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Check out Pacific Northwest College of Art's annual student art sale . Settle in to watch a play at the renovated Gerding Theater at the Armory . Stop for dinner at 50 Plates, a casual bistro serving all-American classics .

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(Sunset) -- The old warehouses of Portland's Pearl District are home to increasingly cool cultural diversions. Spend a weekend browsing the neighborhood's art galleries, snack on a pumpkin-pie cupcake and enjoy dinner and a show. The Gerding Theater at the Armory has been transformed after its $36 million eco-renovation. Take it home . If prices in the Pearl's posh galleries put a damper on your holiday gift giving, head to the Pacific Northwest College of Art for its annual student-art sale. Future famous artists sell surprisingly sophisticated gifts reflecting their fields of study: one-of-a-kind monotypes and screen-printed cards, jewelry with semiprecious stones, gorgeous oil paintings and thought-provoking metal sculptures. Catch a show . The once-vacant, castlelike Gerding Theater at the Armory has been transformed after its $36 million eco-renovation. For people-watching, sip wine in the loft overlooking the lobby, then settle in for Portland Center Stage's one-man play "R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe." Sunset.com: Life in the Pearl . One-stop gallery hop . Who cares if it's raining when you have the DeSoto Building/Museum of Contemporary Craft -- four fine art galleries and an innovative museum under one roof? Hit the museum's Holiday Shoppe (December 3-January 4) for funky felt rings and handcrafted ornaments. Great Pearl eats . Wild rice-smoked duck breast is steps from the Gerding Theater at Ten 01. Or try Isabel; we like the brown rice and tofu bowl with peanut sauce. Then there's 50 Plates, a casual bistro serving all-American classics. Sunset.com: Green in Portland . A twist on pumpkin pie . Warm up for T-Day with a luscious pumpkin pie cupcake filled with pumpkin cream at Cupcake Jones, a grab-and-go bakery. (Then place your order for Thanksgiving dessert.) WANT MORE ENTERTAINMENT? (Portland's got it) For budding theater buffs . Kids will eat up the juicy Oregon Children's Theatre production of Roald Dahl's classic "James and the Giant Peach," while you'll get a kick out of the high-flying special effects and dry humor. For small-stage premieres . See classics and local playwrights' works on one of Artists Repertory Theatre's two intimate stages. Get some comic relief during the hectic holidays with Marc Acito and C.S. Witcomb's "Holidazed," a humorous look at modern families coping with old-fashioned Christmas traditions. For indie-film fans . The Northwest Film Center presents themed series, retrospectives and annual film festivals. The Portland International Film Festival, held in February, features nearly 100 films from more than 30 countries. Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright 2004-2008 Sunset magazine. All rights reserved.

NEW: Discovery called a "significant break" in outbreak investigation . Strain is Salmonella Saintpaul, which has sickened hundreds recently . CDC: Pepper grown in Mexico, but origin of bacteria uncertain . Bacteria were found at distribution center in McAllen, Texas .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Investigators had a "significant break" in tracking the salmonella outbreak when they found the bacteria on a jalapeño pepper imported from Mexico at a Texas food supplier, the Food and Drug Administration announced Monday. The FDA has discouraged all consumers from eating raw jalapeño peppers. The FDA also warned consumers not to eat fresh jalapeños and products made with fresh jalapeños. The discovery may provide a clue to the source of a recent outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul. The bacteria have sickened more than 1,200 people in 42 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "One of the jalapeño peppers has tested positive with a genetic match to the Saintpaul strand," said Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the CDC's Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases. Consumer Tips Blog: Hold the jalapeños He said officials are "looking at the chain that the peppers would have passed through to decide if any of them are a point of contamination." Watch more on the salmonella outbreak » Tauxe called the discovery a "significant break." "While this one sample does not give us the whole story, this genetic break is very important," he said. "This will hopefully help us pinpoint the source of this outbreak." The bacteria were found at a distribution center in McAllen, Texas, and the distributor has agreed to recall the products. Although the pepper was grown on a farm in Mexico, Tauxe said, investigators are not yet certain where the bacteria originated. Read food safety tips » "This does not mean that the pepper was contaminated in Mexico," he said. "We aren't only looking for the source, but the reason for the spread [of the outbreak]." The news comes just days after the FDA lifted its ban on consumption of certain raw tomatoes. The FDA has not ruled out tomatoes as the source of the original outbreak, but investigators have determined that tomatoes currently in fields and stores are safe, Dr. David Acheson, the FDA's associate commissioner for food protection, said Thursday. Learn about the differences between salmonella and E. coli » The FDA is still investigating fresh tomatoes as a possible source of the outbreak. It is possible that tomatoes were paired with another food that was contaminated, Tauxe said. Watch more on the FDA investigation » Before Monday's warning, the agency had discouraged high-risk people -- elderly people, infants and those with impaired immune systems -- from eating serrano and jalapeño peppers. Two elderly men with pre-existing conditions died while infected with Salmonella Saintpaul, and the FDA said the infection could have contributed to their deaths.

New PM: Zimbabwe urgently needs government to address food crisis . Robert Mugabe blames country's economic collapse on sanctions .

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HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Zimbabwe urgently needs to form a new government in order to address a food crisis in the nation and prevent starvation, newly designated Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told reporters Saturday. At least 80 percent of the population of Zimbabwe are living below the poverty line. Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, said there was a "deepening food insecurity" in the country. "We need to respond to this crisis with utmost urgency," he said. "It is therefore imperative that a government be formed in the next few days and begins to implement plans to insure that our people have food and do not die of starvation." Zimbabwe industries are operating at about 10 percent of capacity, and the food and manufacturing industry will not be able to deliver sufficient food supplies to markets. Tsvangirai signed a power sharing deal with President Robert Mugabe on September 15 but the two have not yet agreed on the distribution of Cabinet posts. Earlier this week, Mugabe told the press that only four posts were still to be agreed on. But Tsvangirai said in response, "I think to minimize the remaining issues to only four issues, it is to underplay the whole process. The issue is that the negotiation must be concluded I think the matter will be solved once all the principals are back in the country." Mugabe has been in the United States for a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. He is expected back in the country after Saturday. Zimbabwe has been facing a collapsing economy for nearly a decade, and is plagued with high unemployment, food shortages and at least 80 percent of the population living below the poverty line. This has been accompanied by dizzying levels of inflation -- now officially at 11.2 million percent, the highest in the world. Once an exporter of food, Zimbabwe has been a net importer of food since 2000, when Mugabe's government embarked on a controversial and violent land reform program that displaced some experienced commercial farmers, most of them of European origin. Tsvangirai said he has consulted with food security experts and was told the country needs to import 800,000 tons of maize (corn) to avoid starvation until the next harvest in April.

Hundreds queue outside AIG subsidiary in Singapore following news of U.S. bailout . U.S. Fed announces $85 billion loan to one of world's largest insurers . Singapore offices try to ease worries of policyholders .

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SINGAPORE (CNN) -- Hundreds of customers flocked to the Singapore office of troubled insurer American International Group Inc. (AIG) on Wednesday, many hoping to pull their investments and policies from the company. People in Singapore queue outside the office of AIA, a subsidiary of AIG. The crowd formed just hours after the U.S. Federal Reserve Board authorized the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to lend $85 billion to a crumbling AIG. In return, the federal government will receive a nearly 80 percent stake in the company. One person who lined up in Singapore, retired teacher Wong Yoke Inn, said she was going to pull her investments from AIA even though it would cost her about $3,000 -- the equivalent of about $2,000 in the United States. She joined an orderly crowd whose members were each given a number and a time to return to meet with a representative of AIA Singapore -- AIG's division in the island nation. AIA tried to allay investors concerns in a statement distributed outside the Singapore office and posted on the company's Web site. "AIA Singapore has more than sufficient capital and reserves ... to meet our obligations to policyholders," the statement said. "The funds maintained in Singapore are segregated from American International Group, Inc. (AIG) and are held specifically for the purpose of meeting our obligations to policyholders." The U.S. government announced Tuesday night that it would act to save America's largest insurer from filing for bankruptcy. Such a move almost certainly would have further roiled world markets already reeling from the bankruptcy filling of Lehman Brothers and the sale of Merrill Lynch to Bank of America. AIG has $1.1 trillion in assets and 74 million clients in 130 countries.

Pakistan summons U.S. ambassador over missile attacks . Missile strike from a suspected U.S. drone killed 20 people . Suspected Taliban militants kidnap 3 officials from in tribal region .

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's foreign ministry said Wednesday that it has lodged a "strong" protest with the U.S. ambassador over missile attacks conducted on Pakistani soil by unmanned drones. The aftermath of a suspected U.S. drone attack on a building in North Waziristan. The ministry said it summoned Ambassador Anne Patterson to underscore that such attacks violate Pakistan's sovereignty and should be stopped immediately. A statement from the ministry said Patterson was also told that the attacks have cost lives and undermined public support for Pakistan's counter terrorism efforts. The ministry lodged its protests three days after a missile strike from a suspected U.S. drone on a compound in South Waziristan killed 20 people. Pakistan has repeatedly raised objections to foreign nations violating its sovereignty to pursue terrorists. A U.S. ground operation in September that left several civilians dead rankled relations between the two countries. Last week, Pakistan's parliament passed a resolution that condemned any incursion on Pakistani soil by foreign forces. The resolution called for a review of the country's national security strategy and said the government needs to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The ministry said it handed Patterson a copy of the resolution. The U.S. and NATO, which have troops in Afghanistan, have been seeking a way to effectively battle militants who launch attacks from Pakistan's swath of tribal areas along the border. They have become frustrated with Islamabad over the years, saying it is not being proactive enough against militants -- a claim Pakistan denies. The United States is the only country operating in the region known to have the capability to launch missiles from drones, which are controlled remotely. In another development, suspected Taliban militants kidnapped three government officials from an administrative office in Pakistan's tribal region Wednesday, officials said. The militants abducted two employees and a security guard from the Ambar district in Mohmand Agency. Mohmand is in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, where U.S. and Pakistani officials have reported a presence of militants. Earlier in the day, militants tried unsuccessfully to take control of a school in Mohmand and abduct about 100 students, authorities said. A shootout with Frontier Corps followed, in which one militant was killed and another arrested. The Frontier Corps is a paramilitary force which uses recruits from Pakistan's tribal areas and is overseen by Pakistani army officers. Also Wednesday, a suicide car bomber detonated explosives outside a police checkpoint in northwest Pakistan, killing two security personnel, officials said. The Wednesday afternoon attack in the Bannu district of the North West Frontier Province also wounded a dozen people, military sources said. The bomber targeted a check point near a military hospital, said the sources who did not want their names revealed because they are not authorized to speak to the media. CNN's Reza Sayah and journalist Janullah Hashimzada contributed to this report .

British teens sentenced to nine months in prison for trying to smuggle cocaine . The duo, both 16, were arrested in Ghana on July 2, 2007 at Accra's airport . Girls unlikely to serve whole sentence as have been in jail more than 6 months .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- A juvenile court in Ghana has sentenced two teenage girls from Great Britain to nine months in jail for trying to smuggle cocaine out of the country, Ghana's national news agency said Wednesday. The girls were stopped by customs officials at Accra trying to smuggle drugs back to Britain. The 16-year-olds will not have to serve the full sentence because they have already spent more than six months in jail, a British Foreign Office spokesman said. Fair Trials International, a UK-based group that provided legal assistance to the pair, said in a statement Wednesday that it will decide in the coming days whether to appeal. The girls faced a maximum sentence of three years but are expected to be released on April 18, the group said. For now, the girls are housed in a correctional home for girls in the country's capital, Accra. Ghanaian police arrested the teenagers as they were readying to board a British Airways flight back to London last July. When officials searched their laptop bags as part of departure formalities, they found about 6 kg (13 lbs) of cocaine, the Ghana News Agency and British media reports said. Authorities in Ghana said a man paid the girls 6,000 pounds (about $11,700) to fly to Ghana to retrieve the laptop bags containing the drugs from two of his associates, the news agency added. Those men have not been caught. Fair Trials called the girls "pawns in a larger operation. "It is deeply unfortunate that they, and not the men who lured them to Ghana, are bearing the consequences," said the group's chief executive, Catherine Wolthuizen. Ghana and other West African countries have become a transit point for drugs headed to Europe. The girls were arrested in a joint Britain-Ghana drug detection operation, the United Kingdom's customs agency said Wednesday. E-mail to a friend .

Manchester Utd beat Arsenal 2-1 in the Premier League game at Old Trafford . United go six points clear of Chelsea, who play Wigan on Monday . Arsenal are nine points adrift of the leaders with four games to play .

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MANCHESTER, England -- Owen Hargreaves curled in a superb free-kick, 18 minutes from time, to give Manchester United a 2-1 Premier League victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford. Hargreaves curls his match-winning free-kick over the Arsenal wall and past Lehmann. The win lifted United six points clear of Chelsea, who meet Wigan on Monday, and effectively ended Arsenal's fading title bid. The Gunners trail United by nine points with four matches left to play. Emmanuel Adebayor gave Arsenal a 48th minute lead but Cristiano Ronaldo equalized from the penalty spot minutes later with his 38th goal of the season. The loss dooms Arsene Wenger's side to their third season without a trophy and ends a black week which also included a Champions League quarterfinal defeat to English rivals Liverpool. England midfielder Hargreaves, best known for his determined defending, Scored United's 100th goal in 50 games this campaign when his curled free-kick from the edge of the box over the wall left goalkeeper Jens Lehmann standing. Adebayor headed Arsenal in front three minutes into the second period when he met Robin van Persie's cross and profited from confusion between United keeper Edwin van der Sar and center-back Rio Ferdinand. There were no complaints from United about the goal but tv replays suggested Adebayor may have handled the ball rather than knocked it in with his head, even though he was just a few yards away from goal. Six minutes later Arsenal defender William Gallas clearly handled inside his own area and referee Howard Webb pointed to the spot. Ronaldo netted but Webb ordered the penalty to be re-taken because of encroachment by other players. Lehmann, only playing because of a wrist injury to first-choice keeper Manuel Almunia, was then booked for delaying the second kick. Ronaldo, making light of the pressure of the situation, stuck with his stuttering run-up and struck the ball low and hard past the German international's right-hand. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard scored and created a goal for Fernando Torres in a 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers at Anfield. Spain striker Torres now has 30 goals this season and midfielder Gerrard 21 .Substitute Andriy Voronin added a third in the 90th minute. This win left Liverpool five points clear of city rivals Everton in the race for the final Champions League qualifying spot. Sunday's match, played out against a backdrop of ongoing boardroom rows at Anfield, was all square for an hour until England midfielder Gerrard beat several Rovers players on the edge of the box before sliding the ball past goalkeeper Brad Friedel. Torres then became the first Liverpool player to score in seven consecutive top-flight games at Anfield when he headed in Gerrard's cross eight minutes from time. Voronin then got on the end of a John Arne Riise cross to make it 3-0 before Roque Santa Cruz pulled a goal back for Rovers in stoppage time. E-mail to a friend .

Police: Casey Anthony has been "leading ... investigators down the wrong path." Caylee Anthony, 3, reported missing month after her June disappearance, police say . Police have said evidence suggests Florida toddler is dead .

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(CNN) -- Investigators have named Casey Anthony a suspect in the mid-June disappearance of her toddler daughter, Caylee, Florida authorities said Wednesday. Casey Anthony had been called a "person of interest" in her daughter's disappearance. Police had previously labeled Anthony -- who authorities said didn't report the 3-year-old child's disappearance until mid-July -- a "person of interest" in the case. "Casey is a suspect," said Orange County Sheriff's Department Capt. Angelo Nieves. "She has been uncooperative, leading investigators down the wrong path and lying to them. She has not provided any credible information about the last time she saw her or where she was left." Casey Anthony of Orlando, Florida, was arrested July 16 on suspicion of telling detectives lies about Caylee's disappearance. She was released on bail after that arrest and subsequent arrests on unrelated theft charges. Authorities said weeks ago that evidence suggests Caylee is dead. Investigators found evidence of human decomposition in the trunk of Anthony's car, authorities have said. Law enforcement sources also suggested that a strand of hair found in the trunk of the car was Caylee's. Watch Nancy Grace speak to Casey Anthony's "babysitter" » . Authorities also have said they found traces of chloroform in the car Anthony drove and Internet searches of chloroform Web sites on her computer. Anthony and her daughter have garnered national headlines and served as fodder for nightly crime shows. Protesters have held vigils outside Anthony's home pleading with her to give police more information about Caylee's whereabouts. In connection with her July arrest, Anthony was charged with child neglect, making false official statements and obstructing a criminal investigation. CNN's Andrew Iden and Natisha Lance contributed to this report.

Network of breakaway traditionalists expected to announce formation of rival province . Move comes after years of dispute over progressive direction of Episcopal Church . Tipping point for many was consecration of gay man as bishop of New Hampshire . New division expected to take in 100,000 from parishes that left Episcopal Church .

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(CNN) -- Breakaway conservative members of the Episcopal Church in the United States and its Canadian counterpart are expected to formally announce Wednesday the formation of a rival North American Anglican church. The consecration of Rev. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire left many conservatives disaffected. Leaders of the Common Cause Partnership, a network of more than 100,000 Anglican Christians in North America, are expected to unveil a draft constitution for a new ecclesiastical territorial division, or province, at an evening service in Wheaton Evangelical Free Church in Wheaton, Illinois, the group said in a written statement. "The public release of our draft constitution is an important concrete step toward the goal of a biblical, missionary and united Anglican Church in North America," Bishop Robert Duncan of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, diocese, said in the written statement. The move comes after years of debate over issues from the interpretation of the Bible to homosexuality. Tensions reached a boiling point in 2003, when the Episcopal Church consecrated an openly gay man, Rev. Gene Robinson, as bishop of New Hampshire. The move outraged worshippers with traditionalist tendencies, and since then, four dioceses and several parishes have left the Episcopalian Church, including Duncan's Pittsburgh diocese. In all, the newly formed division will consist of about 100,000 members from the secessionist dioceses and parishes, along with splinter groups that had left the Episcopalian Church in earlier years, said Robert Lundy, a spokesman for the group . "This constitution brings them back together under one church, all aligned together," Lundy said. "This is all these folks coming back together." Lunday said it was safe to say Duncan will lead the nascent province. An assembly is likely to be called next year to determine additional leadership, he said. The Rev. Dr. Charles K. Robertson, canon to the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, issued a statement saying it would not hazard a guess as to the consequences of Wednesday's service. "We will not predict what will or will not come out of this meeting, but simply continue to be clear that the Episcopal Church, along with the Anglican Church of Canada and the La Iglesia Anglicana de Mexico, comprise the official, recognized presence of the Anglican Communion in North America," he said. "We reiterate what has been true of Anglicanism for centuries: that there is room within the Episcopal Church for people with different views, and we regret that some have felt the need to depart from the diversity of our common life in Christ." The Episcopal Church is part of the Anglican Communion, which is composed of 38 provinces around the world. It was not immediately clear which of the other provinces would recognize the Anglican Church in North America, but Lundy said in a meeting last year in Jerusalem indicated that some would do so. Lundy said the draft constitution will state the province's core beliefs and doctrine. He said it will not lay out definite policies for issues the leaders disagree on, such as ordaining women.

Men suffered injuries after being carried along in rush for bargains, suit claims . Customers also filed claim against police, say they didn't maintain order . One store employee killed in post-Thanksgiving rush for bargains .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- Two customers are suing Wal-Mart for negligence after being injured in a mad rush for post-Thanksgiving bargains that left one store employee dead, the men's attorney said Tuesday. A temporary worker at this Wal-Mart was crushed to death when shoppers rushed into the store last week. Temporary Wal-Mart worker Jdimytai Damour, 34, was crushed to death as he and other employees attempted to unlock the doors of a store on Long Island at 5 a.m. Friday. Attorney Kenneth Mollins said Fritz Mesadieu and Jonathan Mesadieu were "literally carried from their position outside the store" and are now "suffering from pain in their neck and their back from being caught in that surge of people" that rushed into the Wal-Mart. New York Newsday reported that the Mesadieus are father and son, ages 51 and 19. The lawsuit alleges that the Mesadieus' injuries were a result of "carelessness, recklessness, negligence." In a claim against the Nassau County police department, the men also contend that they "sustained monetary losses as a result of health care and legal expenses ... in the sum of $2 million." "This is a tragic situation that could have and should have been avoided with the exercise of reasonable care. There are very simple measures that could have been put in place to avoid this, such as barriers along the line to spread people out, extra security and a better police presence," Mollins said. He said his clients and others who were at the scene contend that the police "were there ... saw what was happening, and they left." Calls seeking comment from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. were not immediately returned. Lt. Kevin Smith of the Nassau County Police Department said, "it's our policy that we don't comment on open litigations" and would not respond directly to Mollins and his clients' claim that officers left the scene. He said it is "incumbent upon the store to provide security" but noted that there was no security force present when officers responded to an initial phone call after 3 a.m. Friday for an unknown disturbance at the site. Smith said the officers noticed a lack of order with the crowd and began to organize them into a line, remaining on site for about 30 minutes until the crowd had become orderly. Throughout the morning, officers went back to check on the crowd and continued to notice no disturbance, Smith said. He said that there were no additional calls for assistance until about 5 a.m., when people began rushing the doors of the store and trampled Damour. An autopsy showed that Damour died of asphyxiation after being trampled, Nassau County officials have said. Video showed that as many as a dozen people were knocked to the floor in the stampede of people trying to get into the store. The employee was "stepped on by hundreds of people" as other workers attempted to fight their way through the crowd, said Nassau County Police Detective Lt. Michael Fleming. CNN's Kristen Hamill contributed to this report .

Seven Somali men in possession of rocket grenades and AK-47 guns rescued . Danish Navy ship picked them up in the pirate-plagued Gulf of Aden . The patrol craft responded to a small skiff's calls for assistance off Yemeni coast . Ship's crew instructed to hand over the men to the Yemen Coast Guard .

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(CNN) -- Seven suspected pirates rescued by a Danish warship were turned over to authorities in Yemen early Friday, two days after they were picked up in the pirate-plagued Gulf of Aden. The French frigate Nivose escorts commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden on November 28, 2008. The men were rescued by the HDMS Absalon on Wednesday after being found in a powerless skiff with rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47s aboard, Danish Navy spokesman Jesper Lynge told CNN. They were found approximately 75 nautical miles (140 km) off the coast of Yemen following a distress call, Lynge said. "These guys had been without propulsion on their small boat for several days without food or drinking water," he added. After receiving medical treatment aboard the Absalon, the ship's crew turned them over to Yemen's coast guard Friday morning, said Rasmus Tantholt, a reporter for Denmark's TV2, who was aboard the warship. The skiff's small engine was broken, and the Danish vessel sank the boat in order to prevent any hazard to sea traffic. Watch how NATO is fighting piracy » . The men are suspected to be pirates because of the weapons on board, Lynge said. Pirates frequently use small boats to attack commercial vessels with small arms and grenades, but Lynge said Absalon crew could not connect the men "directly with another pirate attack in the area," Lynge said. Lynge said the skiff was found in Yemeni waters, and the Absalon crew was instructed to hand over the men to the Yemen Coast Guard. Yemeni authorities must conduct any investigation because the episode took place in their jurisdiction, he said. CNN was unable to obtain an immediate comment from Yemeni authorities. Pirates have seized many ships in recent weeks in the waters of the Gulf of Aden, which separates Yemen from Somalia. So far this year, pirates have attacked almost 100 vessels off the coast of Somalia and successfully hijacked nearly 40, according to the International Maritime Bureau. A multinational fleet, including vessels from the United States, NATO member states, Russia and India, has been patrolling waters of Indian Ocean near the Gulf, which connects the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. Around 20,000 oil tankers, freighters and merchant vessels pass along the crucial shipping route each year. CNN's Katy Byron contributed to this report.

Cholera is a disease that affects the bowels and untreated . Malnourished and HIV-infected people are at a high risk for death if infected . Cholera is transmitted through contaminated water and food supplies .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Cholera is caused by becoming infected with a bacterium called vibrio cholera. It's a disease that affects the bowels and in its most severe form is characterized by acute watery diarrhoea that can lead to immediate death through severe dehydration and kidney failure. A man from Zimbabwe wheels his sick relative to a cholera clinic. Almost 12,000 people have contracted cholera since August in Zimbabwe, and the outbreak threatens to kill even greater numbers as the water situation becomes more desperate. Unicef says it plans on providing a month's supply of water treatment chemicals for the capital Harare where water supply has been cut off because the government of Robert Mugabe is unable to buy chemicals needed to clean tap water. With the world's eyes on Zimbabwe where it is estimated that more than 500 people have already died , many myths and misconceptions abound about cholera. CNN compiles some crucial cholera facts: . --Unlike other diarrhoeal diseases, cholera can kill a healthy adult within hours. --Cholera's short incubation period of two hours to five days enhances the potential for increased outbreaks . --Seventy-five percent of people infected with cholera do not exhibit any symptoms. --A total of 236 896 cases were reported in 2006, an overall increase of 79% compared with the number of cases reported in 2005 . --People who have HIV or are malnourished have a greater risk of dying from cholera than others. --The disease is mostly spread through contaminated water and food supplies. --The belief that cholera epidemics are caused by dead bodies after a disaster is false. --Cholera remains a problem in almost every developing country . --If untreated, as many as one in two people may die. --The true burden of the disease is grossly underestimated as not all cases are reported. Source: World Health Organization .

NEW: NTSB says "very little" remains found in wreckage . NTSB: It could take "weeks, perhaps months" to determine cause of crash . Sheriff says crash appears so severe that finding survivors is unlikely . Fossett survived round-the-world adventures but vanished on pleasure flight .

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MAMMOTH LAKES, California (CNN) -- A small amount of human remains has been found in the wreckage of the plane that adventurer Steve Fossett was flying when he disappeared last year, a National Transportation Safety Board official said Thursday. The wreckage of adventurer Steve Fossett's plane was found in California's Sierra Nevada on Thursday. A search team that was examining the wreckage, which was found Wednesday at an altitude of about 10,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada near Mammoth Lakes, found "very little" remains among the debris, acting NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker said. Asked whether the remains were enough for an identification, Rosenker said, "I believe the coroner will be able to do some work." Earlier Thursday, Madera County Sheriff John Anderson said the single-engine Bellanca appeared to have crashed into the side of a mountain in the Sierra Nevada in eastern California, and the damage was "so severe I doubt someone would've walked away from it." See a map of the crash site » . Fossett was last seen the morning of September 3, 2007, when he took off from the Flying-M Ranch outside Minden, Nevada, on what he said would be a pleasure flight over the Sierra Nevada. Watch how searchers located the wreckage » . Investigators homed in on the area near Mammoth Lakes on Wednesday after hikers there found a sweatshirt, cash and identification cards with Fossett's name. The hikers did not find any wreckage; an aerial search discovered the airplane parts about a quarter-mile away, Anderson said. Ground crews confirmed Wednesday night that the wreckage was Fossett's plane. The sheriff said authorities were not certain whether the cash and sweatshirt belonged to Fossett. The engine was about 300 feet higher on the mountain than the fuselage and the wings, Anderson said. An NTSB team arrived Thursday to investigate the crash. Rosenker said investigators, based on examinations of the debris, believe that the plane struck the mountain horizontally but not necessarily head-on. It may take "weeks, perhaps months to have a better understanding of what happened on that mountain that day," he said. Watch NTSB say crash was "nonsurvivable" » . Fossett's disappearance prompted a search that ultimately included thousands of volunteers, hundreds of officials and dozens of aircraft poring over an area more than twice the size of New Jersey. The search was officially suspended a year ago Friday, and a Chicago probate court judge declared Fossett dead in February. Fossett made his money in the financial services industry but became renowned for his daredevil exploits. He was the first person to circle the globe solo in a balloon, accomplishing the feat in 2002, and the first to fly a plane around the world solo without refueling, which he did three years later. He also set world records in round-the-world sailing and cross-country skiing. Browse a list of his achievements on land, sea and air » . CNN's Chuck Afflerbach contributed to this report.

Earl Stafford paid $1 million so needy could see inauguration . Packages for some inaugural events going for hundreds of dollars . Stafford said his effort was rooted in his faith, good fortune . Package offered by JW Marriott billed as "build-your-own-ball"

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As Washington gears up for January's presidential inauguration with high-priced tickets to fancy affairs, one businessman is making sure that some of the less fortunate will have a chance to share in the festivities. Earl Stafford is a Virginia businessman helping the disadvantaged see the inauguration. Virginia businessman Earl Stafford has spent $1 million to give hundreds of poverty-stricken and terminally ill Americans, along with wounded men and women in uniform, an inauguration experience that won't cost them anything. The zero-dollar price tag is even more shocking, considering that tickets to the inaugural events are going for hundreds of dollars, the city's remaining hotel rooms are edging into four-figure territory, and even basements and couches miles from the National Mall are going for a premium on Craigslist. Tickets for the inauguration are distributed through members of Congress, and just 240,000 seats are available for the swearing-in ceremony. The tickets are supposed to be free, but with demand outpacing supply, some people have been trying to scalp tickets for thousands of dollars. Stafford's event is one of the splashiest inauguration packages out there. It includes high-end hotel rooms and luxury suites, food and drinks, a heated viewing spot right above the parade route, even gowns and tuxedos to wear to celebratory balls and a beautician to help attendees get ready. Hours after the election, Stafford, a 60-year-old businessman and son of a Baptist minister, invested in what the JW Marriott billed as its $1 million "build-your-own-ball" inaugural hotel package. His family's nonprofit foundation, the Stafford Foundation, is footing the bill for what it is calling the People's Inaugural Project, but it is also hoping to get money from sponsors. Stafford said Thursday that he hopes the balcony terrace is filled "with those who are disadvantaged, those who are distressed, mingling with those who aren't so. And we hope to see on their faces a sense of excitement." "I was inspired to do this by the Lord. ... It's not about us but about us helping other people," he said. At least third of the tickets to the event will go toward people who are needy or underprivileged, and the rest of those participating could be people from sponsoring foundations, companies or volunteers. Everything, he said, will be taken care of: transportation, evening gowns and tuxedos for the ball. He hopes that providing a front row seat to history will inspire those invited to do good things in their communities. Stafford said he began thinking about the project in March. He voted for Barack Obama, and records show he contributed $4,600 to the Democrat's campaign, according to the Washington Post. Stafford, a retired Air Force officer, noted that he does not agree with all of Obama's positions. But, he told the paper, he decided the inauguration would be "a transition in history, if you will ... and everyone should be included." CNN's Samantha Hayes and Rebecca Sinderbrand contributed to this report.

Pizza deliveryman died when bomb affixed to his neck exploded . Prosecutors contend victim was in on plot but didn't count on live bomb . Erie, Pennsylvania, judge calls case "incredibly bizarre and sadly tragic"

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(CNN) -- A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison in a deadly bank robbery plot -- described by the judge in the case as "incredibly bizarre" -- in which a pizza deliveryman died when a bomb affixed to his neck exploded. This device held a bomb to the neck of Brian Wells during a 2003 bank robbery in Erie, Pennsylvania. At the sentencing in Erie, Pennsylvania, prosecutors repeated their contention that the pizza deliveryman was involved in planning the robbery attempt but wore a live bomb only after being threatened by his co-conspirators. Kenneth Barnes, 55, of Erie, was sentenced Wednesday after he pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy to commit bank robbery and using a destructive device during a crime of violence. Prosecutors said Barnes and three co-conspirators -- one of whom was pizza deliveryman Brian Wells -- planned to rob a PNC Bank on the outskirts of Erie, and Wells, 46, carried out the robbery on August 28, 2003. Authorities said Wells walked into the bank with a pipe bomb locked to his neck and passed a note demanding money to a teller. The robbery netted about $8,700. Wells died when the bomb exploded as he sat in a parking lot after being stopped by police shortly after the robbery. The case drew national attention and was the subject of intense investigation and questions about whether Wells was a willing participant or a murder victim. Prosecutors said after Barnes' sentencing that Wells was involved in planning the robbery but balked when he realized that the bomb he was supposed to wear was real. He was threatened with a gun to make him wear the bomb, according to prosecutors. U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan called the sentence "appropriate and just," and said the contentions of Wells' family that he was not involved in the plot are "overwhelmingly" countered by evidence of meetings with Wells, Barnes and the other two co-conspirators before the robbery. One of the alleged co-conspirators is now dead and the other one, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, is undergoing treatment at a federal facility in Texas after the judge in the case found her mentally incompetent to stand trial. Her case will be re-examined by the court next year, said Margaret Philbin, spokeswoman for Buchanan's office. In sentencing Barnes, U.S. District Judge Sean J. McLaughlin said, "To me, the callousness and complete lack of regard for human life is, in a word, chilling. This case represents the unhappy combination of incredibly bizarre and sadly tragic."

L'Hydroptere is the new fastest yacht over 500 meters and one nautical mile . The boat is based in Marseille and is skippered by Frenchman Alain Thebault . The crew are now poised to pass the 100 kilometers per hour mark (54 knots)

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- French speed sailing trimaran,l'Hydroptere has broken yet another world record as its crew draw closer to two major milestones. The flying yacht: French trimaran l'Hydroptere is closing in on two major speed sailing records. L'Hydroptere is now the fastest yacht in history over 500 meters and one nautical mile, after its average speeds of 46.88 knots and 43.09 knots respectively were ratified by the British World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC). The records were set by Alain Thebault and his crew off Port Saint-Louis du Rhone near Marseille in the south of France. The boat is now poised to pass the 100km per hour mark (54 knots) after reaching a peak of 53.69 knots in training last month. The major record the l'Hydroptere is trying to claim is the world "absolute speed sailing record," which is currently held by American kite surfer Robert Douglas, who achieved 49.84 knots over 500m earlier this year. Thebault and his crew now have until 22 December to establish new records this year. These attempts will be presided over and measured by a representative from the World Sailing Speed Record Council. Thébault told CNN he had a long-held dream of skippering a boat that could "fly." He said several subtle design changes had been made to the boat in 2008 and he's confident the crew can produce the record speed in the near future. "I think the boat is ready now. I have always dreamed about a flying yacht. It was a big emotion for all of the crew and myself when we passed 50 knots," he said.

About 60,000 vehicles were stolen in just over a year, Mexican insurers report . The problem is particularly acute in the capital of Mexico City . Observers predict car thefts will rise further as world economic crisis worsens . One Mexican man says he's had two new cars stolen in three months .

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MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- Auto insurers report that about 60,000 vehicles were stolen in just over a year in Mexico, the highest figure in the past decade. Mexico City, Mexico, has a well-deserved reputation for heavy traffic. Now car thefts may be added to the list. That's no surprise to Guillermo Cruz, who has bought two new cars this year: the first after his original car was stolen, and the second three months later after two armed men pointed guns at him, got in and drove off with Cruz inside. "They dropped me off in the street and I thought they had already left, and I went back" to where they had taken it, he said. "And still they hadn't left; they were inside the car. And one man said to the other, 'Let's shoot him because he's becoming annoying.' " According to the Mexican Association of Insurance Institutions, the capital of Mexico City is a favorite site for car thieves to work. "If we talk about data from the federal district, we can say that we have 16,000 automobiles stolen, an increase of 10 percent from October 2007 to September 2008," said Recaredo Arias, a spokesman for the association. He said drug traffickers have contributed to the increase by pushing other bands of criminals into new lines of business. "Perhaps they are taking up so much space from the point of view of the sources of income as from the point of view of supply and distribution of drugs to these bands and, as a result, the bands are looking for other types of crimes," he speculated. Authorities say they are making efforts to fight the crime, though some observers predict that the incidence of car theft will rise further as the world economic crisis worsens.

"We're not preachers of violence or war," Castro writes in essay . Actor Sean Penn writes that Castro's brother also open to meeting . Some in Havana skeptical of change in U.S. policy .

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HAVANA, Cuba (CNN) -- Former Cuban President Fidel Castro says he is open to the idea of meeting with U.S. President-elect Barack Obama. Former Cuban President Fidel Castro has largely been out of the political scene since falling ill in 2006. "With Obama, one can talk whenever he wants, because we're not preachers of violence or war," the communist leader wrote in an essay published Thursday on a state-run Web site. "He must be reminded that the carrot-and-stick theory cannot be applied in our country." Friday's missive marked the second time in recent weeks that a Cuban leader has said he is open to meeting with Obama. In the latest issue of The Nation, actor Sean Penn writes of his recent conversation in Havana with Raúl Castro, who took over as president this year from his ailing brother. According to Penn, Raúl Castro told him, "Perhaps we could meet at Guantanamo. We must meet and begin to solve our problems, and at the end of the meeting, we could give the president a gift. ... We could send him home with the American flag that waves over Guantanamo Bay." Obama has called for the U.S. detention facility at the Guantanamo Bay naval base on the island of Cuba to be closed. Despite the indications that the Cuban leadership is open to warmer relations with its neighbor to the north after 47 years of a U.S.-imposed trade embargo, some in Havana expressed skepticism that the impending change in leadership in the United States will translate in to a changed Cuban policy. "Obama is a product of the American empire," Carlos Pose said. But Elisany, a high school student, said she's hopeful. "We've got to wait and see. I hope things change."

NEW: U.S. officials welcome Iraqi council's approval of security pact . Presidency council's approval was final legal step for enactment . Agreement pulls U.S. troops out of all Iraqi cities by June 30 . U.S. forces would exit Iraq entirely by December 31, 2011 .

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(CNN) -- Iraq's presidency council Thursday approved the U.S.-Iraq security agreement -- the final step for the agreement to be ratified by the Iraqi government, a council spokesman said. The pact allows the presence of American troops in Iraq for three more years. U.S. soldiers gather at the "Crossed Swords" in Baghdad's secure Green Zone on Tuesday. The three-member presidency council -- Kurdish President Jalal Talabani, Shiite Vice President Adel Abdul Mehdi and Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi -- approved the agreement unanimously a week after the Iraqi parliament passed the measure. Under the Iraqi constitution, unanimous approval by the presidency council is required for ratification of a law or agreement. The security pact will replace a U.N. mandate for the U.S. presence in Iraq that expires at the end of this year. The agreement, reached after months of negotiations, sets June 30, 2009, as the deadline for U.S. combat troops to withdraw from all Iraqi cities and towns. The date for all U.S. troops to leave Iraq is December 31, 2011. The agreement -- which stresses respect for Iraqi sovereignty -- "requests the temporary assistance" of U.S. forces, but severely restricts their role. The pact says that all military operations are to be carried out with the agreement of Iraq and must be "fully coordinated" with Iraqis. A Joint Military Operations Coordination Committee will oversee military operations. Iraq has the "primary right to exercise jurisdiction" over U.S. forces "for grave premeditated felonies," the agreement says. Suspects can be held by U.S. forces but must be available to Iraqi authorities for investigation or trial. Iraq also will have the "primary right to exercise jurisdiction" over U.S. contractors and their employees under the agreement. Also, the pact says that "Iraqi land, sea and air shouldn't be used as a launching or transit point for attacks against other countries." The presidency council also approved a U.S.-Iraqi bilateral pact called the strategic framework agreement, which covers a wide range of bilateral cooperation efforts and which was approved by the Iraqi parliament last week. U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker and Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. military official in Iraq, issued a statement welcoming the council's ratification of the measures. "We look forward, under these agreements, to the continued reduction in U.S. forces and the normalization of bilateral relations as two sovereign and co-equal nations," the two said in their statement. "We will undertake initiatives to strengthen our cooperation in the fields of economics, energy, health, the environment, education, culture, and law enforcement. The United States will support Iraq's request to the U.N. Security Council to continue protection of Iraqi assets," the statement said.

NEW: "There's no cause of panic," says New Delhi police spokesman . Security raised at all the nation's airports amid intelligence on terrorist activity . Press Trust of India: Reports suggest possible strike on December 6 . India's top military officials discuss country's security plans .

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NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- Indian police swiftly handled a "security scare" at New Delhi's major airport early Friday amid heightened concern in the wake of last week's terror attack in which gunmen killed 179 people in Mumbai. An Indian soldier joins the beefed up security detail at New Delhi airport. New Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said police responded to reports of gunfire at Indira Gandhi International Airport but found no casualties or damage. Bhagat said there was "no terror threat." "And there's no cause of panic," he added. Uday Banerjee, the head of India's Central Industrial Security Force, told reporters at the airport that something sounding like gunshots was heard, but no one saw anything and no bullet casings were found. Indian authorities stepped up security at the nation's airports on Thursday after receiving intelligence reports that terrorists might be planning an air attack. At Indira Gandhi, four armed police stood guard at each entrance, and people waiting for arriving passengers were not allowed inside. Watch what triggered the security scare there » . "There have been intelligence inputs about some terrorist activity, and therefore security has been tightened (at airports)," civil aviation spokesperson Moushmi Chakraborty told CNN. Watch heightened anxiety after the attacks » . Police beefed up security at all airports including in the capital New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore, Chakraborty said. A spokesman for the Indian Navy, Cmdr. Nirad Sinha, also confirmed to CNN that security officials had received warnings about an airborne attack. Watch more on increase in security » . The Press Trust of India, a nonprofit newspaper cooperative, said that reports had suggested that terrorists could have sneaked into the country to carry out strikes on the anniversary of the Babri mosque demolition. The mosque -- one of the largest in the Uttar Pradesh state -- was destroyed on December 6, 1992, by Hindu nationalists who believe it was built on the site of an existing temple. On Wednesday India's defense minister met with the chiefs of the army, air force and navy and discussed what the ministry in a news statement called "possible terror threats from air." The officials also discussed the country's coastal security plans and how to tighten security along the military line of control dividing the disputed region of Kashmir between India and Pakistan to "prevent infiltration of terrorists," the statement said. India ranks among the countries where terrorism is most common, according to the U.S. State Department. CNN's Harmeet Shah Singh and Sara Sidner contributed to this report.

NEW: Probation report recommends 18 years; defense asks for six . O.J. Simpson convicted of robbery, kidnapping in October . Judge to sentence Simpson on Friday in Las Vegas sports memorabilia case .

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LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Former football great O.J. Simpson, convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping, deserves leniency in sentencing as he is a first-time offender who showed no criminal intent, his attorney says in court papers. O.J. Simpson should receive a six-year sentence in a 2007 hotel room confrontation, his attorney says. Attorney Gabriel Grasso argued that Simpson should receive the minimum sentence, six years. Grasso acknowledged in court papers, "Clearly Simpson was not using good judgment" during a 2007 hotel room confrontation over sports memorabilia. Simpson could receive a maximum life sentence from Judge Jackie Glass on Friday. A pre-sentencing report recommended an 18-year sentence. On October 3, a jury convicted Simpson, 61, and co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart of 12 charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime, robbery, assault and kidnapping with a deadly weapon. Watch Stewart talk about the night they were arrested » . Their convictions stem from a September 13, 2007, fracas at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Prosecutors alleged that Simpson led a group of men who used threats, guns and force to take sports memorabilia from dealers Bruce Fromong and Al Beardsley. Simpson said he was attempting to recover items that belonged to him. Four men charged with Simpson cut deals with the prosecution and testified against him. One testified that Simpson asked him to bring a gun to the encounter. "These were not crimes committed on strangers, but were acts stemming from prior relationships with the individuals in the room at the Palace Station," Grasso wrote in the memorandum. "There was overwhelming evidence at trial that Simpson's intent was to recover property that was his and only his," the lawyer argued. "The trial testimony showed Simpson's intent was to return anything that did not belong to him. This intention can be heard throughout the recordings of the Palace Station incident." He added, "However, there is nothing in the record to show that Simpson evinced a criminal mind or showed the requisite criminal intent." Because of that and other factors, Grasso wrote, Simpson's sentence should fall on the low end of the minimum sentencing range. In a sentencing brief for Stewart, 54, defense attorney E. Brent Byron said his client also should be sentenced to six years, noting he "did not kill anyone, nor did he bind or gag anyone." He had no weapon and "no witness testified that Mr. Stewart knew that weapons were going to be used," the brief said. Both sentencing memorandums note that one of the victims, Beardsley, did not even want the case prosecuted. Attorneys for both Simpson and Stewart have filed motions seeking a new trial. Simpson's lawyers cite seven reasons why a new trial should be granted in their brief, including that he was denied a fair hearing when two African-Americans were dismissed from the potential jury pool. An all-white jury convicted the men.

Two Blackhawk helicopters crashed while landing in Baghdad, U.S. military says . Iraqi soldier killed; coalition soldiers, Iraqi troops are among the injured . Interior Ministry officials say one helicopter crashed during military clashes .

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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters collided Saturday night while landing in northern Baghdad, killing one Iraqi soldier, a U.S. military spokesman said. Two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, similar to this, crashed Saturday in northern Baghdad, the U.S. military says. Two U.S. troops and two Iraqi soldiers were injured, said military spokesman Lt. Patrick Evans. Enemy fire is not suspected, he said. However, two Interior Ministry officials said that a U.S. helicopter crashed in northeastern Baghdad as a result of clashes between U.S.-backed Iraqi forces and gunmen. The Iraqi officials said the area was sealed off, so they did not know casualty figures. One Iraqi official said the gunfight continued late into the night. U.S. officials said they did not know how many people were onboard. The crash occurred at Combat Outpost Ford in Adhamiya, a northern Baghdad neighborhood on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, the U.S. spokesman said. An Iraqi official said the helicopter went down in Talbiya, a stronghold of Shiite militia.

Boy George convicted by jury in London of falsely imprisoning male escort . Norwegian Audun Carlsen said star beat him with metal chain after photo shoot . Singer told police he handcuffed Carlsen while he investigated tampered computer .

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LONDON, England -- Former Culture Club singer Boy George has been convicted of falsely imprisoning a male escort. The judge told Boy George he faced jail. Norwegian Audun Carlsen, 29, said the frontman with the 1980s band beat him with a metal chain as he tried to flee his London flat after a naked photo shoot. A jury at a London court found on Friday that the case was proven against the 46-year-old musician -- tried under his real name of George O'Dowd. The singer declined to give evidence during the trial but the jury heard he told police he handcuffed Carlsen to his bed while he investigated alleged tampering with his computer. Carlsen told the court O'Dowd invented the story about computer tampering so he could punish him for not having sex at a previous meeting. He said: "I think he couldn't handle the refusal -- me not having sex with him." O'Dowd looked grim as the verdict was delivered, according to the Press Association. The singer was bailed until sentencing on January 16. Judge David Radford warned him that he was likely to face jail. "The fact that your bail is being continued does not imply that this will be dealt with by a non-custodial sentence. I don't want any false expectations created," he said.

Germany's richest woman says she is being blackmailed for millions of euros . BMW heiress says man threatening to release pictures of their "meetings" Munich state prosecutor says man was arrested in January .

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BERLIN, Germany (CNN) -- Germany's richest woman has said a former lover has threatened to release pictures of them together if she does not pay him millions of euros (dollars), according to her spokesman. Susanne Klatten holds a 12.5-percent stake in BMW. Susanne Klatten's spokesman Joerg Appelhans told CNN Tuesday that the BMW heiress alerted police in January this year that she was the victim of fraud and blackmail by a man he identified as Mr. S. Appelhans said the man had been threatening since autumn 2007 to release pictures of their "meetings" together. Klatten "came to the conclusion that the relationship with Mr. S. was of a solely criminal nature," Appelhans said. Some German media reports say Klatten is one of four rich German women who have been preyed on by the same gang. "His goal was from the beginning to con her and to blackmail her into giving him money. She rigorously notified authorities even in light of the uncomfortable public repercussions this would have for her. The ensuing criminal investigation led to the arrest of the perpetrator," Appelhans added. "The blackmailing with pictures of the meetings they had began in the fall of 2007. First, the blackmailer demanded a loan of several million euros. Later, he attempted to solicit a much larger sum." Anton Winkler, from the Munich state prosecutor's office, confirmed that an investigation has been opened and that a man called Helg Scarbi was arrested in January and is in custody in Munich. He declined to give further details. Rome daily La Repubblica, quoting documents German investigators sent to Italian prosecutors, has reported that the suspect allegedly tried to obtain €40 million ($51 million) from Klatten, according to The Associated Press. Klatten, the daughter of the late BMW chief Herbert Quandt, holds a 12.5-percent stake in the German carmaker and a 51.1-percent share of chemical company Altana. In 2007 Forbes magazine listed her as the world's 68th richest person, with a personal fortune of $9.6 billion. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen contributed to this report. Copyright 2008 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

Robbers -- some in drag -- steal estimated $102m in loot from Paris jewelry store . Thieves swiped rings, necklaces and luxury watches from display cases . Harry Winston store is near the Champs-Elysees .

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PARIS, France (CNN) -- Four armed robbers -- two of them men disguised as women -- walked into a luxury jewelry store in Paris and swiped an estimated €80 million (U.S. $101 million) in jewels, the Paris prosecutor's office said. Robbers dressed in drag stole more than $100M worth of jewelry from a Harry Winston store in Paris. The incident, which lasted about 15 minutes, took place Thursday around 5:30 p.m. at the Harry Winston store near the famed Avenue des Champs-Elysees, around the corner from a police station. The case has been turned over to the unit in charge of handling organized crime cases, said Isabelle Montagne, assistant to Paris prosecutor Jean Claude Marin. No shots were fired and no one was wounded, she said. Watch more on the heist » . After they entered the store, the four thieves pulled out their weapons, forced the customers and employees -- about 15 people in all -- into a corner, and grabbed jewels out of display cases and safes, the prosecutor's office said. The robbers seemed to know the locations of secret hiding places for jewels and called some employees by their first names, it said. The group then fled the store, which is located on a wide street near subways and other public transportation. French state radio reported that it was not immediately clear how the robbers left the area. Investigators believe it was the work of a highly professional group, and that the culprits were French or from elsewhere in Europe, state radio reported. In a written statement, the Harry Winston company said, "We are cooperating with the authorities in their investigation. Our first concern is the well-being of our employees." The same shop was robbed of millions of euros worth of jewelry just 14 months ago, in October 2007. -- CNN's Jim Bittermann and Niki Cook contributed to this report.

Christopher Lloyd's home one of dozens destroyed by California wildfires . Lloyd: "Rebuilding would be -- it's too much. You can't rebuild that" Lloyd: Having home destroyed brings "different awareness" than watching on TV .

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(CNN) -- Christopher Lloyd picked through the charred remnants of his Montecito, California, home Monday morning, resigning himself to the fact it cannot be rebuilt. Christopher Lloyd's $11 million home in Montecito, California, was destroyed by the "Tea Fire." The "Back to the Future" and "Taxi" star showed ABC's "Good Morning America" what remained of his $11 million home in the exclusive celebrity neighborhood northwest of Los Angeles. "Boy, look at that," Lloyd said as he approached the rubble. "All this happens in a couple of minutes." Lloyd's home was among dozens of homes lost in wildfires in Southern California. The "Tea Fire" which started at the privately owned Tea Garden Estate, about a mile north of Santa Barbara's Westmont College, ripped through an area that Oprah Winfrey, Michael Douglas, Rob Lowe and other celebrities call home. Lloyd told "Good Morning America" that it was "just sort of sinking in" that his home was gone for good. "It's amazing, its just gone," Lloyd told "Good Morning America." "Rebuilding would be -- it's too much. You can't rebuild that." The home's windows were blown out, entire sections demolished, and piles of concrete, ashy trees and shrubbery were scattered across the property. "You watch TV, you see these kinds of incidents happening here and there, but you look with a kind of detachment because it's happening ... elsewhere," he told "Good Morning America." "But suddenly to be in the midst of it -- it's a very different awareness." Lloyd joked that he had been planning on organizing and storing memorabilia from the home, but never got around to it. "Kind of don't have to worry about that now," he said.

Official: Spain denies asylum to Omar bin Laden . Spain did not give a reason for turning down the asylum appeal . He has publicly called on his father to abandon terrorism . He was previously denied asylum in Britain .

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MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- One of Osama bin Laden's sons has been denied asylum in Spain, an Interior Ministry spokeswoman told CNN on Wednesday. Omar bin Laden pictured earlier this year during a television interview in Rome, Italy. Omar bin Laden, who is in his late 20s, stepped off a plane at Madrid's Barajas International Airport during a stopover late Monday and informed authorities that he planned to request political asylum, the spokeswoman said. Bin Laden has publicly called on his father to abandon terrorism. He prepared his formal asylum request Tuesday at the airport with the help of a translator, filing it around 1 p.m., the spokeswoman said. The Interior Ministry, which had 72 hours to reply to the request, was required to seek the opinion of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees on the matter. The UNHCR recommended against granting asylum, the spokeswoman said Wednesday. No reason was given for the denial. It was not immediately known what grounds bin Laden gave for his request, and the spokeswoman said it is unlikely to be disclosed. His flight Monday originated in Cairo, Egypt, and landed in Madrid on its way to Casablanca, Morocco, she said. The request caught Spanish authorities by surprise, she said. Bin Laden, who is married to a British citizen, previously was denied asylum in Britain. He holds a Saudi passport. Since Spain has denied his request, bin Laden has 24 hours to appeal before he is put on a plane back to Cairo, the spokeswoman said. If he appeals, the Spanish government has 48 hours to rule on it. Last year, 7,664 people requested asylum in Spain. The government granted that status to only 570, the spokeswoman said. Al Goodman, CNN's Madrid bureau chief, contributed to this report .

Russian media speculates change intended to pave the way for Putin's return . Kremlin says amendment needed to ensure stability of future governments . President Dmitry Medvedev announced the measures two weeks ago . Next Russian presidential elections set for 2012 .

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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- The Russian parliament approved a constitutional amendment Friday to extend the presidential term from four to six years. Vladimir Putin was barred constitutionally from seeking a third consecutive term as president. There is widespread speculation in Russian media that the change is aimed at paving the way for a return to the Kremlin by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who remains a popular and powerful figure since leaving the president's office in May. The Kremlin maintains the amendment -- along with other proposed changes to the terms in office for elected officials -- is necessary to ensure the stability of future Russian governments. President Dmitry Medvedev announced the measures just two weeks ago, in his first state-of-the-nation speech on November 5. The lower house of the Russian parliament had its third and final reading Friday before putting the measures to a vote. It passed by a vote of 392 to 57, with those against representing the Communist Party faction. There were no abstentions. Further approval is needed from the upper house of parliament and regional councils before the changes become law. The amendments will come into force when at least two-thirds of the nation's 83 regional parliaments and assemblies -- or 56 -- approve them. Analysts have expressed concern about the rapid movement of the measures through parliament. They say the government may be seeking to capitalize on Putin's popularity amid the financial crisis, which has dented support for the current leadership. The next Russian presidential elections are scheduled for 2012. There is speculation in Russia that the new measures could set the stage for fresh elections, allowing Putin to sidestep a ban on a third presidential term and stand again for president. -- CNN's Matthew Chance and Max Tkachenko contributed to this report.

Document: It's not in Florida's best interest to seek death penalty for Casey Anthony . Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in daughter's disappearance . Caylee Anthony, 3, was missing for a month before her mother told anyone .

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ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -- Prosecutors will not seek the death penalty for a Florida woman charged with killing her missing 3-year-old daughter, according to court documents filed Friday. Casey Anthony has been charged in an indictment with the premediated murder of daughter Caylee. "It is not in the best interest of the people of the state of Florida to pursue the death penalty as a potential sentence," prosecutors concluded, according to the document. "Therefore, the state of Florida will not be seeking the death penalty as to Casey Marie Anthony." Anthony, 22, is charged with killing her daughter, Caylee Anthony, in a case that has received national attention. She was arrested last month and faces charges including first-degree murder in the disappearance of Caylee, who has been missing since June. Watch newly released jailhouse tapes » . She could face a sentence of up to life in prison. Anthony waited about a month before telling her family that Caylee was gone. Cindy Anthony -- Caylee's grandmother and Casey Anthony's mother -- called the Orange County, Florida, sheriff July 15, saying her daughter would not tell her where Caylee was. When questioned, Anthony gave conflicting statements to police, including some that were later disproved, according to hundreds of documents and investigative reports released in the case. She claimed she dropped Caylee off with a baby sitter, but when police checked out her story, they learned that the address Anthony supplied belonged to an apartment that had been vacant for weeks. The woman Anthony named as her baby sitter told police she did not know her. Investigators previously have said cadaver dogs picked up the scent of death in Anthony's car, as well as in her parents' backyard. They also said air quality tests conducted by the FBI found evidence consistent with human decomposition and chloroform in the trunk of Anthony's car. A neighbor told police that Anthony had asked to borrow a shovel. Also, analysis of Anthony's computer found she had visited Web sites discussing chloroform, as well as Internet searches of missing children, according to information released in the case. Last month, Florida 9th Circuit Judge Stan Strickland denied prosecutors' request to impose a gag order in Anthony's case, saying he could not state that continued publicity would pose a threat to her trial, or even that a gag order would stem the flood of media attention. CNN's Rich Phillips contributed to this report.

Hotel, motel accused of illegally raising prices as evacuees fled Hurricane Ike . Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott files lawsuit against the two businesses . Attorney general: Hotel charged $99.99 for room that had cost $49.99 days earlier . About 1.2 million Gulf Coast residents moved inland to avoid worst of Ike .

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(CNN) -- The Texas attorney general sued a hotel and a motel Thursday, accusing them of price gouging during September's exodus of more than 1 million Gulf Coast residents ahead of Hurricane Ike. Attorney General Greg Abbott filed suit against the Hotel Nacogdoches in Nacogdoches and the Super 8 Brookshire Motel near Katy, accusing them of illegally raising room rates after Gov. Rick Perry had issued a declaration of disaster on September 8. "Although Texas law clearly prohibits profiteering during declared disasters, these defendants are charged with increasing room rates for evacuees during Hurricane Ike," Abbott said in a news release. "The law imposes strict penalties on vendors that attempt to increase their profits after the governor issues a disaster declaration. "Despite today's price-gouging charges, the vast majority of Texas businesses complied with the law and are to be commended for working with authorities to provide crucial assistance to hurricane victims." In Texas, the state attorney general can sue, but not file criminal charges. A district attorney would need to file any such charges. An estimated 1.2 million Gulf Coast residents heeded officials' recommendations that they move inland until the storm had passed. Hotel Nacogdoches, located north of Houston along a major evacuation route, charged evacuees more than double its usual rate, the statement said, citing complaints from guests whose receipts showed the hotel charged $99.99 for a room that had cost $49.99 two days before Ike. It told a similar tale about Super 8 Brookshire Motel, west of Katy, which also housed evacuees. The motel charged up to $125 for a room that ordinarily cost $99, the statement said. The businesses also charged state and local hotel and motel taxes, even though the governor had issued a declaration waiving them, according to the statement. The office of the attorney general is seeking civil penalties of up to $20,000 per violation and up to $250,000 per violation for victims over the age of 65. Managers from neither hotel immediately returned calls seeking comment.

President-elect Obama promises his daughters a puppy . White House has a history of president pets -- from dogs to tiger cubs . President Bush had three dogs and cat, President Clinton a dog and cat .

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(CNN) -- Barack Obama's two daughters had another reason to high-five their dad's election to the presidency Tuesday night: they're getting a puppy. President Bush's dog Barney walks in the White House Rose Garden in 2007. "Sasha and Malia," Obama said in his victory speech at Chicago's Grant Park, "I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House." The new White House pet will follow in the paw-steps of a menagerie of animals that have had the run of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue over the years. The Bush family shared their eight years at the White House with a cat, a feisty English springer spaniel and two Scottish terriers -- all of whom have their own pages on the president's Web site. The Clintons' Washington stay included a cat, Socks, who did not get along with their chocolate Labrador retriever, Buddy. And Millie the springer spaniel's canine view of life in the White House -- as "told to" then-first lady Barbara Bush -- became a best-seller that outsold the memoirs of President George H.W. Bush. While many presidents took to heart President Harry Truman's admonishment -- "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog" -- first pets have come in all shapes, sizes and species. Thomas Jefferson kept two grizzly bears in a cage on the White House lawn, while John Quincy Adams is said to have let his alligator use a bathtub inside. Calvin Coolidge walked his raccoons on a leash. Theodore Roosevelt's sons escorted their pet pony onto the White House elevator to cheer up a sick sibling. And perhaps the strangest of all: Martin Van Buren briefly owned two tiger cubs, a gift from the Sultan of Oman. Pets have sometimes been a boon to a president's image. But some have also taken a bite out of their popularity. Animal lovers howled in protest when Lyndon B. Johnson picked up his beagles, Him and Her, by the ears to provide photographers a better view. On the other hand, Richard Nixon -- running for vice president and accused of accepting illegal campaign contributions -- successfully defended himself in his famous "Checkers Speech." The only gift he ever accepted was "a little cocker spaniel dog" that his daughter named Checkers, Nixon said. "And I just want to say this, right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we are going to keep it," he added. Come January, the Obamas will make history by becoming the first African-American family to move into the White House. But if Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, get what they've been promised, the new tenants will keep one long-standing tradition alive ... and wagging.

Adventurer and TV show host Bear Grylls injured his shoulder . Grylls was in Antarctica on an expedition for charity . Host going to UK for treatment, Discovery Channel says .

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(CNN) -- Adventurer and TV show host Bear Grylls injured his shoulder in Antarctica during an expedition to raise money for an international charity, the Discovery Channel said Sunday. Bear Grylls, host of "Man vs. Wild," was injured in Antarctica during an expedition to raise money for charity. Grylls was injured Friday night after falling during the expedition, which was not for the Discovery Channel, according to the network's statement. The statement said that Grylls is returning to the UK to receive medical attention. "Once he sees a doctor, we will have a better sense of the level of seriousness of his shoulder injury and the recovery time needed to get him back to his full physical activity," according to the statement. Grylls, 34, is the host of Discovery's "Man vs. Wild" in which he demonstrates extreme measures -- including eating snakes and insects -- used to survive in harsh environmental conditions. In his blog, Grylls said the aim of his expedition in Antarctica -- sponsored by Ethanol Venture -- is "to promote alternative energies and their potential." "We will be using lots of different forms of alternative power, including wind-powered kite-skiing, part bio-ethanol powered jetskis and inflatable boats, electric-powered paragliders, solar- and wind-powered base camps -- and good old foot work," Grylls wrote in a November 14 entry. Grylls is a former member of the British Special Forces and has broken his back in several places during his service. In his blog, he said he and his wife Shara are expecting their third child in January.

Former FBI agent Bob Levinson disappeared in Iran in March 2007 . His wife says she has done everything to draw attention to Levinson's disappearance . A $5,000 reward has been offered, but no tips have come in .

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(CNN) -- Christine Levinson went to the United Nations on Monday to ask questions about her husband, Bob, a former FBI agent who vanished in Iran last year. Christine Levinson has sought help from Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Levinson flew to New York with three of her seven children in hopes of meeting the one man she hoped could really get things moving -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is at the United Nations for a speech he is scheduled to deliver Tuesday afternoon. Ahmadinejad declined to meet with her. "I'm disappointed," she says. Levinson did meet, however, with the Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. "He said he would do whatever he could to help me," she told CNN. Levinson went to the United Nations with her children -- Susan, 31, Sarah, 28, and Douglas, 14. Her husband disappeared in March 2007 while on a business trip to the Iranian island of Kish. Bob Levinson is a retired FBI agent from Coral Springs, Florida. After leaving the agency, his wife says, he worked as a security consultant specializing in cigarette smuggling. Over the last year and half, Levinson says she has done everything she can to draw attention to her husband's disappearance. She has given interviews, met with U.S. State Department officials, set up a Web site -- www.helpboblevinson.com -- and staged a rally. She even has offered a $5,000 reward, aimed primarily at Iranians who might have information about her husband. Has it yielded any tips? "No," Christine Levinson says. "Nothing." Last year, she traveled to Iran to try to retrace her husband's steps. Back then, Iranian officials told her they would investigate and report back to her. She says she hasn't heard a word. "They told me when they have some information, they will let me know and in the meantime will continue to search for Bob," Levinson told CNN. She has denied that her husband was doing business for the US government when he went missing -- she says she didn't believe so because he's a private citizen. And the State Department and FBI have denied he was working for government. The State Department has demanded Iran free Levinson -- if it is holding him. Levinson says her husband suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure. She insists she is confident her husband is all right because "I haven't heard anything bad." At times, she listens to his voicemail message, just to hear his voice. "I still firmly believe he is alive," she says. "Every day, I tell my children to take things one day at a time. "I just want him to know I'm still looking for him. I'll never stop looking for him."

Magnitude 6.6 earthquake strikes southern Kyrgyzstan Sunday night . Around 70 estimated killed, 120 buildings destroyed, government says . Quake rattled large area of Central Asia; damage concentrated near China border . Kyrgyz Health Ministry has sets up crisis center to coordinate rescue effort .

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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck southern Kyrgyzstan late Sunday night killing an estimated 70 people and destroying more than 120 buildings, the government reported Monday. The earthquake occurred near Kyrgyzstan's border with China. Gulshat Kadirova, an official from the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations, told CNN that casualty figures were preliminary and could rise as rescue efforts progress. The weekend quake, measured by the U.S. Geological Survey Report, rattled all of Central Asia; however destruction is concentrated in the remote village of Nura on Kyrgyzstan's border with China. "The remoteness of the villages hit by the earthquake, the absence of means of communications and the destruction of roads are hindering assistance to the injured," the Kyrgyz Health Ministry press service told Interfax. The Health Ministry of Kyrgyzstan has set-up a crisis center in the region, however rescue efforts remain difficult, according to a ministry official. The Kyrgyz Emergency Situations Ministry also sent humanitarian aid to the region. "Four helicopters have just left taking food and blankets to the people affected in the area," a ministry representative told CNN by phone. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sent a letter of condolence to Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, according to the Kremlin's Web site. Medvedev noted Russia's readiness to offer assistance. Bakiyev is scheduled to visit the destroyed region of Nura this week to monitor the search-and-rescue operations, Kadirova told CNN. Temblors continued in Central Asia on Monday with two strong earthquakes striking part of Tibet within 15 minutes of each other.

Four kilos of cocaine worth $350,000 seized at Gatwick Airport . Officials: Drugs were in a liquid form hidden in fruit tins in luggage . Chris Lewis played cricket for England during the 1990s .

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(CNN) -- Former England cricket star Chris Lewis was remanded in custody by a British court Tuesday, charged with attempting to smuggle drugs through an airport. Chris Lewis joined Surrey to play in Twenty20 matches for the 2008 season. The 40-year-old all-rounder, who played 32 Tests and 53 one-day internationals for England in the 1990s, was arrested Monday when border officials at London's Gatwick Airport found cocaine hidden in luggage that had arrived on a flight from the Caribbean island of St. Lucia. Four kilograms of cocaine with a street value of around $350,000 was seized by the UK Border Agency, the UK's Press Association said. The drugs were in a liquid form hidden in fruit tins, officials said. Lewis and basketball player Chad Kirnon, 26, both from London, were held and questioned by Customs officials and later charged. British Revenue & Customs spokesman Bob Gaiger told PA: "This was an excellent detection by UK Border Agency officers. "HMRC, together with UKBA, play a vital role in the fight to prevent illegal drugs from entering the UK and in protecting our communities from the violence and corruption that always accompany this hideous trade." The two men made a brief appearance at Crawley Magistrates' Court in West Sussex on Tuesday afternoon, where Lewis had a bail application refused, PA reported. They were remanded in custody to appear via video link in court next Wednesday.

Price of a loaf of bread jumps to 35 million Zimbabwean dollars . Government accuses bank executives of illegal currency trading . Zimbabwe also faces widespread cholera outbreak; food, power shortages . President Robert Mugabe's policies blamed for economic collapse .

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HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Cash-strapped Zimbabwe revealed plans Saturday to circulate $200 million notes, just days after introducing a $100 million bill, Finance Minister Samuel Mumbengegwi said. Zimbabwe central bank governor Gideon Gono shows a new $50 million note Thursday. After the $100 million note began circulating on Thursday, the price of a loaf of bread soared from 2 million to 35 million Zimbabwean dollars. Amid allegations of illegal foreign currency trading, the government also fired top executives at four major banks Thursday, according to The Herald, a state-owned newspaper. Many anxious residents of the nation's capital, Harare, have been sleeping outside banks, waiting for them to open so they can make withdrawals before the institutions run out of cash. Watch how Zimbabwe's children are suffering » . The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe had capped maximum daily withdrawals at 500,000 Zimbabwean dollars: about 25 U.S. cents, or about a quarter of Thursday's price of a loaf of bread. Last week, restrictions on cash withdrawals -- due to severe money shortages -- triggered riots. Sixteen soldiers now face possible court-martial due to alleged looting and assaults on civilians and police during the unrest, police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena told The Herald on Saturday. "We are still investigating the case," he said. "But we expect the soldiers to appear before a court-martial once investigations are completed." After spending several days waiting in bank lines, soldiers rampaged through downtown Harare, destroying shops and attacking riot police sent to disperse the protesters. Cash shortages are not the only crisis plaguing Zimbabwe. The United Nations has said that more than half of Zimbabwe's population is in dire need of food and clean water. Watch how a cholera epidemic is affecting Zimbabweans » . Acute shortages of essentials such as fuel, electricity, medicines and food are key indicators of a failed economy, according to economic observers. "The [Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe] is failing to deliver the demands of market, prices are doubling daily, and that demands more cash," Zimbabwean economist John Robertson said. "The huge price increases are resulting from severe shortages of most goods." The once-prosperous African nation is facing its worst economic and humanitarian crisis since attaining independence from Great Britain in 1980. Zimbabwe's official rate of inflation is 231 million percent, the world's highest. Critics of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe link hyperinflation to his policies on land distribution and unbudgeted payments to war veterans. Zimbabwe has had no Cabinet since the March presidential election. Its political troubles have aggravated its humanitarian and economic crisis, including a cholera outbreak that has killed close to 600 people since August. A CNN journalist in Harare contributed to this report.

Nobody knows origin of rumor that Nashville was running out of gas . Of 13 Nashville gas stations called at random, only two said they had gas . Residents panicked and hit gas stations to fuel up . People were filling up containers, cans, with some waiting an hour for gas .

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(CNN) -- Call it a self-fulfilling prophecy: An estimated three-fourths of gas stations in the Nashville, Tennessee, area ran dry Friday, victim of an apparent rumor that the city was running out of gas. "Everybody has just gone nuts," said Mike Williams, executive director of the Tennessee Petroleum Council. He said he has no idea about the origin of a rumor that there was going to be no gas in Nashville. One reporter called him, saying she had heard that Nashville would be without gas within the hour, he said. Hearing the rumor, drivers rushed to fill their cars and trucks. CNN called 13 Nashville gas stations at random. Only two reported having gas, and one said it was almost out. The stations said they were being told they would not get more until Monday or Tuesday. iReport.com: Nashville residents desperate for fuel . Katie Givens Kime, visiting from Atlanta, Georgia, was trying to fill up her tank for the trip home when she ran into trouble -- when she was already low on gas. "We panicked and looked online," she said. "And holy cow, there is no gas in the city. ... It has definitely gripped the city, for sure." One store clerk told her there was no way she could get gas to go back home, she said. Williams said some drivers were following gas trucks to see where they were headed, and lines at some stations were a mile long. Fuel was continuing to enter the city, however, as pipelines were working and barges were coming in. He likened it to Southerners rushing out to stock up on bread and milk when they hear it might snow. As stations began running low, the situation snowballed, he said. One station reported selling as much gas Friday as it usually does in a weekend, Williams said. The phenomenon seemed to be isolated to the Nashville area, he said. iReport.com: Is there a gas panic in your area? Givens Kime said she found a station online that still had gas and waited more than an hour to pump it. "People were freaked out," she said. A "renegade bunch" of men helped direct traffic to and from the pumps, even taking drivers' cash inside for them. She described people filling cans and other containers as well as cars. She said that the station was not engaging in price gouging but that "emotions were running very high" among drivers. CNN's Gary Bender contributed to this report.

EU force will take over the role of escorting U.N. World Food Program vessels . Role includes "protection of vulnerable vessels cruising off the Somali coast" Pirates have attacked almost 100 vessels off Somalia's coast this year . Warships from U.S., India, Russia and Malaysia also patrol region .

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(CNN) -- The European Union will launch its first naval operation Tuesday, protecting vessels from pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia, EU policy chief Javier Solana announced Monday. A French army helicopter taking off from French frigate Nivose, on patrol in the Gulf of Aden. EU foreign ministers approved the mission during their regular meeting in Brussels on Monday. Solana said the operation is "very important" because EU vessels will be operating "in a place in the world that everybody's looking at because of the new problems related to piracy." "It's very important that we have taken that decision to launch it tomorrow," he added. The EU naval force will take over the role of escorting United Nations World Food Program vessels carrying food and relief supplies to war-torn Somalia, an EU news release said. Its mandate, which is spelled out in several U.N. Security Council resolutions, also will include "the protection of vulnerable vessels cruising off the Somali coast, and the deterrence, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast," the news release stated. The deployment follows a decision by the European Council in September that established a coordination cell that supported surveillance and protection operations by several member states off the Somali coast. Piracy has become increasingly common in that area this year, particularly in the Gulf of Aden. So far, pirates have attacked almost 100 vessels off Somalia's coast and successfully hijacked nearly 40, according to the International Maritime Bureau. Those hijacked vessels include an enormous oil tanker, a chemical tanker, and a ship laden with Soviet-era arms, including tanks. The pirates normally hold the ships for ransom. The Somali-based pirates have extended their reach beyond Somalia's coastline. On Saturday, a Dutch-operated container ship outran pirates off the coast of Tanzania, an IMB official told CNN. A luxury cruise ship carrying more than 1,000 passengers and crew successfully outran pirates off the coast of Yemen last weekend. A multinational fleet -- including vessels from the United States, NATO member states, Russia and India -- has been patrolling the Indian Ocean waters near the Gulf of Aden, which connects the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. Around 20,000 oil tankers, freighters and merchant vessels pass along the crucial shipping route each year. In a recent interview provided to CNN, a pirate leader claimed attacks on shipping would continue so long as life in Somalia remained desperate. "The pirates are living between life and death," said the pirate leader, identified by only one name, Boyah. "Who can stop them? Americans and British all put together cannot do anything."

Gypsy Lawson, 28, faked pregnancy to hide sedated monkey under her blouse . Lawson, mother convicted of conspiracy, smuggling for taking monkey from Thailand . Prosecutors say they found notes between women planning the smuggling . Smuggling conviction carries maximum 20-year sentence .

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(CNN) -- A Washington woman who hid a sedated monkey under her blouse on a flight from Thailand was convicted of violating wildlife laws for smuggling the monkey into the United States, prosecutors said Tuesday. Authorities rescued the monkey from Gypsy Lawson's fake womb. Gypsy Lawson, 28, and her mother, Fran Ogren, 56, were convicted of smuggling and conspiracy to smuggle the monkey in violation of the Endangered Species Act and other federal laws. Lawson hid the young rhesus macaque monkey under a loose-fitting blouse on a flight from Bangkok, Thailand, to Los Angeles, California, International Airport, pretending she was pregnant, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Washington said. Permits are required to possess rhesus monkeys and many other species of animals. Such permits are granted for research, enhancement and conservation purposes. Additionally, transporting such species into the United States requires a customs declaration. Lawson and Ogren had neither. "These defendants purposely undertook a course of action which could well have endangered many citizens, as well as the life of the animal in question," said U.S. Attorney James McDevitt. Rhesus monkeys are known to carry viruses and parasites that can be transmitted to humans, said Paul Chang, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent. "This particular animal tested negative," he said. Chang said the monkey has been placed with a rescue center for abandoned primates, "but it could have been living out its life with its family in its native habitat." Authorities found journals and handwritten notes describing the mother and daughter's attempts to find a monkey small enough to smuggle back to the United States. The journal also described the pair's "acquisition of a small monkey and their experimenting with different medicines to sedate the monkey for their journey home," McDevitt's office said. Authorities also found photographs of Lawson at two airports and on an airplane in which she is wearing loose-fitting clothing and appears to be pregnant. "The journal confirms that she and her mother smuggled the monkey into the United States by hiding it under her shirt, pretending she was pregnant in order to get past authorities," the statement from McDevitt's office said. Co-defendant James Edward Pratt, 34, already has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of possession and transportation of prohibited wildlife. He will be sentenced in January. Sentencing for Lawson and Ogren is scheduled for March 3, 2009. The smuggling conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of court supervision after release. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of court supervision after release. Flight itineraries show the pair flew from Spokane, Washington, to Bangkok on November 4-5, 2007, with stops in Seattle, Washington, and Inchon, South Korea. They returned on a direct flight from Bangkok to Los Angeles, California, on November 28, 2007.

NEW: Bodies of two airmen found in Pacific Ocean; four other airmen sought . A U.S. Air Force B-52 with six airmen crashed off the island of Guam . Rescuers search a point in the Pacific about 30 miles northwest of Guam . The B-52H Stratofortress was based at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana .

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(CNN) -- Two airmen were found dead in the Pacific Ocean and rescuers were trying to find four others after a U.S. Air Force B-52 crashed off the island of Guam on Monday, the Air Force said. The B-52H Stratofortress, like this one, was in Guam as part of a four-month rotation. Rescuers found the bodies about 30 miles northwest of Guam, not far from where the bomber was believed to have crashed at about 9:45 a.m. local time, the Air Force said. One of the dead airmen was identified, but the identity was withheld pending family notification, the Air Force said. Search crews have found no survivors, but they are still looking, said Lt. Elizabeth Buendia, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Coast Guard in Guam, which is a U.S. territory. The B-52H Stratofortress had six airmen aboard and was on a training mission when it crashed, the Air Force said. It was scheduled to fly over crowds celebrating Liberation Day, which commemorates the U.S. capture of Guam from Japan in 1944, the Air Force said. The bomber was based at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana but was at Guam's Andersen Air Force Base as part of a four-month rotation, said Capt. Joel Stark, an Andersen Air Force Base spokesman. No weapons or munitions were aboard the aircraft and information on what led to the crash wasn't available, the Air Force said. In February, a B-2 stealth bomber crashed shortly after takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base. Two crew members ejected and were in good condition afterward.

China protesting U.S. deal to sell $6.4 billion in arms to Taiwan . Deal comes when the U.S. needs China in negotiations over Iran and N. Korea . Chinese ambassador expected to protest sale to the State Department . U.S. defended deal, saying it does not violate international agreement .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- China has canceled or postponed several military exchanges with the U.S. in reaction to last week's announcement that the U.S. is selling weapons to Taiwan, a Defense Department spokesman said Monday. Apache attack helicopters are part of the $6.4 billion weapons deal between the U.S. and Taiwan. Officials announced last week an intention to sell $6.4 billion in arms to Taiwan, though the deal still needs to be approved by Congress. Maj. Stewart Upton said the sale does not violate the Taiwan Relations Act, which allows the United States to provide Taiwan with items for self-defense . Taiwan split from the Chinese mainland in 1949 and the United States has vowed to support them if China initiates an unprovoked attack. The arms deal comes at a time when the United States needs China in negotiations over Iran's and North Korea's nuclear programs. "The Chinese reaction is unfortunate and results in missed opportunities," Upton said. "We feel that the global security environment calls for U.S. and [Chinese] officials to maintain close relations to address common security challenges." The "bilateral events" China called off or postponed involve "senior level visits and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief exchanges" scheduled to happen by the end of November, he said. The Chinese ambassador was said to be on his way to the State Department Monday afternoon to protest the proposed weapons sale to Taiwan. One U.S. official said the tension with China will not affect the role China is playing in negotiations with Iran or North Korea over its nuclear program. The official declined to speak for attribution because of the sensitive diplomacy involved. The arms deal package includes a variety of U.S.-made weapons systems, including Patriot III anti-missile system, Apache attack helicopters, Harpoon missiles and Javelin anti-tank missiles.

NEW: NATO force expects no impact on ability to carry out operations . Pakistan suspends convoys into Afghanistan through key mountain pass . Route was used to carry food and military supplies to U.S. troops . Militants seized U.S. humvees, food aid in ambush earlier this week .

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan has indefinitely blocked travel for convoys, carrying food and military supplies to U.S. troops in Afghanistan, through a key mountain pass. Armed militants pose next to a captured armored vehicle near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. But in a statement, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan said, "We do not expect any impact on ISAF's ability to carry out operations." The decision to suspend travel through the Khyber Pass in northwest Pakistan was taken due to security concerns, said Gula Jan, a security official in Khyber Agency, on Sunday. The mountain pass links Pakistan to its neighbor, Afghanistan. It is in the Khyber Agency, one of seven semiautonomous tribal agencies along the Afghan border. Because Afghanistan is landlocked, many supplies for NATO-led troops fighting Islamic militants there have to be trucked in from Pakistan. Officials said militants aligned with the Taliban and al Qaeda have carried several attacks there. The Pakistani central government has little control in the area, and the area is believed to be a haven for militants. On Tuesday, as many as 60 to 70 armed militants launched back-to-back assaults on convoys. The militants seized 13 trucks -- 12 carrying wheat into Afghanistan as part of a World Food Programme convoy, and one transporting Humvees to the U.S.-led coalition, Khyber Agency officials said. Jan said the decision to suspend travel came after local leaders met with representatives of some of the shipping firms. He said trucks will be allowed through the pass once the security situation improves, but did not specify a date. Dozens of trucks idled by the side of roads Sunday in the Khyber Agency and in Peshawar waiting for the green light. In its statement, ISAF said it has "multiple, robust and complementary lines of support." It added that for security and geographical reasons, "the movements of civilian convoys destined for ISAF are coordinated with Pakistani authorities and border crossing points. The current temporary adjustments in convoy movements are as a result of this coordination." CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report.

NEW: Mom called newspaper after she hadn't heard from son in three days . Two on vacation in Lebanon and haven't been heard from since a week ago . They reportedly were headed for northern Lebanese cities of Byblos and Tripoli .

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(CNN) -- The U.S. Embassy in Beirut is asking for assistance in locating two missing American journalists who were on vacation in Lebanon and have not been heard from since they left the Lebanese capital last week. Holli Chmela, 27, was last heard from when she and a fellow journalist left Beirut, Lebanon, on October 1. Holli Chmela, 27, and her male companion, Taylor Luck, 23, arrived in Lebanon on September 29 from Amman, Jordan, the embassy said. They left Beirut on October 1, telling friends they were headed for the northern Lebanese cities of Byblos and Tripoli that day. No one has reported any contact with them since then, the embassy said. "They were then to cross by land to Syria before returning to Jordan," the embassy said. "Chmela and Luck were due to report to work in Jordan on October 4." Luck is an editor with The Jordan Times in Amman, and Chmela had been working as a freelancer for the newspaper, said Sameer Barhoum, the paper's editor. After flying into Beirut last week, the two planned to travel by land to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo before returning to Jordan -- also by land -- by Saturday, Barhoum said. Luck's mother called Barhoum on Sunday after not hearing from her son in three days, he said. She also said the last time Luck used his credit card was October 1 in Lebanon. "We are hoping that both are safe and looking forward to see them with us soon," Barhoum said. Abdul Wahab Zugaylat, the head of Jordan's press association, said, "We are waiting to hear officially from the U.S. Embassy that they did not depart the Lebanese borders." The U.S. Embassy said it is working with the Lebanese Internal Security Force to investigate the whereabouts of the pair. "In addition, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut is coordinating efforts with the U.S. embassies in Amman and Damascus [Syria] as well as with the Department of State in Washington," the embassy said. In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said he had no details about the missing Americans. CNN's Caroline Faraj in Dubai contributed to this report.

California Supreme Court declines to block November vote . State residents to vote on whether to ban same-sex marriages . Activist group had sought to block ballot initiative . Same-sex marriages were legalized in state earlier this year .

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SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) -- The California Supreme Court has cleared the way for Californians to vote in November on whether to ban same-sex marriages in the state. A gay couple is married in California in June. Voters could void same-sex marriages in the state in November. The court on Wednesday denied a petition to remove the initiative from the state's general election ballots. The unanimous decision was handed down without elaboration. Hundreds of marriage licenses have been issued to same-sex couples since mid-June, a month after the court overturned the state's laws against such unions. However, on June 2, opponents of same-sex marriage filed for a ballot initiative that would ban such marriages in the state's constitution. Such a ban would overturn the court's May ruling. Equality California, a Sacramento-based activist group, filed a petition against the initiative -- Proposition 8 -- arguing that it involves a constitutional revision that can't be adopted through a ballot vote. The group also contended that petitions circulated to qualify the proposition for the ballot contained material that misled readers about the measure's effects. Jennifer Kerns, a spokeswoman for the proposition, called Wednesday's decision "a huge victory." "We believe it deals a strong blow to our opponents and sends a strong message that they won't be able to keep the ballot initiative away from the people of California," she said. Calls Wednesday to Equality California were not immediately returned. If the proposition is approved, it would be the second time same-sex marriages have been voided in California. In February 2004, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom -- who is considering a run for governor -- challenged the state's laws against same-sex marriage, ordering city officials to issue marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples. Those unions were voided by the California Supreme Court, though the justices sidestepped the issue of whether banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, allowing legal cases to work their way through the lower courts. Several gay and lesbian couples -- along with the city of San Francisco and gay-rights groups -- sued, saying they were victims of unlawful discrimination. A lower court ruled San Francisco had acted unlawfully in issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. However, the state Supreme Court's ruling in May struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional. That decision made California the nation's second state, after Massachusetts, to legalize same-sex marriage. Four other states allow civil unions.

Iran criticizes Obama for saying nuclear weapon development unacceptable . Parliamentary speaker says Obama should apply campaign message of change . U.S.-Iran tensions high over Tehran's nuclear ambitions .

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TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's parliament speaker has criticized U.S. President-elect Barack Obama for saying that Iran's development of a nuclear weapon is unacceptable. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has outlined where he thinks U.S. policy needs to change. Ali Larijani said Saturday that Obama should apply his campaign message of change to U.S. dealings with Iran. "Obama must know that the change that he talks about is not simply a superficial changing of colors or tactics," Larijani said in comments carried by the semi-official Mehr News Agency. "What is expected is a change in strategy, not the repetition of objections to Iran's nuclear program, which will be taking a step in the wrong direction." In his first post-election news conference Friday afternoon, Obama reiterated that he believes a nuclear-armed Iran would be "unacceptable." He also said he would help mount an international effort to prevent it from happening. Larijani said that U.S. behavior toward Iran "will not change so simply" but that Obama's election showed internal conditions in the United States have shifted. He added that Iran does not mind if the United States provides other Persian Gulf countries with nuclear technology, but "you should know that you cannot prevent the Islamic Republic [from reaching its goals in the nuclear field]," according to the news agency. Obama cautioned Friday that it had only been a few days since the election and that he was not in office. "Obviously, how we approach and deal with a country like Iran is not something that we should simply do in a knee-jerk fashion. I think we've got to think it through," Obama said. "But I have to reiterate once again that we only have one president at a time. And I want to be very careful that we are sending the right signals to the world as a whole that I am not the president, and I won't be until January 20th." Larijani was speaking two days after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad congratulated Obama, the first time an Iranian leader has offered such wishes to a U.S. president-elect since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. One analyst said the welcome was a gesture from the hard-line president that he is open to a more conciliatory relationship with the United States. Ahmadinejad said Tehran "welcomes basic and fair changes in U.S. policies and conducts," according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency on Thursday. Relations between the United States and Iran have historically been chilly and have been further strained in recent years over Iran's nuclear program. Tehran insists that the program exists for peaceful purposes, but the United States and other Western nations are concerned by Iran's refusal to halt uranium enrichment activities. CNN's Shirzad Bozorgmehr contributed to this report. Copyright 2008 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

Bush policies blamed for "breeding the very extremism that it is supposed to defeat" Report: European govts failed to address "human rights dimensions of the crisis" Somalia's Ethiopian-backed transitional government battling Islamic militias . Fighting has driven more than a million people from their homes .

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(CNN) -- The United States and other Western powers have "exacerbated Somalia's downward spiral" and must revise their policies in the east African country, a Human Rights Watch report has warned. Recent image of Islamist fighters at a camp in the northern outskirts of Mogadishu . The report, released Monday, blames the policies under President George W. Bush for "breeding the very extremism that it is supposed to defeat." "The new administration of U.S. President Barack Obama should urgently review U.S. policy in Somalia and the broader Horn of Africa and break with the failed approach of his predecessor," the report said. It also cites key European governments for failing "to address the human rights dimensions of the crisis, with many officials hoping that somehow unfettered support to abusive TFG (Somali transitional government) forces will improve stability." Somalia's weak transitional government, backed by Ethiopian forces, continues to battle Islamic militias with the fighting concentrated in the capital, Mogadishu. Ethiopian forces have not withdrawn from the country, as required under a recent cease-fire agreement. Ethiopia invaded Somalia two years ago and successfully routed the Islamic militia that seized control of the capital. The HRW report states that the United States "directly backed Ethiopia's intervention." Since the 2006 overthrow of the Islamic Courts Union, Somalia has suffered from "unconstrained warfare and violent rights abuses" by all warring parties. "All sides have used indiscriminate force as a matter of routine, and in 2008 violence has taken on a new dimension with the targeted murders of aid workers and civil society activists," the report states. "The human rights and humanitarian catastrophe facing Somalia today threatens the lives and livelihoods of millions of Somalis on a scale not witnessed since the early 1990s." Heavy fighting in Mogadishu and across Somalia has driven more than a million people from their homes. The lawlessness has also spilled onto the seas off the Horn of Africa, where international vessels are routinely hijacked by suspected Somali pirates who demand large ransoms. Human Rights Watch offers specific recommendations to the Somali and Ethiopian governments, the main militias, and the international community to address the human rights abuses. It calls on the West to "insist upon an end to the impunity that has fueled the worst abuses - and the right place to start is by moving the U.N. Security Council to establish a Commission of Inquiry to document abuses and lay the groundwork for accountability." Journalist Abdinasir Mohamed Guled contributed to this report.

Rio Tinto announces cuts, citing worsening demand conditions . BHP withdrew from planned buyout last month . Layoffs would save $1.2 billion a year but cost $400 million in severance packages .

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(CNN) -- British-based mining giant Rio Tinto announced plans to cut 14,000 jobs on Wednesday, just weeks after a planned buyout by rival BHP Billiton collapsed. Rio Tinto has nearly $39 billion in corporate debt. Rio Tinto made the announcement as part of a plan to cut its nearly $39 billion in corporate debt by an estimated $10 billion by the end of 2009. The company issued a gloomy forecast in October. "Since that time, demand conditions have worsened further, and as a result the group's priorities have reoriented around conserving cash flow and reducing near-term borrowings," it said in a statement announcing the cuts. The layoffs would include 5,500 direct employees and 8,500 contract jobs, the elimination of which would save about $1.2 billion a year, the company said. The layoffs would cost $400 million in severance packages, however. BHP withdrew from its planned buyout in late November, citing a high level of debt the combined company would be required to service in "difficult" economic conditions and concerns about whether it would be able to sell off units Rio Tinto already had targeted for divestment. Rio Tinto said it would consider selling off other elements of the company in an effort to raise more cash, but disclosed no details.

China has recalled two tainted leukemia drugs causing "adverse reactions" Production, sale of drug by Shanghai Hualian Pharmaceutical suspended . China returned to U.S., Canadian exporters 42 tons tainted pork, turkey products .

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BEIJING, China (CNN) -- China has recalled two tainted leukemia drugs tied to "adverse reactions" in patients, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported Sunday. The factories involved in the production of the tainted drugs have been closed for investigation. According to Xinhau, the State Food and Drug Administration and the Ministry of Health suspended the production, sale and usage of methotrexate and cytarabin hydrochloride, produced by Shanghai Hualian Pharmaceutical Co., on September 5. There is no indication the drugs in question were ever exported outside of China. On Friday, the two agencies issued a notice saying that vincristine sulfate was the culprit -- an anti-cancer medicine which had been mistakenly mixed with the leukemia drugs, causing leg pains and retention of urine -- Xinhua reported. The factories involved have been closed, while the cause is being investigated. Separately, China returned to U.S. and Canadian exporters 42 tons of pork and turkey products after samples of the pork in the shipments showed traces ractopamine, Xinhua reported. Ractopamine is a hormone used to promote lean meat growth in some animals and is banned in many parts of the world, including China and the European Union. E-mail to a friend .

Passengers will fly to Dubai to continue their journey . Hapag-Lloyd: Involves 246 passengers, most of crew aboard MS Columbus . Prompted by travel warning for the area issued by German Foreign Ministry . United States, UK advise those traveling near Somali coast to use extreme caution .

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BERLIN, Germany (CNN) -- A German cruise liner said Tuesday it plans to fly its passengers over the Gulf of Aden, instead of sailing them through, out of fear of pirate attacks in the region. U.S. Navy image of pirates operating off coast of Somalia in October this year. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises said all 246 passengers and most of the crew aboard the MS Columbus, currently at the start of an around-the-world cruise, will disembark at an undisclosed port, then fly to Dubai to continue their journey. The company called the move a precautionary measure. Pirate attacks in the waters off Somalia have shot up this year, with pirates staging increasingly bolder attacks on ever-bigger targets. So far this year, pirates have attacked almost 100 vessels off Somalia's coast and successfully hijacked nearly 40, according to the International Maritime Bureau. Freight and cargo ships, cruise liners, and private yachts have all come under attack. In many hijackings, pirates take the crew and passengers hostage while they demand a ransom. The problem has forced companies like Hapag-Lloyd, that use the Gulf of Aden, to make new plans, including stepping up security or changing their routes. One shipping company announced last month it would bypass the region altogether, sailing instead around the Cape of Good Hope and adding thousands of kilometers to its voyages. Read more about how to solve the pirate problem here. Hapag-Lloyd said a general travel warning for the area, issued by the German Foreign Ministry, played a part in the decision. But the company also said it had asked the German government for naval protection and the request was turned down. Representatives of Hapag-Lloyd and the German Defense Ministry could not immediately be reached for further comment. The passengers on board the Columbus began the first leg of their world cruise November 28 in Genoa, Italy and are due in Dubai on December 17, according to Hapag-Lloyd's Web site. Further stops include Singapore, Bali, Indonesia and Sydney, Australia. Hapag-Lloyd said that after the passengers and most of the crew disembark, the Columbus will sail through the Gulf of Aden with a skeleton staff. The passengers will stay in a five-star hotel in Dubai for three days until the Columbus arrives to take them back onboard, the company said. Both the crew and passengers approve of the safety measure, Hapag-Lloyd said. The U.S. State Department and British Foreign Office advise those traveling near the Somali coast to use extreme caution because of the recent pirate attacks. Last week, the Australian government issued a similar warning about travel to the region. The advice also urged Australian ships "to apply a robust and layered protective security regime" when traveling through the area. -- CNN's Frederik Pleitgen contributed to this report.

Charles Cashmore, Charles Erlich, Michael McClinton, Walter Alexander in court . Four accompanied Simpson, another man in robbery of memorabilia dealers . If they violate probation, four face prison terms of 12 months to 84 months . Judge must still decide restitution in case .

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(CNN) -- Four of O.J. Simpson's accomplices in the 2007 robbery at a Las Vegas hotel were given suspended sentences Tuesday by Nevada District Judge Jackie Glass. District Court Judge Jackie Glass sentenced four O.J. Simpson codefendants to probation on Tuesday. The four -- Charles Cashmore, Charles Erlich, Michael McClinton and Walter Alexander -- all turned on Simpson and cooperated in the case against him. Simpson was sentenced last week to at least nine and as many as 33 years in prison in the case. Glass called him "arrogant" and "ignorant." Before announcing the suspended sentences Tuesday, Glass said the actions of Cashmore, Erlich, McClinton and Alexander were "stupid but also criminal" when they accompanied the former football star to the Palace Station Hotel and Casino on September 13, 2007. But she praised them for taking responsibility for their actions and for cooperating with the state's case against Simpson. Should they violate the terms of their probation, the four could face prison time ranging from 12 months to 84 months, depending on the specific charges against them. The four apologized to the state and the victims in the case before their sentences were read in court Tuesday. Simpson, a former Heisman Trophy winner and record-setting NFL running back, had enlisted the help of Cashmore, Erlich, McClinton and Alexander, along with Clarence "C.J." Stewart, in an effort to get sports memorabilia items that Simpson claimed belong to him from dealers Bruce Fromong and Al Beardsley. The six men confronted the dealers in a hotel room, brandishing weapons but not firing them. Stewart received a sentence similar to Simpson's but will be eligible for parole in 7½ years. Watch how Simpson's conviction came down » . Glass ordered Fromong removed from the courtroom Tuesday after he made a comment during the sentencing of McClinton, who admitted brandishing a gun in the hotel room. Glass still has to decide restitution in the case a schedule a hearing on that for Friday morning. The four men sentenced Tuesday walked meekly from the courtroom to report to law enforcement officials and get details on their probation. On Friday, Simpson was led from the courtroom in shackles. He'll remain jailed while an appeal is pending.

NEW: Top U.S. military officer encouraged by terror arrests . Pakistan arrests militant leaders blamed by India for Mumbai terror attacks . Zarar Shah, top commander of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, among those held . Blamed militant groups were formed to oppose Indian rule in divided Kashmir .

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani authorities have arrested two top leaders of the Islamic militant group India blames for the November massacre in Mumbai, Pakistan's prime minister confirmed Wednesday. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Pakistani security forces had rounded up a number of militant figures. The top military officer in the U.S. on Wednesday said he is "encouraged" by Pakistan's recent arrests of "significant players" in the Mumbai attacks. U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen said the arrests amount to "first steps" toward determining who plotted the three day siege last month that killed 160 people in Mumbai, India's financial capital. "There are more steps to follow," he noted. He also thanked India for showing restraint against Pakistan, which it has accused of harboring the terrorist groups behind the November massacre. Zarar Shah, a top operational commander of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, and Zakir Rehman Lakhvi, whose arrest had been reported Tuesday, were among the militant figures rounded up in recent days, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told reporters. Gilani would not confirm the detention of Masood Azhar, the leader of another militant group, Jaish-e-Muhammad. But he said his government has launched its own investigation into India's allegations that the gunmen who killed more than 160 people in Mumbai had links to Pakistan. The acknowledgment came three days after Pakistani security forces raided an LeT camp near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, in the first sign of government action against Lashkar-e-Tayyiba since the three-day siege of India's financial capital. Both LeT and Jaish-e-Muhammad were formed to battle Indian rule in the divided Himalayan territory of Kashmir, and both were banned after a 2001 attack on the Indian parliament that brought the South Asian nuclear rivals to the brink of war. The United States has listed LeT as a terrorist group with ties to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network. According to the U.S. government, Lakhvi, 47, has directed LeT's military operations in southeast Asia, Chechnya, Bosnia and Iraq. Pakistan's Defense Minister Choudhry Mukhtar Ahmed told CNN's sister network in India, CNN-IBN, that Lakhvi and Azhar had been arrested on Monday. Azhar has been in Pakistan since 1999, when he was released from an Indian prison in exchange for hostages aboard a hijacked Indian airliner. Indian authorities say the sole surviving gunman in the Mumbai attacks told investigators that he was trained at an LeT camp near Muzaffarabad, along with the nine other attackers who were killed in the three-day siege. A Pakistani security official said the terror raids on banned militant groups are ongoing and have resulted in at least 15 arrests.

Richard Yanis charged with attempted murder for alleged high school shooting plot . Yanis, 15, planned to kill people he didn't like and then himself, prosecutor says . Teen is charged as adult because of use of gun in alleged plot, prosecutor says . Teen described as introverted, no history of aggressive behavior .

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(CNN) -- A Pennsylvania teen has been charged as an adult for allegedly planning to kill classmates he did not like before turning the gun on himself in a high school shooting spree, a Pennsylvania prosecutor said Tuesday. Richard Yanis allegedly stole three handguns from his father and told police he planned to "shoot students in the school and then himself" at Pottstown High School, Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said in a press release. Yanis, 15, was charged with attempted murder in adult court because juvenile law in Montgomery County excludes crimes committed with a deadly weapon, Ferman said. The investigation began when the teen's father reported that three handguns were stolen from a secured gun locker in his basement, Ferman said. His son allegedly took a Smith & Wesson .357 caliber revolver, a Smith & Wesson .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Colt .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, Ferman said. Richard Yanis gave the guns and ammunition to an unnamed friend from school and asked him to "hold onto it," the statement said. The friend allegedly showed his stepmother the guns, and the two drove to a nearby creek where they tossed in the weapons. The friend told a teacher at Pottstown High School what happened, and police were called. Yanis told police he planned to attack the school after the New Year, officials said. "He was going to go into the school shooting, shoot everyone he did not like, and then himself," Ferman said. "He was to have the guns loaded and have the additional ammunition inside his backpack," she said. "On the day of the planned shooting, Yanis said he was going to tell his friends to go home from school." John Armato, director of community relations at Pottstown Senior High School, described Yanis "as quiet, relatively introverted." "He did not have a great number of friends or a history of discipline problems," Armato said. "He had no history of aggressive behaviors in school." Yanis' parents had no comment, but family friend Brian Hanlon spoke on their behalf. "I can say that it was definitely out of character, but that his parents are dealing with it as best as possible," Hanlon said. "They want everyone to respect their privacy at this time while dealing with these events." CNN's Chloe Melas contributed to this report.

Ex-Sen. Tom Daschle is a health care adviser on Obama's transition team . The former Senate majority leader says he plans to write Obama's health care plan . Daschle advocates expanding federal employee health benefits to private employers . Linda Daschle, a registered lobbyist, would leave firm to clear potential conflicts .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Sen. Tom Daschle will be announced Thursday as President-elect Barack Obama's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, a Democratic source said Wednesday. Former Sen. Tom Daschle, shown with his wife, Linda, says he will write Obama's health care plan. CNN has previously reported that the 61-year-old former Senate majority leader from South Dakota would be Obama's choice, but not the announcement date. In November, Daschle said he was excited about the possibility of serving as point person in Obama's effort to change the nation's health care system. Daschle is on the health care advisory group of Obama's transition team and said he plans to write the health care plan that Obama submits to Congress next year. "I hope to have the plan enacted by next year, and then it will take several years to implement," Daschle said last month. Daschle said reforming health care in the United States must be a priority in the current economic climate. "We can't afford not to do it," he said. "If we do nothing, we'll be paying twice as much on health care in 10 years as we do today." Daschle served as Democratic leader in the Senate from 1995 until he lost a re-election bid in 2004. Representing South Dakota, he was first elected as a congressman in 1978 and served in the House until he was elected to the Senate in 1986. He recently wrote a book on health care titled "Critical: What We Can Do About the Health Care Crisis." In the book, he pushed for universal health care coverage to reach 46 million uninsured Americans by expanding the federal employee health benefits program to include private employer plans together with Medicaid and Medicare. Most Republicans oppose any such plan, saying it would give too much power to the government. They've also questioned Daschle's recent work for a Washington lobbying firm. His wife, Linda Daschle, is a registered lobbyist for a firm that includes health care clients. But a source close to Daschle told CNN that Linda Daschle would be leaving the firm at the end of the year to set up her own company focusing on transportation lobbying in order to clear any potential conflicts of interest. CNN's Candy Crowley and Ed Henry contributed to this report.

Joran van der Sloot will answer questions about video story, lawyer said . Van der Sloot said videotaped story of how woman died was lie . Holloway disappeared in 2005 while on graduation trip to Aruba . Meet journalist who uncovered van der Sloot tape; tonight, 9 ET, "Larry King Live"

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(CNN) -- Joran van der Sloot is meeting with investigators Thursday in the Netherlands in response to the recently released videotape in the Natalee Holloway case, his U.S.-based attorney said. Joran van der Sloot awaits transfer from the Netherlands to Aruba in November. He later was released. The exact location of that meeting was not disclosed, but van der Sloot's attorney, Joe Tacopina, said his client has "agreed to answer any questions." In the video that aired Sunday on Dutch television, van der Sloot, a suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Holloway, told a man he was with the Alabama teen on an Aruban beach when she apparently died and that a friend of his with a boat disposed of Holloway's body. Van der Sloot later said the statements were lies, and on Monday, Tacopina said the video contains "no admission of a crime." The lawyer said facts in the case contradict two assertions van der Sloot made in the video, including that the boat-owner friend mentioned wasn't in Aruba in May 2005. Watch how video has brought new interest in case » . Meanwhile, prosecutors are still awaiting a decision from a three-judge appellate panel on the nearby Caribbean island of Curacao as to whether van der Sloot can be arrested in reaction to the video. The chief prosecutor in Aruba, Hans Mos, was denied an initial attempt to arrest van der Sloot by the investigating judge last Sunday. The judge determined that numerous pretrial detentions of van der Sloot in the past have created a "high bar" that current circumstances do not meet. The prosecutor appealed the judge's decision on Tuesday, and the appellate panel will have eight days to respond. Holloway disappeared while visiting Aruba with about 100 classmates celebrating their graduation from Mountain Brook High School in suburban Birmingham, Alabama, and was last seen leaving a nightclub with van der Sloot and brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. Mos dropped charges against the three men in December, saying he couldn't be sure of a conviction. E-mail to a friend . CNN Tracy Sabo contributed to this report.

About two pounds of potent cannabis found stashed in Gushi shaman's tomb . The Gushi were horsemen and archers who lived 2,700 years ago in the Gobi Desert . Archaeologists found shaman among 2,500 tombs of mummies, bridles, rare harp . No pipe in grave, leading researchers to surmise shaman ate or burned cannabis .

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(CNN) -- An ancient race that lived 2,700 years ago in the Gobi Desert may have been among the first to use cannabis for medical or religious purposes. Researchers believe an ancient Gushi shaman may have consumed or burned pot for medical or religious purposes. Nearly two pounds of the plant was found stashed in the tomb of a Gushi shaman. It was high in the chemical compounds that provide its psychoactive properties. "It had evidence of the chemical attributes of cannabis used as a drug," said Dr. Ethan Russo, an author of a study published in the Journal of Experimental Botany. "It could have been for pain control. It could have been for other medicinal properties. It could have been used as an aid to divination." The Gushi people were a Caucasian race with light hair and blue eyes who likely migrated thousands of years ago from the steppes of Russia to what is now China. A nomadic people, they were accomplished horsemen and archers. Chinese archaeologists excavating a network of 2,500 tombs near the town of Turpan in the Xinjiang-Uighur Autonomous Region unearthed the shaman's grave, which contained the cannabis, along with a trove of artifacts such as bridles, archery equipment and a rare harp. The shaman is thought to have been about 45 years old when he died. Many of the bodies recovered in the area were found in an incredibly well-preserved, almost mummified condition. The shaman, however, was a skeleton. "The deceased was laid out on the bottom of this tomb on a little bier," Russo said. "This individual seemed to be very high status because of the variety and quality of the grave goods, including the equestrian equipment, the archery equipment and the large amount of cannabis." Russo said no pipe for smoking the cannabis was found in the shaman's tomb. Researchers think he might have eaten the cannabis or possibly put it on a burning fire to create fumes. They don't think it was used to make hemp clothing or rope, as some other early cultures did. Genetic analysis of the plant suggests it was cultivated rather than gathered from the wild. This find is not the first or the oldest example of ancient people using cannabis, but it may be the best studied. "There may have been older finds of cannabis, but not with this level of scientific investigation attached to them," Russo said.

Dr. Bilal Abdulla's professional life is different to radicals seen before in UK . Anti terror officer tells PA Abdulla was a self-taught, self-starter . Abdulla planned car bomb attacks in June 2007 on targets in Glasgow and London . He was found guilty of conspiracy to murder in June 2007 .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- The conviction of a terrorist doctor in the UK exposes how any section of society can become radicalized, a top police officer said Tuesday. Bilal Abdulla is shown being arrested after the attack at Glasgow Airport. Bilal Abdulla was well-educated and working as a doctor when he carried out his plot to plant car bombs in London -- rather than unemployed or with feelings of being outside or abandoned by society as has been seen before in the UK. Born in southern England, his family moved to Iraq when he was a child. He grew up in the capital during Saddam Hussein's rule and went to the University of Baghdad before returning to Britain to attend Cambridge University. The Cambridge-educated graduate became a doctor working in the National Health Service where the maxim is to treat anyone regardless of the ability to pay. Deputy Assistant Commissioner John McDowall, who heads the Counter Terrorism Command, said Abdulla and Kafeel Ahmed -- who died from burn injuries after he crashed a jeep into Glasgow International Airport, Scotland -- reveal a new type of terrorist. He told the UK's Press Association: "These individuals were not on our radar and that in itself is very interesting. When you look at the profile of these individuals they are very different from the terrorists we have dealt with in this country before - being professional people. McDowell added they were probably inspired by al Qaeda in Iraq but developed their plan in Britain without help from abroad. "I think this was a group that was largely self-motivated, came up with the ideas themselves, tutored themselves through the Internet. I don't think they received significant training elsewhere, which is unusual from what we have had in the past," he told PA. Abdulla's motive, prosecutors said, was revenge for the bloodshed in Iraq. Prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw said: 'There is no longer a conventional approach to terrorism. There are no rules to be broken any more, nothing can be taken for granted." Abdulla was found guilty Tuesday of conspiracy to murder and conspiring to cause explosions. He will be sentenced to Woolwich Crown Court, London, on Wednesday. The jury rejected his defense that he had planned only to set fire to cars in central London as a way of highlighting the plight of Iraqis.

Jet's left engine fell off as plane traveled between 250 and 300 kmh, reports say . No traces of explosives found in wreckage; no foul play suspected, official says . Interior minister, former deputy attorney general among those who died Tuesday . Mexicans had speculated that drug lords were behind crash .

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MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- An engine fell off a Mexican government jet before it crashed, killing the second-highest official in the nation, the Cabinet member in charge of the investigation said Saturday. Firefighters at the scene of the crash Tuesday night in Mexico City. Officials also said they have ruled out the possibility that the crash was caused by a bomb. "There is no trace of explosives on the plane wreckage or the [crash] site," said Luis Tellez, Mexican secretary of communication and transportation. Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, former deputy attorney general Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and six others onboard were killed in the crash. At least five others on the ground died, and others were reported missing. Officials said 40 people were injured. Camilo Mourino and Santiago Vasconcelos had been instrumental in the war on drugs, leading to widespread speculation among Mexicans that drug lords orchestrated the crash. But Mexican authorities have said there is no indication that foul play was involved. The government Learjet 45 was traveling at 500 kmh (310 mph) when it crashed in central Mexico City as it approached Benito Juarez International Airport. Gilberto Lopez Meyer, Mexico's director of airports and auxiliary services, said the jet's left engine fell off when the plane was traveling between 250 and 300 kmh (150 to 186 mph), according to Mexico's state-run Notimex news agency. An examination of the wreckage indicates that the engines were functioning at high speed, Lopez Meyer said. Tallez said the day after the crash that the Learjet 45 did not explode in the air because when that happens, pieces of the airplane are scattered over a wide area. But the wreckage in this instance was limited to a small area, he said. Tellez also said Wednesday that the pilot did not report an emergency, Notimex said. A recording released Wednesday of what Mexican officials said was dialogue between the pilot and the airport control tower did not appear to have an emergency call from the aircraft. Officials have vowed to make all aspects of the investigation public. Mexican President Felipe Calderon inspected the crash site Saturday, Notimex said.

French official: Airbus A320 Air New Zealand jet crashes off southern French coast . Rescue efforts launched, no immediate reports of survivors, floating debris found . Passenger jet was on a training flight when it crashed at about 4 p.m. GMT .

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PARIS, France (CNN) -- A plane with seven people aboard crashed into the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday, a French regional government official told CNN. A New Zealand Airbus 320 flying into Auckland from France, from a file picture taken in 2003. The Airbus A320 jet was on a training flight when the crash occurred about 5 p.m. (4 p.m. GMT), said the official at the Maritime Prefecture in Toulon, France. There were no immediate reports of survivors, but rescue efforts involving French navy vessels and a helicopter were launched. Floating debris had been located, the official said. Airbus confirmed the crash in a written statement, saying the jet was owned by Air New Zealand and operated by XL Airways Germany. "The aircraft was operating a local technical flight from Perpignan, France," the company said. The Airbus statement did not say how many people were thought to be on board. See a map of where the flight originated » . The twin-engine plane involved in the accident had accumulated about 7,000 flying hours, Airbus said. Learn more about the Airbus A320 » . "At this time, no further factual information is available," Airbus said. "In line with international convention, Airbus will provide full technical assistance to the authorities of France, who will be responsible for the investigation into the accident. A team of five specialists from Airbus is being dispatched to the site." People in a civilian vessel saw the crash take place off the coast near Perpignan, the French government official said. "The investigation remains the entire responsibility of the relevant authorities, and it would be inappropriate for Airbus to enter into any form of speculation into the cause of the accident," the Airbus statement said. "The concerns and sympathy of the Airbus employees go to the families, friends and loved ones affected by the accident."

Soldiers: Army denied them disability rating, so they were denied benefits . Lawsuit filed by veterans advocacy group on behalf of vets with PTSD . In October, Army ordered all future PTSD sufferers to be eligible for benefits . Soldiers want eligibility to go back six years .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Army intentionally denied benefits to soldiers suffering from a widespread stress disorder after they returned from service in Iraq and Afghanistan, a veterans advocacy group charges in a suit filed Wednesday. A soldier is welcomed home from Iraq by his son at Fort Stewart, Georgia, earlier this month. The lawsuit, filed by the National Veterans Legal Services Program, accuses the Army of illegally cutting off benefits to thousands of veterans and their families by refusing to assign a proper disability rating to those veterans after they had been discharged with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As a result, the veterans have been denied benefits, including, among other things, lifetime monthly disability payments and free medical care for themselves and their families. "I experience firsthand the horrors of war" said Juan Perez, an Iraq veteran and one of five plaintiffs in the lawsuit. "My expectation was that the military would be there for me, and my country would be there for me. Instead, the way I was treated felt more like a slap to the face." All disabled veterans are assigned a disability rating from zero to 100 percent. According to the Legal Services Program, a rating of at least 30 percent is required to qualify for benefits such as monthly disability payments and free health care. Soldiers receiving less than a 30 percent rating are entitled only to a one-time lump sum severance payment after being discharged. On October 14, the Defense Department ordered the Army to assign at least a 50 percent rating to all soldiers discharged with PTSD in the future. The lawsuit seeks to provide full benefits to all veterans discharged with PTSD in the past six years. A Rand Corp. study released in April indicated that nearly 20 percent of all military service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have reported symptoms of PTSD or major depression.

Bomb attached to vehicle explodes in Baghdad, killing one and injuring two . Civilian killed in clash between gunmen and Iraqi National Police in Baghdad . Child killed by roadside bomb at Iraqi army checkpoint .

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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A bomb attached to a car carrying an Iraqi army general exploded Saturday afternoon, killing the driver and wounding the general and a bystander, an Interior Ministry official said. U.S. soldiers patrol the streets of Baghdad's central district on Saturday. The official said Gen. Abdul Karim Jabbar was seriously wounded when the bomb went off between al-Firdous Square and al-Andalus Square. The U.S. military refers to bombs attached to civilian vehicles without the driver's knowledge as "sticky bombs." Separately, a civilian was killed and five were wounded in afternoon clashes between gunmen and Iraqi National Police in the al-Shaab neighborhood of northeastern Baghdad, the ministry official said. In the same neighborhood, a roadside bomb exploded at an Iraqi army checkpoint Baghdad, killing a child, the Interior Ministry official said. The blast also wounded four Iraqi soldiers. Also Saturday, two Iraqi soldiers were killed and another was wounded when a roadside bomb struck an Iraqi army patrol on Palestine Street in eastern Baghdad.

Fire threatens the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, which only lives in Everglades . Dense smoke advisory from the National Weather Service issued for South Florida . Brian Crowder, 31, accused of setting several wildfires .

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(CNN) -- Almost 33,000 acres of the Everglades National Park were burning Sunday, fire officials said, the latest in a series of wildfires that have scorched parts of Florida in May. Smoke obscures the flames Sunday in the Everglades National Park. The smoke cast a haze over parts of South Florida, including Miami, prompting a dense smoke advisory from the National Weather Service. The fire, which threatened private property as well as an endangered bird, started Friday, the Southern Area InterAgency Management Blue Team said. By Sunday morning it was 20 percent contained, and fire crews were working to restrict it to the park while protecting the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, a federally protected species whose only habitat is in the Everglades. Watch the Everglades fire spread » . Windy conditions Sunday morning pushed the fire into the corner of the park closest to Miami, fire officials said. About 200 personnel battled the blaze in southern Florida Saturday night, but more crews were expected to join them Sunday. It is the latest wildfire to scorch Florida. More than 12,000 acres burned in the "Brevard Complex" fire near Palm Bay, on Florida's Atlantic Coast just south of Daytona Beach. That series of fires is about 75 percent contained and is expected to be fully contained on Tuesday, the National Interagency Fire Center said Sunday. Learn how wildfires spread » . Last week, Florida authorities charged a suspect, Brian Crowder, with arson in connection with some of the fires in Palm Bay. Watch the suspect's 'perp walk' » . The Brevard County fires have destroyed about 22 homes and structures, and damaged another 160 homes. Damage totals more than $9 million, officials said. A 19,000-acre fire near Clewiston, Florida, on the south end of Lake Okeechobee, is about 50 percent contained, the fire center said Sunday. And a 1,300-acre fire north of Apalachicola in the Florida Panhandle was 80 percent contained by Sunday, it said. Last week, U.S. Navy officials said a Navy jet sparked a 257-acre forest fire in the Ocala National Forest in the north-central part of the state. The jet had missed a target on a practice bombing run, the officials said.

Biker jailed for 12 weeks after posting YouTube stunts video . Police estimates put his speed at up to 210 kph (130 mph) Ferenci admitted two counts of dangerous driving .

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(CNN) -- A biker who posted videos of himself on YouTube performing stunts and speeding at up to 210 kph (130 mph) has been jailed after inadvertently confessing his misdemeanors to police. Sandor Ferenci posted video of himself online performing high-speed stunts. Sandor Ferenci, 28, was approached by police after a motorist saw him speeding on his powerful motorcycle and noted his registration number. When they called at his house in Oxfordshire, England, he unwittingly asked if they had seen his YouTube video -- prompting officers to search the Internet, where they found uploaded video of his hazardous riding. Ferenci was Monday sentenced to 12 weeks' jail after admitted two counts of dangerous driving at Oxford Crown Court. Judge Terence Maher told Ferenci that he had carried out "lunatic and grossly irresponsible maneuvers at considerable speed," according to CNN affiliate ITN. Ferenci's video footage, filmed by a friend from various angles including a footbridge, was shown to the court. In it the biker is seen performing wheelies, tire-smoking wheelspins and skids on his Yamaha R6 road bike as well as high speed undertaking maneuvers. Prosecutor Brian Payne said it was impossible to gauge Ferenci's exact speed in the video, but police estimated he was driving up to 210 kph, ITN reported.

FBI agents in Iraq each received an average of $45,000 in excessive overtime . Audit finds agents submitted overtime with managers' blessing . FBI acknowledges error but says policy was to encourage voluntary sign-ups .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- FBI agents temporarily deployed to Iraq received an average of about $45,000 in excessive overtime because they billed the government for 16 hours a day throughout their 90-day assignments, according to a Justice Department audit. Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine released the audit on Thursday. The audit, released Thursday by Inspector General Glenn Fine, found the agents routinely submitted the overtime with the blessing of their managers from 2003 through 2007. The report says the excessive overtime totaled $7.8 million. "The FBI inappropriately permitted employees to regularly claim overtime for activities that are not compensable as work, such as time spent eating meals, exercising more than 3 hours per week, and socializing," the report said. The socializing included going to movies and cocktail parties. The FBI promptly responded to the report, acknowledging the overtime policy was designed to encourage FBI employees to volunteer for Iraq duty, but should not have been used and has now been corrected. The 88-page report documenting the overtime issues found the FBI had initially approved the policy of paying for 16-hour days because conditions were harsh, there were few recreational opportunities and employees were always "on call." But the audit said that violates federal pay guidelines. The FBI admitted that "a flawed system was allowed to develop and remain in place too long," but it also sought to explain how the practice started. "Early in the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq FBI managers traveled to those war zones and saw first hand the challenges of a 24/7 threat environment. FBI employees lived with sniper attacks, mortar fire, and roadside bombs as part of their daily work environment. They attempted to adapt a long established domestic pay system for domestic law enforcement to unprecedented wartime assignments for FBI personnel." FBI agents in Iraq perform a variety of duties, according to the bureau's Web site. Agents interview suspected terrorists captured by the military; gather intelligence; collect evidence from crime scenes like car bombs or mass graves; and investigate crimes committed by Americans against Iraqis, as well as those that Iraqis commit against their fellow citizens. The inspector general's report said overtime pay was less excessive for FBI personnel in Afghanistan. The report also found that somewhat less excessive overtime was paid to agents from other Justice Department agencies who were sent to Iraq, including deputy marshals, and ATF and DEA agents.

Fishing boat operator endures Hurricane Dolly aboard 65-foot vessel . Boat moored at South Padre Island, Texas, pier as storm hits . "It's probably not the best decision," Captain Steven Murphy admits . One of his company's three charter boats was pulled safely from water .

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SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (CNN) -- As his fishing boat, Murphy's Law, was tossed about Wednesday in the path of Hurricane Dolly, Steven Murphy hoped to dodge the adage his vessel is named for: "If anything can go wrong, it will." Captain Murphy's Fishing Charters boats sit moored Wednesday at South Padre Island, Texas. Murphy, owner of Captain Murphy's Fishing Charters, was riding out the storm in the 65-foot double-decker boat tethered to a pier at South Padre Island, Texas, just north of Brownsville. "I don't know if you can hear that wind, but it's really blowing. It's like a tornado," he said. "It's starting to tear it up real good." Dolly strengthened into a Category 2 storm Wednesday with 100-mph winds as it lashed the south Texas-Mexico border, sending residents and military personnel scurrying for safety and forcing people on South Padre Island to hunker down to wait it out. Watch Dolly pound South Padre » . The hurricane was reclassified to a Category 1 at midafternoon, not long after its eye came ashore at South Padre Island. Forecasters said its winds had decreased to about 95 mph. "It's probably not the best decision to ride it out," said Murphy, 41, but he said he felt that he didn't have a lot of choice.iReport.com: Murphy's Law striking Murphy's Law? Only one shipyard in the area can pull a boat such as his out of the water, he said, and there are more boats than there are spaces, "so you pretty much have to man it." See the projected path of the storm » . The charter company is a family business, and Murphy has been working on boats since he was 9. He said his brother was in a boat anchored next to Murphy's Law. He was alone because his deckhands left. View photos from the storm zone » . Murphy was accompanied by his girlfriend, Lisa Graves, and the captain of the company's third boat, which had been hauled out of the water. "When they told us about the hurricane, they said 80 mph max," Murphy said. A Category 1 storm has winds of 74 mph to 95 mph; a Category 2 storm has winds between 96 mph to 110 mph. Learn about hurricane mechanics » . "It's absolutely outrageous here. The winds are high. ... I can't describe it," Graves said. "In all my life, I've never seen anything like this. iReport.com: See another iReporter's footage from Brownsville, Texas . "We've had a sailboat that broke off the docks across the way and got caught up on our bows. We had to run out and cut the anchor line." Before the storm's eye hit South Padre Island, Murphy said things hadn't been too bad. iReport.com: Tree knocked down by storm . "If this is it, this isn't all that bad, [but] it probably wasn't the wisest thing," he said.

Religious freedom watchdog group urges protection of Iraq's minority religions . Situation severe enough to merit response from United States, group says . Smaller groups don't have militias or tribal structures to protect them . Incoming U.S. administration urged to ensure "safety for all Iraqis"

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Iraq's smaller religious groups have been facing "ongoing severe abuses," and the situation requires a response from the United States, a religious freedom watchdog said Tuesday. In late November, members of a Christian Iraqi family sit in a home in Lebanon after fleeing violence in Mosul. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued a report citing "threats and intimidation" against Chaldo-Assyrians and other Christians, Sabean-Mandaeans and Yazidis. The commission wants the U.S. State Department to designate Iraq as a "country of particular concern" -- a status that would allow policy responses, including public condemnations, the denial of state visits, and even sanctions. Spokeswoman Judith Ingram said such a designation would draw attention to the abuses and "encourage a robust policy response." There has been "reconciliation" between Iraq's dominant Shiite and Sunni religious groups, but tensions continue to reverberate and that's a concern, the commission said. But the smaller groups don't have "militia or tribal structures to protect them" and they "do not receive adequate official protection." "Iraq's non-Muslim religious minorities -- particularly Christians, Mandaeans and Yazidis -- have suffered religiously-based attacks and other abuses, and have fled the country, at rates far disproportionate to their numbers, seriously threatening these communities' continued existence in Iraq," the report said. "Lacking militias, and in the case of the Mandaeans unable to defend themselves for religious reasons, they are easy prey for extremists and criminals, and they do not receive adequate protection from the authorities. As in earlier years, they also are caught in the middle of a Kurdish-Arab struggle for control of disputed northern areas where the minorities are concentrated and have been targeted because of this." Examples include Christian protest over provincial election legislation and anti-Christian violence in Mosul this autumn and election intimidation of non-Muslims in Nineveh province in 2005. The Iraqi Constitution also "gives Islam a preferred status, providing a potential justification for abuses and discrimination against non-Muslims." The commission is recommending that the incoming Obama administration ensure "safe and fair provincial elections" and "security and safety for all Iraqis." It calls for making prevention of religious abuse a "high priority" and urging the Kurdish region to support "minority rights." It also urges addressing the displaced persons' and refugee problem. CNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report.

Price freeze on gas, other fuels takes effect Thursday, runs through March . Freeze is to give consumers "a signal of stability," energy minister tells newspaper . Gas prices can't rise or fall under the freeze, Hernan Martinez Torres says . Price freeze doesn't affect propane; its price is set to drop 25 percent, paper reports .

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BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) -- Colombia will freeze prices for gasoline and other petrofuels through March, the government has announced. Hernan Martinez Torres, in a photo from September, says gas prices will be frozen in Colombia through March. The freeze takes effect Thursday and sets prices at December levels, the minister of mines and energy said Monday. The measure will be funded through a $170 million Fund for the Stabilization of Prices for Combustibles, which goes into effect January 1, a release on the Colombian president's Web site says. "All this is being done to give consumers a clear signal of stability," Minister of Mines and Energy Hernan Martinez Torres is quoted as saying in El Pais newspaper. Gas prices also will not decrease, although there has been a significant drop in crude oil prices in the past few months, Martinez said. The price freeze pertains to gasoline, biogasoline (oxygenated gasoline), a product called ACPM (combustible oil for motors), and the mix of ACPM and biodiesel. For the time being, El Pais said, only propane will see a decrease in price, with the price going down 25 percent. It's the second price drop for propane, which decreased 10 percent in November.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari due to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai . Visit to have taken place amid ongoing tension along Afghan-Pakistan border . Taliban militants attacking Afghanistan from Pakistan's North West Province . Both countries have previously blamed each other for the security problems .

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KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A meeting between the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan was canceled Friday when bad weather prevented Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari from traveling to the Afghan capital, Kabul. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari (pictured) has met Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai before. An official in Pakistan's Foreign Office said the meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and top government officials will be rescheduled for the near future. The visit was to have taken place amid ongoing warfare and tension along the Afghan-Pakistan border and was to have focused on the nations cooperating in the fight against terror. Some of the Taliban militants conducting attacks in Afghanistan have been based in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province and nearby tribal regions. The group's resurgence has prompted U.S. commanders and the incoming Barack Obama administration to put more of a focus on confronting militants along the volatile border. In the past, Afghan and Pakistani leaders have blamed the other for the security problems in the region. Zardari was to have been accompanied on the trip by the governor of North West Frontier Province, as well as his foreign minister and adviser on internal affairs. The two presidents also planned to discuss the expansion of bilateral relations and trade. Both men have met before, when Karzai visited Pakistan in September to attend Zardari's swearing-in ceremony.

Swedish truck and bus maker Scania is set to return to Iraq . Company assembled trucks there during Saddam Hussein era . 500 trucks to be made in same factory it had previously used .

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(CNN) -- A Swedish truck and bus maker that assembled trucks in Iraq during the Saddam Hussein era has signed "an agreement in principle" with the government to open an assembly plant next year. Swedish truck and bus maker Scania is to reopen a former plant in Iraq. The company, Scania, issued a statement on its Web site confirming the deal to produce 500 trucks ordered by Iraq, with work starting during the third quarter of 2009. The work will be performed in the same Iskandariya factory south of Baghdad where the company's previous operation was housed. The operation comes under the auspices of Iraq's State Company for Automotive Industry. The deal reflects the Iraqi government's efforts to rehabilitate an economy decimated by warfare. "Scania has the necessary qualifications to satisfy the Iraqi government's desire to begin local production quickly. Assembly of the 500 trucks initially ordered is expected to employ about 500 people. The facility will be designed for the production of 3,000 vehicles per year," says Klas Dahlberg, vice president in charge of Scania's sales in the Middle East. The company said Iraq had been one of its largest markets during the 1980s. The Iskandariya factory assembled 3,900 trucks in 1981, Scania said, and many of the trucks assembled there during that era remain in service. The company said a memorandum of understanding signed by both sides specifies that Scania will work with an Iraqi distributor and "will assume responsibility for installation of production equipment as well as employee training." "In collaboration with our Iraqi distributor, we will also invest in the establishment of a service network in the country. Even today, there is a great need for workshops to take care of vehicles that operate in international traffic to Iraq," Dahlberg said.

We take a look at the future of the music industry as record sales decline . Will MySpace music venture between major labels save the industry? What do you think? Post your views and we'll publish the best.

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- It's no secret that the music industry has not made an ideal transition into the digital era. Is the iPod, iTunes and independent Web promotion the future of music? Or can record labels fight back? Album sales are falling, P2P file sharing is rife, and a plethora of new artists are using the Internet as a platform for gaining international exposure. With the introduction of MySpace Music, three major record labels -- Sony BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group -- are hoping to launch a counter-strike to the technological developments and online activities that have rocked their industry. But, how far can the record labels go towards getting back those good old days where they were uncontested as they reaped the lion's share of profits from the music industry? Experts CNN spoke to for a Just Imagine article had contrasting views on what the coming years hold for the industry. Long-time music industry figure Bob Lefsetz was critical of the new venture. "Radio on demand, in one's home, in front of the computer, which is what MySpace actually is, is not a sexy alternative to owning what you want and taking it to the beach, to the party, to your workout," he said, comparing it with Apple's iTunes and iPod. Lefsetz feels the record labels have to face serious decline, unless they can come up with a new business model. Well-known music artists' rights advocate, educator and industry commentator, Moses Avalon, was more positive about MySpace Music's hopes and the future of the record label industry. Music industry lecturer Andrew Dubber, meanwhile, believed the future would be characterized by change, and that there is no set model for the future of the recording industry. Now, we want to know what you think. Give us your views on the future of the music industry. Do you have a business model you think the record labels should adopt to build a strong future? Or, do you think the industry has no future at all? Do you think Web sites like tunecore.com, rawrip.com and sellaband.com hold the power now? Post your comments in the Sound Off box below. We'll publish the best.

German zookeepers concerned for baby polar bear after its twin died . Young polar bear died Monday, less than two weeks after it was born . Baby nowhere to be found in enclosure; mothers often eat young if sense danger .

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BERLIN, Germany (CNN) -- Concerns were growing Wednesday for a polar bear born last month at a German zoo after its twin died and was possibly eaten by its mother. One year ago Vera gave birth to Flocke, pictured here playing in her enclosure in April. The young polar bear died Monday, less than two weeks after it was born, Nuremberg Zoo said. The surviving twin was doing well, the zoo said, but added that it was concerned the mother may not be able to care for it properly. Zookeepers watching a video feed from the bears' enclosure said they had noticed the baby bear looking thinner and weaker. They saw the bears' mother, Vera, nudging the dead bear with her nose and observing it -- and as of Wednesday, they said, the dead bear was nowhere to be seen. "It is very, very sad," said zoo director Dag Encke. "it is unfortunately frequently the case that with twins, one of the animals doesn't survive." Zookeepers had kept their distance from Vera and her babies, watching them only on camera so as not to make the mother feel threatened. Polar bears are known to eat their young if they sense any danger or interference. "We have to worry more about the surviving young animal and take care that the polar bear with her baby is not disturbed," Encke said. "So far, Vera is caring for the surviving baby in an exemplary way." One year ago Vera gave birth to Flocke, who became an instant celebrity across Germany. Flocke's first birthday is Thursday.

Nominate your favorite environmental campaign video . Rate our featured videos, including Harrison Ford getting his chest waxed . Send in your own videos using our iReport page .

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(CNN) -- What could be more powerful than the tears of a Native American Indian? Wax on, wax off: Does it make you want to save the rainforests? Iron Eyes Cody was the face of the Keep American Beautiful campaign of 1971 whose tears marked the plight of the environment, but more importantly kept the problems of pollution in the minds of millions. From teary Native Americans to witty skits or doom-ladened eco-horror scenarios, the environmental campaign video then has long been a powerful tool for environmental groups to spread their message and raise pubic attention. The rise of YouTube and other video sharing web sites has now meant that individuals can broadcast their own eco-awareness messages and form their own social action networks. But what makes a good video and how much impact do they have? Is it better to be funny or shocking? When you see Harrison Ford getting his chest waxed, do you immediately think about saving the rainforests? Or does the sight of celebrity pontificating about the plight of the environment make you want to watch their next film rather calculate your carbon footprint. We've featured three different videos that we like and want to know which ones you think are the best. Watch the featured videos » . Let us know which eco videos have got you going by using the Sound Off box below. Or, e-mail us at ecosolutions@cnn.com. We also want to feature your own environmental videos here on CNN's Eco Solutions. Use the iReport form to send in your film and you could find your environmental efforts make even more impact than Harrison Ford's chest.

NEW: Top Venezuelan diplomat may be expelled in tit-for-tat gesture . Venezuela ordered Israeli ambassador to leave over the ground war in Gaza . Venezuelan government statement condemned "flagrant violations" by Israel . President Hugo Chavez calls Israeli army "cowards" Israeli spokesman says Venezuela has given "automatic support" to extremists .

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(CNN) -- Israel said Wednesday it may expel Venezuela's top diplomat from the country in a tit-for-tat gesture after the South American nation ordered the Israeli ambassador to leave over the increasingly bloody ground war in Gaza. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called the Israeli army "cowards." The decision on whether to expel Venezuela's charge d'affaires will be taken later Wednesday, said Yigal Palmor, the spokesman for the Israeli foreign ministry. On Tuesday, Venezuela expelled Israel's ambassador to Caracas and accused Israel of attempting to carry out "genocide" against the Palestinian people. "In this tragic and indignant hour, the people of Venezuela manifest their unconditional solidarity with the heroic Palestinian people, share in the sadness that overcomes thousands of families through the loss of their loved ones, and extends to them a hand by affirming that the government of Venezuela will not rest until it sees those responsible for these criminal atrocities severely punished," the Venezuelan foreign minister said in a statement read by an anchor on state television. The statement added that the government "condemns strongly the flagrant violations of international law" by Israel and "denounces their planned utilization of state terrorism." "For the above-mentioned reasons, the government of Venezuela has decided to expel the ambassador of Israel and some of the personnel of the Israeli Embassy in Venezuela," it added. In a news conference broadcast by state-run Venezuelan television, President Hugo Chavez blasted the Israeli military. "They are cowards," he said. "It's as though a boxing professional were to come here and challenge you to box. Well, how courageous! How courageous is the Israeli army!" It said that Chavez "makes a fraternal call to the Jewish people throughout the world to oppose these criminal policies of the state of Israel that recall the worst pages of the history of the 20th century. "With the genocide of the Palestinian people, the state of Israel will never be able to offer its people the perspective of a peace that is both necessary and long-lasting." Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, was unswayed. "I haven't heard the details yet, but you know the regime in Venezuela has been one of the few countries in the world that gives automatic support to the Iranian extremists, and it doesn't surprise me that they have affinity with groups like Hamas and Hezbollah," he told CNN. He predicted that other countries would not follow suit, even in the Middle East. "I think, even in the Muslim and Arab countries, there is a fair amount of understanding for what Israel has had to do here," he said.

Police say Bruce Jeffrey Pardo had hit list after divorce proceedings were final . Original target was Pardo's ex-wife, police say, but attorney, mom also targets . Shooting and fire left 10 children orphaned and three others lost one parent .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The man who police say dressed as Santa Claus and killed nine people at a Christmas Eve party may have also had plans to kill his mother and his former wife's divorce attorney, police said Monday night. Bruce Jeffrey Pardo went on a shooting rampage in a Los Angeles suburb on Wednesday, police say. Prime suspect Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, who police said committed suicide hours after he went on a shooting rampage and started a raging house fire in the Los Angeles suburb of Covina, left a rental car with a gasoline canister outside the home of attorney Scott Nord, said Pat Buchanan of the Covina Police Department. Police previously said that Pardo targeted his rampage at his former wife, Sylvia Ortega Pardo, and her family at the family's Christmas Eve party. A divorce between the two was finalized in court on December 18 in a "somewhat contentious proceeding," Covina Police Chief Kim Raney said last week. Police believe Pardo planned to carry out a similar attack at Nord's house as he did at the shooting and house fire that claimed nine lives. Another rented car that Pardo used to flee the scene was found booby-trapped after the shooting, police said. That car burned as the Covina bomb squad was trying to disconnect an explosive device in it, police said. On Saturday, Covina police released the names of the nine people unaccounted for since the shooting and fire. Nine bodies were recovered from the rubble of the house, but authorities said that they are having to work with dental records to establish identities. "The bodies were so badly burned they cannot be identified any other way," said Covina police Lt. Pat Buchanan. The nine unaccounted for include Sylvia Pardo, her parents, her sister, her two brothers, both brothers' wives, and a nephew. Ages of the nine range from 17 to 80, police said. On Monday night, police said Pardo's mother had also planned to attend the Christmas party, but didn't go because she was sick. Pardo had a contentious relationship with his mother, according to Buchanan, because she attended the couple's divorce hearing and had sided with Pardo's ex-wife. The shooting and fire left 10 children orphaned and three others lost one parent. An "Ortega Family Fund" has been set up at Nord's law offices.

Expulsion is in protest of Israeli strike against Palestinians, minister says . Venezuelan government statement condemned "flagrant violations" by Israel . President Hugo Chavez calls Israeli army "cowards" Israeli spokesman says Venezuela has given "automatic support" to extremists .

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(CNN) -- Venezuela expelled Israel's ambassador to the country Tuesday and accused Israel of attempting to carry out "genocide" against the Palestinian people. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called the Israeli army "cowards." "In this tragic and indignant hour, the people of Venezuela manifest their unconditional solidarity with the heroic Palestinian people, share in the sadness that overcomes thousands of families through the loss of their loved ones, and extends to them a hand by affirming that the government of Venezuela will not rest until it sees those responsible for these criminal atrocities severely punished," the Venezuelan foreign minister said in a statement read by an anchor on state television. The statement added that the government "condemns strongly the flagrant violations of international law" by Israel and "denounces their planned utilization of state terrorism." "For the above-mentioned reasons, the government of Venezuela has decided to expel the ambassador of Israel and some of the personnel of the Israeli Embassy in Venezuela," it added. In a news conference broadcast by state-run Venezuelan television, President Hugo Chavez blasted the Israeli military. "They are cowards," he said. "It's as though a boxing professional were to come here and challenge you to box. Well, how courageous! How courageous is the Israeli army!" It said that Chavez "makes a fraternal call to the Jewish people throughout the world to oppose these criminal policies of the state of Israel that recall the worst pages of the history of the 20th century. "With the genocide of the Palestinian people, the state of Israel will never be able to offer its people the perspective of a peace that is both necessary and long-lasting." Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, was unswayed. "I haven't heard the details yet, but you know the regime in Venezuela has been one of the few countries in the world that gives automatic support to the Iranian extremists, and it doesn't surprise me that they have affinity with groups like Hamas and Hezbollah," he told CNN. He predicted that other countries would not follow suit, even in the Middle East. "I think, even in the Muslim and Arab countries, there is a fair amount of understanding for what Israel has had to do here," he said.

L.A. sheriff takes custody of 180,000-carat gemstone pending resolution . Seller, buyer, broker arguing over ownership, sale agreement . Estimates of raw emerald's value range from $19 million to $370 million .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- An 850-pound emerald said to be worth as much as $370 million is in the hands of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department while a court decides who really owns it, a spokesman for the sheriff said. This enormous raw emerald was being kept in a Las Vegas, Nevada, warehouse. The "Bahia Emerald" -- one of the largest ever found -- was reported stolen in September from a secured vault in South El Monte in Los Angeles County. The report was made by someone who claimed to own the giant gemstone, Los Angeles Sheriff's Lt. Thomas Grubb said. Federal court papers showed the emerald has been at the center of a dispute between a California man who claimed ownership, a company he contracted with to sell it, and a potential buyer. Detective work traced the Brazilian stone to a Las Vegas, Nevada, warehouse, where the person in possession claimed to be the rightful owner, Grubb said. A federal judge ordered the sheriff to hold the 180,000-carat emerald until he can sort the case out, Grubb said. Investigators suspect someone used falsified papers to remove the stone from the secured vault in California, although no criminal charges have been filed, Grubb said. While Grubb said it was his understanding the stone had been appraised at $370 million, the value is unclear. The company hired by the owner to sell it said in court papers it had received a $19 million offer, which the company wanted to accept. It alleged the gemstone's owner then tried to go around the broker to sell the emerald to the same buyer for $75 million. At one point, the emerald was listed for sale on eBay for a "buy it now" price of $75 million.

CNN/Opinion Research Corp. finds 56 percent of people favor stimulus plan . Numbers are more evenly split about government regulation of business . More Democrats want the government to help more with economic woes . Two-thirds of those polled thought Obama stimulus package would help economy .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A new national poll suggests most Americans favor an economic stimulus package even if it comes with an $800 billion price tag, although that support doesn't indicate the public wants to see a new era of big government. Two-thirds of people polled think Present-elect Barack Obama's stimulus package will help the economy. Fifty-six percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Tuesday said they favor the stimulus package that President-elect Barack Obama is proposing; 42 percent were opposed. Obama is pushing Congress to pass the plan soon after he's inaugurated on January 20, to help jump-start an economy mired in a deep recession. The poll also indicates that two-thirds of the public thinks the stimulus package will do just that, with 17 percent saying it will help the economy a lot and another 50 percent feeling that it will help the economy somewhat. Twenty-one percent say the stimulus package won't help the economy very much and 10 percent say it won't help at all. But Americans seem to be split on whether they'd like more government regulation of business and industry, with 39 percent saying there's too much government regulation and an equal amount saying too little. Twenty percent said the amount of government involvement is just right. Watch why most Americans back the bailout » . "Attitudes toward government have not changed since 2006, when the economy was still in pretty good shape," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Most still say the government is doing too much that should be left to individuals and businesses, and trust in government is still low." On the other hand, he said, "with the economy in such poor shape, government action to stimulate the economy seems to get an exemption to the general concerns about big government." There also appears to be a divide between the parties when it comes to government involvement. "Six in 10 Democrats want to see the federal government do more," Holland said. "But three-quarters of Republicans would like to see a smaller government. The tiebreaker is independents. A majority of the independents polled say that government is doing too much that should be left to individuals and businesses." The poll also suggests that a declining number of Americans trust the government to do what's right. iReport.com: What should Obama do first? Twenty-two percent of those polled said they trust the government to do what's right most of the time. That's down 6 points from when the question was asked two years ago. Sixty-six percent said they trust the government some of the time, and 9 percent said they never trust Washington. On the opposite end of the spectrum, 3 percent said they can always trust the government to do the right thing. The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, with 1,013 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The devastation of the 2004 tsunami stretched across the Indian Ocean . Hundreds of thousands left homeless, and poor and isolated communities worse off . Humanitarian groups have helped rebuild schools, homes, and get people working . Groups say long-term improvement of water and sanitation is critical .

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(CNN) -- Four years since a 9.0-magnitude earthquake spawned massive walls of water that swept across the Indian Ocean, leaving more than 230,000 dead according to a United Nations estimate, improvements can be seen in many of the devastated areas, humanitarian groups said. Laborers work on a construction site in a fishing village in Indonesia's Aceh on December 21. Hundreds of thousands were left homeless and jobless after the tsunami, and poor and isolated communities were left even worse off. Today, new schools have been constructed, and armies of workers -- many of them volunteers -- have cleared and rebuilt homes and towns, and helped get people back to work. "The tsunami, despite being a horrific event, also provided a lot of opportunities for those countries," said Jonathan Cauldwell, chief of UNICEF's Tsunami Transition Support. "It brought a peace dividend within Banda Aceh (Indonesia) where you still see peace in an area which had long term localized conflict in place. It allowed those areas to be built up as well, to have investments in the infrastructure in the social sectors ...," he added. Agencies such as UNICEF said that while the immediate emergency was over, they remain committed to improving the lives of millions of children across the region. "The lessons of the tsunami will never end. The funding will end, we can complete the construction, we can complete the project, but the intervention never ends ...," Cauldwell said. Oxfam International, which said it will close its response to the tsunami at the end of December, said it has provided housing to tsunami survivors in Aceh, helped restore the livelihoods of people in India and Sri Lanka, and funded the reconstruction of eight tsunami-affected secondary schools. "The money we received allowed us not only to help meet the immediate emergency needs of tsunami-affected populations, but also to try to address the factors that made them vulnerable: not least poverty and a lack of influence over their own lives," Barbara Stocking, chair of the Oxfam International Tsunami Fund Board, said in a statement. "What has been achieved is astounding. Hundreds of thousands of people are now living in better conditions than they were in before the tsunami ...," she added. UNICEF said the basic needs of children affected by the tsunami have been met -- more children are going to school as a result of improved facilities, and better nutrition, post-natal care and other life-saving interventions are helping those countries worst hit transition to developing regular services and programs. But long-term improvement of water and sanitation is critical, the agency said, and so is building new schools that are better able to withstand earthquakes. According to UNICEF and Oxfam, the response to the tsunami and the lessons learned have changed the way they deal with such emergencies. It highlighted the need for better coordination among partners and other organizations, and contributed to reforms in the way humanitarian relief is delivered.

German government later ordered pirates released, according to BBC report . Japan was considering sending vessels, a top official said Wednesday . Waters off Somalia is a key shipping route that sees 20,000 vessels each year .

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(CNN) -- German sailors foiled an attempt by pirates to hijack an Egyptian cargo ship off the coast of Yemen, the German Defense Ministry said. Pirates like these threaten the Somalian coast. The German navy frigate Karlsruhe responded to an emergency call from the Wabi Al Arab Thursday morning, sending helicopters to the stricken vessel. When the helicopters arrived, the pirates broke off the attack, the ministry said. A crew member on the Wabi Al Arab was wounded when the pirates attempted to board the vessel. He was flown by helicopter for treatment aboard the Karlsruhe, the ministry said. The German sailors captured the pirates and disarmed them, destroying the weapons, the ministry said. The German government in Berlin later ordered the Somali pirates released because they were not caught while harassing German interests, according to BBC. The Karlsruhe joined the fight against the pirates on Tuesday from Djibouti, the defense ministry said. On Wednesday a top Japanese official said the country was considering sending vessels to join U.S., Russian, NATO and Indian vessels in the waters off Somalia, a key shipping route that sees around 20,000 oil tankers, freighters and merchant vessels each year. China said Tuesday that two destroyers and a supply ship from its navy would set sail for the region on Friday to protect Chinese merchant ships. Watch why China's dispatch of forces is significant » . The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution last week aimed at combating piracy along the Horn of Africa by allowing military forces to chase pirate onto land in cases of "hot pursuit." The Security Council resolution, which passed unanimously, expands upon existing counter-piracy tools, including a stipulation that would allow for national and regional military forces to chase pirates onto land -- specifically into Somalia, where many of the pirates have their bases. Over 124 incidents -- attempted attacks, averted attacks and successful hijackings -- have been recorded to date this year, according to Kenyan Seafarers Association.

Cristiano Ronaldo won the FIFA Player of the Year for 2008 in Zurich, Monday . CNN's Pedro Pinto says he is not shown enough respect by media . Pinto: "Ronaldo is a great ambassador for the game"

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ZURICH, Switzerland (CNN) -- As I watched Cristiano Ronaldo receive the FIFA World Player of the Year award in Zurich, I couldn't help feeling a deep sense of satisfaction, as the 23 year-old Portuguese international once again proved all his doubters wrong. Cristiano Ronaldo shows emotion after being named the FIFA World Player of the Year for 2008. Especially the ones in England. In the days leading up to the awards ceremony, there were various rumors circulating that the Manchester United star was going to be pipped by Leo Messi on Tuesday night. I was asked several times in London whether I really thought Ronaldo was going to win. Whether he really deserved it. It was as if many in the British press didn't want him to take home another award. Do you think Cristiano Ronaldo is shown enough respect? Tell us in the Sound Off box below. The fierce attack on his lifestyle by the tabloids after he crashed his Ferrari last week just accentuated the fact that in the UK, he still has earned little respect. Never mind that he was about to become the first Premier League Player to win this prestigious award. Never mind he has been the competition's biggest ambassador and promoter overseas. Too many in the English media, he was still a diver on the field, and a petulant rock star off it. Now I am not going to sit here and say that my compatriot Cristiano is perfect. He isn't and he makes mistakes. But the same can be said about Wayne Rooney or any of the other English internationals. When Rooney charges down the referee and shouts obscenities in his face without even being booked, as was the case in last weekend's match against Chelsea, is he called arrogant or petulant? No. When he goes seven or eight matches without a goal, is he suddenly branded overrated? No. So all I am asking for here is a little respect. If Ronaldo was English, I am sure in the eyes of the British press he would be virtually untouchable, but although he's not, just give him a break. After all, he had an incredible 2007/2008 season which saw him score 42 goals in 49 matches and win virtually every major trophy on offer. And he's a great ambassador for the game. Pedro Pinto is a CNN sports correspondent based in London.

Real Madrid fail in their bid to overturn UEFA ruling regarding player eligibility . Real wanted to register newcomers Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Lassana Diarra . UEFA say only one player per club can appear for two sides in same season .

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(CNN) -- Real Madrid have failed in ar bid to overturn UEFA's ruling denying them the right to register both Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Lassana Diarra to play in the Champions League knockout stages. Real must decide whether to register Huntelaar, above, or Diarra for the Champions League KO stage. UEFA's appeals body made the decision on Tuesday after Madrid challenged the original ruling made by European football's governing body last week. Regulations specify that clubs can only register one player who has already played in Europe that season to represent them in the latter stages of the Champions League or UEFA Cup the same campaign. Both Diarra and Huntelaar had played in the UEFA Cup this season, for Premier League Portsmouth and Dutch club Ajax respectively, prior to joining Madrid earlier this month. Madrid claimed they had a "different interpretation" of the rule, but both the Spanish club's initial request and subsequent appeal have now been thrown out. A statement confirmed: "UEFA's Appeals Body today upheld the decision taken by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body on 8 January, in accordance with article 17.18 of the [UEFA Champions League] competition regulations. "They rejected an appeal by Real Madrid CF in relation to the Spanish club's request to be able to register two players who have already competed in UEFA competition this season, as part of their A-list squad for the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League." Madrid must now decide whether to accept the finding or pursue the issue further at the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Manchester Utd defender Patrice Evra sidelined for minimum of three weeks . Frenchman hurt ankle ligaments during 3-0 Premier League win over Chelsea . England defender Rio Ferdinand is out for another week with a back problem .

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(CNN) -- Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has been ruled out for a minimum of three weeks after suffering a foot injury during the 3-0 Premier League win over title rivals Chelsea. France defender Patrice Evra will be out for a minimum of three weeks after hurting ankle ligaments. It was Evra's first game back after a four-match suspension imposed by the Football Association for his involvement in a post-match fracas involving groundstaff at Stamford Bridge last season. The French left-back was hurt after firing over a cross for Wayne Rooney's goal and now faces another spell on the sidelines as United chase trophies on four fronts. Evra suffered ligament damage and manager Alex Ferguson said: "He will be out for three weeks minimum and maybe four. It shouldn't be any more than that. "He just went over on his foot and has done the little ligament in his foot, so we need to get the swelling down and that will take about 7-10 days." Evra sits out Wednesday's Premier League clash with Wigan, the trip to Bolton three days later and next week's League Cup semifinal return at home to Derby when United will be expecting to overturn a 1-0 deficit. Central defender Rio Ferdinand remains on the sidelines for at least another week although a scan on his back problem confirmed there is no long-term damage. Ferdinand, out for a month, needs more rest and Jonny Evans will continue in central defense with Wes Brown still two weeks away from a comeback after ankle surgery. Ferguson hopes Ferdinand will be back for the televised FA Cup fourth round home clash against Tottenham on Saturday January 24.

South Africa beat Australia by nine wickets in second Test in Melbourne . Victory gives the South Africans an unassailable 2-0 lead in their series . South Africa won first Test of the series in Perth by six wickets .

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(CNN) -- South Africa inflicted the first home series defeat on Australia in almost 16 years as they wrapped up a nine-wicket win over the world's number one ranked Test nation in Melbourne on Tuesday. South African captain Graeme Smith led from the front with 75 as his team wrapped up victory. Captain Graeme Smith hit a fluent 75 as his side successfully passed a modest victory target of 183 on the final day at the MCG to take an unassailable 2-0 lead. It was the South African's first-ever Test series triumph in Australia and victory in the third and final match in Sydney will see them leapfrog the home side at the top of the global rankings. Hashim Amla (30 not out) scored the winning runs shortly after lunch as South Africa became the first team to overcome Australia at home since the West Indies in 1992-93. South Africa were never under any pressure in their run chase and did not lose a wicket until just before lunch when the inspirational Smith was trapped leg before wicket by Nathan Hauritz. Smith had dominated a 121-run opening stand with Neil McKenzie, hitting 10 boundaries. McKenzie struggled to a half century and survived strong lbw shouts from Brett Lee, who was bowling despite an injured foot that will keep him out of the Sydney Test. South Africa's victory was set up by a brilliant maiden Test century from JP Duminy, who shared a stunning 180-run ninth wicket partnership with pace bowler Dale Steyn. It gave the tourists a priceless 65-run lead on first innings before man of the match Steyn worked his magic with the ball as Australia were bowled out on the fourth day for 247 in their second innings. The pugnacious Smith was virtually lost for words in his victory speech. "It has been such a special moment for all of us, it has been an incredible team effort," he said. "I have been smiling non-stop since we hit the winning runs. "To be 2-0 up after this game was something we only dreamt of." South Africa won the first Test in Perth from an unlikely position, chasing 414 for victory for the loss of only four wickets.

Diego Maradona urges Carlos Tevez to quit Manchester Utd at end of season . Argentine coach believes striker would be better off joining Italy's Inter Milan . Tevez on bench when Maradona watched United beat Chelsea at the weekend .

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(CNN) -- Argentine coach Diego Maradona has urged Carlos Tevez to quit Manchester United at the end of the season and head for Italy. Tevez has been advised by Argentine coach Maradona to leave Old Trafford at the end of the season. Maradona watched United trounce Chelsea 3-0 last weekend at Old Trafford where striker Tevez remained on the bench despite a rousing reception when he went on a touchline warm-up during the game. "I saw the Manchester United match. They won, but did so without Tevez. This situation is not good for him. For sure, certain things are happening which mean his departure is nearing," Maradona told Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport. "Italy, and Inter (Milan) in particular, would be great for him. Among other things, the fact that his contract is soon to expire facilitates a change of shirt." Weekend reports claimed that United manager Alex Ferguson has already pinpointed Lyon's French international striker Karim Benzema as his chief summer target. Benzema, whose contract runs until 2013, made his mark against United in a Champions League tie last season when he scored in a first leg tie. He hit the target 20 times as Lyon secured a seventh straining French League title and he has netted five times in this season's Champions League. Lyon are said to be willing to cash in at the right price with Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid also monitoring the situation. Media reports said Lyon would want around £40 million (45 million euros) for Benzema while the asking price for Tevez -- he joined United on a two-year loan -- is likely to be around £32 million. Tevez, who hit the headlines during two seasons in Brazil with Corinthians, has struggled to retain a starting place at Old Trafford following his controversial stay at West Ham. He has indicated he would respond positively to any approach from Real Madrid, but is sure to take on board the advice of Maradona who twice led Napoli to the Serie A title after joining the Italian club from Barcelona. Meanwhile, West Ham face a fresh inquiry after the FA and Premier League launched an investigation relating to dealings with Tevez's representatives after the club had initially been fined £5.5m for breaching league rules over third-party agreements. It follows the findings of an arbitration tribunal in favour of Sheffield United and against West Ham last year which decided Tevez should not have been able to play for the Hammers at the end of the 2006-07 season. Premier League West Ham insist that they have nothing to hide.

Shell says it may not be able to meet supply contracts after Nigerian attack . Two of Shell's oil pipelines sabotaged by rebel groups on Monday . Company is working to repair the lines and get production running normally .

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LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- Royal Dutch Shell said Tuesday that it may not be able to meet its oil supply obligations in Nigeria after an attack on its major pipeline. Heavily armed Nigerian rebels pose a constant threat to oil pipelines in the country. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), a rebel group, said "detonation engineers backed by heavily armed fighters" sabotaged two of Shell's pipelines early Monday. After a helicopter flyover of the area, Shell confirmed that parts of its large Nembe Creek "trunk line" were damaged, company spokeswoman Caroline Wittgen said. The company shut down some production "to limit the amount of crude that will spill into the environment," she said. Hours later, it declared "force majeure," a legal term meaning it could not meet its supply obligations in the region because of the attack. "[Shell] is working hard to repair the line and restore production," Wittgen said. Nigeria is the fourth-largest supplier of oil to the United States, and attacks by rebels have helped fuel the year-long spike in crude oil prices. It's one of many factors pushing up the price of gas in the U.S., where one in every 10 barrels of oil comes from Nigeria. MEND -- the largest rebel group -- has targeted foreign oil companies since 2006. It has bombed pipelines and kidnapped hundreds of foreign oil workers, typically releasing them unharmed, sometimes after receiving a ransom payment. MEND hopes to secure a greater share of oil wealth for people in the delta, where more than 70 percent of the population lives on less than a dollar a day. Its attacks on oil facilities have taken a toll. "Anytime a pipeline is affected, anytime any production gets shut down, you see oil prices jump up one or two dollars a barrel just because there is no slack in the system," said Jim LeCamp, a senior vice president with RBC Wealth Management, which manages assets for wealthy clients worldwide. Exxon and Shell are two of several companies that have been extracting 2 million barrels of oil a day in Nigeria. Recent rebel attacks on oil pipelines in the Niger Delta have cut overall production by roughly 10 percent -- meaning 200,000 fewer barrels of oil on some days. That decrease in production comes at a time of increased demand from oil-hungry regions such as China, Russia and Latin America. "Anytime there's a disruption there, it really affects the system," LeCamp said in a recent interview with CNN.

British soldier killed on New Year's Day by blast in Afghanistan . Soldier served with the 6th Battalion The Rifles in Helmand province . He was on patrol in Garmsir district when he was killed .

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KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A British soldier was killed on New Year's Day by an explosion in southern Afghanistan, Britain's Ministry of Defense said Friday. A British unit on patrol in Helmand province's Garmsir district, where another soldier has died. The soldier, who served with the 6th Battalion The Rifles, had been taking part in a routine patrol in the Garmsir district of Helmand province when he was killed, the ministry said. "It is deeply saddening to confirm the loss of a British soldier who died while helping to provide security in southern Helmand," said Commander Paula Rowe, a spokeswoman for Task Force Helmand. "His family, friends and all those who knew and worked with him will mourn his loss -- our heartfelt sympathies go to them all at this terrible time." Britain suffered its worst year of losses in Afghanistan in 2008, with 51 British troops killed. It was more than in any other year since the mission began in October 2001, the defense ministry said.

Some types of Austin- and Keebler-branded sandwich crackers affected . One of its peanut butter suppliers has been linked to outbreak of salmonella . Kellogg says warning is strictly precautionary; no incidents of illness reported . Outbreak of salmonella poisoning has affected at least 434 people in 43 states .

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(CNN) -- The Kellogg Co. announced Wednesday it is recommending that consumers not eat its peanut butter crackers because they may be tainted with salmonella. Salmonella bacteria are transmitted to humans by eating contaminated foods. The products affected are Austin- and Keebler-branded: . -- Toasted peanut butter sandwich crackers. -- Peanut butter and jelly sandwich crackers. -- Cheese and peanut butter sandwich crackers. -- Peanut butter-chocolate sandwich crackers. The Michigan-based maker of cereals and snacks posted the recommendation in a statement on its Web site. Peanut butter produced by Peanut Corporation of America, one of several peanut butter suppliers to the company, has been linked to an outbreak of salmonella poisoning that has affected at least 434 people in 43 states, federal health officials said Wednesday. "Kellogg Company's investigation has not indicated any concerns, nor has the company received any consumer illness complaints about these products," the Kellogg statement said. "Nonetheless, Kellogg Company is taking precautionary measures including putting a hold on any inventory in its control, removing product from retail store shelves, and encouraging customers and consumers to hold and not eat these products until regulatory officials complete their investigation of PCA and Kellogg provides further information as to the resolution of this issue." All of the company's peanut-butter crackers are made at its bakery in Cary, North Carolina, said spokeswoman Kris Charles. Though consumers are urged "to hold the product until we have more information," Charles recommended anyone seeking a refund call 888.314.2060 for details about how to get one.

AZ Alkmaar beat NEC Nijmegen 1-0 in Dutch league game on Sunday . Alkmaar on top by three points from Ajax heading into midwinter break . Former Lecce striker Graziano Pelle scores crucial winner for AZ .

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(CNN) -- A 75th minute strike by striker Graziano Pelle gave AZ Alkmaar a 1-0 home win over NEC Nijmegen on Sunday to leave his side top of the Dutch standings. Italian star Pelle scored the winner to keep AZ on top heading into the Dutch break. The Italian's decisive goal means Louis van Gaal's men will head into 2009 with a three-point lead over Ajax Amsterdam after 17 rounds. The Eredivisie is set to resume on January 16 after a three-week break. Earlier, Dario Cvitanich scored a hat-trick as Ajax beat ADO Den Haag 3-0 to temporarily draw level on points with the leaders. But AZ, who are unbeaten in 15 games, then saw off Nijmegen, who had also been on a fine 14-game unbeaten run. AZ have 41 points, with Ajax on 38. Steve McClaren's FC Twente are in third place, seven points adrift of AZ, after holding defending champions PSV Eindhoven to a goalless draw on Saturday. PSV are fourth with 30 points and looking set to relinquish their league title. On Friday, Feyenoord snapped a run of three successive losses by beating NAC Breda 3-1, but the struggling Rotterdam giants are in 12th spot.

More than 54,000 have been left homeless, state news agency says . At least 86 dead, 30 missing in southern Brazil, reports say . Most of deaths and damage have been in Santa Catarina state . Flooding also has caused damage in Colombia, Panama .

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (CNN) -- The death toll from flooding in southern Brazil continued to climb Wednesday, with officials reporting at least 86 dead, the state news agency said. About 30 people are missing, the official news agency Agencia Brasil said, citing civil defense officials. Earlier reports had indicated as many as 100 people were dead. In addition, more than 54,000 residents have been left homeless, and another 1.5 million have been affected by the heavy rains, the state news agency reported. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced he will release nearly 700 million reais ($350 million) on Wednesday, Agencia Brasil said. About 50 federal police are being dispatched to Santa Catarina state, where most of the deaths and damage have occurred, Agencia Brasil said. The authorities will help look for victims and provide security for local businesses. Military police reported that four grocery stores were looted this week in the Santa Catarina city of Itajai, the news agency said. The rain-fueled flooding resulted in a declaration of public calamity in six municipalities -- Gaspar, Rio dos Cedros, Nova Trento, Camboriu, Benedito Novo and Pomerode, Agencia Brasil reported. Another seven municipalities have declared states of emergency -- Balneário de Piçarras, Canelinha, Indaial, Penha, Paulo Lopes, Presidente Getúlio and Rancho Queimado, the news agency reported. Eight communities are cut off from the rest of the nation and have no water and electricity, Civil Defense officials said. The flooding has blocked more than 20 roads, and emergency supplies of food, water and coats are being brought in by helicopter. Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao was scheduled to tour the affected areas Wednesday to meet with Santa Catarina Gov. Luiz Henrique da Silveira and announce emergency measures. The governor has called the situation the worst catastrophe in the state's history. Complicating matters, the flooding also ruptured a pipeline carrying gas between Brazil and Bolivia on Sunday night, interrupting the flow of gas in part of the country's southern region, Agencia Brasil said. Heavy rains have brought flooding to many parts of Central and South America. In Colombia, at least 34 people have died, and another eight are missing, officials said. About 50,000 people suffered damage to their property in northwestern Colombia after the Cauca River overflowed following heavy rains. The Cauca -- a tributary of the Magdalena River, the largest in Colombia -- broke through its levees Tuesday and flooded the town of Nechi, in the province of Antioquia, about 248 miles (400 kilometers) north of Bogota. In Panama, rains have caused damage in the provinces of Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui and Colon. The Panamanian Red Cross said in a release Tuesday it is offering aid to about 5,000 people. Journalist Fabiana Frayssinet in Brazil and Fernando Ramos in Colombia contributed to this report.

Amy Winehouse leaves hospital after spending the night under observation . Spokesperson says singer had reaction to medication she was taking at home . Ambulance took 24-year-old Winehouse from London home to emergency room . Singer has struggled with drugs and alcohol .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Troubled pop star Amy Winehouse spent the night in a London hospital after suffering a reaction to a medication she was taking at home Monday night, according to her spokeswoman. Amy Winehouse's husband was recently jailed for 27 months. Tracey Miller said she could not say what medication was involved. A statement from University College Hospital said Winehouse had been kept in overnight for observation. She had a comfortable night and was released Tuesday morning, the statement said. London Ambulance Service said it transported the singer after being notified of "an adult female taken unwell." Winehouse's spokesman in London, Chris Goodman, told the British Press Association that he had not been told what was wrong with the 24-year-old singer, who is well known for her song "Rehab," describing the singer's reluctance to enter a clinic. The pop singer was investigated this year after a London tabloid made public a leaked home video that showed her smoking something in a glass pipe minutes after she was heard saying she had just taken six tablets of the anti-anxiety drug Valium. Police declined to file charges. The singer has battled drug addiction and spent about two weeks in a rehabilitation clinic in January. Winehouse won five Grammy awards this year -- three for "Rehab" as well as Album of the Year and Best New Artist. Winehouse's Grammy winning album, "Back to Black," is still a big seller, recently charting at No. 12 in the UK more than 19 months after its release. Madame Toussaud's London wax museum recently unveiled a wax statue of Winehouse alongside Madonna, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and other musicians in the museum's "Music Zone" exhibit. On July 21, Winehouse's husband was jailed for 27 months. He admitted to brawling with a pub manager and then offering him $400,000 to not talk about the incident.

Bird hits Arkansas hospital's helicopter, forcing pilot to land early . Copter's pilot suffers minor injuries during landing . Incident comes days after birds apparently forced jet to land in Hudson River .

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(CNN) -- A bird struck an Arkansas hospital's helicopter Saturday, tearing a hole into the aircraft's nose and prompting the pilot to land early, according to officials and pictures taken after the landing. A medical helicopter landed near Forrest City, Arkansas, on Saturday after striking a bird. The chopper's pilot made a "safe landing" in that state after hitting a bird while returning to Baptist Health Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, hospital spokesman Mark Lowman said. "I think the pilot just made a judgment call to set it down," Lowman said of the landing, which happened at 6:15 p.m. Saturday near Forrest City, Arkansas. Video footage taken by CNN affiliate WREG showed a bird hanging out of a hole torn into the paneling on the chopper's nose. Part of the helicopter's windshield also was broken. The pilot was slightly injured during the landing, and the other two crew members on board were uninjured, Lowman said. Federal aviation officials are investigating, and the helicopter is not expected to be grounded for long, he said. The helicopter was returning from a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, where the crew had taken a patient. The incident came two days after a US Airways jetliner was forced to land in New York's Hudson River, apparently after striking a flock of birds. Shortly after the jet took off from New York's LaGuardia airport on Thursday, the crew reported seeing a flock of birds. Seconds later, the cockpit voice recorder captured the sounds of loud "thumps" and both of the plane's engines failed. The pilot, C.B. "Sully" Sullenberger, landed the Airbus A320 in the Hudson, where all 155 people aboard were rescued.

Harry serves in British Army and spent 10 weeks in Afghanistan this year . Decision was made to pull prince from Afghanistan amid fears for his safety . Harry marched with 200 sailors, soldiers, marines, airmen at parade in Edinburgh . Service took place on the same day four UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan .

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(CNN) -- Prince Harry paraded alongside his fellow British servicemen in Scotland Wednesday, as he attended a memorial to service members who have died in Afghanistan. Prince Harry takes part in a memorial parade and service for troops killed during his tour of Afghanistan. Harry, 23, serves in the British Army and spent 10 weeks in Afghanistan earlier this year. He was withdrawn unexpectedly in March after news leaked out about his low-key deployment. The prince appeared in uniform alongside around 200 other sailors, soldiers, marines and airmen at the parade, which took place on Edinburgh's famous Royal Mile. They made their way to St. Giles' Cathedral for a private memorial and thanksgiving service for the fallen service members. Also attending the service was British Defense Secretary Des Browne, families of the fallen troops, and recovering wounded military personnel. Harry holds the rank of cornet, equivalent to a second lieutenant. He was deployed to Afghanistan's Helmand province where he served as a forward air controller. His duties included calling in airstrikes and air support when necessary, guaranteeing the accuracy of bombing on the ground and guarding against incidents of friendly fire. The parade and memorial service took place on the same day Britain's Ministry of Defense announced the deaths of four British soldiers in Afghanistan, and two days after Browne announced Britain will increase its presence in Afghanistan from 7,800 troops to 8,030 by next spring. Watch Prince Harry at the memorial » . Prince 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. Last year, the military ruled he could not be sent to Iraq because publicity about the deployment could put him and his unit at risk. 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.

NEW: It felt like 40 below in Minneapolis, Minnesota, because of wind chill . NEW: It was 10 below in Chicago -- without the wind chill . Icy cold front is pushing into the Southeast and could last through Saturday . iReport.com: Cold near you? Share your photos, video, stories .

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(CNN) -- Bitter cold weather was sweeping across the nation Thursday, putting the Midwest in a deep freeze. A thermometer registers minus 20 degrees Thursday in Hudson, Wisconsin. It was brutal in Ames, Iowa, on Wednesday. "Last night, the temperature was still above zero (3 degrees Fahrenheit), but the wind chill (minus 14 degrees) was cold enough to make your skin burn," iReporter Kevin Cavallin said. "When it gets this cold, your hands are just in pain when doing something as simple as carrying bags of groceries from the car to the apartment." iReport.com: What's the weather like near you? Send photos, video . In Minneapolis, Minnesota, it felt like 40 below because of the wind chill, CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano said. It was 48 below in Fargo, North Dakota, where unprotected fingers could suffer frostbite in 60 seconds. Watch the freeze in Iowa » . The freezing temperatures are likely to remain in the East through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. There were low teens Thursday along much of the Interstate 95 corridor, which hugs the Atlantic from Maine to Florida. It was 17 in New York, which had a moderate snowfall Thursday that delayed flights a few hours on the ground at LaGuardia Airport. "If you live east of the Mississippi River, the temperature at mid-morning may be the best you'll get," Marciano added. Temperatures dipped to 19 degrees below zero in Michigan and 10 below in Chicago, Illlinois. Snow caused more traffic nightmares in the Midwest. Snow also was falling in Trenton, New Jersey; New Haven, Connecticut; and other Northeast cities. Meanwhile, an icy cold front was pushing into the Southeast, with a cold high-pressure center expected to remain over the area through Saturday, the National Weather Service said. Another cold front is to move in late Sunday. The sun came out in Georgia, but forecasters said the weather would deteriorate by evening. Much of Georgia, including Atlanta, will be under a wind chill advisory from 7 p.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Friday. Thursday's high in the state could reach 59, but the thermometer could reach as low as 14 at night, the weather service said. Forecasters said overnight temperatures will be accompanied by bitterly cold wind chills, possibly setting a record.

U.N. mandate authorizing foreign troop presence expired Wednesday . New bilateral pact covers U.S. presence until 2011 . U.S. troops to leave Iraqi cities by end of June .

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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. military formally handed authority over Baghdad's "Green Zone" to Iraqis on Thursday as new pacts governing the mission of international troops replaced a U.N. mandate. An Iraqi honor guard parades outside the former palace of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad on Thursday. Iraqi troops took over checkpoints around the heavily protected district, formally known as the International Zone, which houses Iraqi government offices and the U.S. Embassy. Saddam Hussein's Republican Palace, which served as U.S. headquarters in Baghdad after the 2003 invasion that ousted Iraq's longtime strongman, was among the facilities handed over in Thursday's ceremony. "This day is a great day in the history of the Iraqi people," Iraqi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta said. Maj. Gen. David Perkins, a U.S. military spokesman, noted the significance of turning over the former Republican Palace. Watch what goes on in the "Green Zone" » . "The palace was handed back to the Iraqi people, significant as symbol of the head of the government and a sign for increased sovereignty," he said at a news conference with Atta. Thursday marked the first day of a U.S.-Iraqi pact that allows U.S. forces to remain in the country until 2011, under tighter restrictions. Similar agreements have been signed with other coalition countries that remain in Iraq. A U.N. mandate that authorized international forces in the country expired Wednesday. Perkins said American troops will continue to fight alongside Iraqis -- "but the Iraqis will be in the lead." "When you come up to a checkpoint, the Iraqis will check your identification. They will make the decision if you come in or go out," he said. "We will continue to be there to provide some technical capacity, to provide some mentoring, but you will see less and less American forces and more and more Iraqi forces -- and they will have the majority of the responsibility for making those key decisions which determine the security of the capital." Iraq's three-member Presidency Council ratified the new pact in December. Under the deal, U.S. troops will withdraw from Iraqi cities and towns by June 30, and all American troops will leave the country by the end of 2011, more than eight years after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Hussein. The agreement authorizes the "temporary assistance" of U.S. forces but severely restricts their role. It requires Iraqi approval for all military operations and gives Iraqi courts the right to try U.S. troops and contractors for "grave premeditated felonies."

Italian mafia suspect arrested after escape through sewer pipes . Setola is allegedly head of killing team run by the powerful Casalesi clan . Tunnel found connecting to sewer system in the nearby town of Caserta .

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ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Police Wednesday arrested the suspected head of an Italian mafia murder squad following a two-day manhunt after he eluded police by crawling through sewer pipes, according to Italian media reports. Italian police examine a sewer that may have offered an escape route for a suspected mafia boss. Giuseppe Setola, 38, was arrested near Caserta north of Naples, according to Italy's state-run ANSA news agency and reports in the La Repubblica and Corriere Della Sera newspapers. "This is a great moment for the (Italian) state," Naples anti-Mafia prosecutor Franco Roberti told ANSA after Setola's arrest. "We were certain (Setola) was in a situation of great difficulty. We promised all the citizens that he would be caught. We have kept that promise." Setola is believed to have slipped into a tunnel built under his hideout near Naples on Monday, as police closed in on him, according to the reports. That tunnel connects to the sewer system in Caserta. Corriere published photos of anti-mafia police searching through what was described as Setola's trash-strewn bunker and the tunnel. Anti-mafia police have been searching for Setola for months, and had already arrested his wife and two suspected members of his crew, according to the reports. Monday was the third time he avoided arrest. Setola is allegedly the head of a killing team run by the powerful Casalesi clan which belongs to the Neapolitan mafia known as Camorra. He got out of jail last spring after a doctor ruled that he was legally blind. Prosecutors have opened an investigation into that ruling. Corriere published a photo of Setola wearing sunglasses with his left eye bandaged. The Casalesi clan is featured in the best-selling book "Gomorrah" -- a play on the word "Camorra" -- written by Roberto Saviano who now lives under constant police protection. Saviano recently said he may have to leave Italy to escape constant death threats from the mafia and its supporters. Police began cracking down on Setola and his colleagues after the murder of six West African immigrants in the nearby town of Castel Volturno in September. After those killings, the Italian government activated the army to help bolster efforts against the Casalesi clan, which is believed to have killed more than 20 people since May. The two suspected members of his squad have given police information about his movements. In November, police arrested an Italian police officer suspected of informing Setola about police operations.

2-year-old pulled from fire later pronounced dead at hospital . Six victims found huddled together in basement . Eleven people, all of Liberian nationality, lived in the home, fire official says . Basement home had one exit, no smoke detectors, official says .

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(CNN) -- Seven people, including a toddler, died when fire roared through a three-story home in southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Friday night, fire officials said. Firefighters work to put out a fire at a town home Friday night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Six of the victims -- three adults, a teen and two children -- were found in the townhome's basement, huddled together, Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said. A 2-year-old boy who was pulled from the burning house by firefighters was later pronounced dead at Children's Hospital, Ayers said. Eleven people, all of Liberian nationality, lived in the basement of the home, he said. Two were rescued by firefighters and two escaped on their own, Ayers said. Watch firefighters at work on the blaze » . There were no stairs from the basement to the upper level and there was only one door leading out, he said. Early clues suggest a kerosene heater may have started the blaze, but the fire marshal has not officially determined a cause, Ayers said. "We found serious issues in the house," he said. The home did not appear to be equipped with smoke detectors, the fire commissioner said. "We have not found any smoke alarms at all, which we are very saddened by," Ayers said. Wade Lee, who lived in the same building, said the landlord had helped tenants work out fire evacuation plans. Lee said the victims often brought his family fresh vegetables from their garden, and the children were a joy. "Our wishes are with them right now, more so than for ourselves," he said. "Just hearing the children laughing, and not being able to hear that no more is grievous to us all."

Michael Bloomberg asking city council to change two-term limit so he can run again . Mayor credited with helping New York recover after September 11, 2001 . First elected just two months after the attacks, he spent millions on campaign . Before becoming mayor, Bloomberg was billionaire businessman .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Thursday he is asking the city council to change the office's two-term limit to allow him to run for a third term. "If the City Council should vote to amend term limits, I plan to ask New Yorkers to look at my record of independent leadership and then decide if I've earned another term," Bloomberg said in a news conference at City Hall. The mayor, a billionaire businessman, is credited with helping New York City recover economically after the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, which felled the twin towers of the World Trade Center and killed more than 2,700 people. Elected for the first time just two months after the attacks, Bloomberg pumped tens of millions of dollars of his own money into that campaign, as well as his bid for re-election in 2005. "As a businessman with expertise on Wall Street and finance and as a mayor who has balanced budgets and delivered services, I can tell you that the enormity of the challenges ahead should not be underestimated," Bloomberg said. "I care deeply about sustaining the progress we made and finishing the job the voters elected me to do." Watch Bloomberg talk about seeking a third term » . New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr., a Democrat considered a leading candidate to replace Bloomberg in next year's election, said he was "extremely disappointed" in the mayor's announcement. "I have always taken the Mayor at his word, particularly when he said on multiple occasions that altering term limits through a council vote would be disgraceful," he said. "Let me be clear: Today's announcement constitutes an attempt to suspend democracy. We should not undermine the will of the voters." Bloomberg, an independent since 2007, wants city council to change the current two-term limit law and offer voters another choice. "As always, it will be up to the people to decide, not me," he said. Standing beside Bloomberg at a later news conference regarding rebuilding at the World Trade Center site, New York Gov. David Paterson said he'd "be delighted to see [Bloomberg] running for a third term." The mayor then jokingly pledged that he would not seek a fourth. In 2005, Bloomberg easily defeated his Democratic opponent, Fernando Ferrer, the former Bronx borough president, who was never able to gain any traction against the popular incumbent. Before becoming mayor, Bloomberg ran Bloomberg L.P., a global communications company that provides news and financial services to thousands of businesses worldwide.

Six in four states face federal smuggling charges, U.S. attorney says . Ivory reportedly disguised as wooden snakes, guitars and statues . Elephant ivory trade illegal in U.S. since 1976, worldwide since 1989 .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- U.S. authorities arrested six people Wednesday on suspicion of smuggling African elephant ivory worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, law enforcement officials said. Imports of African elephant ivory have been banned in the United States since 1976. The defendants arranged to have ivory from Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Uganda shipped into the United States disguised as wooden snakes, guitars and statues, authorities said. "The defendants plundered precious natural resources for personal profit," U.S. Attorney Benton J. Campbell and other officials said in a statement. "Their illegal trade threatens the continued existence of an endangered species and will not be tolerated." Federal agents tracked at least eight shipments, including one worth an estimated $165,000. Federal agents used surveillance and shipping, phone and bank records to track the suspect shipments. Arrests were made in New York, New Jersey, Virginia and Texas. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the Department of Homeland Security were involved in the law enforcement operation. One suspect told an undercover federal agent during a purchase that it was difficult to bring ivory into the United States, but easy to sell it at high prices, the government statement said. Two other suspects also are accused of paying a courier $15,000 to bring a shipment of ivory from Cameroon into the United States. The U.S. banned ivory imports in 1976, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora effectively outlawed trade in elephant tissue in 1989. Illegal trade in African elephant ivory is considered to be a major cause of the continuing decline of elephant populations in Africa. The defendants are expected to appear in court in New York on Wednesday. They face jail terms of up to 20 years if convicted.

NEW: Preacher says he found funeral for mom, four kids "difficult" 300 mourners attended service at Redlands Community College . Bodies found January 12 in apartment in El Reno, Oklahoma . Woman's boyfriend, Joshua Steven Durcho, admitted choking her, affidavit says .

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(CNN) -- Hundreds of people filled a college auditorium Wednesday to pay their last respects to an El Reno, Oklahoma, woman slain along with her four children last week. Summer Rust's children -- clockwise from top, Autumn, Kirsten, Evynn and Teagin -- carve pumpkins. About 300 people attended the service at Redlands Community College for Summer Rust, 25; her son, Teagin, 4; and daughters Evynn, 3, and Autumn and Kirsten, both 7, CNN affiliate KOCO reported. Rust's white coffin was placed in front of the podium, flanked by the smaller caskets carrying her children. Each casket had a picture of the victim, surrounded by flowers. A slide show of the family played on an overhead screen throughout the service. "I've preached a lot of funerals, but none like this one," said the Rev. Gerald Van Horn. "This has been on my heart ever since I heard about it. I first learned of it from the news, and I said, 'In El Reno? No way.' ... We don't have to deal with tragedy very often, but it has come, and the reality of it has sunk in. Searching my heart on what to say, I have found it difficult." He told mourners that God is near and feels their pain but acknowledged that Rust and her children "will be greatly missed." The bodies were found January 12 in Rust's apartment in El Reno, about 30 miles west of Oklahoma City. According to the document, each of the victims was suffocated and strangled. Crime scene investigators said each body had ligature marks around the neck. Rust's boyfriend, Joshua Steven Durcho, 25, admitted choking her to death but said the children were not there at the time, according to an affidavit filed last week. He was arrested in Hamilton County, Texas, officials said. A spokeswoman at the Canadian County, Oklahoma, Sheriff's Office said Durcho was being held in the county jail after waiving extradition. Durcho's cousin found Rust's body and called officers, who found the children's bodies in the apartment, says an affidavit written by a special agent with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. An apparent acquaintance of Durcho's told police he came to her apartment Monday afternoon and told her he had "choked" Summer Rust to death and he was leaving Oklahoma, according to the affidavit. The affidavit says Durcho told the woman "that the children were at their grandmother's residence ... while he and Summer worked out their relationship problems." Rust's mother, Susan Rust of Carson City, Nevada, said Durcho was unemployed and had been living with Rust and her children. Authorities in Texas said Durcho was arrested after a state trooper attempted to stop his car because the trooper suspected that the driver was drunk. When the trooper ran the license plate on the car, it matched the tag number of a vehicle sought by Oklahoma police.

Marines in Iraq's once-volatile Anbar province could leave, general says . Anbar attacks down to a few a day, Gen. James Conway says . Marines could have greater effect in Afghanistan, Conway says .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Marine commander on Wednesday warned of a "growing" insurgent threat in Afghanistan, but he said forces would have to be cut in Iraq to send more Marines to Afghanistan. Marines could be pulled from Iraq's Anbar province, Gen. James Conway said Wednesday. "To do more in Afghanistan, our Marines have got to see relief elsewhere," said Gen. James Conway in a briefing for Pentagon reporters. Conway said the Corps' two regimental combat teams -- about 10,000 Marines -- in Iraq's Anbar province could be removed as there are only two or three insurgent attacks a day in what was once the hotbed of the Iraqi insurgency. The U.S.-led coalition is scheduled to hand over security control in Anbar to Iraqi troops next week. Despite the progress, Conway said, he doesn't expect any decisions on troop withdrawals until Gen. David Petraeus -- the head of the U.S. military in Iraq -- makes his recommendations on troop deployment in Iraq to President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates. 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.

NEW: Men were partying in a cave . All five are from the Los Angeles area and are being charged with three felonies . Receipts and surveillance camera footage helped investigators find the men . Fire engulfed about 5,000 acres and destroyed more than 50 homes last month .

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MONTEREY PARK, California (CNN) -- Five men are accused of starting a massive Malibu wildfire at that destroyed more than 50 homes and forced about 15,000 people to evacuate. A firefighter works to contain a wildfire threatening homes in Malibu, California, on November 24. Authorities say the five, ranging in ages from 18 to 27, were drinking in a popular party spot in a cave at the park when they started the fire. All five are from the Los Angeles area and are being charged with three felonies -- including two arson-related charges. Each count carries a sentence of two to four years in prison. Baca said investigators traced the fire to the cave, then used receipts and surveillance camera footage from a nearby store to hunt down the men. Investigators would not comment on why the men started the fire. During the investigation, fire officials speculated that a campfire may have started the blaze -- which engulfed roughly 5,000 acres and destroyed 80 structures, including the 53 homes. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in the wake of the fire, which started on November 24. The blaze, which was fueled by dry Santa Ana winds and low humidity, followed a spate of California wildfires in October that charred more than 508,000 acres in several counties. Those fires forced 1 million people from their homes and left 14 people dead. The men are expected to make their first court appearance on Monday. E-mail to a friend .