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[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "ROME, Italy (CNN) -- The world's richest countries committed to \"any further action that may prove necessary\" to restore confidence in the global financial system, their finance ministers said as they wrapped up a two-day meeting in Rome. U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is calling on governments to help restart the flow of credit. The Group of Seven finance ministers also urged countries not to close their markets to goods and services from abroad. \"An open system of global trade and investment is indispensable for global prosperity,\" they said in a statement at the end of their meeting Saturday. \"Protectionist measures ... would only exacerbate the downturn\" in the worldwide economy. The ministers said the global banking crisis had revealed \"fundamental weaknesses in the international financial system\" and called for urgent reform. Watch workers put pressure on the ministers » . New U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, making his international debut at the meetings, called on governments to focus on stabilizing and strengthening financial systems and help restart the flow of credit. \"Although the precise mix of measures must be tailored to each country's situation -- our financial systems are different, [the] structures of our systems are very different -- there is a common recognition of more capital and government financing to help restart credit markets,\" he said. Italy hosted the meeting in its role as G-7 president for 2009. G-7 members includes the United States, Germany, Japan, France, Italy, Britain and Canada. The agenda drawn up by Rome calls for adopting global measures and economic policy reforms capable of stabilizing the world economy and ensuring transparency to allow markets to function correctly. Watch CNN correspondents on the impact of job losses around the world » . Geithner spoke just after the U.S. Senate gave final approval late Friday to a $787 billion recovery package to boost the U.S. economy. He told attendees that the package \"provides a very powerful mix of investments and tax cuts to create jobs and to strengthen our long-term growth potential.\" \"As we act together to build a strong foundation for economic growth and recovery, we need to begin the process of comprehensive reform of our financial system, so that we never again face a crisis of this severity,\" Geithner said. Another attendee, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn, said he supports such stimulus packages for advanced countries. \"The question is no more to convince the governments to move today, but for them to implement the policies they need to manage,\" Strauss-Kahn said. He also warned of the dangers of protectionism, which he said may still come \"through the back door, especially in the financial sector.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Group of Seven ministers urge countries not to close markets to goods from abroad .\nFocus must be on stabilizing economies, U.S. treasury secretary says .\nOfficials call for urgent reform of global financial system ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- President Obama's pledge to conquer cancer \"in our time\" is a great goal, but one of America's top cancer experts isn't sure he'd use the word \"cure.\" Despite chemotherapy, some breast cancers recur, like a \"smoldering fire that flares up,\" Dr. Otis Brawley said. \"The idea of [calling for] a cure does scare me a little bit because, I don't think that's realistic in some cancers,\" says Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society. \"But I like the general overall idea, and I'm thrilled about the focus on health.\" Obama's first proposed budget includes $6 billion for cancer research by the National Institutes of Health. That's on top of the additional $10 billion provided by the stimulus package for 2009 and 2010. But some cancer specialists say that rather than finding a cure, a more realistic scenario is that certain cancers that are fatal today will move into the realm of chronic illnesses. By chronic disease, doctors mean \"the way we think of diabetes or heart disease as chronic diseases, where people could live in peaceful coexistence with cancer, as opposed to the cancer continuing to advance,\" said Brawley, who also is CNNhealth.com's conditions expert. Dr. Tony Reid, an oncologist and director of clinical trials at the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego, shares this view. He sees the long-term management of certain cancers as chronic illness as a \"primary intermediate step\" as researchers work towards cures. Prevention efforts, including discouraging smoking, obesity, and environmental hazards, are also important components of the cure, Dr. Andreas Ullrich, medical officer in cancer control at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. How long it will actually take to cure cancer is anyone's guess, but Obama's initiative is encouraging, he said. \"We need this hope,\" Ullrich said. \"We need to invest in our efforts in research, in basic research, and also in social science to understand why people behave in a risky way, and how to prevent people from exposing themselves to cancer risk,\" he said. Given that \"cancer\" encompasses more than 200 diseases, it makes sense that different varieties would require different approaches for saving the lives of their victims. From Brawley's perspective, a cure happens when the disease has gone away and it's not likely to come back, and the person is likely to grow old and die from something totally unrelated. Reid put it in terms of years of survival -- with pancreatic cancer, which normally takes lives within six months of diagnosis, you're probably cured if you're still alive five years after surgery, he said. But breast cancer can come back even after 10 years, he said. About 11 million people living in the United States had a history of some form of cancer as of 2005, according to the latest statistics from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database. There has been progress, however. For American men, the risk of death for cancer is 20 percent lower than it was 20 years ago, Brawley said. Rates of new cancer diagnoses and deaths for U.S. men and women simultaneously fell for the first time since reporting began in 1998, according to a report published in November in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. See a map of lung cancer in the U.S. from this report » . Already there are cancers that respond well to drugs for several years. Patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors tend to tolerate the drugs well, for example, Reid said. \"I have many patients who will come back and say, 'Except for the fact that you tell me I have cancer, I don't know it,' \" he said. But after a while, these patients' cancer cells mutate and evolve to become resistant to the drugs, finding ways around almost any drug, Reid said. Some breast cancer patients take medications for 10 years to prevent recurrence, said Dr. Stephanie Hines, physician at the breast center at the Mayo Clinic's Breast Cancer Center in Jacksonville, Florida. But great strides have been made in such drugs, she said. \"There is real promise at eventually eradicating breast cancer,\" she said. \"I would say maybe not in the next five or 10 years. But it may happen -- I don't know if in our lifetime.\" Still, only a few kinds of cancer are currently cured, and that's often dependent on early detection -- testicular and early stage breast cancer are two of the few examples, Reid said. About 80 percent of lymphomas are cured, Brawley said. Metastatic lung cancer and metastatic breast cancer, on the other hand, are more likely to one day become \"chronic diseases,\" which would be treated throughout a person's life rather than eliminated, Brawley said. \"Once it's metastasized or spread, you can't really do surgery unless you want to do almost cherry-picking throughout the body, which doesn't really work,\" he said. Currently, some breast cancers regress even with chemotherapy. Cancer specialists compare these breast cancers to \"a smoldering fire which flares up every once in a while\" and requires more water, Brawley said. Extending the amount of time that a person could live like that is a \"reasonable goal,\" he said. Cancer doctors emphasize that Obama's initiative is a tremendous asset to cancer research. \"I think that all the tools are there -- it's just, we have to do the hard work of testing them, evaluating them, and making them available to patients, Reid said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "President Obama's proposed budget includes $6 billion for cancer research .\nExperts: Some cancers that are fatal today will become like chronic diseases .\nAlready there are cancers that respond well to drugs for several years ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said Friday he will not pay interest on the nation's foreign debt and that he was prepared to accept any consequences. Correa made the comments to reporters in Guayaquil, Ecuador, about the interest payments, one of which was due Friday, his office said in a statement. He said he was studying how to challenge the debt, which he called \"immoral and a betrayal of the country,\" a reference to the way the terms of the debt were originally set. He said that though $7 billion has already been spent to pay an original debt accrued during the 1980s of $4 billion, the principal remains about the same. \"If we have to confront international lawsuits, we will confront them and, I repeat, I assume all responsibility,\" he said. \"I could not permit the continued payment of a debt that, in any light, is immoral and illegitimate.\" Correa said he was preparing a restructuring plan to be presented to creditors within a few days, and he chafed at criticism of how the money has been spent. \"We have tried to pay this overdue social debt with a program of housing without parallel in Ecuadorian history, which certain corrupt members of the press -- in function of their political interests -- now want to discredit, pointing out the inevitable houses that -- out of 80,000 -- are going to have defects,\" he said. But he said such complaints were outweighed by the \"tens of thousands of happy families with their own worthy little houses ... and all the people who can testify to the success of the program.\" The popular leftist economist said he would try to prove in international courts that the debt is illegal." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "President Rafael Correa calls foreign debt \"immoral and a betrayal of the country\"\nCorrea: $7 billion has been spent on debt interest, but principal remains same .\nPresident \"assumes responsibility\" if nation faces international lawsuits ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Microsoft founder Bill Gates told CNN on Wednesday that he hopes President-elect Barack Obama and Congress immediately craft a wide-ranging stimulus package, to help jump-start the nation's sputtering economy, and double the United States' commitment to foreign aid. Microsoft founder Bill Gates spoke exclusively Wednesday with CNN's Wolf Blitzer. \"Clearly we need a stimulus that doesn't undermine the incentive for businesses to be careful about their spending and making those correct investments,\" Gates told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in an exclusive interview airing on The Situation Room on Wednesday and Thursday. Gates, one of the world's richest men and founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is also calling on Obama to increase investments in the nation's education system and spur technological advances to improve agriculture, prevent disease, and promote economic growth in the world's poorest nations. \"The key point I'd make is that in addition to that stimulus, you've got to fund the kind of scientific work and educational investments that could really have us be a much better country as we emerge from the recession,\" he said. Watch Gates discuss economy » . On his Web site, Obama has pledged to double the United States' annual investment in foreign aid to $50 billion by the end of his first term, with the goal of fully funding debt cancellation for poor nations and fighting AIDS and global poverty. In the interview with CNN, Gates said he thinks Obama will live up to that commitment. \"Obviously it's the Congress that gets to actually vote the final decision for how the money is spent, but I do think he will get to that commitment,\" Gates said. \"I am thrilled to be able to see that people are responding to the success stories. Aid from the United States did go up in the last eight years.\" The interview came shortly before the Microsoft founder delivered a wide-ranging speech at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., during which he reiterated his call for a major new stimulus package to spur job growth. \"Spending is the only way we'll ever come out of this downturn, and with businesses, state governments and consumers pulling back, the federal government must step forward,\" Gates told the crowd. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has distributed more than $17 billion in grant commitments in all 50 states and 100 countries. In his interview with CNN, Gates said he had personally given more than $30 billion to the foundation." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Microsoft founder Bill Gates talks to CNN's Wolf Blitzer .\nGates says Obama should craft a wide-ranging stimulus package .\nHe also wants Obama to increase investments in education, technology .\n\"Spending is the only way we'll ever come out of this downturn,\" he says ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) -- A volcano in southwest Colombia erupted again Friday morning, raining ash on nearby residents and agricultural fields. The Galeras volcano, erupting here in January 2008, is considered the most active volcano in Colombia. None of the 8,000 residents who live near the Galeras volcano was reported injured, officials said. It is the second time in less than a week that the volcano has erupted. The government's Geological and Mining Institute raised the alert level from yellow to red, and officials opened eight shelters for displaced residents. Authorities ordered the 8,000 people who live near the volcano to evacuate. The city of Pasto, which has about 35,000 residents and is more than 12 miles (about 20 kilometers) from the volcano's crater, received a heavy downpour of ashes Friday. The volcano, near Colombia's border with Ecuador, previously erupted Saturday. It has erupted several times since it became active again in 1989. The only fatalities were in 1993, when nine people -- all scientists or tourists in or near the volcano's crater -- were killed. The volcano's crater is 14,029 feet (4,276 meters) above sea level in the Andes Mountains. It is considered the most active volcano in Colombia. Journalist Fernando Ramos contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Authorities order evacuation of 8,000 people who live near Galeras volcano .\nNo injuries reported; volcano erupts for second time in less than a week .\nNearby city of Pasto receives downpour of ashes ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Editor's note: This story is part of an ongoing series of profiles CNN is doing about economic survival in this time of financial crisis. Nicole Thompson-Arce poses on her wedding day with her husband, Mathew Arce, and her ex-mother-in-law. (CNN) -- Struggling to make ends meet, trying to dig themselves out of debt, Nicole Thompson-Arce and her husband have moved in with her ex-husband. Together, the unlikely threesome of Omaha, Nebraska, is raising two young daughters from the first marriage. It's the kind of situation that has left cable guys howling. \"They'd never heard anything like this,\" Thompson-Arce, 28, remembered with a laugh. \"And they're in people's homes everyday.\" When she and Craig Thompson, 42, were going through a divorce in 2005, this was not a deal either of them could have imagined striking. It was a messy divorce, the kind involving a custody dispute. But once they ironed out that battle, agreeing to joint custody, Thompson-Arce said they were able to move on and forward. iReport: Read Thompson-Arce's post . By the time she married Mathew Arce last July, she said she and her ex were friends. In fact, they were so close that his mother -- meaning Thompson-Arce's ex-mother-in-law -- was in (not just at) the second wedding ceremony. Soon after the Florida wedding, the new lovebirds flew into a financial mess. She had left a job, and as soon as she found another (a temp position), her 22-year-old husband was fired from his higher-paying gig. iReport.com: Job hunt stories . They fell behind in rent. The bills stacked up. The credit card debt grew. iReport.com: What are you cutting from budget? A couple months later, Arce, landed a temporary Wal-Mart cashier position, which has since turned into a full-time job. But finances remained shaky and digging themselves out of debt seemed insurmountable. Tell us how you're surviving in this economy . In walked the ex with an offer, just in time for Christmas. Thompson, an 18-year bakery employee at Wal-Mart, lives in a three-bedroom, one-bath home. \"I knew they were having money problems, so I just asked them to move in,\" he said. \"I figured I'd get to see my girls, my daughters, more often. And Nicole said yes right away.\" Besides the economic savings, the benefits are many. No longer do they have to shuttle Victoria, 7, and Caitlyn, 6, between two households. As a team, they can parent and be on the same page. Finding a baby sitter is never a problem. They take turns making meals, which they all share. Thompson and Arce, who are 20 years apart -- \"I had to get the whole spectrum going there,\" Thompson-Arce joked -- have become the best of friends, and share a similar sense of humor. They have tackled home improvement projects, run around together on days they both have off and often hang out at the kitchen table building plastic models. \"We just clicked,\" Thompson said. \"When I tell people, 'I'm living with my ex-wife and her husband,' I get some really strange looks. ...It's different. It's unusual, but it works.\" The transition has been smooth and great for the kids, Thompson-Arce said. And for their benefit, irrespective of finances, she thinks it's a living situation they'll stick with for at least five to 10 years. It has, however, taken a little time for the little ones to get the story straight. Seven-year-old Victoria went back to school after winter break -- and after the whole team had blended under one roof -- and started telling people this: \" 'My mommy has two husbands,'\" Thompson-Arce remembered. \"I was like, 'No, honey, don't tell them that!'\" What she and both men hope the girls are learning is that divorced parents can work together and be friends. \"There are so many families that go through divorce and can never let it go,\" she said. \"I'm thankful, and hopefully our situation can help people rethink things because if they have kids, it's in their best interest to get along.\" One might wonder whether the couple, who've been married for less than a year, get enough time alone together, given where they're living. Thompson-Arce points out that her ex works a shift that sends him to bed at 7 p.m., so the evenings -- after the kids are asleep -- are for her and her husband to share. Watch restaurant holds date night event » . \"When they do have a romantic evening, I don't hear them, so we're not going there,\" Thompson quipped. \"There's a bathroom between our two bedrooms.\" The ex-husband hasn't dated since the divorce. He said it's because he's been focused on work and taking care of the kids. Thompson-Arce, however, said that she and her husband are forever trying to get Thompson on the dating scene and want him to meet someone special. Special, and understanding, she would most definitely need to be. \"He'd have to find a very open-minded woman because we don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon,\" Thompson-Arce said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Financially strapped couple moves in with wife's ex-husband to save .\nThe Omaha, Nebraska, threesome find an arrangement that works .\nTogether they raise two kids and teach that divorced parents can get along .\nEx-husband: \"When I tell people... I get some really strange looks\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The body of a journalist who was hacked to death in southeastern Nepal was cremated Tuesday as businesses and public transportation in the town of Janakpur remained shut for a second day to protest the killing. Uma Singh, who was murdered in Nepal Sunday, had talked about the difficulties of practicing journalism. Authorities said they arrested four people in connection with the death of Uma Singh, but they did not release the suspects' names or possible motive, said Damakant Jayashi, associate editor of the online news Web site, myrepublica.com. \"Journalists and human rights groups have descended on the town, and shops are shuttered in what almost seems like a spontaneous protest,\" Jayashi said. \"Journalists are all wearing black bands on their arms. And the FM stations in the city, all day yesterday, they played mourning tunes instead of their regular programs.\" The killing of Singh, 26, is the latest in a \"troubling trend\" of attacks on reporters, the United Nations' human rights office in the country said. It asked the government to investigate the case and prosecute death threats against other journalists. \"Doing so will send a strong message that there will be no impunity for attacks against the media, nor for any serious crimes,\" the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal said. Singh wrote for a daily newspaper and reported for a radio station in Janakpur, about 240 km (150 miles) southeast of the capital city, Kathmandu. When she got home from work Sunday night, a group of about 15 men barged into the room she rented at a house and hacked her with \"khukhuris\" -- curved knives traditional to Nepal -- in full view of other boarders, authorities said. \"I am very very shocked,\" said Dharmendra Jha, president of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, which is leading the protests. \"If the government is not ready to provide any kind of security to journalists, it will be very difficult to do journalism in a free mode.\" The group said it will announce a new phase of protests Wednesday. Authorities do not have a motive for the killing. In some of her articles, Singh spoke out against the dowry system, where a bride's family is forced to give cash and property to the groom's family before the wedding. Also Sunday, a group of men ransacked the house of another journalist in the same region, leaving a cross on her door and telling her it was her turn next, media groups said. Police do not know if the two incidents are related. In recent months, the number of attacks on journalists in Nepal have shot up. The federation released a year-end report, recording 284 incidents -- including three deaths and a kidnapping. Some of the assailants have ties to the Communist Party of Nepal, the largest party in Nepal's coalition government, according to New York-based Human Rights Watch. The party is led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal, or Prachanda -- a man who led a decade-long bloody insurgency before being sown in as prime minister. During the decade-long civil war, Maoist forces under him carried out numerous attacks on journalists they believed were opposed to their cause, Human Rights Watch said. And after he became prime minister, Prachanda issued a public warning to journalists while addressing a massive crowd in Kathmandu: \"Now we will no longer tolerate criticism as we have already been elected by the people.\" Three years ago, Singh's father and elder brother disappeared. Her family has all along accused local Maoist leaders of being behind the disappearances, Jayashi said. Singh, herself, talked about the difficulties of practicing journalism in an interview with the United Nations last year. \"Various armed groups that are mushrooming have been a major challenge for us. We have been compelled to dance to their tunes. ...This makes us helpless,\" she said in the interview. \"What do we do? If we don't air the news of their choice, they threaten to kill us. Things have become very, very difficult for us.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Nepalese journalist who reported on women's rights hacked to death Sunday .\nUma Singh said before her death: \"Things have become very, very difficult for us\"\nU.N. asks govt. to investigate, prosecute death threats against other journalists .\nJournalists group: 284 incidents against journalists in 2008, including 3 deaths ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Zimbabwe's opposition leader called the cholera outbreak in his country a \"man-made crisis,\" as new figures released Thursday showed the death toll had soared to more than 2,700. Morgan Tsvangirai tours a cholera ward at Budiriro Polyclinic in Harare Thursday. Some 2,755 have died and 48,623 people are suspected to have been infected with cholera since last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. Opposition party leader Morgan Tsvangirai, speaking to reporters, pointed a finger at the Mugabe government. \"Cholera in Zimbabwe is a man-made crisis. The problem we have here is coupled with (the) fact of negligence on the part of government to provide the necessary facilities. It shows the collapse of the health delivery system,\" said Tsvangirai. The Movement for Democratic Change leader's comments came after he toured some of the worst affected areas in the country's capital, Harare. Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic, which started in August, has been aggravated by erratic water supplies, shortages of water purification chemicals, broken water and sewer pipes and uncollected garbage. Cholera is an intestinal disease cause by bacteria in contaminated water. The epidemic was followed a month later by a strike by doctors and nurses demanding a review of their salaries. They are demanding that archaic hospital equipment be replaced and that medicines be available in hospitals. The health emergency comes at a time when Zimbabwe is mired in the worst economic crisis it has faced since it gained independence from Great Britain in 1980. Last week, the United Nations' Children's Fund (UNICEF) gave $5 million to Zimbabwe's ailing health sector to help end the industrial action by health personnel. As Tsvangirai was visiting the cholera affected areas, some residents could be seen getting water from the wells and rivers. Most suburbs in Harare have had no water for close to two weeks, forcing residents to depend on shallow pits and rivers for drinking water. The Zimbabwe National Water Authority was quoted by the state-owned media Saturday attributing the dryness to a water pump which had broken-down. The areas particularly affected include the townships of Glen Norah, Glen View and Budiriro. \"I am here with my kids for the last two days,\" said Ennie Musararei, a mother of three at Budiriro clinic. \"It (cholera) just started after we drank water from a well. We thought it was safe to drink since it was covered by a metal sheet.\" President Robert Mugabe's government have now declared cholera a national emergency, so that international organizations such as UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders and Red Cross can gain access. But death toll has continued to increase daily. \"This week alone has witnessed a sudden increase of patients,\" said a nurse at Budiriro clinic. \"I think it is mainly because of the rains and dryness of the suburbs over the past week or so.\" Earlier this month, Zimbabwe's health minister, David Parirenyatwa, said the death toll was likely to increase as the country is in its rainy season. The meteorological office in Zimbabwe has predicted floods in some parts of the country." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "World Health Organization: 2,755 cholera deaths in Zimbabwe since last year .\nTsvangirai: Govt. negligence resulted in failure to provide necessary facilities .\nEpidemic aggravated by erratic water supplies, broken water and sewer pipes .\nMugabe's government have now declared cholera a national emergency ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Paul Harvey, the legendary radio host whose career sharing \"the rest of the story\" with listeners spanned more than 70 years, has died, according to ABC Radio Networks. Paul Harvey received the Medal of Freedom from President Bush in 2005. He was 90. Harvey died at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, where he kept a winter home, said Louis Adams, a spokesman for the networks. He was surrounded by family members when he died, Adams said. Known for his deliberate delivery and pregnant pauses, Harvey's broadcasts were heard on more than 1,200 radio stations and 400 Armed Forces networks and his commentaries appeared in 300 newspapers, according to his Web site. iReport.com: Share your memories of Paul Harvey . He had been hosting his radio shows part-time for much of the past year, after recovering from physical ailments including pneumonia and the death of his wife, Lynne \"Angel\" Harvey, in May 2008. \"My father and mother created from thin air what one day became radio and television news,\" said Harvey's son, Paul Harvey Jr., in a written statement. \"So, in the past year, an industry has lost its godparents and today millions have lost a friend.\" Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Harvey began his radio career in 1933 at KVOO-AM there while he was still in high school, his Web site says. He helped clean the station and was eventually was allowed to fill in on air, reading news and commercials. Watch how Paul Harvey Aurandt got into broadcasting » . \"Paul Harvey was one of the most gifted and beloved broadcasters in our nation's history,\" ABC Radio Networks President Jim Robinson said in a written statement. \"As he delivered the news each day with his own unique style and commentary, his voice became a trusted friend in American households.\" Some critics faulted Harvey for the way he seamlessly intertwined news stories with advertisements, which he often read in his own voice in the middle of a story. But his accolades were plentiful -- from his 1990 induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from then-President George W. Bush in 2005. \"Paul was a friendly and familiar voice in the lives of millions of Americans,\" Bush said Saturday in a written statement. \"His commentary entertained, enlightened, and informed. Laura and I are pleased to have known this fine man, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.\" The cause of Harvey's death was not immediately known. He was forced off the air temporarily in 2001 because of a virus that weakened a vocal cord. CNN's Doug Gross contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The 90-year-old coined the phrase \"And now, the rest of the story.\"\nHarvey was known for his deliberate delivery and pregnant pauses .\nRecovering from ailments, he had been hosting his radio shows part-time .\nHarvey's broadcasts were heard on more than 1,200 radio stations ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Somali pirates have turned high-seas kidnappings into a lucrative business, one that netted between $50 million and $150 million last year, a former Navy SEAL told CNN. Attackers hijacked the Maersk Alabama, shown here, formerly known as the Alva Maersk. Kaj Larsen spoke to CNN's Anderson Cooper Wednesday night about the changing tactics of pirates in Somalia. Below is a transcript of that interview, portions of which have been edited. Cooper: You have spent a fair amount of time there. You have actually met with the pirates, right? Larsen: I did. I met with some of the pirates that were operating out of Port of Mogadishu in 2006. And that was right before this current uptick in piracy that we're seeing so much of right now. Cooper: And why the uptick? Just because now they realize it's so profitable? Larsen: Sure, absolutely. There's an extraordinary incentive to conduct acts of piracy. Last year, they estimate the pirates took in somewhere between $50 million and $150 million in ransom money. It's extraordinary. It's very lucrative. And, obviously, the cheap flow of weapons available in Somalia all contribute to this problem of maritime piracy. See how pirate attacks are skyrocketing » . Cooper: And this is a different situation, because now the USS Bainbridge is on scene. This is the first time an American has been held hostage. But, normally, a whole crew gets taken hostage, and it's basically a negotiation between the company that owns the vessel or the cargo and the pirates. Larsen: Right Obviously, this is a very unique situation and it's developing right now as we speak. So, this is setting new standards and new precedents. My concern during this situation is that the pirates, seeing their first batch of resistance, in the future might be using more aggressive tactics now that they see that some ships are willing to fight back. Cooper: You were a Navy SEAL. What is the procedure in something like this? Larsen: Well, obviously, each situation is very unique, and so they have to balance the use of force with the potential threat of injury to the hostage. Again, this is a unique situation. This is the first time Americans have been taken hostage, so we could see a new precedent being set. Watch how pirates operate off Somalia » . In the past, the U.S. Navy and the other coalition forces and the combined task force in the region has been reluctant to engage with the pirates militarily, for fear that one of the hostages will be hurt. We will see if that continues to be the case here. Cooper: And, basically, I mean, if [pirates are] operating 350 miles offshore, and they're running around, and then they're going around in these little skiffs, do they have a larger boat nearby somewhere in the area? ... They can't go 350 miles offshore in a little skiff, can they? Larsen: No, absolutely not, I mean, although you are seeing improved weather conditions in the Gulf of Aden, which is responsible for the increased in attacks over the past week, 350 miles is a long ways out at sea. So, again, the pirates are becoming increasingly more sophisticated, are actually [using] mother ships in many cases, from which they send out the small speedboats out to both track and then sometimes assault these tanker and these container ships in the gulf. Cooper: How do you think this thing is going to end? Do you have any idea? Larsen: I don't really have any idea. In the past, what we have seen is a classic kidnap-for-ransom hostage negotiation system, where the insurance companies end up paying sometimes millions of dollars for these pirates. In this case, I think the very close presence of a U.S. Navy vessel might ... provide some discomfort to the pirates in the area." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Ex-Navy SEAL says kidnapping of American is change for Somali pirates .\nKaj Larsen says pirates made between $50 million to $150 million last year .\n\"The pirates are becoming increasingly more sophisticated,\" he says ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- A crew member on a U.S.-flagged cargo ship captured by pirates off the coast of Somalia is suing his employers, claiming they sent him into pirate-infested waters without adequate protection, his attorney said Monday. Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse has been charged with piracy in federal court in New York. Richard Hicks of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, a crew member on the Maersk Alabama, filed suit Monday against Waterman Steamship Corp. and Maersk Line Limited, according to the attorney, Terry Bryant. A spokeswoman for Mobile, Alabama-based Waterman Steamship Corp. said she did not know about the suit and did not immediately comment. A spokeswoman for Maersk Line Limited did not immediately return a call from CNN seeking comment. The Maersk Alabama was hijacked by pirates April 8. Hicks, working as chief steward and preparing food for other crew members, heard over the loudspeaker that pirates were on board, and he and other crew members gathered in the ship's engine room for nearly 12 hours, according to a news release from Bryant. \"The engine room was dark and hot, maybe 130 degrees,\" Hicks said in the news release. \"We were all cramping up with heat stroke symptoms when we were able to take a pirate hostage and tried to negotiate the return of our captain.\" The pirates promised to exchange Capt. Richard Phillips for the pirate hostage, but reneged on that agreement, the news release. Phillips offered himself as a hostage in exchange for the freedom of his crew. He was held on a lifeboat until U.S. Navy snipers on a nearby ship fatally shot three pirates, rescued Phillips and arrested a fourth pirate. The ship's owners -- the two companies -- knowingly exposed their employees to danger and took no steps to provide appropriate security and safety for the crew, Bryant alleges. \"Waterman Steamship Corp. and Maersk Line Limited chose to rely on the United States military and taxpayers to provide after-the-fact rescue operations,\" Bryant said in the news release. \"This choice caused substantially more cost and risk to human life than what would have been incurred by defendants had they provided appropriate levels of security in the first place.\" Hicks is seeking at least $75,000, and \"reserves the right to amend this pleading for a certain amount in the future, as it is too early to determine the maximum amount of plaintiff's damages,\" according to the suit. Hicks is still suffering from injuries as a result of the incident and is afraid to return to work, the news release said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Suit alleges crew sent into pirate-infested waters without protection .\nRepresentatives of ship's owners have yet to comment .\nMaersk Alabama was hijacked by pirates April 8 .\nPlaintiff Richard Hicks, of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, was the ship's steward ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The mother of a 17-year-old Rochester, New York, high school student who vanished over the weekend on spring break in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, says she did not give her daughter permission to go on the trip. Brittanee Marie Drexel's mom says she thought she was at the beach in New York, not South Carolina. In an appearance on HLN's Nancy Grace, Dawn Drexel said her daughter, Brittanee Marie Drexel, has never run away. Drexel said the high school junior stayed in touch with her by phone, and she last spoke with Brittanee on Saturday afternoon. \"I asked her what she was doing and she says 'Oh, mom, I'm at the beach.' And it was an 80-degree day in Rochester so, of course, I thought maybe she was at the beach in Rochester with one of her girlfriends that she had said she was staying overnight,\" Drexel said. Watch mom describe daughter's last call » . Drexel said she asked Brittanee to call her later and the girl agreed. \"I said, 'I love you, Brittanee' and she says, 'I love you, mom.' And then we hung up the phone.\" Brittanee is believed to have last been seen Saturday evening, though an unconfirmed sighting may have placed her at a restaurant on Sunday. She was staying with friends at the Bar Harbor Hotel on North Ocean Boulevard, according to police reports." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Brittanee Drexel disappears on trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina .\nMom says she spoke to daughter but didn't know she was out of state .\nBrittanee is believed to have last been seen Saturday evening ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Editor's note: Carlos del Rio, MD, is the Hubert Professor and chair in the global health department at the Rollins School of Public Health and professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Emory University's School of Medicine. Del Rio is a native of Mexico and was executive director of the National AIDS Council of Mexico from 1992 through 1996. Dr. Carlos del Rio says U.S. and Mexican authorities deserve credit for their responses to the swine flu outbreak. ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- The swine flu outbreak that started less than a month ago has caused more than 150 deaths in Mexico and more than 60 confirmed cases across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with suspected cases in France, Spain, Israel and New Zealand. It is clear that a new virus has emerged that is different enough that the population's previous exposure to influenza viruses and vaccines do not provide immunity. So far, public health authorities are meeting this challenge with strength and preparedness. The Mexican and American federal governments deserve credit for their thorough responses. The major control strategy that has been implemented in Mexico is social-distancing, a range of nonquarantine measures that attempt to reduce contact between persons, such as closing schools, canceling cultural and sports events, and closing museums and parks. In addition, countries are strengthening surveillance, releasing antiviral stockpiles and issuing travel advisories. In the United States, federal officials are working closely with and providing guidance to state and local public health authorities, who have to make decisions about whether to close schools or prevent other large-scale gatherings. The cross-border nature of this outbreak is a strong argument for why the United States should cooperate with and support competent institutions of government in other countries, even during a period of economic uncertainty. The first case of swine flu in the United States during the current outbreak was identified in San Diego County by part of a surveillance program connected with the Naval Health Research Center there, which only began monitoring influenza in 2005. In this program, physicians collect nasal swabs from patients at community clinics on both sides of the border. Only when Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientists sent a suspect sample to the mass spectrometer did they discover the new variety of swine flu, according to an article describing the techniques in Science magazine. Two critical questions remain. Why have mortality rates been higher in Mexico? And how should preparations for the regular flu season later this year be modified? Reports from Mexico that the virus has primarily struck otherwise healthy young adults are alarming because seasonal influenza typically affects the very young and very old. Still, preliminary genetic analysis shows that the virus strains isolated from patients in California are identical to those seen in severely ill Mexican patients. It is possible that some of the patients in Mexico, many of whom are dying of pneumonia, are succumbing to secondary infections. Medical historians believe that a large proportion of those who died of the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 were not killed by the flu virus, but by secondary bacterial pneumonia, which was difficult to treat before the introduction of antibiotics. Thus, enhancing vaccination against pneumonia may prove to be a critical strategy in decreasing influenza mortality during future outbreaks. Additional investigation of those who have died is however, urgently needed to determine the best response strategy. An issue that keeps coming up is the idea of closing the U.S.-Mexico border. Already at various border crossing points, customs authorities are having people who appear sick taken to a secondary inspection area for further evaluation. More systematic monitoring at border crossing and airports such as mouth swabs has been proposed. Is that a good strategy? I would argue that it is not. The U.S.-Mexico border is one of the busiest in the world with millions of people and goods crossing each day. Many items that we routinely use in the United States are produced in Mexico and closing the border would have a crippling effect to the United States. For example, in the event of a serious flu outbreak in this country there would be a need for mechanical ventilator deployments to hospitals. The national stockpile has sufficient ventilators, but the necessary circuits that are needed to operate them are not produced in the United States but in Mexico, so having them come across to this country is critical for taking care of critically ill patients in the United States. The second issue is how to prepare for the coming flu season. During the flu pandemic of 1918, cases began in the spring and then faded away during the summer, only to come back with a vengeance in the fall and winter. Thus, we need to be prepared for an even worse outbreak of swine flu this winter and should not declare victory too soon. Considerable evidence has accumulated that the practice of producing seasonal vaccines in chicken eggs is cumbersome and sometimes ineffective. There is an urgent need for the development of more modern techniques of vaccine production. The National Institutes of Health has been putting its research resources into the fight. In 2007, the NIH created six Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance, located at Emory University, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, UCLA, University of Minnesota and University of Rochester. Sunday's emergency declaration signaled for these centers to devote their resources to monitoring and responding to the swine flu outbreak. Researchers at these centers have developed alternatives to chicken eggs and new delivery methods. Now is the time to put these alternatives to the test, so that countries around the world are fully prepared for the coming flu season and future outbreaks. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Carlos del Rio." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Dr. Carlos del Rio: U.S. and Mexico have responded well to swine flu outbreak .\nHe says cross-border cooperation is crucial to successful battle against flu .\nKey question is why Mexico's illnesses have been more deadly, he says .\nDel Rio: One factor may be presence of pneumonia in those who died ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "SEATTLE, Washington (CNN) -- Predicting the path of a swine flu outbreak is next to impossible, public health officials say. But Dr. Ira Longini has spent more than three decades trying to do just that. Dr. Ira Longini studies simulations of hypothetical influenzas and how they would spread. And Longini says the apparent new strain of swine flu appears to be here to stay. \"We are probably going to have to live with this virus for some time,\" he told CNN. Longini specializes in the mathematical and statistical theory of epidemics. He works at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute at the Hutchinson Research Center in Seattle, Washington. The researcher studies simulations of hypothetical influenzas and how they would spread across the United States. For the moment, he said, there is not enough information about the swine flu that has sickened hundreds in Mexico and about 50 people in the United States to accurately forecast how the disease will travel. But Longini's simulations of a fictional killer flu that were ordered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show the importance of steps health officials can take to prevent further spread of the virus. These measures include \"social distancing,\" or encouraging those sickened with the flu to stay home or seek medical treatment; closing places where groups of people gather; and making anti-flu medications available to large portions of the population. In the simulations, Longini said, these forms of containment reduce the sickness by nearly two-thirds. \"The name of the game is to slow transmission until a well-matched vaccine can be made and distributed. I am fairly optimistic we can do that,\" he said. Watch how computer models simulate an outbreak's spread » . So far, Longini said, it appears that everyone sickened by swine flu in the United States contracted the disease while traveling in Mexico, the apparent epicenter of the outbreak. But he cautioned: \"That could change very fast. Obviously people in these communities could also get on airplanes and go other places or get on buses or cars or trucks and move around. The picture may change very rapidly. Basically, influenza is going to go where people go.\" Health officials agree that the worst may still be yet to come. \"It is too soon for us to say what the spectrum is,\" Dr. Richard Besser, the acting director of the CDC, said Monday on Larry King Live. \"We are going to see cases in this country that are more severe, individuals who are hospitalized, and I would not be surprised if we see deaths in this country.\" Longini said health officials are doing everything they can to mitigate how widely the swine flu spreads in the United States. Even if authorities examined everyone entering the country, Longini said, it would not solve the problem. \"Through simulations and mathematical work we've shown that travel restrictions -- although potentially useful in slowing spread [of swine flu] -- they are not going to stop it,\" Longini said. \"We can screen airline passengers, but there all those asymptomatic or incubating people we would miss. So you really have to deal with these outbreaks locally, everywhere they are occurring.\" Watch how countries are scanning travelers » . Longini said he hopes that as more data come in about the outbreak, it will help to answer questions researchers have about why the swine flu appears more deadly in the Mexico cases than the ones in the United States. Researchers also hope to find out why such a large percentage of fatalities in Mexico are young people whose healthy immune systems usually protect them from the flu. But there is good news, Longini said, at least temporarily, for populations in certain areas. In North America and Europe, summer will soon begin, ending the traditional flu season. Even outbreaks such as swine flu tend to follow standard flu season patterns, he said. Other parts of the world may not be so lucky. \"Timing is terrible for people in the Southern Hemisphere -- places like New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, parts of South America, \"Longini said. \"They are just coming into their flu season.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Researcher studies how a potential flu outbreak could spread .\nAuthorities taking vital steps to keep outbreak from spreading, he explains .\nStill, worst of swine flu outbreak may be yet to come, health officials warn .\nResearcher hopes data will show why outbreak so much deadlier in Mexico ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's military continued its assault Thursday on militants in Taliban-held areas, its chief spokesman told reporters. Pakistani army trucks move military equipment into the troubled Buner district Thursday. So far, 14 militants have been killed in the past 24 hours, Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said. The operation is still ongoing in the districts of Dir and Buner, which was recently seized by the Taliban in violation of an agreement with Pakistan's government. Pakistani forces have completely secured Daggar, the main town in Buner and the scene of heavy fighting on Wednesday, Abbas said. The Daggar operation resulted in the deaths of 50 militants, but freed 18 Frontier Corps personnel who had been abducted by militants, he said. Fifty-two of their colleagues are still believed to be held by their suspected Taliban kidnappers. This week's military operation has resulted in more than 180 militant casualties since Sunday, while the military has suffered one death and one injury, according to Abbas. He said he hopes the operation will be completed by the end of the week. Pakistan has asked the United States to supply its forces with helicopters, communication equipment and night vision technology, Abbas said Thursday. Most of this week's casualties happened on Tuesday, when Pakistani fighter jets launched airstrikes, killing at least 70 militants in the Dir district, according to the Pakistani military. The operation is part of the Pakistani army's intensified drive against the Taliban in its restive tribal regions. The Pakistani government has been criticized for not cracking down on militants along its border with Afghanistan. As a result, the U.S. military has carried out airstrikes against militant targets in Pakistan, which have rankled relations between the two countries. The military campaign has apparently not stopped Washington from carrying out unmanned drone attacks on Pakistan's soil. A suspected unmanned aerial vehicle killed six people Wednesday night in the village of Kaniguran in the tribal district of South Waziristan near the border with Afghanistan, Pakistani intelligence sources said. Pakistan has complained repeatedly about what it says are American airstrikes on its territory. The U.S. military in Afghanistan has not commented on the strikes, which typically target Taliban fighters in the border region. But the United States is the only country operating in the region known to have the capability to launch missiles from remote-controlled drones. U.S. President Barack Obama is \"gravely concerned about the situation in Pakistan,\" he told reporters Wednesday night. Speaking at a news conference capping his 100th day in office, Obama said the United States has \"huge national security interests in making sure that Pakistan is stable\" and doesn't end up a \"nuclear-armed militant state.\" But he stressed he was more concerned about the ability of Pakistan's civilian government to \"deliver basic services,\" and not \"that they're immediately going to be overrun\" by the Taliban. Pakistan's recent military crackdown has led to an exodus of civilians from the region. At least 33,000 residents have left their homes in the midst of the recent fighting, according to Amnesty International. Civilians fleeing from Lower Dir in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province join more than 500,000 people already displaced by the fighting, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said. The Pakistani military completed its operation to eliminate and expel militants in Dir Tuesday, and is now focusing on the Buner district, Abbas said. About 300 militants entered Buner a few days ago, in violation of the Taliban's recent agreement to leave the district, he said. Buner is about 60 miles from Islamabad, but Abbas said the militants pose no threat of entering the capital. The fighter jets pounded targets in Buner and the Swat Valley in an effort to block the militants' entry and exit points, according to Abbas. CNN's Samson Desta, Ivan Watson, and Nasir Habib contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Pakistani military intensifies drive against Taliban in restive tribal regions .\nRecent military operation has resulted in more than 180 militant casualties .\nHas not stopped U.S. unmanned drone attacks on Pakistan's soil .\nBarack Obama \"gravely concerned about the situation in Pakistan\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(InStyle) -- I can't find it anywhere in the Constitution, so maybe there is a first lady dress code buried in an obscure addendum to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, since every mistress of the White House for the last four decades has chosen a wardrobe that follows a particular one with near pathological devotion. President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrive in Prague, Czech Republic, in early April. No sooner does her inaugural ballgown get spirited away to the Smithsonian, then out it comes: The First Lady Suit -- that tailored, multibuttoned blazer over a skirt straighter than an Ionic column in a primary, patriotic or tastefully unobjectionable color. So did someone not give Michelle Obama the memo? Because during these first 100 days, our newest first lady has banished every version of this silhouette as if they were all designed by the House of Dick Cheney. Instead, Mrs. Obama has defined with remarkable acuity what flatters a tall, broad-shouldered and curvaceous working woman who knows exactly who she is and where she is going. With an enviable eye for color and layering, she has fashioned a riveting parade of on- and off-the-shoulder dresses, cardigans, cinched trenches, leggings, wide-legged trousers and full skirts, working them in intense florals or unexpected hues such as chartreuse and emerald. InStyle.com: Michelle Obama's first 100 Days of style . In addition, like every woman who gets a kick out of dressing up, she knows the power of accessories -- a cool flat boot, a wide belt, a statement necklace. The thrilling result? Women across this country (and the world) are exclaiming almost daily, \"Look at that print! I love that color! Where can I get that sweater?\" Watch how the first lady has become a style icon » . What's more, not only does our first lady proudly stride with the confidence and warmth of a modern American woman, but the wardrobe she steps out in boasts relevance, comfort, and -- dare we say it? -- sex appeal. InStyle.com: Try on Obama's hairstyle . The fashion industry may have occasionally sniped, but come on, does anyone really give a damn if it's appropriate to wear a cardigan to meet the queen? What does count is that each time we've caught that man of hers watching her walk into a room during their first 100 days, we have witnessed both a dynamic new first couple -- and a wife whose husband unashamedly only has eyes for her. The clothes are cool, but even better is the fact that Michelle Obama has brought romance back to the White House. Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. All rights reserved." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "InStyle's Hal Rubenstein says Michelle Obama has dropped first lady uniform .\nShe has parade of dresses, cinched trenches, wide-legged trousers, full skirts .\nOutfits come in intense florals or unexpected hues like chartreuse and emerald .\nObama knows power of accessories: cool flat boot, wide belt, a statement necklace ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A man who Los Angeles police believe raped and murdered dozens of women decades ago was arrested by cold case investigators this month after a computer matched his DNA to evidence from two killings in the 1970s. John Floyd Thomas Jr. may have begun his killings as far back as 1955. John Floyd Thomas Jr., 72, may have begun his killings as far back as 1955 and he could be one of the worst serial killers in United States history, according to Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton. \"We have yet to reach the depths of what he has done,\" Bratton said Thursday. Until his April 2 arrest, Thomas was a Los Angeles insurance adjuster. Police now call him the \"Southland Strangler\" -- named for the geographical section of Los Angeles County where they suspect he killed at least 30 women and raped many more. Thomas, who sits in a Los Angeles jail, has been charged with two killings -- in 1972 and 1976 -- but prosecutors will likely add more cases when he faces arraignment on May 20, Bratton said. While Thomas was arrested \"a number of times between 1955 and 1978\" for sex crimes and burglaries, detectives did not have the technology to identify him as a suspect when the region was terrorized by a series of killings then blamed on the \"Westside Rapist,\" Bratton said. Watch why the suspect may be L.A.'s most prolific serial killer » . Officials, using new computer databases and software, are now \"looking to see what the patterns were,\" said Los Angeles Police Deputy Chief Charlie Beck. \"A lot of work has yet to be done,\" Beck said. Bob Kistner had just begun his law enforcement career in 1976 when his great aunt, 80-year-old Maybelle Hudson, was beaten, raped and strangled in the garage of her Inglewood, California, home. He had just retired as a sergeant with the Long Beach, California, Police Department when he got the call recently that investigators linked Thomas to her murder. \"I waited my entire career for that phone call,\" Kistner said. It was a routine call to Thomas from an LAPD officer last fall that led to the break in the case. Thomas, a registered sex offender, is required by California law to provide a DNA sample for inclusion in the state's database. Because of a backlog of cases, Thomas was not asked until October to report to a patrol station to have the inside of his cheek swabbed. \"He was very cooperative,\" the patrolman who took the sample said. The California Department of Justice called LAPD cold case detectives on March 27 to tell them the DNA came up as a match to rape kit evidence collected from Ethel Sokoloff, who was 68 in 1972 when she was found beaten and strangled in her Los Angeles home. Those detectives had sent the biological evidence from the Sokoloff case to a state lab in 2002 as part of their review of about 6,000 unsolved murders in Los Angeles that happened between 1960 and 1996. DNA analysis in 2004 concluded that Sokoloff's killer also beat, raped and killed Elizabeth McKeown, 67, in 1976, Beck said. The murders of three other older women -- including Maybelle Hudson -- were also linked by DNA to a common killer, he said. \"Because of Thomas's criminal background, the close proximity of his homes to murder locations, similar victim descriptions [white elderly females] and other evidence that suggests the type of modus operandi used by the suspect, detectives strongly believe Thomas is very likely the suspect in 'The Westside Rapist' cases,\" a police statement said. Thomas is single, although he has been married five times, police said. While he served about 12 years in prison between 1955 and the late 1970s for his previous convictions, he has no record since his last arrest in 1978, police said. Deputy Chief Beck said the growing use of DNA databases and computers to match them to crime evidence will likely lead to more cold case killers being identified." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Police say John Thomas Jr. may have begun killing as far back as 1955 .\nThomas arrested April 2 and is charged with killing two women .\n72-year-old could be linked to dozens of other killings and assaults ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NEW YORK (CNN) -- On May 4, 2007, Kara Kopetsky, a 17-year-old high school junior in Belton, Missouri, was not having a good day. Kara Kopetsky, 17, left school early in Belton, Missouri, on May 4, 2007, and hasn't been seen since. She forgot one of her textbooks and called home and asked her mom to drop it off at the school office. She also asked her mother to wash her uniform so she could work the 4 p.m. shift at Popeye's Chicken. Later that morning, Kara had an argument with one of her teachers in class, according to police and her family. Frustrated, she left campus about 10:30 a.m., ditching school for the rest of the day. A school surveillance video shows her walking out. But no one can say which way she went, or whether she got into a car. It was the last time anyone saw or heard from her. Police say there has been no activity on Kara's cell phone since shortly after she walked out of school. They followed some pings from the phone, conducted some searches, but found nothing significant. Beyond that, they aren't commenting. Watch an update on the case » . Kara's stepfather says the cell phone's long silence makes him suspicious. \"This doesn't make any sense,\" said Jim Beckford. \"Kara was on her cell phone sending texts constantly. Her cell phone bill was typically 80-100 pages long.\" When Kara didn't come home from school as usual, her family -- mother Rhonda, stepfather Jim and stepbrother Thomas -- grew worried. They filed a missing persons report later that afternoon. Police told them they believed Kara was a runaway, and that she'd come back on her own in a few days. Two years later, her family hasn't heard a word from Kara. She left behind most of her belongings -- money, clothes, iPod and a new carton of cigarettes. Her bank debit card was left in her school locker and her bank account, with $150 from her recent paycheck, remains untouched. According to police in Belton, the case is being actively investigated. But with no certain evidence of foul play, police continue to characterize Kara's disappearance as an endangered and missing adult case. The state of Missouri considers Kara Kopetsky to be an adult because she was 17 when she disappeared. Belton Police Capt. Don Spears said police are looking at several persons of interest, but haven't narrowed their investigation to focus on a single suspect. Her family says she has no history of running away. They say they fear that she was abducted when she left school that day. \"She is a very beautiful girl and so we often warned her to be careful, but like any teen, she had an attitude that she was invincible,\" her stepfather said. About a month after she disappeared, Kara's case was eclipsed by another sensational case -- the abduction and slaying of Kelsey Smith. Smith was taken from a store parking lot in Overland Park, Kansas, and her body was found in the Missouri woods, six miles from Kara's home in Belton. A suspect was charged, pleaded guilty, and is serving a life sentence. Police in Belton and Overland Park compared notes but could find no connection. According to family and police and Kara's MySpace profile, she had an on-again, off-again boyfriend. He lived in her neighborhood, was 18, and attended the same high school but dropped out earlier the spring Kara disappeared. Kara was trying to end the relationship, friends told police. It is unclear whether the two saw each other the day Kara vanished. A $30,000 reward is offered for tips leading to the whereabouts of Kara Kopetsky or the arrest of anyone responsible for her disappearance. Police and family urge people to call the Belton Police Department's tip-line at 816-474-TIPS. Kara is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall and 125 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Missouri teen left school early after an argument with a teacher .\nSchool surveillance video shows Kara Kopetsky walking out .\nHer cell phone shows no activity after 10:30 a.m. on May 4, 2007 .\nA $35,000 reward is offered for information. Call 816-474-TIPS ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The Sri Lankan army overran two Tamil Tiger rebel positions in the country's north on Tuesday, the military reported on its Web site. Recently captured rebel weapons stacked up in the former Tamil stronghold of Kilinochchi. The rebels \"suffered double blows, losing two heavily fortified defense positions as ... troops made predawn incursions at identified terror strong points located south of Valayanmadam today,\" the Ministry of Defense said. The claims of military victories came a day after Sri Lanka ordered an end to combat operations against the rebels by curtailing \"the use of heavy-caliber guns, combat aircraft and aerial weapons which could cause civilian causalities,\" a statement from the Presidential Secretariat said. A rebel Web site, Tamilnet.com, reported an \"intense barrage of heavy weapons\" through Monday evening. The rebel site accused the military of staging a ground offensive, \"firing artillery shells fitted with cluster munitions, multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) fire and heavy mortar fire from many directions on the northern side of Mu'l'li-vaaykkaal.\" The Tiger leadership has asked the international community to \"pressure the Sri Lankan government to reciprocate\" on a cease-fire offer proposed last week. The United States, the United Nations, the European Union and India have called for a cease-fire. Last week, India's foreign secretary and national security adviser met with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to express their concerns about the situation in the north, including casualties among civilians. India has a large Tamil population that sympathizes with the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka. The foreign ministers of two nations are due in Sri Lanka on Wednesday -- David Miliband of the United Kingdom and Bernard Kouchner of France. Carl Bildt of Sweden was originally scheduled to make the trip with his counterparts, but was not granted a visa, so he was forced to cancel, the Swedish Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. In what amounts to a diplomatic protest, Sweden will recall its ambassador to Sri Lanka for consultations. A government-imposed deadline for the Tigers to surrender passed a week ago. Tens of thousands of displaced civilians currently remain wedged in a dwindling swath of territory controlled by the Tigers along the country's northeastern coast. Government troops say they have rescued some 40,000 civilians trapped in the area, but a U.N. refugee agency said Friday that a wave of \"fresh displacement\" now exceeds 100,000 people. The Sri Lankan military says up to 20,000 civilians continue to be held hostage by Tamil \"terrorists,\" adding that its forces will continue humanitarian operations to rescue them. Fifty metric tons of relief supplies -- which landed in Colombo on Monday -- will be sent by UNICEF to the north to help displaced residents. UNICEF, which called the situation in the north a \"catastrophe for children,\" said the displaced lack food, water and basic medical supplies. The rebels estimate the number of civilians still in the territory at more than 160,000. The Tigers have been fighting for an independent state in Sri Lanka's northeast since 1983. As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the civil war began, and the group has been declared a terrorist organization by 32 countries, including the United States and the European Union. -- CNN's Sara Sidner contributed to this story." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sri Lankan army Web site: Two heavily fortified defense positions overrun .\nClaims came a day after Sri Lanka ordered end to combat operations .\nSri Lanka: Forces ordered to cease use of heavy-caliber guns, combat aircraft .\nRebels say fighter bombers continued to bomb civilian targets after announcement ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- A court in Saudi Arabia has granted an 8-year-old girl a divorce from her 47-year-old husband, after twice denying the divorce request previously, local media reported Thursday. The marriage sparked condemnations around the world from human rights groups and U.S. and other government officials when it first came to light in December. Local media, which is highly regulated by the Saudi government, reported that the court in the city of Onaiza approved the divorce decree Thursday, and the divorce is final. A source at the court told the Saudi daily newspaper Al-Watan that the divorce \"came after a series of pleas made by a number of officials in the region to the husband.\" CNN efforts to reach court officials, the husband and the girl's father have been unsuccessful. According to the attorney for the young girl's mother, the father of the girl had arranged the marriage between his daughter and a close friend of his to settle his debts with the man. When the mother went to court to try to get the marriage annulled, Saudi judge Habib al-Habib rejected the request on a legal technicality. The judge ruled that the mother -- who is separated from the girl's father -- was not the child's legal guardian and therefore could not represent her in court, according to the mother's lawyer, Abdullah al-Jutaili. However, the judge required the girl's husband to sign a pledge that he would not have sex with her until she reaches puberty, al-Jutaili said. The lawyer said in the original marriage agreement, the father of the girl stipulated that the marriage would not be consummated until she was 18. The judge also ruled that the girl could file a petition for a divorce when she reached puberty, al-Jutaili said. The young girl lives with her mother, the attorney said, and was never told that she was married. When the initial petition to annul the marriage was rejected, the mother appealed the verdict to an appeals court in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. The appeals court declined to certify the original ruling, in essence rejecting al-Habib's verdict, and sent the case back to him for reconsideration. Under the complicated Saudi legal process, the appeals court ruling meant that the marriage was still in effect but that a challenge to the marriage was ongoing. Earlier this month, the original judge refused for a second time to annul the marriage. Soon after that decision, Saudi Arabia's justice minister told Al-Watan that he planned to enact a law that will protect young girls from such marriages. The law will place restrictions on the practice to preserve the rights of children and prevent abuses, Justice Minister Mohammed Al-Issa was quoted as saying. Additionally, al-Issa said there would be a study of a system that will include regulations for the marriage of minors and everything related to such unions, the newspaper reported. No details on the restrictions or regulations were mentioned. The minister did not say whether child marriage would be abolished. Responding to the justice minister's comments and the possibility of a new child marriage law, al-Jutaili told CNN at the time, \"this is what we requested from day one, and we know that Saudi officials are working so hard on resolving this issue.\" Al-Jutaili believes that such a law would help not only his defendant but many other Saudi minors facing a similar problem. In Washington Monday, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns called the marriage a human rights abuse. \"Child marriage is, unfortunately, still common in much of Saudi Arabia and we have voiced our concern about this practice at the highest levels,\" he told a conference on U.S.-Saudi relations. \"We were encouraged by reports that the Justice Ministry had begun to review the legal age of marriage.\" After the divorce was denied for a second time, the head of the United Nations Children's Fund issued a statement expressing concern about the case. UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman said, \"the right to free and full consent to marriage is recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Consent cannot be free and full when either party to a marriage is too young to make an informed decision.\" The issue of child marriage has been a hot-button topic in the deeply conservative Saudi kingdom recently. While rights groups have petitioned the government for laws to protect children from such marriages, the kingdom's top cleric has said that it's OK for girls as young as 10 to wed. \"It is incorrect to say that it's not permitted to marry off girls who are 15 and younger,\" Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh, the kingdom's grand mufti, said in January, according to the regional Al-Hayat newspaper. \"A girl aged 10 or 12 can be married. Those who think she's too young are wrong, and they are being unfair to her.\" Al-Sheikh reportedly made the remarks when he was asked during a lecture about parents forcing their underage daughters to marry. \"We hear a lot in the media about the marriage of underage girls,\" he said, according to the newspaper. \"We should know that sharia law has not brought injustice to women.\" Sharia law is Islamic law, and Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam called Wahhabism." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Child bride wins divorce hearing at third attempt, local media reports .\nHer case attracted attention of the U.N. and governments around the world .\nHer father reportedly arranged the marriage to settle his debts .\nSaudi justice minister says he plans law to protect young girls from such marriages ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LONDON, England (CNN) -- Prince Charles visited the Vatican on Monday for his first meeting with a pope since his 1996 divorce from Princess Diana. Pope Benedict XVI is flanked by Prince Charles and his wife Camilla during their meeting at the Vatican. The heir to the UK throne was accompanied by his second wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, who wore the mandatory modest black dress and veil which the Vatican requires for wives of dignitaries who meet the pope. The 20-minute meeting was \"cordial,\" the Vatican said in a statement afterwards. Prince Charles's accession to the throne was likely to be an unspoken subtext of the meeting, an expert on the prince told CNN. \"The biggest thing on Prince Charles's agenda is the preparation for his coronation,\" said Christopher Wilson, author of \"The Windsor Knot: Charles, Camilla and the Legacy of Diana.\" Charles would like the pope to attend personally, unlikely as that may be, given the religious divide between London and Rome, Wilson said. \"He will expect a high-profile Roman Catholic presence in Westminster Abbey,\" where he will be crowned, Wilson argued. \"The combined heads of state come from everywhere. Every democratically elected head of state will be invited. It bigs up your coronation if you can get the highest Roman Catholic to come.\" The meeting between prince and pope came days after the 500th anniversary of the crowning of Henry VIII, the English king who broke with the Roman Catholic Church and established the Church of England because he wanted to divorce. It was Prince Charles's first visit to the Vatican since he went to the funeral of Pope John Paul II four years ago, and his first meeting with a head of the Roman Catholic Church since 1985. There are multiple factors complicating his relationship with the Vatican, Wilson pointed out. Not only is he divorced, which the Roman Catholic Church disapproves of, but so is Camilla -- and her children are being raised as Catholics because their father is one. A centuries-old British law forbids Catholics or their spouses from holding the throne. The Prince of Wales \"is trying to break down the breach between the Vatican and the House of Windsor,\" Wilson said. \"It's a path-smoothing exercise.\" Additionally, he said: \"Prince Charles likes very much to be photographed with heads of state. He's not the head of state himself. It adds luster to his royal presence.\" Charles and the pope were expected to discuss issues such as interfaith dialogue and climate change -- subjects to which Prince Charles has devoted himself. The pair exchanged gifts. Benedict gave Charles a gold pontifical medal and an antique engraved copper plate of St. Peter's Basilica dating from the 16th century. Charles gave Benedict a set of 12 porcelain plates with floral design of the plants and flowers that grow at his country estate in Gloucestershire. Afterwards, Prince Charles met Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarciso Bertone and Vatican foreign affairs minister Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, while Camilla received a private tour of the Sistine Chapel. Charles and Camilla are on a tour of Italy and Germany at the request of Britain's Foreign Office, Clarence House said. The European Union director of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Matthew Rycroft, cited \"the prince's personal passion and personal engagement over the years on the issue of climate change\" as a major reason for the trip, a Clarence House statement said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "UK's Prince Charles meets pope for first time since divorce from Princess Diana .\nHeir to UK throne was accompanied by 2nd wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall .\nCharles's first visit to Vatican since he attended funeral of Pope John Paul II ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "VERO BEACH, Florida (CNN) -- The Rev. Michael Massaro says he has a few aches and pains, but a good night's sleep has done him some good as he recovers from being attacked Saturday with a knife in a confessional at his church. The Rev. Michael Massaro is recovering from two stab wounds that required 14 staples to close. It was one of the most harrowing weekends in the 28 years he's been a Roman Catholic priest, Massaro said. But it won't stop him from hearing confessions. \"We're at the mercy of the people we serve,\" Massaro told CNN. \"We can't live in fear. God has asked us to live in trust. If it's going to happen again, it's going to happen again, but that's not going to prevent me from doing God's work.\" Massaro had just finished hearing confessions in his Florida church when he was stabbed twice in the back by a woman who later told police Massaro is the Antichrist. \"It was paralyzing, like a nightmare, and I just feel like I woke up from it. It was so quick and sudden,\" Massaro said in a telephone interview. Vero Beach police arrested Josephine Gatchell in connection with the attack. The 57-year-old suspect is being held in the Indian River County Jail. She is being held without bail. Gatchell is scheduled to be arraigned on June 12. She has not yet been appointed a lawyer, prosecutors and the public defender said. \"She believed [Massaro] was the Antichrist and it was her duty to go there and injure him,\" police spokesman John Morrison said. Massaro said he thought he had one last confession to hear at about 12:15 p.m. on Saturday. A woman was waiting for him, apparently wanting to be be the last one in. \"I was in the confessional, putting my coat on, and felt a piercing sensation in my back left side,\" the priest recalled. \"I looked up and she was standing there, and I felt it again in my back. Then I realized I was stabbed and my hand was covered with blood.\" Massaro said his alleged attacker stared at him but never said a word. \"I ran and got to the car and hoped I could make it to the hospital before I passed out. I was worried about becoming unconscious. Thanks be to God that I didn't hurt anyone driving,\" he said. An emergency room doctor told police that the knife \"went through muscle, a few veins and chipped a rib,\" according to an arrest affidavit. The blade missed vital organs by two to three centimeters, the affidavit said. Massaro underwent surgery to repair the damage. Doctors used 14 staples to close the \"T\"-shaped wounds. The priest feels compassion for the woman who attacked him, and he is turning the other cheek. \"We have to continue to pray to do the church's work. To love, and most of all to forgive,\" he said. \"To be sure she doesn't do this again, she needs proper medical care. No one in their right mind would do this.\" It was the second run-in with Gatchell at Holy Cross Catholic Church, according to police and church workers. She was arrested in January, records show, accused of breaking off a piece of a religious statue inside the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. She also allegedly resisted arrest and reached for the officer's weapon. She was confronted by Deborah True, the parish manager. \"I took it away from her and asked her why she did that,\" True told CNN. \"She said she did it because it was from her husband's funeral, forty years ago, and Father Massaro stole it, and he was the Antichrist,\" she said. Massaro said he recognized Gatchell as he ran from the attack. \"As I was running away from her, I realized who she was,\" he said. \"She didn't make any efforts to come after me. I was still in a state of shock.\" At the hospital, Massaro was able to pick Gatchell out of a photo lineup, police said. She was not at home when police went to question her, according to the arrest affidavit. Later, police received an anonymous tip that she was staying elsewhere. When police arrived, Gatchell answered the door and allegedly stated, \"You know who I am, and I know why you're here.\" Gatchell told detectives that \"she remembers going over to Holy Cross (church)....and stabbing Mr. Massaro,\" according to the affidavit. When asked what she stabbed him with, the suspect replied, \"It was a big knife,\" the affidavit said. Police say she told them that the knife was in three different places, but it was never located. Vero Beach Police say that Gatchell appears to be a troubled woman. \"When you go back a second time, that raises more concerns. Her violence escalated the second time,\" said police spokesman Morrison. And just for the record, \"I am not the Antichrist, that I know of,\" Massaro said with a laugh." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The Rev. Michael Massaro was stabbed after hearing confessions .\nPolice say his alleged attacker called Massaro the Antichrist .\nMassaro says he forgives the woman, who appears to be troubled .\nKnife's blade missed vital organs by centimeters ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Editor's note: How would you rate President Obama's first 100 days? You'll get a chance to make your opinion known at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday on the CNN National Report Card. Supporters say President Obama is tackling an aggressive agenda, while critics say he's leaving Republicans behind. (CNN) -- More than two years ago, a junior senator with presidential aspirations stood on the steps of Illinois' Old State Capitol in Springfield and warned of politicians who fail to live up to expectations. \"Too many times, after the election is over, and the confetti is swept away, all those promises fade from memory, and the lobbyists and the special interests move in, and people turn away, disappointed as before, left to struggle on their own,\" then-Sen. Barack Obama said as he announced his intentions to pursue the Democratic nomination. Now, after 100 days in office, observers are asking the same of him: Has President Obama lived up to the expectations that candidate Obama created? \"What Obama has successfully done is keep his persona intact, which is a man of deep family values and a core moral center. And I think that people are learning to trust Obama that when he talks, he's not just articulate, but he's shooting straight,\" said presidential historian Doug Brinkley. Obama won the White House campaigning on a message of hope and a promise of change. As he emerged a frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, he pushed an ambitious agenda, vowing to overhaul health care, education and energy policy. But as the severity of the economic meltdown took hold and Obama moved into the White House, his inspirational rhetoric was injected with a sobering dose of reality. Obama encouraged patience and cautioned that, \"change doesn't happen overnight.\" In his first 100 days, Obama laid the groundwork for many of his campaign promises and faced criticism that he's trying to do too much. \"Nobody will ever be able to accuse him of being an idle man during his first 100 days,\" Brinkley said. \"He's clearly showing himself to be a progressive in the tradition of Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, with the moral core of Jimmy Carter.\" So far Obama is showing himself to be \"the same guy that we had on the campaign trail,\" Brinkley said. Given the items on his agenda, Obama is living up to expectations, CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider said. \"The public is patient and is not expecting to see a quick turnaround in the economy,\" he said. \"I count 10 major items -- jobs, health care, education, energy, housing, banks, automakers, deficit reduction, taxes and the war in Afghanistan. Plus, a pledge to take up immigration reform and climate change in the near future. Any one of those things would be a significant agenda,\" he said. But some Republicans say the president has failed when it comes to his pledge to reach across the aisle. After Democrats moved ahead with a $787 billion stimulus bill that garnered no Republican support in the House and just three Republican votes in the Senate, \"That's when it became clear to me that all of this post-partisan talk and working down the middle and working together was a ruse,\" said John Boehner, House minority leader. Obama's approval ratings remain high -- hovering around 65 percent. Those numbers are on par with where President Reagan and President Carter stood at this point in their presidencies. But one year later, their approval ratings dropped to about 40 percent. Obama has maintained his popularity, Republican strategist and CNN contributor Mary Matalin said, but he's lost support from Republicans and some independents \"because what he is not is what he was perceived to be in the campaign -- a centrist.\" Schneider said Obama's agenda -- which includes massive government spending -- represents a challenge to the Republicans' core principle of smaller government. Republicans haven't responded to Obama's outreach, and \"it's causing serious political damage to their party, he said. Watch: Is bipartisanship dead? » . Obama is not personally polarizing in part because he is cautious about divisive social issues, \"but his economic policies are very divisive,\" Schneider said. \"Obama is the mirror image of Bill Clinton ... Voters either loved him or hated him,\" he said, noting that after his first two years, Clinton's policies became more moderate and consensus driven. The National Republican Senatorial Committee last month released an ad accusing Obama of backpedaling on numerous campaign promises, calling him out for signing a spending bill with thousands of earmarks, mishandling the AIG bonus scandal and failing to rein in government spending. PolitiFact, a Web site that has been keeping track of Obama's campaign promises, reports that Obama has kept 27 promises, compromised on seven, broken six, stalled on three, has 67 in the works and has yet to take action on another 408. But one Republican who broke ranks to endorse Obama and also spoke at the Democratic convention says he's had no regrets. \"As president, in surprisingly short order, he has moved rather decisively to implement new directions,\" said former Iowa Rep. Jim Leach, who served as a Republican member of the House for 30 years. And on areas where Obama hasn't been 100 percent in line with his campaign promises -- such as softening his stance on NAFTA and slightly extending his timeline for troop withdrawal -- Leach said Obama is making adjustments \"in a very appropriately adaptive way.\" \"It is inconceivable that a thinking individual can agree with the president or anyone in public office 100 percent of the time,\" he said, adding that he thinks Obama has some prospect of \"potentially going down as one of the great presidents in American history.\" Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tennessee, who declined to endorse Obama before his party's convention, said Obama has met expectations thus far. \"I think every person who runs for office -- whether it's a local office, statewide office, runs for president -- we all have ideas, we all have visions, we all have a hope,\" Davis said. \"But then acting on those is sometimes more difficult than others. But I do believe the president, during the campaign, made his visions known ... and I think he has certainly lived up to those.\" Republican strategist and CNN contributor Ed Rollins said if he were a Democrat, he might give Obama an \"A\" on his performance. \"I think the guy has had a great start. He's pushing an agenda that obviously he ran on. He's lived up to most of his promises. You know, he's a big personality, and I don't diminish that,\" he said. \"I think the country wants a president they feel comfortable with. A long, hard path ahead, and hopefully, some of the stuff he's thrown out there will work because we're spending a ton of taxpayers' money,\" he said, noting that as a Republican he gives Obama a \"B.\" Brinkley said it's somewhat unfair to hold the president to a 100-day litmus test because \"it takes a while to get settled in.\" \"He's doing a lot of bold things for as short a period of 100 days,\" he said, pointing specifically to Obama's economic bailouts. But, he said, there's the large caveat that only time will tell how these bold moves will play out." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As a candidate, Obama campaigned on a message of hope and change .\n\"Nobody will ever be able to accuse him of being an idle man,\" historian says .\nGOP strategist says Obama not acting like the centrist he was during the campaign .\nObama's agenda represents a challenge to GOP principles, analyst says ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- How does the American public feel about the war in Afghanistan? In a word, wary. U.S. forces have been engaged in fierce fighting to oust the Taliban in Afghanistan. President Obama on Friday announced his strategy to fight terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a plan that includes more troops, new legislation, improved troop training and added civilian expertise. \"The United States of American did not choose to fight a war in Afghanistan. Nearly 3,000 of our people were killed on September 11, 2001,\" Obama said Friday. \"We have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan,\" he said. Stressing that \"the safety of people around the world is at stake,\" Obama said the \"situation is increasingly perilous\" in the region in and around Afghanistan, where the United States has been fighting al Qaeda and the Taliban for more than 7½ years after attacks in New York and at the Pentagon. Nevertheless, the American public has been wary about the war in Afghanistan, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll conducted in February. Watch CNN's Bill Schneider break down the numbers » . Last month, Americans were almost evenly divided between those who support the war and those who oppose it, the poll showed, with 47 percent in favor and 51 percent opposed. Opposition to the war in Afghanistan is more muted than opposition to the war in Iraq, but it's not so muted among Democrats. Two-thirds of Americans overall oppose the war in Iraq, but 64 percent of Democrats oppose the war in Afghanistan. The anti-war movements in Vietnam and Iraq helped define what the Democratic Party stands for. Watch: Is Afghanistan Obama's Vietnam? » . \"If we don't learn from our Iraq experience, we are doomed to repeat it,\" Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-California, said on the House floor Thursday. Why are Americans wary about Afghanistan? The recession. Iraq War fatigue. And frustration. Only 31 percent of Americans believe the United States is winning the war in Afghanistan. Fifty percent believe the United States is winning in Iraq -- the highest number in at least five years. But Americans still want to get out of Iraq. Last month, when President Obama said he would send 17,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, the public was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Democrats were willing to go along with the president, but they were less enthusiastic than Republicans . A solid majority of Americans believe the United States can win a military victory in Afghanistan, but Afghanistan has become a political war. Winning depends, not just on what the United States can do, but also what Afghanistan and Pakistan can do. Americans have far less confidence in them. The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll surveyed 1,046 adult Americans by telephone on February 18-19, 2009. The sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Americans almost evenly divided on opinion of Afghanistan war, poll shows .\nPresident Obama says goal is to \"disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda\"\n50 percent believe the United States is winning in Iraq, poll shows .\nAmericans wary about Afghanistan because of recession and Iraq, Schneider says ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Editor's note: With fears of a swine flu pandemic rising daily, CNN Pentagon producer Larry Shaughnessy remembered a batch of letters from his grandfather, a World War I soldier who battled the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919. Martin \"Al\" Culhane, left, is pictured with his older brother, Frank, around 1918 or 1919. WASHINGTON (CNN) -- \"I'm coming, I'm coming For my head is bending low I hear those gentle voices calling Old Black Joe\" As World War I rages in Europe, fresh U.S. Army soldiers pass the time on a train ride to to Camp Forrest, Georgia. \"The boys are just starting to sing,\" Martin Aloysius Culhane wrote on September 6, 1918, to his friend back home. \"They've gotten back to 'Old Black Joe' so far.\" Stephen Foster's classic song from the Civil War is about the death of slaves who had become his friends. But Culhane, known as \"Al,\" and the soldiers who sang along could not know how much death would hunt the recruits on that train, most of whom never made it to Europe to fight in the Great War. They would find themselves in the deadliest influenza pandemic in history. Culhane's letters to his older brother Frank and his long-time \"chum\" Clif Pinter are a young soldier's firsthand account of life as a draftee private and how he coped with a disease that would haunt Army camps around the United States and eventually infect people around the world. Some estimates say as many as 50 million people were killed by what's called the Spanish influenza in 1918 and 1919, far more than the number killed in combat during the war. Three weeks after the train trip to Georgia, Culhane, a 21-year-old clothing salesman from Chicago, Illinois, writes again. Already the flu occupies his thoughts. Learn more about the current swine flu » . \"Received a nice letter from Phil Byrne he reports he is getting along fine, is feeling better than he has ever before.\" Byrne, a friend from Chicago, was one of the early survivors of the Spanish flu. Other members of the Byrne family took ill a few months later, according to the letters. In the same letter he mentions how the Army was trying to protect the troops at Camp Forrest: . \"Since noon today our camp has been under quarantine to prevent an epidemic of Spanish influenza. We have had no cases thus far but it is the intention of the medical officers to prevent any case of the disease from making an appearance. All the men who have even slight colds have been put into separate barrack which, of course, were immediately christened 'the TB ward' by the rest of the company.\" That same day, September 28, 1918, he wrote his brother Frank, a Navy sailor at home awaiting orders, \"Well the Spanish Influenza has made an appearance here and we are under strict orders no visits to Chattanooga, we are certainly the hard luck guys when it comes to this quarantine proposition.\" At first the threat of Spanish flu is just an inconvenience for Culhane: \"I am just about fed up with staying in a district about a block square for three weeks. There is no canteen in the quarantine district and we have a hell of a time getting small supplies.\" Just six days after complaining about the inconvenience, a brief but frightening note: \"Receive the enclosed letter for your information then see that Frank gets it unknown to the rest of the family.\" What Culhane didn't want his mother, sister and younger brother to know was that he was in the infirmary with the Spanish flu. He asks his friend Clif to write often and encourage letters from \"my friends, without of course, telling them that I am a little under the weather.\" His euphemism hid the fact that in some places more than 30 percent of people who contracted Spanish flu died. In the United States the mortality rate was lower, but still a devastating 3 percent. It was a crisis for the Army. Military bases, with thousands of men from all over the country in tightly packed barracks, were fertile breeding grounds for the flu, especially one as easily spread as this one. And unlike most flu strains that mostly strike the elderly, the very young or the sick, Spanish flu hit healthy, young adults like Army draftees. Just three days after telling his friend about being sick, Culhane wrote that he was feeling better. \"I am still in quarantine but will be released today. I am feeling great and the two day's rest has done me a world of good. I have done nothing at all but sit in the shade, read and write letters.\" His recovery from the Spanish flu was swift, but the very next day, October 7, 1918, he wrote to give \"all the details of the death of a very good friend, my Bunkie, Thomas Birdie. His body will go north today, I think,\" Culhane wrote, asking Pinter to attend the wake. \"At his side, say a few prayers for the repose of his soul.\" When not writing about the flu, Culhane dropped none-too-subtle hints about wanting care packages full of cookies from home. And he regularly questioned why other friends didn't write. He also worried that he was \"neglecting the ladies.\" He pelts his friend Clif with questions about Ursula (\"Her Majesty,\" he jokingly refers to her), Ella (the young woman to whom he promised a prized golf club) Ida (\"I had a long letter from Ida Flynn. Boy! I will have a job on my hands when I get home\") and the Marys (Mary Rose, Mary English, Mary Anne). While Culhane writes about and to a lot of young ladies, there is no sign in the letters which one, if any, held a special place in his heart. Still he worried about one young man named \"Hank\" who remained in Chicago. \"Keep the ladies amused by all means, but I look to you to protect my interests. Hank is too darn nice a chap to be safe around the ladies. However, if he seems to get extra strong I will write a note and have him made Admiral of the Arctic Circle.\" After recovering from the flu, Culhane bemoans the fact that war was about to end. \"It is almost over now and thirty days will see at least a cessation of hostilities. Xmas will see peace. I will never see France and as long as that is impossible I might as well be out of the Army as soon as it is over.\" Nine days later, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month the war ended. And just four days after the fighting in Europe ended, the letters from Camp Forrest stopped. Al Culhane was sick again. This time he was taken to U.S. General Hospital #14 at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. And he couldn't keep the latest illness a secret from his family back home in Chicago. A Catholic chaplain wrote the family that he was sick and not able to write himself. When he was well enough, he wrote Pinter, \"I don't know just what I have but it felt like old fashioned grip or perhaps 'The Flu.'\". It took about two weeks before he was out of the Fort Oglethorpe hospital and back at Camp Forrest. He had twice survived the deadliest flu in history and lived to write home about it. After his second recovery his concerns turned to getting back to Chicago by Christmas. \"Clif I have seen my discharge all written out and from that moment on my usefulness as a soldier ceased.\" But again illness got in the way. This time it was a completely different one: \"Measles has broken out in our company and we are quarantined. Did you ever hear of harder luck in all your life?\" Culhane didn't make it back to Chicago for Christmas. But he eventually did return home alive and well. He never did make it to France, but traveled the United States extensively with his wife, Evelyn, a woman never mentioned in his letters home, but someone he'd known since they went through First Holy Communion together. As for Clif Pinter, who saved the letters, he and Al Culhane remained \"old chums\" for life. After Pinter's death, his son passed the letters on to Al's daughter, Dorothy Clarke, who passed them onto Al's grandchildren, including Lawrence Aloysius Shaughnessy, who works for CNN's Pentagon unit and occasionally writes stories about soldiers for CNN.com." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "U.S. soldier survived Spanish flu pandemic not once, but twice .\n1918 Spanish flu ravaged military camps where soldiers trained for WWI .\nLetter says camp put \"under quarantine to prevent an epidemic of Spanish influenza\"\nMartin \"Al\" Culhane in letter told his brother to keep infection secret from rest of family ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- College football's perennial armchair-quarterback argument over the need for a clear-cut national champion came to Capitol Hill Friday. College football teams play in the BCS for the national championship trophy. The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection held a hearing to dissect the Bowl Championship Series, asking whether the model needs to be tweaked, overhauled or done away with altogether. Four witnesses testified at the morning hearing, including championship series coordinator John Swofford and Alamo Bowl President Derrick Fox; both of whom defended the current system, though Fox conceded that \"no system is perfect and the Bowl Championship Series is not perfect.\" Mountain West Conference Commissioner Craig Thompson and Boise State Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier testified that they would like to see the system revamped. Many critics say they want college football to have a playoff system to ensure that a champion is clearly defined. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, called the Bowl Championship Series format unfair and perhaps took it one step further. \"You should either change your name to BES for Bowl Exhibition System or just drop the C and call it the BS system, because it is not about determining the championship on the field.\" Both sides were cordial but opinionated. Fox said he would prefer Washington not get involved. \"Those who don't like the current system will say that's the way of the world, but we don't believe that government should have any role in promoting a demise of the bowl games.\" Currently, 11 college conferences and three independents compete in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision -- formerly Division I-A. Six of those 11 conferences are guaranteed spots in the four Bowl Championship Series games. Schools from conferences that critics say are unfairly deemed as low profile are then left to fight their way into those prestige games. They share in significantly less of the series money and have less of an opportunity to challenge for the national title. President Obama is one of the proponents of a college football playoff. In an interview with ESPN in November, Obama said he's had just about enough of the Bowl Championship Series. \"I'm fed up with these computer rankings and this, that and the other. Get eight teams -- the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a national champion,\" Obama said. Before heading out early to catch a flight, Barton made it clear that he expects to see college football change its ways or risk having lawmakers introduce legislation to impose change for them. \"I think there is better than a 50 percent chance that if we don't see some action in the next two months on a voluntary switch to a playoff system that you will see this bill move,\" he said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Bowl Championship Series decides college football's national champ .\nPerennial argument is that a playoff system would be a better way to decide .\nHouse committee hears testimony from officials, coaches on both sides ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius was sworn in Tuesday night as secretary of Health and Human Services. Kathleen Sebelius dives into discussing the swine flu at the White House after being sworn in. She was sworn after she was confirmed by the Senate in a 65-31 vote. The timely vote puts Sebelius in office as the Obama administration is up against its first public health outbreak. She steps into the role as swine flu numbers climb worldwide. As of Tuesday morning, at least 90 cases had been confirmed, including 50 in the United States. Until her confirmation, the White House, which declared a public health emergency Sunday, was dealing with its first crisis without a secretary. But the administration said it was equipped to handle the situation. There are still no appointees in place for any of the department's 18 key positions. Related: White House health team not complete . In most cases where a position is awaiting Senate confirmation, that job is filled by a career civil servant in an interim capacity. The Obama administration has named five nominees for the open positions. Sebelius met several obstacles during her confirmation hearings. The Kansas governor came under fire for her ties to Dr. George Tiller, a late-term abortion provider. Tiller and his staff attended a 2007 reception Sebelius held at the governor's mansion in Topeka. Sebelius originally failed to account for donations she received from the doctor. Sebelius also revealed in March that she recently paid nearly $8,000 in back taxes and interest. She said she had errors in her 2005, 2006 and 2007 tax returns. Sebelius, 60, is the daughter of former Ohio Gov. John Gilligan, who led that state from 1971 to 1975. A two-term Democratic governor in a Republican-leaning state, she previously served as a state insurance commissioner and oversaw Kansas' Medicaid program. She has been credited with boosting health care assistance for the poor during her tenure. A number of leading social conservatives have criticized Sebelius for her record on abortion, citing, among other things, her veto as governor of legislation that would have tightened abortion regulations in Kansas. In vetoing the measure last April, Sebelius wrote that the bill was problematic because it included no exceptions for pregnancies that endanger a woman's life and it allowed individuals to seek court orders preventing a woman from obtaining an abortion, even if the procedure was necessary to save her life. Some Republicans, however, have strongly defended Sebelius. Former Senate GOP leader Bob Dole, also from Kansas, testified on Sebelius' behalf in March, arguing that her record had proven her ability to work in a bipartisan manner. \"Sebelius' strength is that she understands health care [and is] willing and able ... to bring parties together in very critical areas,\" he said. Kansas GOP Sens. Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback, as well as Republican Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and Jon Huntsman of Utah commended her selection. Former Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota, Obama's first choice for secretary of health and human services, withdrew on February 3 after controversy erupted over his tax records and over his work in a field that some consider lobbying." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Kathleen Sebelius sworn in after being confirmed by 65-31 vote .\nWhite House says health team is equipped to handle swine flu situation .\nSebelius has come under fire for ties to late-term abortion doctor .\nSebelius was two-term Democratic governor in Kansas, a Republican-leaning state ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The 15th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda brought American U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice to tears as she reflected on her personal memories surrounding the slaughter. U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice recalls her time in Rwanda working for the Clinton administration. Rice visited Rwanda as a staff member in former President Bill Clinton's National Security Council six months after the ethnic cleansing. She explained how even months after the violence she encountered decomposing bodies at one of the massacre sites. \"For me, the memory of stepping around and over those corpses will remain the most searing reminder imaginable of what our work here must aim to prevent,\" she said Tuesday at a special commemorative event at United Nations headquarters in New York. She emotionally concluded her remarks, expressing how \"We bow our heads to mark the memory of those who were slain. And we bow our heads to mark the sorrow of all who stood by.\" The mass killings began on April 6, 1994, when tribal Hutu militia members attacked their tribal Tutsi countrymen after the plane of then-President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, was shot down. Within 100 days, some 800,000 people were murdered. In addition to Rice, various dignitaries, ambassadors, artists, U.N. officials and genocide survivors gathered Tuesday to mark the tragic circumstances that began 15 years ago. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reminded the audience how the Rwandan genocide continues to haunt \"our collective conscience\" and that \"the prevention of genocide is a collective responsibility.\" Ban encouraged the world community to remember its shared duty to prevent future catastrophes in the name of humanity and in honor of the memory of those who died. The United Nations created a Special Representative for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities in 2004. President Obama also released a statement coinciding with Tuesday's anniversary. Obama praised survivors for their remarkable strength, but emphasized the tragedy should always be remembered because each victim \"had their own story, their own family, and their own dreams.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice recalls stepping over corpses in Rwanda .\nUnited Nations ceremony recalls 1994 mass killings in Rwanda .\nObama says tragedy must always be remembered ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Five people were killed Thursday after a man tried to attack the Dutch royal family during a Queen's Day celebration by crashing his car near the royal family's bus, Dutch police said. A car is pictured after crashing into the crowd waiting for the visit of the royal family in Apeldoorn. Authorities are not releasing the name of the man, but said they have charged him with with trying to attack the royal family. Twelve people were injured in the incident in the Dutch town of Apeldoorn, about 45 miles east of Amsterdam, police spokeswoman Esther Naber told CNN. Crowds had lined the streets to see Queen Beatrix and her family ride by in an open-top bus during the Netherlands' annual holiday. As the bus moved along, a black hatchback zoomed past it. The crowds were behind barriers off the road, but security officials and journalists, including many cameramen, were in the road as the car went by. The car crashed into the low metal railing around a column on the side of the road. The vehicle appeared heavily damaged even before the crash, but the reason for that was unclear. There was no one other than the driver in the car at the time, Naber said. Members of the royal family saw the crash and gasped, then quickly sat down as the bus continued driving. The driver is in the hospital, badly injured, Naber said. He is among the five seriously hurt -- three men and two women. Queen's Day is a national holiday in the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba. The tradition started in 1885 and celebrates the birthday of the queen. Although Queen Beatrix's birthday is January 31, she officially celebrates her birthday April 30, according to the Dutch government. Queen's Day is known for its free market all over the country, where anybody is allowed to sell things in the streets. Other activities include children's games and musical performances. Were you there? Send us your video, images . The day is marked with the color orange all over the country as a reference to the colors of the royal family, who come from the House of Orange-Nassau." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: Five people killed and five badly injured in incident in Dutch town of Apeldoorn .\nCar hit crowd near open-top bus carrying Queen Beatrix of Netherlands .\nDriver, among the badly hurt, is charged with trying to attack Dutch royal family ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- An al Qaeda suspect alleged to have been involved in the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania that killed 11 people faces war crimes charges, the Pentagon announced Monday. Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani is shown in a photo posted by the FBI in 2004. The bombing in Dar es Salaam, which also wounded hundreds, was one of two carried out nearly simultaneously on August 7, 1998. One in Nairobi, Kenya, killed 213 people. Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, from Tanzania, faces nine charges, six of them offenses that could carry the death penalty if he is convicted by a military tribunal. He was captured by Pakistan in 2004 and is being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In a written announcement, the Pentagon said Ghailani is \"charged with the following substantive offenses: murder in violation of the Law of War, murder of protected persons, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, destruction of property in violation of the Law of War and terrorism. In addition, he is charged with conspiracy to commit all of the above offenses. \"Ghailani is further charged with providing material support to terrorism. This charge alleges that after the bombing, Ghailani continued in his service to al Qaeda as a document forger, physical trainer at an al Qaeda training camp, and as a bodyguard for Osama bin Laden.\" The charges say he purchased bomb components, scouted the embassy with the suicide bomb driver, met with co-conspirators, and fled to Karachi, Pakistan, one day before the bombing. The convening authority for military commissions, Susan J. Crawford, will determine whether probable cause exists for a trial by military commission, said Brig. Gen. Thomas Hartman of the Office of Military Commissions. For Ghailani to ultimately be sentenced to death, the 12-member jury would have to unanimously find him guilty, determine that aggravating factors apply, and concur on the death sentence, Hartman told reporters at the Pentagon. \"Everything has to be unanimous.\" \"And then there are four levels of post-trial review, which is an extraordinary set of rights available,\" he said. In December, 1998 -- a few months after the embassy bombings -- Ghailani and three other fugitives were indicted in U.S. District Court in New York. It is not known whether he may ultimately face a federal trial. E-mail to a friend ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "1998 bombing in Dar es Salaam killed 11, injured hundreds .\nAhmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian, faces nine charges .\nAl Qaeda-linked suspect could get death sentence from military tribunal .\nU.S. Embassy in Kenya bombed almost same time on August 7, 1998 ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Carrie Prejean, the Miss USA contestant from California who declared her opposition to same-sex marriage on the pageant stage, will star in a new $1.5 million ad campaign funded by the National Organization for Marriage. Miss California USA Carrie Prejean has gotten support from many same-sex marriage opponents. Prejean appeared Thursday at a news conference in Washington to unveil the ad, called \"No Offense.\" Prejean was roasted by same-sex marriage advocates after she stood up for what she called \"opposite marriage\" (marriage between a man and a woman) when responding to a question from celebrity blogger Perez Hilton during the pageant. But she's also become a fresh-faced standard-bearer for same-sex marriage opponents, who have rallied to her defense. \"Marriage is good,\" Prejean said at the news conference. \"There is something special about unions of husband and wife. Unless we bring men and women together, children will not have mothers and fathers.\" \"She is attacked viciously for having the courage to speak up for her truth and her values,\" the National Organization for Marriage said in a press release. \"But Carrie's courage inspired a whole nation and a whole generation of young people because she chose to risk the Miss USA crown rather than be silent about her deepest moral values.\" \"This vision of marriage is not hateful,\" Prejean said. \"It's not discriminatory. It's good.\" Although she claimed that her view represents that of the majority of Americans, Prejean said she has no plan \"on getting into politics anytime soon, that's for sure.\" According to the group, the ad will call \"gay marriage advocates to account for their unwillingness to debate the real issue: gay marriage has consequences.\" The Miss California USA TV ad is the group's second. Its first, called \"A Gathering Storm,\" ran in several states and featured actors issuing ominous warnings about the threats posed by same-sex marriage. Executive directors and producers of the Miss California USA pageant released a statement Wednesday lamenting that Prejean had taken on such a \"polarizing\" issue. \"We are deeply saddened Carrie Prejean has forgotten her platform of the Special Olympics, her commitment to all Californians and solidified her legacy as one that goes beyond the rights to voice her beliefs and instead reveals her opportunistic agenda,\" the group said. CNN's Peter Hamby and Alan Duke contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Pageant contestant to appear in ad for National Organization for Marriage .\nCarrie Prejean publicly opposed same-sex marriage during Miss USA pageant .\nNational Organization for Marriage: Prejean \"attacked viciously\" for speaking out ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Police are examining grainy hotel surveillance video and following up on new leads, including a reported sighting, in the case of a 17-year-old girl who traveled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for spring break last week and then disappeared. Brittanee Marie Drexel's mother says she thought her daughter was at a beach in New York, not South Carolina. The possible sighting of Brittanee Drexel was on a bus Wednesday morning in the Myrtle Beach area, according to police, who later showed photos of her to passengers. As investigators try to build a timeline of the events leading to Brittanee's disappearance Saturday night, they are also scrutinizing hotel security video for signs of a young woman in distress, or other clues. Brittanee's mother, Dawn Drexel, told HLN's Nancy Grace that she had forbidden the Rochester, New York, high school junior from going to Myrtle Beach, a popular destination for high school and college students on spring break. Although they stayed in touch by phone and spoke on Saturday, Drexel said she believed the girl was in Rochester when she actually was in Myrtle Beach. \"I didn't have any idea that she was going to do this,\" Drexel said. \"I do trust my daughter, and she needed to cool down a little bit because she was upset that I wasn't going to let her go.\" Drexel said her daughter rode there in a car with several friends. She thinks Brittanee used money she had earned and borrowed to finance her trip." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Police show girl's photo to bus passengers after reported sighting .\nBrittanee Drexel, 17, went to Myrtle Beach, S.C., without mother's permission .\nRochester, N.Y., high school junior last seen on Saturday night ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Editor's note: Dina Habib Powell, global head of corporate engagement at Goldman Sachs, served as U.S. assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs from 2005 to 2007. Dina Habib Powell says there are encouraging signs the world is ready to invest in empowering women. NEW YORK (CNN) -- As we mark International Women's Month in March, it is encouraging to see that the movement to recognize the vital role that women play in families, nations and economies has been building for more than a decade and that developments in the past few years have shown that real progress has begun to take hold. On the heels of International Women's Day, President Obama said Monday, \"we will not sow the seeds for a brighter future or reap the benefits of the change we need without the full and active participation of women around the world.\" He also recently announced the creation of a new position, ambassador-at-large for global women's Issues, at the State Department. To fill this critical role, the president nominated Melanne Verveer, a widely respected women's advocate and former top aide to then first lady Hillary Clinton. Verveer was a founder of Vital Voices Global Partnership, an organization committed to empowering women and recently co-chaired by Secretary Clinton and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas. There has also been very recent progress on Capitol Hill. Last month, the U.S. Senate created a Foreign Relations subcommittee that will focus on the global status of women, led by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California. The efforts have been a bipartisan priority for our leaders. In 2008, then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice successfully led the effort in the U.N. Security Council to officially recognize rape as a weapon of war. And in 2001, Laura Bush used the first presidential radio address ever given by a first lady to focus international attention on the plight of women in Afghanistan and used her influence to protect and empower women around the world. Critical strides are also being made globally. In Rwanda, a country devastated by genocide, women have become a key part of the nation's rebirth. Under the leadership of President Paul Kagame, more than half of the parliament is made up of women. In Liberia, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf made history when she became the first female president on the African continent. In the Middle East, Kuwait has emerged as a leader in women's suffrage and political participation. And in the United Arab Emirates, women such as Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, minister of foreign trade, have been trailblazers for progress throughout the region. This social change is being promoted at the United Nations, where Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently noted that the protection, education and empowerment of women and girls are among the most important ingredients to achieving all other Millennium Development Goals. Such consensus should not be surprising as study after study has found that investing in the education of women improves lives. Every extra year of girls' education can reduce infant mortality by 5 to 10 percent. In Africa, children of mothers who receive five years of primary education are 40 percent more likely to live beyond age 5. And multicountry data show educated mothers are about 50 percent more likely to immunize their children than uneducated mothers are. But one of the most important developments of recent years has been the increasing amount of research that shows investments in women can offer not only social benefits, but also real economic growth. A growing body of evidence highlights the economic advantage of educating and empowering women. The private sector has seized on this data. There is now broad consensus that investing in women is not only just good social policy, it is \"smart economics,\" as Bob Zoellick, president of the World Bank, says. Toward that end, the World Bank has convened a Private Sector Leaders Forum with companies committed to these issues, such as Standard Chartered, Cisco, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, Carlson and Nike. My own firm, Goldman Sachs, published two critical pieces of research, \"Womenomics\" and \"Women Hold Up Half the Sky,\" which found that investments in women -- through increased education and labor force participation -- can lead to real economic growth in developed and developing countries. Specifically, this research found that a 1 percentage point increase in female education raises the average level of gross domestic product by .37 and raises annual GDP growth rates by .2 on average. Such findings led to the development of 10,000 Women, an initiative that is working with a global network of leading academic and nonprofit partners to provide women at home and abroad with quality management and entrepreneurial education. This education is helping to create a greater number of female-owned small and medium enterprises, and a new generation of leaders poised to have exponential impact. One recent graduate of the program, Tuokpe Esisi, a fashion designer from Nigeria, has already increased her revenues, and immediately invested a portion of her profits to provide tutors for the illiterate male tailors she employs. This not only positions her enterprise for greater growth, but is also a perfect demonstration of the multiplier effect of investing in women. Organizations such as Women for Women International, Camfed and the International Center for Research on Women have long touted this multiplier effect and are supported by private-public partnerships dedicated to the promotion of women leaders. For example, the State Department, with the help of Vital Voices, instituted a mentoring program for the past four years with Fortune's Most Powerful Women. The program pairs leading U.S. executives -- such as Ann Moore (Time Inc), Pat Woertz (ADM), Helene Gayle (Care) and Anne Mulcahy (Xerox) -- with rising female entrepreneurs in developing countries. At the dawn of the 20th century, Egyptian poet Hafez Ibrahim said: \"When you educate a woman, you create a nation.\" Nearly a century later, the cause of women's empowerment has never been more important. As New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof recently put it, gender inequality is \"the dominant moral challenge we face in the 21st century.\" This challenge also presents an opportunity we cannot afford to squander. We should seize this moment and this momentum. There is tremendous work to be done, but history has shown us that women will not let us down. They will take up the challenge and build up their families, their villages and ultimately all our nations. The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of Dina Habib Powell." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Dina Powell: As we mark Women's Month, there are encouraging signs .\nBoth parties in the U.S. are taking steps to invest in the role of women, she says .\nShe says studies show that more education decreases infant mortality .\nInvesting in women's education leads to increases in economic growth, she says ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's military continued its assault Thursday on militants in Taliban-held areas, its chief spokesman told reporters. Pakistani army trucks move military equipment into the troubled Buner district Thursday. So far, 14 militants have been killed in the past 24 hours, Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said. The operation is still ongoing in the districts of Dir and Buner, which was recently seized by the Taliban in violation of an agreement with Pakistan's government. Pakistani forces have completely secured Daggar, the main town in Buner and the scene of heavy fighting on Wednesday, Abbas said. The Daggar operation resulted in the deaths of 50 militants, but freed 18 Frontier Corps personnel who had been abducted by militants, he said. Fifty-two of their colleagues are still believed to be held by their suspected Taliban kidnappers. This week's military operation has resulted in more than 180 militant casualties since Sunday, while the military has suffered one death and one injury, according to Abbas. He said he hopes the operation will be completed by the end of the week. Pakistan has asked the United States to supply its forces with helicopters, communication equipment and night vision technology, Abbas said Thursday. Most of this week's casualties happened on Tuesday, when Pakistani fighter jets launched airstrikes, killing at least 70 militants in the Dir district, according to the Pakistani military. The operation is part of the Pakistani army's intensified drive against the Taliban in its restive tribal regions. The Pakistani government has been criticized for not cracking down on militants along its border with Afghanistan. As a result, the U.S. military has carried out airstrikes against militant targets in Pakistan, which have rankled relations between the two countries. The military campaign has apparently not stopped Washington from carrying out unmanned drone attacks on Pakistan's soil. A suspected unmanned aerial vehicle killed six people Wednesday night in the village of Kaniguran in the tribal district of South Waziristan near the border with Afghanistan, Pakistani intelligence sources said. Pakistan has complained repeatedly about what it says are American airstrikes on its territory. The U.S. military in Afghanistan has not commented on the strikes, which typically target Taliban fighters in the border region. But the United States is the only country operating in the region known to have the capability to launch missiles from remote-controlled drones. U.S. President Barack Obama is \"gravely concerned about the situation in Pakistan,\" he told reporters Wednesday night. Speaking at a news conference capping his 100th day in office, Obama said the United States has \"huge national security interests in making sure that Pakistan is stable\" and doesn't end up a \"nuclear-armed militant state.\" But he stressed he was more concerned about the ability of Pakistan's civilian government to \"deliver basic services,\" and not \"that they're immediately going to be overrun\" by the Taliban. Pakistan's recent military crackdown has led to an exodus of civilians from the region. At least 33,000 residents have left their homes in the midst of the recent fighting, according to Amnesty International. Civilians fleeing from Lower Dir in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province join more than 500,000 people already displaced by the fighting, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said. The Pakistani military completed its operation to eliminate and expel militants in Dir Tuesday, and is now focusing on the Buner district, Abbas said. About 300 militants entered Buner a few days ago, in violation of the Taliban's recent agreement to leave the district, he said. Buner is about 60 miles from Islamabad, but Abbas said the militants pose no threat of entering the capital. The fighter jets pounded targets in Buner and the Swat Valley in an effort to block the militants' entry and exit points, according to Abbas. CNN's Samson Desta, Ivan Watson, and Nasir Habib contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Pakistani military intensifies drive against Taliban in restive tribal regions .\nRecent military operation has resulted in more than 180 militant casualties .\nHas not stopped U.S. unmanned drone attacks on Pakistan's soil .\nBarack Obama \"gravely concerned about the situation in Pakistan\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Lectures, slide shows and notes are often boring, but people are using technology to find entertainment in these unlikely places. Spoof notes of \"Star Wars\" are scribbled into a fun online \"pencast.\" Some use high-tech pens to track presentations. Others share PowerPoints in slide show form online. These technologically spiced-up presentations seem to be getting more attention these days. They're also creating buzz about what the future of presentations might hold. Consider \"pencasts,\" which are made using the Pulse SmartPen and specially gridded paper, both sold by the California startup Livescribe. The pen writes like an ordinary pen but also has a voice recorder, and it \"notes\" (so to speak) which notes were taken at which point in the recording. Some quirky SmartPen presentations come off as comedy sketches. One popular presentation muses about how George Lucas might have come up with the idea for Star Wars. Some university students love the technology because they can record and play back what their professor was saying at an exact point in their notes -- which is especially useful when you can't read your own writing. And many professors are all for it, too. \"I feel like this is one of those 'Rear View Mirror' moments in which a new technology comes into our lives with enormous potential and we just don't know what to do with it yet,\" blogs Michael Wesch, a cultural anthropology and digital ethnography professor at Kansas State University. \"We think of it in terms of what we know (pen and paper) and fail to recognize the potential.\" That potential -- for entertainment and serious uses alike -- can be gleaned from pencasts posted on the Livescribe Web site's community section, which is about a year old. The pencasts posted there have collectively received more than 1.5 million views. Soon, it will be easier to embed pencasts on other sites, like personal blogs, the company says. Slide shows are further along in popularity. A startup called SlideShare launched in late 2006 with the idea of allowing people to easily share their PowerPoint presentations. Its site had more than 15 million visitors last month, and its 2008 contest for the best presentations showed off the form's potential. The best are far removed from the dull bullet-point presentations you might have fallen asleep to. Many use dramatic images, striking design and memorable phrases. Former Vice President Al Gore developed his presentation on the planet's environmental challenges into the Academy Award-winning documentary and best-selling book \"An Inconvenient Truth.\" Last year's top SlideShare presentation, called \"Thirst,\" highlights the looming water crisis and has nearly 200,000 views. Others are more light-hearted. The No. 2 spot (with more than 60,000 views) went to a presentation called \"Foot Notes.\" It shows pictures of the narrator's feet in various places she's been (like on cobblestone corridors in Prague and a dance floor in Chicago), interspersed with inspiring quotes related to feet and walking. Finally, for many people, the most dreaded, boring form of communication of all is the lecture. But then, how to explain the popularity of the TED videos? TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. The conference started in the mid-'80s and has become a networking event of sorts for the world's best and brightest. Dozens of speakers give presentations of about 20 minutes each -- the perfect duration for a juicy \"media snack.\" TED.com started introducing TEDTalks to the public for free in July 2006, and by the following year, there were more than a hundred talks dating back to 2002. Broken down into dozens of themes, today they're popular fodder for video iPods. In one, the amputee athlete and model Aimee Mullins talks about how her many pairs of artificial legs often beat having a single pair of regular ones -- some make her taller, others are works of art. In another, Jill Tarter, an astronomer and director of the Center for SETI Research, discusses how insanely large the universe is and what a \"waste of space\" it would be if life on Earth were indeed all there is. It's hard to watch a handful of TED videos and not feel your perspective broadening. That helps explain how, despite the lecture format, TEDTalks has become hugely popular. A few months ago, the videos surpassed the 100 million views mark -- not bad for a bunch of lectures." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Technology injects new life into a dull medium: presentations .\nSmartPens bring audio and written notes together .\nGrowth in online applications makes slide shows and lectures more interesting .\nSuccess of TED lectures means educational content can be popular ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- An Iraqi soldier fatally shot two American soldiers and wounded three others on Saturday, the U.S. military said. A man lies in a hospital after a roadside bombing near Kirkurk on Saturday. Three Iraqis were killed. The shooter was killed when U.S. soldiers returned fire, Maj. Derrick Cheng told CNN. The incident took place at a combat outpost just south of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, where there has been a strong presence of anti-U.S. militants, and it underscored the dangers for U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces in that city. A second gunman also fired on other U.S. soldiers at the outpost and fled, said Cheng, a spokesman for the U.S.-led Multi National Division-North. Iraq's Interior Ministry said the gunman was a soldier in training who was standing close to U.S. soldiers when he aimed his firearm at them and began shooting. There have been similar incidents of men in Iraqi security force uniforms in the Mosul area opening fire on U.S. troops. In February, insurgents dressed as Iraqi police officers killed a U.S. soldier and an interpreter in the city. Asked whether there seems to be a rise in such attacks, Cheng replied, \"We still view these as isolated incidents either by individuals posing as Iraqi Security Forces or members acting out on their own.\" \"These events do not represent the overall relationship or partnership U.S. forces have with our Iraqi counterparts.\" Overall, violence and attacks are down in Iraq, but despite improvements in the big picture, the U.S. military is concerned with hot spots such as Mosul. Maj. Gen. David Perkins, MNF-Iraq spokesman, told reporters on Friday that the city remains a danger. He said the U.S. military is studying whether American combat troops scheduled to withdraw from urban centers in Iraq by June 30 should actually remain in the diverse metropolis -- populated by Sunni Arabs, Kurds, Christians and others. Perkins said al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) militants \"are transitioning and becoming more and more concentrated ... mainly in Mosul and in Baghdad.\" \"What we have always said with regards to al Qaeda is that strategically for AQI to win they have to win Baghdad and for them to survive they have to hold on to Mosul and you can see that by how they are conducting their attacks.\" In the last couple of weeks, he said, militants have focused their activity on Baghdad, and attacks in Mosul have dropped somewhat. \"But there is still a lot activity. This is probably the main area we are looking at that could possibly result in U.S. forces being there,\" he said of Mosul. \"Probably more so than any other place.\" \"Of all the places in Iraq, it is the area that you would most likely possibly see a very similar U.S. presence to what you see now. But only if Iraqis want that.\" U.S. troop fatalities in Iraq last month reached 18, the highest of the year. However, the number of monthly Iraqi troop deaths have plummeted since earlier in the war. Also on Saturday, Iranian forces targeting Kurdish rebels shelled a village in Iraq, an official from Iraq's Kurdish region said. Forces used helicopters to attack the village and shelled it with artillery. The village is just over the Iranian border in Iraq's Sulaimaniya province -- a Kurdish region. No casualties were reported. Iran and Turkey long have targeted Kurdish separatist rebels operating in northern Iraq. Meanwhile in Kirkuk, in northern Iraq, three civilians were killed and three others were wounded when a roadside bomb struck their vehicle on Saturday, police said. It is not known who the bomb might have been targeting, but the incident reflects the hostilities in the oil-rich and ethnically diverse city." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: U.S. military: Gunman who killed 2 U.S. troops, wounded 3 was Iraqi soldier .\nIraqi officials say shooter was soldier-in-training who opened fire at a training facility .\nShootings underscore the dangers for U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces in Mosul .\nIranian forces attacked Kurdish village in Iraq; 3 civilians killed in Kirkuk ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "On CNN's \"State of the Union,\" host and chief national correspondent John King goes outside the Beltway to report on the issues affecting communities across the country. This week, King traveled to New Hampshire, where diner patrons shared their thoughts on President Obama and the economy. The Tilt'n Diner hosted all the major presidential candidates during the primaries in 2008. TILTON, New Hampshire (CNN) -- Kate O'Leary voted for Barack Obama and began the year full of energy. But her hope is giving way these days to a sense that some things never change. \"I trust his motives,\" she said of President Obama. \"I feel like he is an honorable guy, I am not sure if he can do it. That's the problem.\" Too much too soon is one of her worries. Too much politics as usual is another. Add in too much bailout money and Kate O'Leary is more sober now than she was when Obama took the oath of office. Across from O'Leary sat Debbie Lurvey, who took a job at the Tilt'n Diner after losing her job in the mortgage business. \"It was a forced unemployment because of the economy,\" Lurvey said. \"So, you know, I decided that it was best to move on to something a little more stable.\" O'Leary and Lurvey are among those who think the economy is going to get worse before it gets better. But our third guest for our weekly diner conversation, Jim Wells, isn't so sure. \"I think most of it is psychological,\" said Wells, a Republican who believes consumers need to be more confident. \"The secret out of a recession like this is to spend money. And you have got to spend your own, you can't expect somebody else to spend it for you.\" He makes the distinction between consumer spending and what he sees as too much government spending. \"We are going to have to pay the bill in another two or three years and it is going to be scary when it happens,\" Wells said. All three agreed one thing missing from Washington is a spirit of cooperation and compromise. Lurvey said the pain of losing her job and dealing with foreclosure have taught her there are some things the government can't do. \"It is a good time to get back to what this country was made on -- it's the family,\" she said. \"And you know I think for awhile we were all going crazy and overspending and living beyond our means and this has kind of been a reality check for most people.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Diner patron Kate O'Leary likes Obama, but doubts how much change he can bring .\nRepublican Jim Wells believes consumers need to be more confident .\nThree diners says Washington is missing a spirit of cooperation, compromise .\nLiving beyond means has been a \"reality check\" for the country, Debbie Lurvey says ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus, is all over the news. A string of cases have been reported across the United States, as well as across the globe, with Mexico the hardest hit country, so far. Older kids, who may be scared but hide it, should be reassured that parents and health officials are on top of it. It's easy to freak out amid these disturbing reports, but the truth is you're probably doing everything you need to do to protect your family. \"Parents should be aware of what public health officials are saying, and then just be extra vigilant about the precautions they'd normally take to prevent the spread of germs,\" says Joseph Bocchini, M.D., chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on infectious diseases and pediatrics chair of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. No. 1 on the list: washing hands more frequently. So take a deep breath, put down the surgical mask, and read on for all information you need to know. Parenting.com: Cold and flu old wives' tales . Signs and symptoms . Indicators of swine flu are not unlike those for regular old run-of-the-mill flu. What makes this virus different from typical flu is that more serious complications, such as pneumonia, might occur more often. Also, says Bocchini, this is a new strain of flu, and no one in the population would be expected to be immune. One of the biggest concerns for officials is simply that a lot of people could get sick at the same time. Take heart in knowing that our government health officials are doing everything they can to make sure the country's prepared. In the mean time, your job is to know how to spot the signs. If you or your child are experiencing any of the following, call your doctor. He or she may want you to come in and be tested. Parenting.com: Interactive symptom checker . • fever (above 100.4 for babies 3 months and younger, and 101.1 for everyone else), plus . • cough . • sore throat . • intense body aches . • headache . • chills . • fatigue . Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting, too. Pregnant women are at extra risk for complications even with regular flu, according to Bocchini, and small children have a higher rate of hospitalization. Both expectant women and moms of kids under 2 should be extra careful about taking action quickly. Parenting.com: How to keep nosy, germy strangers away from your baby . When to head to the ER . If your child demonstrates any of the following symptoms, it's time to seek emergency care: . • Fast or troubled breathing . • Bluish skin color . • Refusal to drink fluids . • Difficulty waking up and/or interacting . • Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held . * Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough . • Fever with a rash, especially one that does not blanch . In adults, the following symptoms deserve an ER trip as well: . • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath . • Pain or pressure in the chest . • Abdominal pain . • Sudden dizziness . • Confusion . • Severe or persistent vomiting . How to talk to your kids about It . As always, you'll want to explain to kids that germs can make us sick, and that's why it's important to wash your hands. You can say, \"Soap and water rinse away the little buggers so they can't make us feel bad.\" If they've caught wind of swine flu in particular, it's important to project an image of calm (even if you're internally flipping out) and make them feel safe. Small kids should be soothed with a simple explanation that there are different kinds of flu, and we should just keep up with washing up. Older kids, who may be scared but hide it, can be given a few more details but should still be reassured that their parents and our health officials are on top of it. Easing symptoms and treatment . If you come down with the flu, swine or otherwise, there are a few things you can do to keep yourself comfortable. • If you or your child feel at all flu-ish, skip work and school. Stay home until you feel completely well. • Try to stay in a separate area of the house to limit the risk of passing the virus. • Rest up -- consider it your free pass to catch up on your DVR list. • Push clear fluids, such as water and soup. • Ease body aches with acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen. If your child is under 2, check with your doctor before giving them medication. • Using a humidifier can ease a stuffy nose. Saline drops followed by suctioning with a nasal syringe can bring additional relief to small children. • There is treatment for swine flu. Antiviral medications like Tamiflu and Relenza can lessen your symptoms make you feel better faster and prevent swine flu-related complications if taken early on. Consult your doctor about a prescription. Is there a cure? There's not a cure, but a vaccine is being developed, according to the FDA. If you already got a flu shot, it probably won't protect you from this strain, but it's a good idea to still get one annually. Prevention 101 . You probably already know all about how to prevent the spread of germs, but in an outbreak like this, it can't hurt to be a little more vigilant. Here's a rundown of easy things you can do, starting today. Parenting.com: Ask Dr. Sears: Immune system boosters . At home: . • This one's a no-brainer but bears repeating: wash your hands frequently, and make sure your kids do the same. It's a good idea to get into the habit of doing it as soon as you walk in the door, before meals and food prep, post-potty and after touching pets. • Take a moment to clean germ hot spots, like tables, doorknobs, desks and kitchen counters, with a disinfectant. Look for products that contain bleach or alcohol. • Keep your family's immune system strong with regular sleep, and lots of fruits and veggies. If you know anyone who's been sick, stay away for now. Out and about: . • Try to keep up the frequent hand-washing, especially after trips to the playground. • If you don't have a sink handy, use an alcohol-based sanitizer gel or wipe. Look for ones that contain at least 60% alcohol. • Try to avoid crowded areas. • Wash your hands or use sanitizer after handling money. • Use your own pen when signing credit card slips. Everywhere: . • Cover your mouth with your elbow when you cough or sneeze, and remind your kiddos to do the same. • Throw your used tissue in the trash instead of stuffing it in your pocket. • Try to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, which give germs a fast track to infection. • Remind kids not to share cups, utensils and plates with friends. Getting kids to wash their hands . Yes, you know they should wash those dirty mitts often, but what you really need to know is how to get them to do it sans whining. We've got some tips and tricks for making washing up fun: . • To get them to soap up for the required 20 seconds (or more), belt out \"Happy Birthday\" twice. Everyone sounds better in the bathroom anyway, right? • Fill the sink with water, and let them go to town with foam soaps and bath toys. (Ignore the water on the floor.) Parenting.com: Germ-fighting tips for parents . • Lather up, Mom! Be a good example for your kids, and encourage them to \"teach\" their dolls to wash up, too. • Make sure they can reach the sink easily. If you don't have one already, get a colorful stool to give them a boost. • Keep their fingernails clipped -- less real estate for germs! Try a FREE TRIAL issue of Parenting Magazine - CLICK HERE! Copyright 2009 The Parenting Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "What parents should tell children about swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus .\nExplain to kids that germs can make us sick, so it's important to wash hands .\nProject an image of calm to make them feel safe. Tailor explanation to age .\nTake common flu-season precautions ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- For Anthony Williams, being black in America means being a suspect. Anthony Williams says he feels like he's always a suspect to police. The 39-year-old former Marine said he's never had any trouble with the law, other than a few traffic violations, and leads a middle-class life in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. But the AT&T customer care representative said he still gets nervous when he hears that police are looking for a 6-foot-tall black man, \"because I know I fit that description.\" \"I worry I will get pulled over and some police officer decides to shoot first and ask questions later,\" Williams wrote. Police recently questioned him in his own driveway after getting complaints that a man was walking in neighbors' yards, Williams said. iReport.com: Tell us what you thought of \"Black in America.\" \"You never know what to expect when you get pulled over by police, and that's how it is when you're black,\" he said. Vince Priester of Lithonia, Georgia, said the documentary was \"intriguing and moving\" and showed that \"with all the change we've made as a society, things really haven't changed\" for black people. \"You have to tone yourself down when you're around white people,\" he said. \"There's nervousness from white women when I share an elevator with them; they put their hand on their pocketbook.\" \"You have to almost change yourself, dilute yourself, to live in a white society,\" he said. iReport.com: Vince Priester describes being black in America . We asked iReport.com writers and readers to share their reaction to part one of the four-hour documentary \"Black in America.\" Dozens of people have responded in the hours since the show ended. Ayana Gooden, a 34-year-old artist, musician and Web designer in New York, said that she enjoyed the show but that it missed one question: Why? \"To look at how things are in the present, you really have to look at the past,\" she said. Slavery and segregation have left deep scars that take generations to heal. She said her own parents couldn't vote without harassment for a third of their lives. Sonya Freeman of Brooklyn, New York, said the black community is still struggling under white oppression. \"The whole single mom thing and people not being married ... back in the day, especially during slavery time, black people weren't allowed to be married,\" she said. She said her grandfather wasn't allowed to go to school past the sixth grade. \"It's not just bad decision-making. It was a whole set of values that were not learned, so they can't be passed down,\" she said. Nicole Adams of the Bronx, New York, said that she enjoyed the show but that there were too many issues to cover in just four hours. \"How do you speak about black women and not talk about depression, which is a battle that many women, including myself, face every day?\" she asked. Adams also questioned the emphasis on two-parent families, saying that \"the character of the people in the household and not the number was the real determining factor.\" The 37-year-old grew up with a mom and a dad but said their relationship was dysfunctional. \"I didn't have a model of a healthy relationship, so I didn't know how to participate productively in a relationship,\" she said. \"I fought so hard not to be like my mom .. that I sabotaged my own relationship.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Black in America\" provokes strong reaction from iReporters .\nAnthony Williams says he knows he \"fits the description\"\nAyana Gooden says she wished special focused more on past .\nShare your thoughts on Part 2 on iReport.com ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Dan Godshall and 21 other students at Slippery Rock University will not be allowed to graduate at their school's main ceremony because they recently visited Mexico. Dan Godshall was worried at first about telling his mother he wasn't able to be at the main graduation. The students, who returned this week after student teaching in Mexico, came back to the United States early because they were worried the border would be closed and they'd miss out on walking at their graduation. But now, they'll be walking in their own graduation, without any of their classmates, because the college feared they made have been exposed to the H1N1 flu outbreak in Mexico. \"At first I was like, no way, no way,\" Godshall told CNN. \"I had the irrational, 15-minute oh my God, oh my God, I can't go to my graduation.\" The students got the news from the school and received an e-mail from the university's vice president explaining the change. \"The university has received hundreds of calls from students and parents who were worried about being exposed at the commencement ceremonies,\" the e-mail said. \"We have an obligation to protect others from what they perceive is possible exposure to this virus.\" When he heard the news, Godshall was worried about how he would tell his mother that she wouldn't get to see him walk across the stage with the pomp and circumstance that everyone else will have. \"I thought my mom was going to freak,\" he said. iReport.com: How should we handle swine flu . Senior Ryan Brisini said at first when he found out that he couldn't walk, he was \"a little irked.\" \"But we are a liability, and if you are going to try and do the best thing for the school and the entire graduation ceremony, we probably shouldn't be there,\" he said. So Brisini and Godshall took the news in stride. The 22 students will get a ceremony unlike anyone else in the school -- and the main graduation will see a video of their ceremony. \"It makes us a little distinguished from the group,\" Godshall said. \"We were already the Mexican group, the swine flu zombies, now it gives us something positive and everyone has to watch our ceremony.\" And with a small ceremony, only attended by the 22 students, their family and friends and university officials, senior Ryan Brisini thinks it will be more memorable. He won't have to sit next to a bunch of people he won't know, and he won't have to endure the lingering theatrics of a regular ceremony. \"I think its kind of cool because when you are with people for an entire month you bond with them, and I can say I'm genuinely excited for everyone graduating, whereas at the main graduation I'd be with a bunch of kids I don't know,\" he said. \"With this I can clap and cheer for everyone and genuinely be happy for them.\" Still, some students are upset they will miss out on the grandiose day. John Powell, who also went on the trip, told CNN affiliate WTAE-TV that the whole reason the group left early was so they could attend. \"It hits me a little bit. It's a necessary evil, separating us. I don't agree with it totally, but I'm not in too big of a position to overturn it,\" Powell said. Watch Slippery Rock students tell their story » . WTAE reported the university, in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, says it has received hundreds of calls from concerned people. \"There are concerns from the public perspective that they will be exposed,\" university spokeswoman Rita Abent told WTAE. \"They may boo them. They may get up and walk out. And graduation should be a very respectful and a very celebratory time.\" Slippery Rock University isn't the only school making changes to graduation ceremonies because of swine flu fears. Cisco Junior College in West Central Texas is canceling Friday graduation ceremonies. Students will get their diplomas by mail, the college said. \"We understand that many will be disappointed by our decision,\" college President Colleen Smith said in a statement. \"However, we believe that it is more important to protect our students, employees and families than to proceed with graduation ceremonies at this time.\" Graduates at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, will get diplomas at commencement ceremonies Saturday but will have to live without part of the day's tradition. \"Since direct contact is one of the ways flu viruses spread, we have decided to forgo the traditional congratulatory handshake as you come forward to receive your diploma and have your photo taken with your dean,\" the school told students in a letter posted on its Web site. Across the country thousands of elementary, middle and high school students are feeling the impact too. At least four high schools have canceled their proms this weekend, including Park City High School in Park City, Utah, according to CNN affiliate KSL-TV. Senior Kelly McGuire, who was getting ready for the prom on Saturday, is making last-minute changes because of the rescheduling. \"That's a bummer, because it means we have to try to cancel our limo,\" McGuire told KSL-TV. \"All cancellations have to be a week in advance. I have to cancel my tux, my corsage. It's going to be hectic.\" The Department of Education said that as of noon on Friday 433 schools, with a total of 245,449 students, in 17 states have been closed. Fort Worth schools will be closed at least until May 12, authorities said, announcing that one student was confirmed to have swine flu. The closure affects about 80,000 students. Texas school officials have postponed all interscholastic sports until at least May 11. Alabama has taken a similar step, stopping competitions until at least Tuesday. In Montgomery County, Maryland, 1,250-student Rockville High School joined the closed list Friday when state health authorities closed it until further notice because of a suspected swine flu case. There, too, athletics were taking a big hit, Assistant Principal Dyan Gomez said. Rockville's teams were even banned from traveling to other schools to compete this weekend, she said. CNN's Brad Lendon contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Slippery Rock University students who visited Mexico will have own graduation .\nStudent: \"We are a liability ... we probably shouldn't be there\"\nSome students thrilled to get unique ceremony where they will know all graduates .\nSchools postponing proms, canceling graduations over swine flu fears ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Saudi Arabia's crown prince was convalescing Saturday in Morocco where he arrived this week after surgery for an undisclosed illness in New York City, the state-run Saudi Press Agency said. Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, right, seen in a 2007 file photo . Crown Prince Sultan, who is also the nation's deputy prime minister, completed \"all medical tests and treatments in the aftermath of the medical surgery he has previously undergone,\" the news agency said, quoting a statement from the Royal Court. Sultan arrived in the Moroccan city of Agadir on Wednesday, the press agency said. Speculation about his health has been mounting since he arrived in New York in February. While Saudi officials maintain publicly that Sultan's health has improved, the appointment in late March of a second deputy prime minister has raised more questions about the extent of his illness. Last month, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah issued a royal decree naming the interior minister, Prince Nayef -- the powerful brother of the crown prince and half-brother to the king -- to the post of second deputy prime minster. The appointment appears to mean Nayef is now the country's crown prince in waiting and second in line to be king. In recent weeks, local media have quoted Nayef as downplaying rumors that the crown prince may be seriously ill. \"I would like to assure you that the crown prince's health is very good,\" he told reporters in March, according to the English-language daily newspaper Arab News. \"God willing, after the medical vacation he will return to the kingdom in full health.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Saudi Arabia's crown prince convalesces in Morocco after surgery in New York .\nIllness of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was not revealed .\nAppointment of second deputy prime minister raises questions about illness ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The wedding of a Boston, Massachusetts, medical student accused of killing a woman he met through Craigslist has been called off, his fiancee's lawyer said. The wedding of accused \"Craigslist killer\" Phillip Markoff and his fiancee, Megan McAllister, has been called off. Megan McAllister, who was accompanied by her mother, met Phillip Markoff for about 25 minutes in a Boston jail earlier this week, her lawyer Robert Honecker told CNN affiliate WCVB. \"It was an emotional conversation on both sides,\" Honecker said, adding that McAllister is planning to move back to her home state of New Jersey. \"There is still a love and commitment to that person, and I think that obviously realizing what has now happened, that she has to take steps to do what she has to do on her life,\" Honecker told WCVB. She plans to move on, he said. \"There are things that she has to do, and I think the process begins today,\" Honecker told WCVB. Honecker told ABC on Thursday that the wedding \"will not occur.\" Watch lawyer tell reporters that Megan McAllister is ready to move on » . McAllister maintained her fiance's innocence in an e-mail sent to ABC News in early April. In the e-mail, McAllister said police have the wrong man and Markoff \"was set up.\" McAllister's visit was her first since Markoff was arraigned last week on murder charges in the killing of a woman whom authorities say he met through Craigslist, a popular online classifieds service. Markoff, 23, a second-year student at Boston University's School of Medicine, is charged with killing Julissa Brisman on April 14 at a Boston hotel. Police said Brisman, a model from New York, advertised as a masseuse on Craigslist. Prosecutors say Brisman was shot three times at close range and suffered blunt head trauma. Markoff is also charged in connection with an April 10 robbery of Trisha Leffler, 29, at another hotel in Boston. Leffler also met Brisman on Craigslist. Leffler was robbed of $800 in cash and $250 in American Express gift cards, according to police reports. Markoff has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Phillip Markoff, fiancee call off wedding, according to fiancee's lawyer .\nLawyer: Fiancee Megan McAllister planning to move to New Jersey .\nMarkoff accused of killing Julissa Brisman after police say she met her on Craigslist .\nMarkoff also charged in connection with an April 10 robbery ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- A killer bug is spreading like wildfire. Armed guards stand outside the Mexico City Respiratory Hospital to control the flow of people. Streets of one of the world's biggest cities are eerily empty. Bars and restaurants have been shuttered for days. The president goes on TV to tell workers to stay at home for their own safety. Those who venture outside are clad in surgical masks. Once healthy people are suddenly falling sick and dying from a new disease, H1N1 swine flu. The government swears the situation is under control. But down at the hospital, medics scurry around behind the glass door of an isolation ward. They're clad from head to toe in biohazard suits, goggles and two pairs of gloves. At the airport, officials set up a barrage of thermal imaging machines. If the picture flashes up red or orange, would-be passengers are whisked off to medical facilities. See where the virus has been confirmed » . It may sound like a sci-fi movie. It's not. Welcome to Mexico City. It's a nightmare scenario and despite twice-a-day news conferences featuring Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova, people on the streets fear the virus may be out of control and that the real death toll may be greater than anyone is letting on. Watch how the city has been shut down » . \"The measures we're taking are working and are helping us to slow the spread of the virus. But the situation continues to be serious,\" Cordova said at a news conference this week. Government orders to its citizens are clear: wash frequently, don't shake hands or kiss, and stay away from crowded places. That's easier said than done. The doors on the subway car snap open at Hidalgo station. Dozens more passengers clad in surgical masks stream on. It's rush hour deep below the streets of downtown Mexico City. The subway system is the veins of the capital, ferrying millions of people from all social classes to and from work. It's hot and humid down there and there's little fresh air. It's just the kind of crowded place that Mexican authorities say could be a prime breeding ground for swine flu. \"I'm pretty nervous of this whole virus thing,\" welder Frontino Valdez mumbled through one of the masks. Watch passengers packed onto trains trying to protect themselves » . Sitting one carriage down, Berta Hernandez, a product demonstrator, tries not to show her panic and applies eyeliner like any other morning. But today she has a problem, she has no intention of lifting her mask to paint on lip gloss. \"I'm nervous of those people who aren't wearing masks. Maybe they will suddenly sneeze or cough,\" she said. In these days of swine flu paranoia, just coughing, or worse sneezing, in the subway, or \"metro\" as they call it here, brings black looks from fellow passengers. This has been a strange epidemic since the outset. So far, the Mexican government has been unable to pinpoint where or when this outbreak started. Authorities admit there was an outbreak of influenza in a village in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz in early April. But only one patient -- 5-year-old Edgar Hernandez -- was diagnosed as having swine flu. Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta ask the boy about his symptoms » . The international media have taken to calling him \"Patient Zero.\" He made a full recovery. So far there's no evidence a pig farm near his home reported any problems with its livestock. The family hasn't explained how little Edgar could have infected a capital city let alone the world. The authorities haven't drawn up a genetic map of Edgar's illness nor compared it to the lethal strain that swept through Mexico City and other parts of the country. Lethal it is. But getting to the truth of who has really died from the virus is tough. Since midweek, the government abandoned its initial reporting and began to speak only of confirmed swine flu cases and confirmed deaths due to the H1N1 virus. Previously it had also tallied suspected cases and others under observation. In practice, it is taking days for the government to get test results from autopsies and tests. By the time a case is confirmed the patient may be long buried. One afternoon this week, at a cinder block home perched on a hillside in a poor northern neighborhood of Mexico City, a coffin was mounted on the living room table. A steady stream of neighbors filed in to pay their final tribute to a dead 24-year-old. Biting back tears, a young man said his brother had died of \"respiratory problems.\" When asked what kind of a person his brother was, he said simply: \"He was an honest man. He never got in any trouble.\" The man seemed to be feeling an underlying sense of shame. Suddenly there was a huge stigma attached to swine flu -- like in the early days of AIDS-related deaths -- and Mexican families were keen to dispel notions their loved ones had died of the mutant virus. They didn't want the prying eyes of the media near their home. We wanted to tell their story, observe the wake and follow the funeral. But death is a rite of passage. They had a right to mourn in private. The following day came a tip-off that a 5-year-old girl, Maria Fernanda Garcia, had died. The modest side street outside her home in eastern Mexico City was swarming with police, health workers and civil protection officials. Watch how armed guards were part of Maria Fernanda's funeral » . Little Maria Fernanda's father appeared briefly and told us we weren't welcome. He was curt when he told us his daughter had died from pneumonia. A medic confirmed the specific cause of death was indeed pneumonia. But he added the hospital was still waiting for test results to confirm whether the underlying cause was swine flu. He conceded that process could take days. But judging by the heavy security, local authorities certainly feared this was another case of the virus. \"These are the prevention measures we must take. This case is still not confirmed but we must take these steps to protect citizens,\" said Victor Luna, a member of the public security detail for this district of Mexico City. A few minutes later, the hearse with Maria Fernanda's body pulled out of the housing complex where she lived. Her dad was clutching a Winnie Pooh cuddly toy as he rode up front. Police and health officials shadowed the funeral cortege to the graveyard. Police guards only permitted immediate family and close friends through the iron gates. Through the bars silent, tearful mourners could be seen weaving through a labyrinth of headstones. Later that afternoon, the family had left Maria Fernanda's grave -- a tiny patch of newly dug dry earth, not much more than 3 feet long. It was covered with sweet-scented white flowers. The plaque on the grave was a simple hand-painted affair: . \"Maria Fernanda. 2004 to 2009. We love you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Every aspect of life has been hit by the spread of H1N1 in Mexico City .\nCitizens told not to shake hands or kiss .\nEven a tragic death of a child brings suspicion, paranoia ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The number of confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus has jumped nearly 30 percent with 331 people being infected so far, the World Health Organization said Friday. A young couple in Mexico City wear surgical masks in an attempt to avoid contamination from the virus. The WHO added that the virus had spread to 11 countries, but the hardest hit areas were in the western hemisphere. \"We have not seen sustained human to human transmission anywhere outside the Americas region,\" said WHO spokesman Thomas Abraham. Two more countries, Denmark and China, reported cases of the 2009 H1N1 \"swine flu\" virus on Friday, but they were still to be confirmed by the WHO. The largest outbreak was in Mexico which had 156 confirmed cases, while there were 141 cases confirmed and one death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The WHO said Mexico had 9 deaths attributed to the virus. But Mexican officials said the death toll had risen to 12. However, more than 150 deaths in Mexico are suspected to have been caused by the virus and are being investigated, officials there said. The higher totals do not necessarily mean that incidence of the disease is increasing, but rather that health investigators are going through their backlog of specimens, said Dr. Keiji Fukuda, assistant director-general of WHO. In addition to Mexico and the United States, the following countries have so far confirmed non-lethal cases: . Austria: 1 Canada: 34 China: 1 Denmark: 1 Germany: 3 Israel: 2 Netherlands: 1 New Zealand: 3 Spain: 13 Switzerland: 1 United Kingdom: 9 . An additional 642 cases are being investigated in the United Kingdom, and Spain has 84 suspected cases. Australia, which has had no confirmed cases, was investigating 114." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Largest outbreak was in Mexico which had 156 confirmed cases .\nThe virus had spread to 11 countries, with western hemisphere hardest hit .\nMexico suspects 150 deaths have been caused by H1N1 virus .\nU.S. and Mexico the only countries showing human-to-human spread so far ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LONDON, England (CNN) -- Sportsmen and women being caught taking drugs is not a new phenomenon -- but it's still a shock when the news breaks. Romania's Adrian Mutu was sacked by Chelsea and banned from the game for testing positive for cocaine. Only recently Michael Phelps, who shattered Olympic records by claiming eight golds in the pool in Beijing last year, was caught on camera with a marijuana pipe to his mouth. The American is far from alone. The history of sport is peppered with drug use, usually of the performance-enhancing kind: athletics has been blighted by it, cycling has lost much of its credibility because of it and baseball has proven to be far from immune. But football, the world's most popular game in terms of fan following and participation, does not seem to have had its share of drugs scandals, not least in the world's most high profile division, the English Premier League. No top-flight player in English football has ever tested positive for using performance-enhancing drugs in a league match. The closest anyone has come is Middlesbrough FC defender Abel Xavier, who was banned from football by UEFA for 18 months in 2005 when he tested positive for the steroid dianabol after a UEFA Cup match. The English Football Association (FA) takes its lead on doping from UK Sport, the body which regulates drug testing in the UK based on the code set out by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Let us know your views of drugs and drug testing in football. UK Sport's Russell Langley does not believe more tests would necessarily return more positive results. \"It's a difficult question to answer,\" he said. \"The stats show what they show. But it's fair to say if doping was going on at that level we would have unearthed it. \"Our focus at UK Sport is not on more and more testing -- we don't think that's going to answer the question about whether there's more doping out there. \"What we want to do is make every test we do as effective as possible. If there are people out there doping we've got to have the right level of intelligence and information to target them. \"Testing at no notice and out of competition is where we think we've got the best chance of being able to catch any sportsmen taking drugs,\" he added. English footballers can be tested after matches (in competition) and at training sessions (out of competition). Until a few years ago, a tester was forbidden from turning up at a footballer's house unannounced (no notice). But the FA has altered its stance as part of its claim that it \"maintains the largest and most comprehensive out-of-competition testing program in international football.\" They conduct 1,600 random, no-notice drug tests per season, which the World Anti-Doping Code and the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping on Sport state is the most effective method of combating the use of drugs in sport. But those 1,600 tests are conducted on professional players, non-league football, women's football and youth team football. It means the chances are small of catching any Premier League star who may be using drugs. Down the years, Italy's Serie A has seen the most cases of players getting caught with either performance-enhancing or recreational drugs in their system. One reason for this is the Italian authorities' no-nonsense stance: two players from each squad are drawn at random to be tested after every match. And it has worked. Household names such as Jaap Stam, Edgar Davids, Pep Guardiola, Fernando Couto, Francesco Flachi, Mohamed Kallon and Diego Maradona have all been caught in the last two decades. By way of comparison, Billy Turley, a goalkeeper in one of England's lower leagues, was let off with warning after being found to have taken the steroid nandrolone in the 2002-03 season. It took a further positive test for cocaine for him to get a six-month ban. But on the issue of combating social drugs -- something not demanded by WADA's code -- Langley believes the FA's stance is to be applauded. He said: \"They invest heavily in their testing program. They recognize that a particular problem for their sport is social drugs so this separate testing goes on. They don't have to do it. \"This carries a different set of sanctions which are controlled by the FA and the aim of that program is about rehabilitation rather than punishment.\" Langley said the sanctions send out a strong message that the FA is prepared to do something about it. \"They recognize their responsibility -- football is a huge role model for youngsters,\" he added. Chris Armstrong, then of Crystal Palace, became the first Premier League player to fail a drug test when he tested positive for cannabis in 1995. He was back playing within a month following a brief spell in rehab. Chelsea's Mark Bosnich and Adrian Mutu have both been caught with cocaine in their systems and both were banned and sacked by the club in the 2000s. The FA also wants to make sure that players understand that not taking a test is not an option either, making an example of Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand. The center-back missed a scheduled drugs test in 2003 and was belatedly suspended for eight months and fined £50,000. Ferdinand could have got a bigger punishment. The FA's guidelines state that for a first offence a minimum suspension of three months up to a maximum of two years will apply, but a lack of consistency has always dogged punishments for drug offences. No other footballer has been reported as missing a test since. The FA is far from blind to the issue of drugs in English football and since the Ferdinand incident their policies and punishments have been tightened. But as long as a player's chances of getting caught remain comparatively small, drugs in football appears to be an issue the FA is keeping a lid on rather than eradicating." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Football has seen a number of high-profile players fail drugs tests .\nEnglish FA tests for both performance-enhancing and social drugs .\nDifferent punishments are given depending on the offence ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- Watching the news out of Mexico is causing a case of déjà vu for Dr. Lo Wing-Luk. The sight of people wearing masks became common in Hong Kong after the SARS outbreak of 2003. \"Seeing the people in masks today reminds me of Hong Kong during SARS,\" said Lo, an epidemiology expert who was among those on the frontline during the outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong in 2003, which within three months infected 8,000 and killed nearly 800 in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Toronto. Historically, Hong Kong has been center stage for recent infections that threatened to spiral across the world, such as SARS and Avian Influenza, which first struck and killed people here in 1997. Southern China -- with the close proximity of its rural agriculture to population centers and globally connected transportation -- has been an ideal conduit for past animal diseases that spread to humans and then to the rest of the world. But with the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and the United States, Hong Kong suddenly finds the world looking to it for lessons on how to stop the spread of disease. \"Managing a (potential) pandemic can't be from the top down, it must be from the ground up,\" said Lo, a former Hong Kong legislator representing the medical community. In the early days of SARS, cooperation was lax between Hong Kong health officials and public officials across the border in mainland China, where the live animal wet markets in Guangdong province is suspected in the virus' jump to humans. \"One of the most important lesson of SARS was the importance of good communication,\" says Dr. KY Yuen, head of the microbiology department of Hong Kong University, which found the first human cases of Avian Influenza in 1997 and first identified SARS in 2003. \"There were outbreaks in the middle to late November in Guangdong Province, but the first cases were reported in Hong Kong three months later,\" he said. \"We could have reduced the impact (of SARS) if there had been better communication\" between Hong Kong and mainland China health authorities. The communication channels have improved between China and Hong Kong, health officials said, as well as better surveillance of the disease. Every visitor who comes through Hong Kong International Airport now is scanned by infrared monitors and immediately isolated if suffering from a fever or respiratory illness. \"Quarantine and isolation of people (suspected to be ill) is crucial now,\" Yuen said. As the disease spreads, there is a conflict between the need for a quick response and the time required for appropriate scientific study -- which can result in some bad decisions, Yuen said. For example, in the case of SARS health experts wore full-body protection suits because of initial hunches the disease was being spread by airborne causes. More people were exposed to the disease because of the harried medical staff's improper use of the cumbersome equipment. \"It turned out globes, masks and hand washing were far more effective\" than a breathing apparatus, Yuen said. \"Presumptions are dangerous,\" he added. If Hong Kong is any example, governments who fail to meet the challenges of an outbreak will face rising public heat. In July 2003, half a million Hong Kong residents took to the streets to protest the government, in part because of frustrations over the response to the SARS outbreak, says Cecilia Chan, director of the Center of Behavioral Health at Hong Kong University -- adding to the woes of the already beleaguered administration of former Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee Wah, who later stepped down in the middle of his second five-year appointment." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hong Kong at center of recent infections that threatened to spiral across world .\nFirst human cases of Avian Influenza reported in 1997, SARS identified in 2003 .\nDisease expert: Managing a (potential) pandemic can't be from the top down .\nLack of good communication during SARS outbreak was a key failing ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- A Pakistani man using \"colonel\" as a title is one of about three dozen people wanted over November's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, but his connections with the Pakistani army have not been established, Indian prosecutors say. Police patrol in New Delhi last year following warnings of possible attacks using hijacked aircraft, officials said. \"This is all a matter of investigation,\" special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told CNN Thursday when asked if India thought he had links to the Pakistani army. Neither is it clear whether the \"colonel\" belonged to the Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, which is blamed for the Mumbai siege, Nikam said. But India, the public prosecutor added, had \"ample evidence\" of his involvement in the November attacks. Authorities say Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the only surviving suspect accused of taking part in the Mumbai siege, faces a multitude of charges, including murder and attempted murder. Speaking outside Qila Court in Mumbai, Nikam said Kasab didn't attend the hearing for security reasons. The next hearing is set for March 9. A 21-year-old Pakistani, Kasab was one of 10 men accused of participating in the coordinated sieges on buildings such as the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower and Oberoi-Trident hotels, Mumbai's historic Victoria Terminus train station and the Jewish cultural center, Chabad House. Indian forces killed nine suspects. More than 160 people, including many foreigners, died during the three days of attacks that began November 26. Authorities said Kasab was trained by Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, which was banned in Pakistan in 2002 after a terrorist attack on India's parliament. The group denied responsibility. Nikam said on Wednesday that the 50-page document describing the charges against Kasab also contains the names of 35 other suspects being sought in the crimes, many of whom are thought to be members of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba. The prosecutor said his office hopes to finish the trial for Kasab in three to six months. He has been in police custody since November 28. Also charged Wednesday were two men accused of helping to plan the violence, Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed, according to the prosecutor." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Pakistani man using \"colonel\" as a title is wanted over Mumbai attacks .\nIndian prosecutors say man's connections with Pakistani army not established .\nAuthorities say only surviving suspect faces charges, including murder .\nIndian forces killed 9 suspects; over 160 people died in November attacks ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Terror attacks have spiked dramatically in Afghanistan and Pakistan as extremists in both countries strengthen their power and expand operations, according to a State Department report released Thursday. The number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan, like this bombing in April, has more than quadrupled from 2006 to 2008. But the State Department annual terrorism report notes an overall decline in attacks worldwide and fewer attacks in Iraq. The attacks worldwide have decreased by 20 percent, with 30 percent fewer fatalities, said Russell Travers of the National Counterterrorism Center. The report says al Qaeda and its extremist supporters have moved across the Afghan border \"to the remote areas of the Pakistani frontier, where they have used this terrain as a safe haven to hide, train terrorists, communicate with the followers, plot attacks and send fighters to support the insurgency in Afghanistan.\" In Pakistan alone, the report says, attacks more than quadrupled between 2006 and 2008, with a sharp increase in their \"coordination, sophistication and frequency.\" Last year there were 1,839 terrorist \"incidents,\" compared with 890 in 2007, Travers said. The rise in violence has complicated the Obama administration's effort to implement its strategy of boosting military and civilian programs in both countries. The report says the largest number of attacks occurred in Pakistani provinces near the Afghan border, including Balochistan, the North West Frontier and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, where extremists have sought to challenge the government and extend Islamic law. It also notes the government's inability to get a handle on the extremists. Despite having 80,000 to 100,000 troops in those provinces, it says, \"the government of Pakistan's authority in the area continued to be challenged.\" Ronald Schlicher, the State Department's acting coordinator of counterterrorism, told reporters the Obama administration has \"real concerns\" that al Qaeda's senior leadership may be operating from those areas and could be plotting attacks against the United States. \"We have a real sense that it's happening, but we have imperfect knowledge of what they're doing,\" he said. Pakistan's military in the past week launched an assault on militants in Taliban-held areas after they seized territory in violation of an agreement signed this year by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. The deal, criticized by the United States, allowed the Taliban to implement Islamic law, or sharia, in the region in exchange for an end to fighting. The recent operations are part of the Pakistani army's intensified drive against the Taliban in its restive tribal regions. The Pakistani government has been criticized for not cracking down on militants along its border with Afghanistan. As a result, the U.S. military has carried out airstrikes against militant targets in Pakistan. The strikes have rankled relations between the two countries. Pakistan has asked the United States to supply its forces with helicopters, communication equipment and night-vision technology as part of a U.S. plan to beef up the country's counterterrorism efforts. President Obama told reporters Wednesday night that he is \"gravely concerned about the situation in Pakistan.\" Speaking at a news conference capping his 100th day in office, Obama said the United States has \"huge national security interests in making sure that Pakistan is stable\" and doesn't end up a \"nuclear-armed militant state.\" After making two visits to Pakistan in less than three weeks, Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, is \"very alarmed by the growing extremist threat in Pakistan and remains frustrated particularly by the political leaderships' inability to confront that threat,\" according to his chief spokesman. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have called Taliban gains in Pakistan an \"existential threat\" to the country. The State Department report notes the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, in November, attributing them to the Pakistan-based Kashmir terrorist group Laskhar-e-Tayyiba and to its fundraising subsidiary, amaat ud-Dawa. Although Pakistan has cracked down on some of the groups' camps and made several arrests, the report warned of continuing tension between India and Pakistan. The report says Afghanistan is plagued by \"an insurgency that more and more relied on vicious and increasingly sophisticated terrorist attacks,\" despite the efforts of NATO forces and the Afghan government. \"The anti-government insurgency remained a capable, determined and resilient threat to stability and to the expansion of government authority,\" the report warns. Although the Taliban continued to suffer heavy combat loses, the report says its ability to leverage support from al Qaeda and recruit soldiers \"remained undiminished.\" \"Taliban information operations were increasingly aggressive and sophisticated,\" it says. \"Streams of Taliban financing from across the border in Pakistan, along with funds gained from narcotics trafficking, have allowed the insurgency to strengthen its military and technical capabilities.\" Iran is also a source of training to the Taliban \"on small-unit tactics, small arms, explosives and indirect-fire weapons,\" the report says. \"Since at least 2006, Iran has arranged arms shipments including small arms and associated ammunition, rocket-propelled grenades, mortar rounds, 107 mm rockets and plastic explosives to select Taliban members,\" it says. While terrorists in Iraq still launched attacks last year, \"there was a notable reduction in the number of security incidents throughout much of the country, including a decrease in civilian casualties, enemy attacks, and improvised explosive device attacks in the last quarter of the year,\" the report says. There were 3,258 terrorist incidents in 2008, down almost half from the 6,210 attacks in 2007, Travers said. He added there was a decrease during the first quarter of 2009, although there has a been a spike in terrorist attacks in April. Although the threat from al Qaeda in Iraq \"continued to diminish\" due to significant defections and a loss of both territory and funding, al Qaeda continued to benefit from safe haven in Somalia and has strengthened its North African operations, the report says. It notes a sharp increase in attacks by al Qaeda affiliates in North Africa. In Algeria, many of the attacks were blamed on al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, whose tactics \"appeared to be influenced by [al Qaeda's] experience in Iraq.\" The report also warns \"the security situation in Yemen continued to deteriorate during 2008 and was marked by a series of attacks against both Western and Yemeni interests,\" culminating in the September 17 suicide bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa that killed 18. \"Recruitment for al Qaeda in Yemen (AQY) remained strong, and the use of vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) and suicide vests indicated a high level of training, coordination, and sophistication by Yemen's terrorist leadership,\" the report says. The report calls the government's response to the terrorist threat \"intermittent and its ability to pursue and prosecute suspected terrorists remained weak due to a number of shortcomings, including stalled draft counterterrorism legislation.\" Although a raid in August on an al Qaeda in Yemen cell in the country uncovered large number of weapons, the report warns the action \"did little to deter or disrupt other AQY cells.\" It was a month later that at least seven assailants dressed in Yemeni security-service uniforms attacked the U.S. Embassy with explosives and suicide vests, launching what the report calls a \"sophisticated and well-coordinated\" attack. The report says Iran \"remained the most active state sponsor of terrorism,\" including supporting terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, all of which opposed the Middle East peace process, as well as Iraq-based militants and the Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. It cites the Qods Force, an elite branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as the regime's \"primary mechanism for cultivating and supporting terrorists abroad.\" \"Iran's involvement in the planning and financial support of terrorist attacks throughout the Middle East, Europe and Central Asia had a direct impact on international efforts to promote peace, threatened economic stability in the Gulf, and undermined the growth of democracy,\" the report says. Schlicher also said that the United States is \"troubled by indications that the Iranians may be seeking to extend their influence into other parts of the world and expand its military ties into Latin America.\" The Obama administration has adopted a policy of engagement with Iran in an effort to curb its nuclear ambitions." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Attacks in Pakistan have more than quadrupled between 2006 and 2008, report says .\nReport: Al Qaeda, extremist supporters moving across Afghan border into Pakistan .\nReport notes an overall decline in attacks worldwide and fewer attacks in Iraq .\nIran \"remained the most active state sponsor of terrorism,\" report says ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- In a bustling room full of computers, giant wall-mounted monitors and constantly ringing telephones, a newly gathered army is fighting a war. The swine flu outbreak has kept workers busy at the Emergency Operations Center at the CDC.. The control room is staffed 24/7, and the leader recently had to tell his fighters to make sure to take a day off per week. This is the Emergency Operations Center at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has ramped up its resources to tackle swine flu, a new disease that experts say may evolve into a global pandemic. \"The last time when we were really at this level was Hurricane Katrina,\" said Toby Crafton, operations manager. The CDC has 400 people tasked to work on the virus, also called the 2009 H1N1 flu, Crafton said. The agency had deployed 50 people to various U.S. states and Mexico by Friday. The Mexican government asked the CDC to help facilitate laboratory testing of the virus during a conference call with Canada and the United States, he said. Watch as Dr. Sanjay Gupta tours the Emergency Operations Center » . \"We don't go anywhere unilaterally. We don't go into any state unless asked,\" Crafton said. \"So if the state health department or the state health director or the government feels like their capacity is exceeded or they need us for our scientific expertise, they will ask us to come.\" Explainer: What you should know about 2009 H1N1 flu » . The U.S. has also committed to giving Mexico 400,000 doses of the antiviral drug Tamiflu, a shipment believed to have arrived Friday morning, said Dr. Anne Schuchat, interim deputy director for science and public health at the CDC. In front of each computer in the Emergency Operations Center is a placard: Ethics, Immunization, Mental Health, Security, and dozens more. The people -- some in jeans, some in skirts, some in uniforms with military stripes -- are fielding phones calls to their respective departments. Elsewhere in laboratories, samples of the virus arrive in FedEx and World Courier packages for analysis, triple packaged to avoid leaking. Scientists are working on the genetic sequencing of the virus, as well as growing a strain that functions as a vaccine. Although the CDC is not in the business of mass-producing vaccines, researchers there are working on developing one. A vaccine strain is being grown and characterized, Schuchat said. Once a suitable candidate virus is developed -- it takes about three weeks -- the CDC theoretically would send it to a manufacturer, which would need another eight to 10 weeks to determine production possibilities as well as the dosage, said Dr. Nancy Cox, director of the CDC's Influenza Division, at a press conference Friday. But it would not interfere with the seasonal influenza vaccine. \"If a vaccine for this new virus is prepared, it would be prepared either in parallel with or after the seasonal vaccine is already produced,\" Cox said. Still, there has not been a recommendation to mass produce a vaccine for swine flu. The U.S. part of that decision would come from the Department of Health and Human Services. Map: Where the flu is » . Researchers are still struggling to understand the origin of the virus. \"What isn't making sense right now is why there weren't reports of illness in pigs,\" said Michael Shaw, leader of the laboratory team force for the 2009 H1N1 virus. \"Usually, if you find a human who has been infected by a swine influenza virus, you look around, you start seeing sick pigs, and we haven't seen that.\" Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta talk with Michael Shaw about what CDC is doing to combat virus » . It is possible that the virus did not originate in pigs. Swine viruses have been found in turkeys, for example, Shaw said. The 2009 H1N1 virus has a \"level 2\" containment distinction at the CDC, although extra precautions from \"level 3\" are being applied, Shaw said. That means swine flu is one containment level below avian flu, which was at 3. One key handling difference is that lab workers had to shower after being exposed to the avian virus, he said. Back in the Emergency Operations Center, computer screens glow with e-mails, maps, databases, slides and articles related to the new flu strain. \"We're going to continue to be vigilant and continue to work as hard as we can until it's over,\" Crafton said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "CDC has 400 people tasked to track and fight the 2009 H1N1 flu virus .\nEmergency Operations Center in Atlanta, Georgia, operates 24/7 .\nResearchers still struggling to understand the origin of the virus ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- New Hampshire's Senate has approved a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry, but critics and supporters of the legislation say their work isn't over. New Hampshire could become the fifth state to allow same-sex marriage if a bill becomes law. \"We were obviously disappointed,\" Kevin Smith, executive director of the conservative Cornerstone Policy Research Action group, said Thursday. \"We don't think the voters are going to forget about it.\" On the other side, members of the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition, a group that has worked since 2001 for same-sex marriage, were \"absolutely thrilled,\" said Mo Baxley, its executive director. But noting that the bill is returning to the House of Representatives for consideration of changes made by the Senate, Baxley added, \"I think the work continues.\" Her organization will encourage supporters to contact their representatives ahead of the House vote, she said. On Wednesday, the Senate voted 13-11 in favor of the bill, which differs from the House-approved version in that it distinguishes between civil and religious marriage. It allows each religion to decide whether to acknowledge same-sex marriage but extends the option of civil marriage to any two individuals, said state Senate spokeswoman Anne Saunders. The House, which passed the earlier version last month by a margin of seven votes, 186-179, must approve the changed version before it can be sent to Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat who has questioned the need for the bill. After the Senate vote, Lynch released a statement saying he believes that \"the fundamental issue is about providing the same rights and protections to same-sex couples as are available to heterosexual couples. This was accomplished through the passage of the civil unions law two years ago.\" Lynch signed the state's civil unions law in May 2007. \"To achieve further real progress,\" he added, \"the federal government would need to take action to recognize New Hampshire civil unions.\" Earlier this month, the governor said he believes the word \"marriage\" should be used only to describe a marriage between a man and a woman, the New Hampshire Union Leader in Manchester reported. \"I think the word 'marriage' is reserved for a marriage between a man and a woman, and I think the real issues really are rights and protections for gay and lesbian couples,\" he told reporters on April 15, according to the newspaper. Smith said his organization, which was established in 2000, would \"lobby hard\" to get the governor to veto the bill. He said he expected it to pass the House. \"Look, this is a matter of holding the governor accountable,\" he said. \"He's been very public with his views on same-sex marriage in the state. ... We'll see if he was misleading the voters of New Hampshire or if he'll stand by his word and actually veto it.\" Were the bill to become law, New Hampshire would become the fifth state allowing same-sex marriage, joining Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts and Iowa. Only Vermont has established the practice legislatively. CNN's Taylor Gandossy contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Same-sex marriage bill returns to New Hampshire House after Senate approval .\nCritic of the bill: \"We don't think the voters are going to forget about it\"\nIf bill passes the House, it will be sent to the governor for approval or veto .\nGov. John Lynch, a Democrat, has questioned the need for the bill ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Deep underground on the border between France and Switzerland, the world's largest particle accelerator complex will explore the world on smaller scales than any human invention has explored before. The collider's ALICE experiment will look at how the universe formed by analyzing particle collisions. The Large Hadron Collider will look at how the universe formed by analyzing particle collisions. Some have expressed fears that the project could lead to the Earth's demise -- something scientists say will not happen. Still, skeptics have filed suit to try to stop the project. It even has a rap dedicated to it on YouTube. Scientists say the collider is finally ready for an attempt to circulate a beam of protons the whole way around the 17-mile tunnel. The test, which takes place Wednesday, is a major step toward seeing if the the immense experiment will provide new information about the way the universe works. \"It's really a generation that we've been looking forward to this moment, and the moments that will come after it in particular,\" said Bob Cousins, deputy to the scientific leader of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment, one of six experiments inside the collider complex. \"September 10 is a demarcation between finishing the construction and starting to turn it on, but the excitement will only continue to grow.\" The collider consists of a particle accelerator buried more than 300 feet near Geneva, Switzerland. About $10 billion have gone into the accelerator's construction, the particle detectors and the computers, said Katie Yurkewicz, spokewoman for CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, which is host to the collider. In the coming months, the collider is expected to begin smashing particles into each other by sending two beams of protons around the tunnel in opposite directions. It will operate at higher energies and intensities in the next year, and the experiments could generate enough data to make a discovery by 2009, experts say. Check out the collider complex's six detectors » . Testing the unknown . Experts say the collider has the potential to confirm theories about questions that physicists have been working on for decades including the possible existence of extra dimensions. They also hope to find a theoretical particle called the Higgs boson, which has never been detected, but would help explain why matter has mass. The collider will recreate the conditions of less than a millionth of a second after the Big Bang, when there was a hot \"soup\" of tiny particles called quarks and gluons, to look at how the universe evolved, said John Harris, U.S. coordinator for ALICE, a detector specialized to analyze that question. Since this is exploratory science, the collider may uncover surprises that contradict prevailing theories, but which are just as interesting, said Joseph Lykken, theoretical physicist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. \"When Columbus sails west, he thought he was going to find something. He didn't find what he thought he was going to find, but he did find something interesting,\" said Lykken, who works on the Compact Muon Solenoid, one of six experiments inside the collider complex. Why should the layperson care about this particular exploration? Years ago, when electrons were first identified, no one knew what they were good for, but they have since transformed our entire economy, said Howard Gordon, deputy research program manager for the collider's ATLAS experiment. \"The transformative effect of this research will be to understand the world we live in much better,\" said Gordon, at Brookhaven National Laboratory. \"It's important for just who we are, what we are.\" Black hole fears are \"baloney\" Fears have emerged that the collider could produce black holes that could suck up anything around them -- including the whole Earth. Such fears prompted legal actions in the U.S. and Europe to halt the operation of the Large Hadron Collider, alleging safety concerns regarding black holes and other phenomena that could theoretically emerge. Although physicists acknowledge that the collider could, in theory, create small black holes, they say they do not pose any risk. A study released Friday by CERN scientists explains that any black hole created would be tiny, and would not have enough energy to stick around very long before dissolving. Five collider collaborators who did not pen the report independently told CNN there would be no danger from potential black holes. John Huth, who works on the collider's ATLAS experiment, called such fears \"baloney\" in a recent interview, and noted that in normal physics, even if the black hole were stable, it could just pass through the Earth without being detected or without interacting at all. \"The gravitational force is so weak that you'd have to wait many, many, many, many, many lifetimes of the universe before one of these things could [get] big enough to even get close to being a problem,\" said Huth, professor of physics at Harvard University. At the scene . When visiting the general-purpose detectors CMS and ATLAS at the Large Hadron Collider, Lykken said he was awed that 30,000 tons of electronics would have to work without anyone fiddling with them all the time. \"It just blows you away to look at these things and realize they're not only incredibly complex and huge, but they have to actually work,\" he said. \"They have to work without people banging on them all day because they're sitting underground all by themselves.\" With twice as much iron as the Eiffel Tower, CMS will run at full power for the first time in conjunction with the first beam test Wednesday, Lykken said. The magnet serves to bend particles, whizzing by at almost the speed of light, to figure out what kind of particles they are. Although the detector's parts weigh thousands of tons, in previous trials of CMS at lower power, the magnet actually yanked certain parts around because of its power, Lykken said. \"You're talking about such incredible power inside both the accelerator and detectors that you never really know until you turn it all on what's going to happen,\" he said. Scientists around the world are pumped for the first beam. Fermilab, the high energy physics lab in Batavia, Illinois, and major collaborator on the Large Hadron Collider, will be host of a \"pajama party\" at 1:30 a.m. CT that includes a live connection to CERN to follow the action. Cousins believes that because the collider pushes the frontiers of science and technology, it would be \"amazingly impressive if it works the first try,\" he said in a phone interview from CERN. Any little disturbance of the magnetic field anywhere in the tunnel could stop the beam from making it all the way around. Still, after a 25-year wait, he's not complaining. \"I personally will be fine if there's some problem that has to be overcome in the next few days,\" he said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Large Hadron Collider will have first attempt at circulating a beam September 10 .\nIt's the largest particle accelerator in the world and costs about $10 billion .\nLawsuits allege it could generate black holes that could eat the Earth .\nScientists say these allegations have no merit ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Hamburg have put one foot in the UEFA Cup final after a header from Germany winger Piotr Trochowski proved enough to give them a 1-0 win at Bundesliga rivals Werder Bremen in the first leg of their semifinal. Piotr Trochowski celebrates the only goal as Hamburg took a major step towards the UEFA Cup final. Martin Jol's side scored the only goal of a pulsating match in the 38th minute when Trochowski, the smallest player on the pitch, rose superbly at the back post to head Guy Demel's right-wing cross past goalkeeper Tim Wiese. Both side had countless half-chances to score but Hamburg wasted the best of them on the hour mark when Bayern Munich-bound striker Ivica Olic broke through in acres of space, but fired his shot straight at Wiese. Hamburg's victory puts them on line for their first European final since 1983, when they beat Juventus 1-0 to win the European Cup. This was the second of four matches in quick succession between the north Germany neighbors -- who met each other in the German Cup last week and will play the return leg of the semifinal next Thursday before a Bundesliga clash on Sunday May 10. And the result was sweet revenge for Hamburg, who saw Wiese save three penalties in last week's shoot-out as Werder knocked their rivals out of the German Cup, also at the semifinal stage. The eventual winners will play either Shakhtar Donetsk or Dynamo Kiev in May's Istanbul final." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hamburg in line for first European final since 1983 after defeating Werder 1-0 .\nWinger Piotr Trochowski heads in the only goal of their UEFA Cup semifinal .\nEventual winners will face Shakhtar Donetsk or Dynamo Kiev in Istanbul final ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "SPRUCE PINE, North Carolina (CNN) -- Like most parents, Vickie and Keith Murdock worry about providing for their family. With three teenage daughters, that can be a big challenge, but these days it's more difficult than ever. Keith and Vickie Murdock retrained for new jobs after suffering layoffs. But they remain unemployed. Vickie and Keith are both out of work. They live in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, a tiny mountain town about an hour's drive northeast of Asheville that has lost more than 2,000 jobs since 2003. That's a devastating number, given that Mitchell County's 2000 Census population was only 15,687. Keith was laid off in 2001, when a textile mill closed. He had worked there for 13 years. He did what all the experts say to do: He went back to school, got his GED and retrained to be an auto body mechanic. After graduation, he found a job at nearby Altec Industries. But again, he was laid off in January. Today, he spends his time looking for work. Keith said \"everybody you talk to\" tells him, \" 'well, we're not hiring. We ain't got nothing open right now.' \" Vickie has suffered her own layoff. She lost her job in 2006 when furniture maker Ethan Allen closed its plant in the area. She decided to retrain and will graduate from the local community college in May as a certified medical assistant. Vickie hopes to get a job at a local clinic, but jobs are hard to come by in this area. Major industries, including textile manufacturing, furniture making and mining, have downsized or left the area completely. The Rev. Bill Sweetser works with Shepherd's Staff, a local food pantry. He says workers there are seeing three times as many clients as they did just last year. Watch how the Murdocks have struggled against the bad economy » . The food bank is in an old textile mill that just a few years ago was one of the largest employers in Mitchell County. Now, former workers come there for assistance. \"Right now, I would say we're barely keeping up,\" Sweetser said. \"Our policy is that everybody who comes in will get something. Sometimes we're out of certain staples. ... It may not be the food you want to give them, it may not be the food they necessarily prefer, but we give them something.\" Community leaders are hoping a focus on promoting mountain crafts and tourism and a growing second home market will spur an economic revitalization. Keith Holtsclaw runs Blue Ridge Regional Hospital, one of the area's largest employers, and heads the county's economic development commission. \"I just don't see manufacturing coming back into the community,\" he said. \"We have to work with what we've got. We have lots of artists here. We are great, we're on the Blue Ridge Parkway, we're on the Appalachian Trail ... so we need to play to our strengths.\" Until that economic revitalization happens, Vickie and Keith Murdock are living off unemployment benefits and hoping to find work soon. Vickie tries to calm her anxiety about the everyday costs of life. \"We think that when we get to worrying how we are gonna pay for this,\" she said, \"it's like the Lord makes a way.\" For the Murdock family and this community, a new way to stimulate the local economy is desperately needed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Spruce Pine, N.C., has lost 2,000 jobs in a county of about 15,600 residents .\nSome laid-off workers have retrained, only to lose their jobs again .\nClosed factory that employed thousands has become a food bank .\nCommunity leaders hope to revitalize economy by attracting tourists ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NEW YORK (CNN) -- New York's iconic Plaza Hotel will lose a figure nearly as synonymous with it as Eloise when its longest-serving doorman retires Thursday after 46 years on the job. Ed Trinka, whose retirement coincides with his 65th birthday, joined the hotel 1963. Ed Trinka, whose retirement coincides with his 65th birthday, joined the hotel's staff in 1963 as a teenager. He spent 40 years at the fabled lodging's Fifth Avenue entrance, relocating to its doorway facing Central Park South during the property's renovation and partial conversion to condominiums several years ago. Now as much a Central Park South fixture as the horse-drawn carriages that line the park's southern perimeter, the gregarious Trinka is known as the \"mayor of 59th Street.\" On a recent afternoon, he seemed to know every other passerby, exchanging a constant stream of hellos with chauffeurs and doormen from adjacent tony apartment buildings and, of course, the Plaza's residents. Over his more than four decades manning the Plaza's entrance, Trinka has met countless celebrities -- or \"all of them,\" as he puts it. After his first celebrity encounter at the hotel with the Beatles, he's catered to a long procession of big names, including Joe DiMaggio, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Liza Minnelli. Marla Maples, ex-wife of one-time Plaza owner Donald Trump, would regularly peck Trinka on the cheek when she saw him. Trinka says he has an autographed photo of Richard Nixon -- a token of gratitude from the former president -- hanging on proud display at his home. Trinka says he has thoroughly enjoyed his lengthy stay at the portal to history and glamour. \"I never had a bad day in all the years.\" Nonetheless, with all those years at the hotel under his belt, Trinka felt it was time to \"bow out gracefully.\" As he transitions to retirement, Trinka says he'll miss the front-row view of Central Park and the hotel's clientele -- the \"greatest people in the world.\" He also concedes he'll miss \"the women.\" The building's inhabitants are not eager for his departure. \"He's a gentleman, refined -- you don't find these people anymore,\" lamented resident Joan Spain. Trinka's replacement, Jimmy O'Connell, is keenly aware of the large shoes he'll have to fill, saying he'd be satisfied if he \"could be half the doorman\" Trinka is. The hotel will bid farewell to Trinka in characteristically grand fashion on Thursday afternoon. After a champagne send-off in the hotel's landmarked Oak Room, its management will present him with an opportunity to view the Plaza from the vantage point of the countless guests he's greeted over the years: He'll be given a free stay at the hotel. In addition to a trove of anecdotes about celebrities, Trinka acquired something else during his tenure at the Plaza: a new name. Years ago, the hotel gave him a nametag that mistakenly read Edward, even though his full name is Edwin. He came to embrace the errant nametag, neglecting to correct people when they called him Edward and even naming his own son Edward." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Ed Trinka, who joined the hotel in 1963, turns 65 and retires after 46 years on the job .\nThe gregarious Trinka is known as the \"mayor of 59th Street\"\nDoorman gets a free stay at the hotel as part of his retirement gift ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NEW YORK (CNN) -- The mother of a 17-year-old girl who disappeared while on spring break in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has identified her daughter on grainy hotel surveillance video. Brittanee Marie Drexel's mother on Friday confirmed it was her daughter seen in a hotel surveillance video. \"When I saw her profile it was confirmed,\" Dawn Drexel said Friday on \"Nancy Grace.\" Drexel's daughter, Brittanee, was last seen on Saturday, several days after she traveled to Myrtle Beach against her mother's wishes. In the video, a girl wearing shorts and flip-flops walks in and later out of the doors of a hotel on Saturday evening. Brittanee Drexel supposedly was on her way to meet friends at another hotel nearby. Watch her mom talk about spotting her » . Meanwhile, Myrtle Beach Police reportedly have shifted some search efforts about 40 miles to Georgetown County, based on tips. But there is still no sign of the high school junior from Rochester, New York. Dawn Drexel said she had forbidden her daughter to go to Myrtle Beach, a popular destination for high school and college spring break. But Brittanee and her friends apparently drove the 850 miles to the coastal city anyway. Drexel said her daughter had about $100 with her. Although they stayed in touch by phone and spoke on Saturday, Drexel said she believed the girl was calling from Rochester when she was actually in Myrtle Beach. Drexel has now gone to the city where her daughter was last seen, helping in the search for Brittanee. \"We're going to all of the businesses and restaurants on Ocean Boulevard,\" Drexel said, but she admitted that she is concerned something may have happened to her daughter. \"I just have a gut feeling that because the stories don't match, things aren't making sense to me,\" Drexel said, referring to reported contradictions in the information Brittanee's friends have given police. Authorities have not named any suspects or persons of interest in the case." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Mom confirms that her daughter is the girl seen in a hotel surveillance video .\nBrittanee Drexel, 17, was last seen Saturday in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina .\nDawn Drexel tells CNN she forbade daughter to go to resort city during spring break .\nMom has arrived in Myrtle Beach to assist police in search for her daughter." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Swine flu may be inspiring fear worldwide, but for Stephan Zielinski of San Francisco, California, it inspired a song. The genes underlying swine flu inspired one amateur musician to compose music based on it. The virus has the classification H1N1 because it includes two key viral proteins, hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). Zielinski took the genetic sequence of a variant of hemagglutinin and created a computer algorithm to turn it into music. Zielinski, 41, is not a biochemist or a professional musician -- he's a writer, photographer, computer programmer, and blogger who creates music in his spare time. But he's fascinated that, even though biologists can map the genome of the virus and predict what the hemagglutinin protein looks like, the human body still cannot distinguish it as the \"bad guy\" -- at least, not until there's a vaccine. Listen to the song . \"Although the map is there and you can even make a song out of it, we can't explain it to these itty bitty little cells in body,\" he said. Using computer programs he created himself, as well as a commercial product, Zielinski composed his song by assigning instruments and musical notes to various properties of the protein. Zielinski took the various categories of amino acids, the building blocks of the protein, and assigned each a different instrument -- piano, organ, low synthesizer, percussion. The melody was created by assigning notes to specific amino acids. Each beat of the song also corresponds to one of numerous amino acids. The work was done entirely with a computer and took about six hours Tuesday, he said. Learn more about swine flu » . He first learned of the sequence through an immunologist friend at the Mayo Clinic, he said. Zielinski saw it as a form of highly organized information that a human did not design. \"The only way I could look at that and make sense of it, since I'm not a biochemist, was, well, I could try translating it into another very organized form of information that people do, and then see if I could hear anything. And the answer, of course, turned out to be no.\" But even if the mystery of the virus did not reveal itself in musical form, the result is a curiously melodic, innovative, somewhat soothing work. Dr. Jay Steinberg, infectious disease specialist at Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta, Georgia, called it \"nice ambient music\" that's reminiscent of Brian Eno. Less methodical swine flu songs are also emerging on YouTube. User \"CelicaAaron\" parodies the Jonas Brothers' song \"Lovebug,\" crooning, \"I can't get your snout out of my mouth / I'm sick to my stomach all the time.\" A short spoken-word effort by user \"Micfri\" warns, \"You know who has swine flu? Pigs!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Stephan Zielinski composed a song based on a swine flu gene .\nHe created an algorithm that assigns instruments and notes to amino acids .\nYouTube users are also posting swine flu songs ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (CNN) -- Investigators are trying to determine what caused the crash of an airplane with a good safety record, flown by a well-respected airline, at one of the world's most modern airports. One of the casualties is taken from the crash site. At least nine people were killed and 55 injured when the Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 crashed Wednesday in a field near Amsterdam's main airport, splitting into three parts, officials said. It is too early to determine the cause of the crash but the flight data and voice recorders have been recovered, said Michel Bezuijen, acting mayor of Haarlemmermeer municipality, which is home to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. He said investigators still need to determine what, if anything, the pilots said in the moments before the crash. The injured included both crew and passengers, he said. The names of the dead and injured will not be released before Thursday, Bezuijen said. \"It will take more time. Probably tomorrow afternoon we can tell you about the identity of the victims, including the fatalities,\" he said. Another official said earlier that both pilots and an apprentice pilot are among the dead. \"There are still three crew members in the cabin,\" said Bob Steensma of the Dutch Justice Department. \"I'm sorry to say they are dead. We leave them there because we have to investigate the cockpit before we take the cockpit apart.\" Turkish Airlines said earlier the plane was carrying 134 people -- 127 passengers and seven crew members. Six people were critically injured, Ineke Van Der Zande of Amsterdam Emergency Services told reporters at a briefing. Watch aerials from the crash site » . Twenty-five passengers were severely injured, she said, and 24 were lightly injured. Some 60 ambulances transported 84 people to 11 hospitals throughout the region, she said. There was no word on injuries to the others who were transported. Witnesses said they saw the nose of the plane pitch up suddenly before the crash, according to RTL journalist Greg Crouch. The plane broken into three pieces. One break was in front of the wing, splitting the \"Turkish\" logo in two, and a larger break was farther back along the fuselage. Most of the injured were seated toward the back of the plane, which sustained the most damage, a passenger on the plane told Turkish station NTV. Many of the passengers simply walked off the plane through the cracks in the fuselage, witnesses said. A passenger on the plane who spoke to Turkish network DHA said he saw injured people trapped and squeezed between the seats when he walked out. iReport: Send your videos, stories . Flight 1951 was arriving at Schiphol from Istanbul, Turkey, when it went down around 10:40 a.m. (4:40 a.m. ET). It came to rest in a farmer's field about 500 yards short of the runway, near the major A9 highway. Crouch said the weather at the time was partly sunny with no wind or rain. No fire broke out after the crash, Bezuijen said. Watch how Twitter was first to report the crash » . A bank manager who was a passenger on the plane told NTV that there were no emergency announcements. The crew's last word to the cabin was an announcement to fasten their seat belts and prepare for landing, the bank manager said. He said he felt the pilot giving more power to the engines before feeling \"turbulence,\" then a sudden drop. He described the crash as similar to a sudden impact that was over in a matter of seconds. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a team of investigators to Amsterdam to assist in the crash investigation. The Boeing 737-800 is a reliable aircraft that has been successful and safe in service, said aviation expert Kieran Daly of Air Transport Intelligence. \"They really are pretty much state-of-the-art airlines with every imaginable technical benefit the industry has come up with over the years,\" Daly told CNN. \"You would be optimistic that they would be quite survivable in an accident.\" Daly said Turkish Airlines, a national carrier, has a \"very good record.\" Turkish Airlines said it has 52 Boeing 737-800s in its fleet. They can carry as many as 165 passengers each, it said. Before Wednesday, the airline's last accident was of a small commuter jet in 2003, Daly said. It was a fatal crash that happened at a remote airfield in southeastern Turkey, he said. \"Their mainline operation is safe,\" Daly said. \"Their pilots are well thought of.\" Worldwide, there have been two fatal commercial airline crashes this year. The last previous fatal incident at the Amsterdam airport happened in April 1994 when a KLM aircraft crashed as it tried to return to Schiphol shortly after takeoff. Three of the 24 passengers and crew members on board were killed. CNN's Ivan Watson in Istanbul, Turkey, contributed to this report ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Mayor says too early to determine cause of Wednesday's plane crash .\nInvestigators find data and voice recorders from Turkish Airlines Boeing 737 .\nAt least nine of the 134 people on board died; 55 wounded; six critical .\nAccident involved respected airline and modern airport in good weather ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sheila Wash greets her son and daughter, 13-year-old Cecil and 9-year-old Sheliah, every day when their school buses arrive \"home.\" Sheila Wash says being homeless has been an \"eye-opening experience\" for her. They talk about the school day, their homework and even joke that Sheliah can't remember what she ate for lunch. The fourth-grader wonders aloud, \"What did we have? We had something good.\" But it's hardly a homecoming for any of them. The Wash family has been homeless since 2007, after Sheila lost her government job. She says unemployment benefits quickly ran out and, as she searched for a job, the family was forced to move six times in the last two years. They're now living in the Family Forward Shelter in Washington. \"I just thank God we have a roof over our head right now. You have to accept the things that come to you. You don't like them but, you know, until you can get your foot forward, you do what you have to do. We just keep going,\" Wash said. Wash's situation was only made worse as the economic recession set in. Jobs became harder and harder to find with more competition for each position. She says she's still searching. The Washes are part of the changing face of homelessness in America today. For years, homelessness has been depicted as that of an individual man or woman living on the street and begging for money. But with the perfect storm of the foreclosure crisis and the faltering economy, more and more families are becoming homeless. According to a recent count by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the number of homeless families in the Washington region alone has jumped 15 percent since last year. There are several national estimates of homelessness, but many are dated or based on dated information. TheU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development points to a study done in 2007 -- before the brunt of the foreclosure crisis hit --which stated that about 3.5 million people, 1.35 million of them children, are likely to experience homelessness in a given year. That study was conducted by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty . \"People lose their jobs. Their monthly household expenses spiral out of control because maybe their car broke down that month, and when you have such a tight budget with high rental costs, there is no room for error. And so that is what really leads families to the shelter door,\" said Mary Cunningham, author of \"Preventing and Ending Homelessness - Next Steps.\" Reflecting on their struggles over the last few years, Sheila calls it \"eye-opening.\" \"It's like they say you never know [someone] until you walk in their shoes, so truly I know now and if I ever get out [of] this situation, I will always give back to people less fortunate than I am because I know their struggles,\" Wash said. School officials in Prince George's County, Maryland, where the two Wash children go to school, say a day doesn't go by without the need to enroll another child as homeless. Denise Ross, supervisor for the school district's Homeless Education Office, said they've been inundated with requests. \"Some of them are embarrassed, some of them are scared, some of them are sad. They're just not sure what's going to happen next,\" Ross said. \"Students who are displaced or homeless students feel that school is a safe haven. They really want to come to school. They really want to attend school.\" For homeless students, Prince George's County Schools offers free transportation to and from school, free breakfast and lunch, help with school supplies and also clothing. \"Either in the shuffle of being evicted or moving from shelter to shelter or place to place, their clothes may not have followed them. Or may have been set out and somebody may have taken them. So they may only have [the] clothes that are on their back. Our intent is always to provide them with at least three complete sets,\" Ross said. Sheila Wash says school is not only important because of her children's education, but it has also been an important source of stability in their lives. \"[A] very big help,\" she says. And help they still need with the obstacles ahead. Watch Kate Bolduan's report on the Washes' plight » . The Family Forward Shelter is a hypothermia shelter, only open through the winter, which means the Wash family needs to find another temporary home, and they haven't had much luck. But with a smile that seems to never fade, 9-year-old Sheliah describes the one wish that keeps her family going. \"I wish we had a house with a car,\" she says. \"I pray that my mom, that we wake up in the morning and that [we] get a house and everything we wanted.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sheila Wash and her two kids have been homeless since 2007, after she lost her job .\nSchool officials in the Washes' district say more of their students are homeless .\nAuthor: Having \"no room for error\" on finances often sends families to shelter door .\nBy one count, homelessness in the D.C. area has jumped by 15% over last year ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- At least four people died when a tour bus crashed Tuesday on the Pacific Coast Highway, California Highway Patrol spokesman Brian Wiest said. The crashed bus is on its side across the southbound lanes. \"There were people ejected,\" Wiest said. Highway 101 near Soledad, California, was closed in both directions for about 2½ hours after the crash, which injured 38 people, authorities said. The highway patrol later opened the northbound lanes, using one for northbound traffic and the other for southbound traffic. The crashed bus was on its side across the southbound lanes. The bus belongs to Orion Pacific, a charter service that provides trips \"across the USA and around the world,\" according to its Web site. No one answered CNN's call to Orion Pacific. At least some of the passengers on the bus were French, said Jacques de Noray, spokesman for the French consulate in San Francisco. The Soledad Fire Department said 12 ambulances and seven helicopters were dispatched to the scene. The California Highway Patrol said the crash took place at about 3:23 p.m. while the bus was en route from San Francisco to Santa Maria, about 230 miles down the coast. Soledad is about halfway between the two cities. The cause of the crash had not been determined." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Highway 101 near Soledad, California, closed in both directions .\n12 ambulances, 7 helicopters dispatched to the scene .\nThe cause of the crash has not been determined ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former congressman and Republican vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp died Saturday at age 73 after a battle with cancer, his family announced. Jack Kemp, a former congressman from New York, was the GOP's vice presidential candidate in 1996. A onetime professional football player, Kemp served nine terms in Congress as a representative from New York and was former Sen. Bob Dole's running mate in 1996. He was a leading advocate of \"supply-side\" tax cuts, advancing the argument that cutting taxes would boost economic growth and yield more revenue for the federal government. \"The only way to oppose a bad idea is to replace it with a good idea, and I like to think that I have spent my life trying to promote good ideas,\" he told CNN in a 1996 interview. Kemp \"passed peacefully into the presence of the Lord\" Sunday evening, a family statement said. He disclosed his illness in January. Watch . \"During the treatment of his cancer, Jack expressed his gratitude for the thoughts and prayers of so many friends, a gratitude which the Kemp family shares,\" the family said. Watch how Jack Kemp made transition from football to politics » . Kemp quarterbacked the Buffalo Bills to back-to-back American Football League championships in 1964 and 1965, before the merger that created the modern NFL. When he retired in 1970 after 13 seasons, the California native ran for Congress and represented the Buffalo area for 18 years in the House of Representatives. View photos of Jack Kemp's life » . \"He championed free-market principles that improved the lives of millions of Americans and helped unleash an entrepreneurial spirit that all of us still benefit from today,\" Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said in a statement issued late Saturday. The 1981 tax cuts signed into law by Ronald Reagan, which cut marginal tax rates from 70 percent to 50 percent, bore Kemp's name as a co-sponsor. Critics mocked the policy as \"trickle-down\" economics and pointed to the decade's growing budget deficits as evidence that supply-side theories didn't work, but it has been GOP orthodoxy ever since. Kemp mounted an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1988, losing the Republican primaries to George H.W. Bush. But once in office, Bush made Kemp his secretary of housing and urban development -- a post Kemp used to promote what he called an \"empowerment\" agenda of tax breaks for urban businesses and expanded home ownership. iReport.com: Share your memories of Kemp . Unlike many of the other conservatives of his era, Kemp actively courted African-American support. In 1992, he told CNN's \"Larry King Live\" that the GOP \"could be a Lincoln party in terms of attracting black and brown and men and women of color and low-income status and immigrant status who want a shot at the American dream for their children.\" CNN Political Director Sam Feist contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jack Kemp, former congressman and vice presidential candidate, dies at 73 .\nKemp announced in January he was battling cancer .\nBefore politics, Kemp was a professional football quarterback .\nKemp also served as secretary of housing and urban development (1989-1993)" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Editor's note: Mark Gendreau, MD, is senior staff physician and vice chairman of emergency medicine at Lahey Clinic, Burlington, Massachusetts, and assistant professor of emergency medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. His interests include health issues associated with commercial air travel, including transmission of infectious diseases. Dr. Mark Gendreau says swine flu is focusing attention on how to avoid getting a disease while traveling by air. (CNN) -- The novel swine flu is showing the world just how interconnected we are and how commercial aircraft can serve as vehicles of rapid disease spread. I am frequently asked: What is the risk of catching an illness while flying? In a nutshell, the risk of getting an infection while you're in an enclosed space such as an airplane depends upon three factors: The infectiousness of the contagious person spreading the illness; the degree of your exposure (how close you are to the contagious person and for how long); and the ventilation of the space or passenger cabin. We really have no control over the infectiousness of our fellow passengers, and usually, you really don't have much of a choice about your seating partners. So the exposure is pure chance. But this doesn't mean that you are doomed. Most respiratory viral infectious diseases -- like influenza and the common cold -- transmit via droplets contaminated with the offending microorganism when the infectious person coughs or sneezes. These droplets are propelled no farther than 3 feet and can land on an inanimate object -- such as a seat, overhead bin or seat tray -- or on your body. This is why hand hygiene is so critical and is the single most significant thing you can do to protect yourself and your family when you are traveling or out in public. Study after study shows marked reductions in transmission in public spaces when hand hygiene is practiced, and a recent study found nearly undetectable influenza particle levels after hands contaminated with influenza were washed with either soap and water or an over-the-counter gel containing at least 50 percent alcohol. Sanitize your hands before eating, drinking and after retrieving something from the overhead bin or returning from the restroom, and you have just cut your chances of getting infected by at least 40 percent. One of my disappointments with the airline industry is its lack of providing alcohol-based hand sanitizers to passengers. Such a service would go a long way in eliminating infection spread within aircraft. iReport.com: Have swine flu fears altered your travel plans? Ventilation is the final crucial element to consider in minimizing infection spread. Ventilation dilutes the concentration of infectious particles within any confined space, thereby reducing the probability of infection. Experience shows us that transmission becomes widespread within the passenger cabin involving all sections when the ventilation system is not working -- as evidenced by an influenza outbreak in 1979 involving passengers being kept aboard grounded aircraft with an inoperative ventilation system. Air circulation patterns aboard standard commercial aircraft are side-to-side (laminar), with air entering the cabin from overhead, circulating across the aircraft and exiting the cabin near the floor. Little to no front-to -back (longitudinal) airflow takes place. This air circulation pattern \"compartmentalizes\" the air flow into sections, thereby limiting the spread of airborne particles throughout the passenger cabin. Ventilation can involve either 100 percent fresh air in which outside air enters and leaves the cabin in a single pass or a system in which various fractions of air are recirculated from the aircraft cabin and mixed with fresh air. Most commercial aircraft in service recirculate 50 percent of the air delivered to the passenger cabin for improved control of cabin circulation, humidity and fuel efficiency. The recirculated air usually passes through high-efficiency particulate (HEPA) filters before delivery into the cabin. HEPA filtering of recirculated cabin air to minimize exposure to infectious particles is established within scientific literature, practiced daily in health care facilities and is strongly endorsed by the medical community and cabin health experts. However, oddly enough, the Federal Aviation Administration, its British counterpart, the Civil Aviation Authority, and Europe's Joint Aviation Authorities do not require the use of these filters on commercial airlines. Efforts to improve international regulations regarding the certification, inspection and maintenance of aircraft environmental control systems are needed. To minimize the risk of disease spread by aircraft, regulations requiring HEPA filters for any aircraft that uses recirculated air should be seriously considered. In the meantime, you can improve the ventilation at your seat by turning on the overhead air vent to low and positioning the airflow to be slightly in front of your face. This may create enough air turbulence to push a viral particle from landing on your face and mucous membranes. Finally, face masks are effective. In 2003, during the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic, 76 percent of Hong Kong residents wore simple masks, and in this case, mask use was associated with a lower incidence of SARS, as well as upper respiratory tract infections and influenza. A recent analysis of public health interventions used during the SARS epidemic suggests that the use of masks by the public was 68 percent effective in decreasing rates of infection, with simple face masks, and 91 percent effective for more sophisticated N95 face masks. The take-home message is this: Use a surgical mask when you are traveling to areas that have reported cases of swine flu and bring an additional one to give to anyone near you who forgot one or appears to be sick and is coughing or sneezing. Prevention of a disease outbreak is the most important means of control and requires a proactive approach. The aviation industry and medical community should better educate the general public about health issues related to air travel and infection control. The only way to eliminate any risk of cross-infection in the aircraft cabin -- or the rapid worldwide spread of an infectious agent -- is to prevent would-be passengers who are either substantially exposed to or carrying transmissible infections from flying. This needs to come from education and promoting individual responsibility, since the systematic screening of passengers for contagious diseases is impractical. Although thermal scanners used in airports may detect travelers with symptoms, they are not effective since people exposed to an infectious disease could travel without any signs or symptoms and yet still be infectious. The late Nobel Laureate Joshua Lederberg once said \"The microbe that felled one child in a distant continent yesterday can reach yours today, and seed a global pandemic tomorrow.\" True words. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Mark Gendreau." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Mark Gendreau: Swine flu is focusing attention on illness and air travel .\nHe says three things affect the likelihood of your getting sick from a plane trip .\nGendreau: Sick passengers, your exposure and ventilation are key factors .\nHe says using hand sanitizers on planes would help prevent spread ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The Humane Society has accused a federally funded primate center of mistreating chimpanzees and other primates, saying that some animals showed signs of psychosis and self-mutilation. New Iberia Research Center cages about 325 chimps on its 100 acres. It also has about 6,000 monkeys. The allegations against the New Iberia Research Center in Louisiana, which houses more than 6,500 primates, came after a nine-month undercover investigation. The center denies the allegations. \"We found animals living in isolation, exhibiting self-mutilating behavior, psychosis, all sorts of emotional and physical problems at this laboratory,\" Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle told CNN on Wednesday. The Humane Society's undercover investigator, who worked as a laboratory technician with a hidden camera, revealed 338 violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act, which sets standards for the treatment of animals in labs, Pacelle said. The Humane Society posted some of its secret footage on its Web site. The footage includes an animal with what the group said was a self-inflicted wound, another animal jumping in circles in its cage, and chimpanzees screaming as lab technicians approached with a dart gun. The violations were filed in a 108-page complaint to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is required by law to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, the organization said. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he will order a thorough investigation of animal welfare practices at the facility. \"If the allegations prove to be true, the American public can expect the perpetrators to be held fully accountable. I take the protection of animals very seriously, and will do my utmost to fully enforce the Animal Welfare Act,\" he said in a written statement. The New Iberia Research Center, part of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, issued a statement saying that the videos \"distort acceptable standard procedures and incorrectly imply mistreatment of nonhuman primates at the New Iberia Research Center.\" It added: \"We take very seriously our responsibility to care for the animals housed at the center and to carry out biomedical research according to federal rules and regulations.\" The center further said it properly housed and cared for the animals. It also said it complies with regulations of the USDA, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Humane Society accused workers at New Iberia of hitting primates on the mouth, using \"painful\" dart guns and removing infant monkeys from their mothers. The Humane Society also said it had documented evidence of \"rampant\" breeding of government-owned chimpanzees. In 2007, the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Research Resources, following a 12-year moratorium, said it would no longer breed chimpanzees for research, citing financial reasons. The New Iberia Research Center has received more than $37 million in grants from the NIH, according to the center's Web site. The NIH said it has opened an investigation regarding the allegations and said it is working closely with the USDA. However, it said it could not comment on the allegations while its investigation is under way. \"The results will be available when the investigation is complete,\" the NIH said in a written statement. \"We are committed to the safety and welfare of all animals in research. All animals used in federally funded research are protected by laws, regulations, and policies to ensure they are used in the smallest numbers possible and with the greatest commitment to their comfort.\" Pacelle said the most serious issue was the self-mutilation and \"nonstop pacing and circling, psychosis and other abnormal behaviors.\" \"These are highly intelligent animals. They have a sense of self, they have a sense of past and future, they have the wide range of emotions that we have,\" he said. \"They should not be subjected to this long-term, decade-long isolation, and all these painful and physical procedures and the psychological torment in these laboratories.\" The New Iberia Research Center says it offers a \"broad range of diagnostic, laboratory, and human resources for the development and characterization of nonhuman primate models for applied and basic research aimed at promoting human quality of life.\" In its statement e-mailed to CNN, the center said it has made numerous contributions to public health improvements for the prevention and treatment of three forms of hepatitis, mumps, measles, chicken pox and mad cow disease. CNN's Bill Caiaccio and Taylor Gandossy contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Society says undercover investigation found animal psychosis, self-mutilation .\nCenter denies allegations, says it properly housed and cared for the animals .\nAgriculture secretary says he'll order investigation of facility's animal welfare practices .\nNew Iberia Research Center in Louisiana houses more than 6,500 primates ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- In radio broadcasts and sermons, Taliban militants have been promoting themselves as Islamic Robin Hoods, defending Pakistan's rural poor from a ruling elite that they describe as corrupt and oppressive. Mohammed Daoud, with his son Faisal, is among those who have embraced the Taliban's message. That message has been resonating throughout the Pakistani countryside, where the culture is deeply conservative and the people are desperately poor. In farmlands just 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the center of Islamabad, Mohammed Daoud and his 15-year-old son Faisal eke out a living by cutting grass for their four water buffalo. They feed their family of seven, earning the equivalent of around $50 a month by selling buffalo milk. Two months ago, Daoud said, the government bulldozed his family's house, probably because they were illegally squatting on property they did not own. \"Justice [in Pakistan] is only for people who have money,\" Daoud said, while slicing through handfuls of grass with a small scythe. \"We are illiterate,\" he added, \"but we are hoping that with Islamic sharia law, our lives will get better.\" Across this overwhelmingly Muslim country, there is widespread hope that adopting a strict code of law based on the Koran will transform a society where corruption is rampant and where at least a quarter of the population lives under the poverty line. Watch why the Taliban's message would resonate . Enforcement of sharia law is the platform the Taliban have been using to justify recent land-grabs, such as last week's armed occupation of the district of Buner, some 60 miles from the Pakistani capital. In an interview with CNN, Muslim Khan, the Taliban spokesman in the militant stronghold of Swat Valley, denounced the Pakistani government, calling the prime minister and lawmakers \"un-Islamic.\" \"They're making money like in a supermarket,\" Khan said, adding that under sharia law both the rich and the poor would be treated equally. Militants have slowly taken over territory in northwestern Pakistan by first targeting unpopular landlords and bureaucrats, according to Amnesty International, the human rights watchdog. \"Its systematic. The Taliban move into an area, they use local existing resentments. They often go in with the guise of being Robin Hoods,\" said Amnesty International representative Sam Zarifi. \"They scare away some local thieves, they impose very, very quick justice, very harsh justice, and initially in some places they are even welcomed.\" The Taliban's promise of Islamic justice would be welcomed in farm fields on the outskirts of Islamabad. Rows of wheat -- along with the posh villas of Pakistan's ruling elite -- are within sight of Islamabad's iconic white Faisal Mosque. \"In the present judicial system, even the innocent people are punished,\" said Sajeet Hussein, as he and a group of farmers shared lunch under the shade of a tree. The group explained that they were losing a court battle to stop the government from seizing their land, because they claimed they couldn't afford to bribe policemen and judges. \"Every part of the country should have sharia law, like in Saudi Arabia,\" said Hussein's brother Babar, who sported a long bushy beard. \"Then poor and rich people will be equal.\" \"We love the Taliban,\" announced one Pashtun farmer who asked not to be named. He called the militants heroes. Sports star-turned-politician Imran Khan summed up his response to the Taliban in Pakistan by saying, \"The poorer section of society is joining them...this is now developing into a battle between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots.' \"What the Taliban are giving them is cheap -- in fact, free -- accessible justice at the village level,\" he added. \"This is what Pakistan should be doing for its own people.\" But if farmer Babar Hussein has his way, Taliban justice would mean taking away freedoms from Pakistani women, like the right to have a driver's license. \"Women should not even come out of their houses. That's against Islam\" he said, while complaining about the un-Islamic fashions he saw women wearing in Islamabad. When Taliban militants overran Buner last week, they told women to stay indoors, warned men to stop shaving their beards, and threatened shopkeepers who sold movies and music. In Pakistan's rural society, male strangers are not even supposed look at local women. And yet, some farmers enjoy blaring Bollywood music and even dancing on trailers full of hay, while driving their gaudily-decorated tractors. If the Taliban's rural revolt succeeds, it could bring silence to the Pakistani countryside." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Amnesty International: Taliban first targets unpopular landlords, bureaucrats .\nTaliban spokesman in Swat Valley calls Pakistani government as \"un-Islamic\"\nIslamabad's Faisal Mosque surrounded by posh villas of Pakistan's ruling elite .\nImran Khan: Battle shaping up as one \"between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots' \"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- China has refused nine U.S. Navy ships and one Air Force jet entry to Hong Kong in the past month, U.S. military officials said Friday. China has refused the USS Reuben James, seen in a 1989 photo, a Christmas port call in Hong Kong. Senior Navy officials said that Beijing denied permission for the USS Reuben James, a Navy frigate, to make a holiday port call for sailors at the end of December. The rejection occurred last week, at the same time China refused to allow the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier battle group into Hong Kong for a Thanksgiving holiday port call. A U.S. Air Force C-17 flight that had been scheduled for a routine resupply of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong also was denied permission to enter, Navy officials said. The Kitty Hawk battle group was eventually granted permission to enter, but by then the ships were well on their way to port in Japan. Days earlier, China refused to give two U.S. Navy minesweepers safe harbor in Hong Kong during a storm on the high seas. The United States has filed a formal protest with China over the decisions. U.S. officials are baffled about the reason or reasons for the port call refusals. China recently has expressed concerns about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and President Bush's October presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. Watch China put the blame on the U.S. » . There is speculation that the Chinese may have been conducting military exercises that they didn't want the U.S. Navy to see. Others think the refusals may have been the result of a misunderstanding. Officials could not explain why the rejection of the Reuben James had not been disclosed before, even though reporters had repeatedly asked if there were any other pending port calls. One senior Navy official expressed dismay that the information had not been made public by the Pentagon. White House deputy spokesman Scott Stanzel told reporters the White House is \"aware\" of the latest refusals and referred reporters to the Pentagon. Stanzel said a \"clarification\" on the matter was being sought from Beijing. White House and other Bush administration officials have sought to defuse tensions with China, saying the United States wants to move ahead on broader issues of military cooperation. Navy officials, meanwhile, say Japan is tightening approvals for Chinese navy visits into its ports. Crew members from a Chinese ship making a port call in Japan may not be allowed to tour a Japanese Aegis warship. The U.S.-designed Aegis weapons system enables coordinated operations against threats from aircraft and missiles, surface ships and submarines. It is not clear if the Japanese decision was made at the request of the United States. E-mail to a friend ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: China wouldn't let U.S. Air Force jet land to resupply Hong Kong consulate .\nFrigate USS Reuben James not allowed to enter Hong Kong for port call .\nChina last week refused port call for USS Kitty Hawk battle group .\nTwo U.S. minesweepers denied safe harbor during storm ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The first person ever convicted in Idaho of knowingly spreading the HIV virus is facing new charges for the same offense, authorities said Thursday. An Ada County, Idaho, grand jury on Tuesday returned an indictment charging Kerry Thomas, 45, with seven counts of knowingly transferring the HIV virus, Jean Fisher, Ada County deputy prosecutor, told CNN. In 1990, Thomas was charged with four counts of HIV transmission and two counts of statutory rape, Fisher said. As part of a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty only to the rape charges. According to Fisher, Thomas received a 12-year sentence and had to serve three years before being eligible for parole. He was later granted early release. In 1996, however, Thomas was again charged with one count of HIV transmission, and a jury convicted him, Fisher said. He received a 15-year sentence with a seven-year minimum. Now out on parole, Thomas faces possible life in prison on the new charges because prosecutors are seeking his designation as a \"persistent violator.\" It was not immediately known whether Thomas was in custody Thursday. He was not listed online among the inmates in the Ada County Jail. Asked why Thomas would continue to spread the virus, which causes AIDS, Fisher said, \"That's the $64,000 question, for a person who has been to prison twice.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Kerry Thomas was indicted for second time for knowingly transferring HIV virus .\nIn 1990, Thomas was charged with four counts of HIV transmission .\nIf convicted, Thomas could face life in prison ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "BETHLEHEM, West Bank (CNN) -- Hundreds of Christians packed the Church of the Nativity on Thursday for a midnight Mass in what is thought to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ. A worshipper touches a star at the point where tradition says Jesus Christ was born in the Church of Nativity. The standing-room-only service included singing and organ music. There were also large crowds outside the church, one of the most sacred places in Christianity. So many people had flocked to the area this Christmas season that there were no rooms left at the inns and hotels in Bethlehem. Some took this as a sign that tourism in Bethlehem was on the upswing. Christmas is the one time of year when the West Bank's small, shrinking Christian communities show everyone else that they are still there. Before the midnight Mass, Palestinian scout groups representing Christians throughout the West Bank did as they always do on this day -- they marched, banging their drums loudly and, in a way, trying to make a point. Watch Bethlehem's Christmas celebrations » . The drumbeat has been heard by more and more people, locals say, as tourism has skyrocketed this year. \"This year, tourism is much better than last year -- we reached 1,250,000,\" said Victor Batarseh, the mayor of Bethlehem. \"All our hotels are full around Christmastime. We have 30,000 tourists coming in.\" Tourists in record numbers were on hand this year, braving an unusually cold, gray and windy day to watch the parade of drums and holiday songs. \"It's kind of neat to see it in the Middle East, and they're playing Christmas carols and the songs we know,\" said one American tourist. \"I'm loving it, it's just been an incredible atmosphere and just a wonderful learning experience,\" said another. The Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem also came to the birthplace of Jesus, as he does every Christmas Eve, allowed through normally tightly shut gates by Israeli troops. The heavy security is a testament to ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. \"My Christmas wish is that we will have real peace, based on justice and freedom,\" said Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian parliament member. \"My Christmas wish is that the justice that Jesus Christ gave his life for will happen sometime in his birthplace in Palestine.\" CNN's Ben Wedeman contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hundreds of Christians pack Church of the Nativity Thursday for midnight Mass .\nThe church is thought to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ .\nLarge crowds gathered outside the church -- one of Christianity's most sacred places ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Swiss super-combined world skiing champion Daniel Albrecht was airlifted to hospital after a sickening crash on Kitzbuehel's Streif course on Thursday. Albrecht nose-dives down Kitzbuehel's Streif course after crashing during training for a World Cup downhill. Albrecht, who was said to have suffered concussion and bruising to a lung, was in training for the weekend's World Cup downhill at the Austrian venue when he lost control approaching the bottom of the run. The 25-year-old received lengthy treatment on the slopes before being flown to hospital at St. Johann, where he regained consciouness before being put in an induced coma. An induced coma puts the brain in hibernation so it can recuperate and allows swelling in the brain to ease. Helmuth Obermoser, the official race doctor, said in a brief statement that Albrecht had bleeding on the brain and a lung contusion. Albrecht took the season's opening giant slalom at Solden in October and scored a second victory and fourth of his career two months later in Alta Badia, Italy, where he became the first Swiss winner in 10 years. Thursday's fall came on a similar section at Kitzbuehel that saw American Scott Macartney suffer head injuries in a crash last season -- an episode that led officials to make changes to the course." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Daniel Albrecht is airlifted to hospital after a sickening accident at Kitzbuehel .\nSuper-combined world skiing champion was training for a World Cup downhill .\nSwiss Albrecht was airlifted to hospital after lengthy treatment on the slopes ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LONDON, England (CNN) -- From ancient Phoenician galleys to 21st century super yachts, a lot has changed about the way people travel the high seas over the centuries. The Mirabella V, built in 2003, is the world's biggest single-masted sailing yacht, with a mast that is nearly 300 ft tall. Whether it's one intrepid \"micro-yachtsman\" navigating the Atlantic in a boat the size of a bathtub, or an elite racing team shattering world records in a state-of-the-art catamaran, these voyages all have one thing in common: they have altered the way mankind looks at the world. MainSail takes a look at the ships, and the revolutionaries they carried on their way. Voyage of the Beagle . When: 1831 Who: Naturalist Charles Darwin Where: Galapagos Islands The boat: The HMS Beagle was a 90 ft, 10-gun former British Navy warship built in 1820. The ship was repurposed and commissioned for civilian exploration voyages in 1825. How long: Five years Legacy: Aboard the HMS Beagle, Darwin collected specimens and began to develop his theories of evolution, which would later crystallize in \"The Origin of Species.\" Columbus discovers the New World . When: 1492 Who: Italian explorer Christopher Columbus Where: From Spain to the Caribbean The boats: The Santa Maria was a 70 ft, three-masted ship built from pine and oak, that could carry 40 men. The Nina and the Pinta were both smaller, nimbler boats with triangle-shaped masts better for navigating tricky waterways. The square-sail Santa Maria ran aground in modern-day Haiti on Christmas Day 1492. Legacy: Searching for a new way into the East Indies spice route, it was aboard these three ships that Columbus unintentionally discovered the Caribbean. 'Micro-yachtsman' crosses the Atlantic in miniature boat . When: 1993 Who: American Hugo Vihlen Where: Across the North Atlantic, from Newfoundland to Cornwall, England The boat: The Father's Day, the world's tiniest sailboat at a length of 5 ft 4 in, was so small that Vihlen had to roll up into a ball to sleep, and couldn't stand up without opening the hatch and risk taking on water. Likened to a space shuttle, the boat is made from fiberglass-enclosed Airex foam and was fitted with GPS, a water maker, VHF radio and SSB/Ham radio. Legacy: Aboard the Father's Day, Vihlen became the world's first \"micro-yachtsman,\" but it wasn't all smooth sailing -- the boat was surrounded by whales, nearly capsized, and caught the tail end of a hurricane during its 105-day voyage. What world-changing voyages would you add to our list? Sound Off below . Magellan navigates Cape Horn . When: 1519 Who: Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan Where: Around the world bypassing Cape Horn, South America via a narrow strait The boat: Given to Magellan by King Charles I of Spain, The Victoria was the only one of five ships to complete the trip successfully. Only 18 of its original 237 crew members survived and the ship was so badly damaged it was only kept afloat by the crew continuously pumping water out of the hull. How long: Three years Legacy: During the first ever circumnavigation of the world Magellan discovered a shortcut through a waterway in the southern tip of Chile, which helped sailors to avoid the almost continuous ocean storms off Cape Horn. The voyage also established the need for an international date line -- as the explorers found upon return that their calendars were one day off. Pilgrims sail to Plymouth Rock . When: 1620 Who: The Pilgrims Where: From England to Plymouth Rock The boat: Primarily used as a cargo ship, in this instance the Mayflower, which was estimated to be between 90 and 110 ft, was used to transport 102 English separatists. How long: Two months Legacy: Half the Pilgrims died during the first winter on the Mayflower, but, in America, the ship continues to be a symbol of the bold English separatists who would encounter great hardships while they explored, and established colonies the modern-day U.S. east coast. Cook charts the Pacific . When: 1772-1775, 1778-1780 Who: English cartographer and explorer Captain James Cook Where: Pacific Ocean, Antarctic Circle The boat: Called \"the fittest ship for service I have ever seen\" by Cook, the HMS Resolution was fitted with the most advanced technology of the day, including an \"Azimuth compass,\" an ice anchor, a fresh water distiller, and 24 guns and small cannons. How long: Five years Legacy: Cook charted maps of the Pacific so accurate that many were still used up until 50 years ago, and proved the nonexistence of the mythical \"Terra Australis\" continent believed to exist in the south Pacific. In the process, the HMS Resolution became the first ship to cross the Antarctic Circle. First solo circumnavigation of the globe . When: 1895 Who: Canadian sailor Joshua Slocum Where: From Boston to Rhode Island The boat: Given as a gift to Slocum in 1892, the rotting 36 ft vessel, The Spray, the sailor restored it for \"$553.62, and 13 months of my own labor.\" How long: Three years Legacy: Slocum became the first person in history to successfully circumnavigate the world solo upon his return to Rhode Island in June 1898, inspiring generations of sailors to come. Yacht with tallest mast ever sets sail . When: Built in 2003 Who: Owned by American Joe Vittoria, former CEO of Avis Where: From Portsmouth, England to the Mediterranean Sea The boat: With an overall length of 247 ft, the Mirabella V is the largest single-masted boat in the world. The super-yacht's unprecedented mast extends up nearly 300 ft into the sky, and its main sail is over 16,000 sq ft -- the biggest in the world. Legacy: No expense was spared in the construction of Vittoria's luxurious yacht, which cost over $50 million to build. The Mirabella V spends her winters in the Carribean, her summers in the Mediterranean, and can be rented for around $400,000 per week -- but one tip: there isn't a single bridge in the world that the yacht can sail underneath. Phoenicians build empire on the seas When: 1200-600 B.C. Who: Expert sailors of Phoenicia's maritime empire Where: Mediterranean Sea The boats: The Phoenicians improved upon the galley -- the ancient ship powered by rows of human oarsmen -- by inventing the \"bireme,\" a galley propelled by a second row of oars. Legacy: Through their skillful use ships to trade valuable Tyrian purple dyes, the seafaring Phoenicians -- who could be considered the world's first \"global capitalists\" -- built a maritime empire from Spain to the Middle East that dominated commercial trade in the Mediterranean for the better part of a millennium. Fastest circumnavigation of the globe . When: 2005 Who: French yachtsman Bruno Peyron Where: Around the world The boat: The Orange II, a 121 ft \"maxicat,\" a catamaran designed for ocean racing, with super heavy-duty sails that can withstand prolonged exposure to heavy winds. How long: 50 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes and four seconds Legacy: The Orange II shattered the previous world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe by nearly eight days -- and Peyron and his 12-man crew currently hold the Jules Verne Trophy, the prize given to the world's fastest circumnavigators." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The Pilgrims' voyage on the Mayflower to Plymouth Rock in 1620 .\nCharles Darwin's evolutionary discoveries on the HMS Beagle in 1831 .\nHugo Vihlen's \"micro-yacht\" crossing of the Atlantic in 1993 ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- An overcompetitive parent gets into an argument with a stubborn coach because he thinks his child isn't getting enough playing time -- it's a familiar scene on youth sports fields across America. One critic of the Rhode Island plan said giving parents a outlet for petty complaints \"opens up a can of worms.\" Now, a Rhode Island senator wants the state to step in and create a formal outlet for the \"concerns and objections\" some parents have. Democratic Sen. John Tassoni Jr. introduced a bill that would create a youth sports oversight council on the state level. The council would act as mediator in disputes between parents of youth athletes and sports officials. In answer to critics, Tassoni said Friday that the notion the bill would mean \"big brother\" could begin to oversee youth sports is a misconception. The bill cites the need for a third party to step in at times, stating that \"parents lack a proper outlet to share concerns and objections about youth sports.\" But the parents are the biggest problem, said Matt Rodrigues, general manager and owner of Teamworks youth sports program in Warwick, Rhode Island. \"They are crazy, especially in Rhode Island. The kids on the court are scared because the parents are yelling and screaming,\" Rodrigues said. But the answer, he said, is not to create a council that \"makes decisions we can deal with ourselves.\" A similar council exists in Waterford, Connecticut -- run by the town, not the state. \"It kind of surprises me that [Rhode Island would] do it on such a large level like that,\" said Bruce Miller, president of the Waterford Youth Sports Council. Waterford's council is made up of representatives from the town's 11 sports leagues. Tassoni's bill states that at least four of the members of the state council would be regional youth sports representatives. He said the council is needed because right now there is no place to go to resolve disputes. \"There's no place right now to bring a case forward and have a third party take a look at it,\" he said. Under the bill, Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri would appoint seven volunteers -- approved by the state Senate and House -- to sit on a panel called the Rhode Island Youth Sports Oversight Council. Tassoni said the seven-member council wouldn't be made up of politicians, but ex-coaches, ex-officials and ex-athletic directors. Some adults involved in youth sports aren't happy about it. One blogger posted concerns on the Web site of a Rhode Island newspaper, the Providence Journal. \"Hey Tassoni: What do you do, [lie] in bed and think to yourself -- 'what haven't me and my cronies either screwed up, bankrupted or embarrassed yet? Hmmmm ... haven't touched Little League yet.' Do me a favor -- and I ask this as a coach and a parent -- stay the hell away from my field!!!!\" wrote the blogger. Others think the government should \"concentrate on the state.\" Rodrigues of the Teamworks program said giving parents a place to do petty complaining only \"opens up a can of worms.\" He said the council just \"sounds like another way to take power away from our programs -- they have enough [power].\" The governor has not taken a position on the legislation and will not until he reviews the bill, press secretary Amy Kempe said Friday. She added, however, that \"there appears to be some vague language and constitutional issues.\" The bill states that the volunteers on the council would be expected to \"provide oversight and mediation\" to youth sports programs in the state, as well as develop and adopt a process to review and address complaints. In addition, the council would have the authority to establish and collect fines. But the bill does not go into detail about how to implement the reviewing and fining processes. The bill, with some revisions, is scheduled to be heard by the state Senate on Wednesday. Tassoni hopes to have the council in place by June or July." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Conflicts between parents, coaches and officials all too common in youth sports .\nRhode Island state senator wants state to create formal outlet for parents' concerns .\nSimilar council exists in Waterford, Connecticut -- run by the town, not the state .\nCritic says giving parents a place for complaints opens \"can of worms\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Eight cadets and staff members were killed in Pakistan during an an eight-hour standoff Monday with gunmen who stormed a police training center in Lahore, said Gen. Athar Abbas, a military spokesman. Police fire into the air after retaking the police training center in Lahore attacked by militants. The militants had been holed up on the top floor of a three-story building, said Rehman Malik, the head of the country's Interior Ministry. Security forces gained control of the first two floors and eventually made their way to the top, finally taking control of it and arresting the gunmen Monday afternoon. Television pictures showed security forces firing into the air from the roof of the building after the firefight. \"The operation is over. Four terrorists were killed and three arrested,\" Interior Ministry Secretary Kamal Shah told Reuters. Malik and Abbas confirmed the figures. Abbas added some of the dead militants blew themselves up. The gang of seven gunmen stormed the academy in the Manawan area of the eastern Pakistani city, said Malik. Abbas had previously said 30 people were killed. He cited the error on wrong information by his sources at the scene. Watch more about the attack » . At a news conference Monday night, Malik named the leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud, and his followers as the prime suspect in organizing the attack. Mehsud is also accused of plotting the assassination of former PM Benazir Bhutto. At least 78 people were wounded in the attack, authorities said. Lahore is the same city where gunmen opened fire March 10 on a bus carrying members of the Sri Lankan national cricket team on their way to a stadium for a match. The well-coordinated attack wounded at least eight members of the team and killed a driver and six Pakistani police officers. In Monday's incident, the attackers hurled grenades, then stormed the compound and opened fire while officers were taking part in their morning drill. About 800 officers train at the facility, but authorities could not say exactly how many were inside at the time. The attackers, some in police uniforms, took dozens of officers hostage, said Asim Rizwan, spokesman for governor of Punjab -- the province where Lahore is located. Paramilitary forces and the army descended on the scene. Every few minutes, the gunmen detonated explosives or fired on reporters and police personnel outside, sending them scurrying for cover. Angry onlookers pumped their fists in the air and cheered as police led away a suspect they had captured. He had on him a grenade and a knife, officials told CNN. CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Eight cadets are killed during attack in Lahore, top military official says .\nLeader of Pakistan's Taliban named as prime suspect .\nFour militants dead, three captured, authorities say .\nLahore was site of attack on Sri Lankan cricket team earlier in March ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- From land, water and air, tens of thousands of police officers, federal agents and National Guardsmen are being deployed in an unprecedented effort to make sure the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama is safe. A law enforcement agent looks toward Capitol Hill ahead of the inauguration on Tuesday. \"Right now, we have no credible threat that there is any direction of interest on the inauguration,\" Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told CNN. FBI agents and intelligence officials have been checking with sources around the United States and the world to make sure no leads are overlooked, and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said intelligence will be scrubbed and rescrubbed right through the inauguration. \"We are literally going to be watching this every minute between now and the conclusion of events on the 20th,\" Chertoff said. Federal officials acknowledge the inauguration of the first African-American U.S. president could be an attractive target. Since Obama's election, the number of threats against him has increased, according to a recent federal intelligence assessment. FBI officials say the number of tips coming in has increased, as is common before an inauguration. Investigations, however, have not uncovered a real threat. The FBI has been especially aggressive in examining white supremacy groups, which have ramped up their anti-Obama comments. \"We have not seen any activity by the groups,\" said FBI Assistant Director Joseph Persichini. \"We have seen a lot of chatter, we have seen a lot of discussions, we have seen some information via the Internet. Again, but those are discussions. We look at the vulnerabilities and whether or not the groups are capable of taking on action.\" Persichini said he believes the bureau has \"a good operational plan\" for dealing with the groups, but says that right now, there is no evidence they are trying to launch anything. Watch more on inauguration security » . The Secret Service is coordinating security for the inauguration, which will involve 58 federal, state and local agencies. All of them are represented at the Secret Service command center, where they can communicate and work together to respond to any report of a possible problem. Airspace restrictions around the Capitol are being tightened. The U.S. Coast Guard is closing portions of the Potomac River. Miles of roads will be closed, along with most of the bridges into the District of Columbia. Checkpoints are going up, and undercover teams are being deployed to look for suspicious people or vehicles. Explosives-sniffing dogs will be on hand to nose out bombs, and horses trained in crowd control are on duty. Thousands of security cameras are being used to monitor activities, sharpshooters are being stationed, and sensors will be used to detect chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. In addition to Secret Service agents, the security effort will involve 8,000 police officers from the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions, 10,000 National Guardsmen, about 1,000 FBI personnel, and hundreds of others from the Department of Homeland Security, the National Park Service and U.S. Capitol Police. Another 20,000 members of the National Guard are ready to respond if there is an emergency, according to Chertoff. Security planners have drawn up procedures to deal with improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers and the use of a weapon of mass destruction. A recent intelligence assessment, however, said a lone wolf would pose the greatest potential threat. Chertoff said an individual or small group planning to do harm is difficult to detect. \"Whether the motivation is racism or some psychological disorder ... in an open society, it is impossible to keep a single individual from doing some damage,\" he said. A major unknown is how large the crowd will be for Tuesday's activities. Estimates have ranged from 1 million to 2 million. The FBI's Persichini said only that \"we know it is going to draw a lot of people here to the nation's capital.\" Those attending the swearing-in ceremony or entering the parade route will undergo tight screening, including passing through magnetometers. Spectators who are unable to get into those events will be routed to the National Mall, which, for the first time, will be open from end to end for an inauguration. Security there will be less stringent. There has been extensive planning to ensure the crowds can be moved in an orderly and safe way, and to prevent a stampede if there is any kind of security incident. Local and federal agencies have even consulted with a crowd expert. Authorities say the massive security operation is not intended to deter people from coming to Washington. \"Our efforts are to make sure people are safe,\" Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley said. \"We'd like for as many people to come as want to come. And again, during our planning, we have made sure we could accommodate however many people decide to come.\" That inaugural events are spread over a four-day period has made security even more challenging. Organizers say they started their security planning the day after the last inauguration and ramped up their efforts in July. Officials involved say this is the biggest event they have been involved in, but believe they are prepared. \"There are a lot of things we all think about, and I'll admit that at 3 in the morning, I might wake up thinking about something, but I have to tell you, I am so confident in this plan,\" the Secret Service's Sullivan said. \"I just don't see any benefit to worry, and I think we just have to go along the way we're going right now and do everything that we can do to make sure that this event is going to be a safe event, that this historical event will be an enjoyable event for everybody and that, quite frankly, that the day isn't about security, but the day is about our president and the day is about our country.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Officials say Obama's historic inauguration poses high security risk .\nFBI has been especially aggressive in examining white supremacy groups .\nA major unknown is how large the crowd will be for Tuesday's activities .\nSecurity planners have drawn up procedures to deal with bombs, weapons ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- India on Wednesday urged Sri Lanka's Tamil rebels to \"release\" civilians, who it said numbered about 70,000 in Sri Lanka's war zone. A Sri Lankan soldier poses in front of a Tamil Tigers emblem in the rebel group's former military headquarters. India is ready to help evacuate them, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Indian parliament. \"Estimates on the number of civilians trapped vary, but 70,000 or so are estimated to be there now. The LTTE were reportedly using them as human shields,\" he said, referring to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, also known as the Tamil Tigers. \"As the conflict enters what may be the final phase of military operations, the LTTE would best serve the interest of the Tamils by immediately releasing all civilians and laying down arms,\" Mukherjee added. He noted that some civilians had either been caught in cross-fire or \"stopped and even killed\" by Tamil rebels as they tried to escape. Government troops and the Tamil Tigers are locked in a battle over the rebels' remaining territory in northern Sri Lanka's Vanni region. The rebels have been fighting for an independent homeland for the country's ethnic Tamil minority since 1983. Tens of thousands of people have fled the region as government forces have advanced and rebels have been pushed into a smaller and smaller patch of land. CNN's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "India urges Tamil Tiger rebels to allow civilians to leave Sri Lankan war zone .\nSri Lankan troops, Tamil fighters locked in battle for control of rebels' territory .\nIndia estimates up to 70,000 are trapped in the region by the conflict .\nTamil Tigers have been fighting for independent homeland since 1983 ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- An Iraqi soldier fatally shot two American soldiers and wounded three others on Saturday, the U.S. military said. A man lies in a hospital after a roadside bombing near Kirkurk on Saturday. Three Iraqis were killed. The shooter was killed when U.S. soldiers returned fire, Maj. Derrick Cheng told CNN. The incident took place at a combat outpost just south of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, where there has been a strong presence of anti-U.S. militants, and it underscored the dangers for U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces in that city. A second gunman also fired on other U.S. soldiers at the outpost and fled, said Cheng, a spokesman for the U.S.-led Multi National Division-North. Iraq's Interior Ministry said the gunman was a soldier in training who was standing close to U.S. soldiers when he aimed his firearm at them and began shooting. There have been similar incidents of men in Iraqi security force uniforms in the Mosul area opening fire on U.S. troops. In February, insurgents dressed as Iraqi police officers killed a U.S. soldier and an interpreter in the city. Asked whether there seems to be a rise in such attacks, Cheng replied, \"We still view these as isolated incidents either by individuals posing as Iraqi Security Forces or members acting out on their own.\" \"These events do not represent the overall relationship or partnership U.S. forces have with our Iraqi counterparts.\" Overall, violence and attacks are down in Iraq, but despite improvements in the big picture, the U.S. military is concerned with hot spots such as Mosul. Maj. Gen. David Perkins, MNF-Iraq spokesman, told reporters on Friday that the city remains a danger. He said the U.S. military is studying whether American combat troops scheduled to withdraw from urban centers in Iraq by June 30 should actually remain in the diverse metropolis -- populated by Sunni Arabs, Kurds, Christians and others. Perkins said al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) militants \"are transitioning and becoming more and more concentrated ... mainly in Mosul and in Baghdad.\" \"What we have always said with regards to al Qaeda is that strategically for AQI to win they have to win Baghdad and for them to survive they have to hold on to Mosul and you can see that by how they are conducting their attacks.\" In the last couple of weeks, he said, militants have focused their activity on Baghdad, and attacks in Mosul have dropped somewhat. \"But there is still a lot activity. This is probably the main area we are looking at that could possibly result in U.S. forces being there,\" he said of Mosul. \"Probably more so than any other place.\" \"Of all the places in Iraq, it is the area that you would most likely possibly see a very similar U.S. presence to what you see now. But only if Iraqis want that.\" U.S. troop fatalities in Iraq last month reached 18, the highest of the year. However, the number of monthly Iraqi troop deaths have plummeted since earlier in the war. Also on Saturday, Iranian forces targeting Kurdish rebels shelled a village in Iraq, an official from Iraq's Kurdish region said. Forces used helicopters to attack the village and shelled it with artillery. The village is just over the Iranian border in Iraq's Sulaimaniya province -- a Kurdish region. No casualties were reported. Iran and Turkey long have targeted Kurdish separatist rebels operating in northern Iraq. Meanwhile in Kirkuk, in northern Iraq, three civilians were killed and three others were wounded when a roadside bomb struck their vehicle on Saturday, police said. It is not known who the bomb might have been targeting, but the incident reflects the hostilities in the oil-rich and ethnically diverse city." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: U.S. military: Gunman who killed 2 U.S. troops, wounded 3 was Iraqi soldier .\nIraqi officials say shooter was soldier-in-training who opened fire at a training facility .\nShootings underscore the dangers for U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces in Mosul .\nIranian forces attacked Kurdish village in Iraq; 3 civilians killed in Kirkuk ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "CNN -- The number of cholera deaths in Zimbabwe is now approaching 3,000, the World Health Organization says. Two men rest in a cholera rehydration tent on the South Africa-Zimbabwe border in December. Latest, WHO statistics show 2,971 deaths since the outbreak began in August, with 56,123 cases reported. The epidemic has swept through a country wracked with political and economic crises. Cholera is an intestinal disease caused by bacteria in contaminated water. The epidemic has been aggravated by erratic water supplies, shortages of water purification chemicals, broken water and sewer pipes and uncollected garbage. On top of that, the waste-disposing system has collapsed. Children can be seen playing on heaps of uncollected garbage in the suburbs of most urban areas in Zimbabwe. Last month, the government led by President Robert Mugabe declared the cholera epidemic a national emergency. The country already was wracked by an enormous economic crisis, with a hyperinflationary economy and shortages of all essentials including food, fuel, cash, foreign currency and electricity. Zimbabwe's rainy season peaks in January or February and ends in late March, and Zimbabwean Health Minister David Parirenyatwa warned the epidemic could get worse during the rainy season." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "WHO figures show 56,123 reported cholera cases in Zimbabwe .\nZimbabwe's waste-disposing system has collapsed .\nHealth Minster David Parirenyatwa warns epidemic could get worse in rainy season ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Chris Rock is best known for two things: being funny and being crass. \"If you're the president you only have two jobs: peace and money,\" Chris Rock said. \"This is what people come to see. I'm just doing my show,\" the comedian said with a laugh. He's also known for his political commentary, but there's one person he's having a lot of trouble making fun of -- president-elect Barack Obama. This is apparent in his new DVD \"Kill the Messenger,\" which combines three shows from his international tour: New York; London, England; and Johannesburg, South Africa. \"It was a tour nobody wanted to do... because the general perception is that comedy doesn't translate,\" Rock said. But thanks to the Internet, the world is a lot smaller than it was even 10 years ago. And people are digging the same jokes, he said, including ones about John McCain and Sarah Palin. As the DVD readies for release on January 20, CNN talked with Rock about his lack of Obama jokes, Inauguration Day and why racism will never die. The following is an edited version of that interview: . CNN: I watched the special last night, and I noticed that you did a lot of jokes about John McCain -- his age, his war hero story -- but not so many about Barack Obama. Is it harder to make fun of Obama? Chris Rock: He's just one of those guys, you know, like Will Smith. There's no Will Smith jokes. There's no Brad Pitt jokes. You know, what are you going to say? \"Ooh, you used to have sex with Jennifer Anniston. Now you have sex with Angelina Jolie. You're such a loser.\" What do you say? \"Ooh, your movies are big. You make $20 million.\" There's nothing to say about Brad Pitt. CNN: Why is Obama like that? Rock: It's like \"Ooh, you're young and virile and you've got a beautiful wife and kids. You're the first African-American president.\" You know, what do you say? CNN: As time goes on do you think it will get easier? Rock: Of course, as time goes on. At some point he's going to -- there's always slip-ups. No one can survive that level of scrutiny without occasionally making it easy for a comedian. CNN: Let's talk about the inauguration. Are you going? Rock: No, I have to go to Sundance [Film Festival]. I've got a movie premiering at Sundance. So I have to go to the whitest place in America -- Utah. CNN: What's it going to be like for you on Inauguration Day? Rock: It'll be a cool day. It's weird. I've never watched an inauguration. I've never watched anyone get sworn in. You know, it's like Election Day and then you look up and somebody else is the president two months later. It was never like, \"I can't wait till tomorrow. Oh my god! They're going to swear in Jimmy Carter!\" CNN: Are you going to watch this one, though? Rock: I'll put it this way -- like any business is going to be getting done while this guy is getting sworn in. Like I'm going to be in a meeting. Everything is going to stop for however long it takes. Hope they get to it -- hope it's not like I gotta listen to three different versions of \"The Star-Spangled Banner\" or something. I hope it's not like Rosa Parks' funeral, where everybody f***ing speaks. CNN: What are you hoping Barack Obama does for this country? What do you think is his most important task? Rock: You know, if you're the president you only have two jobs: peace and money. That's it. I mean, it's like, what did Clinton do? We were at peace and we had a budget surplus. That's it. That's the gig. The closer you get us to those two goals, you know, that's pretty much the gig. Is that too much to ask for? CNN: At one point in your act, you said, \"Racism will never die. It will only multiply.\" Why do you believe that? Rock: Well, it's never going to die. Maybe it won't multiply. Is racism going to end? No. It's not even race. People are always going to, you know, find something wrong with people who are not the exact same as them. That's just what it is. Black, white, short, tall, religions, whatever. People are bad, man. CNN: How was it different playing for an audience in Africa? Rock: You know it's weird -- it really wasn't that different. I mean, that's why I love this special. People are the same wherever you go. And if they weren't, they wouldn't laugh at the same s**t. If they were so different they wouldn't know what I was talking about. CNN: Stand-up comics I've talked to in the past say they like their shows to appear spontaneous. But your new DVD stitches together three shows, illustrating to the audience how scripted comedy can be. Why did you decide on that format? Rock: You know, I don't believe in that \"come up with stuff on the spot.\" I mean, honestly, that's why I think comedy, stand-up comedy, always plays such a back seat to music. Like, would you go see a singer if you thought he just came up with the songs? They wouldn't give out Grammys for songs that they just came up with. You're going to go see someone at Radio City or Madison Square Garden, I think you'd like to know that they have an act before you spend $75. So yeah, when you say \"came up with it right there,\" that's really cute when you paid $8 to get in and two-drink minimum. When the ticket's $75, that's a whole other mindset." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Comedian Chris Rock to release \"Kill the Messenger\" DVD January 20 .\nThere are no Barack Obama jokes, Rock says, just like there are no Brad Pitt jokes .\nRock: Playing for international crowds not that different than playing in U.S.\n\"Stand-up comedy always plays such a back seat to music,\" Rock says ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- One of two doctors charged with conspiring to furnish drugs to Anna Nicole Smith before her fatal overdose in 2007 surrendered to authorities and was jailed Monday, authorities said. Anna Nicole Smith's boyfriend Howard K. Stern was among those charged last week. Dr. Khristine Eroshevich surrendered at the Van Nuys, California, jail, said police and jail officials. Bail was set at $20,000, but Eroshevich had not posted bail as of Monday afternoon. Eroshevich was charged last week along with Howard K. Stern, Smith's longtime partner and attorney; and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor. Stern and Kapoor were arrested and released from a Los Angeles County jail Thursday night after each posted a $20,000 bond. All three are charged with eight felonies, including conspiring to furnish controlled substances, unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance and obtaining fraudulent prescriptions from June 2004 through January 2007, only weeks before Smith's death. Kapoor and Eroshevich were also charged with obtaining a prescription for opiates by \"fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.\" And each was charged with one count of obtaining a prescription for opiates by giving a false name or address, prosecutors said. \"Anna was the center of a cruel tabloid feeding frenzy,\" Eroshevich's attorney, Adam Braun, told CNN in a statement Monday. \"In the face of this, Dr. Eroshevich did her best to help the patient while protecting what little privacy Anna had left. Any actions were done with the patient's well-being in mind and were certainly not criminal.\" California Attorney General Jerry Brown said the doctors and Stern devised a plan to use fake names so Smith could be prescribed \"thousands of pills.\" The former Playboy playmate and reality TV star was drugged \"almost to the point of stupefaction,\" Brown said. \"The quantity of the drugs, the variety of the drugs, the combination at any given point, and her continuing to use that -- that, to a professional, is clear evidence of addiction,\" Brown said Friday. \"These cocktails of methadone and antidepressants and sleeping pills and Xanax, you put all that into a cocktail, it explodes and can cause death, injury and permanent morbidity and disability.\" Brown said Stern was the \"principal enabler\" in a conspiracy with two doctors for giving the \"known addict\" thousands of prescription pills. Stern's attorney Krista Barth said on CNN's \"Larry King Live\" on Friday night that she thought Brown's comments were prejudicial. \"I don't think that this was something that should have been stated in a public forum,\" Barth said. \"I think it's contrary to the rules of professional conduct regarding trial publicity. And you have to wonder why such a statement was made.\" Smith, 39, was pronounced dead February 8, 2007, after being found unconscious in her hotel room at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino near Hollywood, Florida. A coroner said she died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. Officials said that both prescription and over-the-counter drugs were found in Smith's system, including three antidepressant or anti-anxiety drugs. Human growth hormone and chloral hydrate, a sleep medication, were also found in toxicology tests, officials said. CNN's Marc Balinsky contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: Lawyer: Doctor had \"patient's well-being in mind,\" actions \"not criminal\"\nKhristine Eroshevich surrendered Monday and was jailed .\nHoward K. Stern, Sandeep Kapoor, Eroshevich charged with felonies .\nThree are accused of conspiring to furnish drugs before Smith's death ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(OPRAH.com) -- It's the story that has brought dating violence into the national spotlight. Police responded to a 911 call alleging domestic violence between singers Chris Brown and Rihanna last month. Tyra Banks tells Oprah Winfrey about how abuse affected her. Later that day, both pulled out of planned appearances at the Grammy Awards, and Brown turned himself into police. He was arrested on the suspicion of making criminal threats and was released on bail. Weeks later, rumors of their reconciliation were reported. On March 5, 2009, Brown appeared in court, charged with two counts of felony assault. His arraignment has been postponed until April 2009 while he remains free on bail. Statistics say about one in three high school students have been -- or will be -- involved in an abusive relationship. \"The message this story sends to teen girls and boys everywhere is disturbing, and it is also dangerous,\" Oprah Winfrey says. \"We need to try to evolve from this moment ... use this as a moment to allow our society to begin to grow.\" Oprah believes this story can be a teaching moment for every teen and parent. \"Love doesn't hurt,\" she says. \"And if a man hits you once, he will hit you again.\" Oprah.com: 10 questions to ask your teens . Over the past few years, talk show host Tyra Banks has interviewed both Brown and Rihanna. \"Rihanna told me her parents used to argue so intensely, she used to get these headaches, these migraines that were almost not even treatable with medicine,\" Banks says. \"The moment her parents separated, her migraines went away.\" In his appearance on The Tyra Banks Show, Brown said he watched his mother suffer abuse from the time he was 7 years old until he was 13. The abuser was not his biological father. \"I treat [women] differently because I know I never want to go through the same thing or put a woman through the same thing that the person put my mom through,\" Brown told Banks. When Banks first heard about the alleged incident, she says she didn't believe it -- until the police report was released. \"I went back to that interview and I said, 'Oh my God, he's repeating [the cycle of abuse].'\" Tyra cautions against judging Rihanna for going back to Brown. \"Sometimes we hold these celebrities up to a higher standard, but we have to look at her as a human being and understand that she is no better or no different than any other girl,\" Banks says. \"She is just as easily pulled into the cycle of abuse of going back.\" \"I think we need to send love to both of them,\" Oprah says. \"For him to be healed, and for her to be healed also.\" Oprah.com: 4 ways to heal after a tragedy . Banks says she knows the cycle of abuse all too well. While in her 20s, Banks says she was emotionally abused. \"He never hit me, but I would say there were blows to my spirit, blows to my emotional well-being every day,\" she says. On the outside, Banks says no one could see the signs. But behind closed doors, she says he was jealous and blamed her for his bad moods. \"He was a master at being able to be happy and nice to everybody else but whispering these negative things to me,\" she says. \"I'd start complaining to my friends, and they're like: 'Well, he's fine, girl. He's fine with us. Everything's fine.'\" Although she was one of the top 10 models in the world at the time, she says her self-esteem sunk lower and lower. \"I stayed because I felt like if I left and he didn't change and didn't treat me how I felt I deserved to be treated, I was a failure,\" she says. One day, Banks says she finally confronted herself. \"I walked to the mirror in his bathroom. He wasn't there,\" she says. \"Out loud I looked in that mirror and I said: 'Tyra, who are you? What the hell are you doing? Get out of here.'\" Although Banks says she tried to leave her boyfriend many times, she managed to get sucked back into the relationship. At one point, she says she turned to her mother for help. \"I said: 'Mama, please, just take me. Pull me out of this relationship. Tell me to leave him. Hole me up in your house. Unplug the phones. Protect me from him.'\" Her mother refused. \"[She said:] 'You have to do this on your own. I will be here as somebody to support you in this. But I will not tell you to leave, and I will not cut you off from him, because you'll just run out in the middle of the night and go straight back.'\" Oprah.com: How to make an exit plan . Dating violence doesn't just happen in Hollywood. It can take place in any neighborhood -- including yours. Friends say high school senior and cheerleader Charney Watt was one-of-a-kind. \"She was very intelligent. She made good grades. She had a spunky attitude and was very energetic,\" says Charli, a friend. \"She was also a leader in her community, and being a cheerleader, you have to influence other people. She influenced people at school and also in her neighborhood. You know, if she [had] seen you looking sad, she would come ask you what's wrong and make sure you're okay.\" On March 1, 2009, police say the 18-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina, was gunned down by her ex-boyfriend. Charney's ex-boyfriend Gary Daniel has been charged with her murder and has not yet entered a plea. Her friends say they saw no signs that she was in an abusive relationship. \"When she came to [cheerleading] practice, her personality overcame all of that,\" Charli says. \"She was just herself.\" Keisha, Watt''s friend since the eighth grade, says Watt's boyfriend used to come to all of her games. \"He used to come and see her cheer and come with her mom,\" she says. \"We always thought he was a supporter, and he was a sweet person to her.\" Now that they've had to bury their close friend, Keisha and her friends hope others will learn from Charney's experience. \"We're hoping that Charney, what happened to her, people will look at it and realize that this type of situation isn't for you,\" Keisha says.Oprah.com: Meet more women who are struggling with dating violence . From The Oprah Winfrey Show . Subscribe to O, The Oprah Magazine for up to 75% off the newsstand price. That's like getting 18 issues FREE. Subscribe now! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Oprah Winfrey: Rihanna abuse allegations can be used to help other teens .\nTyra Banks: Chris Brown says he watched his mother suffer years of abuse .\nBanks: Don't judge Rihanna harshly for going back to Brown .\nBanks says she was emotionally abused, begged mother to make her break up ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- He is the international superstar responsible for breathing life into the iconic comic book hero Wolverine. Her movies have earned more than $2 billion worldwide, including the entire \"X-Men\" franchise. Hugh Jackman emerges as Wolverine in \"X-Men Origins: Wolverine,\" which opened Friday. Actor Hugh Jackman and film producer Lauren Shuler Donner recently sat down for a candid conversation about their new film, \"X-Men Origins: Wolverine.\" Specifically, the pair talked about the scene in which Jackman's character is transformed from a simple mutant with bony claws that periodically protrude from the back of his hands to an invincible mutant filled with an indestructible metal called adamantium. This scene represents the ultimate birth of a comic legend as the character is transformed from Logan to Wolverine. Watch the scene in which Wolverine is unleashed » . Hugh Jackman: I knew this was the birth of the character; this is where we see him in full flight. It's called in the comic book \"berserker rage.\" It's not really in the English language, but it may be now! But, this idea that this complete animal [has been] unleashed, which is obviously the entire story -- this battle between the animal and human is something we all relate to. Lauren Shuler Donner: There were many things he had to do in the tank, you know. One of them was he had to be lowered, and then the needles had to come towards him. Now, most of those were CGI, so he had to look in certain places where the needles were. But, he couldn't hear [director] Gavin [Hood]. So they ... tried all kinds of sounds, speakers, everything. ... They finally devised this toe method where, if Gavin pulled on Hugh's big toe, it meant the things are coming, the second toe is this, the last toe is rise up, very sophisticated. (laughter) Jackman: I had in my head that I've got to be in much better shape -- not better shape, different shape, kind of ridiculous shape because I wanted it to be uncomfortable. I wanted it to feel like I felt when I saw Robert De Niro in \"Cape Fear,\" that -- whoa, this guy is dangerous, he's powerful, he's dangerous, and he can snap at any point. Donner: There's an iconic drawing of Wolverine coming out of the tank in the comics with the things popping out of him and his hair all over him in a rage, and we wanted to be that image. That's the image we wanted for the fans. Jackman: I was a little frightened when I watched it, like, \"Is that me?\" [My wife] Deb was like, \"Hugh, this is ridiculous. I don't even know who that is.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hugh Jackman plays Wolverine in \"X-Men Origins: Wolverine\"\nTo create the character, Jackman wanted to be in \"ridiculous shape\"\nHow to contact Jackman underwater? Director used a \"toe method\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Opposition leader and supermarket mogul Ricardo Martinelli has won Panama's presidential election, the head of the country's electoral tribunal said Sunday. Ricardo Martinelli delivers a victory speech after Panama's presidential election Sunday. Martinelli, of the conservative Democratic Change party, edged out former Housing Minister Balbina Herrera of Panama's governing Democratic Revolutionary Party, said Erasmo Pinilla of the electoral tribunal. A final vote count wasn't immediately available Sunday evening. \"This is a victory for all the people of Panama,\" Martinelli said. \"And I make a call to all our opposition -- to all the parties that opposed us -- that you all are all Panamanians. ... Tomorrow we have to start a new day.\" Martinelli also ran for president in 2004, when he came in fourth with about 5 percent of the vote. President Martin Torrijos won that election with about 47 percent of the vote." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Supermarket mogul Ricardo Martinelli is winner, election official says .\nMartinelli is leader of the conservative Democratic Change party .\n\"This is a victory for all the people of Panama,\" Martinelli says .\nHe came in fourth place during 2004 presidential election ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The fiberglass head weighed 600 pounds and resembled Clarabell the Clown from the 1950s \"Howdy Doody Show.\" Bill Ziegler, owner of the Wild Bill's nostalgia store, stumbled across it on an artist's Web site and wondered if it would work for a project he had in mind. Salem Sue stands watch in New Salem, North Dakota. She measures 38 feet tall and 50 feet long. Ziegler recruited the artist to help him attach the giant head to his 33-foot farm silo. By October 2008, the pair had built the world's largest jack-in-the-box. The jack-in-the-box extends 50 feet in the air, moving up and down approximately once a minute. \"They love it,\" Ziegler said of the tourists who come to his store. He's had visitors from as far away as England -- one couple who saw the story of the jack-in-the-box in a British newspaper decided to stop by. All across the country, roadside attractions like this one bring surprise and delight to travelers who just have to get a closer look. \"In many parts of the country, you can plan an entire road trip where you visit nothing but 'world's largest' attractions,\" said Doug Kirby, the publisher of RoadsideAmerica.com. Kirby's Web site pays homage to odd attractions -- from Ziegler's jack-in-the-box in Middletown, Connecticut, to the world's largest ketchup bottle in Collinsville, Illinois, to the world's largest sundial in Carefree, Arizona. \"Travelers enjoy the noncorporate, somewhat ragged nature of these eclectic attractions,\" Kirby said. \"They're often free, and you can take a great 'wish you were here' photo.\" See photos of some \"world's largest\" attractions » . Kirby picked five world's largest attractions from his Web site. In addition to Ziegler's jack-in-the-box, here are his top recommendations for adventurous road trippers: . Ball of twine . Visitors do more than snap a picture at the world's largest ball of twine in Cawker City, Kansas. Linda Clover, self-described keeper of the ball, gives tourists twine to add it to the attraction. \"People like to be a part of it,\" Clover said. \"It shows that with lots of patience and a lot of people helping out, you can end up with something very big.\" Clover ended up in charge of the ball in a roundabout way. Farmer Frank Stoeber started the ball of twine in 1953. When he died, his cousin took over. And when his cousin died, Clover stepped up. \"I know that people like to come and see it. And someone had to take care of it,\" she said. \"My husband used to say that people asked me to do something and I couldn't say no.\" Clover keeps twine with her in case an interested tourist gives her a call. The ball measures more than 40 feet across. It contains 7.9 million feet of twine and weighs approximately 19,000 pounds. And every year in August, Cawker City hosts a twine-a-thon event to hold on to the world's largest ball of twine record. Salem Sue . Salem Sue, dubbed the world's largest cow, is in New Salem, North Dakota. She measures 38 feet tall, 50 feet long and is made up of 12,000 pounds of fiberglass. Scott Schauer, producer of The Real North Dakota project, features Salem Sue on his Web site, which is dedicated to showing tourists the best of North Dakota. As a kid, Schauer used to drive by the cow with his family. He thinks many people pass similar road trip traditions on to their kids, hence their appeal. \"I remember being mesmerized by their monstrous size. No matter how many times I saw them, I always looked forward to seeing them again and again,\" Schauer said. \"As an adult, I still look forward to seeing them. I guess some things don't change with time.\" Horseshoe crab . The world's largest horseshoe crab resides in a parking lot at the Freedom Worship Baptist Church in Blanchester, Ohio. Last year, the church's pastor, Jim Rankin, hired Evel Knievel's former bodyguard to jump over the crab on his motorcycle. The publicity stunt attracted nearly 8,000 visitors to the church. The crab is 68 feet long from its head to its long, spiky tail. \"It can have up to 65 people inside,\" Rankin said. Peanut . In the 1970s, Ashburn, Georgia, built a monument to the state's No. 1 cash crop. Standing atop a brick tower along Interstate 75, the world's largest peanut can be seen for miles. The peanut is 33 feet tall with a 10-foot circumference. The peanut was featured on a Go-Gurt portable yogurt packet as a trivia question, said Shelley Zorn, Ashburn's chamber of commerce president. It also showed up on a Food Network show. \"Hilarious, isn't it?\" Zorn said of the public's love affair with the peanut. \"I can meet people on a cruise ... and I ask them if they've seen it. Nine out of 10 people have seen that peanut, no matter where they're from.\" A legacy . Recognition is the main reason people build the world's largest attractions, Kirby said. His site rates places higher if they surprise his staff or make them laugh. iReport.com: See the \"world's largest rocking chair\" \"Towns build giant statues to promote themselves and take pride in local heroes, historic figures or industries,\" Kirby said. \"Businesses commission creation of giants so they stand out from their competition. For individuals, a 'world's largest' something may be a hobby gone out of control. ... Creators fret about their legacy. This 'world's largest' may be how the world remembers them.\" That is, until someone builds a bigger one." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "World's largest roadside attractions offer surprise and delight to travelers .\nLargest ball of twine in Cawker City, Kansas, began in 1953 .\nFreedom Worship Baptist Church is home to world's largest horseshoe crab .\nExpert: Recognition is main reason people build world's largest attractions ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "KATHMANDU, Nepal (CNN) -- Nepal's Maoist government took the president to task Monday for ordering the country's army chief of staff to stay in office after they had fired him, calling the decision \"unconstitutional.\" General Rookmangud Katawal gestures after inspecting a guard of honor in New Delhi on December 12, 2007. \"Neither the constitution nor the Military Act gives the President the right to do anything besides supporting the government's decision,\" said Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the minister for information and communication. Late Sunday night, President Ram Baran Yadav ordered Gen. Rookmangud Katawal, who was sacked by the government Sunday morning, to continue in office. Nepal's interim constitution gives the president powers as supreme commander of the army and guardian of the constitution. \"The president took the step after 18 parties in parliament requested the President to intervene,\" presidential spokesman Rajendra Dahal told CNN Sunday night. The decision to fire Katawal touched off protests. Supporters of both sides in the dispute took to the streets for demonstrations Sunday. Despite sporadic clashes between the two factions, there were no serious injuries reported. The coalition government led by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) -- better known as Maoist -- leads a minority government for which its largest coalition partner, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist), has withdrawn support. It is unclear if the government will fall, since Madhesi Janadhikar (People's Rights) Forum, another coalition partner and the fourth largest party in parliament, is undecided about staying in the government. Nepal's Cabinet voted to dismiss Katawal after the military refused the government's order to stop recruiting about 3,000 new soldiers to fill vacant positions when it has yet to take in former Maoist rebels, as a 2006 peace deal required. The Maoists laid down their arms and won power in 2008 elections after an agreement that ended a decade-long insurgency. Under the deal, more than 19,000 former insurgents were to be integrated into the country's security forces." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Government calls president's order to keep army chief in office \"unconstitutional\"\nMaoist government ordered army chief of staff to be fired after recruitment issue .\nMilitary refused to stop recruiting soldiers while it hasn't accepted ex-Maoist rebels .\nDismissal touches off street protests and a split in Maoist-dominated ruling coalition ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(AOL Autos) -- Have you ever heard of someone having their car \"totaled\"? While the word might conjure images of a massive car accident, replete with broken glass and the Jaws of Life, the reality is sometimes far removed. Ford's repair and safety engineers first began collaborating on the 2009 F-150 pick-up truck. In fact, there are many accidents that produce structural damage such that the vehicle's frame is bent, even though the exterior of the car might even look drivable. Typically these cars are \"totaled,\" which might give buyers the peace of mind knowing they will get a replacement vehicle. But, overall this produces much higher insurance rates for all drivers. Car companies and insurers are working hard to try and reduce the cost of auto repairs and insurance premiums for consumers and some of the development is breathtaking in its innovation . This effort has already led to many new developments in the design of various auto parts and components -- which have indeed led to a reduction in repair costs for various auto parts, components and structures. And more advances are on the way: some carmakers have recently ramped up their operations in this area, which should result in greater cost savings in coming years. One recent development in this area is the Ford Motor Company's new $650,000 Paint and Body Technology Center in Inkster, Michigan, about 20 minutes from the company's Dearborn world headquarters. The new center was created by merging operations with the company's Safety Crash Test Analysis department. Other car companies have their own versions of this kind of operation, including Ford's crosstown rivals, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. The new Ford center represents an advancement over its previous paint and body tech operation in that it's larger, closer to the company's HQ, and now works more closely with design engineers and auto insurers -- and gets insurers involved earlier in the design process. AOL Autos: Cut your insurance in half . The goal is to identify potential repair issues and then use that info to refine designs -- which in turn helps cut the cost of repairs at dealerships and independent repair shops. Plus, this effort allows repair techs to more effectively restore the vehicles to their pre-accident condition. To that end, engineers gather data earlier in the vehicle development process so it can be then analyzed during crash and durability testing. AOL Autos: How to choose a repair shop . For Ford, the closer integration of these functions began when the carmaker's repair and safety engineers first began collaborating on the 2009 F-150 pick-up truck. During the vehicle's early development period, these engineers realized that new materials -- including ultra-high-strength steel and boron -- helped make the new truck safer, but also could make it more expensive to repair after a collision. AOL Autos: Minor damages, major repair costs . \"The extensive use of advanced technologies and materials in the 2009 F-150 required us to develop new, specific procedures and repair recommendations,\" said Gerry Bonanni, Ford's collision repair senior engineer. So, Ford engineers designed and developed new front and rear-frame-section kits -- which means one single section of the frame can now be repaired / replaced after a crash, instead of having to replace the entire frame. \"Partial-frame repairs cost at least $2,000 less than full-frame replacements,\" says Bonanni -- and will prevent some vehicles from being \"totaled,\" which would have previously been the case under repair laws in some states. The success of the collaboration on the F-150 prompted the decision to open the new paint and body tech center. A more recent example was the work done on the 2010 Mustang. \"Previously, we had no real procedure for sectioning off the rear-frame rails,\" says Bonanni. \"But, by collaborating with repair technicians and the insurance companies, we developed a procedure, which we then documented for the repair techs in our dealers. \"That allows them to repair just a short section of the rear-frame rails, instead of replacing the entire frame-rail system -- which also translates into lower repair costs, and lower insurance rates, for the owner.\" General Motors' Collision Repair Test Center has had also had recent success on this front, says Jim Doherty, GM's manager of the service-engineering team for aftersales body structures. \"We coordinate with the product engineers, so as soon as a new vehicle starts development, about four years before it's introduced, we engage with their team,\" says Doherty. \"Some of our people work on the structure, and some on the exterior, and we collaborate with the design engineers to work out whatever improvements might need to be made over the previous version of a component or assembly.\" AOL Autos: Best & worst auto designs . As with Ford, \"the goal is to make sure that the vehicle has the most cost-effective repair strategy,\" adds Dave Bakos, GM's director of global after-sales mechanical engineering. \"Our liaisons with people in the insurance industries are definitely useful -- they call us if they have concerns, and when we develop a new technology, we contact them to make sure they understand it.\" The development of lighter-weight steel for auto frames also presents challenges to GM's center. \"They're very high-strength, but their repairability is more difficult when compared with the old cold-rolled steels -- so, that has forced us to come up with new welding, sectioning and attachment strategies as the vehicle is being designed and developed,\" says Doherty. AOL Autos: Take the guesswork out of buying a used car . Doherty and Bakos cite a couple of examples of how the Collision Repair Test Center -- and the collaboration between design and repair engineers and insurance companies -- have been parlayed into cost savings for car owners. Prior to the current model year, the cost of repairing the frame-rail assembly on a Pontiac Solstice included $936 for the part itself, plus 13 ½ hours worth of labor costs to install, says Doherty. But by working with design engineers and insurers, the Collision Repair Test Center was able to develop and create a \"service-only\" partial assembly. That means that, on the '09 Solstice, a collision technician can replace the damaged section of the front rail only, rather than the entire front rail section. The parts for the partial assembly cost far less and require just three and a half hours of labor to install,\" says Doherty. \"Because of these changes, the total cost savings for this repair could be as high as $1,500.\" The current Saturn Aura presented a challenge / opportunity along the same lines. For the '09 Aura, GM engineers at the Collision Repair Test Center created \"zone-specific\" replacement parts. \"Rather than replacing the entire body-side assembly as a single piece, engineers developed sectioning procedures for the front, center and rear quarter sections of the vehicle,\" explains Doherty. \"This allows the technician multiple repair options when repairing the side of a damaged vehicle. Even though the cost of parts remained similar, labor cost savings created were substantial, ranging from about $600 to as high as $1,200.\" One current focus for these operations at Ford, GM and other carmakers relates to side-impact crashes. \"We don't want every vehicle to have to end up in the salvage yard just because a side pillar is damaged,\" says Bakos. \"So we're working on some combination of welding or welding and adhesives, or maybe mechanical fasteners, in order make those sections more repairable, so that the vehicle isn't totaled.\" New challenges continue to present themselves, says Ford's Bonanni. \"New technologies are developing pretty rapidly,\" he says. \"And each time a new one comes along, it's our job to develop new ways of repairing the various structures, components and parts that incorporate those new technologies -- and do it in a way that maintains the vehicle's after-crash structural integrity, and keeps costs down for the vehicle owner.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Companies and insurers sections cars to be crash (and repair) friendly .\nMany new developments exist in the design of auto parts and components .\nNew materials -- including ultra-high-strength steel -- help make vehicles safer .\nNew challenges continue to present themselves, says Ford expert ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LONDON, England -- Two kisses on the cheek or three? The age-old dilemma may become moot as worries of infectious disease hang in the air. A couple kisses at a swine flu virus prevention and detection medical mobile unit in Mexico City. Common forms of greeting, such as handshakes and kisses on the cheek, are coming under scrutiny as the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, steadily spreads around the world. In Mexico, which has had the largest outbreak of the virus, the Ministry of Health is advising people to avoid shaking hands and kissing people as a greeting. Some couples are donning surgical masks when they kiss to avoid contagion. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent who has been covering the epidemic from Mexico, is advocating the \"el-bump,\" or bumping of elbows, as a greeting. \"It's not as cool as the fist bump, but safer,\" he wrote on micro-blog site Twitter. Follow Dr. Gupta's 'tweets' Dr. Richard Dawood, medical director of the Fleet Street Travel Clinic in London, refers to the shift in etiquette as \"social distancing.\" \"People don't want to get too close. There is going to be a move towards less handshaking, less greeting people with a kiss. There may well end up being fewer meetings,\" he told CNN. The World Health Organization is advising people to practice preventive measures like avoiding close contact with people who appear unwell and those who are coughing and have a fever. The global health agency is also directing people who live in areas where flu cases have surfaced to follow additional precautions set out by their national and local health authorities. Even countries where the virus hasn't been confirmed are taking precautionary measures. At a news conference earlier this week, Lebanon's health minister recommended that people stop using the conventional greeting of three kisses to the cheek. See where cases have been confirmed » . \"We're heading toward a world where everyone is going to be suddenly much more conscious of those who are coughing and sneezing,\" Dawood said. People will have to be much more conscious of hygiene and stay out of close proximity with others when they aren't feeling well, he said. Are you changing your etiquette because of the swine flu epidemic? Tell us in the SoundOff below . The H1N1 virus is a hybrid of swine, avian and human flu strains. It is a respiratory disease that is contagious, and believed to be spread through coughing, sneezing and close contact. Learn more about the virus » . Since the outbreak surfaced in Mexico, it has spread to at least 11 countries. The number of confirmed cases has reached 331, with the hardest hit areas in the western hemisphere, the WHO said Friday. People tend to be scared of what they don't understand, especially when it comes to disease, Dawood said. Watch Dr. Gupta report on a new scientific discovery about the virus » . He worries about how people will react as tensions rise. People historically have resorted to socially ostracizing those who have suffered from diseases like typhoid and leprosy, he noted. The flu outbreak will pose another test. \"Hopefully we don't see that again. We will have to control our urges in our relations to other people,\" Dawood said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Move towards 'social distancing' as people worry about swine flu epidemic .\nMexico's Health Ministry directing people to avoid handshakes and kissing .\nWHO advises avoiding close contact with people who appear unwell .\nFollow CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Twitter ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "On CNN's \"State of the Union,\" host and chief national correspondent John King goes outside the Beltway to report on the issues affecting communities across the country. This week, King traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana, to look at recovery from Hurricane Katrina in the Lower Ninth Ward compared to the rest of the city. The Lower Ninth Ward Health Clinic was clinic director Patricia Berryhill's home before Hurricane Katrina. NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- Patricia Berryhill sits behind a desk in what not too long ago was her living room, cheerfully greeting those who walk in and reaching for the phone as it rings yet again. \"Lower Ninth Ward Health Clinic, Patricia Berryhill, may I help you?\" Sometimes the questions are routine -- this time more anxious. \"As for the HIV testing, if you come in on Tuesdays from 11 to 1, there is no charge,\" Berryhill tells the caller. \"As for the Herpes virus, you are going to have to see a physician and make an appointment for that.\" The patient files in the cabinets behind her now number more than 1,300, and 95 percent of those who walk through the door have no health insurance. The clinic asks for a $25 \"co-payment\" but no one is turned away if they cannot afford it. A half dozen patients are waiting as executive director Alice Craft-Kerney takes a visitor on a tour. In the reception area, there are health awareness brochures, hurricane preparedness brochures, and a bookshelf about half-filled with children's books. Craft-Kerney tries every day to give some away. Watch John King preview this Sunday's show » . \"Because we have such a low literacy rate here in Louisiana,\" she says. \"So they come by, browse, and take whatever books they want free of charge.\" The staff is cheery; the clinic neat and clean. A sign in the window making clear there are no narcotic drugs inside is a sign of the clinic's rough surroundings. And within a few steps of the door is a reminder that 43 months after Katrina changed everything, the Lower Ninth Ward is still a mess. During a helicopter pass over the neighborhood, we saw concrete slabs and weedy spaces where houses once stood. Yes, there is a fair amount of new home construction, and renovations under way at some homes gutted by Katrina. But while the debris is mostly gone, much of the neighborhood remains an abandoned wasteland. Overall, Tulane University geographer Richard Campanella says, the population of New Orleans stands at about 330,000 -- roughly 75 percent of its pre-Katrina level. Before the storm, it was about 70 percent African-American; now it's about 60 percent. And it is a more affluent city. Campanella says median household income is up to $40,000 from $27,000 before Katrina, \"and it is not because the city is doing better economically.\" Significantly, Campanella says the \"curves\" suggesting major changes during the post-Katrina period are \"flattening.\" \"My sense is the post-Katrina city we all wondered about 3½ years ago what would it look like -- that we are there now,\" Campanella said in an interview on the Tulane campus. \"The patterns are stabilizing and we are in a 'new normal' period.\" A new normal in which the Lower Ninth Ward trails significantly behind. Only about 19 percent of its pre-Katrina population has returned; roughly 3,600 people live there today, compared to some 19,000 when Katrina hit. There are new twists on the resentments and suspicions that dominated community discussions in the horrible days just after Katrina and Rita. In the place of resident complaints that their neighborhood was slow to get help in the hours and days after the storm are accusations their rebuilding hopes are being deliberately ignored or set on the back burner. Craft-Kerney says a commitment to add a second school in the Lower Ninth, or enticements to bring in a supermarket or a major pharmacy, would help bring more people back, or attract new residents. \"Much of it has been the lack of political will on the part of our government entities,\" she said. City officials say there are myriad reasons the rebuilding is slow. One part of this divisive debate is the threshold question of whether it makes sense at all to have people living so close to where the levee breach was most destructive. But Craft-Kerney and many other community activists see this debate in black and white, or rich and poor. \"As my teacher used to say, 'Them that got, gets,' \" she said. The Bush administration's response to Katrina was one of the turning points in American public opinion toward that administration. But Craft-Kerney says the clinic would not be in operation had it not been for the help of Mike Leavitt, the Bush secretary of health and human services. It sits in what was Berryhill's home. After Katrina, she decided to move elsewhere in the city, but agreed to donate her former home as a clinic. It was gutted, rebuilt, and Berryhill now serves as its clinical director. It survives mostly because of a Bush administration grant that runs through 2010. Whether the clinic gets additional federal funding will be one of the tests of the area's priority for the federal government. Craft-Kerney will soon face the new administration. While she speaks highly of President Obama, she says she worries New Orleans and the Lower Ninth will be forgotten in the long list of major challenges facing his administration. \"I don't know exactly what his game plan is,\" Craft-Kerney told us during the clinic interview. \"But I do believe in my heart that he is going to eventually do some things to help New Orleans. I don't expect it overnight -- but he did say he would make good on President Bush's promise to make New Orleans whole again.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "95 percent of Lower Ninth Ward clinic's patients have no health insurance .\nWhile most of the debris from Katrina is gone, area still abandoned wasteland .\nCity's demographics changing as it enters its 'new normal' after storm .\nClinic director hopes Lower Ninth won't be forgotten in ambitious Obama agenda ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NEW YORK (CNN) -- Hundreds of people converged on New York's Union Square Friday for the May Day Immigration Rally, calling for workers' rights and a path to citizenship for the country's nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants. New Yorker's support the rights of undocumented workers on Friday at a May Day rally. The annual event, which began in 2006, was organized by the May 1st Coalition for Workers and Immigrants Rights. Similar rallies were scheduled across the nation in Boston, Massachusetts; Detroit, Michigan; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco in California, and San Antonio, Texas, according to the group's Web site. Following rally cries from speakers in both English and Spanish, demonstrators braved a rainstorm and marched approximately two miles to New York's Federal Plaza. Among the participants was Saul Linares, who emigrated from El Salvador six years ago and works at a Long Island factory making equipment for the U.S. Army. Linares is particularly concerned about children who are American citizens, yet whose illegal immigrant parents have been deported. \"The children are living alone, sometimes with relatives, at churches or with neighbors,\" he said. Teresa Gutierrez, a co-coordinator of the event, blames current government policy for the United States' immigration woes. She said she believes the Clinton administration's landmark 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA -- which was meant to promote cross-border growth between the United States and Mexico -- actually had exploitive effects on the Mexican population. \"Immigrants came because of NAFTA. They don't risk their lives crossing the border because they want to, but because they have to,\" she said. A smaller anti-illegal immigration rally assembled across the street, organized by the New Yorkers for Immigration Control and Enforcement. Charles Maron, a New York firefighter and husband of a first generation Pakistani, believes illegal immigrants who commit crimes should be deported. \"Someone who comes, teaches their kids the American way, I support that.\" Participants in the May Day rally included people from Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. According to Gregory Jesus Luc, who is producing a documentary about the plight of Haitian immigrants, \"It's about awareness, letting media and America know that we are immigrants and we are the backbone of this country.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "May Day rally seeks path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants .\nSimilar rallies take place in cities across United States .\nAnti-illegal immigration rally in New York draws a smaller crowd ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LONDON, England (CNN) -- A 16 year-old Australian schoolgirl is hoping to achieve a sailing feat that is so tough it has brought many experienced men and women to the brink of death. Sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson of Australia plans to sail solo around the world . Jessica Watson, of Mooloolaba, Queensland, plans to set out on a solo round-the-world sailing mission in November -- and hopes to become the youngest person to ever sail non-stop around the world alone. But with the impending weeks of solitary confinement, freeze-dried foods, changing conditions and threat of injury, illness or death -- why would she want to do it? Watson told CNN her inspiration had come from fellow Australian Kay Cottee, who became the first woman to sail the globe alone, without stopping; and German-born Australian Jesse Martin, who still holds the record as the youngest person to do it. Martin achieved his feat in 1999 aged 18 (at the finish), and subsequently wrote a book titled \"Lionheart: A Journey of the Human Spirit.\" \"I read Jesse's book and that was inspiring. If you had to put it down to one thing that encouraged me to do this that would be a good one,\" Watson said. Since deciding she wanted to take on what she describes as the \"Everest of the ocean\" about four years ago, Watson has been doing all she can to gain the best preparation for the adventure. She has already sailed \"mock solo\" across the Tasman Sea, which flows between Australia and New Zealand, at 15 and has been sailing since she was 8 years-old. \"I've been talking to people [who have done it] about it all, and I'll get in some good solo miles before I go,\" she said. Despite the experience she has gained, Watson admits there are some aspects of the journey that remain unknown. \"There are definitely things I'm nervous about -- like the big waves and gear failure. But, it's amazing the detail of preparation we can get and what you can do with technology. \"Though, there's no telling how you'll handle yourself when you're out there for eight months until you're actually out there.\" Watson's journey around the globe is part of what seems to be an increasingly popular trend among young sailors. Seventeen year-old Briton, Mike Perham is currently part-way through his attempt to sail the world solo for charity. Perham is at present stuck in Tasmania, Australia, with gear problems and faces the daunting task of sailing around Cape Horn during the winter season. Still, he has come a long way when many people had raised concerns about the voyage before he departed. On his daily blog, Perham writes about the challenges of being at sea alone, \"The first few days at sea are always the worst -- the lack of sleep leaves me feeling drained all the time but I know I just need to keep pushing on, knowing that I'll soon acclimatize and that things are going to get better and better.\" Another teenager -- 16 year-old Zac Sunderland, who is from California -- is also on a mission to become the youngest sailor to achieve the feat. Sunderland has also progressed from his departure point in California, through the Panama Canal, and into the Atlantic Ocean. For Perham, Sunderland and Watson it was the high level of communications technology at the teenagers disposal as they sail that has convinced their parents to allow them to attempt their journeys. Would you allow your teenage daughter or son to sail solo around the world? Tell us below in the SoundOff box . On Sunderland's Web site his father, Laurence, said, \"Although Zac is alone as he sails, he really has so much help. There will always be people who will disagree with our decision to let Zac go on this trip. It was his idea and it is his desire to continue.\" Watson said her parents had also been supportive from the outset. For the young sailor, the next big challenge is preparing the boat for departure and securing a final sponsor to help fund the journey. She said her life is primarily geared towards the challenge this year. \"It might take a little bit longer to finish school ... this puts everything else on hold.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson plans to sail solo around the world .\nWatson is inspired by Jesse Martin who is the youngest person to have done it .\nBriton Mike Perham, and Zac Sunderland of the U.S. are currently at sea ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- \"Global declines in press freedom\" persisted last year, with setbacks highlighted in Israel, Italy, Taiwan, Hong Kong and elsewhere across the world, an annual survey said Friday. Media freedom campaigners don gags during a news conference in Hong Kong in April 2008. Freedom House, a nongovernmental organization that supports democracy and freedom of the media, said in its annual press freedom survey that \"negative trends\" outweighed \"positive movements in every region, particularly in the former Soviet Union, the Middle East and North Africa.\" \"This marked the seventh straight year of overall deterioration. Improvements in a small number of countries -- including bright spots in parts of South Asia and Africa -- were overshadowed by a continued, relentless assault on independent news media by a wide range of actions, in both authoritarian states and countries with very open media environments.\" Israel -- once the only country to be consistently rated free by the group in the Middle East and North Africa -- was ranked as \"partly free\" because of the Gaza conflict. The report cited \"increased travel restrictions on both Israeli and foreign reporters; official attempts to influence media coverage of the conflict within Israel; and greater self-censorship and biased reporting, particularly during the outbreak of open war in late December.\" Elsewhere in the Middle East, there are concerns about harassment of journalists and bloggers in Libya, Iran, Syria, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. The drop in violence in war-torn Iraq helped journalists move around the country, and a new law in the Kurdish region gave journalists \"unprecedented freedoms.\" Hong Kong, which is part of China, also dropped in rankings from free to partly free, a reflection of \"the growing influence of Beijing over media and free expression in the territory.\" \"Of particular concern were the appointment of 10 owners of Hong Kong media outlets to a mainland Chinese political advisory body, increased restrictions on film releases in the period surrounding the Olympics, and reports that critics of Beijing encountered growing difficulty in gaining access to Hong Kong media platforms.\" The report cited deterioration of of freedoms in Taiwan, which has been characterized as East Asia's freest media environment. That's because of \"legal pressures and attempts to control broadcast media outlets.\" Italy dropped from free to partly free because of the \"increased use of courts and libel laws to limit free speech, heightened physical and extralegal intimidation by both organized crime and far-right groups, and concerns over media ownership and influence,\" the report said. It cited fears about media magnate Silvio Berlusconi becoming prime minister again. There are concerns about \"the concentration of state-owned and private outlets under a single leader.\" In the former Soviet Union, \"legal pressure and attempts to control broadcast media outlets\" were cited in Russia, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. The report noted other problems in Russia, saying \"reporters suffer from a high level of personal insecurity, and impunity for past murders or physical attacks against journalists is the norm.\" Across Africa, there were \"some improvements,\" citing developments in Comoros, Sierra Leone, Angola, and Liberia. But there were continued problems in places like Zimbabwe and Eritrea. \"Senegal took a significant step backward due to a dramatic increase in both legal and extralegal action against journalists and media houses, accompanied by overtly hostile rhetoric from the president and other officials,\" the report said. The report cited strides in South Asian nations, ranking the once \"not free\" Maldives to \"partly free.\" It mentioned a \"new constitution protecting freedom of expression, the opening of additional private radio and television stations, the release of a prominent journalist from life imprisonment, and a general loosening of restrictions after the country's first democratic presidential election in October.\" It said Bangladesh and Pakistan reversed declines in freedom of the media. But there were setbacks in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, two countries racked by warfare. In some countries in the Americas, such as Mexico, Bolivia and Ecuador, \"attacks and official rhetoric against the media escalated.\" Venezuela and Cuba were ranked as not free, and there were \"high levels of intimidation and self-censorship\" in Colombia and Guatemala. Positive developments were noted in Guyana, Haiti and Uruguay. The worst-rated countries in the world are Myanmar, Cuba, Eritrea, Libya, North Korea and Turkmenistan. \"Given the current economic climate, which is certain to place a further strain on media sustainability and diversity in rich and poor countries alike, pressures on media freedom are now looming from all angles and are increasingly threatening the considerable gains of the past quarter-century,\" the report said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Annual survey says \"negative trends\" outweighed \"positive movements\" in 2008 .\nReport singles out former Soviet Union, Middle East, North Africa .\nBright spots seen in parts of South Asia, Africa .\nWorst-rated countries: Myanmar, Cuba, Eritrea, Libya, North Korea, Turkmenistan ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Police are examining grainy hotel surveillance video and following up on new leads, including a reported sighting, in the case of a 17-year-old girl who traveled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for spring break last week and then disappeared. Brittanee Marie Drexel's mother says she thought her daughter was at a beach in New York, not South Carolina. The possible sighting of Brittanee Drexel was on a bus Wednesday morning in the Myrtle Beach area, according to police, who later showed photos of her to passengers. As investigators try to build a timeline of the events leading to Brittanee's disappearance Saturday night, they are also scrutinizing hotel security video for signs of a young woman in distress, or other clues. Brittanee's mother, Dawn Drexel, told HLN's Nancy Grace that she had forbidden the Rochester, New York, high school junior from going to Myrtle Beach, a popular destination for high school and college students on spring break. Although they stayed in touch by phone and spoke on Saturday, Drexel said she believed the girl was in Rochester when she actually was in Myrtle Beach. \"I didn't have any idea that she was going to do this,\" Drexel said. \"I do trust my daughter, and she needed to cool down a little bit because she was upset that I wasn't going to let her go.\" Drexel said her daughter rode there in a car with several friends. She thinks Brittanee used money she had earned and borrowed to finance her trip." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Police show girl's photo to bus passengers after reported sighting .\nBrittanee Drexel, 17, went to Myrtle Beach, S.C., without mother's permission .\nRochester, N.Y., high school junior last seen on Saturday night ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The swine flu virus that has sparked fear and precautions worldwide appears to be no more dangerous than the regular flu virus that makes its rounds each year, U.S. officials said Monday. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said swine flu is no more danerous than the regular flu virus. \"What the epidemiologists are seeing now with this particular strain of U.N. is that the severity of the disease, the severity of the flu -- how sick you get -- is not stronger than regular seasonal flu,\" Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Monday as the worldwide number of confirmed cases of swine flu -- technically known as 2009 H1N1 virus -- topped 1,080. The flu has been blamed for 26 deaths: 25 in Mexico and one in the United States, according to the World Health Organization. Still, Napolitano noted, the seasonal flu results in \"hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations\" and roughly 35,000 fatalities each year in the United States. There are still concerns that the virus could return in the fall, in the typical flu season, as a stronger strain. \"We are cautiously optimistic that this particular strain will not be more severe than a normal seasonal flu outbreak,\" Napolitano said. Watch Napolitano assess the swine flu risk » . Napolitano acknowledged claims by health officials in Mexico, the epicenter of the H1N1 outbreak, who believe their cases have peaked and said, \"I have no reason to think that is inaccurate.\" The WHO said there were no immediate plans to raise its alert to the highest level, Phase 6. That designation would mean \"that we are seeing continued spread of the virus to countries outside of one region,\" Assistant Director-General Keiji Fukuda said. \"If you are seeing community outbreaks occur in multiple regions of the world, it really tells us if the virus has established itself and that we can expect to see disease in most countries in the world.\" In the United States, the CDC on Monday reported confirmed 279 cases across 36 states -- 60 more than were confirmed the day before. Several states, including New York and Massachusetts, confirmed dozens more cases Monday that were not immediately added to the CDC tally. See where the H1N1 virus has spread across the world » . Earlier, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said the CDC \"erroneously\" doubled the cases in his state. Jindal confirmed his state's total is seven, and the CDC dropped its nationwide count from 286 to 279. Many of the cases are among children; the median age is 16, said Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the CDC. The youngest confirmed case is a 3-month-old, he said. There are also more than 700 probable cases across 44 states, Besser said. \"This likely represents an underestimation of the total number of cases across the country,\" he said, because not everyone with flu-like symptoms goes to the doctor and gets tested. The numbers are expected to increase. Dr. Anne Schuchat, the CDC's interim deputy director for public health, said Sunday, \"We believe we're just on the upswing here.\" But in Mexico, where the first cases were reported, illnesses may have peaked for now. Mexico City will reopen government offices and restaurants Wednesday, and museums, libraries and churches Thursday as officials cited improvements in the battle against swine flu. Officials said university and secondary students can return to class Thursday while younger students will wait until May 11. In another sign of improving conditions with the H1N1 virus, federal officials lowered the nation's health alert level Monday from red, or \"high,\" to orange, or \"elevated.\" \"The measures we have taken, and above all the public's reaction, have led to an improvement,\" Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said at a news conference. \"But I insist that the virus is still present, that we need to remain on alert, and the resumption of activities will be little by little, not all at once.\" The Mexican and Chinese government sent chartered flights to each other's countries Tuesday to pick up their respective nationals stranded or quarantined because of the global swine flu outbreak. An Aeromexico flight was making several stops throughout China to collect nearly 70 citizens who were being held in quarantine across the communist nation as part of its strict swine flu-control measures. The flight will make stops in Beijing, Shanghai and the southern city of Guangzhou. Meanwhile, a U.S. Embassy official said four Americans are or were quarantined in China: two in Beijing; two in the southern Guangdong province. The official could not say whether the two in Guangdong had been released, nor did she provide additional details. In the U.S., residents gripped by concerns about the swine flu, also had a hopeful sign Monday. The St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens, New York -- which had the first confirmed U.S. cases of swine flu -- reopened Monday. More than 100 St. Francis students had come down with flu symptoms two weeks ago. Some were tested and found to have the H1N1 virus. Learn more about the H1N1 influenza virus » . New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was on hand to welcome them back to a school that had undergone an intense scrub-down. \"The school has been completely sanitized,\" St. Francis Principal Leonard Conway said in a letter to students and their parents. The U.S. Department of Education said that 533 schools were shut Monday, about 100 more than Friday and about half of 1 percent of all schools in the United States. The closures affect about 330,000 students in 24 states. New cases of swine flu were leaving soldiers isolated in California. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Marine Base at Twentynine Palms, north of Palm Springs, California, said two new cases of the flu were confirmed by the CDC. The two Marines show no symptoms but are being kept in isolation, spokeswoman Jennie Haskamp said. Previously, one other case was confirmed at the base. The U.S. Defense Department also reported that a crew member stationed aboard the USS Dubuque in San Diego, California, was confirmed to have swine flu and is currently ashore. The department said there were 13 other \"probable\" cases among Dubuque personnel. And California officials were looking into a suspected case at Centinela State Prison in Imperial County. Authorities suspended visitation and other \"non-essential activities\" at the prison pending confirmation. Even as health officials worldwide worked to battle the outbreak, intense efforts were under way to develop a vaccine -- with lessons from history in mind. \"In 1918, the Spanish flu showed a surge in the spring and then disappeared in the summer months, only to return in the autumn of 1918 with a vengeance,\" WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said Sunday. \"And we know that that eventually killed 40 million to 50 million people.\" Health officials are not making such dire predictions in this case. And they can't know for certain whether the swine flu will make a big return later in the year. Still, they're taking no chances. In that effort, health officials have a tool unlike anything they've had before. \"This is the best surveillance we've ever had,\" Fukuda said Monday. \"You know, we're really monitoring and able to see a situation unfold in a way we have never been able to do in history before.\" In Hong Kong, about 200 hotel guests and 100 staff members at the Metropark Hotel remain under quarantine until Friday after health officials determined that a guest there had contracted the H1N1 virus. Watch how a British citizen has been quarantined in Hong Kong » . \"We go down to the lobby for food and then back to the room to eat your food,\" said Leslie Carr, a British man who is one of the 300 stuck at the hotel. \"Not many people are downstairs hanging around to talk or discuss anything.\" Hong Kong, in particular, is extra careful after a SARS outbreak in 2003 killed almost 300 people. \"In view of the lack of data ... we have to be very cautious,\" said Yuen Kwok-Yung of Hong Kong University. \"I believe that as time goes by, we can change our strategy.\" CNN's Karl Penhaul in Mexico City, John Vause in Beijing, Diana Magnay in Geneva and Pauline Choo in Hong Kong contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Janet Napolitano: Epidemiologists note severity of swine flu same as regular flu .\nMexico City will reopen government offices and restaurants Wednesday .\nWHO has no plans to raise alert level to 6 .\nCenters for Disease Control: 286 confirmed cases across 36 states in U.S." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "DHAKA, Bangladesh (CNN) -- Army convoys are combing areas around the Bangladeshi border guard headquarters, vowing to punish participants in this week's bloody mutiny, which killed nearly 100 army officers and civilians, according to The New Nation newspaper. Bangladeshi firefighters continued to uncover bodies Friday of Bangladesh Rifles officers from a mass grave. More than 160 army officers were inside the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) when the mutiny broke out on Wednesday morning, local reports said. So far, 88 bodies have been recovered from mass graves in the outskirts of Dhaka, the newspaper reported. At least 22 bodies have also been recovered from the Buriganga River after the rebelling troops dumped them down a sewer during the standoff, authorities said. The 88 found dead were among those 169 officers, the newspaper reported. Another 27 emerged from their captivity in the headquarters of the BDR, a 65,000-strong paramilitary outfit primarily responsible for guarding the country's borders. About 200 BDR soldiers have been arrested. The mutiny began Wednesday when BDR members took dozens of their superiors hostage. It was the second day of BDR Week, when army officers and troop members from various BDR outposts along the border were in the capital for celebrations. The New Nation reported that the mutinous border guards surrendered their weapons on Thursday after the government declared an amnesty. The rebellion was spurred by years of discontent among the ranks of the BDR troops. Recruits complained their army superiors dismissed their appeals for more pay, subsidized food and opportunities to participate in U.N. peacekeeping operations. Bangladesh and its South Asian neighbors contribute the most troops to U.N. operations and the pay is far greater than the meager salary the jawans -- as the BDR troops are called -- make." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Bangladeshi army vows to punish participants in this week's bloody mutiny .\nSo far, 88 bodies reportedly recovered from mass graves in outskirts of Dhaka .\nAt least 22 bodies found in river after rebelling troops dumped them down sewer .\nMore than 160 were inside Bangladesh Rifles headquarters when mutiny erupted ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A U.S. government panel listed 13 countries Friday as \"egregious\" violators of religious freedom. Homeless Pakistani Christians protest last month in Islamabad for protection of Christian minorities. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom's annual report named Myanmar, North Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. It recommended that the Obama administration designate them as \"countries of particular concern\" or CPC. The group has issued a watch list that includes Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Laos, Russia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Venezuela, countries that don't rise to the level of a CPC but need to be monitored. \"Unfolding events in Pakistan make clear the relevance of this theme to the 2009 Annual Report. At the time of writing, emboldened Taliban-associated extremists had advanced to within 60 miles of the Pakistani capital of Islamabad,\" the report said. \"In the areas they already control, these groups are imposing draconian restrictions on human rights and religious freedom and engaging in brutal acts against individuals, particularly women and local police, who refused to accede to their repressive policies.\" The federal commission is bipartisan, and its commissioners are appointed by the president and members of Congress. A CPC designation gives Secretary of State Hillary Clinton \"a range of specific policy options to address serious violations of religious freedom.\" It requires the secretary \"to enter into direct consultations with a government to find ways to bring about improvements in the respect for religious freedom.\" The report covers the period May 2008 through April. The commission was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. \"While sanctions are a possible policy option, the secretary may decide to develop a binding agreement with the CPC government on specific actions that it will take to end the violations that gave rise to the designation or take a commensurate action,\" the commission said. \"The secretary may determine that pre-existing sanctions are adequate or waive the requirement of taking action in furtherance of the Act.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom names 13 nations .\nPanel recommends administration designate 13 as \"countries of particular concern\"\nDesignation gives secretary of state policy options to address serious violations ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "CLARENCE CENTER, New York (CNN) -- Recovering all the bodies from Thursday's deadly passenger plane crash may take four days as investigators work through freezing temperatures and piles of wreckage, a federal transportation official said Saturday. Only a few pieces of the Continental Connection Dash 8 turboprop were recognizable after the crash. \"The medical examiner believes that three to four days are going to be required to recover the victims of this crash, and they're in the process of doing that,\" Steve Chealander of the National Transportation Safety Board said. \"They've already pulled some of the folks out of there, but they've got a long way to go.\" All 49 passengers aboard Continental Connection Flight 3407 died when the 74-seat Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprop crashed into a home in Clarence Center, New York, on Thursday night. A 61-year-old man in the house died also, but his wife and daughter survived. Fifteen bodies have been recovered, and efforts to identify the victims and conduct autopsies are under way, Erie County Health Commission Anthony Billittier said Saturday evening. A federal disaster mortuary team was called to assist local forensic officials. Despite reports from local authorities who said the plane hurtled toward the house from a sharp nosedive, Chealander said the current orientation of the plane indicates that it fell flat on its belly. The Continental flight from Newark, New Jersey, operated by Colgan Air, crashed about 10:17 p.m. Thursday northeast of Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Follow the plane's path » . Chealander said the recovery effort and the investigation have been hampered by freezing temperatures as authorities try to sift through the wreckage of the flight and the home it struck. Some parts of the plane have fallen as deep as the basement, he said. \"Keep in mind, there's an airplane that fell on top of a house,\" he told reporters. \"The house and the airplane are together.\" Authorities said it would probably take weeks to identify remains of the victims, with DNA testing required in many cases because of the intensity of the crash and subsequent fire. A 2-square-mile area around the crash site, about 6 miles from the Buffalo airport where the plane was headed, remained sealed off Saturday as investigators sought to determine the cause of the crash. But the extent of the restricted area belied the concentrated force of the impact into the one house. Watch what investigators are saying » . Karen Wielinski was watching television inside the house when she heard a plane making an unusually loud noise. \"I thought to myself, 'If that's a plane, it's going to hit something,' \" she told Buffalo radio station WBEN. \"And next thing I knew, the ceiling was on me,\" she said. Wielinski and her daughter Jill, 22, were in the front of the home, and they escaped the house with minor injuries. Wielinski's husband, Doug, who was in the dining room, was killed. On Friday, federal investigators released information from the plane's cockpit voice and flight data recorders, indicating that icing may have been a major factor in the crash. The plane's pilot and co-pilot discussed \"significant ice buildup\" on the plane's windshield and wings as it descended toward the Buffalo airport. The plane underwent \"severe\" pitching and rolling motions after the landing gear was lowered and wing flaps were set for the approach, Chealander said. There was a mix of sleet and snow in the area, but other planes landed safely at the airport about the time the flight went down. Chealander said the flight crew reported that visibility was about 3 miles and there was snow and mist as they descended. The voice and data recorders indicated that the plane's internal de-icing was on during the landing approach, he said. \"A significant ice buildup is an aerodynamic impediment,\" he added. Find out why » . Keith Burtis was driving about a mile from the crash site when he heard the impact. \"It was a high-pitched sound,\" Burtis said. \"It felt like a mini-earthquake.\" A ball of fire filled the night sky as the jet fuel erupted, Burtis said, and he saw a steady stream of fire trucks rush past as smoke billowed. At least nine volunteer fire departments responded. Watch iReporters' close-up accounts » . Among the passengers killed was Beverly Eckert, widow of a September 11 attack victim. Also aboard was Alison Des Forges, senior Africa adviser for Human Rights Watch, one of her colleagues said. Des Forges spent four years in Rwanda documenting the 1994 genocide and had testified about the atrocity and the situation in central Africa to Congress and the United Nations, according to the organization. Read more about the victims . Also on the flight was Susan Wehle, a cantor at Temple Beth Am in Williamsville, outside Buffalo, a synagogue official said. Colgan Air identified the crew as Capt. Marvin Renslow, the pilot; First Officer Rebecca Shaw, who was co-pilot; and flight attendants Matilda Quintero and Donna Prisco. In addition, an off-duty crew member, Capt. Joseph Zuffoletto, was onboard. \"This is easily the saddest day in the history of our airline,\" said Philip Trenary, the company's CEO." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: 15 bodies recovered; identification could take weeks .\nNEW: Cold weather, extent of wreckage could prolong recovery as much as four days .\nNEW: Orientation of plane indicates that it fell flat on its belly, NTSB says .\nDe-icing equipment was turned on at time of crash, investigator says ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "JIANGYOU, China (CNN) -- A Chinese police officer is being hailed as a hero after taking it upon herself to breast-feed several infants who were separated from their mothers or orphaned by China's devastating earthquake. Police officer Jiang Xiaojuan, 29, was feeding nine babies at one point. Officer Jiang Xiaojuan, 29, the mother of a 6-month-old boy, responded to the call of duty and the instincts of motherhood when the magnitude-7.9 quake struck on May 12. \"I am breast-feeding, so I can feed babies. I didn't think of it much,\" she said. \"It is a mother's reaction and a basic duty as a police officer to help.\" The death toll in the earthquake jumped Thursday to more than 51,000, and more than 29,000 are missing, according to government figures. Thousands of children have been orphaned; many others have mothers who simply can't feed them. At one point, Jiang was feeding nine babies. \"Some of the moms were injured; their fathers were dead ... five of them were orphans. They've gone away to an orphanage now,\" she said. Watch the officer care for babies » . She still feeds two babies, including Zhao Lyuyang, son of a woman who survived the quake but whose breast milk stopped flowing because of the traumatic conditions. \"We walked out of the mountains for a long time. I hadn't eaten in days when I got here, and my milk was not enough,\" said that mother, Zhao Zong Jun. \"She saved my baby. I thank her so much. I can't express how I feel.\" Liu Rong, another mother whose breast milk stopped in the trauma, was awed by Jiang's kindness. \"I am so touched because she has her own baby, but she fed the disaster babies first,\" Liu said. \"If she hadn't fed my son, he wouldn't have had enough to eat.\" Jiang has became a celebrity, followed by local media and proclaimed on a newspaper front page as \"China's Mother No. 1.\" She's embarrassed by the fuss. \"I think what I did was normal,\" she said. \"In a quake zone, many people do things for others. This was a small thing, not worth mentioning.\" See the quake zone » . There has been a huge outpouring of support from families who want to adopt babies orphaned by the quake. But that process takes time, and there are mouths to feed. Jiang misses her own son, who's being cared for through the emergency by in-laws in another town, but she is aware of the new connections she's made. \"I feel about these kids I fed just like my own. I have a special feeling for them. They are babies in a disaster.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "New mother feeds babies separated from parents by disaster .\nShe's proclaimed as hero, but says it's \"not worth mentioning\"\nNewspaper headline hails her as \"China's Mother No. 1\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- A pregnant British woman facing possible execution in Laos will go on trial this week, the country's foreign affairs ministry said Monday. Samantha Orobator became pregnant in prison, according to a spokeswoman for rights group Reprieve. Samantha Orobator \"is facing death by firing squad for drug trafficking,\" said Clare Algar, executive director of Reprieve, a London-based human rights group. Orobator, 20, was arrested on August 5, said Khenthong Nuanthasing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman. She was alleged to have been carrying just over half a kilogram (1.1 pounds) of heroin, Reprieve lawyer Anna Morris told CNN by phone from Vientiane, the Laotian capital. \"For that amount of heroin the sentence is normally the death penalty,\" she said. Orobator's mother Jane found out in January her daughter was pregnant -- more than four months after she was arrested, her mother said. Jane Orobator heard the news from the British Foreign Office, which has been monitoring the case, the mother told CNN by phone from Dublin, where she lives. She cannot believe her daughter was involved in drug trafficking, and was surprised to learn she was in Laos, she said. \"I don't know\" what she was doing there, she said. \"The last time she spoke with me, she said she was on holiday in London and she would come to see us in Dublin before returning to the U.K. in July. \"She is not the type of person who would be involved in drugs,\" she added. Reprieve is worried about her health, especially given her pregnancy, Anna Morris said. \"She became pregnant in prison. We are concerned that it may not have been consensual and we are concerned that someone who finds herself in prison at 20 is subject to exploitation,\" she said. She is due to give birth in September, the lawyer added. Reprieve sent Morris from London to Laos to try to help Orobator, Algar said. The lawyer arrived there on Sunday and is hoping to visit Orobator on Tuesday, her boss at Reprieve said. A British consul has also arrived in the country. \"Reprieve heard about her case two weeks ago. We had thought yesterday the trial was going to start today,\" Algar said Monday. \"We have now heard from Anna that it is not going to.\" \"I am the first British lawyer who has asked for access to her,\" Morris said. \"She needs to have a local lawyer appointed to her. We are pressing very hard for the local authorities to appoint one.\" She said it was normal in the Laotian justice system for a defendant to get a lawyer only days before a trial. The last execution in Laos was in 1990, the foreign affairs spokesman said. British Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell issued a statement about Orobator on Saturday. \"The British Government is opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. We have made the Laos authorities aware of this at the highest levels in Samantha's case,\" he said. \"We are paying close attention to her welfare and are in regular contact with the Laotian authorities about her case. British Embassy officials, including the Ambassador, have visited her six times since her arrest,\" he said. \"In addition, Britain's consular representatives in Laos, the Australian Embassy, including the Australian Embassy doctor, have visited Samantha 10 times on our behalf,\" he said. There is no British Embassy in Laos. A British vice-consul arrived in the country this weekend, the Foreign Office said Monday. Rammell plans to raise the Orobator case with the Laotian deputy prime minister this week, he said. Samantha Orobator was born in Nigeria and moved to London with her family when she was 8, her mother said. CNN's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Samantha Orobator facing death by firing squad for drug trafficking .\nOfficial: Orabator was arrested on August 5 .\nShe became pregnant while in prison, rights group spokeswoman says .\nThe last execution in Laos was in 1990 ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "STUART, Florida (CNN) -- The most expensive item on Florida's list of economic stimulus projects is drawing fire from some residents and at least one public official, all questioning whether it's needed at all. Some residents say it's wasteful to spend money on a new bridge when there's one less than three miles away. The proposed $128 million Indian Street Bridge across the St. Lucie River has been debated in Martin County, Florida, for more than 20 years. But now that it has been cleared to receive money from the federal government's nearly $800 billion economic stimulus effort, the debate may be over. Critics say the span, which will connect the communities of Palm City and Stuart, is wasteful because there is already a bridge that connects the two communities less than three miles away. \"The president should know that this is a boondoggle, and he is getting swindled,\" said Odias Smith, who has been fighting the bridge for decades and is suing the state Department of Transportation to try to stop it. Mike Mortell, chairman of the Martin Metropolitan Planning Organization, said the existing Palm City bridge \"is in fine shape,\" but a bigger bridge is needed. \"It just simply doesn't have the capacity to move more cars over it,\" Mortell told CNN. \"It is at capacity. Every day, as many cars that can go over it during the rush hour times go over it.\" Supporters say the new bridge will ease traffic congestion, aid hurricane evacuations and create about 3,500 jobs. \"Those of us in favor of the bridge can't believe that we became so fortuitous that in a time of a recession when jobs are down that we actually found the money and have the opportunity to build this bridge that we've been planning now for literally over 20 years and now it's a reality,\" Mortell said. Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard, one of the few county officials who oppose the bridge, said traffic does back up at the existing bridge. But she said the congestion can be resolved without spending money on a new bridge. \"There are some impediments at either end of the bridge,\" Heard said. \"There are stoplights there that are timed so that travelers get stuck at the lights. They don't get stuck on the bridge.\" And Smith said he uses the Palm City Bridge regularly and never has a problem with traffic. \"My house faces that bridge. You can see the cars go over it. I go over at 50, 55, all the time,\" he said. Another source of contention between Martin County residents is whether the proposed project is \"shovel-ready\" -- a major test for stimulus projects, which are aimed at getting people back to work quickly. But Heard said the state has yet to buy all the property it needs for the right-of-way leading to the bridge, and that challenges from the current owners of those parcels could delay construction. \"I'm flabbergasted, to tell you the truth, because my understanding of the stimulus money was it was supposed to be for shovel-ready projects that could be completed in three years. This is not shovel-ready,\" she said. \"We haven't acquired the land necessary for right of way. We don't have plans for it.\" The Florida DOT says it has purchased 33 of the 63 pieces of property it will need to complete the bridge, and it expects to have all of them acquired by February 2011. But Smith said some people might refuse to sell. \"There's people there who want to stay. It's either their dream house and they're going to retire there or they're of modest means and they know they can afford it, but if they go someplace else, they can't afford it,\" he said. One homeowner whose land will be affected by the project, who did not want to be identified, said she had hoped her home \"would be a final investment for me.\" \"I think about starting over when I hadn't planned on it,\" she said. If homeowners refuse to sell, the parcels may go into eminent domain disputes that can take years to resolve. But Mortell said the state can acquire the remaining properties quickly using a fast-track settlement, purchasing the properties at their appraised value and negotiating with the homeowner about a buyout price at a later date. Heard \"probably misinterpreted what shovel-ready means,\" Mortell said. He said the bridge has already been designed and all federally required studies have been completed, so work on some parts of the project can begin right away. \"Shovel-ready means that the project can move forward within 120 days, and that was a primary criteria in the stimulus plan,\" he said. Florida lawmakers approved the project for stimulus funding in April. Once the check arrives, construction will begin. But Heard said local communities should have had more of a say in the decision. \"I don't think that's fair,\" Heard said. \"I think we could actually have gotten federal stimulus dollars for projects that we all support and are necessary here.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Proposed $128 million Indian Street Bridge has been debated for 20 years .\nCritics say it's wasteful because another bridge connects same two communities .\nSuing resident: \"The president should know ... he is getting swindled\"\nOthers say spending shouldn't be used because project isn't shovel-ready ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- A Maryland woman involved with a group described as a religious cult pleaded guilty in the starvation death of her son, but insisted that the charges be dropped when he is resurrected. Under terms of her plea agreement, Ria Ramkissoon's charges will be dropped if her son rises from the dead. The condition was made a part of Ria Ramkissoon's plea agreement, officials said. She entered the plea Monday in Baltimore, Maryland, to a first-degree felony count of child abuse resulting in death, her attorney, Steven Silverman, said Tuesday. Ramkissoon, a member of a group called One Mind Ministries, believes Javon Thompson, her year-old son, will rise again, and as part of her plea agreement, authorities agreed to the clause. \"She certainly recognizes that her omissions caused the death of her son,\" Silverman said. \"To this day, she believes it was God's will and he will be resurrected and this will all take care of itself. She realizes if she's wrong, then everyone has to take responsibility ... and if she's wrong, then she's a failure as a mother and the worst thing imaginable has happened. I don't think that, mentally, she's ready to accept that.\" Under the plea agreement, Ramkissoon, 22, must testify against four other One Mind Ministries members who are also facing charges, including first-degree murder, in Javon's death. At her sentencing, set for August, she will receive a 20-year sentence, which will be suspended except for the time she has already served behind bars, Silverman said. She must also undergo deprogramming and psychiatric counseling. In court Monday, it was clarified that the \"resurrection clause\" would apply only in the case of Javon's actual resurrection -- not a perceived reincarnation, Silverman said. \"This has never come up in the history of American law, as far as I've seen,\" Silverman said, adding that the clause was \"very important to her.\" \"On one level, she certainly is competent to stand trial, because she does recognize that as far as her legal entanglements are concerned, this is a grand-slam resolution for her,\" Silverman said. \"On the other hand, she's still brainwashed, she's still delusional as far as the teachings and influence of this cult, and she certainly is going to benefit with professional help and deprogramming.\" Ramkissoon and the others are accused of denying Javon food after the group's leader, a 40-year-old woman who goes by the name Queen Antoinette, decreed the boy was a demon since he refused to say \"amen\" after meals, Silverman said. \"Ria would cling to him every day and try to get him to say 'amen,' \" Silverman said. Eventually, Queen Antoinette ordered that Ramkissoon be separated from the child, he said. Javon is believed to have died in December 2006, court documents allege. Following his death, the group members put the boy's body in a back room, and \"everyone was directed to come in and pray,\" according to the documents. \"The Queen told everyone that 'God was going to raise Javon from the dead.' Javon remained in the room for an extended period of time (in excess of one week). The resurrection never took place.\" Authorities believe the boy's body was then placed into a wheeled suitcase along with mothballs and fabric-softener sheets, documents said. Prosecutors allege Antoinette opened the suitcase periodically and sprayed its interior with Lysol to mask the decomposition odor. The group then moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and befriended a man who agreed to take care of their luggage before they left, documents said. The body was found in April 2008, still inside the suitcase, in the man's storage shed. All five One Mind Ministries members were set to stand trial Monday. The case against the others has been postponed, Silverman said, as Antoinette and another woman lack attorneys and must either obtain one or waive their right to counsel. Silverman added that Antoinette has suggested, though not said outright, that God is representing her. Court documents say Ramkissoon joined One Mind Ministries after Javon's birth in 2005. Silverman described her as a petite, soft-spoken woman who rejected her family's Hindu religion, became a devout Christian and wanted to raise her son in that religion. \"She didn't want to have to work or go to school. She just wanted to take care of her son, and they offered her all this,\" he said. The group insisted she wear a uniform the colors of royalty: white, tan and blue; give up her cell phone; stop referring to her family members by name; and not leave her home on her own, among other things, he said. \"They really isolated her, brainwashed her, and you see what happened.\" Ramkissoon's mother, Seeta Khadan Newton, notified various agencies that her grandson was missing after she traveled to New York City in February 2008 to find her daughter, court documents said. Newton told authorities that when she spoke to Ramkissoon and asked about Javon, her daughter replied, \"He's gone. He's lost,\" but gave no further information. Silverman said he realized right away after consulting with Ramkissoon that he needed to communicate her story to the public and to prosecutors. \"Once you get to understanding the story, understanding what Ria went through, and her intentions ... it becomes quite clear that Ria, although many may not think her hands are clean, a reasonable, rational person would have some sympathy.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Javon Thompson is believed to have died in December 2006 .\nOne Mind Ministries members prayed for his resurrection .\nWhen he didn't rise, his body was put in a suitcase with mothballs .\nUnder terms of plea deal, charges will be dropped if he rises from dead ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Violence flared in southern Afghanistan, with a NATO-led service member killed Saturday and 20 suspected insurgents slain in Helmand province Friday, authorities said. U.S. Marines fire a 120mm mortar on a suspected Taliban position Friday in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The violence comes as NATO members meet in Europe to discuss the fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. NATO's International Security Assistance Force said the service member died after being wounded by a roadside bomb. It did not specify the province where it happened or the victim's nationality. \"On behalf of ISAF, I offer our condolences to the loved ones of this brave service member,\" said Brig. Gen. Richard Blanchette, ISAF spokesman. \"We cannot lessen their pain, but we can, and do commit ourselves to honoring this sacrifice as we strive to bring security to the Afghan people.\" The U.S. military said the 20 suspected insurgents were killed in clashes with Afghan soldiers and coalition forces on Friday in the Kajaki district of Helmand province. \"The combined forces were conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol in a known Taliban stronghold in order to deny insurgents' freedom of movement when they were ambushed by numerous armed insurgents with mortar and small-arms fire,\" the military said. The fighting in Helmand's Kajaki district happened during operations targeting suspected Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan, suspected of bomb-making, weapons smuggling, drug activity and attacks on Afghan and coalition soldiers, the U.S. military said in a statement." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Twenty insurgents died Friday in clashes with Afghan soldiers, coalition forces .\nNATO-led service member killed Saturday in Helmand province, south Afghanistan .\nAfghan, coalition soldiers in region targeting bombmakers, weapons smugglers .\nClashes come as NATO members discuss operations against Taliban, al Qaeda ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Automaker Peugeot has fired its chief executive, replacing Christian Streiff with Philippe Varin, currently the CEO at Corus, an Anglo-Dutch steelmaker. Peugeot is Europe's second biggest carmaker . \"Given the extraordinary difficulties currently faced by the automotive industry, the Supervisory Board decided unanimously that a change in the senior leadership position was necessary,\" said Thierry Peugeot, chairman of the PSA Peugeot Citroen supervisory board Sunday. \"I am confident that under the leadership of Philippe Varin, the Group will be able, with all the teams, to unlock its potential.\" Varin will officially take over Peugeot's top post on June 1, but will begin \"familiarizing himself\" with operations starting next month. Roland Vardanega, a member of the managing board, will act as interim chairman until Varin assumes his new job. Peugeot, Europe's second biggest automaker, posted a loss of €343 million, or $456 million, in 2008 and also expects to lose money in 2009." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Christian Streiff replaced with Philippe Varin, currently CEO at Corus .\nPeugeot posted a loss of €343 million, or $456 million, in 2008 .\nPeugeot board: \"Change in the senior leadership position was necessary\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- He is the international superstar responsible for breathing life into the iconic comic book hero Wolverine. Her movies have earned more than $2 billion worldwide, including the entire \"X-Men\" franchise. Hugh Jackman emerges as Wolverine in \"X-Men Origins: Wolverine,\" which opened Friday. Actor Hugh Jackman and film producer Lauren Shuler Donner recently sat down for a candid conversation about their new film, \"X-Men Origins: Wolverine.\" Specifically, the pair talked about the scene in which Jackman's character is transformed from a simple mutant with bony claws that periodically protrude from the back of his hands to an invincible mutant filled with an indestructible metal called adamantium. This scene represents the ultimate birth of a comic legend as the character is transformed from Logan to Wolverine. Watch the scene in which Wolverine is unleashed » . Hugh Jackman: I knew this was the birth of the character; this is where we see him in full flight. It's called in the comic book \"berserker rage.\" It's not really in the English language, but it may be now! But, this idea that this complete animal [has been] unleashed, which is obviously the entire story -- this battle between the animal and human is something we all relate to. Lauren Shuler Donner: There were many things he had to do in the tank, you know. One of them was he had to be lowered, and then the needles had to come towards him. Now, most of those were CGI, so he had to look in certain places where the needles were. But, he couldn't hear [director] Gavin [Hood]. So they ... tried all kinds of sounds, speakers, everything. ... They finally devised this toe method where, if Gavin pulled on Hugh's big toe, it meant the things are coming, the second toe is this, the last toe is rise up, very sophisticated. (laughter) Jackman: I had in my head that I've got to be in much better shape -- not better shape, different shape, kind of ridiculous shape because I wanted it to be uncomfortable. I wanted it to feel like I felt when I saw Robert De Niro in \"Cape Fear,\" that -- whoa, this guy is dangerous, he's powerful, he's dangerous, and he can snap at any point. Donner: There's an iconic drawing of Wolverine coming out of the tank in the comics with the things popping out of him and his hair all over him in a rage, and we wanted to be that image. That's the image we wanted for the fans. Jackman: I was a little frightened when I watched it, like, \"Is that me?\" [My wife] Deb was like, \"Hugh, this is ridiculous. I don't even know who that is.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hugh Jackman plays Wolverine in \"X-Men Origins: Wolverine\"\nTo create the character, Jackman wanted to be in \"ridiculous shape\"\nHow to contact Jackman underwater? Director used a \"toe method\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Manny Pacquiao has told CNN even he was surprised at how quickly his fight against Great Britain's Ricky Hatton came to an end. Manny Pacquiao throws a left hand on his way to a devastating victory over Ricky Hatton. Pacquiao, often considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, cemented his reputation Saturday night when he knocked out Hatton in the second round. \"That was two of the most exciting rounds I have seen in my career,\" said Chris Mannix, a writer for Sports Illustrated. \"You saw, from the opening bell, Pacquiao was really dominant.\" In an interview with CNN's Kristie LuStout after the fight, Pacquiao acknowledged the fight ended sooner than he expected. Watch Pacquiao talk about his post-fight plans » . With the win at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada, Pacquiao added the light-welterweight crown to his past world titles: lightweight, super-featherweight, light-featherweight, featherweight and flyweight. The Filipino's career record now stands at 49-3-2 with 37 knockouts. The fight, for which Pacquiao reportedly earned $12 million, was brief. Pacquiao knocked Hatton down in the first round from a series of lightning-fast right hooks. The British boxer managed to get to his feet and finish the round, but the outcome was evident once the second round began. Hatton, the International Boxing Organization's light-welterweight champion, tried the classic brawling style that has fueled his career. But Pacquiao's technique and speed quickly outclassed Hatton. The Filipino's right hooks set up a devastating left hook that flattened Hatton with a second remaining in the second round. The referee quickly ended the match. \"It turned out he (Hatton) just wasn't very good at boxing,\" Mannix said. \"You saw the difference between a great fighter and very good fighter.\" The 30-year-old Pacquiao is a national hero in the Philippines, where his bouts bring the country to a standstill. He came into the fight on Saturday as a narrow favorite after sending one of the biggest names in the sport, Oscar de la Hoya, into retirement with a stoppage victory in December. Nicknamed \"Pacman,\" he grew up poor in General Santos City in the southern Philippines. He found boxing as a way to lift himself to fame and riches, yet he remains self-deprecating outside of the ring. It is this combination of a fierce fighter in the ring and a smiling deferential one outside that has helped turn him into an idol. Outside a bar in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong, China, a woman who would only identify herself as Amy and her friends erupted in joy. The second-biggest ethnic group behind Chinese are Filipinos . Amy and her friends -- all from the Philippines and working here in this world financial center -- were part of the crowd that had just witnessed the match live. \"This is great, this is wonderful,\" Amy screamed. CNN's Kevin Drew contributed to this report ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Manny Pacquiao knocks out Ricky Hatton in second round at the MGM Grand .\nVictory cements Pacquiao's reputation as best pound-for-pound boxer in world .\nThe Filipino adds the light-welterweight title to his collection of championships ." } ]