple one word explanation in a diary - ` departed ' . a coroner heard that raphael , 69 , and tamar altman , 72 , from great milton in oxfordshire , were both in poor health . they had been married for more than 30 years before deciding on a death pact on october 3 last year . the couple , both campaigners for assisted dying , were found lying on their bed . son tai told an inquest into their deaths in oxford : ` they were both activists with the group dignity in dying and believed in the right to choose . ' i grew up with it and lived with the knowledge that this was going to happen . it wasnâ $ ™ t a shock to me and iâ $ ™ m more than reconciled to it . ' the hearing heard that mr altman was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 and that his wife suffered from diabetes , neuralgia and muscular pain and stiffness . in october last year the couple agreed they did not want to suffer any more .<doc-sep>wrists . when they both survived they attempted it again the next . day . in the document , leonard wrote : ' i have decided to commit suicide and ann has agreed to join me . by the time you get this we will be well dead . ' when the relative received the note on september 2 they informed police who forced entry into the house on september 3 . they found leonard had died but ann was still alive . ann was later charged with murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter between august 29 and september 4 , 2012 . she entered a guilty plea to manslaughter after the crown decided not to pursue the murder charge and judge peter rook qc indicated she would receive a suspended sentence . the judge said : ` the prosecution now accept the defendant killed her husband as part of a suicide pact between them in which each intended to die . ` the prosecution accept anne pollen had intended to die herself , however she survived .

<t> police found three men dead in a car parked outside a spa monday morning . </t> <t> more than 60 people have committed suicide across japan in the last month . </t> <t> police say string of ` detergent suicides ' encouraged by internet sites . </t> <t> japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world . </t>

3 dead in japanese ` detergent suicide ' pact<T>

-lrb- instyle.com -rrb- -- it takes a truly adventurous actress to pull off a razored mohawk , a platinum pixie and a louise brooks bob , but we 'd expect nothing less from the ever provocative selma blair , who experimented with all three looks in under a year . selma blair says she works with hairstylists and makeup artists who `` have a vision . '' `` i have no fears when it comes to my hair or clothes , '' proclaims the 36-year-old star of nbc 's upcoming mom-and-daughter sitcom `` kath and kim '' and july 's action flick `` hellboy ii : the golden army . '' makeup , however , is an entirely different matter for the self-declared `` poor applier , '' who sticks with basics like nude lipstick and pink blush , and ducks whenever she sees a liquid liner . `` i avoid anything difficult , '' she says . blair 's signature look : `` a rosy cheek , a smudgy eye , a lot of mascara -- i look like a doll that has too much makeup on , and i love it ! '' have you always been a beauty chameleon ? in high school i would mess with my hair and makeup all the time . i used to wear a shirt that said `` ms. clairol '' because i changed my hair color so much . i was blond for a long time , then what my mom called `` barnyard red . '' do you still dye it yourself ? only when i have to cover up stray grays . and i 'll just use whatever color i find in the grocery store that looks good on the box , like preference by l'oréal -- because i 'm worth it -lsb- laughs -rsb- . but for my platinum hair , i went to sheri at román salon in l.a. . she was a saint . i had just dyed my hair dark brown , so she had to very slowly strip out all the color so that my hair would n't burn off . and the cut -- are you keeping it short ? i tend to like my hair whatever way it 's not , so now i miss it being long . i think i 'm more approachable with long hair . when it 's short , i come across as being artsy and weird . what 's your typical makeup look ? i used to wear a lot of red lipstick , and when i got a pimple , i 'd cover it up with eyeliner to turn it into a beauty mark . but everything has changed since i hit 35 . i 'm at an age where any makeup that 's meant to look `` slept in '' really looks like i slept in it . that 's for youngsters ! now less is more . i do n't like to wear concealer or anything . i 'd rather have uneven skin than feel like my face is cracking from too much foundation . then you must be serious about your skin care . i go to a spa in l.a. called kinara for its skin care bootcamp . you go once a week for 12 sessions and they 'll look at your skin and tell you how to get it in better condition . they really helped me a lot . i also stay out of the sun . any thoughts on botox or plastic surgery ? i wanted to get botox once to make me feel younger . but i do n't really have -lsb- enough wrinkles -rsb- to justify it yet . as for going under the knife , i ca n't say i would n't , but i have n't thought too much about it . best beauty product ? egyptian magic cream is my saving grace for everything . it works for my friend 's baby 's bottom , and i can also use it instead of chapstick . so what 's next ? i 'm really excited about having a perma-tan and wearing long highlighted hair extensions for my role on `` kath and kim . '' and i 've been gaining weight for the part by eating a little bit more of what i want and not moving around as much . i 've already put on 15 pounds , and i 'll probably gain another 10 . it 'll be a whole new me ! will this be your most drastic transformation ? actually i wore huge prosthetic boobs for a john waters movie . they were glued on every day by a really handsome guy , but ripping them off every night was definitely outside my realm of comfort . after those bosoms , i did n't mind being flat-chested anymore ! get a free trial issue of instyle - click here ! copyright © 2008 time inc. . all rights reserved .<doc-sep>-lrb- instyle.com -rrb- -- it takes a truly adventurous actress to pull off a razored mohawk , a platinum pixie and a louise brooks bob , but we 'd expect nothing less from the ever provocative selma blair , who experimented with all three looks in under a year . selma blair says she works with hairstylists and makeup artists who `` have a vision . '' `` i have no fears when it comes to my hair or clothes , '' proclaims the 36-year-old star of nbc 's upcoming mom-and-daughter sitcom `` kath and kim '' and july 's action flick `` hellboy ii : the golden army . '' makeup , however , is an entirely different matter for the self-declared `` poor applier , '' who sticks with basics like nude lipstick and pink blush , and ducks whenever she sees a liquid liner . `` i avoid anything difficult , '' she says . blair 's signature look : `` a rosy cheek , a smudgy eye , a lot of mascara -- i look like a doll that has too much makeup on , and i love it ! '' have you always been a beauty chameleon ? in high school i would mess with my hair and makeup all the time . i used to wear a shirt that said `` ms. clairol '' because i changed my hair color so much . i was blond for a long time , then what my mom called `` barnyard red . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- charlie sheen 's fx comedy `` anger management '' has lost a leading lady . cnn has confirmed that actress selma blair has parted ways with the series , which stars sheen as a therapist named charlie with complicated problems of his own . blair portrayed kate , his fellow therapist and `` best friend with benefits . '' recent reports have hinted at tension between blair and sheen , with tmz suggesting that sheen wanted the actress off the show because of alleged negative comments about his work ethic . on tuesday , studio lionsgate only acknowledged blair 's departure . `` we are confirming that selma blair will not be returning to ` anger management ' and we wish her the very best , '' a statement said .<doc-sep>wants to replace her with mila kunis for $ 1m per episode . by . amelia proud . published : . 09:07 est , 17 june 2013 . | . updated : . 10:05 est , 17 june 2013 . he 's no stranger to backstage bust-ups and now charlie sheen is said to be at loggerheads with his beautiful anger management co-star selma blair . sheen is refusing to shoot the fx show if blair is present on the set after the pair had a huge falling out , it is being reported . sheen , 47 , is even said to have fired the 40-year-old actress after allegedly hearing reports that she 'd badmouthed him to executives at the network . scroll down for video ... ` at war ' : selma blair has reportedly angered charlie sheen so much that he wo n't set foot on the set of his show unless she is removed . chemistry : the pair worked well on screen , but apparently things were n't so rosy behind the cameras . according to tmz , selma told bosses that she does n't rate charlie 's work ethic and complained that he 's often late . when he found out , sheen allegedly complained that as the star of the show he has '40 pages of lines per episode compared to her two . ' he then fired the actress , though it 's not clear he 's actually in a position to do this , and told bosses he would n't show up to work on monday if blair was still attached to the project . another frisky moment : at another moment in the episode , selma was stripping off again as things got steamy with charlie . complicated relationship : charlie and selma 's character kate are best friends in the show , but regularly end up in bed together . all over each other : the couple seem to always be stripping off around each other , even though they 're ` just friends ' what 's more , tmz also contend that . charlie wants to hire mila kunis - the girlfriend of his two and a half . men replacement ashton kutcher - at $ 1 million dollars per episode . replacement ? charlie is reportedly lining up mila for a role . mail online have yet to hear back from blair 's spokesperson . blair . has been a hit as sheen 's best friend kate , a fellow therapist with . whom sheen 's character has an ongoing sexual relationship . the pair 's on-screen chemistry has been praised copiously by tv critics . charlie 's character is a therapist . specialising in anger management , and took on the musician cee lo green . in one hilarious episode - only to have him interrupt his love-making . with selma . trying to curb his anger issues , cee . lo 's character gets charlie to do all his dirty work for him , including . firing members of his staff and breaking up with his girlfriend . but . the final straw is when he interrupts the romantic session between him . and kate , which started earlier in the episode when the pair romped on . the couch .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 19:54 est , 10 october 2012 . | . updated : . 02:23 est , 11 october 2012 . a woman has told how she thought her head was going to explode after she used a hair dye home colouring kit . selma jesus , 32 , grabbed the phone to dial 999 for an ambulance when she had an allergic reaction that caused her face and head to swell dramatically . she feared she was going to die after she used the # 5.99 clairol nice n ' easy black dye and her eyes started to close over while her forehead began to expand . selma jesus , 32 , from bournemouth , dorset , was rushed to hospital after she tried to dye her hair and suffered an allergic reaction and her head swelled . ` it was horrible and i 'm still in shock . i could feel my forehead coming out . ' she admitted she did not carry out the recommended sample test of the dye on herself before putting it on her hair , because she had used different colours by the same brand in the past with no reaction . miss jesus , of bournemouth , said she was given an injection by paramedics who rushed to her home , and her gp gave her a prescription for tablets to relieve the swelling . but she took herself to hospital a few hours later when the swelling got worse . selma soon noticed her face had started to balloon and called for an . ambulance after using clairol nice n ' easy black dye . the reaction was still showing five days after using the black dye . ' i called an ambulance because i was desperate - now i have to take six tablets a day ' she said . a . clairol spokeswoman said ` we are sorry to hear about this situation . our consumers ' safety and well-being is our absolute priority and we are . keen to help however we can . ` reactions to hair colourants can occur for a very small number of people , in the same way that some individuals can react to a variety of foods and natural substances . ` it is clearly stated on the pack that consumers should carry out a patch test each and every time the product is used . ` millions of people all over the world use hair colourants without experiencing any adverse effects . in the uk around 100 million hair colourant applications are carried out every year in homes and salons . ` hair colourants are one of the most thoroughly studied consumer products on the market and their safety is supported by a wealth of scientific research . '

<t> actress selma blair wore huge prosthetic boobs for a john waters movie . </t> <t> she 's gained at least 15 pounds for her role on `` kath and kim '' </t> <t> she considered botox but says she does n't have enough wrinkles for it yet . </t> <t> blair experimented with three completely different looks in less than a year . </t>

selma blair : no hair or clothing fears<T>

washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a retired u.s. army colonel pleaded guilty tuesday to awarding contracts in iraq to a kuwait-based firm in exchange for gifts . levonda selph of virginia admitted accepting $ 4,000 in cash and a $ 5,000 vacation to thailand from the unidentified contractor , which was awarded $ 12 million in contracts to operate defense department warehouses in iraq .<doc-sep>she pleaded guilty to charges of bribery and conspiracy . she was secretly indicted on those charges in october ; the charges were n't disclosed until her court appearance tuesday . under terms of a plea agreement , selph could receive up to 33 months in jail . she promised to repay the government $ 9,000 and to cooperate in an ongoing investigation .<doc-sep>prosecutors said selph was a lieutenant colonel at camp victory in iraq in 2004 and 2005 when she led a committee that awarded the warehouse contracts . the justice department said she will be free until her sentencing october 14 but will not be allowed to leave the country .<doc-sep>by . associated press . and daily mail reporter . published : . 14:16 est , 12 february 2014 . | . updated : . 17:14 est , 12 february 2014 . the former mayor of new orleans has been found guilty on 20 of the 21 federal corruption counts he faced including taking bribes and free trips from contractors in exchange for securing city contracts . the federal jury alleged that ray nagin accepted the bribes after helping the private companies win million-dollar projects . nagin is best remembered for his impassioned pleas for help after levees broke during hurricane katrina , flooding much of new orleans and plunging the city into chaos .<doc-sep>a former senior chinese military officer would bribe officials by filling up a mercedes with gold bars and simply handing over the keys , it is claimed . gu junshan , 57 , former lieutenant general in the logistics department of the people 's liberation army , is alleged to have been part of a scam worth a staggering 30billion yuan -lrb- # 3.1 billion -rrb- . prosecutors claim he personally accepted about 600million yuan -lrb- # 63million -rrb- in bribes himself , mainly for the alleged sale of hundreds of military positions . midas touch : former pla lieutenant general gu junshan would bribe officials by filling up a mercedes with gold bars and simply handing over the keys , according to a recent magazine report in hong kong . gu also loved gold , especially gold statues of buddha , though he preferred receiving ground up gold rather than gold bars when he was taking bribes , according to a report in hong kong 's phoenix weekly . the magazine is run by hong kong broadcaster phoenix television , which has close ties with the chinese government .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- four virginia men were arrested tuesday on allegations of bribery and kickbacks in what prosecutors describe as an elaborate scheme thought to involve hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts connected to the u.s. army corps of engineers . the suspects include two long-time corps employees charged in an alleged conspiracy involving more than $ 20 million in bribes and kickbacks , as well as a plan to try to steer a $ 780 million contract to a favored contractor , the u.s. justice department reported . another of the defendants is director of contracts for a company that did business with the federal government , the justice department said . corps employees michael alexander , 55 , and kerry khan , 53 , as well as khan 's son , lee , 30 , and harold babb , 60 , were all indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud , conspiracy to commit money laundering , and aiding and abetting , according to a justice department statement .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- former new orleans mayor ray nagin was sentenced to 10 years in prison wednesday in a bribery scandal that rocked the city , the u.s. justice department said . u.s. district judge helen g. berrigan also ordered that nagin pay $ 84,264 in restitution to the internal revenue service . in february , a jury found him guilty of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and other favors from businessmen looking for a break from his administration . of the 21 counts against him , he was convicted of 20 . the former mayor maintained his innocence even after the conviction . prosecutors argued that nagin was at the center of a kickback scheme in which he received checks , cash , wire transfers , personal services and free travel from businessmen seeking contracts and favorable treatment from the city . a january 2013 indictment detailed more than $ 200,000 in bribes to the mayor , and his family members allegedly received a vacation in hawaii ; first-class airfare to jamaica ; private jet travel and a limousine for new york city ; and cellular phone service . in exchange , businesses that coughed up for nagin and his family won more than $ 5 million in city contracts , according to the indictment . few tears shed for nagin in the city he once led .

<t> former u.s. army colonel pleads guilty to bribery and conspiracy . </t> <t> levonda selph admits accepting cash , vacation from contractor . </t> <t> prosecutors : in exchange for gifts , selph steered contracts to firm . </t> <t> contracts let company operate defense department warehouses in iraq . </t>

ex-army officer admits taking bribes for iraq contracts<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the 19-year-old woman whose hospitalization exposed a shocking austrian incest case is recovering well and wants to see the ocean and a pop concert , her doctors and a family lawyer said wednesday . dr. albert reiter , who treated kerstin , is confident kerstin will make a full recovery in time . she and other children who were held captive for years are slowly adapting to modern life , they said . kerstin fritzl , whom doctors placed in an artificial coma after she was admitted to a hospital in april for multiple organ failure , is now well enough to speak , stand and walk with assistance , her doctors said . doctors said that `` little novelties '' such as seeing a cloud go by are now big events for the former captives . kerstin has said she wants to see the ocean and go to a concert by british singer robbie williams , said dr. berhold kepplinger , director of the clinic where the family is living . he described how excited kerstin was to hear robbie williams songs in her hospital room and said she was moving around to the music so much that doctors had to quiet her down . it was then , kepplinger said , that doctors became confident kerstin can become fully healthy and develop normally . her immune system has improved , and she is continuing to have physiotherapy , including strengthening exercises , he said . watch doctors describe what happened when the teen opened her eyes '' the two parts of her family -- those who were locked in a basement , like kerstin , and those who lived above ground , apparently unaware of the abuse of their mother and siblings -- are getting to know each other again , the doctors and the family 's lawyer said . `` we are so glad that things have turned out so positively so far , '' said lawyer christoph herbst , who appeared at a news conference at a hotel near amstetten , west of vienna , where kerstin and her family are recovering . kerstin is the oldest daughter of an incestuous relationship between elisabeth , 43 , and elisabeth 's father , josef fritzl , 73 , according to police . he is awaiting trial . police say he confessed to holding elisabeth captive since 1984 and raping her repeatedly , fathering seven children with her . six of the children survived . kerstin fell unconscious in april , and elisabeth convinced her father that she needed urgent medical attention . kerstin was admitted to a hospital in amstetten , where staff grew suspicious and called police , who opened an investigation and uncovered the abuse . kerstin was suffering from kidney , lung , and liver failure when she arrived at the hospital , said dr. albert reiter , director of the hospital . doctors were able to turn her health around , but they kept her in a coma with artificial respiration for weeks , he said . doctors started reducing kerstin 's medication may 12 , allowing her to emerge from the coma , he said . three days later , she opened her eyes and smiled at her carers , he said , and doctors were soon able to take the breathing tube from her throat . her mother was at kerstin 's bedside regularly , and doctors credited that with helping kerstin 's health improve . on sunday , kerstin finally met with other family members and was able to say hello to them , he said . kerstin and the rest of the family were also able to move into an apartment at a regional clinic nearby . `` it was a special moment where , walking , we were able to support her and cross the threshold into a new house and into a new life , '' reiter said . kerstin and two of her brothers , ages 18 and 5 , had spent their entire lives trapped in the cellar with their mother , never seeing daylight . a television was their only contact with the outside world . the other three children josef fritzl fathered with elisabeth were taken as infants to live above ground with fritzl and his wife , who says she had no idea her daughter was being held captive . in recent weeks , the wife and the three children have had several meetings with kerstin and the others formerly held in the basement . the doctors said that all are receiving therapy and are getting to know each other . `` it is clear that -lsb- the two sides -rsb- have a different temper of life , '' kepplinger said . `` these different ways of living , the two parts of the family , still have to come to some agreement . '' still , the entire family is `` very happy '' to be reunited , herbst said . `` this is an incredible drawing-near to each other . there is incredible joy among them , '' he said . `` it is wonderful to see the way they are living together . '' he appealed to the public and the media to give the family privacy . there continues to be `` big ambivalence '' about the `` grandfather issue , '' as kepplinger called it , and therapists are helping the family members cope with the complicated relationship they have with each other and with fritzl , who is now behind bars .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the 19-year-old woman whose hospitalization exposed a shocking austrian incest case is recovering well and wants to see the ocean and a pop concert , her doctors and a family lawyer said wednesday . dr. albert reiter , who treated kerstin , is confident kerstin will make a full recovery in time . she and other children who were held captive for years are slowly adapting to modern life , they said . kerstin fritzl , whom doctors placed in an artificial coma after she was admitted to a hospital in april for multiple organ failure , is now well enough to speak , stand and walk with assistance , her doctors said . doctors said that `` little novelties '' such as seeing a cloud go by are now big events for the former captives . kerstin has said she wants to see the ocean and go to a concert by british singer robbie williams , said dr. berhold kepplinger , director of the clinic where the family is living . he described how excited kerstin was to hear robbie williams songs in her hospital room and said she was moving around to the music so much that doctors had to quiet her down . it was then , kepplinger said , that doctors became confident kerstin can become fully healthy and develop normally . her immune system has improved , and she is continuing to have physiotherapy , including strengthening exercises , he said . watch doctors describe what happened when the teen opened her eyes '' the two parts of her family -- those who were locked in a basement , like kerstin , and those who lived above ground , apparently unaware of the abuse of their mother and siblings -- are getting to know each other again , the doctors and the family 's lawyer said . `` we are so glad that things have turned out so positively so far , '' said lawyer christoph herbst , who appeared at a news conference at a hotel near amstetten , west of vienna , where kerstin and her family are recovering . kerstin is the oldest daughter of an incestuous relationship between elisabeth , 43 , and elisabeth 's father , josef fritzl , 73 , according to police . he is awaiting trial . police say he confessed to holding elisabeth captive since 1984 and raping her repeatedly , fathering seven children with her . six of the children survived . kerstin fell unconscious in april , and elisabeth convinced her father that she needed urgent medical attention . kerstin was admitted to a hospital in amstetten , where staff grew suspicious and called police , who opened an investigation and uncovered the abuse .<doc-sep>• murder : the infant who died in 1996 died from a lack of medical care , the state prosecutor said . the charge carries a sentence of life in prison . • involvement in slave trade : from 1984 until 2008 , prosecutors allege , fritzl held his daughter , elisabeth , captive in a dungeon , abused her sexually and treated her as if she were his personal property -- in a situation similar to slavery . if he is convicted , the sentence could range from 10 to 20 years in prison . • rape : between august 30 , 1984 , and june 30 , 1989 , fritzl `` regularly sexually abused elisabeth , '' according to the prosecutor . the sentence could be from five to 15 years in prison . • incest : parallel to the rape charge . it carries a sentence of up to one year . • withdrawal of liberty : three of the children fritzl had with elisabeth were illegally held captive in a dungeon with no daylight or fresh air , according to prosecutors . that charge carries a sentence of one to 10 years . • assault : between august 28 , 1984 , and april 26 , 2006 , fritzl repeatedly threatened elisabeth and their three children with gas and booby traps as warnings in case they tried to escape , authorities allege . the sentence would range from six months to five years . cnn 's diana magnay and frederik pleitgen in st. poelten and melissa gray in london contributed to this report .<doc-sep>under austrian law , if fritzl is convicted on several offenses , he will be given the sentence linked to the worst crime . the charges he faces are : . • murder : the infant who died in 1996 died from a lack of medical care , the state prosecutor said . the charge carries a sentence of life in prison . • involvement in slave trade : from 1984 until 2008 , prosecutors allege , fritzl held his daughter , elisabeth , captive in a dungeon , abused her sexually and treated her as if she were his personal property -- in a situation similar to slavery . if he is convicted , the sentence could range from 10 to 20 years in prison . • rape : between august 30 , 1984 , and june 30 , 1989 , fritzl `` regularly sexually abused elisabeth , '' according to the prosecutor . the sentence could be from five to 15 years in prison . • incest : parallel to the rape charge . it carries a sentence of up to one year . • withdrawal of liberty : three of the children fritzl had with elisabeth were illegally held captive in a dungeon with no daylight or fresh air , according to prosecutors . that charge carries a sentence of one to 10 years . • assault : between august 28 , 1984 , and april 26 , 2006 , fritzl repeatedly threatened elisabeth and their three children with gas and booby traps as warnings in case they tried to escape , authorities allege . the sentence would range from six months to five years . cnn 's frederik pleitgen and melissa gray contributed to this report .<doc-sep>` we plan to move to new jersey where we can be safe under the law , since adult incest is n't illegal there , and once i 'm there i 'll tell everyone , ' she says . ` i 'll call my mom and let her know that we are in love and we are having children . if she wants to see her grandkids we 'll send her money and she can drive to see us . ' and while many people , and science , may argue that having a child with a family member can lead to genetic problems , she scoffs at this notion . ` everybody thinks that kids born in incestuous relationships will definitely have genetic problems , but that 's not true , ' she explains . ` that happens when there 's years of inbreeding , like with the royal family . incest has been around as long as humans have . ' that being said , she says her chidlren will never learn how mommy and daddy first met . ' i do n't want to give them any problems , ' she says .

<t> daughter of austrian incest victim reunited with family , expected to make full recovery . </t> <t> kerstin fritzl , 19 , has spent her entire life in cellar . </t> <t> the dungeon was uncovered after she was taken to hospital with illness . </t> <t> josef fritzl , 73 , has allegedly confessed to incestuous relationship with teen 's mom . </t>

incest dungeon teen wants to see ocean<T>

-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- census-takers are fanning out across sudan this week in a landmark headcount meant to determine how to divide power and wealth in the war-weary african nation . a south sudanese soldier keeps watch , with the threat of civil war still high in the war-torn country . the census is a key component of a 2005 peace agreement that ended a 22-year civil war which killed 2 million people and displaced an estimated 4 million others . the war pitted a government dominated by arab muslims in northern sudan against black christians and animists in the south . delays in starting the census were among the reasons cited when southerners withdrew last year from a government of national unity . they rejoined the government two months later , but tension and occasional fighting near the disputed territory of abyei has threatened to reignite the civil war . `` god forbid , that 's a distinct possibility , '' said andebrhan giorgis , senior policy adviser for africa for the international crisis group , a non-profit organization that seeks to prevent and resolve crisis . `` it 's quite worrisome . '' north-south tensions have worsened even as international attention has focused more on persistent violence in the darfur region of western sudan , where roughly 300,000 people have been killed since 2003 in a campaign of killing , rape and displacement that the u.s. calls genocide . results from the national census , which began tuesday , will be used to establish electoral districts and determine political representation in a national assembly , giorgis said . `` it 's an important milestone , '' he told cnn on wednesday . the u.n. peacekeeping mission in sudan also hailed the census as vital , in a statement tuesday . the census is key to establishing voting districts in advance of national elections scheduled for 2009 . it is also critical in determining how oil wealth is to be shared between the north and south , who have a history of animosity and mistrust . it 's unclear how census-takers will operate in darfur - and how accurately they will be able to count the population there , giorgis said . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president obama recently encouraged americans to `` take about 10 minutes to answer 10 questions '' and fill out their 2010 census form . this year 's questionnaire is one of the shortest in history , but the results of the survey have long-term effects . the census , taken every 10 years , is used to determine how to allocate more than $ 400 billion in federal funds and seats house of representatives and determine the boundaries of representatives ' districts . `` there is no representative democracy without it . it 's the scientific , nonpartisan , apolitical starting point of what eventually becomes a quite partisan , political process , '' said kenneth prewitt , a professor at columbia 's school of international and public affairs and the former director of the united states census bureau . the house is made up of 435 congressional seats that represent relatively equal slices of the population . when data from the census show a shift in population , seats in the house get reassigned . some states might pick up a seat or two , while others are forced to combine two districts into one . the process of apportioning seats is straightforward , but redistricting is much more complicated . districts are supposed to be redrawn to reflect population changes and to make sure there is equal representation in the house . state legislators and governors typically draw the districts , but some states rely on restricting committees . districts can affect the balance of power in the house and representation in the state legislature . `` people try to do things that are to their political advantage if they happen to be in power because maybe the next time the census comes out , the other party will be in power , '' said william frey , a demographer and senior fellow with the brookings institution . lawmakers have been accused of carving district lines around the constituents that will give their party an advantage and secure political gains . the process is known as gerrymandering , a term coined after massachusetts gov. elbridge gerry . elected in 1810 , he signed an obscure redistricting bill that enabled greater and perhaps disproportionate republican representation in the massachusetts legislature . related : who was elbridge gerry ? critics say gerrymandering gives those in power an unfair advantage and can dilute the power of minority groups . the supreme court in 2006 took up a case looking at a redistricting plan promoted by then-u.s. house majority leader tom delay , r-texas . after the 2000 census , a state court redrew the texas map with input from state lawmakers . but after republicans gained control of the legislature in 2002 , delay promoted a second redistricting proposal for congressional boundaries .<doc-sep>no response to the suit has been filed , and it was unclear whether the bardwells had retained an attorney . the lawsuit seeks unspecified damages , claiming that humphrey and mckay suffered emotional distress as a result of the incident . louisiana gov. bobby jindal has said he believed bardwell should lose his license , and the national urban league called for an investigation into the incident by the u.s. justice department 's civil rights division , saying in a statement that bardwell 's actions were `` a huge step backward in social justice . '' according to the census bureau , tangipahoa parish is about 70 percent white and 30 percent black . the u.s. supreme court tossed out any racially-based limitations on marriage in the landmark 1967 ruling in the case loving v. virginia . in the unanimous decision , the court said that under the constitution , `` the freedom to marry , or not marry , a person of another race resides with the individual and can not be infringed by the state . '' cnn 's shawn nottingham contributed to this report .<doc-sep>part of heglig is disputed , along with much of the 1,200-mile border . sudan president omar al-bashir is scheduled to travel to the southern capital on april 3 to meet with his counterpart , south sudan president salva kiir , and sign a deal on border demarcation . under that agreement , the countries would establish a joint committee and technical team to mark the border . another agreement would guarantee the rights of citizens from each country living on either side of the border . the accords are considered landmark achievements , reached after eight months of negotiations that began after south sudan broke away from sudan and declared independence july 9 . the split , which came after two decades of civil war , left a raft of unresolved issues , including how much the landlocked south should pay to transport its oil through a pipeline running across sudan .<doc-sep>`` i 'm not a racist , '' bardwell told the newspaper . `` i do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house . my main concern is for the children . '' bardwell , stressing that he could n't personally endorse the marriage , said his wife referred the couple to another justice of the peace . watch why justice says he nixed interracial marriage '' humphrey and mckay received their marriage license october 9 from another justice of the peace in the same parish . they have reached out to an attorney to determine their next step , humphrey said . `` we would like him to resign , '' beth mckay said . `` he does n't believe he 's being racist , but it is racist . '' the national urban league called for an investigation into the incident by the u.s. justice department 's civil rights division , saying in a statement that bardwell 's actions were `` a huge step backward in social justice . '' according to the census bureau , tangipahoa parish is about 70 percent white and 30 percent black . the u.s. supreme court tossed out any racially-based limitations on marriage in the landmark 1967 loving v. virginia case . in the unanimous decision , the court said that `` under our constitution , the freedom to marry , or not marry , a person of another race resides with the individual and can not be infringed by the state . ''

<t> census-takers fan out across sudan this week in a landmark headcount . </t> <t> count will be used to determine how power is shared in the war-torn country . </t> <t> north-south tensions continue to simmer , threatening the return of civil war . </t>

landmark sudan census seeks to determine power balance<T>